1 of 5 | On May 31, 2003, Eric Robert Rudolph, the long-sought fugitive in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bombing, was arrested. File Photo courtesy of the FBI

In 1859, construction concluded and bells rang out for the first time from London’s Big Ben clock tower.

In 1889, a flood in Johnstown, Pa., left more than 2,200 people dead.

In 1902, Britain and South Africa signed a peace treaty ending the Boer War.

In 1916, the Battle of Verdun passed the 100-day mark. It would continue for another 200 days, amassing a casualty list of an estimated 800,000 soldiers dead, injured or missing.

In 1921, the Tulsa race massacre was set off when a mob of White residents attacked the Black residents and businesses in the Greenwood District. The total number of those killed in the violence is unknown, with an Oklahoma commission established in 2001 estimating between 75 to 100 people dead. The number of displaced Black residents was far greater.

In 1940, a thick fog hanging over the English Channel prevented the German Luftwaffe from flying missions against evacuating Allied troops from Dunkirk.

Troops evacuated from Dunkirk on a destroyer about to berth at Dover, England, on May 31, 1940. File Photo courtesy of the Imperial War Museum

In 1985, seven federally insured banks in Arkansas, Minnesota, Nebraska and Oregon were closed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. It was a single-day record for closings since the FDIC was founded in 1934.

In 1996, Israeli voters elected opposition Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister.

In 2003, Eric Robert Rudolph, the long-sought fugitive in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bombing and attacks on abortion clinics and a gay nightclub, was arrested while rummaging through a dumpster in North Carolina. Rudolph, whose bombings killed two people and injured many others, was sentenced to four life terms in prison.

In 2005, Mark Felt admitted that, while No. 2 man in the FBI, he was “Deep Throat,” the shadowy contact whose help to Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein on the 1972 Watergate break-in led to U.S. President Richard Nixon’s resignation.

File Photo by Alexis C. Glenn/UPI

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In 2012, John Edwards of North Carolina, former U.S. senator and presidential candidate, was acquitted on a charge of taking illegal campaign contributions, and a judge declared a mistrial on five other charges against him.

In 2014, U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, 28, captured in Afghanistan nearly five years earlier, was released by the Taliban in exchange for five detainees held at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. In March 2015, the Army announced that Bergdahl had been charged with desertion.

In 2019, a shooting a a Virginia Beach, Va., municipal center left 12 victims and the shooter — a disgruntled former employee — dead.

In 2021, China announced plans to allow couples to have a third child, scrapping its controversial two-child policy amid a slumping birth rate and aging population.

File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI

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ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – The City of Atlanta is exploring new alternatives to address mental health among first responders.

A new proposal by Atlanta City Councilmember Liliana Bakhatiari looks to add psilocybin and ketamine as mental health treatments.

Psilocybin is the active compound found in some mushrooms that causes a psychedelic effect, also known as “magic mushrooms.”

Ketamine is a synthetic pharmaceutical originally developed as an aesthetic. Ketamine is legal in Georgia under the supervision of a licensed professional. Psilocybin, which is illegal, is making similar strides in the medical setting.

Dr. Bradley Cooke, a former Georgia Tech professor of neuroscience, said clinical trials have proven the drugs are effective in treating severe PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

“There is considerable evidence especially from placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials that drugs like psilocybin and ketamine are quite effective at treating people with depression and anxiety and PTSD,” Cooke said.

It’s something police, fire and EMS departments across the nation are exploring across as suicide rates continue to rise.

Bakhtiari said she was at an out-of-state event with first responders who praised how the drugs helped with trauma experienced on the job. She said the resolution directs the human resources department to research the positives and negatives.

Bakhtiari said the goal is to see if they can be added as mental health treatments under the city’s healthcare plan.

“We have a higher case of suicide rates and suicide ideation. If we expect people to be here in our city on the front lines protecting folks, we need to expand what mental health services, look like,” she said.

The human resources department is set to bring those findings back to the city council at the end of this year.

Copyright 2024 WANF. All rights reserved.

ATLANTA – It doesn’t matter if you are into comedy, music, science, nature, biking or running, puppies, beer, cool cars or plants, there’s something for everyone on this week’s list of things to do in metro Atlanta. There’s even a bridal show for those who are planning a wedding! 

David Spade: Catch Me Inside
When: 8 p.m., Friday, May 31
Cost: $45 and up
Where: Atlanta Symphony Hall on Peachtree Street
Info: Stand-up tour by David Spade, SNL alum and podcast host. More Info

Fernbank … but later
When: 6-9 p.m., May 31
Cost: Nonmembers $22.95, members $15.95
Where: Fernbank Museum on Clifton Road
Info: A night at the museum with science experiments, drinks, and snacks. More Info

Parker McCollum: Burn It Down Tour
When: May 31
Where: Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, Alpharetta
Info: Concert with special guests Corey Kent and George Birgie. More Info

Museum of Graffiti: Sneaker Stories
When: May 31 – June 2
Where: Ponce City Market
Info: Exhibition exploring graffiti art and sneaker culture. More Info

Big Tigger BeltLine BikeFest
When: June 1
Where: Westside Park
Info: 1.5-mile bike ride followed by a festival with food, music, and activities. More Info

Zoo Atlanta: Summer of Celebration – 25 Years of Giant Pandas
When: 9:30 a.m., June 1
Where: Zoo Atlanta
Info: Activities include a Chinese lion dance, DJ, and more. More Info

How Sweet the Sound
When: 8 p.m., Saturday, June 1
Cost: $55 and up
Where: Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
Info: Gospel competition featuring choirs, soloists, and more. More Info

The Secret Gardens of Avondale
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., June 1
Where: Avondale Estates
Info: Tour five beautiful backyards. More Info

Braves Country 5K
When: 6 a.m. (pickup), 7:30 a.m. (start), Saturday, June 1
Cost: Home Run Porch Ticket Package $70, Grandstand Reserved Ticket Package $60, Dash $25 through May 31, $30 on race day
Where: Truist Park
Info: 5K race, includes T-shirt and ticket to a Braves game. More Info

Megan Thee Stallion – Hot Girl Summer Tour
When: June 1
Where: State Farm Arena
Info: Megan Thee Stallion’s tour following her hit song “HISS”. More Info

First Free Saturday — Beautiful Bees
When: 1-2 p.m., June 1
Cost: Free, online registration
Where: Dunwoody Nature Center
Info: Guided hike, learn about bees, arts, and crafts. More Info

Dog Days of Summer Pop-Up Market and Pup Party
When: 2-7 p.m., June 1
Where: East Atlanta Village Farmers Market
Info: Local vendors, spray and splash zone, contests, and more. More Info

Howie Day 20th Anniversary Tour
When: June 1
Where: Eddie’s Attic, Decatur
Info: Concert celebrating 20 years of “Stop All The World Now”. More Info

Alpharetta Brew Moon Fest
When: June 1
Where: Downtown Alpharetta
Info: Beer, live music, and dancing in the street. More Info

Cars for Causes
When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., June 1
Where: Johns Creek City Hall
Info: Car show with music, food, children’s activities, and a raffle. More Info

25th Annual Flying Colors Butterfly Festival
When: June 1-2
Where: Chattahoochee Nature Center
Info: Celebrate butterflies and pollinators. More Info

Jazz, Blues & Barbeque
When: 6-10 p.m., June 1
Where: Town Center Park, Suwanee
Info: Free admission, food, and live music. More Info

Orville Peck: Stampede Tour
When: June 1
Where: Cadence Bank Amphitheatre, Chastain Park
Info: Concert with special guests The War and Treaty and Goldie Boutlier. More Info

Atlanta Pride Run 5K
When: 8 a.m., June 2
Cost: $45 through May 30
Where: Piedmont Park, Atlanta
Info: Fundraiser supporting LGBTQIA+ organizations. More Info

Georgia Plant Swap + Sale
When: 12-5 p.m., June 2
Where: Wild Heaven Beer, Atlanta
Info: Plant and art sale, plant swap, and classes. More Info

Georgia Bridal Show
When: 12-3 p.m., June 2
Cost: Free with online registration, $10 day of show
Where: Gas South District, Duluth
Info: Wedding planning resources and vendors. More Info

Next Week

Atlanta Fringe Festival
When: June 3-9
Where: Various venues, Atlanta
Info: Live theater, dance, puppetry, comedy, and more. More Info

Les Miserables at the Fox Theatre
When: June 4-9
Where: Fox Theatre, Midtown Atlanta
Info: Musical set in 19th-century France. More Info

If you would like to submit an event for a future things to do list, send an email with details to wagaweb@fox.com.