Atlanta, GA

Metro Atlanta gas prices surge ahead of spring break, leaving drivers stunned

Published

4 weeks ago

March 11, 2026

Metro Atlanta gas prices surge ahead of spring break, leaving drivers stunned

Drivers across metro Atlanta are seeing higher prices at the pump, and as spring break approaches, many families say the spike is hitting their budgets hard. While some people are reconsidering travel plans, others said they are still planning to get out of town.

At a RaceTrac gas station near Clairmont Road and Dresden Drive in Chamblee, drivers told us they noticed the increase almost immediately.

Just last week, many drivers said they were paying around $2.80 a gallon. Now, prices at some stations are climbing well over $3 a gallon.

At this RaceTrac, regular gas was listed at $3.59 a gallon while diesel was even higher at $5.19. Last week, those prices were $3.29 for regular-and $4.69 for diesel.

Some drivers said the increase is already creating financial stress.

“Not that many people can afford that price.”

Morgan Howard explained.

The metro Atlanta mom of two who commutes to work said she closely tracks fuel prices because of how much she drives.

“I pay attention to gas because I work over here but I live in Villa Rica or like Douglasville and the prices even went over there up. Ridiculous. It is sad.”

According to the AAA, the average price for gas in Atlanta is now about $3.28 a gallon, which is up roughly 44 cents from last week. Meanwhile, analysts with GasBuddy project prices could increase another 20 to 50 cents in the coming week.

Howard said her biggest concern isn’t just her own budget.

“I don’t think about myself. I think about others that are struggling. I think about others that are making minimum wage and can’t not afford.”

Higher gas prices can ripple through nearly every part of daily life from commuting to grocery costs.

Truck driver Logan Gabbard said the increase has already forced him to cancel travel plans he had for later this month.

“I was going to make plans at the end of March but since gas prices have went up as much as they have I can’t go through with those plans now just because usually it would take me 50 to 70 dollars to go where I usually go but now it is going to cost me so much that I am not going to be able to go.”

Another group feeling the impact is ride-share drivers who say rising fuel costs are forcing them to work longer hours.

“Because I was putting the mid range at $3.02 and now is almost at $4 and this is making us work more. Yes this is impacting us, now we need to work more and more hour’s in order to get better gains to be able to afford bills and payments, like rent, services and food is getting more expensive as well, for the people who work doing rideshares like Uber, Lyft and Taxi,” Ian Marin said.

“We have a taxi line near this gas station and a lot of drivers made the decision to retire from doing this profession because gains are not enough, people have fear to be out in the streets, but the price for food, bills, and rent keep going up making this situation really really complicated, “Marin explained.

Despite the higher prices, not everyone is putting the brakes on travel.

With the spring break season arriving, some college students said they are still planning to hit the road.

Analysts said part of the price swing is tied to tensions in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which can make global oil markets unstable and push oil prices higher.

International tensions are not the only factor.

AAA said gas prices often increase during busy travel seasons like spring break, when more people are hitting the road.

The drivers we talked to said that means they will be keeping a closer eye on their budgets in the weeks ahead and watching every mile and every dollar a little more closely.

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Atlanta, GA

Police officer accidentally shoots self in downtown Atlanta

Published

4 hours ago

April 8, 2026

Press Room

Police officer accidentally shoots self in downtown Atlanta

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — An Atlanta police officer accidentally shot themselves in downtown Atlanta on Tuesday night, according to the police department.

A spokesperson for Atlanta police said the incident happened on McAfee Street NW.

The officer “sustained a self-inflicted non-fatal injury as a result of an accidental discharge,” the spokesperson said.

This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First for updates.

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Atlanta, GA

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly From Atlanta’s Loss to the Knicks

Published

16 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly From Atlanta’s Loss to the Knicks

In what was the best NBA game of the night, the Hawks and the Knicks battled till the very last shot and New York came out on top. It was a playoff like atmostphere and the game was played with the intensity and physicality of a postseason game.

Despite the Hawks losing this game, they have to feel something about being able to go toe to toe with one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference. They want to win these games of course, but they are continuing to show that their late season surge is not a fluke.

Let’s break down the good, the bad, and the ugly from last night.

The Good

Apr 6, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) shoots over New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Nickeil Alexander-Walker tallied a game-high 36 points on 12-19 shooting, including 7-11 from beyond the arc, to go along with two rebounds and three assists in 39 minutes of play, marking his 74th game of the season with 10-or-more points, the third-most double-digit scoring outings amongst all players in the NBA this season and the most by an Eastern Conference player. Alexander-Walker has recorded his 15th career game with 30+ points. Of his 15 career 30-point performances, 10 have come since joining the Hawks this season.

With his seven makes from deep, Alexander-Walker has knocked down 244 three-pointers this season, surpassing Bogdan Bogdanovic (240, 2023-24) for the most triples in a single season in franchise history. The Virginia Tech product has buried at least one three-pointer in 25 consecutive contests, the second-longest such streak of his career.

Dyson Daniels recorded 11 points in addition to a game-high tying 12 rebounds, three assists and two steals in 38 minutes of action, marking his league-leading 49th multi-steal game of the season. With his ninth rebound of the game, Daniels grabbed his 500th board of the season, becoming just the second Hawks guard in franchise history to record 500 rebounds in a single season, joining Lou Hudson in 1968-69 (533).

Jalen Johnson recorded 21 points, shooting 3-5 from deep, in addition to 11 rebounds and five assists in 41 minutes of play, marking his 48th double-double of the season, the third-most such games in the NBA this season. In tonight’s victory, Johnson notched his 28th game of the season with 20+ points and 10+ rebounds, the most by a Hawk in a season since Kevin Willis in 1993-94 (31).

CJ McCollum recorded 17 points in addition to six assists, three rebounds, two steals, and two blocks in 35 minutes of play, marking his 66th game of the season scoring 10-or-more points.

Onyeka Okongwu recorded 12 points in addition to eight rebounds in 37 minutes of action, marking his 60th double-digit scoring performance of the season and the 205th of his career.

The Hawks had 19 offensive rebounds last night and actually finished with an edge on the glass.

Atlanta won the possession battle, taking 11 more shots than the Knicks.

Atlanta held New York to 11-33 shooting from three.

The Bad

The offense was not good enough for the Hawks, despite the big night from Alexander-Walker. Atlanta shot 41.5% on twos and Atlanta missed a lot of shots that they normally make. If you want to feel good about this loss if you are a Hawks fan, I think you can count on them making those shots more often than not, but they did not have it last night.

Atlanta was outscored 52-34 in the paint.

While the Hawks grabbed 19 offensive rebounds, they were only able to score 13 second chance points.

The Knicks scored 21 points off the Hawks 15 turnovers.

The Knicks had 29 assists last night, Hawks had 23. Atlanta leads the league in assists and it is rare to see them lose that stat.

The Ugly

The Hawks sorely missed Jock Landale in this game. While the Hawks won the overall rebounding battle, they allowed Mitchell Robinson to come off the bench and score eight points and grab 12 rebounds. His presence against Mouahmed Gueye and the backup bigs was noticeable and if these two do end up meeting in the postseason, that will be something to watch.

While he is one of the most clutch players in the league, the Hawks cannot allow Jalen Brunson to score 17 points in the fourth quarter. He took over the game and won it on his own in the final quarter.

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Atlanta, GA

Offset shot in South Florida near Hard Rock Casino; Atlanta rapper hospitalized, stable

Published

1 day ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

Offset shot in South Florida near Hard Rock Casino; Atlanta rapper hospitalized, stable

Atlanta rapper Offset is hospitalized after being shot in South Florida, according to his representative, in a developing story that is drawing national attention across both Miami and Atlanta.

The shooting happened Monday near the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, just outside Miami, according to multiple reports.

“We can confirm Offset was shot and is currently at the hospital receiving medical care,” his representative told Variety. “He is stable and being closely monitored.”

Authorities have not released details about what led to the shooting, whether a suspect is in custody, or if others were involved.

As of Monday night, the investigation remains active.

Atlanta ties amplify concern

Offset, whose real name is Kiari Cephus, rose to fame as a member of the Grammy-nominated hip-hop group Migos, which originated in metro Atlanta.

His connection to the city – and continued influence in its music scene – is prompting concern among fans and artists across Georgia.

The incident also underscores how ties to Atlanta’s music industry continue to intersect with South Florida – a frequent destination for performances, events, and nightlife.

What we do and don’t know

Location: Near Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida

Condition: Stable and under close monitoring

Motive: Unknown

Seminole Police Department released a statement following the incident, saying: “We are aware of an incident that occurred at a valet area after 7 p.m. Monday outside of Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood that resulted in non-life threatening injuries to an individual who was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood. Seminole Police were on site immediately and the situation was contained quickly. Two individuals have been detained by police. The investigation is ongoing. The site is secure and there is no threat to the public. Operations continue as normal.”