Atlanta, GA
Kel Mitchell, Renee Montgomery boost Atlanta youth sports in new Nick show
Kel Mitchell (left) and Renee Montgomery (right) help Sporting Club Stockbridge Soccer Academy and coach Damian Thompson during the first episode of Nickelodeon’s “Play It Forward,” shot in metro Atlanta. (Nickelodeon)
Several struggling sports youth groups in metro Atlanta recently received field makeovers courtesy of new feel-good Nickelodeon show “Play It Forward” starring Atlanta Dream part-owner Renee Montgomery and Nickelodeon vet Kel Mitchell.
Each of the six episodes features a different sport such as wheelchair basketball, volleyball and lacrosse. The show, which shot from August through October, debuted Wednesday and will air weekly.
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Renee Montgomery dismantles an aging bleacher at Sporting Club Stockbridge Soccer Academy, which was renovated for a new Nickelodeon show “Play It Forward.“ (Nickelodeon)
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In the new show “Play It Forward,” Kel Mitchell pretends to be a Stockbridge city employee who has to shut down the kids’ soccer field over “toxic dirt.” (Nickelodeon)
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Rodney Ho writes about entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution including TV, radio, film, comedy and all things in between. A native New Yorker, he has covered education at The Virginian-Pilot, small business for The Wall Street Journal and a host of beats at the AJC over 20-plus years. He loves tennis, pop culture & seeing live events.
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Metro Atlanta, clear your calendars and get your First Alert Traffic alerts ready: Interstate 285 is about to disappear for the weekend — again.
The Ga. Dept. of Transportation (GDOT) plans to completely shut down both directions of I-285 on the Westside between SR 139/MLK Jr. Drive (Exit 9) and Cascade Road (Exit 7) for a full weekend of work tied to the massive I-285 Westside rebuild.
This is the second of multiple full closures for the I-285 rebuild.
When it happens
- Start: 7 p.m. Friday, June 5
- End: 5 a.m. Monday, June 8
Translation: If you normally “just hop on 285 real quick,” you won’t.
Why is I-285 closing
GDOT says crews need the uninterrupted time to keep the project on schedule, doing work like milling/grinding pavement and prepping for slab repair and replacement. The broader project covers about 10 miles, costs $206 million, and is slated to wrap in 2028.
The ripple effect: traffic won’t stay contained
GDOT warns the closure could trigger region-wide slowdowns, with congestion expected on:
- I-20
- I-75/I-85
- SR 166 (Langford Parkway)
- Local roads across southwest Atlanta/Fulton County
Detours (aka: the official “good luck” routes)
- Southbound I-285: Exit to I-20 (exit 10A) to I-75/I-85 southbound
- Northbound/westbound I-285: Exit to SR 166/Langford Parkway (exit 5)
One big wildcard
Weather. If conditions aren’t safe or workable, GDOT says the schedule could change.
Past stories
- I-285 closure slows traffic, hurts businesses along Cascade Road in Atlanta
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Atlanta, GA
As FIFA World Cup nears, some MARTA riders raise safety concerns after recent attacks on transit system
Multiple recent attacks on MARTA have some riders questioning how safe they will feel using Atlanta’s public transit system as the city prepares to welcome thousands of visitors for the FIFA World Cup.
The tournament is expected to bring an unprecedented influx of travelers to metro Atlanta, putting additional attention on MARTA’s ability to safely move residents and visitors throughout the region.
Many Atlantans rely on MARTA every day as their primary mode of transportation.
“I ride the system every day to go to work and other places,” MARTA rider Joshua Hudson told CBS News Atlanta.
“It is kind of unsafe on the weekends, but weekdays it’s pretty fine,” rider Kimiya Sawanat said.
Concerns about transit safety intensified after a woman was fatally stabbed aboard a MARTA train on May 30. The attack prompted some riders to question what additional steps MARTA can take to prevent violence, particularly as the city prepares for major international events.
Several riders told CBS News Atlanta they would like to see more police officers stationed throughout the system, especially at high-traffic stations. While they acknowledged concerns about safety, many said they believe MARTA can strengthen its security strategies ahead of the World Cup.
“We have been on the trains when the Braves play, and it is packed, but this is going to be a different level. It is almost like the Olympics all over again,” Hudson said.
MARTA officials said the agency plans to enhance security during the World Cup by utilizing its Emergency Response Center, deploying its mobile command vehicle and increasing officer presence at stations. MARTA also expects support from law enforcement agencies across the region.
“I’m concerned but not worried,” Hudson said. “I think it will be a good time, but we just have to do public safety.”
Atlanta, GA
Miguel Almirón: World Cup profile | Paraguay & Atlanta United midfielder | MLSSoccer.com
MLS background
An Atlanta United icon, Almirón is in his second stint at the club.
After initially joining in 2017, Almirón led Atlanta to a historic MLS Cup triumph in 2018 alongside Venezuelan striker Josef Martínez. That came in the Five Stripes’ second year as a team.
Almirón’s success fueled a blockbuster move to English Premier League side Newcastle United, where he spent seven years. But Atlanta brought Almirón back stateside in 2025, and now, alongside head coach Tata Martino, he hopes to return the Five Stripes to their previous heights.
- 27g/38a in 101 MLS appearances
- 2x MLS Best XI (2017, ’18)
- 2x MLS All-Star (2017, ’18)
- 2017 MLS Newcomer of the Year
International experience
Almirón is among Paraguay’s most experienced players; his 75 caps are second-most on the squad.
The 32-year-old enters the World Cup as La Albirroja’s leader in goals. He’s scored nine international goals, with Antonio Sanabria (seven) the next-closest player.
This will be Almirón’s first World Cup appearance.
World Cup schedule
Paraguay are in Group D alongside the United States, Australia and Türkiye.
- June 12: Paraguay vs. United States, 9 pm ET | Los Angeles, California
- June 19: Paraguay vs. Türkiye, 11 pm ET | San Francisco, California
- June 25: Paraguay vs. Australia, 10 pm ET | San Francisco, California
The 2026 World Cup has expanded from the usual 32 nations to 48 total. The top two teams advance from each group, and the top eight third-place finishers also make the knockout phase (Round of 32).
The tournament, which is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, spans from June 11 to July 19.
World Cup history
This is Paraguay’s ninth overall World Cup trip and first since South Africa 2010.
Last time out, La Albirroja reached the quarterfinals for the country’s best-ever finish.
How Paraguay qualified
Paraguay finished sixth in South American World Cup qualifying with 28 points.
The top six nations in Conmebol’s 10-team round robin secured automatic spots.
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