Atlanta, GA

Atlanta Black Pride kicks off inside City Hall with free monkeypox vaccinations

Published

3 years ago

September 2, 2022

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Atlanta Black Pride kicks off inside City Hall with free monkeypox vaccinations

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) – Hundreds are flooding into town this weekend for Atlanta Black Satisfaction.

The annual occasion runs from Thursday to Sunday with a slate of leisure, festivals, and dance events.

On Thursday, the weekend kicked off with a welcome reception at Atlanta Metropolis Corridor.

“This evening is electrical, all people is popping out for this Satisfaction reception. Black pleasure is on full show right here in Atlanta,” stated Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.

In gentle of the monkeypox outbreak, Fulton County Well being officers administered monkeypox vaccines inside Metropolis Corridor, concentrating on Black males who’ve intercourse with males.

“Roughly 70-80 % of the people identified with monkeypox in Fulton County are Black males, so clearly this can be a precedence group for us. These massive gatherings allow us to maybe vaccinate massive teams of individuals at one time,” stated Dr. David Holland, Chief Medical Officer for the Fulton County Board of Well being.

Dr. Holland was available Thursday administering vaccinations at Metropolis Corridor.

“It’s essential to get vaccinated they usually’re doing this at Metropolis Corridor. They’re bringing this to the group as a substitute of forcing the group to go to the well being division,” stated Darion Banister, who obtained a monkeypox vaccination.

Atlanta obtained roughly 5,500 doses of the monkeypox vaccine from the White Home particularly allotted for Atlanta Black Satisfaction occasions.

“This weekend goes to be a weekend of enjoyable, expression, and in addition security. We’re ensuring individuals have monkeypox vaccines,” stated Dickens, in an interview on Thursday evening.

Dr. Holland pressured lots of these doses will go to Atlanta guests who might not have entry to a vaccine of their hometown.

“We’re from Greenville, SC and we simply don’t have that many accessible so it’s essential for us to have the chance for us to get it,” stated Tim Gunnels, who obtained vaccinated at Atlanta Metropolis Corridor after touring from Greenville, South Carolina.

Based on the CDC, Georgia has 1418 monkeypox instances. There are solely 5 states which have extra instances.

When you’re in search of a monkeypox vaccination, metro Atlanta is internet hosting a number of occasions by the weekend. A listing of vaccination efforts from the state’s public well being division is out there right here.

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Atlanta, GA

Months-long Oktoberfest celebration keeps North Georgia city’s traditions and businesses alive

Published

6 hours ago

October 23, 2025

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Months-long Oktoberfest celebration keeps North Georgia city’s traditions and businesses alive

It’s the busiest time of year in the German-inspired mountain town of Helen, Georgia—the 55th Oktoberfest celebration.

In Germany, the celebration of Bavarian culture and tradition lasts for slightly more than two weeks. In Helen, located only 90 miles northeast of Atlanta, Oktoberfest spans several months.

In the 1960s, the town was a dying logging community, but over time, local businessmen, with the help of artist John Kollock, helped transform its economy and culture. What used to be normal buildings turned into a replica of a Bavarian town, complete with red roofs and even a windmill.

Now, families from throughout the Southeast travel to the small town to enjoy the celebration every year.

Things in Helen slow down after the holidays, which is why Helen’s Chamber of Commerce added extra weekends to its Oktoberfest celebration.

The Oktoberfest season is big business for the small mountain town of Helen, Georgia.

CBS News Atlanta

Businesses keep busy during Oktoberfest

Local business owners like Trenika Jackson and Tamara Bryson are leaning into the tradition, tourists, and celebration. Together, they run Dottie’s Kitchen, a Southern Country restaurant dedicated to their grandmother.

“This year we started in the middle of September, like Thursday through Sunday, and the last week of September… it starts through the entire week and it’ll end the first, second week of November,” Jackson said.

“We’ve been very fortunate. We stay very busy, especially through this time of year,” she said.

A musical tradition continues in North Georgia

The local business boom is not the only benefit of the extended Oktoberfest celebration. It’s also a North Georgia music staple, where artists like Dan Witucki and Claude Kashnig have set the mood for Oktoberfest for over 30 years.

“I’ve played in 17 countries and 38 states, and so in German circles, for Oktoberfest, I was sort of a big deal,” said Dan Witucki.

Dan Witucki and the Big Deal Band has set the mood for Helen’s Oktoberfest for decades.

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Witucki’s band got its start at Disney World, at Epcot’s World Showcase, before taking its sound to Helen.

“What I like here is it’s still family-oriented, and so you see all these people here with their children,” Witucki said.

You can learn more about Helen and see things to do in the area here.

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Atlanta, GA

Cartersville police thwart alleged Atlanta airport

Published

1 day ago

October 23, 2025

Press Room

Cartersville police thwart alleged Atlanta airport

Cartersville police say they moved quickly after learning that a local man was threatening to shoot up Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Atlanta police found 49-year-old Billy Cagle at the airport within about 20 minutes and took him into federal custody.

Posted October 22, 2025 10:49pm EDT

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