Atlanta, GA
Atlanta police expect tens of thousands in crowd for Peach Drop to ring in 2025
Final Peach Drop preparations underway
Final preparations at Underground Atlanta are underway for the Peach Drop. Thousands of people are expected to join Big Boi in downtown Atlanta to ring in the New Year.
ATLANTA – Atlanta police anticipate tens of thousands of people to come out to watch the iconic Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta this New Year’s Eve.
Final preparations are well underway for the event, which will feature rapper Big Boi as the headliner.
At the stroke of midnight, the Peach will drop, marking the start of 2025.
Preparations are underway for the Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta in Downtown Atlanta on Dec. 30, 2024. (FOX 5)
Atlanta police said they will work 12-hour shifts and have canceled off days to ensure the safety of everyone who comes out.
“We have 1,700 officers. Almost every one of them will be working over that 24-hour period,” Chief Darin Schierbaum said at a news conference Monday morning.
Atlanta’s Peach Drop returns
Last year, the city canceled the celebration, which also went on hiatus during the pandemic.
Preparations are underway for the Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta in Downtown Atlanta on Dec. 30, 2024. (FOX 5)
Chief Schierbaum urged citizens to celebrate responsibly.
“Citizens can choose safe celebration or consequence,” he said. “And we ask them to choose the first one.”
He said APD will be supported by other law enforcement agencies, with officers stationed on the ground and monitoring from above via helicopters and drones.
Preparations are underway for the Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta in Downtown Atlanta on Dec. 30, 2024. (FOX 5)
He promised to crack down on three things: celebratory gunfire, drunk drivers, and street racers.
“If you’re going to come to Atlanta to street race, you’re going to meet the Atlanta Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol,” Schierbaum said. “We will have specialized teams deployed throughout the city.”
New Year’s Eve safety
Officials also issued reminders about the dangers of celebratory gunfire and reckless fireworks use.
“That has deadly consequences,” Schierbaum said. “We’ve seen that here in the region, and we ask everyone that is going to be in the city to please not discharge your weapons. If we see you discharging a weapon, we will arrest you.”
The city’s E911 Center expects a busy night too.
Last New Year’s Eve, the city said was slammed with more than 1,700 emergency calls between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. “For non-emergency situations, I encourage you to call 311 and use option two,” said Desiree Arnold, Atlanta’s E911 Director. “This line is specifically designed for non-emergency issues such as noise complaints and fireworks.”
Arnold said operators will also be working 12-hour shifts to handle the influx.
Peach Bowl and Peach Drop transportation
Meanwhile, both for the Peach Drop and the Peach Bowl the following day, city officials warn traffic will be a nightmare.
Preparations are underway for the Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta in Downtown Atlanta on Dec. 30, 2024. (FOX 5)
They recommend using MARTA.
“We want to make sure that MARTA is your first choice,” Caviness said. “We’re here to make sure you skip the parking nightmare in the city.”
Chief Schierbaum echoed this advice, “That is a way to ensure a safe celebration instead of a consequence of DUI arrest.”
Street closures for the Peach Drop will begin at 6 a.m. on New Year’s Eve. Officials strongly encourage visitors to plan ahead and avoid driving downtown.
The Source: This article is based on original reporting by FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo who spoke with city of Atlanta police and other officials preparing for the Peach Drop.
The highly anticipated NBA Draft is finally going to take place tomorrow and the Atlanta Hawks are 1 of 14 teams hoping the ping pong balls bounce their way.
This is going to be the final payoff for what was arguably the best move that any team made last offseason. Atlanta traded down from the No. 13 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and acquired the unprotected 2026 first-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans, the most favorable of the Pelicans’ and Bucks’ selections. The Pelicans finished 7th in the lottery odds, and Milwaukee is 10th. Based on the odds, the Hawks have a 40% chance of jumping into the top four.
The last time the Hawks were in the lottery, they jumped from 10th to 1st and selected Zaccharie Risacher. While that was a huge stroke of luck, it has not always worked out that way for the Hawks.
Hawks lottery history
The Hawks have been in the NBA Lottery 16 times since 1985 and in that time span, the Hawks have:
- Moved up five times (2024-moved from 10th to 1st, 2018-moved from 4th to 3rd, 2007- moved from 4th to 3rd, 2001- moved from 5th to 3rd, and 1985- moved from 7th to 5th)
- Moved down five times (2020- moved from 4th to 6th, 2019- moved from 5th to 8th, 2006- moved from 4th to 5th, 2005- moved from 1st to 2nd, and 2000- moved from 5th to 6th)
- Stayed where they were projected to six times
Their biggest move up by far came in 2024 when the moved up to No. 1 and were able to select Risacher, which has not quite panned out.
There is an element of what if to each of these scenarios, especially the years the Hawks moved down. In 2020, they moved down in a draft that contained Anthony Edwards, who is from the state of Georgia and one of the elite players that the league has right now. Atlanta ended up selecting Onyeka Okongwu, but there is a big what if about being able to pair Edwards with Trae Young.
In 2019, the Hawks were 5th in the highly anticipated 2019 lottery that featured Zion Williamson, but they fell three spots. While WIlliamson has not had quite the career most had hoped, he is still an All-NBA caliber player and would have paired nicely with Young as a tandem.
There have been some hits and misses during the 16 times that the Hawks have been in the lottery, but there have seemingly been more missed opportunities, even when they jump up in the standings. They are hoping that they get another stroke of luck tomorrow in what could be a franchise altering day for the Hawks.
Final projected odds for the Hawks:
No. 1- 9.8% chance
No. 2- 9.9% chance
No. 3- 10.1% chance
No. 4- 10.30% chance
No. 7- 19.75% chance
No. 8- 30.18% chance
No. 9- 9.19% chance
No. 10- 0.67% chance
No. 11-
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The Georgia Department of Transportation announced that a major weekend construction project, set to fully shut down two miles of I-285, has been postponed due to inclement weather. Atlantans are relieved, with many looking forward to more freedom to travel this Mothers’ Day weekend. Kim Leoffler has the story.
ATLANTA – An Atlanta flight attendant and mother of eight is among 17,000 Spirit Airlines workers struggling to find a new “destination” after the carrier suddenly shut down.
Spirit Airlines Atlanta impact
What we know:
Spirit Airlines ended all operations on Saturday, grounding its entire fleet and ending employment for its 17,000-person workforce. Flight attendants and customers were stranded across the country, often forced to pay for their own travel home after the discount carrier ceased operations.
Kamille Carter, an Atlanta-based flight attendant of five years, said she received the termination email from the CEO at 3 a.m., despite earlier assurances from union representatives that the company was stable. The company immediately cut healthcare benefits and stopped payments for sick leave and vacation time for all staff members.
Unpaid wages and benefits
What we don’t know:
It is unclear if Carter and her fellow employees will ever receive their final paychecks or if there is any legal recourse for the lost benefits. The company has not specified if any transition assistance will be provided to workers, some of whom had been with the airline since it launched in 1994.
Employee reaction in Georgia
What they’re saying:
“This is a death because you have to mourn, you have to grieve, it’s a process,” Carter said of the sudden job loss. Despite the financial strain of supporting eight children, Carter is looking toward her passion for cooking as a potential new career. She noted that while being uncomfortable is difficult, it can “push you to your destiny.”
Finding help in Atlanta
What you can do:
Community members looking to support Carter and other local workers affected by the shutdown can find more information on the FOX 5 Atlanta website. The station is collecting resources for those navigating the sudden loss of income and healthcare.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an interview conducted by FOX 5 reporter Eric Perry, who spoke directly with former flight attendant Kamille Carter in Atlanta. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.
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