The misconduct hearing involving District Attorney Fani Willis had another intriguing moment. During the final day of testimony, Willis’ father John Floyd took the stand and gave a masterful testimony.
The hearing involves accusations of Willis’ relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade and whether she benefited financially from their time dating. The judge’s ruling could impact the election interference case where Willis indicted Donald Trump and others over their alleged involvement with attempting to overturn the 2020 Election.
Attorneys for those who are indicted were attempting to prove that Willis benefited financially from her relationship with Wade. Willis contends that she never benefited from the relationship and paid Wade back in cash.
Floyd backed up those claims by his daughter by revealing that he always told her to keep at least six months of cash at all times.
During testimony, Floyd said, “maybe—and excuse me your honor, I’m not trying to be racist—but it’s a Black thing…I was trained, and most Black folks, they hide cash or they keep cash, and I was trained you always keep some cash,” he added. “I gave my daughter her first cash box and told her, ‘Always keep some cash.’”
A.R. Shaw serves as Executive Editor of Atlanta Daily World. His work has been featured in The Guardian, ABC News, NBC, BBC, CBC. He’s also the author of the book “Trap History: Atlanta Culture and the Global Impact of Trap Music.”
Jury deliberations have again commenced in the trial for a former Ohio sheriff’s deputy accused of fatally shootingCasey Goodson Jr., a 23-year-old Black man, per the Associated Press.
Ex-deputy Jason Meade, who is white, is facing charges of murder and reckless homicide in the December 2020 shooting death of Goodson Jr.
Meade shot Goodson Jr. six times, with five of those shots being in the back, as he entered his grandmother’s home, police previously said. The former deputy testified that he pursued Goodson after the 23-year-old allegedly waved a gun at him as they drove past each other. Meade said he opened fire at Goodson in the doorway of his grandmother’s home because he turned toward the officer with the gun.
Goodson’s family and prosecutors have argued that Goodson was holding a sandwich bag and his keys when he was shot by Meade. The family noted that Goodson was licensed to carry a firearm, so he could’ve been carrying a gun.
Authorities discovered Goodson’s weapon on the floor of his grandmother’s kitchen with the safety mechanism engaged.
On Wednesday (February 14), a jury deliberated for over three hours before a male juror was dismissed and replaced by an alternate. The jury restarted its deliberations on Thursday (February 15), but another juror was dismissed and replaced.
It’s unclear why either juror was removed.
At the time of the shooting, Meade wasn’t wearing a body camera, so there’s no video footage of the incident. Meade is the only person who testified that Goodson was holding a gun, according to prosecutors.
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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — LeBron James still wants to participate in the Paris Olympics this summer, sure sounds like extending his NBA career for at least a couple more seasons is an option and said he would like to see his playing days end as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Of course, not even he knows if any or all of that is possible.
James played in his 20th All-Star Game on Sunday, extending his record for appearances in the NBA’s midseason showcase, but arrived with a plan to not be on the court in Indianapolis for very long because of an ongoing treatment plan for his problematic left ankle. He had eight points in 14 minutes during the first half and didn’t start the second half, giving up his spot to Golden State’s Stephen Curry.
“The most important thing for me is definitely my health,” James said.
And that will be the deciding factor in just about all of James’ basketball decisions for the rest of his career — short-term, long-term, however long he has left on his unprecedented resume. The first priority right now is the playoffs, with the Lakers currently 30-26 and ninth in the Western Conference even after winning six of their last seven games.
“We’re trending in the right direction,” James said.
He is 39, having played more minutes than anyone in NBA history. If he comes back this fall for a 22nd season — and he intends to — he’ll tie Vince Carter for the NBA record in that department. He insists that he doesn’t know how long he wants to play, either.
For now, it’s all about the Lakers and their postseason push. After that, he’ll decide whether to play for USA Basketball this summer. At this point, Paris is in his plans.
“I told myself before the season, when I committed to being part of the Olympic team, obviously it was all predicated on my health,” James said. “As it stands right now, I am healthy enough to be on the team and perform at a level that I know I can perform at.”
The Olympic question is a bit tricky.
The Lakers’ season could end in April, May or June. If it ends early, James will have tons of time to heal up and get ready for a U.S. training camp that starts in early July, then will have a number of exhibition games, followed by the Olympics that will end in mid-August. But if the Lakers make a deep postseason run, it might prompt James to say he’ll value time off and getting ready for the 2024-25 NBA season over jamming another five or six weeks of basketball into his summer schedule.
“It’s more miles put on these tires,” said James, a three-time Olympian and two-time Olympic gold medalist. “But if I’m committed — which I am — to Team USA, then I’m going to commit my mind, body and soul to being out there for Team USA, being out there representing our country with the utmost respect and go out there and play.”
He’s 132 points away from reaching 40,000 for his regular-season career, which means he’s likely somewhere around five games from hitting that milestone. There aren’t a lot of records left to chase; James is already the scoring king and his place in history was secured long, long ago. He’s long said he wants to play in an NBA that has one of his sons in it and USC freshman Bronny James would be eligible to enter the draft this spring.
“I have not mapped out how many seasons I have left,” James said. “I know it’s not that many.”
He hasn’t even figured out if he wants a retirement tour for a final season where he’ll be saying goodbye in every NBA city or if choosing to “Tim Duncan it” — meaning going out very quietly, like the San Antonio star who never wanted any attention — will be the plan.
“I’ve never been that great with accepting praise,” James said. “It’s a weird feeling for me.”
James could also be a free agent this summer if he chooses to go that route. He has a player option for more than $51 million for next season and most players wouldn’t pass up making that kind of money. But James’ net worth has been estimated to exceed $1 billion already, his off-court investments are varied, and it’s probably a safe bet that the size of the paycheck no longer is a top priority.
“I am a Laker, and I am happy, very happy, being a Laker the last six years and I hope it stays that way,” James said. “But I don’t have the answer to how long it is, or which uniform I’ll be in. Hopefully, it is with the Lakers. It’s a great organization, with so many greats with it. I don’t know how it’s going to end, but it’s coming. It’s coming for sure.”
Atlanta United has had a few kits that nod toward the team’s home base. The King Peach Kit shouted out to the Peach State, while last season’s mint green secondary kit was a nod to Atlanta’s nickname as the City in the Forest. Last year’s third kit, the graffitied 404 Kit, was sprung from a collaboration with Atlanta Influences Everything. But this year’s brand-new secondary kit has the most direct Atlanta connections yet.
Called the Resurgens Kit, the jersey was created in partnership with the City of Atlanta and features an abstract phoenix on the front and the official city seal on the back of the neck. The piping on the sides also mimics the city seal, featuring the word “resurgens” along with the dates 1847 and 1865 (Atlanta’s incorporation and reconstruction, respectively). The blue and yellow color scheme resembles the city flag.
The Resurgens Kit
Photograph courtesy of Atlanta United
The Resurgens Kit
Photograph courtesy of Atlanta United
The Resurgens Kit
Photograph courtesy of Atlanta United
Sarah Kate Noftsinger, Atlanta United’s VP and Chief Business Officer, says the decision to partner with the city for the kit was “pretty much a no-brainer.”
“We want to elevate the city, we want to represent the city. We wouldn’t be where we are without the people of Atlanta, [so] let’s celebrate them and let’s celebrate who we are and what we stand for,” she says.
While the phoenix is Atlanta’s symbol of a literal rise from the ashes after the city burned to the ground during the Civil War in 1864 (and endured an even more destructive fire in 1917), it has its own meaning for the club. Remember that until recently, Atlanta was often dismissed as a terrible place for sports. “People doubted Atlanta United and soccer working in Atlanta,” Noftsinger says of the days when the team was first announced. “So being able to lean into the phoenix, it’s always rising. It’s a story of overcoming. It’s a story that’s bigger than soccer.”
With the launch of the Resurgens Kit, Atlanta United is also changing how they refer to their kits. Home or primary kits, such as the current 17s’ Kit, will be called “club kits,” while away or secondary kits like Resurgens will be called “community kits.” This means you might see Resurgens worn more inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“Often times in sports, the home kit is worn at home and the away kit is worn away,” Noftsinger says. “We wanted to make sure we took an approach where they were actually worn equal amounts, especially at home.” She notes that the King Peach and Forest Kits were also “community kits” because the stories behind them were not directly tied to the soccer team. So, moving forward, she says, the stories behind community kits “should transcend the sport and the club” and “celebrate the community in which we live.”
Brooks Lennon wears the Resurgens Kit.
Photograph courtesy of Atlanta United
Giorgos Giakoumakis wears the Resurgens Kit.
Photograph courtesy of Atlanta United
The kit was officially revealed to season ticket holders during a launch party at Pullman Yards on Saturday night, which featured an appearance from Mayor Andre Dickens. A matching Resurgens scarf, also shown off at the event, features a blue and white Atlanta toile pattern on one side and the words “Atlanta United” and the city seal in blue and gold on the other.
Atlanta Hawks announced plans to host their sixth annual ‘HBCU Night presented by Chase’ at State Farm Arena on Friday, Feb. 23. The organization will dedicate this night to celebrating the educational excellence and unique culture of more than 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which were originally founded as institutions of higher learning for African Americans. All fans in attendance will receive a special rally towel courtesy of Chase.
“Each year, the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena eagerly anticipate HBCU Night presented by Chase,” said Hawks’ Executive Vice President and Chief People, Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Camye Mackey. “We come together to honor our nation’s and city’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities for their dedication to empowering the educational journeys of African American students. HBCUs play a critical role in shaping the leadership capabilities of many of our employees, and continuously contributes to the advancement of our entire community. By providing educational opportunities, fostering leadership development, enriching our cultural landscape, and making significant economic contributions, they remain an indispensable component of the fabric of our nation.”
Prior to the game, the Hawks and Chase are hosting a special fireside chat featuring Rich Paul, Founder and CEO, KLUTCH Sports and Board Member and Co-Head of United Talent Agency Sports at 5:30 pm titled, “The Journey of a Premier Sports Agent and the Importance of Financial Health Education.” Brigitte Killings, Chase’s Community and Business Development Director for the South, and Camye Mackey, Executive Vice President and Chief People, Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, will co-host the chat. Fans can watch the live stream of this event at Hawks.com/stream as this will be a private in-person event.
“We are thrilled to join forces with the Atlanta Hawks to celebrate the rich heritage and academic excellence of HBCUs,” said Killings. “As an HBCU alumna, I am honored to be a part of an event that recognizes the pivotal role these institutions play in shaping the next generation of Black leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, artists and so much more. Chase remains committed to supporting our city’s and our country’s HBCUs and honoring their legacy alongside the Hawks.”
To tip off the festivities, the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) Gospel Choir will sing both the United States and Canadian national anthems. The FAMU Gospel Choir has performed around the United States and internationally for over sixty years.
At halftime, Mahogany in Motion, the official dance team of Spelman College and Morehouse College, and the Essence Dance Line of Clark Atlanta University’s Mighty Marching Panther Band, will join the ATL Dancers for a special halftime performance. In addition, ATL BOOM, the Hawks’ drumline, will be joined by HBCU drum member alumni from various schools and guest drum leader, Joshua Moore, the Assistant Band Director at Morehouse.
During the game, the Hawks and Chase will also honor small business Nouveau Bar & Grill, a local restaurant with locations in Jonesboro and College Park. HBCU alumnus Ebony Austin founded Nouveau Bar & Grill and aims to bring upscale dining and entertainment while remaining true to the heart of the city. In addition to founding her restaurant, Austin has also worked to provide scholarships to students at HBCUs.
The first Black character introduced in the “Peanuts” comic strip has landed his own Apple TV+ special.
On Friday (February 16), “Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin” is set to premiere, highlighting Franklin Armstrong’s background and friendship with lead character Charlie Brown, KSBY reports.
The special comes after Franklin was written into the “Peanuts” comic in 1968. The creation of “Peanuts’” first Black character stemmed from a schoolteacher urging creator Charles Schultz to add more diversity to the comic in the wake of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Like the comic, the new special is set to begin with Franklin meeting Charlie Brown at the beach after he retrieved the lead’s beach ball from the ocean. The two later become partners in a soap box derby competition, building a friendship and bonding over music along the way.
In a preview for the Apple TV+ special, Franklin introduces Charlie Brown to James Brown, the “Godfather of Soul.” The special is also set to correct some misinterpretations of “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.” showing how Franklin grew friendships “in real time, in the way that real friendships do” with Charlie Brown’s gang, director and story editor Raymond S. Persi told the Associated Press.
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City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, Atlanta History Center, Out of Hand, and Equitable Dinners partner with Villa Albertine for free annual philosophy super-event on March 1, 2024 interrogates the future of urban life
Villa Albertine, the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, Atlanta History Center, Equitable Dinners, and Out of Hand Theater today announced the program for the 2024 Night of Ideas coming to Atlanta on March 1, 2024. Villa Albertine’s annual marathon of philosophical debates, performances, readings, and more, invites experts and the public to engage together in late-night discussions addressing major global issues.
This year, Night of Ideas returns across 20 US cities. Leading thinkers, scientists, novelists, activists, and artists will engage with the theme “Outside the Lines” centering urban life and development, and raising questions about the impact of climate change, new technologies, gentrification, and social and cultural activism.
In Atlanta, Night of Ideas kicks off Friday, March 1, 2024 from 5pm-11pm at Atlanta History Center, exploring the theme of urban mutations through the lenses of the environment, Afro-futurism and artistic expression.
How are cities preparing for the environmental challenges to come? Will Atlanta become the model for an ecological and equitable city? As a major city in the South, how Atlanta steps into the future will have a significant impact on the entire region both socially and ecologically. Taking its inspiration from “Behold the Land”, a speech by W. E. B. Du Bois (1946), and a series of photographs by Atlanta-based artist Sheila Pree Bright (2022), the event will feature conversations, an Equitable Dinners experience, nature walks, screenings and performances, inviting attendees to embrace our collective connection to land and imagine new patterns to urban life.
“Here is the magnificent climate; here is the fruitful earth under the beauty of the Southern sun; and here if anywhere on earth, is the need of the thinker, the worker and the dreamer.”
W. E. B. Du Bois, “Behold the Land” (1946)
“Atlanta History Center is thrilled to be the host venue for this year’s Night of Ideas,” says Sheffield Hale, President and CEO, “As an organization dedicated to connecting people, history, and culture, we are nestled in the natural landscape within our 33-acre Goizueta Gardens. Natural history is Atlanta history, and exploring these connections is essential to understanding where we live.”
Headliners include Chandra Farley, Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Atlanta, photographic artist Sheila Pree Bright, environmental scientist Na’Taki Osborne Jelks, writer Hannah Palmer, urbanist Mark Chambers, Muskogee scholar and author Laura Harjo, French historian on architecture and environment Sebastien Marot, Senegalese singer and performer Ngnima Sarr aka T.I.E.
“This event will feature speakers, artists, academics, and performers from Atlanta and around the world, leveraging our status as an international hub while paying homage to our southern cultural and ecological roots,” said Night of Ideas Atlanta associate curators Clint Fluker and Nasim Fluker of Thrd Space. “Join us at the Night of Ideas: Behold the Land as we engage with Atlanta as catalyst for fresh ideas and pathways for a regenerative future.”
For the first time, Night of Ideas Atlanta will kick off with an Equitable Dinners experience. Hosted by Out of Hand Theater, Equitable Dinners are facilitated conversations about race and equity, featuring a short performance. The actors and facilitators join audience members for dinner and roundtable conversations to have open, educated conversations about race and equity. Thriving Together Atlanta’s Equitable Dinner is your exclusive ticket to participate in this vital conversation. Insights from the Equitable Dinner experience will inform Thriving Together Atlanta, a public art project in development to address inequities in Atlanta’s healthcare system. The public art project was awarded a $1 million Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge grant and is a collaboration between the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, the CDC Foundation, National Black Arts Festival, and Out of Hand Theater.
“We are excited to present our first event for Thriving Together Atlanta at Night of Ideas,” states Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “During the next two years our team will create art and cultural events and invite the Atlanta community to join us in a robust discussion about racial inequities in public health. With their input, our goal is to help create a more equitable, healthier, thriving Atlanta.”
Night of Ideas: Behold the Land is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Also, the Atlanta History Center’s exhibitions and bookshop are open to the public during the event. For more information and to register visit Night of Ideas Atlanta.
Night of Ideas 2024 is presented by Villa Albertine and Albertine Foundation thanks to the leadership support of the Judy & Peter Blum Kovler Foundation, and with the support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and The Carnegie Corporation of New York. It is coordinated worldwide by the Institut Français.
In the video, Brandon Mitchell, a member of the L.B. Landry High School Band, was playing the horn during the Krewe of Muses parade when an officer appeared to push him.
Mitchell turned toward the officer and another band member joined him in speaking to authorities following the shove. The video ends with the two band members getting back in line as the parade pushes forward.
Mitchell’s mother, Tiffany Jones, shared the video on social media, calling for the officer to be reprimanded.
“I’m very upset about this‼️ I was not there but I’m so glad it was caught on video SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO REPRIMAND THIS OFFICER,” Jones wrote in a Facebook post.
Jones noted that the officer appeared to turn his back to her son after pushing him.
“As my son was continuing to try and get some kind of response from the police officer, he turned his back to him as if he didn’t just physically assault him and push him,” Jones told WWLTV.
The mother is also demanding an apology from the officer and is considering suing.
A spokesperson from the New Orleans Police Department said the Public Integrity Bureau has launched an investigation into the incident.
In a statement, the Office of Independent Police Monitor addressed the viral clip of the officer shoving the student.
“The OIPM can confirm the NOPD has taken immediate action including initiating a misconduct investigation and removing the officer from that assignment,” the oversight agency said in a statement. “In the coming days, the OIPM will be working with NOPD leadership to determine how to best move forward to address community concerns and hopefully work directly with the affected individuals and school.”
The Algiers Charter School District applauded Mitchell for how he handled the situation.
“We at Algiers Charter are deeply disappointed by the incident captured in the video, depicting a New Orleans Police Department Officer pushing an L. B. Landry Student and member of the Marching “Pride of Algiers” Band Unit. However, we commend our students for their restraint and refusal to engage in negative behavior,” Algiers Charter said in a statement.
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The worldâs busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, has a new claim to fame as of this week: Itâs now home to the worldâs largest Centurion Lounge by American Express. Opened to cardmembers on February 14, nearly two years after the project was announced, the 26,000-square-foot lounge offers a host of amenities lounge connoisseurs expect plus some that are new to the brand.
Located in the E Concourse near gate E11, guests enter and check in next to a floor-to-ceiling biophilic wall of lush green plants. Inspired by Atlantaâs reputation as âa city in a forest,â the connection with natural elements continues throughout the space. The centerpiece of the main room is a 50-year-old olive tree planted in an elevated box surrounded by seating. Nearly 4,000 square feet of custom lighting, designed to look like floating leaves on the ceiling, is installed so that the tree will continue to thrive. Art by Atlanta-based artists Michi Meko and Evan Blackwell Helgeson furthers the botanical theme.
Inside the new Atlanta Centurion Lounge
Photograph courtesy of the Centurion Lounge
Guests looking for fresh air can stretch their legs in three outdoor terraces, one of which overlooks the runway, landscaped with green plants and warmed by heaters. The Atlanta outpost, the 28th Centurion Lounge worldwide, marks the first to debut outdoor spaces.
An outdoor terrace at the new Atlanta Centurion Lounge
Photograph courtesy of the Centurion Lounge
Centurion Lounges are known to work with local culinary talents to bring the destinationâs food scene to life, and in Atlanta, James Beard Award-nominated Deborah VanTrece, chef-owner of Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours, Oreathaâs At The Point, and La Panarda, created a soulful menu that reflects Atlantaâs international flavor. Visitors will find a selection of dishes including black-eyed pea biryani, Twisted Soul salad with strawberry peppercorn vinaigrette, and zaâatar grilled chicken thighs with green tomato chimichurri. There are also wellness-focused dishes including vegetable crudite, fresh fruit, smoothies, protein bites, and immunity booster juice shots. Smyrna-based Rev Coffee Roasters provides the coffee and espresso.
Atlanta chef Deborah VanTrece helped create the menu.
Photograph by Jennifer Bradley Franklin
Photograph by Jennifer Bradley Franklin
Photograph by Jennifer Bradley Franklin
The local connection is a vital part of each Centurion Lounge, Audrey Hendley, President of American Express Travel, told Atlanta magazine. âHere, there are all kinds of lovely things that are very thoughtfully curated for this destination to really bring out the best parts to discover about Atlanta,â she said in a pre-opening interview. âOur goal is to contribute and be in the communities that weâre in. We want to customize [the lounge], and we want people to feel like being here is a travel experience.â
Inside the new Atlanta Centurion Lounge
Photograph courtesy of the Centurion Lounge
Another first for the brand, the Reserve by American Express whiskey bar features a list of more than 20 whiskeys designed by Centurion mixologist Jim Meehan, plus a selection of cocktails such as âDrink a Peach,â inspired by the Peach State.
The perks donât stop there: guests can experience shower suites stocked with fluffy towels and LâOccitane bath amenities; fast, password-protected Wi-Fi; and an open bar with complimentary cocktails and wine.
The new Atlanta Centurion Lounge welcomes guests from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. To get in, youâll need to show an American Express Centurion Card, Business Platinum Card from American Express, or Platinum Card from American Express, and an ID and your boarding pass. Guests with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express can also enter as long as they are flying Delta and paid for the ticket with the card. Guests may accompany the cardholder for $50 each ($30 for minors and children under two are free).
Winter in Kentucky is cold. The fields are stubbly with sheared stalks of corn and studded with bales of hay. Weathered gray barns and outbuildings sit alongside thickets of skeletal trees and bare bushes. Set beneath white-blue skies, the land is stark and lovely, the place seemingly simple, straightforward. But there are stories here, threaded through the abiding hills and intermittent valleys, the beginnings of so many things.
Log cabins and split-rail fences abound and hint at one of the histories one will encounter: Abraham Lincoln was born here on February 12, 1809, and spent his early boyhood on the family homestead at Knob Creek. Today, the area is encompassed in a national historical park, the jumping-off point for a trip along the 72-mile Lincoln Heritage Scenic Highway. As one would expect, the route includes significant sites in the life of the Lincoln family, as well as museums and statues paying tribute to the 16th president, but there’s far more to discover.
Central Kentucky is home to the world’s oldest bourbon distillery, as well the oldest bourbon bar. Too, it’s the site of the nation’s first Trappist monastery, founded in 1848. All of this—as well as the birthplace of Kentucky’s statehood and My Old Kentucky Home (yes, it’s a real place)—lies in store for travelers to this surprisingly rich land, this place of destiny, spirits, and faith.
• • •
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park In 1911, the nation’s first memorial built to honor Abraham Lincoln was dedicated in Hodgenville. The stately Memorial Building, constructed of pink marble and granite, crowns a rise near the site where the 16th president was born and houses a period cabin from the area. Ten miles northeast of the birthplace sits Lincoln’s reconstructed boyhood home. Stop in at the Lincoln Museum in downtown Hodgenville (set between the two park sites) and follow his life journey, from the cabin to Ford’s Theatre, through a dozen impressive, life-size dioramas.
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace Memorial Building
Photo courtesy of the Kentucky Department of Tourism
Abbey of Gethsemani Regarded as the motherhouse of all Trappist monasteries in the United States, this abbey set among New Haven’s small lakes and rolling hills—or knobs, as they’re called—is home to 40 monks. Along with a commitment to silence, prayer, and work, the monks recognize hospitality as an important part of the monastic tradition and welcome guests to walk their nature trails or take in a presentation on monastic life. Before departing, visit the Gethsemani Farms Gift Shop to stock up on the fruits of their labor: Kentucky bourbon fruitcakes and slabs of bourbon walnut or mint julep fudge.
The entrance to the Abbey of Gethsemani, home to 40 monks
Photo courtesy of Bardstown Tourism
Talbott Tavern Built in 1779, the tavern is regarded as the oldest Western stagecoach stop in the country. It’s also home to the world’s oldest bourbon bar, making it the ideal homebase for a stay in Bardstown, the Bourbon Capital of the World. Book a night in one of six historic rooms, named for famous guests including Daniel Boone, Jesse James, and a young Abe Lincoln. Plan on dinner at the Talbott; the bourbon walnut chicken and bread pudding topped with—you guessed it—bourbon caramel sauce are musts. Cap the evening at the bar, which houses more than 300 distinctive bourbons and whiskeys and offers flights as well as several specialty cocktails.
Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience Set alongside row after row of multistory rickhouses, where thousands of barrels of bourbon sit aging, this Bardstown attraction is a standout in a town that offers * 11 distillery experiences, from world-famous operations to innovative craft outfits. Founded in 1935, family-owned Heaven Hill produces every major category of American whiskey. Learn about the different types, from bourbon to rye, enjoy tastings, or opt for the ultimate experience: sample exclusive products, choose your favorite, and bottle the spirit yourself.
* Plan Ahead Even though central Kentucky is home to a wealth of distilleries, many tours and tastings book weeks or even months in advance. To be sure you see—and sip—everything on your wish list, reserve your spaces well before your visit.
The tasting room at Heaven Hill
Photo courtesy of the Kentucky Department of Tourism
Hadorn’s Bakery Since 1935, members of the Hadorn family have risen early to turn out oven-fresh pastries and confections. Today, the third generation throws open the doors of the tidy, white-clapboard shop in downtown Bardstown at 7:00 a.m., and anyone hoping to score a glazed doughnut, cherry Danish, or yum yum (a doughnut–cinnamon roll hybrid drizzled with chocolate and vanilla icing that reigns as the local favorite) should plan to arrive early.
Hadorn’s Bakery offers a wide variety of oven-fresh pastries and confections
Photo by Scott House Creative
My Old Kentucky Home Federal Hill, a stately 1818 brick mansion set atop a rise just steps from the heart of Bardstown, is among the most famous structures in Kentucky. It’s best known as the inspiration for “My Old Kentucky Home,” written by Stephen Foster in 1853 as an anti-slavery anthem and adopted in 1928 as the official state song. But it’s also renowned as one of the finest house museums in the South, with more than 75 percent of its contents original to the property and theatrically trained docents in period dress leading fascinating themed tours, from 19th-century Easter traditions to mourning and funerary customs in Victorian America.
Star Hill Farm The Loretto home of Maker’s Mark has long been a place of pilgrimage for bourbon enthusiasts. Set on 1,100 acres, the campus includes 10 original Victorian buildings, among them the distillery built in 1805 on the banks of Hardin’s Creek and recognized today as the oldest bourbon distillery on its original site. While traditional tastings and classic tours of the grounds will certainly impress, consider booking one of the new in-depth offerings, known as Star Hill Farm Experiences. A favorite is the Oak Experience, which tells the story of the tree “from seed to sip” and culminates with guests each planting a seedling.
A variety of livestock roams the grounds of Star Hill Farm, including sheep
Photo courtesy of Makers Mark Distillery
Springfield This picture-perfect small town stakes its own claim to the Lincoln legacy: Abraham’s parents, Nancy Hanks and Thomas Lincoln, both moved to the area from Virginia as children in 1782. On June 12, 1806, the two were wed here, and the marriage certificate remains on file in the 1816 courthouse on Main Street, which also houses the Lincoln Legacy Museum. Ten minutes north of town, Lincoln Homestead State Park maintains the house in which Nancy lived while she was courted by Thomas (legend holds he proposed in front of the large fireplace), as well as a replica of the 1782 cabin where Thomas lived until he was 25.
The Lincoln Legacy Museum
Photo by Marty Justice Photography
Perryville A visit to this little hamlet begins in the countryside a couple miles north of downtown. On October 8, 1862, almost 7,000 soldiers were killed or wounded here at the bloodiest Civil War battle fought on Kentucky soil and the Confederacy’s last serious attempt to seize possession of the state. Visit the recently renovated museum to watch an in-depth film on the campaign and pick up a map before exploring the battlefield, one of the least-altered Civil War sites in the nation. In Perryville, walk the town’s Historic Merchants Row, featuring a handful of structures built in the 1830s and 40s and used as field hospitals during the battle.
Danville Known as the “City of Firsts,” this largest town along the scenic highway served as the site of 10 constitutional conventions between 1784 and 1792, when Kentucky was a Virginia county on the nation’s frontier. Visitors to Constitution Square will find a replica of the log courthouse where the conventions that led to statehood were held, as well as the first post office west of the Allegheny Mountains and the meeting place of the first political club in the West, Grayson’s Tavern, built in 1785. After exploring the many historical and reproduction structures in the three-acre park, stroll to Main Street for dinner. Great options include craft burgers at Copper & Oak, classic Italian dishes at La Cosa Nostra, or gourmet hotdogs at the Catered Dog.
In Danville, visitors can visit a replica of the log courthouse where the conventions that led to statehood were held
Photo courtesy of Danville-Boyle Convention and Visitors Bureau
Beaumont Inn Venture beyond the Lincoln highway to Kentucky’s oldest town, Harrodsburg, for a stay at this impressive century-old inn. The Beaumont began as a women’s college in 1845 and was transformed into an inn in 1919. Today, the property is known for its large guestrooms appointed with antiques and period replications. Visitors also flock for its classic Southern fare—cornmeal cakes with brown sugar syrup, Kentucky-cured country ham, and corn pudding—which earned the Beaumont an America’s Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation.
The Beaumont Inn Parlor
Photo courtesy of the Kentucky Department of Tourism
This article appears in the Winter 2024 issue of Southbound.
Fani Willis entered a Fulton County courtroom prepared to speak her truth. Initially, Willis’ attorneys attempted to block a subpoena for Willis to testify during the hearing held on Feb. 15, but the Fulton County District Attorney appeared in the courtroom before Judge Scott McAfee could make a decision. She was compelled to share her side of the story through testimony.
The hearing involves accusations of Willis’ relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade and whether she benefited financially from their time dating. The judge’s ruling could impact the election interference case where Willis indicted Donald Trump and others over their alleged involvement with attempting to overturn the 2020 Election.
But during her fiery testimony, Willis provided details of the relationship and when it started. This came after a former acquaintance, Robin Yeartie, claimed through testimony that she was Willis and Wade kissing in 2019.
However, Willis and Wade both shared that their relationship began in 2022 and ended during the summer of 2023, before RICO indictments were announced against Donald Trump and others.
Willis also made it a point to highlight the real issue behind the hearing.
“These people are on trial for trying to steal an election in 2020,” Willis said, pointing to the defense table. “I’m not on trial no matter how hard you try to put me on trial.”
One of the oldest playbooks in America is to play on tropes of the over-sexualized and angry Black woman. Willis’ sexual history with Wade was exposed during the hearing and some media pundits focused on her demeanor while on the stand. At one point, Willis yelled, “It’s all a lie,” before a break was called during the testimony.
Willis’ show of emotions faced criticism that hasn’t often been attributed to her white male counterparts. In fact, the man who she’s attempting to prosecute, Donald Trump, has shown similar moments of emotion that has not been criticized. Instead, it’s viewed as a display of power.
Another stereotype that’s being put to the forefront is the hyper-sexualization of Black women. Willis’ sexual history with Wade is being put on display. Her decision to have a consensual relationship is being criticized as her having a lack of judgement. And that alleged lack of judgement should be grounds to prove that she’s unable to preside over the RICO case.
But it’s all smear campaign in lieu to a larger goal by the attorneys who called for the hearing.
Over the past two years, Willis has gained national recognition for placing RICO indictments of two major figures, Trump and rapper Young Thug. She became the first District Attorney in American history to indict a former U.S. President.
Out of all of the criminal cases that Trump has faced since leaving office, Willis’ case appears to be the most solid. It’s a case where there’s proof of a crime in a phone call that Trump made to “find” more votes in the state of Georgia. Willis has also achieved several plea deals from co-defendants who are willing to testify against Trump.
And unlike any of the federal cases, Trump would not be able to receive a presidential pardon if convicted. In turn, Willis is the biggest threat to Trump. As Trump seeks another term in the White House, a campaign to shame Willis and have her removed from the RICO case is timely.
During the hearing, there has yet to be a moment where it’s clear that Willis benefited financially from her relationship with Wade. She’s revealed that she often paid for travel and returned money to split bills. She’s also said that she’s earned enough money over her career to afford such trips.
Overall, the entire hearing has shown itself to be a spectacle to bring attention away from the real issue at hand, the alleged attempt to steal an election by a former U.S. President. It’s also a smear campaign to discredit one of the most powerful Black women in America.
A.R. Shaw serves as Executive Editor of Atlanta Daily World. His work has been featured in The Guardian, ABC News, NBC, BBC, CBC. He’s also the author of the book “Trap History: Atlanta Culture and the Global Impact of Trap Music.”
For more than 58 years, The Atlanta Voice has ably provided a voice for the voiceless. It is the largest audited African American community newspaper in Georgia. Founded in 1966 by the late Ed Clayton and the late J. Lowell Ware, The Atlanta Voice has evolved and redefined its efforts to better connect with the community it serves.
A candidate for Fulton County Sheriff didn’t always want to be involved in law enforcement. Charles Rambo grew up in Gary, Indiana, and if you know Gary, you know that during the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s, the city was dangerous. Police included.
“I was not intending to join law enforcement,” said Rambo, who visited The Atlanta Voice offices earlier this week. Rambo enlisted in the United States Air Force following high school graduation in 1986. After eight years in the service, he began following his dream of becoming a mortician. “I wanted to attend mortuary school. I had no plans and no desire to move to Atlanta.”
Rambo may have begun his career pursuit at the Powell Coleman Funeral Home in Gary, where he worked from the age of 12 until he left town for the military, but Atlanta was where he would live for the entirety of his adult life and professional career. Rambo worked at the Murray Brothers Funeral Home, one of the city’s oldest and most connected Black-owned businesses in Atlanta. There he would rub elbows with city elites, including many who would steer him toward a career in law enforcement.
“That was my introduction to Atlanta; that was my introduction to families, politicians, and so on,” said Rambo. “I wanted to feel like I was putting my eyes on a future career.”
Three weeks into working at Murray Brothers, Atlanta Police Department (APD) Sgt. Willie Cameron, one of the founders of the Afro Patrolmen League, was shot and killed in the West End. His family chose Murray Brothers to handle the preparation of the body and burial. Rambo recalls that decision changing his life. On Feb. 6. 1987, Cameron was just 39 years old when he was shot in the face during an altercation in a West End Mall department store where he worked a second job as security.
“That was my first direct contact with law enforcement. People started encouraging me to think about going into law enforcement,” he said. “It was almost like a supernatural moment.”
“I went from stuffing to cuffing,” he joked. Rambo admitted that his time working in funeral homes prepared him for what was to come. “It taught me how to deal with people at their worst,” he said. “It taught me how to lift their spirits, and at the end of the day, the funeral is not about the dead; it’s about the living.”
This is not the first campaign for Rambo, a 34-year veteran of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department (FCSO), who retired in 2016 and up until recently taught at the law enforcement academy. He has run for the lofty position of sheriff four times, including most recently a loss to the current Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat in the June 2020 primary. Undeterred, Rambo believes the fifth time’s the charm.
Asked what he wants to do differently if he is elected, Rambo immediately mentioned the Fulton County Jail. “There’s a deprivation of the human spirit in that place,” he said. “That was not present in the years that we were there. We had our problems, don’t get me wrong, but we did not have the amount of deaths that have taken place during this administration.”
The majority of the deaths that have taken place within the Fulton County Jail over the past four years have been by way of homicide. Rambo believes that is an issue that can be fixed by leadership.
He said he would also ramp up the security at the Fulton County Courthouse and tighten the budget.
“You need somebody that has absolute public policy and sheriff expertise to get back in this saddle to ride this crisis that we are in,” Rambo said. “Whenever leadership is present, there is always change,” said Rambo.
Asked why he was running for a fifth time, Rambo said this was his life’s calling. Being involved in law enforcement was what he was called to do. “I’m putting myself back out there because so many people called me and asked me to,” he explained. “It’s worth a shot.”
On May 12, he’s going to get another shot at becoming sheriff. He knows the odds are against him. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office race tends to become a low-information race,” Rambo said. “People are not as in-depth on the real issues, the real qualifications of the candidates.”
Rambo believes he is the right man for the job at the right time. The fifth time. “This is not a crisis; this is a plague,” said Rambo. “People are watching this office pretty closely and are looking for answers.”
National and local media were camped out across the street from the Lewis R. Slaton Courthouse in downtown Atlanta, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The view outside the Lewis R. Slaton Courthouse this morning reminded me of that August day in 2023 when the world came to the gates of Fulton County Jail. It was hot that day, and thousands of supporters of former United States President Donald J. Trump were lying in wait for him to arrive at the jail to get his now-famous mugshot. If you’re not certain which mugshot I’m referring to, no worries, I completely understand. After all, there are several to choose from.
The satellite trucks from both local and national media outlets and the crowds of reporters stationed outside the jail On Thursday morning were similar to that day in August. The circus comes to town. On Thursday, the circus returned, but this time Trump played a bit part to the star of the show: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Willis took the witness stand during day one of a hearing to see if Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott F. McAfee would remove her and her office from one of the most high-profile cases in the country. Willis’ testimony followed hours of testimony from special prosecutor Nathan Wade. Willis and Wade admitted that they were once in a romantic relationship before he was hired to join the team that would face off against Trump and his lawyers. It was McAfee’s job to listen to both sides, and if Willis’ testimony was any indication of what is to come -she’s scheduled to return to the witness box again at 9 a.m. on Friday, this might not be a tough decision for McAfee.
“You think I’m on trial, you’re confused; these people are on trial,” Willis told attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who represents Michael Roman. She was referring to a total of 19 people indicted for election interference in Georgia, including Roman. Willis is right; she’s not on trial.
“It’s highly offensive when somebody lies about you,” she said to Merchant.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Willis stood her ground and, during the couple hours on the stand, was very transparent about the trips to Aruba, Belize, Napa Valley, and aboard cruise ships that she took with Wade during their relationship. At this point, there is no reason for either Willis or Wade to hide the details of the relationship. My question remains: Why does that even matter?
Willis may have come across as aggressive to the thousands upon thousands of people who watched the live feed of the hearing on CNN.com, but she stood her ground at the center of the circus tent.
Watching Willis explain to Merchant and other attorneys present the claims of impropriety, she came across as the serious former private attorney who once campaigned against and defeated former longtime Fulton County Paul Howard to become the first Black woman to be Fulton County District Attorney.
No Georgia laws were broken by Willis, or Wade, for that matter. Willis is not on trial. She is, however, in the circus, and at least on Thursday, she was the ringmaster.
Tucked away in the corner of a shopping center in College Park, a stone’s throw from the busiest airport in the country, a dozen little girls jumped off a small trampoline. The athletes inside Airborne Gymnastics Club, a gymnastics studio that Kamilah Norman owned and has operated at this location since 2018, are three, four, and five years old. The trampoline looked like a sandwich board turned on its side and the girls were having fun jumping on and off of it.
Kamilah Norman, a native of Lansing. Michigan opened the gym, first as a mobile program in the spring of 2016 before finding a brick-and-mortar location big enough to house a gymnastics studio. She wanted to teach the sport, but also make it known that gymnastics can be for any and everyone that wants to learn. She saw a need and filled it.
“I saw a need for more activities for the youth in this community,” Norman told The Atlanta Voice one Wednesday afternoon in January. “I love the sport of gymnastics and I am passionate about helping enrich lives through this amazing sport.
The need: Just 10% of scholarship gymnasts are identified as Black women, according to data provided by the NCAA. There are gymnasts making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year through the Name, Image, and Likeness (NLI) money flooding college athletics.
“Parents tell me all the time that their kids are jumping off of everything at home,” said Norman. “Gymnastics is the everything sport. It helps build character, confidence, vigor, and resilience.”
Norman, a former gymnast as a youth, added that gymnastics also builds agility, flexibility, physical strength, balance, coordination, and what she called a “sixth sense.”
Norman shouted to her students, “Knees together, arms up, toes pointed.” The girls, the youngest being three years old, followed instructions and worked their way through the stations set up around the gym floor. “Tuck, work, we don’t use that word around here,” said Norman when a five-year-old gymnast said, “can’t.”
Asked what she loves most about her work as a gymnastics coach, Norman, who goes by “Coach K”, said, “Seeing their smiles. Just seeing how much they enjoy this and how they change from when they start to how far they go.”
A sign that reads, “I take small steps every day to become who I need to be” rests against one of the mirrored walls in the gym.
The travel and competition teams at Airborne Gymnastics Club USA compete all over the country. One of the teams competing at a high level, United States Of America Gymnastics Level 2, won first place at the Flippie Hippie Invitational in Columbus (Ga.) last year.
Norman says gymnastics are a good way for children to find confidence while having fun. “That’s the first thing that happens, eventually,” she said with a laugh as one of the small girls who was training that night decided to walk over to her mother who was watching from the side to discuss her hair.
