Atlanta, GA
The Atlanta Falcons next coach must restore credibility. Here’s who will do it | Bill Shanks

On January 21, 1997, former Atlanta Falcons owner Rankin Smith, Sr. introduced Dan Reeves as his new head coach. Reeves, a Georgia native, had led the Denver Broncos to three Super Bowl appearances as coach. He had played and coached for Tom Landry with the Dallas Cowboys. His resume was about as good as a candidate could present.
I was there that day covering the press conference. It was incredible how palatable the respect was in the room for a coach and for a franchise that had never, in 30 years in the NFL, had much success. Reeves instantly brought credibility to the Falcons, and in his second season he led the team to its first Super Bowl appearance.
The Falcons need that credibility again.
More Bill Shanks: After firing Arthur Smith, the Atlanta Falcons can’t make this mistake again
Sure, they need someone who will win, who will take this franchise to the next level, who will help rescue a team that has simply not been the same since losing a 28-3 lead to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI in 2017.
Who better to do that than the coach who beat them that day, Bill Belichick. Could it be a stroke of good luck that the Falcons have a coaching search going on at the same time the best coach in NFL history is available?
Imagine Belichick roaming the sideline in a Falcons hoodie. We’ve seen him in Patriots gear for so long, since 2000, it would sort of be like when Joe Montana played for the Kansas City Chiefs, or even when Matt Ryan played for the Indianapolis Colts.
And while Belichick won’t be bringing Tom Brady with him to solve the Falcons’ quarterback problem, and while he’s not as young as he once was, he is the perfect candidate to help a fledgling franchise escape the abyss it’s been in since he helped put them there with the embarrassing loss in Houston.
So, what will be the things that might keep fans from wanting Belichick? First, his age. He turns 72 in April, and as we’ve seen with a certain college coach who is a good friend of Belichick, it does get more difficult as coaches get older. But Belichick is 27 regular season wins away from having the most wins by any NFL head coach. That goal of achieving that record will drive him.
You know he would want to prove that he can coach outside of New England. Sure, it’s been difficult the last four years without Brady, but as the Falcons have seen it’s not easy going from a franchise quarterback and trying to find that replacement. Plus, the Patriots overall roster has just not been what it once was. How much of that is Belichick’s fault? Well, it’s a good question.
Some say, “Sure, bring him in as a coach, but only as a coach.” Well, maybe at this age, Belichick will not want to pick the players. That’s not a bad option, and it would give Falcons GM Terry Fontenot a chance to show how good he really is at picking players, since we’re still not sure of that even after his three years on the job.
The one thing Belichick would do is not allow team owner Arthur Blank and Rich McKay interfere. They need to get out of the way. They have never hired an experienced NFL head coach. They’ve hired four NFL coordinators and one college head coach, and only one (Mike Smith) had substantial success.
Just imagine what the Falcons might have done this past season if Belichick had been the head coach. Instead of a 7-10 record, might the record have been flip-flopped? Could an experienced head coach like Belichick have made a difference in all of those close games the Falcons lost against teams with losing records?
It’s time to let someone who knows what to do to have the room to do it. OK, so Belichick’s record without Brady has not been very good. How have the Falcons done without Ryan the last two years? The current makeup of the Falcons roster might be perfect for Belichick. He’s got two good physical running backs in Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, along with a big tight end in Kyle Pitts and a tall, physical receiver who knows how to block in Drake London.
Belichick would just need to find a quarterback. That in itself may keep Belichick away from Atlanta. He might want to pick a team that has a better quarterback situation. Then again, he might enjoy getting a chance to select a quarterback, whether it’s a veteran like Russell Wilson or selecting a young player to develop.
Blank says he wants the Falcons to win quickly. So, how can he gamble on another coordinator who would be getting his first head coaching job. Instead, the choice is clear. Get Belichick to Atlanta, let him do his job, and see if he can do better than what’s been done in the past.
And along the way the Falcons may just regain some credibility and win some more games.
Listen to The Bill Shanks Show weekdays at 3:00 pm ET on 104.3 FM in Savannah and online at TheSuperStations.com. Email Bill at TheBillShanksShow@yahoo.com.

Atlanta, GA
PHOTOS: Trees come crashing down during severe thunderstorms across metro Atlanta

As severe weather rocked the South this weekend, the metro Atlanta area wasn’t spared. Thunderstorms even brought trees down across Georgia.
Here’s a look at some of the storm damage in our viewing area:
A tree also came down on the tracks, deenergizing the third rail between the Medical Center and Dunwoody MARTA stations. For now, there’s a bus bridge in effect from Medical Center to Sandy Springs until the tree can be moved. There are also delays on the Red line, according to a spokesperson from MARTA.
If you have pictures or video of storm damage in your area, you can submit them for consideration through the FOX 5 Weather app or email them to newstipsatlanta@fox.com.
The Source: These images were either supplied by FOX 5 Atlanta viewers who submitted them through the FOX 5 Storm Team app, or by FOX 5 Atlanta photojournalists.
Atlanta, GA
Residents of Atlanta townhome complex fear eviction, allege ‘unlivable’ conditions

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Residents of a townhome complex in southwest Atlanta say they’re being forced out despite paying rent.
Renters living in Bolden Townhomes, located off Oakland Drive, came together on Friday to demand answers from the property owner about potential evictions and the reasons they’re subjected to living in allegedly “unlivable” conditions.
The townhomes are owned by Bolden Capital Group.
One renter, Ba Ba, said he moved in months ago. He claims he has lived without power and air conditioning, showing us that the lights and other utilities in the home are not functioning.
“Violating my rights, my kids can’t come to see me because my apartment is not in a fair condition to come,” said Ba Ba. “I don’t have air or lights.”
To cook food, he has to get creative, using a can and a portable cooking device typically used for camping.
Ba Ba also pointed us to a note allegedly left on his door by someone who represents the property ownership group. It offered a warning that “any unauthorized entry is trespassing and a violation of law.”
Residents now fear eviction and being left without a place to live.
“I don’t understand how you would take our money and kick us out,” said Martavious Pope, another resident. “I don’t understand that.”
Other residents held a press conference held at the complex on Friday morning and said they have collapsing ceilings and mold; Atlanta News First observed broken glass windows, boarded-up homes, and a lack of lights and air conditioning.
Alison Johnson with the Housing Justice League demands answers from the city and the property owner.
“As we see here, that is not happening,” said Johnson. “There’s been no accountability, no one here to tell the landlords that this is an unjust living situation and tenants should live in these conditions.”
The outcry drew the attention of Atlanta City Council Member Jason Dozier, who called for an investigation into the situation and a halt to any potential evictions. He wants “a swift, coordinated response from the City of Atlanta, including our code enforcement agencies, housing officials, and legal partners.”
Bolden Capital Group said they face “complex challenges” in maintaining Bolden Townhomes. They claim that people are living in homes without proper authorization. The group told us other issues exist, including “utility theft and damage to units” and that “these issues have created difficult and unsafe conditions.”
The group said that it is working with local law enforcement to resolve the situation.
Ba Ba certainly believes he has every right to live in his home. He provided us with what appears to be a lease agreement that he signed with the company, emphasizing that he pays rent to the landlord every month.
“Already hard to find somewhere to stay, and when you do, it’s not even decent,” added Ba Ba.
Bolden Capital Group said there is pending legal action. What that looks like remains unclear.
Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.
Atlanta, GA
MARTA ridership to Atlanta airport accelerates after parking rate hikes

ATLANTA – It’s no secret that passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport were not very happy about recent increases to parking rates.
Now many people have turned to other alternatives like MARTA to save money before they fly.
By the numbers:
New data FOX 5 requested from MARTA shows more people are taking the train to avoid parking fees at the Atlanta airport.
At the start of May, hourly, daily economy and international rates all went up.
MARTA estimates an increase in rail entries at its Airport station of approximately 7.5%, or an average of around 600 more entries from April to May 2025.

A MARTA train stops at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. (Photo by Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
In the same timeframe, MARTA’s data showed the average utilization of its long-term parking facilities has increased by around 43%, or an average of 69 more long-term spots in use per day.
What they’re saying:
Renee Steinike lives in Alpharetta and said the price increase has changed how she heads to the airport.
“For the last year and a half, I’ve been going home once a month to take care of my mom and I usually park at the west parking lot because it was very convenient, no problem, but just recently they raised rates to $30 a day. It’s ridiculous, so now I’m parking here and taking MARTA,” Steinike said.
For others, using MARTA is all about not having to deal with the traffic.
“It’s nice that you avoid a lot of the traffic going down there. So, you avoid the perimeter traffic at 285, you avoid the 75/85 merger. It’s just really convenient,” Caro Montes said.
Roswell resident Allyson Golightly was also taking the train.
“This is close to my house, yeah, but i feel like this station is pretty safe,” she said.
Dig deeper:
Back in 2019, MARTA police reported 436 transit-related crimes.
Over the last five years, that number has steadily slowed down. In 2024, 211 incidents were reported – dropping more than 50% from five years prior.
Data did show a jump in some crimes from 2023 to 2024.
“I make sure that I have my headphones in and my sunglasses on because sometimes it’s not real safe at certain times,” Steinike said,
Other riders say you just have to stay alert.
“I’ve lived in a lot of big cities throughout my life. I think Atlanta is no different as long as you just stay aware of your surroundings, keep your valuables where you are – I really don’t have a problem on transit,” Montes said.
What you can do:
MARTA only charges $5 a day for long-term parking at its Dunwoody, Medical Center, Kensington, Lenox and Sandy Springs stations.
The price for the College Park, Doraville, Lindbergh and North Springs stations will run you just $3 more daily at $8.
The Source: FOX 5’s Kendrick Henderson reported this story from interviews and data taken from MARTA reports.
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