Georgia

Have you given blood lately? Georgia communities in urgent need as winter threat continues

Published

2 years ago

February 12, 2024

Have you given blood lately? Georgia communities in urgent need as winter threat continues

ATLANTA — February is the month of love. In a month filled with gifts and gestures, another way to show someone that you care: donate blood.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

According to the American Red Cross, weather systems can disrupt blood drives and the ability to provide critical blood products to hospitals.

While thousands have donated, blood supply is needed now more than ever.

TRENDING STORIES:

The Red Cross states that people of all blood types–especially type O blood donors are the most needed blood group by hospitals.

Platelet donors are needed daily to ensure blood products are available for hospitals at a moment’s notice.

Citizens who donate in February will receive a $20 Amazon.com gift card by email.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

For the full list of counties’ dates and availability or to schedule an appointment to give blood or platelets, click here. Citizens can also download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

Here are a few upcoming blood donation opportunities beginning Feb.12 throughout metro Atlanta:

Clayton County: Morrow

2/15/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., City of Morrow, 1500 Morrow Rd
2/28/2024: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Morrow High School, 2299 Old Rex Morrow Road

Riverdale

2/16/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Clayton County Fire Department, 7810 Highway 85

Clayton County: Jonesboro

2/20/2024: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Perry Career Center, 137 Spring St

Cobb County: Acworth

2/12/2024: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, 6301 Cedarcrest Road
2/13/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Freedom Church, 3611 Cobb Parkway
2/14/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Freedom Church, 3611 Cobb Parkway
2/16/2024: 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Georgia Fitness, 3362 Acworth Summit Blvd

Atlanta

2/15/2024: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Atlanta Braves, 755 Battery Avenue Southeast
2/15/2024: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Atlanta Braves, 755 Battery Avenue Southeast

Austell

2/19/2024: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Wellstar Cobb Hospital/Women’s Center, 3950 Austell Road

Kennesaw

2/15/2024: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Bullard Elementary School, 3656 Old Stilesboro Road
2/22/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Legacy Park, 4201 Legacy Park Circle
2/29/2024: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Northwest Family YMCA, 1700 Dennis Kemp Lane

Marietta

2/12/2024: 8 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Cobb Blood Donation Center, East Lake Shopping Center, 2145 Roswell Road Suite 250

2/13/2024: 1 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Cobb Blood Donation Center, East Lake Shopping Center, 2145 Roswell Road Suite 250

2/13/2024: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., St. Paul UMC, 244 Kurtz Road

2/14/2024: 1 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Cobb Blood Donation Center, East Lake Shopping Center, 2145 Roswell Road Suite 250

2/14/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority, 1170 Atlanta Industrial Drive

Powder Springs

2/12/2024: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Macland Presbyterian Church, 3615 Macland Rd
2/13/2024: 3 p.m. – 8 p.m., Church of Latter Day Saints – Powder Springs, 2595 New Macland Rd.

Smyrna

2/12/2024: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Smyrna Community Center, 200 Village Green Circle
2/13/2024: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Wellstar Vinings Health Park, 4441 Atlanta Rd

DeKalb County: Decatur

2/12/2024: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., North Decatur UMC, 1523 Church Street
2/21/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., First Christian Church of Decatur, 601 West Ponce de Leon Avenue
2/23/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore Street
2/27/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Dekalb Medical Center Women’s Center, 2701 N. Decatur Road

Tucker

2/20/2024: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., City of Tucker Parks and Recreation, 4898 Lavista Rd
2/22/2024: 2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Tucker First United Methodist Church, 2397 Fourth Street

DeKalb County: Clarkston

2/27/2024: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., CN-Bookstore, 555 N Indian Creek Dr

Decatur

2/25/2024: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., House of Hope Atlanta, 4650 Flat Shoals Pkwy

Douglas County: Douglasville

2/13/2024: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Douglasville Public Safety Complex, 2083 Fairburn Rd
2/14/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Douglasville First United Methodist Church-Tidwll Hall, 6167 Prestley Mill Road

Peachtree City

2/26/2024: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Keller Williams Peachtree City, 1200 Commerce Drive, Suite 110

Fulton County: Alpharetta

2/12/2024: 1 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Alpharetta Blood Donation Center, 3000 Old Alabama RD, Suite 110
2/13/2024: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Alpharetta Blood Donation Center, 3000 Old Alabama RD, Suite 110
2/14/2024: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Alpharetta Blood Donation Center, 3000 Old Alabama RD, Suite 110
2/14/2024: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Hewlett Packard Enterprise, 5555 Windward Parkway, Mail Stop A3D702C

Atlanta

2/12/2024: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Midtown Blood Donation Center, 1955 Monroe Drive
2/13/2024: 1 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Midtown Blood Donation Center, 1955 Monroe Drive
2/13/2024: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Urban Life Building, 140 Decatur Street
2/13/2024: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Piedmont Atlanta Hospital 1984 Building, 1968 Peachtree Road, NW

Duluth

2/12/2024: 1 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Duluth Blood Donation Center, 3090 Premiere Pkwy, Suite 500

2/13/2024: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Duluth Blood Donation Center, 3090 Premiere Pkwy, Suite 500

2/14/2024: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Duluth Blood Donation Center, 3090 Premiere Pkwy, Suite 500

2/15/2024: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Duluth Blood Donation Center, 3090 Premiere Pkwy, Suite 500

2/16/2024: 9:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m., Duluth Blood Donation Center, 3090 Premiere Pkwy, Suite 500

2/17/2024: 8 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Duluth Blood Donation Center, 3090 Premiere Pkwy, Suite 500

Suwanee

2/15/2024: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Riverwatch Middle School, 610 James Burgess Road

2/15/2024: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Gwinnett County Public Schools Instructional Support Center, 437 Old Peachtree Road NW, Instructional Support Center

2/22/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., City of Suwanee, 330 Town Center Ave

2/29/2024: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Richland Community Clubhouse, 2074 Quinton Place

Gwinnett County: Lawrenceville

2/28/2024: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, 970 McElvaney Ln NW

Henry County: McDonough

2/27/2024: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., McDonough Presbyterian Church, 427 McGarity Road

2/27/2024: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Henry County Academy for Advanced Studies, 401 East Tomlinson Street

Stockbridge

2/28/2024: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Piedmont Henry, 1133 Eagles Landing Parkway

Rockdale County: Conyers

2/12/2024: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m., Conyers Blood Donation Center, 2445 Salem Road SE, Suite 206F/207G

2/13/2024: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m., Conyers Blood Donation Center, 2445 Salem Road SE, Suite 206F/207G

2/14/2024: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m., Conyers Blood Donation Center, 2445 Salem Road SE, Suite 206F/207G

2/16/2024: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Conyers Blood Donation Center, 2445 Salem Road SE, Suite 206F/207G

2/17/2024: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Conyers Blood Donation Center, 2445 Salem Road SE, Suite 206F/207G

IN OTHER NEWS:

MARTA bus catches fire, partially closing I-20 ramp, officials say

Source link

Related Topics:barta beauford_highway Featured i_20 Local MARTA south_lake_mall wesley_chapel_road wsbsyndication

Click to comment

Georgia

Georgia cops’ alleged misuse of Flock license plate tracking data fuels privacy concerns

Published

4 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

Georgia cops’ alleged misuse of Flock license plate tracking data fuels privacy concerns

Georgia Flock cameras spark widespread misuse fears

ATLANTA – At least ten police officers across Georgia have been arrested and charged with misusing the Flock camera database for personal reasons, adding to growing privacy concerns about the technology.

The cameras, usually mounted to a black pole, record license plates and other data of whoever passes them.

Georgia police database tracking

What we know:

A series of recent arrests has exposed the misuse of Flock license-plate-reading cameras by police officers throughout the state.

In Greene County, Deputy Quin’sha Goss was fired on Tuesday and charged with misusing the system.

The recent arrests include five police officers in Albany, who were also charged earlier this week.

That’s alongside a lieutenant, a sergeant and a deputy in Cherokee County charged last month with violating their oath.

System audits flag searches

What they’re saying:

Flock Co-founder Paige Todd stated that many recent arrests resulted from departments utilizing a new audit assistance tool that automatically flags unusual searches.

“In this case where misuse happened, the technology itself was not creating the misuse. It was it was human beings,” Todd told FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo.

Todd argued that the public safety benefits of the technology heavily outweigh individual instances of human misconduct.

Todd explained, “best way to prevent misuse is now, every member of law enforcement out there knows that this audit exists,”

Todd added that the system has successfully helped track down thousands of individuals across the country.

“We, I believe, solve about a million crimes with our technology,” she said. “10,000 missing people have gone home because of it. This feels like pretty small in comparison.”

Privacy concerns trigger pushback

The other side:

The ACLU of Georgia called the incidents a critical wakeup call regarding constitutional protections and tracking limits. Christopher Bruce of the ACLU of Georgia said, “Jeopardizing your civil rights and civil liberties is never just an unfortunate event. You have constitutional rights, especially a right to privacy. And the question is who polices the police?”

Information security analyst Peter Tran noted that the network relies heavily on automated data collection.

“It uses AI,” Tran said.

Tran said many are uneased by the logging searchable personal data into a nationwide database.

“It becomes a privacy and security issue. So, you’re whereabouts where you shopped, your name, your address,” he said.

SEE ALSO: Dunwoody sets ‘guardrails’ for Flock surveillance cameras use

The blowback has prompted dozens of U.S. communities to end their contracts.

Videos have circulated on social media instructing people how to tear them down or disable them.

In Barrow County, the sheriff said three Flock cameras were recently damaged there.

The sheriff said damage to the devices could be considered a felony.

The Source: The information in this story is based on original reporting by FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo, who interviewed Flock co-founder Paige Todd, ACLU of Georgia representative Christopher Bruce, and security analyst Peter Tran, as well as tracking data from local sheriff offices.

GeorgiaCrime and Public SafetyTechnologyCherokee CountyNews

Source link

Georgia

West Nile infections starting to raise concerns in Georgia

Published

15 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

West Nile infections starting to raise concerns in Georgia

ATLANTA, Ga. — Positive mosquito samples for West Nile virus have been found in Fulton County, according to the Board of Health.

Officials say the samples came from the Grant Park area and that infected mosquitoes are suspected to be present in the city of Atlanta.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report this year’s West Nile infections are the highest since 2004. The disease has been transmitted by mosquitoes, with reported cases in 23 states. Most of the reported cases are considered severe.

Health officials suggest using an insect repellent registered with the EPA. Wearing long, loose-fitting clothing is also recommended.

Source link

Georgia

Travel and Leisure listed unique experiences in each state, including GA

Published

1 day ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Travel and Leisure listed unique experiences in each state, including GA

It can be hard to find a truly unique experience for your next vacation. That’s where Travel + Leisure comes in.

Back in May, members of the publication’s team created a list in celebration of America’s 250th Fourth of July, highlighting a unique experience in each state “from hidden gems to iconic highlights and editor-approved favorites.”

Find vacation discounts with Groupon

Most unique experience in Georgia

The Georgia spot highlighted was the World of Quercus. Here’s what writer Lydia Mansel said about it:

“The 3,800-acre property, dotted with pecan groves and cabins, isn’t your run-of-the-mill retreat. Guests are encouraged to roam the land by golf cart or on foot, visit the biodynamic vegetable garden, fish the Flint River, and connect with the ranch’s horses. Owned by Chiara Visconti di Modrone and her husband Angelos Pervanas, Quercus is a place where relaxation comes in many forms—and you can design your experience to fit your pace and preferences.”