Atlanta, GA
Atlanta officials ‘throw out homeless tents and medicine’ near World Cup spot
Officials in Atlanta, a World Cup host city, threw away tents, medication, identification, and other items belonging to homeless people without any warning, according to a report.
The items were collected from a public park not far from where many soccer fans have been gathering to watch the soccer tournament, The Guardian reports.
Some of the items taken by city workers reportedly include blood pressure pills, an insulin kit, and hormones.
In response to the accusations, the city’s senior advisor on homelessness, Chatiqua Ellison, told the paper that the area that the affected area of Freedom Park was “not an encampment” and that the item removals were part of “routine park maintenance.”
She reportedly said that because the site was not an encampment and the action was not considered a “sweep,” the city was not obligated to give a warning before officials moved in to seize the items.
One person who lost belongings, named Kai, told The Guardian that she lost a bag filled with her possessions, including a flash light.
“Our whole lives was thrown away,” she said.
Kai said the site was effectively an encampment as it was used for that purpose, regardless of the city’s official definition.
Kelsea Bond, an Atlanta city council member whose district includes the park, told the newspaper that she was disappointed with the city’s handling of the situation.
“It’s disappointing that the city is more concerned about the strict, and perhaps arbitrary, definition of ‘encampment’ here rather than the impact these kinds of clearings have on the houseless community,” she said, adding that the city should be more focused on “the impact of a policy, not the intention on paper.”
Bond shared an email with the outlet from Major Peter Ries of the Atlanta Police Department in which he stated that the area in question was not an encampment, and the seized “property was considered abandoned, [and] park maintenance disposed of … unclaimed items.”
The Independent has requested comment from the city of Atlanta.
People from around the world have descended on Atlanta this summer to watch the eight planned soccer matches at Mercedez Benz stadium. But homeless advocates have argued that the city’s efforts to present a good face to visitors has been at the expense of some of the community’s most vulnerable members.

In the months leading up to the World Cup, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens made clear in a statement that he did not want the city’s homeless population anywhere near places where they might run into visitors.
“We want to make sure those unsheltered individuals don’t come anywhere downtown, and throughout the city of Atlanta, not just during the World Cup, but now,” he said.
Advocates told The Guardian that at least two of Atlanta’s downtown parks — often used by the homeless as gathering places — were fenced off in the weeks prior to the World Cup, forcing them to disperse into other parts of the city.
They said that disruption breaks up homeless individuals’ routines, access to healthcare services, and disrupts their social connections.
Allen Hall, who was homeless for decades and who now is active in street outreach for the American Friends Service Committee, told the paper that the city’s actions have forced homeless individuals to sleep on the streets and sidewalks because they have limited options outside of shelters.
Atlanta, GA
Metro Atlanta OB-GYN shares pain management options after undergoing 4 C-sections
After giving birth to four babies by C-section, a metro Atlanta OB-GYN is sharing her experience with soon-to-be moms to help them with their delivery and postpartum experiences.
Dr. Nicole Sparks wants new moms to go into labor with the knowledge they need to feel prepared in the delivery room.
“It’s so different when you’re the one doing the surgery, and then you’re the one laying on the table seeing the blue curtain right,” Sparks said.
She’s had all four of her babies through c-section. After her first two, she looked into different pain management methods to try and limit her usage of opiates in the recovery process.
“My experience actually with my first two, I just remember just being so groggy, so out of it, and I knew I wanted a different experience when I had my third baby,” Sparks said. “I really think that my doctors did a great job, and especially this fourth time of really just giving me all of the different pain medications, so I didn’t have to take too many opiates.”
She said this “multi-modal pain approach” has helped patients with their recovery too.
“I will actually see patients right after they deliver, or the day after or two days after, and when we use a multi-modal pain approach, there is a clear difference in how fast they’re able to get up, how alert they are when they’re breastfeeding, how many times they’re requesting pain medication,” Sparks said. “Sometimes I’ll ask the nurse, hey, when is the last time she asked for pain medication? Oh, she actually hasn’t used any in 10 hours, and I’m like, oh, that’s really, really good.”
Sparks wants moms-to-be to have the best possible birth experience and recovery.
“Ask your doctor about what options you have, the things you’re able to do, the things you’re able to take so that you can just have, you know, a really good postpartum experience,” Sparks said.
She is also reminding new moms not to compare their labor and delivery to others.
“I really want to tell people it’s okay to need some more pain medication; we want your pain to be controlled,” Sparks said. “We want your postpartum experience to be good and enjoyable because again, you never get these moments back. So, if you need more than your friend who didn’t need any at all and was like ‘I was up day 1 after my c-section,’ that’s okay. Everybody’s different.”
A physician hoping her experience will not only help treat women but also relate to them.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Delta flight met by officers after passenger disagreement
An Orlando-bound Delta Air Lines flight was forced to turn back to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Saturday morning after fumes were reported on the flight deck.
ATLANTA – Law enforcement officers met a Delta flight at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Monday after a dispute broke out between a flight attendant and a passenger.
What we know:
Delta flight 2293 was traveling from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City to Atlanta when the incident occurred.
According to a Delta spokesperson, the plane landed safely while carrying 180 passengers, four flight attendants and two pilots.
What we don’t know:
Authorities have not confirmed the specific circumstances that led to the disagreement during the flight.
It remains unclear if law enforcement officers made any arrests or issued citations after meeting the aircraft at the gate.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a Delta spokesperson, who provided details about the flight and crew.
Atlanta, GA
Dunwoody bans vape shops near schools and daycares with new ordinance:
The City of Dunwoody is barring vape shops from opening in parts of the city.
It’s a step already taken by other nearby cities.
The Dunwoody City Council unanimously passed an ordinance restricting vape shops on Monday.
Currently, there are no vape shops in Dunwoody. If one opens, it must be located in commercial districts, at least 600 feet from daycare facilities, schools, and places of worship, and 1,500 feet from another vape shop or gas station.
“Vaping is something we’ve really focused on because it’s so readily available in our community and within our schools,” Amy Halligan said.
Halligan is part of Dunwoody Strong, a parent-run support group for Dunwoody High School students that spreads awareness about substance abuse and promotes mental health. She says vaping products are becoming increasingly popular among children. Halligan is concerned not only about their accessibility but also about how their bright, flashy packaging appeals to young people.
“The children connect with visually appealing things like that,” Halligan said. “The packaging and presentation are so cleverly designed to attract our children, which makes it a significant challenge for us.”
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