Following rare snowfall and freezing temperatures in Florida, another powerful storm is set to strike multiple states across the nation this weekend. The storm arrived on Friday and is expected to continue through the weekend, potentially becoming a catastrophic event stretching from the eastern region to the Deep South. The ice accumulations will start Saturday morning in Texas, then head toward the Carolinas on Sunday morning.Winter storm warnings have been issued for portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas. Ice storm warnings have been issued for parts of Alabama. The National Weather Service said life-threatening conditions are expected as wind chills plunge to minus 50 degrees in the north while temperatures fall below freezing all the way to the Gulf Coast. Ice storm conditions are likely across North Georgia and parts of Central Georgia. Forecasters said that the ice could weigh down trees and power lines, leading to widespread outages.The storm is expected to disrupt travel at major hub airports in Dallas, Atlanta, Memphis, Tennessee and Charlotte in North Carolina, according to AP News.What’s causing this? A clash between unusually warm Arctic waters and icy continental air is warping the polar vortex, sending a punishing wave of extreme cold sweeping across the United States, according to AP News.Florida impactsThis weather is not expected to bring snow to Central Florida. However, residents should expect a cold front to bring a few showers Sunday into Monday. Temperatures will reach into the mid-80s this weekend in Central Florida. By Monday, cooler air will move into the region as highs reach the 60s.First Warning Weather Stay with WESH 2 online and on air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.RadarSevere Weather AlertsDownload the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts. The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Following rare snowfall and freezing temperatures in Florida, another powerful storm is set to strike multiple states across the nation this weekend.
The storm arrived on Friday and is expected to continue through the weekend, potentially becoming a catastrophic event stretching from the eastern region to the Deep South.
The ice accumulations will start Saturday morning in Texas, then head toward the Carolinas on Sunday morning.
Winter storm warnings have been issued for portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas. Ice storm warnings have been issued for parts of Alabama.
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You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
The National Weather Service said life-threatening conditions are expected as wind chills plunge to minus 50 degrees in the north while temperatures fall below freezing all the way to the Gulf Coast.
Ice storm conditions are likely across North Georgia and parts of Central Georgia.
Forecasters said that the ice could weigh down trees and power lines, leading to widespread outages.
The storm is expected to disrupt travel at major hub airports in Dallas, Atlanta, Memphis, Tennessee and Charlotte in North Carolina, according to AP News.
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
What’s causing this?
A clash between unusually warm Arctic waters and icy continental air is warping the polar vortex, sending a punishing wave of extreme cold sweeping across the United States, according to AP News.
Florida impacts
This weather is not expected to bring snow to Central Florida. However, residents should expect a cold front to bring a few showers Sunday into Monday.
Temperatures will reach into the mid-80s this weekend in Central Florida. By Monday, cooler air will move into the region as highs reach the 60s.
First Warning Weather
Stay with WESH 2 online and on air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.
Download the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts.
This rapid-housing site for unhoused residents of Fulton County will provide 100 units of supportive housing and 70 townhomes in the heart of the Mechanicsville community. Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Councilmember Jason Dozier, Fulton County Commissioner Mo Ivory, and Partners for Home gathered on a cold, windy Thursday, January 15, for a press conference and hard-hat tour of a new rapid-housing site at 405 Cooper St.
This rapid-housing site for unhoused residents of Fulton County will provide 100 units of supportive housing and 70 townhomes in the heart of the Mechanicsville community. The city and partners broke ground on the site just months ago and invited media partners for a sneak peek of the development progress.
Atlanta is home to over a quarter of the state’s homeless population of nearly 10,000, according to Atlanta Mission. According to Partners for Home, the 2025 Point-In-Time (PIT) Count, conducted the night of January 27 and followed by additional surveying the week following, recorded a 1% overall increase from 2024, suggesting a potential plateau.
Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice
Chronic homelessness fell 9% due to an ongoing focus on rehousing the most vulnerable individuals in permanent supportive housing (PSH), a housing intervention that pairs long-term leasing/rental aid with supportive services like mental health services, employment help, and ongoing case management.
During the press conference, Dickens discussed the rising issue of homelessness in the U.S., emphasizing that it has surpassed crime as a primary concern for mayors, including in Atlanta. He also highlighted visible encampments and the city’s multifaceted approach to addressing the problem, involving government, philanthropy, nonprofits, and innovative construction techniques.
“Seeing a growth and a climb in people experiencing homelessness, the unsheltered population across this country is rising,” he said. “I can’t tell you how many mayors that I talked to across the country that no longer is crime our number one concern and thing that we are most pressed about, but at this point in time, it is the growth of people that are having more money than money people that are unhoused in our communities across the country and Atlanta is no different.”
Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice
Additionally, Dickens mentioned the city’s commitment of $60 million to a homelessness opportunity bond, the highest in Atlanta’s history, which has helped house thousands over four years. He underscored the city’s determination to tackle homelessness collaboratively, with the city going first or last but never alone, and acknowledged the presence of key stakeholders in the effort.
“We’re trying to attack this problem with the help of community members and great-minded folks in the nonprofit business sector, etc. And this work is meaningful. We’ve been doing it for a long time,” he said. “My administration has been doing a whole lot of work, but there’s still more work to be done.”
Ivory emphasized the need for permanent supportive housing to address Fulton County’s homelessness crisis. She highlighted that Fulton County currently supports 302 supportive housing units but requires 550, with funding only secured through 2026. Ivory said fully funding supportive housing is cost-effective, reduces repeat jail bookings, and helps public safety.
When housing is missing, she said, those systems become the default response. Ivory also urges her colleagues to honor the commitment to helping their residents.
“I have told my colleagues to honor that commitment, and I hope that when we get to our meeting next Wednesday, when we vote on this budget, that they will do that,” she said. “They have not done that thus far. Fulton County should be a partner to its cities, not a hindrance to the vital services that its cities need. I fully support funding permanent housing services now and into the future beyond the 10 years that we committed to, but especially right now.”
Also, Dozier reflected on the importance of the work that’s been doing and how he experienced homelessness at an early age. Sharing in one of his earlier groundbreakings, he grew up in Atlanta, where his home of 16 years and the only home his mom ever owned was lost to foreclosure.
“We had all our things thrown out into the street and as a someone who was in my early 20s, I know what it was like to experience fear, to experience instability, to not know what roof was going to be over my head, where I was going to sleep, and I had to rely on the generosity of friends and family members and neighbors sleeping on couches on cold days like to this turn on the oven to keep the house warm,” he said.
Dickens stressed the commitment of Fulton County Commission members and city council to distribute $4.8 million annually for 30 years to address homelessness, a small portion of their budget.
He also criticized some commissioners for attempting to pull back on this promise.
“We must be honest about some of the people who are supposed to be in this with us, and that is members of the Fulton County Commission, and we have one [Mo Ivory], who is here to support our efforts and the people that are in need,” he said.
Dickens also praised Governor Kemp for stepping up, saying he would pull $50 million towards housing the homeless and helping with wraparound services for urban areas like the city of Atlanta.
“That’s meaningful steps up towards helping us, so we need the county to do just what they said they were going to do and what their charter is for them to do, which is to help with the Health and Human Services,” he said. “Do what you say you’re gonna do, and for the next 30 years, you’re supposed to put up at a minimum $4.8 million. You can’t walk back from that.”
Furthermore, Dickens said they must have a partnership from the county to pay for the operations.
“That’s the agreement, and we must keep them to their promises, promises made must be promises kept, or see you at the ballot,” he said.
The rapid housing units at 405 Cooper St., will be finished in the next two months, according to developers.
Knott (left) with Danridge (right): Knott says Maliek was crucial to the community and a person of value. Knott said creating the documentary was “deeply personal” because it was more so a fulfilled request by Maliek himself and a call to action for people dealing with depression. Knott and Danridge also collaborated on one of Knott’s film projects BluVonte: The Final Chapters. Photo submitted
We often hear the saying, “Check on your loved ones, especially the strong ones who carry a heavy weight in silence.”
One early spring morning at 7:38 a.m., last April, Atlanta-based filmmaker, writer, director, and producer Corey Knott received a call that changed his life forever. This call was devastating news; he lost one of his closest friends, Maliek Danridge, to suicide.
One in three rural Black men reported they experienced suicidal ideation or thoughts of death in the past two weeks, reports a new study from the University of Georgia. Childhood adversity and racism may hold much of the blame.
“I just remember feeling sad and hurt, and there were so many questions circulating in my mind,” he said. “I didn’t cry at once; I was still in shock, and I had a little time to prepare before the public found out.”
However, all the emotions started racing to Knott as he received even more calls from other friends and castmates. This feeling of grief was all too close to home for Knott, as he had also once lost a cast member who was killed in Atlanta in a car accident. As far as Maliek, his dear friend, says, he didn’t want him to hurt anymore.
“I’ve seen him break down; no one saw that behind closed doors. Maliek was tall and big, but to see what he was suffering through was catastrophic and emotional,” he said. “It was not a burden to take on the task of documenting his journey; it was an extreme pleasure to do that for him.”
Knott also said Maliek would tell people he wanted to document his life, but never in a million years did Knott think that’s what this was about.
“I thought maybe it was cancer or something like that, but I never knew what it truly was until it was too late,” he said.
After Maliek’s death, Knott began creating a short documentary called “The Weight He Carried”. The documentary is not rooted in fiction, but in loss, and serves as an emotional tribute as viewers explore the life, legacy, and lasting impact of a man who transformed beauty into empowerment.
The short documentary also examines high-functioning depression, the pressure to be the “strong one,” and the gutting reality that those who heal others are often hurting the most themselves.
Knott’s storytelling consistently centers Black and LGBTQ lives with honesty and emotional depth. As the founder of HD Productions Network, Knott has built a powerful outlet for independent scripted series, films, and documentaries that explore love, grief, chosen family, and survival.
Knott sat with The Atlanta Voice reporter Isaiah Singleton to discuss the short documentary, the process of creating it, healing, advice, and more. ‘The Weight He Carried’ also examines high-functioning depression, the pressure to be the “strong one,” and the gutting reality that those who heal others are often hurting the most themselves. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Maliek Danridge: ‘The Weight He Carried’
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Black Americans between the ages of 15 and 24, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicide is particularly prevalent among Black men, who die by suicide at a rate more than four times that of Black women.
From transforming lives in his salon to building a powerful legacy as a Black entrepreneur, Maliek’s untimely passing has left countless hearts broken. Known lovingly as “King Maliek,” he was more than a master stylist; he was a source of inspiration, a mentor, and a beloved soul in both Philadelphia and Atlanta.
With a friendship that has only grown tighter since 2018, Knott says Maliek had a bubbly personality and was highly creative.
“If your plane ever went down and you got stuck on an island, we are going to eat, drink, and have a fun time,” Knott said. “He will also mask his pain, but at the end of the day, I am a professional masker, so I would let him know he could talk to me.”
Maliek, he says, could see into your soul, and was a person who was very vibrant, outgoing, and always there for his friends and community.
“His mouth held none, and that’s what I was so enamored by because for years I’ve had to go the professional route because of what I do, so I have to watch my words,” he said. “Maliek on the other hand, was the opposite of that. He was professional but didn’t hold his tongue, and when we went out, I felt safe; he was a person you could feel safe around.”
Knott says Maliek was crucial to the community and a person of value. Also, Knott said creating the documentary was “deeply personal.” For Knott, it was more so a fulfilled request by Maliek himself and a call to action for people dealing with depression. Knott and Danridge also collaborated on one of Knott’s film projects, BluVonte: The Final Chapters.
“This is Maliek’s personal story of survival and story. There was something we had discussed that he talked to me personally about, and for a while, he kept saying he wanted me to tell his story, and I never knew what that meant until he revealed to me what it meant,” he said.
While creating the documentary, Knott said he struggled with it at first, contemplating if it was even right to share Maliek’s story. Subsequently, Knott says he feels Maliek was with him throughout the entire process of creating ‘The Weight He Carried.’
He said he was not documenting grief solely but holding someone else’s truth in his hands; in this case, it was his dear friend, whom he wanted to tell his truth while allowing Maliek to still have his dignity.
“I wasn’t intentionally going to even do the documentary because a lot of the personal things he did share, I was not putting it in simply because he was not here in the present form,” he said. “The things I felt he would like for me to share with the world had a lot to do with the weight he was carrying, dealing with, and the uphill battle he was constantly going through.”
Life gets tricky, especially as an entrepreneur, because as a self-employer, you make it work regardless, Knott said. He also says it’s extremely hard when you’re the first to do it in your circle/family, all while battling things mentally.
“I felt like Maliek was sitting right there with me when I was editing. and there were moments that were really funny that I felt like he was talking to me, telling me to put this here and there,” he said. “This was his baby from the beginning, this is what he wanted, I just executed it without him being here in the present.”
Advice, healing, & more
When people watch the documentary, Knott said he wants people to take away the lesson of paying attention to red flags and watching out for your friends, especially the strong ones.
“The strong ones normally tend to be the ones carrying all the weight, and by weight, I mean your emotions,” he said. “Whenever you call your strong friends and expect them to sit and listen to your problems, 10 out of 10 times, they’re battling something themselves, so they take on the weight of family members, close friends, best friends, and sometimes associates you’re not even close with and they feel all of that, but never take the time to heal themselves.”
The healing part of all of this, Knott said, is realizing by honoring Maliek’s truth, he’s opened doors for others to recognize it in themselves.
As for advice to men and black men specifically, Knott said it’s best to let trauma go in ways such as therapy. For him, Knott said going to see a therapist has helped him along the way
“It’s always best to let that go, and what I mean by that is to find someone. For me, this was finding a therapist who helped me tremendously, because I didn’t even know what I was dealing with before Maliek’s death,” he said. “We often bottle our emotions and trauma up and don’t ever know what we’re going through, and so many people are going through the same things.”
He also said when you confide in someone you trust, you learn you’re not the only one going through these things, and in turn, it opens many doors because people want to be seen and heard.
“No matter what you do, you can be the most creative person, the most successful person, but sometimes people feel things differently than others, where you’re always there for other people 100%, but when it’s time for you to need someone to confide in, no one’s there,” he said. “Maliek felt the rut of that, and it’s not fair to those who give 110% and we get the butt of it all; it makes a person feel lower than low.”
Knott says he dislikes Maliek having to feel that way and endure those feelings because he wishes he could’ve seen the love so many people had for him.
This call to action is to reach another soul, communicate with people to let them know they’re not the only ones who are dealing with depression and anxiety.
“I deal with anxiety all the time, sweat and sweaty palms, but when you start talking about things you’re dealing with, you’ll find other people are experiencing the same thing you are,” he said. “There is a community of people that can band together and help you with whatever it is that you’re going through.”
For advice to anyone who has friends battling depression or anxiety, Knott tells readers to be kind, present, visible, and ask questions.
He also says when you’re dealing with someone who has depression or is in their head and deep in thought all the time, people knowingly say and do things to trigger a reaction because they know how you may feel about a certain thing.
“Check in on your circle. Show up for birthdays because you may think it doesn’t bother people, but it does,” he said. “Also, watch your words. As a creative and entrepreneur, we have built our momentum and heightened our elevated anxiety alerts for events we curate, so for someone to come through and belittle it with words, it hurts more deeply than anyone can imagine.”
“When we invest in people, families, and neighborhoods, we don’t just reduce the harm,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens (above) said. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Atlanta stood in witness at the Georgia State University Convocation Center as Andre Dickens was sworn in for a second term, officially continuing his run as the 61st mayor of Atlanta. On Monday, January 5, city officials, residents, and community leaders gathered in the heart of downtown for an inauguration that emphasized continuity, people-centered governance, and a renewed commitment to Atlanta’s neighborhoods.
The ceremony marked a return to Georgia State University’s downtown campus, a setting that symbolized both the city’s growth and its civic backbone. Brian Blake, president of Georgia State University, said hosting the inauguration spoke to the importance of the university’s role within the city itself.
“I’ve always considered Georgia State to be Atlanta’s university,” Blake said. “For us to host the swearing-in for the mayor, the City Council, and Municipal Court in our space, right in the middle of where things are happening, is exciting,” Blake added. The moment reflects pride in the institution and optimism for Atlanta’s leadership moving forward.
Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
While the program highlighted Atlanta’s political and academic leadership, some of the most powerful reflections came from longtime residents, particularly senior citizens who say Dickens’ leadership has been felt personally, not just politically.
Among those in attendance were Emery Wiggles, 75, and Larry Hodo Sr., 69, lifelong residents of Southwest Atlanta. The two men said they attended the inauguration representing the Adamsville Recreation Center, where they are active participants in senior programming and where they say the mayor has consistently shown up.
“We wanted to come to support the mayor because he’s always been there for us – the seniors,” Hodo said. “He comes and visits us. He sends teams out to check on us. He’s just the best mayor we’ve ever had.”
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
According to Hodo, Dickens’ involvement goes well beyond ceremonial appearances. During visits to the Adamsville center, the mayor often stays for an hour or longer, sitting with seniors, participating in activities and engaging directly with residents.
“He’ll dance with us, exercise with us,” Hodo said. “He actually joins in with what we do at the center.” Hodo and Wiggles said Dickens typically visits every three to four months, while members of his staff attend nearly every major event hosted by the center.
For seniors who have lived in Atlanta their entire lives, that level of engagement carries weight. Both men said seeing Dickens sworn in for a second term brought a sense of pride and reassurance.
“I’m extremely happy and thankful,” Hodo said. “To have someone as young and energetic as he is, who takes time to be with us, that means a lot.”
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
That emphasis on people and presence echoed throughout Dickens’ inaugural address. While outlining broader goals around public safety, transportation access, and neighborhood investment, the mayor framed progress as the result of investing directly in residents and communities.
“When we invest in people, families, and neighborhoods, we don’t just reduce the harm,” Dickens said. “We dismantle the conditions that cause the harm to exist in the first place.”
As Dickens concluded his remarks and stepped away from the podium to begin his second term, he left the crowd with a simple charge that echoed through the Convocation Center and into the city beyond:
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot have been fired. Morris, after two seasons at the helm, and Fontenot, following six years as one of the National Football League’s few Black GMs.
The Atlanta Falcons were the only NFL franchise with a Black head coach and a Black general manager. That is no more.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot spoke with the media before training camp began on Sunday, July 27, 2025. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Morris, his staff, and the Falcons defeated the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, bringing the overall record to 8-9 for a consecutive season. The two eight-win seasons were more than any of the three seasons of the former head coach and current Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith. Under Smith, the Falcons went 7-10 for three consecutive seasons, missing the playoffs in each.
The Falcons’ current streak of missing the postseason is now eight years long. Under Fontenot, the Falcons drafted talented players like Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and rookies Xavier Watts, Jalon Walker, and James Pearce Jr., but consistently missed the playoffs. Fontenot began his tenure in Atlanta in 2021, holding a six-year contract. Morris signed a five-year contract before the 2024 season.
Fontenot is owed for one more year, while Morris has three years remaining on his deal that he will have to be paid for. Morris is owed $12 million, according to a source familiar with the deal.
There was a drastic improvement from Morris’s first season to the 2025 season. Atlanta finished the 2025 season among the top three teams in sacks and set a new franchise record with 57 sacks. During the 2024 season, the defense was at the bottom of league rankings for nearly all defensive categories.
Happy New Year. The year of our Lord 2026 looks to be one to remember for the state of Georgia and its capital city of Atlanta, for more reasons than one. The Atlanta Voice, as we have done year after year and decade after decade, will be there to chronicle it all as the paper of record for the Black communities of this city.
To properly put into perspective how important and memorable 2026 may be for so many of us, I’ve broken down several scheduled highlights in chronological order. Of course, there will be surprises along the way, because what is a day in Atlanta without breaking news or viral moments? See: our airport, 100-degree summer days, the public transportation system, and horrific traffic.
The FIFA World Cup begins on Monday, June 15, and the city of Atlanta will welcome soccer fans for its first of eight matches, including one of the two semifinal matches, which takes place on Wednesday, July 15. Spain and Cabo Verde are scheduled to compete in the opening match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and I expect record-breaking crowds.
The FIFA World Cup is coming to Atlanta this summer. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens told The Atlanta Voice that hosting the World Cup on the anniversary year of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games is especially meaningful.
“My life couldn’t get any better than being able to see the first Olympic Games here in Atlanta and now the World Cup here in Atlanta,” Dickens said. “It doesn’t get much better than that as a native.”
Speaking of those Games, the 30th anniversary of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, which took place across Georgia but began and concluded in downtown Atlanta, will be marked on July 19. Atlanta remains the last U.S. city to host the Olympics, with Los Angeles slated to host next in the summer of 2028.
The state of Georgia will be electing a new governor on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3. But before that, the general primary elections will take place on Tuesday, May 3. The stage will be set for a new leader under the Gold Dome after eight years with Republican Governor Brian Kemp in the big chair. Say what you will about Kemp, but Georgia’s budget surplus reserves are nearing $15 billion with him at the helm.
The annual National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention returns to Atlanta in the fall. The above photo was taken at the NABJ convention in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2023. Photo by The Atlanta Voice
The Atlanta Voice, a cornerstone of Black-owned media in Atlanta and the city’s only weekly Black-owned print newspaper, will celebrate its 60th anniversary on May 11, 2026. Founded in 1966 by the late Ed Clayton and the late J. Lowell Ware, the newspaper has not missed an issue in 60 years. What began in the basement of Ware’s home has grown into a publication rooted in Mechanicsville, carried forward by generations who believe in the power of our stories. Today, under the leadership of his daughter, longtime publisher Janis L. Ware, The Atlanta Voice continues to appear every week, serving our neighborhoods, our history, and our community.
In 2026, The Atlanta Voice will be one of two newspapers in the city that will run in print, along with the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Recording the happenings that will take place in Atlanta in 2026 will not only be a priority for my colleagues and me at the newspaper, but an honor and a pleasure.
Court records have revealed new details about how three inmates escaped from the DeKalb County Jail and commandeered a terrified Lyft driver’s car to flee to south Florida.
The three inmates, identified Stevenson Charles, Yusuf Minor, and Naod Yohannes, were able to get out of the jail after compromising part of a cell late Sunday night, officials said. They remained on the run until they were arrested early Tuesday morning in Broward County, Florida.
Once out of the jail, the three men were picked up by an unnamed man and taken to Minor’s girlfriends’ home, U.S. Marshal Thomas Brown said. Then, using a fake, female name, they ordered a Lyft ride.
Officers tracked the car as it traveled to south Florida with the aid of license plate readers, devices that can alert law enforcement to the locations of wanted vehicles. When they caught up with the car and tried to stop it, one of the inmates jumped out and ran but was arrested along with a second inmate, according to a court affidavit.
The inmates’ escape was discovered early Monday during a routine security check of the DeKalb County Jail, authorities said.
DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office
Investigators also learned that the men used the Lyft driver’s credit card for a short-term rental of a home in Miramar, Florida, where officers apprehended the third inmate and rescued the driver, court records state.
The driver told investigators that she was held in the car for six to 10 hours as they tried to gain access to her phone and online banking records. After trying to escape once, she endured “increased threats of being shot, raped, and tortured,” an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit.
“As you can imagine, the Lyft driver is very traumatized by this,” Brown said.
Lyft said in a statement to CBS News, “We are deeply concerned by this incident and relieved that the driver is safe. Our hearts are with the driver and we have reached out to offer support. Lyft is working closely with law enforcement to assist in any way we can as the investigation continues.”
All three inmates were charged with kidnapping as well as the escape, according to criminal complaints.
Who are the DeKalb County Jail inmates who escaped?
Charles, 24, was being held on murder and armed robbery charges and is serving a federal life sentence. Minor, 31, faces two counts of armed robbery and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Yohannes, 25, is charged with simple assault, arson, and unlawful acts of violence in a penal institution.
From left to right: Stevenson Charles (24), Naod Yohannes (31) and Yusuf Minor (31).
DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office
Before they were captured, federal authorities had issued particularly strong warnings advising the citizens to be wary of Charles, who has had several run-ins with law officers in Georgia and Florida. He had been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of kidnapping and bank robbery, a federal agent wrote in a Monday affidavit regarding the recent jail escape.
After being sentenced, the agent wrote, Charles was turned over to DeKalb County authorities on Dec. 5 to face the murder charge, details of which were not immediately available.
In one of multiple cases involving Charles in South Florida, he is accused of meeting a man through the Grindr online dating application and then pulling a gun on him when they met in person at a Miami residence in 2022. Charles then drove the man to various Miami area banks, withdrawing money from the victim’s accounts, court records show.
The U.S. Marshals Service took the lead in tracking down Charles, while a regional task force focused on the other two inmates. Marshals said intelligence gathered from recorded jail phone calls helped investigators identify people who assisted the escape.
Inmates took advantage of an aging jail
DeKalb County Chief Deputy Temetris Atkins said the jail, which is more than 30 years old, has aging infrastructure that inmates were able to exploit. He declined to provide specific details about how the escape occurred, citing security concerns, but said repairs have already been made and additional safeguards are being evaluated.
Sheriff Melody Maddox emphasized that while the escape was a serious breach, her office acted immediately and will continue pushing for improvements at the jail facility.
“We know it’s going to cost money,” Maddox said. “But we either pay now, or we pay later.”
Officials said no one was harmed during the escape, and the investigation into how it happened remains active.
Mickey Lee, a former “Big Brother” houseguest known for her vibrant personality and bold gameplay, has died, her family announced in a social media post shared Friday. She was 35.
“With profound sadness, the family of Mickey Lee announces her transition on Christmas in the early evening,” the statement posted to Lee’s official Instagram account said. Her family said Lee “captured the hearts of audiences nationwide” during her appearance on “Big Brother” and will be remembered for the joy she brought to fans and loved ones.
Earlier this month, Lee’s family and supporters launched a GoFundMe campaign after she suffered a series of cardiac arrests tied to complications from the flu. At the time, the fundraiser said Lee was in the intensive care unit in critical but stable condition, surrounded by loved ones and medical professionals.
TV personality Mickey Lee attends CBS Atlanta Fest on Sept. 16, 2025.
Paras Griffin / Getty Images
The fundraising page described the situation as a sudden health crisis that placed significant emotional and financial strain on Lee and her family, citing mounting hospital and ongoing care costs.
Lee became one of the most talked-about contestants on “Big Brother” Season 27, where viewers connected with her authenticity, strength, and competitive spirit. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, but living in Atlanta, she was known outside the show as an event curator and creative professional.
Lee’s family said she formed genuine connections both on and off screen and left a lasting impression on fans and fellow cast members alike.
“She will be remembered for the joy she brought into the lives of so many,” the family wrote.
No additional details about her death were released.
Too many men live with unspoken wounds, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and family trauma that shape their lives but are rarely addressed. Silence and shame have kept brothers from healing for generations.
Researchers have found that at least 1 in 6 men have experienced sexual abuse or assault, whether in childhood or as adults.
Founder of the Survivor’s Circle and co-creator of the Brother’s Healing Male Trauma Mastermind, Robert “Dr. Rob” Marshall Jr., will be hosting Atlanta’s first-ever Male Trauma Mastermind conversation on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This three-hour interactive experience will provide men and the women who support them with the tools, truth, and safe space needed to start or strengthen their healing journey.
The gathering, Marshall says, is a thought-leadership and healing experience where men, particularly Black and Brown men, will openly share the stories we’ve often been forced to carry alone: childhood abuse, sexual trauma, fatherlessness, incarceration trauma, violence, emotional wounds, grief, shame, and identity struggles.
This three-hour interactive experience will provide men and the women who support them with the tools, truth, and safe space needed to start or strengthen their healing journey. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
These conversations will be filmed for a national project designed to bring awareness to the silent epidemic of male trauma. But more importantly, this event is about creating tangible solutions, safe spaces, and healing pathways for our brothers.
The idea of this event came from Marshall’s own experience with sexual abuse, fatherlessness, and realizing he never had a safe space to process.
“I never thought I would be working with men because of my story, and I realized now, as a survivor of bullying, as a survivor of sexual abuse, as a survivor of all types of just different traumas, I’m realizing more than anything, men need a place to talk,” he said.
Marshall says he has always asked the question, “Where do broken and hurting men go?” and the answer is always that they go to incarceration or a premature grave. With this information, he said he realized men need a space to talk and process.
“When I say men, I mean all men. I’m not talking about just a cultural definition of what a man is,” he said. “I’m talking about a space where men from all walks of life, regardless of their religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, can have a safe space to process and deal with the things they cannot talk about.”
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
During the interactive experience, guests can expect a safe space to begin their journeys, Marshall says. Also, guests can expect healthcare professionals and therapists who are specifically trained for this dialogue.
“Healing is a journey and wholeness is the destination, and we began our journey to wholeness one healing step at a time,” he said.
To do this, Marshall says men must at least realize and be honest with themselves about where they are, what has happened to them, and what they’ve experienced.
“What we want is this event to create a safe space where they can talk about the things they’re either demonized for talking about or they’re afraid to talk about,” he said. “For some men, they do not even know it’s happened, and they don’t know they don’t have the words for it, and a lot of times, black and brown men collectively, we experience things in our lives we don’t have verbiage for.”
Men, Marshall says, often do not know it’s there until one day, they realize it’s affecting and changing their relationships and how they show up for work, their finances, who they love, how they love, and receive love.
“We’re not here to fix anybody; we just want to create this space to begin that journey of healing,” Marshall said.
Traumatologist Tray Groce, who will be at the event as well, said when starting a journey like this, there is a piece at the beginning, especially for men, which is getting them to connect with a version of themselves that society doesn’t always allow.
“It’s the little boy in us that a lot of times society doesn’t allow us to heal,” he said. “We want to create this environment that is curated for safety because some men begin to open up in a way that their little versions of themselves that have been longing for where the trauma started, and we hope to make an atmosphere where, beyond all societal norms, can be seen at the core of who they are.”
This event is urgent for Atlanta, Groce says, because there’s an urgency at the prevalence of what we see going on, specifically in black and brown communities.
“Atlanta has a beautiful metropolitan DNA to it, and so with that in mind, if we can just start off with twos and threes of one man at a time, like one home, one family, one space , and allow that to multiply, healing is contagious,” he said.
The significance of this conversation also coincides with the concept of recent holiday depression, Groce said.
“It’s now more than ever appropriate to start hopeful conversations at a time where black and brown men are not feeling seen or heard,” he said. “There are many men out here longing for help, so we want to create this space to offer that.”
For advice, Marshall says healing is a journey and wholeness is a destination.
“I want men to know there’s a place called wholeness. I remember growing up thinking I would never be good enough, and I grew up in religious spaces, so I grew up believing no matter what, I was never good enough,” he said.
He also says men will not be broken forever, and they don’t have to stay that way by finding the courage to begin their own journey.
“It takes courage, because you must silence the voices that are in your head from your past. You must silence the fears that are trying to speak in your present, and you must combat lies that are coming from your future,” he said. “It’s never too late to become who you should have been.”
The most dangerous man in the world, Marshall says, is a man who has hope, and the most dangerous man in the world is a man who doesn’t have hope.
Furthermore, looking at data around Atlanta and surrounding regions, Groce says one in six men experience sexual trauma, and 39.9%, give or take, have experienced intimate partner violence. If 40% of the people in a city have gone through some form of this violence and traumatic experience, he says, the message of hope is one that needs to be resurfaced.
Marshall says it’s one of the reasons why they are here, because of those stated statistics and how they are incorrect.
“The Survivor’s Circle is also a research organization, and those stats are wrong because black and brown men don’t have a healthy relationship with police or the healthcare industries, which is where those data statistics come from,” he said.
Subsequently, they believe it’s more like 80-85% of boys and men in urban communities have this worldwide, not just in Atlanta, and not just black and brown. Marshall says it’s more about urban social at lower socio-economic spaces.
“80-85% of boys and men have experienced some form just of sexual abuse, and that’s not talking about all the other compounded trauma,” he said. “It can be sexual trauma with fatherlessness trauma compounded on top of it, or poverty, or gang violence. There’s something bigger going on here.”
Furthermore, Marshall says he wants men to heal and begin their journeys in a safe, nonjudgmental, and supportive space.
“We want men to heal,” he said. “I believe if you heal a man, you can heal a family. If you can heal a family, you can heal a community, and if you heal a community, we can heal the world. It takes a lot more patience, but a man, the results, and what you get out of that will change the world.”
Dining trends are constantly shifting and evolving as diners across the country make room on the table for what works for them, and do away with what doesn’t. Resy has unveiled its annual Resy Retrospective, a look back at the top trends and culinary moments of 2025, as well as a glimpse into what’s to come in 2026. From a focus on connection, in the form of listening bars and communal tables, to mortadella and tiny tini’s being all the rage, every reservation is an insight into what brings people out of their homes. The thing that ties it all together? Connection.
The Atlanta Voice examined those trends with Chef Demetrius Brown, owner and executive chef of Inman Park’s Bread & Butterfly.
“But I think the biggest trend that we’ve seen is people wanting a lot more local food. They also want a story behind their food,” said Chef Demetrius Brown (above). Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
The Atlanta Voice: When you look at the trends that are bringing diners together, especially in a city like Atlanta, do those trends actively affect what’s going on in the back of the kitchen?
Demetrius Brown: “We really don’t try to look at other restaurants, but whenever we go out to eat, and we see a common theme, we do try to adjust our menu accordingly. But I think the biggest trend that we’ve seen is people wanting a lot more local food. They also want a story behind their food, kind of tying everything into either the chef’s heritage or the owner’s heritage, which are both things that we do at Bread & Butterfly. They don’t want just food to taste good for the sake of being good.
AV: How do you utilize those trends in a space like Bread & Butterfly, where the focus is global fusion, and you’re influenced by so many different places, not just one city?
DB: “It’s a hard balance, because you want to not only represent the diaspora in the countries that you’re cooking, but you also want to represent the city that you’re in. And I think one thing that we do really well here is we try to be as collaborative as possible, like collaborating with other chefs and up-and-coming chefs. We also listen to a lot of our diners when they want a specific thing. We try to cater to them also, because they keep the lights on at the end of the day.”
AV: You have a different perspective from the average restaurant goers in that you’re able to glean what hundreds of people love to eat a week. Are there any food trends you predict popping off in 2026?
DB: “I think the biggest thing is getting back to smaller restaurants, especially in Atlanta. I think Atlanta and Texas have similar dining scenes where they think big, grand restaurants are the way to go. With rent increases and goods increasing rapidly, a lot of people are going to smaller, more cozier restaurants, and I think that’s the biggest trend that will affect not only restaurants, but also the diners. And something that we do here, that I see a lot of other places doing also, is a lot more like communal dining. Our menu at nighttime is structured to be shared between two to four people. And I think that’s something that, post-pandemic, is becoming really, really popular, also.
AV: From communal tables to listening bars, are there any dining trends in Atlanta that stood out to you personally this year?
DB: “The listening bars, honestly. There are coffee places. There are wine bars doing it. I also think wine and cocktail bars are another thing that’s going to make a huge comeback, especially if the economy continues to go the way it’s going. People do like to drink, especially when times are bad. So I think cocktail lounges and wine bars are going to be a lot more prevalent than they are now.”
AV: When you’re not behind the scenes in the kitchen, as a restaurant goer yourself, what trends did you find yourself hopping on?
DB: “I like to think of myself as a trendsetter [laughs]. The biggest trend that I see a lot of people doing is one person ordering for the entire table — I’ve always done that. And then sharing food also. But also, being more loyal to restaurants rather than chasing the next best thing. I think a lot of people are trying to find restaurants that deliver really good service, really good food, and kind of stick to those few places.”
AV: As we continue to examine these dining trends in Atlanta, how do you hope Bread & Butterfly places itself as a trendsetter, as a place that is making these trends happen in the city?
DB: “One thing that we’ve hung our hat on is trying to be as eco-friendly as possible. We compost all of our food waste, and all of our to-go ware is compostable. We don’t use any single-use plastic in the kitchen. So, I think that’s the trend that’s going to make a comeback in 2026. You see a lot of other states like California, New York, that are a lot more popular, but I think Atlanta is ripe for the picking to follow suit.”
The Lowcountry’s Lewis Barbecue is making its debut in Atlanta on Dec. 8, bringing the flavors of award-winning Central Texas-style barbecue to the heart of Georgia. Located in Ansley Mall and connected to the BeltLine, owner and pitmaster John Lewis is spreading his love of smoked meats to the South.
The opening of an Atlanta location marks the third Lewis Barbecue location, following those in Charleston and Greenville, South Carolina. From juicy and tender sliced prime beef brisket, pork spare ribs and turkey breast to sides such as collard greens, green chile corn pudding, and cowboy pinto beans, diners can expect a variety of dishes to create their perfect spread, whether they’re dining in indoors or on the patio or grabbing takeaway from the to-go counter located on the side of the building. The menu also features sandwiches and weekly lunch specials.
Located in Ansley Mall and connected to the BeltLine, owner and pitmaster John Lewis is spreading his love of smoked meats to the South. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
The magic behind these dishes is what Lewis calls the first-of-its-kind rooftop smokehouse. A set of steps takes you up to the rooftop where six custom-designed smokers sit. Lewis began his passion project of designing and constructing his own smokers at the age of 18, launching a culinary journey steeped in the tradition and creativity of barbecue. Twenty-two feet long and made of decommissioned 1000-gallon propane tanks, the smokers run 24 hours a day in three shifts. Pitmasters regularly stoke the fires with wood logs imported from Central Texas, ensuring every step of the process is a nod to Lewis’ Texas roots.
Lewis said he’s not in the business of long lines and making people wait for their food, so his focus is on making sure the meats are fresh and never-ending.
“A lot of it is trade secrets that I’ve developed. Those barbecue pits that I design and build, you can’t buy those anywhere,” Lewis said. “It was years of trial and error, building different types of barbecue pits. Brisket will come off better in those pits than any other barbecue pit.”
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
The restaurant also features a bar located right across from the main building. While Lewis described the dining area as a “Texas dancehall,” he described Bar Lewis as a stop at a motor lodge on Route 66. Designed with his help, it features a bar that takes up almost the entire extent of the building with cozy nooks where guests can enjoy a drink, bar bites, and socialize.
“My biggest thing is consistency, that no matter what day of the week or what time you come, everything will be fresh off the pit.”
The opening of an Atlanta location marks the third Lewis Barbecue location, following those in Charleston and Greenville, South Carolina. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
National Center for Civil and Human Rights Unveils Broken Promises Gallery “Guided” by Ida B. Wells
ATLANTA, December 5, 2025 (Newswire.com)
– The National Center for Civil and Human Rights’ new gallery, “Broken Promises,” is a permanent exhibit on Reconstruction-the period after the Civil War and Emancipation when America first attempted to build a multi-racial democracy. The Center invites people to experience the new gallery which opens to the public today, December 5, 2025, as part of the Center’s $58 million expansion.
The gallery presents Black progress during the Reconstruction Era, when nearly four million newly freed Black Americans claimed their rights as citizens, voted, won elected office, created schools, and reshaped economic and civic life across the South. It also presents the violent backlash that met and then suppressed those gains – through racial terror, political disenfranchisement, and Jim Crow legal segregation.
“Reconstruction reminds us that the expansion of rights in America has never moved in a straight line. Every reform toward wider freedom has been accompanied by efforts to limit those rights,” said Jill Savitt, the CEO of the Center. “Recognizing that pattern helps us understand the forces that have long shaped America, up until today.”
Curated by the Center’s Chief Program Officer, Kama Pierce, the gallery has anti-lynching crusader Ida B. Wells as its “docent,” and focuses on three cities – Wilmington, N.C., Atlanta, Ga., and Tulsa, Okla. In each city, Black achievement provoked white backlash that resulted in massacres and racial terror.
The immersive gallery contains artifacts from the Without Sanctuary Collection, including a fragment of a noose and photographs of lynchings that were turned into postcards for entertainment. The artifacts deepen visitors’ understanding of how racial terror was wielded as a strategy.
The gallery’s memorial space features a historical marker honoring Mary Turner, who was lynched in 1918. Turner’s family erected the public marker to honor her – but it was consistently defaced. The family donated the marker — marred by 11 bullet holes — to the Center. Artist Lonnie Holley has interpreted the marker in the gallery’s memorial space.
“The Mary Turner marker is a powerful artifact that bears witness twice – first to the original terror, and again to the present resistance to let the truth be told,” said Pierce.
The Center decided to add a gallery on Reconstruction because the era has not always been fully or accurately represented in American classrooms. The Center also wanted to provide more context for its signature gallery on the Civil Rights Movement.
“After Reconstruction, the United States entered a decades-long period of Jim Crow segregation and unequal protection for Black Americans,” said Pierce. “The Civil Rights Movement emerged not as a new struggle, but as a renewed demand to enforce the promises first made during Reconstruction.”
The Center received a $2 million grant from the Mellon Foundation for the exhibition.
About the National Center for Civil and Human Rights The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is a museum and cultural organization that inspires the changemaker in each of us. Opened in 2014, the Center connects US civil rights history to global human rights movements today. Our experiences highlight people who have worked to protect rights and who model how individuals create positive change. For more information, visit civilandhumanrights.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram @civilandhumanrights and LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ncchr.
The Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta, Georgia, is packed with historical items from the company’s earliest days in the air. “CBS Saturday Morning” takes a trip down memory lane with a special peek inside the museum’s archives.
Part of Atlanta’s charm lies in its diverse food scene, from the rich culture to the bold flavors. The saying often goes that “Atlanta isn’t a real place,” and what makes it unique is the bustling array of dining and drinking spots on every corner of the city’s neighborhoods, catering to every palate. Lucky for locals and tourists alike, there’s never a shortage of places to visit, especially when new businesses are rolling in every month.
With the holiday season in full swing, The Atlanta Voice rounded up a list of pop-ups and holiday hotspots you can visit in the coming weeks.
Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
Holiday Pop-Ups
The Americano
3315 Peachtree Rd NE
The holidays are incomplete without hot chocolate to chase away the cold. The Americano, Intercontinental Buckhead’s dine-in restaurant by chef Scott Conant, is offering a hot chocolate bar where guests of all ages can enjoy hot chocolate flavors topped with fun additions such as crushed candy canes, peppermint whipped cream, and toasted marshmallows. Signature espresso martini flavors, crafted by Beverage Director Katie Bellingero, will also be available.
The hot chocolate bar will be available every Friday and Saturday in the restaurant from 3-6 p.m. all season long.
Tulum Kitchen & Bar
3167 Roswell Rd NE
Tulum Kitchen & Bar takes guests to Tulum without ever boarding a plane. Now the Mexican restaurant is saying “Feliz Navidad” with a new holiday menu including items such as a holiday flan, beverages crafted with cinnamon, ginger, and pumpkin spice, and decorations meant to transport people to a winter wonderland.
Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
The Omni Hotel Centennial Park
190 Marietta St NW
The Omni Hotel’s signature holiday pop-up bar is making its debut on Nov. 28, complete with over-the-top festive décor, creative seasonal cocktails by mixologist Julie Reiner, and a wonderland worth taking a million photos in.
Rreal Tacos
Multiple Locations
Christmas has officially arrived at Rreal Tacos. Decked with special cocktails and seasonal favorites, the Atlanta chain has become the go-to for those wanting Mexican street food and over-the-top holiday decorations. With ten locations around the city, guests can enjoy Christmas-themed food such as Christmas birria pizza and Christmas birria ramen as well as creative cocktails such as the elf punch and the mistletoe margarita.
Ponce City Market
675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
The weather is cold, but the rooftop fun doesn’t have to end. The Roof at Ponce City Market is inviting guests to celebrate the holiday season at their Holiday Social Bar. Decorated with floor-to-ceiling holiday décor, guests can enjoy holiday-inspired cocktails while overlooking the city.
What should have been a quick trip down to the lobby of an Atlanta apartment building turned into an hourslong ordeal for two cousins, ages 13 and 11. Skyler Henry reports they had a chance to thank the first responders who came to their rescue.
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Sleep Out is a participatory event where Covenant House Georgia supporters give up their beds for one night to sleep outdoors on CHGA’s campus, in support of young people experiencing homelessness and escaping trafficking. Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice
Sleep Out is a participatory event where Covenant House Georgia supporters give up their beds for one night to sleep outdoors on CHGA’s campus, in support of young people experiencing homelessness and escaping trafficking.
Imagine turning 18 years old and not having a warm bed or a place to call home. This is the case for many youths, not just in Atlanta, but all over the nation. On Thursday, Nov. 20, Covenant House Georgia held their annual Sleep Out event to raise awareness to youth homelessness in Atlanta and around the nation.
Covenant House Georgia is a non-profit organization that provides emergency shelter and support services for young people, ages 18-24, who are experiencing homelessness or escaping human trafficking in the Atlanta area. Covenant House Georgia is also an LGBTQ+ safe space.
Sleep Out is a participatory event where Covenant House Georgia supporters give up their beds for one night to sleep outdoors on CHGA’s campus, in support of young people experiencing homelessness and escaping trafficking.
Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice
When you Sleep Out, participants join a worldwide movement to end youth homelessness! As part of the larger Covenant House International federation of shelters, Covenant House Georgia works in partnership with our peers to plan the best possible event, combining Sleep Out best practices with the unique needs of our Atlanta community
Some services they offer are Drop-in & emergency shelter, transitional housing, healthcare, educational support, job training.
According to the Covenant House Georgia, over 3,300 youth experience homelessness in Atlanta. 49% of youth experiencing homelessness have been sexually exploited. 40% of youth experiencing homelessness are LGBTQ+, despite only 7% of the general population of youth identifying as LGBTQ+. Moreover, LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to be victimized than non-LGBTQ+ youth on the streets.
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Additionally, 16-19-year-olds have the highest unemployment rate of any age group, at 12.6% (more than 3x the national average) and higher for at-risk youth. This leaves many without options to escape homelessness.
Board Chair of Covenant House Georgia, Ben Deutsch, said every child deserves to have a place they call home and a haven.
“Every child should have a place that they feel safe in,” he said. “Our young people are not invisible or forgotten. This is why the Covenant House Georgia was created and why we continue to sleep out every year to highlight such a critical issue. We will do this in solidarity with 100 young people who will be sleeping inside because of all the arduous work, and all the goodness that you have all done tonight with donations.”
Covenant House International Director of Programming Kedren Jackson said the sleep-out is not a reenactment of homelessness nor a performance.
“This is not just for fun; this is not simply to hang out. This is an invitation to move through this space with humility and to see our young people with a different level of clarity and respect,” she said. “Tonight, we may see their humor, leadership, vulnerability, creativity, hesitation, raw emotions, and uncertainty. None of this is random, and it all comes from somewhere.”
Throughout the event program, participants were able to experience a talent show displayed by former and current youths in the program, a candlelight vigil to remember youths who were lost this year due to homelessness, a tour of the campus, and then the sleep-out event.
The night ended with everyone camped outside in their sleeping bags by fire pits, mingling until they fell asleep.
What was thought of as just a sleep-out event to some turned into not only a transformational but also an in-depth, hands-on experience for people. Between hearing from the youths and everyone sitting around the pit fires and sleeping, it turned into more than just sleeping outside; It became a purposeful movement.
First-timer participant of the sleep out, Vanessa Wright, and her friends said they wanted to find ways to give back to the community.
“This was something I’ve always wanted to do but never knew where, and one of my friends told me about this and brought me along,” she said. “I am so glad we are doing this, and I’m also grateful it’s not too cold as I thought it might be. This type of thing is important, and more people should know about it and be willing to do things that can be uncomfortable.”
Another participant, who also happened to have experienced homelessness as a youth, Kenneth Dwight, said he has been doing the sleep-out for a few years now and is happy to be able to contribute.
“What’s crazy is I was once in some of these guys’ positions. Going home from home, living out on the streets not having a stable home or resources. It was tough for a while, but I was able to find some stability through my uncle, who took me in,” he said. “Programs like the Covenant House Georgia are crucial because youths not only in Atlanta but all over the country are on the streets being exposed to all kinds of bad things that aren’t growing them, so I’m just happy to help in any way I can because I was once one of them.”
Before the end of the night, everyone bundled up in their sleeping bags and drifted off to sleep to the sounds of crickets and fire cracking.
The season of giving is here, and thousands of metro Atlanta households felt that spirit early Thursday morning as they hunkered down in their cars to receive free turkeys at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest. In partnership with V-103’s Big Tigger Morning Show and New Birth, 1-800-TruckWreck, powered by Witherite Law Group, held its fifth annual turkey giveaway, distributing 4,000 turkeys to families in need.
“Good morning! Happy Thanksgiving,” one of over 500 volunteers yelled as she loaded up a car with a basket full of food items such as breakfast foods, desserts, snacks, potatoes, bread, and, of course, a turkey.
Along with food baskets, those requesting prayer were pulled to the side to receive a blessing. The early morning was filled with music, giving, and celebration.
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
The giveaway comes at a time when many families are still feeling the financial repercussions of the government shutdown, from furloughed federal workers to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits being cut off. Although the shutdown has been lifted, SNAP recipients are still facing restrictions and threats of removal, with the Trump administration recently stating that it aims to ‘completely deconstruct’ the program.
Approximately 1.6 million Georgians receive SNAP benefits, including children, seniors, and adults with disabilities, according to the Georgia Department of Human Services.
“I think it’s even more special this year because there are so many more Atlanta families in need with the government shutdown, with the suspension of SNAP benefits. We just have to step up and do more, and I could not be more proud to partner with New Birth Missionary Baptist Church,” said Amy Witherite, founder of Witherite Law Group.
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
1-800TruckWreck typically gives away 2,000 turkeys during the giveaway. However, in support of the mission to help address food insecurity, the King’s Table at New Birth, a food distribution ministry, matched the donation by adding 2,000 more turkeys. That is over 100,000 in donations sponsored by the law group.
“I hope other people continue to step up. We certainly see the need, and we have increased our giving. We’ve got three other food pantries that we are giving $10,000 each to: one to Dorothy’s Helping Hands, one to Hosea Helps, and one as well to Good Samaritan Center. So, I’m really proud that we’re donating an additional $30,000 to help address the food insecurities right here in the Greater Atlanta area.”
Maekaeda Gibbons, CEO of popular fragrance brand Brown Sugar Babe, calls herself a “reluctant winner.” From the workings of her kitchen and $300, to a 20-million-dollar brand with no investors, the entrepreneur has created an empire of body and perfume oils that have won the hearts of fragrance lovers all over. Now Gibbons is celebrating the opening of her first storefront in Atlanta. Located at Peoplestown’s burgeoning Terminal South, Brown Sugar Babe is finally bringing its accessible luxury to the noses of the people in person at its flagship location.
“I love Atlanta, and this is home,” Gibbons said. “It feels wonderful to stop and think that this was just once an idea, and now we are here.”
Gibbons is celebrating the opening of her first storefront in Atlanta in Peoplestown’s burgeoning Terminal South. Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
That idea began to build when Gibbons was just a child. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, her mom migrated to the U.S. when she was six. As a self-soothing tool whenever she missed her mom, Gibbons shared that she would press the fabric of her mother’s clothes to her nose to remember her scent. Throughout the years, Gibbons continued to use fragrance to maintain her stress levels, especially when she became a loan officer at Bank of America. She found that just a whiff of a pleasing scented oil to start her day immediately energized her and changed her mood.
“I think a lot of people don’t understand how fragrance impacts their mental health, how fragrance impacts their mood. And I think, with how we do it, it really invigorates people.”
That form of aromatherapy quickly caught the attention of her colleagues, friends, and family, who soon began enlisting Gibbons to make oils for them. “Eventually it snowballed into, ‘Hey, I probably need to start charging you guys,’” Gibbons said with a laugh. She launched a website and, seven years later, has built a multimillion-dollar brand.
Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
It’s a testament to the community of Black women and fragrance enthusiasts she has created. Every aspect of Brown Sugar Babe is an ode to Black women, Black culture, and self-empowerment, from its name — inspired by D’Angelo’s “Brown Sugar” — to the cleverly-titled perfume and body oil scents such as Rich Aunty, Mint Conditioned, Bad & Bougie, and What Ahhh Man. Known for its long-lasting scents, projection, and dupes of popular high-end perfumes, Gibbons said she worked with chemistry partners to bring affordable yet rich scents to her customers.
“It had to be relatable to the women that I knew. It had to be relatable to the audience. Obviously, we are for everyone, but I feel like Black women really put it on and drive the conversation in a lot of ways. And so, I wanted to make sure, from the images to the copy in our ads, spoke to everything we are.”
The space is a blend of shades of brown, wrapped in the aroma of creative excellence and hard work. The storefront features a discovery station where guests can apply the brand’s top 40 oils to their skin or use atomizers to test and discover their new favorite fragrance before purchasing. A layering lab is a unique aspect of the store where guests can further their experience by receiving consultations and recommendations from local influencers on how to layer scents that best complement their skin and create a personalized scent profile.
Gibbons said she also hopes to host community and fragrance events such as bridal showers, birthdays, and fragrance education events. Atlanta is just the first location that Gibbons plans to open in the U.S., with a look toward international commerce in the future.
“I just wanted to make fragrances. That’s literally all. I don’t want to be in the spotlight. I literally just love making the product. I found this hornet’s nest of like-minded women on the internet who also love fragrance. And that’s exactly what this is.
“I hope for this store to be a community space for people who are just as geeked about fragrances as I am. We hope to enrich and teach and fellowship with ‘fragheads’ from across Atlanta.”
Maekaeda Gibbons, CEO of popular fragrance brand Brown Sugar Babe, calls herself a “reluctant winner.” From the workings of her kitchen and $300, to a 20-million-dollar brand with no investors, the entrepreneur has created an empire of body and perfume oils that have won the hearts of fragrance lovers all over. Now Gibbons is celebrating the opening of her first storefront in Atlanta. Located at Peoplestown’s burgeoning Terminal South, Brown Sugar Babe is finally bringing its accessible luxury to the noses of the people in person at its flagship location.
“I love Atlanta, and this is home,” Gibbons said. “It feels wonderful to stop and think that this was just once an idea, and now we are here.”
Gibbons is celebrating the opening of her first storefront in Atlanta in Peoplestown’s burgeoning Terminal South. Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
That idea began to build when Gibbons was just a child. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, her mom migrated to the U.S. when she was six. As a self-soothing tool whenever she missed her mom, Gibbons shared that she would press the fabric of her mother’s clothes to her nose to remember her scent. Throughout the years, Gibbons continued to use fragrance to maintain her stress levels, especially when she became a loan officer at Bank of America. She found that just a whiff of a pleasing scented oil to start her day immediately energized her and changed her mood.
“I think a lot of people don’t understand how fragrance impacts their mental health, how fragrance impacts their mood. And I think, with how we do it, it really invigorates people.”
That form of aromatherapy quickly caught the attention of her colleagues, friends, and family, who soon began enlisting Gibbons to make oils for them. “Eventually it snowballed into, ‘Hey, I probably need to start charging you guys,’” Gibbons said with a laugh. She launched a website and, seven years later, has built a multimillion-dollar brand.
Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
It’s a testament to the community of Black women and fragrance enthusiasts she has created. Every aspect of Brown Sugar Babe is an ode to Black women, Black culture, and self-empowerment, from its name — inspired by D’Angelo’s “Brown Sugar” — to the cleverly-titled perfume and body oil scents such as Rich Aunty, Mint Conditioned, Bad & Bougie, and What Ahhh Man. Known for its long-lasting scents, projection, and dupes of popular high-end perfumes, Gibbons said she worked with chemistry partners to bring affordable yet rich scents to her customers.
“It had to be relatable to the women that I knew. It had to be relatable to the audience. Obviously, we are for everyone, but I feel like Black women really put it on and drive the conversation in a lot of ways. And so, I wanted to make sure, from the images to the copy in our ads, spoke to everything we are.”
The space is a blend of shades of brown, wrapped in the aroma of creative excellence and hard work. The storefront features a discovery station where guests can apply the brand’s top 40 oils to their skin or use atomizers to test and discover their new favorite fragrance before purchasing. A layering lab is a unique aspect of the store where guests can further their experience by receiving consultations and recommendations from local influencers on how to layer scents that best complement their skin and create a personalized scent profile.
Gibbons said she also hopes to host community and fragrance events such as bridal showers, birthdays, and fragrance education events. Atlanta is just the first location that Gibbons plans to open in the U.S., with a look toward international commerce in the future.
“I just wanted to make fragrances. That’s literally all. I don’t want to be in the spotlight. I literally just love making the product. I found this hornet’s nest of like-minded women on the internet who also love fragrance. And that’s exactly what this is.
“I hope for this store to be a community space for people who are just as geeked about fragrances as I am. We hope to enrich and teach and fellowship with ‘fragheads’ from across Atlanta.”
The FAA lifted flight restrictions on 40 major airports following the end of the government shutdown.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Sunday that the restrictions on commercial flights that affected 40 major airports, including hubs like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta were to be lifted Monday morning. This statement comes following the end of the longest recorded government on November 12, which lasted 43 days. Air traffic controllers were part of the government officials who had to work without pay over the last month, missing two paychecks. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy cited reports (not shared) of planes getting too close in the air, more runway incursions and pilot concerns about controller responses due to staffing shortages.
In light of these conditions, on November 7th the FAA was forced to issue an unprecedented order to limit air traffic, as the controllers were calling in sick because of stress or financial pressure, culminating in 81 staffing triggers on November 8th. Staffing shortages kept growing throughout the shutdown, affecting thousands of flights across the country. The situation reached its peak on November 9th when the shortages along with local weather allowed for more than 10000 flights to be delayed and 2900 to be cancelled.
Originally, flight cuts started at 4% and grew to 6% before the FAA rolled restrictions back to 3% on Friday, November 12, as a result of the government shutdown ending. However, cuts were way below this at less than 1% with only 315 flights being cancelled on Saturday and 149 on Sunday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Controllers began to return to work later that week amid news that Congress was close to ending the shutdown, allowing the FAA to pause plans for increasing cancellations as they had initially aimed to work toward cancelling 10% of flights.
Other restrictions include some visual flight rule approaches, limits on commercial space launches and parachute operations. In a joint statement made by the FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford and Secretary Duffy they explained that an agency safety team recommended the order be rescinded after “detailed reviews of safety trends and the steady decline of staffing-trigger events in air traffic control facilities”. They also acknowledged the agency is “aware of reports of no compliance by carriers over the course of the emergency order. The agency is reviewing and assessing enforcement options”.
Airline leaders are optimistic that operations will rebound by the time Thanksgiving travel begins, as “The current data aligns with staffing conditions before the shutdown”. Both Bedford and Duffy expressed their gratitude for the controllers’ work during the shutdown and their role in keeping the American public safe.
