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Atlanta, GA

New audit finds MARTA overcharged city by millions for expanded bus, train services

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New audit finds MARTA overcharged city by millions for expanded bus, train services


Atlanta city leaders say MARTA owes taxpayers millions of dollars after an audit found that the transit agency may have been overcharging for services under the city’s “More MARTA” program.  

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Eight years after residents voted yes to an expanded bus and train services, the independent audit revealed upwards of $70 million in discrepancies over money spent and the actual cost of services. 

“The suspicions have been there…it’s disappointing that the suspicions have been validated,” Atlanta City Councilman Michael Bond told FOX 5.  

Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman says he and other council members sounded the alarm on program spending about a year and a half ago. 

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“The auditors found that certain years, the auditors couldn’t find how MARTA made the calculations for the service deliveries,” he explained.  

The findings released to the public on Monday by an independent firm said MARTA overcharged for services between 2020 and 2022.  

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The transit agency admitted to errors in those years totaling a little over $20 million.  

“The calculations that they made were overestimates,” Shipman said.  

MARTA officials sent a letter in response to recommendations auditors made for better record keeping and communication —agreeing with most—but denying the findings from 2017-2019 that showed a $40 million gap in services. 

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In a statement to FOX 5, a MARTA spokesperson said:  

“Mauldin & Jenkins’ calculations are wrong. They used a flawed methodology by applying a COVID-based formula to reverse engineer what they believe should have been charged for bus service in 2017, 2018 and 2019, resulting in false calculations. MARTA charged for the cost of actual bus service during those years and the City officials then in charge were aware of the costs, as the minutes of monthly meetings prove. 

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“MARTA informed the City and Mauldin & Jenkins of their flawed methodology and is disappointed that our responses to the audit which were provided to both parties were not included or referenced.” 

Bond says his concern is the public’s perception of trust. 

“We went out and took a message to voters that if they supported the referendum, the money would be spent 100% on what they absolutely wanted,” Bond stated.  

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That statement from MARTA went on to say: “Despite these errors, MARTA will continue to work in good faith with the city to improve the IGA and strengthen the overall success of the More MARTA Atlanta Program.” 

The next step is a meeting between MARTA officials and Mayor Andre Dickens to get on the same page. 



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Atlanta, GA

Power outage impacts more than 5,000 customers in Midtown Atlanta

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Power outage impacts more than 5,000 customers in Midtown Atlanta


Thousands of people are without power in Midtown Atlanta as crews work to restore service following an equipment failure, according to Georgia Power.

The outage affected nearly 5,300 customers, stretching from Currier Street Northeast to 11th Street.

Georgia Power said the outage was caused by an equipment issue, and crews are on-site making repairs. 

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Officials added that, thanks to smart grid technology, service is expected to be remotely restored to more than half of affected customers soon.

An estimated restoration time was listed at 10:15 a.m.



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Atlanta, GA

The Best Vintage Shops in Atlanta

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The Best Vintage Shops in Atlanta


Vogue’s guide to the best vintage stores in Atlanta is part of our directory of the very best vintage around the world, curated by editors from all over. Whether you’re traveling and searching for some superb stores to visit on your trip or are curious about your local vintage treasure chests, Vogue’s directory has you covered.

Come to Atlanta for its southern charm and lush greenery, stay for its vintage. The Hollywood of the South has a lot more than on-set locations and an upcoming roster of FIFA World Cup games, and whether exploring shops along the Beltline, losing your voice at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, or itching for the eccentric pleasures of a roadside antique mall, these vintage gems make the journey to the A more than worth it.

Photo: Courtesy of The Clothing Warehouse

Dutch field pants, netted shirts, prairie dresses, and a floor-to-ceiling selection of cowboy boots are a few of the many goods awaiting your search at this Atlanta mainstay. Opened by Jim Buckley in 1992, the Clothing Warehouse now calls the hipster Little 5 Points home. Its redbrick exterior is hard to miss—head upstairs for womenswear and union-made dresses, then downstairs to a room of seriously color-coded tees—it’s likely you will find plenty of Atlanta history in the form of 1996 Summer Olympics shirts. Plus, its wholesale location is a 15-minute drive away in West Midtown, if you’re up for an afternoon dig.

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Address: 420 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta

At the vintage and makers market Mother Lode, there’s something for every lover of old things. Founder Lindsay Short’s estate sale background is well-reflected in the shop’s range of garments, decor, and wares. Find 1930s beach pajamas beside bowling shirts and Edwardian tunics at Fellows Vintage’s booth, or ’60s wedding dresses that seem more Factory Girl than bride-to-be from Iron Pony. The hunt continues at Mother Lode’s sister location in college town Athens, which opened in 2023.

Address: 3429 Covington Hwy Ste B, Decatur

Monet Brewerton-Palmer first got her love for bridal from her grandmother, who was a shop seamstress. Then, after shopping for her own wedding dress in 2014 and ending up with four, her interest (and personal collection) only grew. Now, Brewerton-Palmer offers brides an array of dresses by Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Catherine Rayner, and more. Standout pieces include a 1959 one-of-one from Jacques Heim, a silk rose-covered Christian Dior for the romantic, and a fur-accented Muriel Martin for the nontraditionalist.



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Former Atlanta principal back at his old school as its new handyman:

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Former Atlanta principal back at his old school as its new handyman:


Retirement did not last long for one Atlanta school principal.

After 10 years leading Burgess Peterson Academy, David White is back, and this time he’s making sure everything inside the school’s building runs smoothly.

White retired last September from being the school’s principal, but home didn’t suit him for long.

“I found myself really kind of lonely and disconnected,” White said. “I had lost my sense of community, for sure, so when this position became available, I kind of laughed because I used to say that it would be the perfect retirement job.”

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Retirement didn’t suit former principal David White, so now he’s back as the handyman at the Atlanta school he led to make sure everything runs smoothly.

CBS News Atlanta


White applied for the open site manager position and got the job. Now he enjoys being back in the same halls that bring him joy.

He is six weeks into the new job.

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“I find myself now always looking to see if there are lights that are burned out, if there are issues that need to be addressed,” said White. “There’s always the need for touch-up painting, right? Because kids have dirty little hands, and they love to pick paint.”

During CBS News Atlanta’s visit, White was repairing a broken lightbulb in the boy’s bathroom.

“The light started flickering, like, just blinking off and on, and so of course the kids were saying it was haunted,” he said.

Around the school, his impact hasn’t faded.

Students and staff light up when they see him.

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“It’s been really great to see their excitement to be here every day and to see Mr. White,” said principal Dr. Holly Brookins. “I really feel that having him back has added so much value to our community, and it’s really been a joyful thing for all of us.”

With a tool belt and new titles, White proves that no matter the role, some people never stop showing up for the places they love.



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