Atlanta, GA
The Atlanta Falcons next coach must restore credibility. Here’s who will do it | Bill Shanks
On January 21, 1997, former Atlanta Falcons owner Rankin Smith, Sr. introduced Dan Reeves as his new head coach. Reeves, a Georgia native, had led the Denver Broncos to three Super Bowl appearances as coach. He had played and coached for Tom Landry with the Dallas Cowboys. His resume was about as good as a candidate could present.
I was there that day covering the press conference. It was incredible how palatable the respect was in the room for a coach and for a franchise that had never, in 30 years in the NFL, had much success. Reeves instantly brought credibility to the Falcons, and in his second season he led the team to its first Super Bowl appearance.
The Falcons need that credibility again.
More Bill Shanks: After firing Arthur Smith, the Atlanta Falcons can’t make this mistake again
Sure, they need someone who will win, who will take this franchise to the next level, who will help rescue a team that has simply not been the same since losing a 28-3 lead to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI in 2017.
Who better to do that than the coach who beat them that day, Bill Belichick. Could it be a stroke of good luck that the Falcons have a coaching search going on at the same time the best coach in NFL history is available?
Imagine Belichick roaming the sideline in a Falcons hoodie. We’ve seen him in Patriots gear for so long, since 2000, it would sort of be like when Joe Montana played for the Kansas City Chiefs, or even when Matt Ryan played for the Indianapolis Colts.
And while Belichick won’t be bringing Tom Brady with him to solve the Falcons’ quarterback problem, and while he’s not as young as he once was, he is the perfect candidate to help a fledgling franchise escape the abyss it’s been in since he helped put them there with the embarrassing loss in Houston.
So, what will be the things that might keep fans from wanting Belichick? First, his age. He turns 72 in April, and as we’ve seen with a certain college coach who is a good friend of Belichick, it does get more difficult as coaches get older. But Belichick is 27 regular season wins away from having the most wins by any NFL head coach. That goal of achieving that record will drive him.
You know he would want to prove that he can coach outside of New England. Sure, it’s been difficult the last four years without Brady, but as the Falcons have seen it’s not easy going from a franchise quarterback and trying to find that replacement. Plus, the Patriots overall roster has just not been what it once was. How much of that is Belichick’s fault? Well, it’s a good question.
Some say, “Sure, bring him in as a coach, but only as a coach.” Well, maybe at this age, Belichick will not want to pick the players. That’s not a bad option, and it would give Falcons GM Terry Fontenot a chance to show how good he really is at picking players, since we’re still not sure of that even after his three years on the job.
The one thing Belichick would do is not allow team owner Arthur Blank and Rich McKay interfere. They need to get out of the way. They have never hired an experienced NFL head coach. They’ve hired four NFL coordinators and one college head coach, and only one (Mike Smith) had substantial success.
Just imagine what the Falcons might have done this past season if Belichick had been the head coach. Instead of a 7-10 record, might the record have been flip-flopped? Could an experienced head coach like Belichick have made a difference in all of those close games the Falcons lost against teams with losing records?
It’s time to let someone who knows what to do to have the room to do it. OK, so Belichick’s record without Brady has not been very good. How have the Falcons done without Ryan the last two years? The current makeup of the Falcons roster might be perfect for Belichick. He’s got two good physical running backs in Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, along with a big tight end in Kyle Pitts and a tall, physical receiver who knows how to block in Drake London.
Belichick would just need to find a quarterback. That in itself may keep Belichick away from Atlanta. He might want to pick a team that has a better quarterback situation. Then again, he might enjoy getting a chance to select a quarterback, whether it’s a veteran like Russell Wilson or selecting a young player to develop.
Blank says he wants the Falcons to win quickly. So, how can he gamble on another coordinator who would be getting his first head coaching job. Instead, the choice is clear. Get Belichick to Atlanta, let him do his job, and see if he can do better than what’s been done in the past.
And along the way the Falcons may just regain some credibility and win some more games.
Listen to The Bill Shanks Show weekdays at 3:00 pm ET on 104.3 FM in Savannah and online at TheSuperStations.com. Email Bill at TheBillShanksShow@yahoo.com.
Omari James. Photos provided by Atlanta police
ATLANTA – Atlanta police are asking for the public’s help locating 11-year-old Omari James, who has been classified as critically missing.
What we know:
Investigators said Omari ran away from his home around 9:30 p.m. Thursday after getting into an argument with his parents over his cell phone.
Police said Omari was last seen wearing a black shirt, red, white and blue shorts, black Nike slides and a Nike ski hat.
What you can do:
Anyone who has seen Omari or knows where he may be is asked to call 911 or contact the Atlanta Police Department’s Special Victims Unit. The investigation remains ongoing.
Atlanta, GA
Georgia Secretary of State opens investigation into voter registration mailers sent to deceased residents
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced Thursday that his office has opened an investigation into Ready to Register and other third-party organizations after reports that voter registration mailers were sent to deceased Georgians and other ineligible recipients.
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, election officials have received numerous complaints about voter registration solicitations being mailed to people who have died. In one unusual case cited by the office, a deceased family dog reportedly received one of the mailers.
State officials said they are reviewing whether the mailings violate Georgia law or otherwise undermine confidence in the state’s election system.
The Secretary of State’s Office said third-party voter registration groups frequently conduct mass mail campaigns ahead of major elections but often rely on commercial databases that can contain outdated or inaccurate information, unlike Georgia’s official voter registration system.
“Groups like this highlight the unreliability of commercial data,” Raffensperger said in a statement. “Georgia maintains one of the cleanest voter rolls in the nation through continuous list maintenance and citizenship verification. These outside organizations don’t use those standards. Instead, they flood mailboxes with inaccurate solicitations that confuse voters and waste election officials’ time.”
Raffensperger also thanked voters who alerted his office to the mailings.
“I want to thank the voters who have flagged the inaccurate mailings and sent them to our office,” he said. “Whether checking their ballots for accuracy or keeping their own registration information up to date, voters are a crucial line of defense in election security.”
Georgia officials said the issue mirrors problems recently identified in North Carolina, where election officials warned residents about similar mailings from Ready to Register. According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, North Carolina officials said the organization mailed registration forms to deceased individuals, used outdated forms, listed incorrect election office addresses and included QR codes that raised privacy concerns.
Raffensperger criticized the mass mailing campaigns, saying they create confusion while increasing the workload for local election offices.
“Whether intentional or simply reckless, these mail campaigns operate like a grift — raising money and generating activity while shifting the costs onto taxpayers, election officials, and voters,” Raffensperger said. “Georgia taxpayers should not have to clean up the mess created by organizations that prioritize volume over accuracy.”
The Secretary of State’s Office is encouraging Georgians to verify their voter registration through the state’s My Voter Page and says voters who are already registered at their current address should disregard unsolicited voter registration mailers.
Project aims to curb dengue by releasing millions of mosquitoes
Google-backed researchers are taking an unusual approach to fighting mosquito-borne diseases: releasing more mosquitoes. The effort, known as Debug, is designed to reduce populations of mosquitoes that spread illnesses such as dengue fever by using specially bred male mosquitoes that cannot produce viable offspring.
Fox – 35 Orlando
Mosquitoes in the Grant Park neighborhood of Atlanta have tested positive for West Nile Virus, according to Fulton County health officials.
Fulton County Board of Health Environmental Health mosquito control staff say the mosquitoes were tested following trapping in Fulton County.
“Mosquitoes can be dangerous if infected and may pose a serious health risk to people in our area,” Environmental Health Director at the Fulton County Board of Health, Brandon Leftwich, said in a statement from the agency. “We want to make sure communities are aware and take necessary precautions to protect themselves.”
Grant Park is in southeast Atlanta, south of Old Fourth Ward and west of East Atlanta.
Here’s what to know.
What is West Nile Virus?
West Nile Virus is the illness caused by infections from a pathogen in the Flaviviridae family. Mosquitoes are hosts for the pathogen, meaning they can spread it to people and other animals without dying.
It is the leading cause of mosquito-borne illness in the contiguous United States, infecting more than 2,000 people each year. About 1,300 people develop a severe illness, and more than 130 people die annually in the U.S. from the infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It spreads during mosquito season, or the period between June and October each year. Infections typically peak in late August and early September.
Many people infected may never show symptoms, and others will only experience mild, flu-like symptoms. It can take between 2 and 6 days after a mosquito bite to feel poorly, and then people may experience headaches, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea or a rash. Those with mild illness can recover completely, but some fatigue and weakness can last much longer, even weeks or months.
In cases of severe illness, West Nile Virus attacks their central nervous system and can result in hospitalization or death. Patients may experience a very high fever, headaches, neck pain, stupor, disorientation, muscle weakness and other serious symptoms. Recovery can take weeks or months, and some effects could become permanent.
How is West Nile Virus treated?
There is no medicine that can treat West Nile Virus, so those with mild symptoms can take over-the-counter medication like acetaminophen to manage pain, fever or headaches. Those with West Nile Virus should not take ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, according to the CDC. Patients should stay hydrated and take lots of rest to let your body fight the virus and recover.
Those with severe illness may need intravenous fluids, pain medication and nursing care at the hospital level, though there is still no medication that can be taken to cure the infection.
It is believed that those who have been infected by West Nile Virus develop a lifelong immunity or protection, meaning they can’t get the virus again, according to the CDC.
How to prevent mosquito bites
Fulton County health officials recommend following the “5Ds of mosquito bite prevention” to keep yourself safe from mosquito-borne illnesses.
- Dusk/Dawn: Avoid being outside during periods when mosquitoes are most active, including in the early morning and as the sun is setting.
- Dress: Loose-fitting clothes and items with long sleeves or pants will reduce the amount of exposed skin for a mosquito bite and make it difficult for a mosquito to bite through clothes.
- DEET: Insect repellant should contain DEET. It is the most effective ingredient in mosquito repellant.
- Drain: Standing water is a great place for mosquitoes to breed, so make sure to dump out water from buckets, barrels, flowerpots and tarps outside that could harbor mosquito larvae. You should also cut overgrown grass or weeds.
- Doors: While it might be nice for a breeze to pass through your house in the evenings, make sure doors and windows are closed and sealed to keep mosquitoes out of the house.
Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
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