🌱Medicaid Expansion Effort + Braves Lose 7-2 + 'Shark Tank' Duo

Good morning, Atlanta! Let's get you all caught up to start this day off on an informed note. Here are the most important things happening today in town.

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First, today's weather:

Rain, then a shower. High: 63 Low: 50.

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Here are the top stories today in Atlanta:

1. Georgia Democrats in the state House and Senate gathered Tuesday to ask Gov. Brian Kemp to add Medicaid expansion to the agenda of next week's special legislative session. The group, led by Georgia Rep. Matthew Wilson, is asking Kemp to allow both bodies to debate and vote on amending the current "partial expansion" legislation that passed last year and went into effect in July. Full expansion would raise the income to 138 percent of poverty levels – from about $12,000 a year for an individual or over $21,000 for a family of three currently covered by partial expansion, to up to about $17,770 for an individual or just under $30,000 for a family of three for full expansion. It would also, the lawmakers say, save Georgia money.(Atlanta Patch)
2. After beating the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 1 of the World Series Tuesday, the Atlanta Braves could not repeat with a win in Game 2 Wednesday night, losing to the Astros 7-2 to tie up the series. The best-of-seven series moves to Atlanta for the first of three games starting Friday at 8:09 p.m. (Fox 5 Atlanta)
3. A pair of metro Atlanta entrepreneurs landed two "Shark Tank" investors for Sparketh, an online subscription-based art learning service for youngsters. On the show, airing this past Friday, childhood friends Dwayne Walker and Tim Samuel explained the video-based service they created to teach kids different ways to unleash their creativity – from painting to baking to drawing. One of the sharks, Barbara Corcoran, offered the Snellville residents $100,000 for 20 percent of the business if they made a profit within six months. Then guest shark Daniel Lubetzky offered to split the $100,000 with Corcoran and mentor Walker and Samuel to help them reach that profitability goal. (Free: Sharktankrecap.com; Subscription: Atlanta Journal Constitution)
4. Authorities are searching for a Columbia County girl who has been missing for over a week in metro Atlanta. According to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, Kalana Johnson was last seen at around 2 p.m. on Oct. 18 at the Holiday Inn Express on the 400 block of Park West Drive in Augusta. She was in the area with her mother to visit her father, then took a bus from Augusta that afternoon to Forsyth Street in Atlanta to visit friends. Johnson was last seen wearing a black T-shirt with a green logo, green jogging pants, and black and white Nike tennis shoes. Anyone with information about her is urged to contact Columbia County investigators at 706-541-1044 or 706-541-2800. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
5. A new bike tour is focusing on critical moments, people and places in Atlanta's LGBTQ history. Bicycle Tours of Atlanta is offering the three-hour, eight-mile excursion spotlighting pivotal points in the history of LGBTQ Atlanta activism, nightlife, politics, public health and more. For reservations and information on upcoming tours, go to Atlanta's Queer History Bicycle Tour. The $65 fee includes bikes, helmets, snacks and bottled water. (Project Q Atlanta)

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Today in Atlanta:

• Joy Ride-Shifalo/Jugglers-Film - Little Five Points Center for Arts and Community (ALL DAY)
• WBE Orientation - Webinar: Oct 2021 - Greater Women's Business Council (9:30 AM)
• Job Fair/Hiring Event - Onsite Interviews (10:00 AM)
• Proteins of the Future (11:00 AM)
• Stock Up On Fall Essentials at the Vinings Jubilee Farmers Market on Thursdays! (2:30 PM)

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Atlanta Patch Notebook

• Atlanta Humane Society: "It's National Pumpkin Day, so naturally I celebrated by dunking my face into a plate full of the stuff! - Helen, 5 weeks old." (Facebook)
• City of Atlanta Fire Rescue Department: "Let's play ball Atlanta Braves!" (Facebook)
• Atlanta History Center: "Pictured here is an advertisement from 1973 for the Sweet Gum Head, a once-famous LGBTQ+ performance venue on Cheshire Bridge Road.⁠ ⁠ Emerging into notoriety between the Stonewall uprising and the AIDS epidemic, the Sweet Gum Head was one of the first gay drag bars in the region and was considered to be "the drag tabernacle of the South." (Instagram)
• City of Atlanta Government: "Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was honored by the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta for her support of the Muslim community." (Facebook)
• Atlanta City Council: "Council member Andre Dickens is partnering with Atlanta Public Schools to distribute 300 book bags with school supplies and other items for students experiencing housing displacement on Thursday at 1:15 p.m. at Barack and Michelle Obama Academy." (Facebook)

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Events:

• Sandy Springs Education Force Virtual Footprints for the Future 10K/5K/Step & Cycling Challenge (October 30)
• Experience Powerful and Healing art with Body & Brain Tai Chi Class (October 30)
• Atlanta Community Prayer Breakfast (October 30)
• Tackling Your Student Loan Debt - A Certified Public Account's Perspective (October 30)
• Annual Ghostly Gala (October 30)
• Nights Of Fright On Memorial (October 31)
• Save 15 Percent On Boo-tiful Flowers This Halloween! (October 31)
• Thrive Parent Engagement Workshop (November 6)
• Estate Planning Webinar (November 8)
• Estate Planning Webinar (November 9)
• BLM 5K Atlanta Festival (November 18)
• REGISTER NOW for the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity in Action (IDEA) Certification Program! (November 18)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Thursday off right. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with a new update! If you're into these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Kathy Cioffi

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Atlanta Daily? You can reach me at atlanta@patch.com.