Aerial view of a baseball game at a packed stadium, with the infield and outfield visible — The Braves’ postseason run continues after Thursday night’s decisive wild-card win over the Phillies.

Friday, Oct. 2, 2026

The Braves’ postseason advance and the closing of a longtime Norcross department store lead Friday’s briefing. Georgia is weighing election-system changes, Gwinnett has opened new public-health programs, and a busy festival weekend will bring traffic changes across several communities.

1. Braves advance to face the Dodgers

The Atlanta Braves are moving on to the National League Division Series after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 in Thursday night’s decisive wild-card game.

Michael Harris II opened the scoring with a three-run homer in the first inning. Ozzie Albies added a two-run shot in the fourth, and Matt Olson homered in the seventh. Six Atlanta pitchers combined to hold Philadelphia to two runs and six hits.

The victory was Atlanta’s first in a winner-take-all postseason game since 1996. The Braves will open a best-of-five series against the Dodgers on Saturday in Los Angeles. Thursday’s Game 3 highlights capture the three home runs that ended Philadelphia’s season.

2. Belk will close its Norcross store after 25 years

Belk will close its Peachtree Parkway store in Norcross on Jan. 15, ending a 25-year run at the location.

A liquidation sale has begun, with discounts advertised at up to 75% on most merchandise. Fine jewelry is excluded. The company has not disclosed how many employees will be affected, though workers may pursue transfers to other Belk stores.

The closing removes a longstanding department-store anchor from the Peachtree Corners and Norcross retail corridor. The Norcross Belk closing plan follows other reductions in the retailer’s metro Atlanta footprint.

3. Georgia weighs voting-system changes after privacy warning

Georgia lawmakers are evaluating equipment that could replace the state’s Dominion voting system by 2028.

Vendors presented alternatives Thursday as officials considered the future of the current print-and-scan machines. The review comes as the State Election Board confronts a separate software vulnerability that can allow a printed ballot to be linked to the voter who cast it.

The flaw does not alter votes or call election totals into question, but it creates a ballot-privacy concern. The board declined to require counties to shuffle ballots at polling places so close to the election and instead urged state officials to address the software. The voting-system replacement review comes less than two weeks before early voting begins Oct. 13.

4. Arrest made after deadly ambush near the Mall of Georgia

A 22-year-old man has been booked on charges connected to a September ambush at an apartment community near Buford.

Gwinnett County police allege that four people confronted a man as he entered his vehicle at the Ellison at the Exchange apartments on Laurel Crossing Parkway. The victim was shot, and a second man was killed during the robbery.

The suspect faces charges including felony murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during a felony. The charges are allegations, and the investigation remains open. The latest development in the Gwinnett ambush case comes nearly a month after the Sept. 5 shooting.

5. Gwinnett opens $1.9 million opioid-response grant program

Gwinnett County is making approximately $1.9 million in opioid-settlement funding available to community organizations over the next three years.

The Gwinnett HOPE program will support prevention, treatment, recovery and harm-reduction work. Eligible proposals could include overdose prevention, care for people with substance-use disorders and services helping residents remain in recovery.

Applications remain open through Nov. 30. The funding comes from national settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors rather than the county’s regular operating budget. Gwinnett’s HOPE grant announcement explains the program’s allowable uses and schedule.

6. Whole Foods moves closer to opening in South Forsyth

Whole Foods Market has cleared additional permitting milestones for its first Forsyth County store.

The 35,500-square-foot building at Forsyth Town Center passed its final building inspection in August, and permits for two exterior signs were issued Sept. 24. Hiring is also underway, though the company has not announced an opening date.

The store at 3135 Ronald Reagan Boulevard will anchor a developing retail center near Peachtree Parkway. Chipotle and Panda Express have completed their permitting and obtained business licenses at the same development. The latest Whole Foods construction and tenant update separates completed work from businesses still preparing to open.

Shoppers browsing aisles stocked with sauces, oils, and packaged foods inside a Whole Foods store — Shoppers browse grocery aisles inside a Whole Foods store.

7. Gwinnett launches free pet-vaccine clinics

Gwinnett County residents can register for a new series of free vaccination and microchipping clinics for dogs and cats.

Services include one-year rabies vaccinations for both animals, along with Bordetella and DHPP vaccines for dogs and FVRCP vaccines for cats. Each household may bring up to three pets.

The first clinic runs from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center in Lawrenceville. Additional clinics are scheduled through December, with capacity limited to 200 dogs and 100 cats per session. Gwinnett’s clinic schedule and eligibility rules are available online.

8. Crabapple road closure begins ahead of Milton festival

Downtown Crabapple will begin closing to through traffic this morning as Milton prepares for Saturday’s Crabapple Fest.

Crabapple Road will close at 10 a.m. between the Heritage Walk and Crabapple Chase roundabout and the Mayfield, Broadwell and Birmingham intersection. Lecoma Trace will also close. The roads are expected to reopen around 10 p.m. Saturday.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with art, antiques, food and live music. Free parking and shuttles will be available from Milton Community Church and Crabapple Crossing Elementary School. The North Atlanta weekend guide includes the festival and transportation details.

9. Forsyth remains among Georgia’s highest-rated school systems

Forsyth County Schools ranks third among Georgia’s public-school districts in Niche’s newly released 2027 assessment.

The district also ranks second in metro Atlanta and No. 226 nationally. Buford City Schools holds the top statewide position, while Gwinnett County Public Schools ranks 17th in Georgia.

The rankings combine federal and state education data with surveys and reviews, so they are separate from Georgia’s official school-accountability system. The Forsyth County district rankings cover academics, teachers, college preparation and other measures.

10. Major community festivals fill the weekend

Several of North Atlanta’s largest early-October events take place Saturday and Sunday.

Roswell’s 76th Youth Day begins with a parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by activities at City Hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Road closures are expected to begin around 9:45 a.m.

Norcross Art Splash will bring approximately 100 artists downtown from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Suwanee’s African American Culture and Arts Festival runs from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, while Cumming City Center has free concerts scheduled Friday and Saturday evenings. The complete weekend schedule includes times, locations and admission information.