Franchise Opportunities in Atlanta, GA

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - Inflation is now hitting Atlanta harder than almost any other city in America. The city’s rate tops 10%, and that’s above the national average of 8%. Only Phoenix, Arizona, has a higher inflation rate.

“I saw food was going up, basically $50 worth of groceries was not the same,” said Jillian Anderson, business owner of HeRide.

For Anderson, it’s scary to think the cost of living will keep going up, pushing her to adjust plans.

“It’s crazy. I’ve actually had to think about cancelling about my 30th birthday this year because of price increase,” said Anderson.

Gas, housing prices, groceries, and eating out. It’s all costing more.

“But people’s jobs, people’s difference places of businesses, they’re not experiencing any increase in profits or stuff like that. It’s becoming straining,” said Anderson.

The Bureau of Labor statistics says Atlanta’s inflation is at 10.8% – higher than New York, LA, and Chicago.

One cause is that more and more people are moving to Georgia, which means the city’s supply on goods is low while the demand continues to grow.

“A lot of people moving to Atlanta are bidding up the prices of housing and that creates an inflationary pressure,” said Tibor Besedes , professor at Georgia Tech School of Economics

The global supply chain issues are also making matters worse, and it’s unlikely any cities or states can do much to prevent further damage or loss.

“These are systemic issues. A lot of driving - can’t really reduce that quickly, and a lot of people can’t do that quickly. It’s difficult to require more fuel-efficient cars. You can’t increase public transportation overnight, so it’s really difficult,” Besedes said.

So it’s in the hands of the federal government. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said recently on the marketplace radio program, “The process of getting inflation down to 2% will also include some pain, but ultimately, the most painful thing would be if we were to fail to deal with it.”

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As unyielding demand for industrial space spreads north, a longtime landowner of 19,500 acres is seizing an opportunity.

The Aubrey Corp. — formed by a family who has owned the land for nearly a century — plans to sell its massive collection of agricultural and horticultural land in Northwest Georgia. Jim Ramseur, executive vice president and partner at Lee & Associates, is representing the seller.

The portfolio runs through Bartow and Cherokee counties. It's such a large stretch of land that Midtown Atlanta could fit within it eight times. Individual sales of the parcels could total more than $1 billion, Ramseur said, or a bit less if a single buyer buys all 19,500 acres.

“This area is now in the economic boom of industrial development,” Ramseur said. “All of that industrial corridor going up I-75 is smack-dab on top of this property.”

Atlanta experienced its best industrial year on record in 2021, which is bleeding into this year. Bartow County gives industrial users close access to the Appalachian Regional Port and metro Atlanta's interstate system. It's already home to more than 20 million square feet of industrial space. As undeveloped land dwindles near the Perimeter, developers are seeking out massive plots of land further from the urban core for new big-box facilities.

Major employers in the county include Anheuser-Busch, Shaw Industries and Toyo Tires. Amazon plans to develop a 3.2 million-square-foot sorting facility on Lakepoint Parkway. An increase in consumer spending during the pandemic drove companies to expand their operations.

All of the industrial growth will inevitably drive up the demand for homes and apartments to house workers. The parcels that make up the 19,500 acres could be used for a mix of uses, Ramseur said, such as single-family and multifamily residential, timber or recreational greenspace, commercial, retail or industrial.

A selloff of this many parcels at once is uncommon, Ramseur said, especially in a growth vein like Interstate 75. "We have to tour by helicopter to see it in a day," he said.

Some of the land is leased to the state for the Pine Log Wildlife Management area. The potential buyer will likely keep it as a public greenspace, Ramseur said, and either re-lease it back to the state or to a conservation group.

Ranked by Golf Course: Men USGA Rating

ATLANTA - A Georgia teen got to see his film dreams come true thanks to the help of Georgia's Make-A-Wish organization.

At just 17-years-old Zach Breder is a filmmaker whose life hasn't always been the easiest.

Breder was born with Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome, a rare congenital heart defect.

They found his heart condition when I was pregnant. So we knew before he was born that he would need surgery," Zach's mom Valerie Breder said. "In fact, he had surgery when he was 48 hours old."

The condition prevented him from doing a lot of activities.

"He was never allowed to participate in sports, never allowed to jump on the trampoline, he wasn't allowed to get over exerted for probably 10 or 11 years until they finally gave him the go-ahead," Valerie Breder said.

Zach said not being able to do those things forced him to pick up other hobbies, but his love for making films didn't start the same way as others.

"I just jumped right in with my iPod and would make short videos or fun little clips or whatever. I would film, star, direct and edit them. It was something that came so natural for me," he said.

The Georgia teen plans to turn filmmaking into a career, and Make-A-Wish Georgia helped him get a head start.

The organization granted Breder's wish of creating a film - a project over two years in the making because of COVID-19.

Not only was he able to write, direct, and cast it, it also premiered at this year's Atlanta Film Festival.

"My movie is called ‘Level 34,’ and it centers around this kid Chris with a heart condition," he said.

While loosely based on his life, Zach added a sci-fi twist because of his love for that genre and Marvel movies.

"He sets out with some friends to find his missing uncle who disappeared many years ago while out looking for aliens. I know that's an interesting twist at the end," he said.

Zach and his mom say being able to premiere the film with people that matter most was the best part.

They are so grateful for the team at Make-A-Wish Georgia.

"Everyone gave so much of their knowledge and so happily and willingly. It's so amazing. Make-A-Wish Georgia is an amazing organization," he said.

Breder will attend Georgia State and study film this fall.

Make-A-Wish Georgia needs help granting wishes big and small. If you'd like to assist, visit their website.

ATLANTA: Local audiences craving concerts and dance performances might find their way to Georgia State University’s Rialto Center for the Arts in Downtown Atlanta, near the Peachtree Center MARTA stop. But if they walk due east from that former movie palace, they’ll be at the Balzer Theater at Herren’s, a 200-seat venue in a building that once housed a historic Atlanta restaurant and is now the home of Theatrical Outfit. This 45-year-old company, the second oldest nonprofit professional theatre in Atlanta, started out as an ensemble and has since grown into a multifaceted institution, though its core is still developing and producing new work with a local focus. We recently caught up with its newish leader about the theatre and its programming.

AMERICAN THEATRE: Who founded Theatrical Outfit, when, and why?

MATT TORNEY: Theatrical Outfit was founded by an ensemble of young artists and friends in 1977 in a converted laundromat. They wanted to bring contemporary, cutting-edge theatre to Atlanta and create opportunities for the exciting community of artists living in the city at the time.

Tell us about yourself and your connection to the company.

I am the artistic director of Theatrical Outfit. I started near the beginning of the pandemic, in July 2020, so it has been an incredibly challenging yet incredibly rewarding couple of years so far. I am originally from Belfast in Northern Ireland and have been working in the U.S. since 2009. This is my first time living in the American South, and I am amazed at both how complex and misunderstood the region is. It’s an exciting place to make theatre.

What sets your theatre apart from others in your region?

Our mission is to produce theatre “that starts conversations that matter,” and our programming reflects just that. We look for plays that tap into crucial conversations for audiences and artists in Atlanta, and we define that differently based on what is going on in our world. Another aspect of our work is our deep commitment to Atlanta-based artists, which has remained unchanged since the theatre’s inception. One of our most exciting programs recently is the launch of the “Made in Atlanta” new-play development program, which includes readings, workshops, productions, commissions, and residencies. We are offering Theatrical Outfit as a home for artists right in the heart of our city.

Tell us about your favorite theatre institution other than your own, and why you admire it.

That would have to be Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. The depth of their connection to the Chicago community and the way in which they empower artists to play such a vital role in their programming and creative work is a model for us at Theatrical Outfit.

How do you pick the plays you put on your stage?

Our wonderful associate artistic director, Addae Moon, and I are always looking for exciting new plays. We cast a wide net, starting with “Made in Atlanta,” and then look at what’s happening in other cities and countries. We work with the rest of the TO staff to identify what the “conversations that matter” are for Atlanta, then Addae and I develop a long list of plays that resonate with those ideas.

What’s your annual budget, and how many artists do you employ each season?

Our annual budget is $1.5 million, and we employ on average 150 artists a year.

How did your theatre adapt to the past 2 years of COVID-19, and what does the prognosis look like?

My first task when I took over as artistic director was to cancel all in-person programming for the rest of the year. Like every performing arts organization in the country, we were immediately launched into “adapt and survive” mode. We developed the Downtown Dialogues digital reading series, in which we paired plays that spoke urgently to the moment with panel discussions that connected artists and experts to dig into the meat of the plays from multiple angles. We moved our new-play festival online, and programmed three digital productions, including an amazing live stream of Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and Other Identities by Anna Deavere Smith that will now have a live showing at Theatre J in DC in June.

We took every opportunity we had to pay artists and kept looking for innovative new ways to serve our mission—including the launch of a new program called “The Welcome Table” aimed at raising money for organizations that serve folks experiencing homelessness in Downtown Atlanta.

How has your theatre responded to calls for racial justice and more equitable working conditions put forward in documents like We See You, White American Theater, among others?

As a theatre situated in the heart of Downtown Atlanta, the calls for racial equity are especially urgent for us. One of the first things I experienced as a new artistic director was a listening session with BIPOC artists in Atlanta, who courageously shared their experiences in Atlanta theatre—stories of ways in which they had been othered and harmed, and ways in which the systems here has failed them. It struck me deeply and gave great urgency to our internal work at Theatrical Outfit.

Our new governing principle is that the work on our stages must look and feel like the city in which we live, and that having good language is not enough—success will be measured by the experiences of artists working in our building, all of whom need to feel seen, heard, and valued. This begins with programming and hiring, but also required us to begin the process of shifting how we think about our work, our culture, and how we support artists while they are working here. Our first concrete action was to join the call for the five-day work week and eliminate 10 out of 12s.

We also made a number of organizational commitments with the full support of the board, including quarterly training (including some amazing sessions with the Center for Civil and Human Rights, which I highly recommend), changes to our hiring practices, board development goals, and internal assessments. We are at the beginning of a long and humbling journey, but we have started, and it has had a powerful impact on our theatre and our audience already.

What show are you working on now? Anything else in your season that you’re especially looking forward to?

We are just about to go into tech for our final show of the 21-22 season, a revival of our hit production of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill with Broadway and Atlanta star Terry Burrell’s inspired vision of Billie Holiday. There is something about Billie’s music, and the way that she weaves her pain and struggle into melancholy beauty, that just resonates so powerfully with what we have lived through. From there we launch into the 22-23 season, which will include four mainstage shows, expanded new work and community outreach, and a full lobby renovation to better engage our community.

Strangest or funniest thing you’ve ever seen (or put) on your stage?

Our marketing director, Ryan Oliveti, told me after our production of An Iliad had closed that he had hid his Elsa figurine (from Frozen) on the set. Apparentl she has visited other sets as well, so keep your eyes peeled if you see a show at TO!

What are you doing when you’re not doing theatre?

Looking after my one-month-old son (welcome to the world, Fionn Benjamin Torney!) and three-year-old daughter Isla Torney.

What does theatre—not just your theatre, but the American or world theatre—look like in, say, 20 years?

To me, the most powerful element of theatre is the raw creativity of artists and the catalytic magic that happens during a live performance. I think that we are in for a period of very necessary change in how we make theatre, how institutions operate, and how we articulate our values. But the core vitality of our artform will continue to evolve to reflect the changing times—whatever they look like. When I look at the ways different theatres have responded to both COVID-19 and calls for racial equity, I am struck by the number of innovators that are breaking things open, letting things go, and creating new opportunities for people that have been excluded. This energy is catalytic and transformative, and, if we trust in artists, they will show us the way.

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According to the Georgia Dept. of Public Health?, manufacturers are experiencing supply chain issues, contributing to the formula shortage.

GEORGIA — A serious shortage in baby formula continues to be a source of major stress for new parents across Georgia. Faced with empty or nearly bare shelves, some moms in the Peach State have turned to social media in desperation, hoping someone may have extra formula to spare.

Meanwhile, federal officials this week laid out steps being taken to address the national baby formula shortage, which is tightening in Georgia.

So why the shortage in the first place? In a statement to 11Alive, the Georgia Department of Public Health said that formula manufacturers are experiencing logistical issues with ensuring stock is maintained in stores.

"They continue to work through these supply chain issues," the department told the TV station.

The Dougherty County Health Department in south Georgia didn't mince words, blaming the limited formula on stores shelves on a food supply shortage.

Massive Abbott Nutrition recalls of certain lots of the popular Similac, Alimentum and EleCare brands of baby formula are also contributing to the shortage, economists say.

In the first week of May, baby formula out-of-stock rates were 43 percent, up from 40 percent at the end of April and 30 percent at the beginning of that month, according to Datasembly, a data analysis firm that looked at baby formula supplies at 11,000 U.S. retail locations.

More than half of states reported out-of-stock rates between 40 percent and 50 percent.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday it is working to resolve infant formula shortages that started almost a year ago due to supply chain issues. Until supplies can be replenished, parents who can't find formula are urged to work with their local food banks and pediatricians.

Asked about the shortage on Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters the agency was working "around the clock." Psaki highlighted specific steps the agency is taking to address the shortage, including working with manufacturers to increase production, optimize supply lines and increase product sizes. The agency is also trying to make it easier to import formula and is taking steps to increase supply, especially for specialized formula, Psaki said.

Major drugstores and other retailers in Georgia, including CVS, Walgreens and Target, have placed limits on the amount of formula customers can buy.

The recalled baby formulas were produced in Sturgis, Michigan, at Abbott's largest manufacturing plant, which was shuttered in February due to contamination concerns. Formula produced at the plant was linked to two infant deaths, prompting an investigation by the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The recall especially hurt parents who rely on WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), a special supplemental nutrition program. Abbott brands are among those covered by the WIC program, and the company's woes have trickled down to consumers.

FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf said in a statement on the agency's website that it recognizes consumers "are frustrated" by the shortages and that "ensuring the availability of safe, sole-source nutrition products like infant formula is of the utmost importance to the FDA."

Among the solutions the agency is exploring are streamlining paperwork and opening the door for more baby formula imports.

Pediatricians warn against DIY formulas or watering down formula, which can cause seizures in infants.

"It is a particular worry about parents doing substitutes or trying to stretch the formula out," Dr. Magna Dias, a pediatrician and associate professor at Yale School of Medicine, told NPR last month. "And there's a couple of worries there. One — your baby may not be getting enough nutrition if you're not giving them all the calories that they need.

"And then the other thing is that babies — when they're little, their kidneys are not mature. And for that reason, they need that perfect formulation. Otherwise, it could actually cause them to get very sick and have to come to the hospital."

Pediatricians say breast milk is best for infants, but if that's not an option, formula is the best option.

"For babies who are not being breastfed, this is the only thing they eat," Dr. Steven Abrams, of the University of Texas, Austin, told The Associated Press. "So it has to have all of their nutrition and, furthermore, it needs to be properly prepared so that it's safe for the smallest infants."

Switching brands is OK for most healthy infants, but parents whose babies need specialized formulas should talk to their health care providers before making a change, pediatricians advise.

To address the shortages, Chicago-based Abbott is increasing production at its other manufacturing plants, and is bringing jet loads of formula from its plants in Ireland to the United States.

"Unfortunately, many of those very specialized formulas are only made in the United States at the factory that had the recall, and that's caused a huge problem for a relatively small number of infants," Abrams said.

The FDA said Abbott is still working "to rectify findings related to the processes, procedures and conditions." Other infant formula makers are "meeting or exceeding capacity levels to meet current demand," the agency said.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.