Charles Bethea
Charles Bethea has been contributing to The New Yorker since 2008 and became a staff writer in 2018. He has published more than fifty Talk of the Town pieces, often on political subjects, including the creator of barackobama@gmail.com, the gymnastics career of Roy Moore, and a sculptor obsessed with Donald Trump. In addition to politics, Bethea covers crime, local media, and the American South. He received a 2021 Mirror Award for his reporting on the loss of local news in Jones County, North Carolina.
Previously, Bethea was an editor at Outside magazine and a writer-at-large for Atlanta. His work has also appeared in Grantland, The New Republic, the Wall Street Journal, GQ, Rolling Stone, and Wired. He lives in Atlanta.
The Most Belligerent Flack on Capitol Hill
Nick Dyer, the deputy chief of staff to Marjorie Taylor Greene, has built a career as a political aide out of what one observer calls “pure, non-strategic contempt.”
How Slutty Vegan Puts the Party in Plant-Based Food
Pinky Cole’s Atlanta-based burger chain is valued at a hundred million dollars. Can racy branding take vegan food mainstream?
Jimmy Carter’s Rock-and-Roll Legacy
The former President has a surprisingly long list of musician friends, some of whom, in the past days and weeks, have been reflecting on the time they’ve had with him.
Why Some Florida Schools Are Removing Books from Their Libraries
“If I weren’t living through it, I wouldn’t believe it’s happening,” one parent, who has worked as a substitute teacher, said.
Tots vs. Cop City
Preschoolers at an anti-racist school in East Atlanta speak out against a police-training center to be built in the woods nearby, then play with blocks.
Will Republicans Who Have Soured on Trump Turn Out for Herschel Walker?
With the Senate not in play, some conservatives fear that Walker won’t inspire voters. “I think a lot of people’s consciences will allow them to, like me, stay home,” one said.
The Precarious Future of Sanibel Island
After Hurricane Ian, should the government help people rebuild, or help them leave?
Rats in the Rat-Control Agency!
The E.P.A., which is tasked with helping to control rodent populations, has been unable to move back into its Atlanta regional office, owing to a pesky infestation of rodents.
Roy Moore Was Banned from the Mall but Won His Defamation Suit
A jury in Alabama awarded the former Senate candidate more than eight million dollars. A lawyer for the defense says that the case reflects a worrying trend.
Surviving Hurricane Ian in a Fort Myers Apartment Complex
Facing high winds, rising waters, and careening yachts, a group of neighbors managed a harrowing rescue.
The Mystery of the Headless Goats in the Chattahoochee
Hundreds of decapitated goat carcasses have turned up in the river that runs through metro Atlanta. Are they evidence of animal sacrifice? Drug smuggling? Both?
What Happened to “America’s Stonehenge”?
A mysterious stone monument in Georgia, which had been denounced as “Satanic” by a right-wing gubernatorial candidate, was blown up in July. An investigation is under way.
A Brewery’s Anti-Violence Mission, Complicated by a Killing
TRU Colors attracted interest—and investment—by employing active gang members. But a double murder last summer has prompted criticism of its approach.
The New Fight Over an Old Forest in Atlanta
The plans for an enormous police-training center—dubbed Cop City by critics—have ignited interest in one of Atlanta’s largest remaining green spaces.
The Controversial Legal Strategy Behind the Indictment of Young Thug
The RICO Act, which was designed to go after the Mafia, is now used to target supposed members of predominantly Black street gangs. Critics say the law is being stretched very thin.
Were the Film-Set Heists in Atlanta an Inside Job?
According to one tally, three million dollars’ worth of equipment was stolen during the past eighteen months, in forty-five separate incidents. “Somewhere, there’s a mole,” a studio owner said.
Madison Cawthorn and Mark Meadows: Congressional Racers
Congress is known for moving slowly, but not so for Cawthorn and Meadows, whose need for speed has landed them in trouble with the law—though they’ve sometimes avoided the worst legal consequences.
Can Anyone Unseat Marjorie Taylor Greene?
Whatever hope remains for the Georgia congresswoman’s many detractors seems to depend on either a new lawsuit or a candidate who’s been called “Marjorie with a brain.”
Giving Phife Dawg the Sound of “Forever”
Dion Liverpool, who co-produced a new posthumous album by the beloved Tribe Called Quest rapper, calls it the most challenging project he’s ever worked on.
Why Did Mark Meadows Register to Vote at an Address Where He Did Not Reside?
In September, 2020, Donald Trump’s then chief of staff claimed to live in a mobile home in North Carolina.
The Most Belligerent Flack on Capitol Hill
Nick Dyer, the deputy chief of staff to Marjorie Taylor Greene, has built a career as a political aide out of what one observer calls “pure, non-strategic contempt.”
How Slutty Vegan Puts the Party in Plant-Based Food
Pinky Cole’s Atlanta-based burger chain is valued at a hundred million dollars. Can racy branding take vegan food mainstream?
Jimmy Carter’s Rock-and-Roll Legacy
The former President has a surprisingly long list of musician friends, some of whom, in the past days and weeks, have been reflecting on the time they’ve had with him.
Why Some Florida Schools Are Removing Books from Their Libraries
“If I weren’t living through it, I wouldn’t believe it’s happening,” one parent, who has worked as a substitute teacher, said.
Tots vs. Cop City
Preschoolers at an anti-racist school in East Atlanta speak out against a police-training center to be built in the woods nearby, then play with blocks.
Will Republicans Who Have Soured on Trump Turn Out for Herschel Walker?
With the Senate not in play, some conservatives fear that Walker won’t inspire voters. “I think a lot of people’s consciences will allow them to, like me, stay home,” one said.
The Precarious Future of Sanibel Island
After Hurricane Ian, should the government help people rebuild, or help them leave?
Rats in the Rat-Control Agency!
The E.P.A., which is tasked with helping to control rodent populations, has been unable to move back into its Atlanta regional office, owing to a pesky infestation of rodents.
Roy Moore Was Banned from the Mall but Won His Defamation Suit
A jury in Alabama awarded the former Senate candidate more than eight million dollars. A lawyer for the defense says that the case reflects a worrying trend.
Surviving Hurricane Ian in a Fort Myers Apartment Complex
Facing high winds, rising waters, and careening yachts, a group of neighbors managed a harrowing rescue.
The Mystery of the Headless Goats in the Chattahoochee
Hundreds of decapitated goat carcasses have turned up in the river that runs through metro Atlanta. Are they evidence of animal sacrifice? Drug smuggling? Both?
What Happened to “America’s Stonehenge”?
A mysterious stone monument in Georgia, which had been denounced as “Satanic” by a right-wing gubernatorial candidate, was blown up in July. An investigation is under way.
A Brewery’s Anti-Violence Mission, Complicated by a Killing
TRU Colors attracted interest—and investment—by employing active gang members. But a double murder last summer has prompted criticism of its approach.
The New Fight Over an Old Forest in Atlanta
The plans for an enormous police-training center—dubbed Cop City by critics—have ignited interest in one of Atlanta’s largest remaining green spaces.
The Controversial Legal Strategy Behind the Indictment of Young Thug
The RICO Act, which was designed to go after the Mafia, is now used to target supposed members of predominantly Black street gangs. Critics say the law is being stretched very thin.
Were the Film-Set Heists in Atlanta an Inside Job?
According to one tally, three million dollars’ worth of equipment was stolen during the past eighteen months, in forty-five separate incidents. “Somewhere, there’s a mole,” a studio owner said.
Madison Cawthorn and Mark Meadows: Congressional Racers
Congress is known for moving slowly, but not so for Cawthorn and Meadows, whose need for speed has landed them in trouble with the law—though they’ve sometimes avoided the worst legal consequences.
Can Anyone Unseat Marjorie Taylor Greene?
Whatever hope remains for the Georgia congresswoman’s many detractors seems to depend on either a new lawsuit or a candidate who’s been called “Marjorie with a brain.”
Giving Phife Dawg the Sound of “Forever”
Dion Liverpool, who co-produced a new posthumous album by the beloved Tribe Called Quest rapper, calls it the most challenging project he’s ever worked on.
Why Did Mark Meadows Register to Vote at an Address Where He Did Not Reside?
In September, 2020, Donald Trump’s then chief of staff claimed to live in a mobile home in North Carolina.