Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Chick-fil-A Restaurants is, quite literally, reaching new heights. The Atlanta-based chicken sandwich restaurant chain opened its first elevated drive-thru eatery last week just outside of the Peach State’s capital city. Roughly 25 miles south of Atlanta, the drive-thru only restaurant on Jodeco Road in McDonough will feature an elevated kitchen with a “unique meal transport system” above four service lanes. The design was created to alleviate the sluggish wait times that have been slowing down the fast food chain. Have you been yet? What do you think? More: https://lnkd.in/d-Hxjp6i

Football games at a couple of Black colleges around Georgia are about to get more colorful this season. 🏈 The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has supplied $6.5 million worth of grants to four Southern historically Black colleges and universities to refurbish their football fields. Clark Atlanta University took the refurbishment idea to the next level, while hearkening back to its storied past. When CAU kicks off the season against Allen University on Sept. 7 at Panther Stadium, they will run onto a bright red football field with the image of a giant black Panther emblazoned on the 50-yard line. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ePQQBfdK

Rashad Richey, JD, PhD, EdD, MBA, LL.M, longtime morning host at Atlanta news/talk station 1380/WAOK-AM, is leaving to start a syndicated national show. In an Instagram announcement Wednesday, he thanked his WAOK listeners for allowing him “to grow, learn and lead. This is not goodbye but rather an opportunity to expand a platform of truth. WAOK is in my heart, and I love every single one of you.” Here’s what we know: https://lnkd.in/eYUaQSfd

The University of Georgia and 11 other collegiate institutions are suing a Washington-based businessman and his online retail companies for trademark infringement and counterfeiting, claiming their registered names, mascots and other symbols are being unlawfully exploited for profit. The products sold that allegedly infringed on the institutions’ trademarks include shirts, hats, socks, tumblers, coasters, mugs, beverage holders and puzzles, the lawsuit contends. The lawsuit filed Aug. 16 by the dozen colleges and universities in a Georgia federal court alleges that Seattle resident Chad Hartvigson and his companies Vintage Brand LLC, Vintage Brand Inc. and Sportswear, Inc. manufacture and sell knockoff merchandise, “despite a mountain of objections, lawsuits, and adverse judgments against them for violating the trademark rights of other colleges and universities.” More: https://lnkd.in/eJhGhbb6

WNBA rookie phenom Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever return to Atlanta tonight to face the hometown Atlanta Dream WNBA. And once again the matchup will take place in a sold-out State Farm Arena. The Dream and Fever played at State Farm Arena before 17,575 fans back on June 21, setting a franchise record. Monday night’s event will host the highly anticipated halftime show featuring Atlanta hip-hop group Goodie Mob as well as members of the 1996 USA women’s Olympics team, who will be on hand for a tribute. Are you going? 🏀 https://lnkd.in/emXHq8zw

Atlanta City Council passed legislation on Monday establishing a new fund to support longtime businesses that have served residents for decades. Passed unanimously, the legislation sets up a $900,000 fund through Invest Atlanta that would help local institutions with storefront upgrades, social media campaigns and more. Businesses that have operated in Atlanta for 30 years or more would be eligible to apply. While the criteria haven’t been officially set, lawmakers said during committee meetings that small businesses with brick-and-mortar locations would be prioritized. More: https://lnkd.in/eejriFm4

One year after TEDWomen made Atlanta and The Woodruff Arts Center Center its home, the conference is changing its name, focus and location. TED, which stands for technology, entertainment and design, is a global family of conferences and educational content. TEDWomen was one of its flagship conferences and started in 2010, at a time when most of the speakers at the TED conferences were men, in order to give a platform to women. To deepen its impact, TEDWomen chose Atlanta as its first multi-year host city and planned to hold the conference at Woodruff through at least 2025. But plans have changed. TEDWomen is now TEDNext and will be held at Pullman Yards in October. Read more to find out the new focus of the conference and some of the announced speakers:

Just like fire needs fuel, an office needs workers. The work-from-home era ushered in by the COVID-19 pandemic has Atlanta’s employers grappling with how to attract their workforce back to a physical office. Some mandate employees commute to an office most days, while others try to woo workers with high-end amenities. The leaders of one of the Southeast’s largest natural gas providers opted for the latter, relocating their headquarters to a new space designed to connect a bustling workplace with remote workers. Kevin Greiner, president and CEO of Gas South, said it’s important for an office to spark employees’ interest — and locating it in a vibrant area like the Atlanta Braves’ Battery only helps. The AJC’s Zachary Hansen takes you inside the company’s new digs:

Say hello to comedian Corey Forrester, the newest contributor to the AJC! This self-proclaimed liberal comedian from North Georgia knows how to engage an audience and now he’s putting his humor into writing. In his first column, he explores the political blame game. He might make you laugh. He might make you mad. He might make you think. Either way, we hope you’ll enjoy his addition to our diverse pool of talented contributors. https://lnkd.in/eujR6kz9

Sara Blakely is going from Spanx to Sneex. The Atlanta-based billionaire founder made her mark with her wildly successful shapewear brand that has since expanded into pants, dresses, tops and more. Now, she’s looking to step into a new apparel category — heels. 👠 Sneex combines a mesh, suede, and leather sneaker body with a three-inch heel. Blakely hopes her heel design addresses common pain points, at a price range of $395 to $595. The brand officially launches Aug. 20. Will you be trying these?? Read more about Sneex: https://lnkd.in/eETQZfR5