Atlanta, GA
‘Miracles happen’: Volunteers join robust search effort for missing Atlanta teacher on Lake Oconee
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – On Friday, dozens of volunteers joined sheriff’s deputies and crews from the Department of Natural Resources to try and locate the body of Gary Jones, an Atlanta teacher, who went missing on Lake Oconee Saturday, along with his fiancée Joycelyn Wilson.
“I think that some of us are still hopeful that we will not only find him but that maybe that you know, miracles happen,” said Dana Chambliss, whose two sons were taught by Jones at Westminster Schools in Atlanta.
Chambliss joined other volunteers from the Westminster community on Friday to try and locate Jones, who was an 8th grade science teacher and a high school track coach.
The body of Wilson was found on the surface of Lake Oconee, roughly a mile from the Long Shoals Boat Ramp.
Search crews found a pair of Jones’ shoes roughly 200 yards from Wilson’s body earlier this week.
“I’ve got video of them launching the boat and I zoomed in on it and they’re the identical shoes,” said Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills.
“Initially you want to think perhaps they’re alive and need help and things like that. I don’t think that at this juncture,” said Sills, in an interview with Atlanta News First on Friday.
Sills said he is investigating the death for foul play. He said that is standard in cases like this.
“There’s nothing on that nature that I can comment on,” said Sills, when asked if Wilson’s death is suspicious in nature.
Sills said their investigation goes beyond the confines of Lake Oconee. He said they recently acquired the phone records of Wilson and Jones.
Sills called this search effort the most robust search he’s seen at Lake Oconee, where he’s been sheriff of Putnam County for nearly 30 years.
“In all my years I’ve never seen this many people searching for a body in the lake,” said Sills.
Game Wardens from the Department of Natural Resources continued their efforts using SONAR scanning tools as part of surface and shoreline sweeps.
A DNR K-9 team searched in the woods near the lake on Friday.
The Sheriff’s Office launched a K-9 team to help sniff for a body on Lake Oconee.
“The challenge in every drowning type situation, if I know where you go down, that’s where you’re going to be. But we don’t know where they went down,” said Sills.
Volunteer search crews said they will continue their efforts on Saturday morning.
Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.
Atlanta, GA
Man arrested for knocking kids off bicycles
A man was arrested at a concert last week after he shoved two kids off their bicycles, causing one of them to fall into a fountain, Sandy Springs police said. FOX 5 Atlanta’s Brittany Edney reporting.
Atlanta, GA
Same DNA, new address: Muchacho expands to West Midtown
Photo by Luke Beard
When Muchacho first opened along the Atlanta Beltline and Memorial Drive, it became known as a place shaped as much by its surroundings as by its menu. That site, housed in a 100‑year‑old train depot, set the tone for how the brand approaches expansion: start with the bones of a building, then let the space tell the story. The newly opened Muchacho West Midtown follows that same philosophy.
“We like to celebrate unique attributes of each property and work with the palette we’re given,” says founder and owner Michael Lennox. While the original Muchacho is defined by its long, narrow footprint and Spanish tile roof—features reminiscent of its former life as a train depot—the West Midtown location leans into an industrial past rooted in automotive culture: a former Meineke car care shop. Big windows reference former garage doors, while retro racing details appear inside.
Photo by Luke Beard
Still, the connective tissue between the two locations is clear. Both spaces draw heavily from Muchacho’s Southern California skate‑and‑surf roots. At Muchacho West Midtown, familiar playfulness appears via a blue‑orange‑yellow racing stripe pattern, a three‑dimensional pegboard gallery wall used to hang art and plants, and vintage Meineke signage. A life‑size cardboard cutout of George Foreman, once the pitchman for Meineke, underscores Lennox’s willingness to lean into humor and nostalgia. “It’s a playful brand,” he says.
A functional halfpipe for skateboarding anchors the outdoor experience and will double as a performance space for bands and DJs. In about a month, a 4,000‑square‑foot “tropical secret garden” with tall bamboo lining the perimeter will open on the south side of the property. Another 1,500 square feet of patio space wraps the west and north sides, currently welcoming about 80 guests. Altogether, the West Midtown location will accommodate about 215 guests, making it comparable in size to the original, with a little more outdoor space.
Photo by Luke Beard
Muchacho West Midtown opened with the same core menu that made the Beltline location a staple: tacos, breakfast burritos, coffee, cocktails, and beer. Standouts like migas, chilaquiles, carne asada, and al pastor continue to be available. Over time, however, Lennox says each location is expected to develop its own personality, driven by the chefs who have “a pretty wide creative latitude.” Chef Betty Aparicio, formerly of Chido & Padre’s, steers the kitchen on the Westside.
“We want to nurture some immediate familiarity while providing space for some special moments you can only have at each location,” Lennox says.
Photo by Luke Beard
One of these special moments will take place April 4 at a grand opening party dubbed MuchachoFest. Expect bands, a fortune teller, a mini skate park in parking lot, food and drink specials, and giveaways. “It’s going to be a fun day in West Midtown,” Lennox says.
A third Muchacho location will debut in the old Revival space in Decatur this summer. In addition, the Electric Hospitality team is bringing Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall to the Westside. Slated to launch in May on 11th Street, the convivial restaurant and bar will feature a 5,000-square-foot courtyard with an airstream bar, stage, and Crepe Myrtles, and a 45-seat island bar inside. Formerly a single-story warehouse from 1950s or ’60s, Ladybird West Midtown will offer the same food and beverages as its Eastside sibling with room for the chef and mixologist to add their unique touches.
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Atlanta, GA
Buckhead apartment building evacuated due to dangerous carbon monoxide levels
ATLANTA – A Buckhead apartment building was evacuated for a time late Tuesday night due to a carbon monoxide alarm.
What we know:
The incident occurred at an apartment complex in the 2900 block of Pharr Court South.
According to Atlanta Fire Rescue, firefighters are investigating elevated carbon monoxide levels.
The entire building was evacuated as a precaution.
One person was evaluated at the scene for possible carbon monoxide exposure.
Crews ventilated the building while they looked for the source.
Firefighters say they were able to finally locate the source and contain it.
Once readings were back to a safe level, residents were allowed back inside the apartments.
What we don’t know:
It remains unclear how many residents were displaced by the evacuation.
The Source: The details in this article come from the Atlanta Fire Rescue.
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