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Atlanta News First reporting wins prestigious duPont Columbia Award

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Atlanta News First reporting wins prestigious duPont Columbia Award


ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – The Sixth, an in-depth investigative series produced by Atlanta News First Investigates (WANF-TV) and InvestigateTV, has been awarded a 2024 duPont-Columbia Award.

Award winners were announced at a ceremony Thursday hosted by David Muir and Audie Cornish at Columbia University’s Low Library. The award is considered the broadcast equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize, both administered by the university.

The series, led by investigative reporter Andy Pierrotti, examined the impact of public defender shortages throughout Georgia and the nation. While The Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees citizens accused of crimes the right to an attorney if they can’t afford one and a speedy trial, the series uncovered hundreds of people behind bars with no legal representation for months at a time.

Pierrotti traveled to Georgia, Wisconsin, Oregon and Maryland to document the consequences when there are no attorneys available for the poor and its impact to the criminal justice system.

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Other contributors to the series include, Lee Zurik, vice president of investigations; Jamie Gray, managing editor at InvestigateTV; Lindsey Basye, executive producer of investigations; Luke Carter, investigative photojournalist and lead editor; Eric Carlton, investigative photojournalist; Dimitri Lotovski, investigative photojournalist; Bailey Williams, investigative producer; and Tim Darnell, digital content producer.

“I’m incredibly grateful to Columbia University and the jurors who believed the series was worthy of such an honor,” Pierrotti said. “I’m also lucky to work on a team with some of the best journalists in the country who helped make sure these important stories got on television and online.”

The journalism organization revealed 14 other winners during the evening, including PBS who won three, and The New York Times. Atlanta News First is among just five local news outlets to win.

The winning pieces go through a rigorous screening process before a group of nine jurors ultimately selects the award recipients.

“In this moment when truth is being tested here at home and around the world,” said Muir, “It is a privilege to honor the journalists who work tirelessly to uncover the truth, and who often risk their own lives to report on the most pressing stories of our time. Their work has never been more important, and it serves as an inspiration for us all”

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Andy Pierrotti speaks after he and the Atlanta News First and Investigate TV team was awarded a 2024 duPont-Columbia award.(Columbia University via YouTube)

Founded by Jessie Ball duPont in honor of her late husband Alfred I. duPont, for 80 years the duPont awards have set the standard for audio and video reporting, in broadcast, documentary and online.

The duPont-Columbia Awards uphold the highest standards in journalism by honoring winners annually, informing the public about those journalists’ contributions and supporting journalism education and innovation, thereby cultivating a collective spirit for the profession.

“Every year I am uplifted by the sense of purpose these journalists bring into the rotunda at this ceremony,” said duPont Director Lisa R. Cohen. “Their work is a model for our students, and journalists everywhere.”

2024 duPont-Columbia Award winners:

  • 20 Days in Mariupol, The Associated Press | PBS FRONTLINE
  • Accountability After Uvalde, Tony Plohetski & KVUE TV | The Austin American-Statesman
  • Afghanistan, Undercover PBS FRONTLINE
  • Aftershock, ABC News Studios | Onyx Collective | Hulu
  • Against All Enemies, Scott Friedman & KXAS-TV (NBC)
  • Beyond Utopia, Ideal Partners
  • BURNED, KUSA 9NEWS Denver
  • Caught on Camera, Traced by Phone: The Russian Military Unit That Killed Dozens in Bucha, The New York Times
  • Mother Country, Radicals Crooked Media
  • Putin vs the West, Brook Lapping | Les Films D’ici
  • Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong, APM Reports
  • The 13th Step, New Hampshire Public Radio
  • Environmental Reporting: (Combined) The Power of Water & Trashed, ABC News
  • The Power of Water, ABC News
  • Trashed: The Secret Life of Plastic Recycling, ABC News
  • The Sixth, Andy Pierrotti & WANF-TV | InvestigateTV
  • The U.S. and the Holocaust, Florentine Films | WETA
The Atlanta News First and Investigate TV team at the 2024 duPont-Columbia Awards on Thursday,...
The Atlanta News First and Investigate TV team at the 2024 duPont-Columbia Awards on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.(WANF)



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Atlanta, GA

Man arrested for knocking kids off bicycles

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Man arrested for knocking kids off bicycles


A man was arrested at a concert last week after he shoved two kids off their bicycles, causing one of them to fall into a fountain, Sandy Springs police said. FOX 5 Atlanta’s Brittany Edney reporting. 

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Atlanta, GA

Same DNA, new address: Muchacho expands to West Midtown

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Same DNA, new address: Muchacho expands to West Midtown


Photo by Luke Beard

When Muchacho first opened along the Atlanta Beltline and Memorial Drive, it became known as a place shaped as much by its surroundings as by its menu. That site, housed in a 100‑year‑old train depot, set the tone for how the brand approaches expansion: start with the bones of a building, then let the space tell the story. The newly opened Muchacho West Midtown follows that same philosophy.

“We like to celebrate unique attributes of each property and work with the palette we’re given,” says founder and owner Michael Lennox. While the original Muchacho is defined by its long, narrow footprint and Spanish tile roof—features reminiscent of its former life as a train depot—the West Midtown location leans into an industrial past rooted in automotive culture: a former Meineke car care shop. Big windows reference former garage doors, while retro racing details appear inside.

Inside Muchacho on the Westside

Photo by Luke Beard

Still, the connective tissue between the two locations is clear. Both spaces draw heavily from Muchacho’s Southern California skate‑and‑surf roots. At Muchacho West Midtown, familiar playfulness appears via a blue‑orange‑yellow racing stripe pattern, a three‑dimensional pegboard gallery wall used to hang art and plants, and vintage Meineke signage. A life‑size cardboard cutout of George Foreman, once the pitchman for Meineke, underscores Lennox’s willingness to lean into humor and nostalgia. “It’s a playful brand,” he says.

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A functional halfpipe for skateboarding anchors the outdoor experience and will double as a performance space for bands and DJs. In about a month, a 4,000‑square‑foot “tropical secret garden” with tall bamboo lining the perimeter will open on the south side of the property. Another 1,500 square feet of patio space wraps the west and north sides, currently welcoming about 80 guests. Altogether, the West Midtown location will accommodate about 215 guests, making it comparable in size to the original, with a little more outdoor space.

Crispy chicken sandwich

Photo by Luke Beard

Muchacho West Midtown opened with the same core menu that made the Beltline location a staple: tacos, breakfast burritos, coffee, cocktails, and beer. Standouts like migas, chilaquiles, carne asada, and al pastor continue to be available. Over time, however, Lennox says each location is expected to develop its own personality, driven by the chefs who have “a pretty wide creative latitude.” Chef Betty Aparicio, formerly of Chido & Padre’s, steers the kitchen on the Westside.

“We want to nurture some immediate familiarity while providing space for some special moments you can only have at each location,” Lennox says.

Margarita

Photo by Luke Beard

One of these special moments will take place April 4 at a grand opening party dubbed MuchachoFest. Expect bands, a fortune teller, a mini skate park in parking lot, food and drink specials, and giveaways. “It’s going to be a fun day in West Midtown,” Lennox says.

A third Muchacho location will debut in the old Revival space in Decatur this summer. In addition, the Electric Hospitality team is bringing Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall to the Westside. Slated to launch in May on 11th Street, the convivial restaurant and bar will feature a 5,000-square-foot courtyard with an airstream bar, stage, and Crepe Myrtles, and a 45-seat island bar inside. Formerly a single-story warehouse from 1950s or ’60s, Ladybird West Midtown will offer the same food and beverages as its Eastside sibling with room for the chef and mixologist to add their unique touches.

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Atlanta, GA

Buckhead apartment building evacuated due to dangerous carbon monoxide levels

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Buckhead apartment building evacuated due to dangerous carbon monoxide levels


A Buckhead apartment building was evacuated for a time late Tuesday night due to a carbon monoxide alarm. 

What we know:

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The incident occurred at an apartment complex in the 2900 block of Pharr Court South. 

According to Atlanta Fire Rescue, firefighters are investigating elevated carbon monoxide levels.

The entire building was evacuated as a precaution. 

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One person was evaluated at the scene for possible carbon monoxide exposure. 

Crews ventilated the building while they looked for the source.

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Firefighters say they were able to finally locate the source and contain it.

Once readings were back to a safe level, residents were allowed back inside the apartments.

What we don’t know:

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It remains unclear how many residents were displaced by the evacuation. 

The Source: The details in this article come from the Atlanta Fire Rescue.

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