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Dunwoody breaks ground on $3 million park in Perimeter Center
Dunwoody, Ga. (Atlanta Now News at 10) — The City of Dunwoody broke ground on a multi-million dollar park at Perimeter Center East, proceeding with plans that were initiated before the pandemic halted the project. Dunwoody neighbors like Arnold Heller don’t mind the construction noise in Perimeter Center one bit. “I’ve been out there almost every day, watching the workmen,” said Heller, who is known for riding a bicycle around the neighborhood. After a two-year delay, crews are clearing the way for the new five-acre park. “I’ve been waiting for this park to get built, and I’m very excited at the groundbreaking...
Clayton County school mask, clear bookbag mandates draw mixed reaction
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. (Atlanta Now News at 10) — The school mask requirement is back in Clayton County, a clear backpack policy will take effect this fall, and both mandates are drawing mixed reaction. Marlon Brown, a firefighter, is happy Clayton County Public Schools is once again requiring masks for staff and visitors starting next week. School administration said the mandate is in response to the rise in COVID cases. “I’m definitely all on board with that. I think, one, I’m in public safety, so I’m face-to-face, kind of, with what’s going on with COVID,” he said, adding it will make...
Metro Atlantans respond to Biden’s executive order on extreme heat
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta Now News at 10) — The sweltering heat is a struggle for many on two fronts: how to stay cool and how to pay the bill, but a new presidential executive order promises to provide relief. The pandemic and inflation are already beating down on Metro Atlantans, and now they’re facing the blow of extreme heat, which is hitting communities of color, low-income families and senior citizens the hardest. “It’s not fair. They paid their dues. They’ve lived a long life. They need help,” said Michael Kouassi, a resident. More neighbors said they can relate to the struggle. “The cost...
Gwinnett County Police K9 Sika makes first “arrest”
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. (Atlanta Now News at 10) – Gwinnett County’s newest officer is a K9 named Sika, whose special skills put her ahead of the pack. Sika enjoyed lots of attention, including but not limited to belly rubs, at a press conference announcing her role with the Gwinnett County Police Department. The 16-month-old Hanoverian and Plott hound mix is unlike the department’s other K9s, which are trained to be aggressive and serve a dual purpose: apprehension and detection. She’s strictly a search dog. “Every dog has its good days and its bad days, but she’s been very successful,” said her handler,...
Decatur doctor explains recent COVID surge, variants and booster shots
DECATUR, Ga. (Atlanta Now News at 10) — COVID cases are up and so are the questions about variants and whether booster shots are helping. A local doctor shared what you need to know now and for the foreseeable future. Wayne Patterson went to the Peachtree Immediate Care in Decatur for a routine visit and was all too happy to show off his vaccination card. “I’ve had my COVID shot and my booster shot, so I’m certified, you know what I mean,” Patterson said. “You still got people out there who haven’t been vaccinated, you know what I mean? So, it’s...
Families displaced after massive Brookhaven apartment complex fire
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta Now News at 10) — A major apartment fire in Brookhaven destroyed a building and displaced several families. Atlanta Now’s Valencia Jones spoke with neighbors and a man they’re calling a hero. Families living at the Evergreen Lenox Park Apartments woke up to a nightmare Monday morning around 6:30 a.m., as flames engulfed one of the apartment buildings. Dexter Harris was just getting home. “I couldn’t believe it. It was shocking and surprising just to see the building going up in flames,” he said. Former Assistant Property Manager Jamison Boykin got a call from his sister after she escaped from...
Hundreds to take part in Annual Pink Ribbon 5K Run Walk on Sat. July 16
ATLANTA (CW69 News at 10) – The race to end breast cancer continues with the 18th Annual Pink Ribbon 5K Run Walk at Piedmont Park on Saturday, July 16, 2022. The race holds special meaning for Dr. Nailah Abdulbaaqee and her husband, Reggie Raymond. They plan to run as a tribute to their champion, her mother, who died of breast cancer last year. “My mother, Sakinah Abdulbaaqee, was a long-standing breast cancer survivor of 17 years, and Sisters By Choice was a very supportive support group,” said Abdulbaaqee. Her mother’s surgeon, Dr. Rogsbert Phillips-Reed, founded Sisters By Choice in 1989. The non-profit supports...
City of Atlanta recruiting more E-911 dispatchers
ATLANTA, Ga. (CW69 News at 10) — As Atlanta police work to hire and retain more officers, the city is boosting its efforts to recruit more E-911 dispatchers. Staff members held a recruitment event on July 14, 2022, targeting the next “hero” first responders. Atlanta’s E-911 Communications Division thought Hero Doughnuts and Buns was a good place to hold E-911’s first “Donuts with a Dispatcher” event, and so did the donut shop owners. “Hero’s all about celebrating community heroes, and when you think about 911 dispatchers and the critical part that they play in our community in serving our community, we could...
Former Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary sentenced to prison for stealing COVID funds
ATLANTA (CW69 News at 10) — Jason Lary, the former mayor of Stonecrest, is going to prison. On Wednesday, a judge sentenced him to serve more than four years after his conviction for fraud, conspiracy and theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars of the city’s COVID relief funds. Judge Thomas Thrash called Lary’s actions deplorable, before sentencing him to serve 57 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release. Lary also has to pay nearly $120,000 in restitution. Stonecrest neighbors say justice was served. “I’m hopeful that community members will feel that the federal government took this injustice seriously,”...
Splash pad safety tips to avoid spreading germs
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. (CW69 News at 10) — Splash pads are a fun way to cool off, but they could also pose a danger to your health. The CDC shares some things you should know to protect yourself and your kids. Kids at Graves Park in Norcross beat the heat on Tuesday with a little splash pad action. “It’s a cool, fun park, that will keep you cool as well,” said Kar Jackson, 12. The adults, including Sonny Gillespie, who brought his four-year-old godson, Shaun, to the splash pad, watched the action from the shade. “Anytime it’s hot, you know, it’s been 100...
Clayton County’s Teen Arts Intensive program gives kids a summer boost
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. (CW69 News at 10) — Summer is a time for fun, sun and a cool Teen Arts Intensive program the Arts Clayton Gallery. Kids ages 13 to 18 are getting some intense training in the program, which includes hands-on instruction in visual arts, music, theater, creative writing and film. “All of it is just intense training in that specific genre for four weeks to culminate into a final production, exhibition and film screening,” said Arts Clayton Executive Director Brian Hebert. A 17-year-old homeschooled student who goes by Miss Ji is an artist and entrepreneur. She wears a mask to hide...
Atlanta City Council approves $500,000 donation for eviction legal counsel program
ATLANTA (CW69 News at 10) — The threat of eviction is hanging over the heads of thousands of men, women, and children. Help is on the way through a program that will provide many of them with the legal assistance to navigate through the process. Community members in Atlanta are demanding the city council take action to fix the homelessness problem and the high cost of living, which is a problem fueling the eviction crisis. “We have more than half of our city that are renters, with the majority of our housing stock being bought up and taken off the market by...
Atlanta’s Camp Best Friends provides safe haven, summer fun for children
ATLANTA (CW69 News at 10) — A summer camp launched during a dark time in Atlanta history is still providing a safe haven and fun activities for kids more than four decades later. Kids at Camp Best Friends at the Dunbar Recreation Center in southwest Atlanta are spending their summer days playing sports and getting STEM training, and kids like Javon Ridley are learning music technology using some high-tech equipment at the center. “They gave me all the industry-updated tools to get into the field of music and work with different artists,” he said. Ten-year-old Taylor Brown is good at math, but she’s...
AJC Peachtree Road Race runners reflect on freedom, equality for Fourth of July
ATLANTA, Ga. (CW69 News at 10) — The AJC Peachtree Road Race, the largest 10K race in the world, returned to Atlanta on the Fourth of July. Several runners shared how the race held special meaning for the country during the holiday. Tens of thousands of runners pounding the pavement in Midtown for the big race. “We had people from all over the U.S. that came out for the race. It’s a great way to celebrate the Fourth of July,” said Alex DiTaranto, a Death Wish Track Club member. Jetola Anderson-Blair has Jamaican roots and traveled from Houston to participate in the race....
Sen. Warnock chairs congressional hearing in Georgia on lowering prescription drug costs
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (CW69 News at 10) — US Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) is waging a battle to bring down the high costs of prescription drugs. Warnock visited Fayetteville Senior Services to hear from seniors and healthcare advocates about skyrocketing drug costs. He chaired the Senate Aging Committee’s first congressional hearing in Georgia. “Something I hear consistently from Georgians, especially seniors, is about how they’re being squeezed by the high cost of prescription drugs and the burden it puts on their health and their wallets,” said Warnock. It hits close to home for Gretchen Spring, who lives in Marietta. Her husband, Peter Spring, had...
Delta pilots protest for new contracts, more pay ahead of July 4 weekend
ATLANTA (CW69 News at 10) — Pilots for Delta Air Lines picketed in the carrier’s home of Atlanta as well as at airports nationwide on Thursday, protesting the gridlock of their contract negotiations, as the airline battles ongoing staffing shortages and flight cancellations. Pilots have taken an unprecedented step in pressuring management for changes. Delta travelers weighed in on the pilots who could be seen demonstrating outside of the South Terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. “They need to be focused on the people who have our lives in their hands,” said one traveler, Grettel Bromfield. “They should be paid better.” Four hundred...
Fulton DA drops charges against man attacked by Alpharetta K9 during an arrest
ATLANTA (CW69 News at 10) — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis dropped the criminal charges against Travis Moya, nearly one year after he was attacked by a K9 with the Alpharetta Police Department. Moya and his attorneys said that despite this, they are still fighting for justice. Moya said he was still reliving the nightmare of being attacked by K9 Aries last July, when he was reportedly having a mental health crisis and police were called to his home. “I heard the first command of ‘get him,’ and then I heard the second command of ‘get him’ again,” he said. “Death...
Georgia anti-abortion advocates celebrate ruling overturning Roe v Wade
ATLANTA (CW69 News at 10) — The ruling by the United States Supreme Court that overturned the landmark Roe v Wade case is drawing support from anti-abortionists in Georgia. All eyes are now on a Georgia anti-abortion law that was placed on hold pending the outcome of this ruling. As anti-abortion supporters celebrated the ruling on Capitol Hill on Friday, so did Metro Atlanta abortion opponents and organizations like the Georgia Life Alliance. “We’re very happy about it. This is something we’ve worked on for a very long time,” said Georgia Life Alliance Interim Executive Director Martha Zoller. She says the organization’s decades-long...
Air travel tips to navigate around flight cancellations and delays
ATLANTA, Ga. (CW69 News at 10) — If you plan to book flights over the summer, CW69’s Valencia Jones has everything you need to know to avoid travel headaches. Flight cancellations and long delays have become the norm at airports around the country, as staff shortages continue. “I came in late, and luckily the plane Spirit had an extra seat,” said Mario Zavala, who arrived at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on his way to Michigan. Travelers waiting for flights at the Atlanta airport Thursday afternoon said they’re planning ahead more than ever when booking flights. “[I] Just give myself plenty of time and...
ART Therapy providing much needed relief for mental health crisis faced during pandemic
ATLANTA, Ga. (CW69 News at 10) — Trauma, stress and anxiety are all part of a growing mental health crisis made worse by COVID-19. Local therapists spoke with CW69 about a treatment that is giving their clients some much-needed relief. Stephanie Cirasa is an equine therapy provider based in Meriwether and Carroll Counties. She’s a co-founder of Waypoint Ranch Collaborative Learning and Counseling, an organization that uses horses to provide trauma therapy for veterans and military families. Cirasa partners with Dr. Elaine Dilbeck, a therapist licensed in Georgia and Texas. Both of them are trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART). It’s used...
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