Atlanta Daily: Reward In Postal Worker Killing, Lake Lanier Case, Film Festival Opens

Atlanta, GA – February 18, 2026 – From a major federal reward in a deadly shooting to an identification in the Lake Lanier case and a citywide film festival, here is a quick look at what’s happening around Atlanta today.

Federal reward in killing of metro Atlanta postal worker

Investigators are offering a quarter-million-dollar reward as they search for whoever killed a 31-year-old postal worker while he was on his delivery route in Decatur. The United States Postal Inspection Service has put up $250,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

The victim was shot last week while working a neighborhood route in the evening. Federal authorities and local police are urging residents to review any security camera footage and send in tips. They have emphasized that the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous and that protecting workers who serve the public is a top priority in this case.

Body in submerged car at Lake Lanier identified

Law enforcement has identified the man whose body was discovered in a submerged car pulled from Lake Lanier. The recovery followed a missing person report that started in Roswell and led to a multi-agency search across metro Atlanta.

Investigators say the 85-year-old man was last seen after a medical visit and never made it back to a family member’s home. Multiple agencies worked together, reviewing cameras and tracing the vehicle’s movements before locating the car in the lake. Authorities are still piecing together how the vehicle ended up in the water, but they say the discovery brings some answers to relatives who had been waiting for news.

President Trump visit tied to northwest Georgia special election

President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Rome, in northwest Georgia, with early voting already underway in the special election for the 14th Congressional District. The race will determine who finishes the term of former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who resigned in January.

The president is expected to speak about the economy and highlight his chosen candidate in the crowded field. Early voting in the district runs through early March, with Election Day set for March 10 and a likely runoff in April. While the district is outside the city, the outcome and the high-profile visit are drawing significant attention across metro Atlanta.

Atlanta Jewish Film Festival opens across the city

On a lighter note, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival kicks off its latest run today, bringing dozens of films to screens around the metro area. Organizers say this year’s lineup focuses on stories of identity, family, and resilience drawn from around the world.

The festival will span nearly two weeks, with features, shorts, and in-person discussions at multiple venues. For many local moviegoers, it has become one of the city’s marquee cultural events of the late winter, offering both entertainment and deeper conversations about history and contemporary life.