Axios Atlanta

May 15, 2026
TGIF, Atlanta!
☀️ Today's weather: Sunny, with a high of 80 and a low of 58. The weekend looks great, with plenty of sunshine and highs in the 80s.
🎂 Happy early birthday to our Axios Atlanta members Patrick O'Shea and Jeffrey Ellman!
Today's newsletter is 894 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: DAs to sue over bill removing party labels
Two metro Atlanta district attorneys say they'll take legal action against a controversial law that makes certain countywide positions nonpartisan.
Why it matters: House Bill 369, which was passed by the Republican-led General Assembly, only affects voters in Democratic-leaning Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties.
The latest: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her DeKalb County counterpart, Sherry Boston, said in a joint statement the law is an attempt by Republican lawmakers to give GOP candidates a better chance of winning in those five counties by "hiding their party affiliation from voters."
- The pair said they will challenge the law's constitutionality in court.
- "Sadly, thanks to the irresponsible actions of the Republican majorities in the legislature and Governor [Brian] Kemp, taxpayers will be the ones footing the bill to defend it in court," the statement said.
How it works: Along with district attorney seats, the bill signed Tuesday by Kemp makes county commission, tax commissioner, clerk of superior court and other countywide races nonpartisan starting Jan. 1, 2028.
- It does not include the office of sheriff.
The intrigue: Willis and Boston noted that the five counties targeted by the bill all have Black women serving as district attorneys. These counties also have Black women serving as county commission chairs.
What they're saying: Cobb County Commission Chair Lisa Cupid said she's disappointed by the law, and any changes to how local elections are conducted should include community input and be applied statewide.
- Stephen Aaron, chair of the 9th Congressional District Republican Party, told WABE the change would make it harder for voters to understand a candidate's philosophy and give more influence to special interest groups.
The other side: Kemp's office declined to comment on why he signed the legislation.
The big picture: The Association County Commission of Georgia, which asked Kemp to veto the legislation, said it's likely unconstitutional because it only applies to counties that have a medical examiner.
2. Amy Sherald: American Sublime opens the High
If you've been eager to check out the talent of artist and Georgia native Amy Sherald, the High Museum of Art is offering another opportunity to see her most famous pieces.
The latest: "Amy Sherald: American Sublime" is available to peruse and interpret at the High through Sept. 27.
- The exhibit includes 39 paintings Sherald created between 2007 and 2024 and features some of her well-known pieces, including the portrait of former first lady Michelle Obama.
What they're saying: "This is truly such a special opportunity to share the breadth of her work with the city of Atlanta," High Museum chief curator Kevin Tucker said Thursday during a media tour of the exhibit.
- Sherald, a Columbus native and former Atlanta resident, said in a news release she's looking forward to "returning to celebrate the cultural and artistic power that is born in this city."
Zoom in: Visitors can see the famous portrait of the former first lady, which was also part of "The Obama Portraits Tour" the High Museum hosted in early 2022.
- Also on display is a striking portrait of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency room technician who was shot and killed by Louisville police in a 2020 raid at her home.
💬 Kristal's favorites: Along with Obama and Taylor's portraits, my top picks were "For Love, and for Country," "The Bathers," "If You Surrendered to the Air, You Could Ride It," "Kingdom," "Trans Forming Liberty" and "A God Blessed Land."
3. Food bites: Remember the Dairy Queen
Know what you're eating! Here's what's happening in metro Atlanta food and restaurant news.
⚽️ The former BrewDog space along the Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trail will temporarily become LikeMinds, a pop-up sports bar from the team that launched Westside Motor Lounge. (What Now)
🍦 Kiss your Blizzard goodbye. After almost six decades, the North Avenue Dairy Queen has closed. (Tomorrow's News Today)
👨🎤 A David Bowie-inspired wine bar with curated playlists and a cellar packed with sparkling wines is planned for Sandy Springs. (Rough Draft)
🌎 Pop-ups taking place across town this weekend include "globally inspired slow food," Indian food dancing with BBQ and a Polish-Korean mash-up. (AJC)
4. Five-ish Points: Scientology Speedrun trend
⚖️ Social Circle is suing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE over the agencies' controversial plan to open a 100,000-square-foot warehouse in the small city. (CBS News)
📈 Georgia's fastest-growing cities are also some of the state's smallest. Hoschton, a small city in Jackson County near major economic development projects, added roughly 1,900 people between 2024 and 2025. (AJC)
Atlanta Police say the fatal stabbing of a woman yesterday on the Atlanta Beltline near Ansley Golf Club was a random attack. Officers have a suspect in custody. (AJC)
🏃 Sandy Springs police say a 20-year-old man was charged with disorderly conduct after participating in a "speed run" through the Church of Scientology's center on Roswell Road. (Fox 5)
😖 Kristal wonders if using a windshield sunshade will stop ghost touches that afflict her car's infotainment screen when it's hot outside.
🫨 Thomas is swearing off ice cream and sugar for six weeks and everything is going fine why do you ask get me out of this prison.
This newsletter was edited by Crystal Hill.
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