ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — On Friday, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens drew a stark contrast from the snow event of January 2025 and the ice storm expected in Atlanta this weekend.

“This is ice, though. This is different. There’s not too much fun you’re going to have in this. You’re not going to build a snowman. You won’t see people at our parks sledding and all that stuff. This is going to be just, ‘Let’s get through it,’” said Dickens in an interview with Atlanta News First on Friday.

Dickens said the city will launch its joint operation center on Saturday with leaders from 25 departments watching as the weather moves into the region.

Atlanta’s police chief said they began having the city’s E-911 staff shelter in place Friday.

Chief Darin Schierbaum said sworn officers will begin sheltering in place Saturday to expedite their response times during the winter event.

“Keep in mind the roads are going to be slick, so it may take us a little bit longer to arrive, but your police department is going to be working,” Schierbaum said. “We’re going to be staffed, and we’re going to be coming to you, whatever the emergency may be.”

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Atlanta’s Department of Parks and Recreation will assist with tree removals across city streets.

Dickens pointed to Buckhead, southwest Atlanta, the Cascade corridor, and the Adamsville neighborhood as potentially problematic areas given their heavy tree canopy.

“Freezing rain doesn’t look dramatic when you look at it, but it is freezing on the ground and black ice is dangerous,” Dickens said. “You may think that we’re exaggerating, like, ‘Ah, this isn’t that bad.’ And you’re going to go out there in your car and you may cause an accident or harm yourself, so please just stay off the bridges and overpasses.”

Watch our interview with Mayor Dickens below:

Dickens said city crews will conduct a final pre-treatment run on main arterioles and the city’s 162 bridges on Saturday before the weather shifts.

Schierbaum urged residents to only call 911 in an emergency where people or property are in danger. For slick roads or downed trees, you can call 311 for a non-emergency response, he advised.

“Ice is a completely different animal. Ice is going to make how we move around the city completely different than a snow emergency,” said Schierbaum.

Dickens asked residents to avoid driving on roads and consider canceling in-person church services on Sunday.

He said the city will operate warming centers through the course of the weather event.

“My concern is for citizens to be out and about when they don’t have to be,” Schierbaum said.

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ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The Atlanta City Council passed a $2 million budget on Tuesday to fund arts organizations in metro Atlanta, the same budget as last year.

The state of the arts in Atlanta isn’t good, according to advocates who say funding challenges are making it harder for Atlanta to maintain its position as a cultural center.

“Atlanta likes to call itself the ‘Cultural Capital of the South,’” said Laura Hennighausen of Arts Capital Atlanta. “Unfortunately, we don’t have the capital to make that the case.”

Arts Capital Atlanta is a nonprofit of more than 200 metro arts organizations trying to raise awareness about Georgia’s arts spending. About 50% of the organizations in Arts Capital Atlanta have budgets under $150,000.

The funding crisis stems from the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide spending cuts.

“The difference in Georgia is that most other states reinstated that funding a couple of years later, and Georgia didn’t,” Hennighausen said.

With a budget surplus, the state isn’t hurting for cash, but political considerations have affected funding. Some arts organizations found themselves cut from National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants.

“Anything about the Revolutionary War or the founding fathers is getting preference,” Hennighausen said.

The preference relates to America’s 250th birthday. In Fulton County, there are also new forms to fill out to qualify for funding.

“We now have to fill out an E-Verify immigration affidavit,” she said.

Metro Atlanta’s 11 counties receive $1.96 per capita in funding, below the national average of $5.54.

The battle for funds is constant, with organizations raising money to raise more money.

“I think we always feel like Sisyphus, because we are always fundraising and needing funds to do our work,” Hennighausen said.

Despite the challenges, Hennighausen believes there is reason to hope.

“We did see Fulton County increase its funding last year back to 2020 levels,” she said.

Hennighausen believes continued advocacy can restore emphasis on culture.

“I think most people realize how low we are compared to the rest of the nation,” she said.

Copyright 2026 WANF. All rights reserved.