When state Rep. Esther Panitch found antisemitic pamphlets strewn across her Atlanta neighborhood, she was quick to act. She helped sponsor HB 30, which would have defined antisemitism so that it could be included in the state’s hate crimes law, thereby stiffening penalties for targeted crimes committed against Jewish Georgians. The bill was met with broad bipartisan support and seemed likely to sail straight to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk, but after passing the House stalled in the Senate due to concerns over some of its phrasing. The bill was revived as HB 144, but the once-popular legislation has turned into one of the most controversial bills of the session with critics arguing against its definition of antisemitism, saying it could bar people from criticizing the Israeli government. Heading into Sine Die the bill’s fate is DRIFTING…
State Farm Arena a box office draw
Downtown Atlanta’s State Farm Arena is quite the box office draw. How big? From October to to March, State Farm brought in $76.2 million across 60 events, making it the third-highest grossing venue in the entire nation, behind only New York’s Madison Square Garden and the Sphere in Las Vegas, and fifth globally. Nearly 600,000 visitors took in performances from superstars ranging from Blake Shelton to Usher, plus Hawks games and events like WWE Raw. State Farm’s status as one of the premier performance venues in the world is RISING…
