Public Safety - Reporter Newspapers

Jan. 15 Atlanta/Sandy Springs COVID-19 report: 852 more diagnoses; 14-day trend rises

by John Ruch | Jan 15, 2021 | Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Public Safety, Sandy Springs Reporter, Top Stories | 0

The cities of Atlanta and Sandy Springs together saw 852 new COVID-19 diagnoses between Jan. 12 and Jan. 15 update reports from the Fulton County Board of Health. The number of cases increased in all of the main local ZIP codes. The 14-day trend rose in both cities and in all but one of the ZIP codes. As of Jan. 15, the part of Atlanta within Fulton County had 25,399 COVID-19 diagnoses, up from 24,696 on Jan. 12. Sandy Springs had 6,116 diagnoses, up from 5,967. Atlanta remained the number one city in the county for COVID-19 diagnoses at...

Local cities on alert for political violence leading up to Inauguration Day

by John Ruch | Jan 15, 2021 | Brookhaven Reporter, Buckhead Reporter, Dunwoody Reporter, Politics, Public Safety, Sandy Springs Reporter, Slideshow, Top Stories | 0

Officials in local cities are on alert for possible political violence leading up to Joe Biden’s presidential Inauguration Day Jan. 20. The concerns follow the deadly Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol by President Trump supporters attempting to halt the certification of Biden’s winning Electoral College votes, and the U.S. House of Representatives’ impeachment of Trump on a charge of inciting the attack. The FBI, according to national media reports, has warned law enforcement agencies about possible protests or attacks by armed right-wing groups in every state capital this weekend and related dangers to any government facility. Some...

Transform 285/400 traffic changes through Jan. 22

by John Ruch | Jan 15, 2021 | Brookhaven Reporter, Buckhead Reporter, Dunwoody Reporter, Public Safety, Sandy Springs Reporter | 0

The Georgia Department of Transportation has announced the latest round of lane and ramp closures and other traffic changes for Transform 285/400, its massive project to reconstruct the I-285/Ga. 400 interchange. Schedules may change based on the work and the weather. Abernathy Road closures Jan. 20-22, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., westbound between Peachtree-Dunwoody Road and Ga. 400 closed. Ga. 400 ramp closures Jan. 21-22, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., northbound ramp to I-285 westbound closed. Jan. 21-22, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., southbound ramp to Hammond Drive closed. Ga. 400 lane closures Jan. 15-16, 9 p.m. to 5...

Jan. 12 Atlanta/Sandy Springs COVID-19 report: 1,482 more diagnoses; 14-day trend rises

by John Ruch | Jan 14, 2021 | Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Public Safety, Sandy Springs Reporter, Top Stories | 0

The cities of Atlanta and Sandy Springs together saw 1,482 new COVID-19 diagnoses between Jan. 8 and Jan. 12 update reports from the Fulton County Board of Health. The number of cases increased in all of the main local ZIP codes. The 14-day trend rose in both cities and in all but one of the ZIP codes. As of Jan. 12, the part of Atlanta within Fulton County had 24,696 COVID-19 diagnoses, up from 23,547 on Jan. 6. Sandy Springs had 5,634 diagnoses, up from 5,634. Atlanta remained the number one city in the county for COVID-19 diagnoses at...

DeKalb Police investigate fatal shooting on I-85 in Brookhaven

by Bob Pepalis | Jan 14, 2021 | Brookhaven Reporter, Public Safety, Top Stories | 0

A fatal shooting of a man driving northbound on I-85 near North Druid Hills Road in Brookhaven the morning of Jan. 14 is under investigation by the DeKalb County Police Department. “DKPD responded to a call of a male fatally shot in his vehicle on I-85 north just north of [North] Druid Hills,” said DKPD spokesperson Michaela N. Vincent. “The victim, a male in his 40s, appeared to have been shot inside his vehicle, where he was alone.” She called the investigation “very active right now.” The DKPD used its Twitter account to announce that all lanes of I-85...

Gov. Kemp gives briefing on COVID-19 vaccine availability and State Capitol security

by Collin Kelley | Jan 13, 2021 | Brookhaven Reporter, Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Dunwoody Reporter, Politics, Public Safety, Sandy Springs Reporter, Top Stories | 0

Gov. Brian Kemp and state Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey held a press briefing Jan. 12 at the State Capitol to address controversy surrounding the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine. Kemp said local health departments and healthcare providers had been inundated with requests for the vaccine leading to unanswered phones and crashing websites. Toomey said a glitch in data sharing between the state and CDC and providers not entering vaccine data has meant an under-reporting of exactly how many people are getting inoculated. Kemp said over the last week that 102,183 doses of the vaccine had been administered, which...

Police release images of Buckhead shooting suspects, offer $5K reward

by John Ruch | Jan 11, 2021 | Buckhead Reporter, Public Safety, Top Stories | 0

The Atlanta Police Department has released images of the suspects in a Jan. 3 triple shooting in Buckhead and is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information. A woman and two men were wounded in the shooting outside the Blue Restaurant & Lounge at 262 Pharr Road in Buckhead Village, APD previously said. APD investigators believe the victims were shot by a male passenger in a white, four-door sedan. APD says the driver is believed to be male as well. The images of the suspects appear to be from a parking garage surveillance camera, as previously described...

Atlanta Police arrest 13 in another weekend of street racing

by Collin Kelley | Jan 11, 2021 | Buckhead Reporter, Public Safety, Top Stories | 0

Street racers and stunt drivers were out in force in various spots in Atlanta, including Buckhead’s Northside Drive and Moores Mill Road corridors, on the weekend of Jan. 8-10. The Atlanta Police Department said its street racing detail made 13 arrests and issued 174 citations over the weekend. Social media was abuzz with reports of hundreds of cars blocking intersections and fleeing police. Other street-racing hot spots over the weekend included Ponce De Leon Avenue and Moreland Avenue through Little Five Points, according to APD and social media reports. In the early morning hours of Jan. 10, police helicopters...

Jan. 8 Atlanta/Sandy Springs COVID-19 report: 665 more diagnoses; 14-day trend rises

by John Ruch | Jan 9, 2021 | Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Public Safety, Sandy Springs Reporter, Top Stories | 0

The cities of Atlanta and Sandy Springs together saw 665 new COVID-19 diagnoses between Jan. 6 and Jan. 8 update reports from the Fulton County Board of Health. The number of cases increased in all of the main local ZIP codes. The 14-day trend rose in both cities and in all but one of the ZIP codes. As of Jan. 8, the part of Atlanta within Fulton County had 23,547 COVID-19 diagnoses, up from 23,042 on Jan. 6. Sandy Springs had 5,634 diagnoses, up from 5,474. Atlanta remained the number one city in the county for COVID-19 diagnoses at...

Shuttered courts and fearless gunmen drive crime spike, Buckhead police commander says

by John Ruch | Jan 9, 2021 | Buckhead Reporter, Politics, Public Safety, Slideshow, Top Stories | 0

Pandemic-shuttered courts and gunmen fearlessly ignoring a “heavy police presence” are unique factors in Atlanta’s rising crime, Buckhead’s police commander said at a Jan. 5 community meeting where another official announced the coming launch of a third public-private police patrol car in the central business district. “The type of violence that we’re seeing right now is something I haven’t seen before — just the blatant disregard for law enforcement,” said Maj. Andrew Senzer, commander of the Atlanta Police Department’s Zone 2 precinct, while speaking to crime-frightened residents at the meeting of Neighborhood Planning Unit B. In wide-ranging comments, Senzer...

DeKalb, Fulton to offer COVID-19 vaccinations for residents 65 and older

by Bob Pepalis | Jan 9, 2021 | Brookhaven Reporter, Buckhead Reporter, Coronavirus, Dunwoody Reporter, Public Safety, Sandy Springs Reporter, Top Stories | 0

Residents of DeKalb and Fulton counties aged 65 and older may start receiving the COVID-19 vaccine as early as Jan. 11 as the two counties open up “Phase 1A+” of their vaccination plans. Vaccinations will be by appointment only. Those persons eligible groups in Phase 1A+, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health, include: Healthcare workers. Residents and staff of long-term care facilities. Adults aged 65 and older and eligible caregivers. Law enforcement officers, firefighters and other first responders. Family members who do not fall into one of those eligible groups are not eligible for the vaccine at...

Transform 285/400 traffic changes through Jan. 15

by John Ruch | Jan 8, 2021 | Brookhaven Reporter, Buckhead Reporter, Dunwoody Reporter, Public Safety, Sandy Springs Reporter | 0

The Georgia Department of Transportation has announced the latest round of lane and ramp closures and other traffic changes for Transform 285/400, its massive project to reconstruct the I-285/Ga. 400 interchange. Schedules may change based on the work and the weather. Abernathy Road closures Jan. 13-15, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., westbound between Peachtree-Dunwoody Road and Ga. 400 closed. Ga. 400 ramp closures Jan. 14-15, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., southbound ramp to Hammond Drive closed. Ga. 400 lane closures Jan. 14-15, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., northbound between Johnson Ferry Road and Hammond Drive, two left lanes. I-285...