Atlanta, GA
Atlanta residents celebrate first night of Kwanzaa, honoring unity and community
Families and communities across metro Atlanta are coming together to celebrate Kwanzaa, a weeklong observance honoring African heritage, culture, and values.
Each night of Kwanzaa centers on a different principle. The first night focuses on Umoja, the Swahili word for unity — a value many say feels especially meaningful right now.
For Atlanta artist and poet Kenneth “Zakee” Zakee, Kwanzaa is more than a holiday. He says it transformed his life.
Zakee welcomed CBS News Atlanta inside his studio, where African and African American artwork lines the walls. As he lit the kinara — the candleholder central to Kwanzaa — he explained the deeper meaning behind the tradition.
“Kwanzaa means first fruits of the harvest,” Zakee said. “So we have to have some produce on the table to represent the first fruit, to represent harvest.”
Zakee says his connection to Kwanzaa began during a time of deep grief, after losing his mother. A friend invited him to a Kwanzaa celebration for emotional support — an experience he says gave him community when he needed it most.
“It was just so much love,” Zakee said. “It was like a seven-day Black history experience.”
Created in the 1960s to reconnect Black Americans with African heritage, Kwanzaa’s values, customs, and greetings are expressed in Swahili. Zakee even gave CBS News Atlanta a quick lesson in how to greet others on the first night.
“Habari gani?” he asked — meaning, What’s the news?
“Umoja,” came the response.
That sense of shared meaning was also on display as vendors and artists set up for Kwanzaa events at ArtsXchange.
Patricia Jackson of Studio P Designs, a former educator, says teaching students about Kwanzaa was always important to her.
“We really made an effort to expose our students to all of the other celebrations, especially Kwanzaa and what it stands for,” Jackson said.
For Zakee, passing the tradition on to younger generations is essential. He hopes Kwanzaa helps young people feel grounded, affirmed, and connected.
“A sense of belonging,” he said. “A sense of being part of something bigger than themselves — and recognizing the strength of their people.”
Zakee believes those values don’t just strengthen communities — they make the world a better place.
Atlanta, GA
Buckhead apartment building evacuated due to dangerous carbon monoxide levels
ATLANTA – A Buckhead apartment building was evacuated for a time late Tuesday night due to a carbon monoxide alarm.
What we know:
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.
One person was evaluated at the scene for possible carbon monoxide exposure.
Crews ventilated the building while they looked for the source.
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:
It remains unclear how many residents were displaced by the evacuation.
The Source: The details in this article come from the Atlanta Fire Rescue.
Atlanta, GA
2 arrested in deadly drive-by shooting of 7-year-old Atlanta girl, police say
Two suspects in a shooting that left a 7-year-old Atlanta girl dead and her mother injured are now in custody nearly a week after the violence, police say.
The shooting happened around 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 24 at a home on the 2200 block of Tiger Flowers Drive NW.
Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a dispute between one of the victim’s family members and the gunman over the phone. Thirty minutes after the argument, the suspect came back and fired shots into the home, police said.
Officers responding to the scene found a 44-year-old woman and her daughter, identified as 7-year-old Zoe Price, shot. Medics rushed the pair to a local hospital, but Price died from her injuries.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the department’s homicide unit secured an arrest warrant for 19-year-old Preston Smith two days after the shooting. Smith turned himself in to the Fulton County Jail on March 2.
Schierbaum said officers executed a search warrant on Feb. 27 at a home on McDaniel Street. On that day, 17-year-old Steven Richardson, who police described as an “accomplice,” turned himself in to authorities.
Both men are charged with murder, criminal attempt to commit murder, three counts of aggravated assault, second-degree criminal damage to property, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and four counts of third-degree cruelty to children. Richardson is also charged with possession of a Firearm by a Person Under 18.
At a press conference to announce the arrests, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens described Price as a bright and compassionate little girl who was “full of energy and full of joy.”
“Her life was cut short in an act of senseless violence, and that loss is not abstract. It is a chair that is going to be missing at the dinner table each night. It is an empty classroom seat next to her friends,” Dickens said.
The mayor called the arrests “a step forward towards justice” for Price’s family and families across the city.
Dickens said that violence, like the act that took Price’s life, would not be tolerated in Atlanta.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Braves News: Top 30 Prospects, Starting Pitching Depth, More
On Monday, the Braves were able to earn another Spring Training victory over the Detroit Tigers. It was a game where the starting pitching depth of the Braves was on full display, as Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz, and Owen Murphy all threw multiple innings. While it is likely unwise to expect big things from any of these three arms this season, they are a part of the “next man up” group for the Braves if injury again impacts the rotation. Each had a solid effort today, a trend that will hopefully continue.
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