Morning, y’all! Hobbies are good for the soul. My wife is among the many recent converts to Mahjong. She enjoys the clinking of tiles and kvetching with friends. Plus, it’s a reason to shirk bedtime duties once a week. Then there are the die-hard speed puzzlers who are finding competition and community in jigsaws. Congrats to Matthew Nettlow, who recently finished a 500-piece puzzle in 43 minutes and 40 seconds.
There are also the ROMEOs and JULIETs, but we’ll get to that a little later. First, let’s get to a landmark decision.
APALACHEE VERDICT
Credit: Abbey Cutrer/AJC
Credit: Abbey Cutrer/AJC
A jury convicted Colin Gray on Tuesday of second-degree murder and more than two dozen other charges in a novel Georgia case. Colin’s then-14-year-old son, Colt, is accused of killing four and injuring nine others in a September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School.
- Colin bought his son the rifle for Christmas, hoping it would bring them closer together. But Barrow County authorities said Colin ignored a series of red flags.
- “We talk a lot about rights in our country. We’re proud of our rights, and I’m proud of our rights,” said Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith. “But God gave us a duty to protect our children, and I hope that we remember that.”
- Colin became at least the third parent in the U.S. to be convicted on charges related to their child’s alleged crime.
- The jury deliberated for less than two hours.
- Prosecutors hope the verdict will help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
- Sentencing will be deferred to a later date. The 55-year-old could spend the rest of his life in prison.
- Colt, now 16, has yet to be tried. He faces 55 charges related to the shooting, including murder and aggravated assault. He has pleaded not guilty.
🔍 Read more: Apalachee shooting suspect’s dad convicted in ‘novel’ case
📝 From Opinion: Apalachee shooting presents a tragic case of parental irresponsibility
Meanwhile, although school and student safety continues to be a topic of conversation, few bills are likely to make it all the way to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk by the end of the legislative session in April, writes the AJC’s Cassidy Alexander.
Among the bills unlikely to pass:
- Requiring public school districts to “identify, assess and mitigate” potential threats made by students, to implement panic alert systems and to create behavioral health plans for students.
- Giving tax credits up to $300 for people who store their guns safely.
- Requiring public school systems to teach about firearm safety in physical education.
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BY THE NUMBERS: 1,759
That’s the number of immigrants spending more than 24 hours at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Atlanta field office from Aug. 1 through mid-October of 2025, according to federal data on ICE book-ins obtained by the Deportation Data Project. That’s up from 1,200 from January through July 2025.
- Last fall, the AJC reported on the substandard conditions of this facility, which was not built for long-term detention. Detainees described the facility as having no beds or showers.
- Read this account from José Manuel “David” Gómez, who had been living in Georgia for more than 20 years when he was arrested by ICE while en route to an air conditioner repair job. He said he spent three days at the facility, sleeping on the floor of a crowded cell.
MONEY, PLEASE
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Gov. Kemp on Tuesday signed a state budget that includes more than $2 billion in tax relief, bonuses for teachers and state employees and plenty of other new spending.
Income tax rebates: Single filers will receive up to $250, heads of household will get up to $375, and married couples filing jointly will get up to $500.
Property tax relief: Expect about a $500 reduction on your property tax bill.
$2,000 bonuses: For state employees, teachers and other education employees.
MUST-KNOW POLITICS AND BUSINESS
🪖 Five days into a war that President Donald Trump said could last a month or longer, nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran, including figures Trump suggested he once saw as potential future leaders. On Wednesday, Israel’s defense minister warned that whoever becomes Iran’s next supreme leader “will be a target for elimination.”
- Air travel in the Middle East is snarled right now. Do you know someone stuck in the region trying to get back to Atlanta? Or someone here trying to get to the Middle East? Our aviation reporter wants to hear their stories. Email her at Emma.hurt@ajc.com.
💵 The Georgia House of Representatives on Tuesday rejected a sweeping property tax cut that would have substantially changed the way Georgians pay for schools and local governments.
🫏 Atlanta is back in the hunt to host the Democratic National Committee, among five finalist cities to host the 2028 convention, advancing alongside Boston, Chicago, Denver and Philadelphia.
STAR-CROSSED SENIORS
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Let’s all take a minute to appreciate the people who have it all figured out. I’m talking about all you ROMEOs and JULIETs out there.
Give yourself a few minutes to read about the Retired Old Men Eating Out and their counterparts, Just Us Ladies Into Eating Together. These loosely formed dining clubs for retirees have no rules, agendas or attendance requirements. Just food, fellowship and a standing invitation to show up hungry.
Then, click this link and randomly put your finger on one of the metro area’s new restaurants. Call a friend. Get in your car and find a table. Thank me later.
SPORTS NEWS BITES
3 Georgia players ‘made a lot of money’ at NFL combine, but how much?
Sure, they’ll make millions either way. But none are primed for a Pert Plus ad like this fine Iowa gentleman.
Opinion: Why the Atlanta Hawks should cancel promotional night with Magic City
San Antonio Spurs player Luke Kornet writes that allowing this night to go forward without protest would reflect poorly on the NBA community, specifically being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women.
Falcons to play international game in Europe next season
Bienvenidos a Bernabéu, el campo local de Real Madrid C.F. (Did that make sense?) (Editor’s Note: Yes/No)
Braves’ Jurickson Profar faces 162-game ban for second positive PED test
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice ...
ON THIS DATE
March 4, 1961
Credit: AJC
Credit: AJC
The Atlanta Journal — Abram to help build Kennedy’s peace corps. President John Kennedy has enlisted the talents of Atlanta attorney Morris Abram to help organize the peace corps. … The White House has been conducting a wide talent search for people who could get the peace corps under way. The organization will send Americans — many of them young people of college age or slightly over — to underdeveloped foreign countries to help as teachers, technicians, agricultural experts and in other practical ways.
Peace Corps enrollment peaked in 1966 at more than 15,000 volunteers in 52 countries. That number is now less than 4,000, though the agency’s goal is 8,000 serving by 2030.
ONE MORE THING
Back to hobbies. I recently started organizing thousands of sports cards I collected as a kid. It gave me that old itch, so I went to CardsHQ in Cobb County to try and sell a few. Turns out my entire collection sits in the ’90s Wax Era, when cards were so mass-produced that they’re all worthless. So I splurged and ripped some packs, as the kids say ($45 for a box of 50 cards!) ... and freakin’ loved every second of it. Thus, I now must fund the habit.
Anyone looking for a 1993 Topps Stadium Club Chipper Jones card? $2 or best offer. I’ll take trades.
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of A.M. ATL. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact us at AMATL@ajc.com.
Until next time.
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