🫶 Welcome to Monday, Atlanta. It's already mid-September!

☀️ Today's weather: Sunny, with highs in the low-90s and lows in the low-70s.

🎂 Happy birthday to our member Ellen Herbert!

This newsletter is 992 words, a 3.5-minute read.

Metro Atlanta's 65 and up population is projected to boom in the coming decades amid a demographic inversion that's expected to deepen well into the future.

Why it matters: Aging in place isn't easy in the sprawling, car-dependent metro, and regional planners say action is needed to accommodate a 65 and older population expected to more than double by 2050.

By the numbers: The Atlanta Regional Commission projects the 11-county region will have roughly 1.3 million to 1.4 million residents ages 65 and up by 2050, representing 22% of the region's population — a 122% increase from 2020.

Reality check: Older adults told the ARC that transportation, especially in communities with limited transit and poor pedestrian infrastructure, is a top concern.

• So is money: 43% of respondents over 65 said in a 2025 ARC survey they didn't have enough cash on hand to pay a $400 emergency.

State of play: The ARC's "age friendly" action plan calls for new multigenerational housing models, including co-housing, home-sharing and eco-villages, along with mobility hubs, walk audits and pedestrian fixes such as improved curbs and signal timing.

The big picture: Adults 65 and older now outnumber children 5 and younger around the globe amid a global plunge in fertility — demographers' term for the number of children being born — and people living longer lives, Axios' Russell Contreras reports, citing a new U.S. Census study.

• In 1980, there were 3.9 children for every resident over the age of 65 in the ARC region. In 2024, that number was 1.7.

Between the lines: The demographic shift could force societies to rethink old age as an economic asset rather than simply a cost, Census report contributor Andrew Scott said.

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Why it matters: Membership helps support the local reporting that keeps you informed about the people, decisions and stories shaping where you live.

💙 Become an Axios Atlanta member today and help our newsroom keep delivering journalism built for your community.

Thanks for reading — and for supporting local news.

👋🏽 Crystal here.

I recently stopped by wing spot The Bando — and I owe our readers an apology.

Why it matters: Earlier this year Axios Atlanta ran a chicken wing bracket, asking readers to pick the best wings in the city.

• Voters crowned The Local, but not before informing us of an oversight: The Bando, which bills itself as a chicken wing restaurant and trap museum. Over Labor Day weekend, I finally checked it out.

Zoom in: I ordered six lemon-pepper wings with fries and ate every crumb.

• The wings were well seasoned and crispy. The fries didn't disappoint either. Plus, they gave me all drums (if you know, you know).
• I was with two friends, and we split an order of fried Oreos. One friend described them as the perfect mix of salty and sweet.

Inside the room: The Bando has a unique ambiance. Beneath the counter are rows of mug shots of famous rappers from Atlanta and beyond.

• The interior is designed to look like the inside of an old-school trap house.
• The eating area is a row of desks facing a TV that shows films considered Black classics like "Cooley High," which was playing when I ate there. On one wall are the covers of old Ebony magazines.

The bottom line: I won't overlook The Bando again.

Tell a chicken wing snob

A proposal to create a historic district along Peachtree Circle in Atlanta's Ansley Park neighborhood suffered a major setback last week, when the City Council voted to shelve the proposal.

Why it matters: Supporters said the historic district would protect the street's oldest and most eye-catching homes from demolition or changes that would permanently alter their early 20th-century architecture.

The latest: The City Council on Monday voted 11-4 to file the legislation, meaning it will be on hold for an indefinite period of time.

What they're saying: Roger Smith, who purchased and relocated the iconic Randolph-Lucas-Jones House to 78 Peachtree Circle and is a proponent of the historic district, told Axios he was "very disappointed that it's gone this way."

How it works: The city of Atlanta has a Historic and Landmark Districts ordinance outlining how buildings and other structures in designated areas must be maintained.

The other side: Council member Alex Wan, who said he would not support the designation unless the advocates received support from two-thirds of neighbors, said the process has resulted in a "really painful and unfortunate dynamic that is happening in the neighborhood."

What we're watching: David Yoakley Mitchell, executive director of the Atlanta Preservation Center, said he doesn't think the push to create a historic district for Peachtree Circle is over.

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😢 James L. "Mr. V" Virgil, who founded the popular nightclub Mr. V's Figure 8 and later ran a restaurant supply store, died at the age of 85. (11 Alive)

🎾 Alexander Zverev defeated Atlanta native Ben Shelton to win the 2026 U.S. Open men's singles final. (NBC)

🏒 The National Hockey League is in talks with Anson Carter, former NHL player and current analyst, on a third proposal to bring a franchise to metro Atlanta. (ESPN)

⚖️ Fulton County police have dropped all charges against singer and actor Tyrese Gibson whose four dogs were accused of attacking and killing a neighbor's pup. (CBS Atlanta)

🎧 Thomas is listening to an Odd Lots episode featuring The Home Depot's vice president of asset protection who investigates organized shoplifting rings.

🪴 Kristal has been reflecting on her houseplant ownership journey and will share what she's learned (and her hot takes) with y'all soon.

This newsletter was edited by Crystal Hill.