Atlanta, GA
Atlanta residents show support for the people of Ukraine
ATLANTA – The previous 52 days have been anxiousness ridden for these with family members residing in Ukraine.
“Each morning I simply ship a message and ask are you continue to alive, that is the very best query I can ask,” Olga Gorman mentioned.
The moments she waits for her brother to answer to her message are agony.00
Whereas the previous a number of weeks have been heart-wrenching, time surrounding what is usually a joyous vacation is tough for a lot of.
“Folks haven’t got the flexibility this time to go to church, to organize for the vacations. I can not say that that is the worst factor. We have now a lot worse conditions in Mariupol, in Kharkiv the place folks cannot exit, they’re simply making an attempt to outlive to the subsequent day. So we won’t speak about any sort of celebration, we’re speaking about survival. Pure survival for a lot of cities in Ukraine,” Mila Zapukhliak mentioned.
“This weekend undoubtedly does not really feel celebratory. What we might sometimes do on Easter, do the egg hunt for the youngsters and all of that. It is undoubtedly not on my thoughts. I barely even remembered it was Easter. All of my ideas are with Ukraine and what’s taking place there.” Olga Antonyuk mentioned.
Many Ukrainians in Atlanta are doing what they’ll to assist by elevating funds to ship to organizations serving to in Ukraine, and by elevating consciousness in the neighborhood.
On Saturday, an occasion was held to help Ukraine in Future Atlanta in Underground Atlanta. The organizers didn’t have private ties however felt compelled to get entangled.
“I needed to indicate the state and the nation that this is not a difficulty that’s out of sight, out of thoughts. I needed to deliver the fantastic thing about Ukraine, its historical past, its tradition, artwork, the folks right here. To indicate these are actual folks being killed. Actual harmless males, ladies, and kids,” Chase Staub mentioned.
“We needed to do one thing extra. Extra, not only for the folks in our nation, however the folks the world over,” Ronnie Medina Jr. mentioned.
State Senator Nan Orrock additionally attended the fundraiser on Saturday. She mentioned it is necessary for native leaders in Georgia to be concerned.
“Elected officers in the USA and elected officers right here in Georgia ought to stand collectively, embrace the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine, and struggle for democracy.” State Senator Orrock mentioned.
The group help has been an enormous assist.
“If all of us ship our love, assist, cash, donations, it helps. Solely collectively can we assist,” Nataliia Onyskiv mentioned. Onyskiv is the President of the Ukrainian Congress Committee’s Georgia Department. She says their group has raised greater than 200 thousand {dollars}. A lot of the cash has been devoted to purchasing medical tools for these in want in Ukraine.
Regardless of the ache this 12 months, there’s a whole lot of hope as properly.
“So as an alternative of being unhappy, we’re simply shifting our anger to mentally full the image of what’s ready for Ukraine. So we’ll have fun, we’ll have fun it,” Ira Ponomaroea mentioned.
If you wish to study extra about how one can get entangled, you’ll be able to go to UkranianAtlanta.org.
Atlanta, GA
12-year-old boy shot multiple times in Atlanta
ATLANTA – Police are investigating a shooting incident that left a 12-year-old boy injured in Atlanta. The incident occurred shortly after 6 p.m. at the intersection of Martin Luther King Junior Drive NW and Hamilton E. Holmes Drive NW.
According to the Atlanta Police Department, officers arrived at the scene to find the young boy suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, including injuries to his stomach and arm. Despite his injuries, the boy was able to speak with medics before being transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The identity of the victim has not been released, and details about the shooter remain unknown. The Atlanta Police Department’s Aggravated Assault Unit is leading the investigation as they work to gather more information about the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact the Atlanta Police Department.
This story is breaking. Check back for details. If you have additional information, pictures, or video email newstipsatlanta@fox.com.
Atlanta, GA
America’s last pandas expected to leave Atlanta for China this autumn
The last US zoo with pandas in its care expects to say goodbye to the four giant bears this fall.
Zoo Atlanta is making preparations to return panda parents Lun Lun and Yang Yang to China along with their American-born twins Ya Lun and Xi Lun, zoo officials said Friday.
There is no specific date for the transfer yet, they said, but it is likely to happen between October and December.
The four Atlanta pandas have been the last in the United States since the National Zoo in Washington returned three pandas to China last November. Other American zoos have sent pandas back to China as loan agreements lapsed amid heightened diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
Atlanta received Lun Lun and Yang Yang from China in 1999 as part of a 25-year loan agreement that will soon expire.
Ya Lun and Xi Lun, born in 2016, are the youngest of seven pandas born at Zoo Atlanta since their parents arrived. Their siblings are already in the care of China’s Chengdu Research Center of Giant Panda Breeding.
It is possible that America will welcome a new panda pair before the Atlanta bears depart. The San Diego Zoo said last month that staff members recently travelled to China to meet pandas Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, which could arrive in California as soon as this summer.
Zoo Atlanta officials said in a news release they should be able to share “significant advance notice” before their pandas leave.
As to whether Atlanta might see host any future pandas, “no discussions have yet taken place with partners in China”, zoo officials said.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta HR commissioner placed on leave over nepotism allegations
ATLANTA – The City of Atlanta has placed its human resources commissioner on administrative leave while it investigates accusations of nepotism.
Officials have confirmed an ongoing investigation by the city’s Law Department into Commissioner Tarlesha Smith.
According to a report obtained by FOX 5, the Office of the Inspector General investigation began in April 2023 over an allegation that Smith created a city position for her daughter and then tried to have her daughter’s supervisor terminated.
In the report, Smith is accused of creating a full-time position with the Office of the City Solicitor specifically for her daughter in the fall of 2022.
“City staff expedited the daughter’s onboarding process, skipping elements of her background check and disregarding her ineligibility,” the report reads. “She did not receive an employment or education verification. She was not interviewed. She did not meet the minimum qualifications of the position.”
When Smith’s daughter reportedly began to be late and absent from her work due to her supervisor, OCS Director of Administration Jennifer Johnson, denying her request to telework, officials say Johnson recommended that she be fired.
Instead, the report says the Department of Human Resources began to investigate Johnson, placed her on administrative leave, and told her department head that she would be terminated.
“The department head, who had worked with the supervisor for more than 25 years and who could not recall a single complaint against the supervisor, requested that DHR provide him with documentation to support this action — a copy of the complaint against the supervisor and a copy of DHR’s investigative findings,” the report reads. “DHR provided no documentation.”
The investigation also revealed additional concerns about Smith’s “unprofessionalism” and “deviation from human resources standards.”
Following the report, a City of Atlanta spokesperson said Smith was placed on administrative leave while City Law handles its independent investigation and interviews additional employees.
“We want to ensure we have a comprehensive review of the facts,” the spokesperson said.
The city has also asked the Law Department to develop an updated policy related to immediate family members.
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