Happy 4th of July: No weekend road projects!

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Thursday, July 3rd, 2014, 11:59am

Happy 4th of July: No weekend road projects!

(WXIA) -- The Georgia Department of Transportation will celebrate the July 4 holiday by taking a break from all road projects.

The weekend construction that has plagued drivers for weeks will be temporarily halted at noon on Thursday.

However, GDOT expects considerable delays in certain areas, especially on Friday. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to run in or watch the 2014 AJC Peachtree Road Race, which will close several roads in Buckhead and Midtown. Fireworks displays and other Independence Day celebrations will also affect commuters Friday night.

An international Jehovah's Witnesses convention will be held at the Georgia Dome this weekend; 34,000 people from 14 countries will attend. GDOT said this event may also have an impact on traffic in the area.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Dragon Con logo gets a makeover

Submitted by Atlanta Busines... on Thursday, July 3rd, 6:39 am

ATLANTA -- Dragon Con has updated its logo for the first time in about 20 years.

The new logo features a dragon in profile contained within a circle, with the Dragon Con name arching across the middle. The new colors are blue and gold with a touch of red. The new logo design also translates the former logo into a flatter graphic image.

"The new logo honors our past, but also gives us something that represents Dragon Con's present and future," said PresidentPat Henry. "We are not the same show that we were back in 1995. We have experienced tremendous growth, morphing from a small convention that catered to a few specific interests into one embraced by the mainstream culture that encompasses so many aspects of fandom. As we continue to grow and evolve, we believe our logo should reflect that."

The modernized logo comes on the heels of the decision to update the convention name from Dragon*Con to Dragon Con.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Eye care experts urge parents to leave fireworks to pros

Submitted by Curran PR on Wednesday, July 2nd, 1:48 pm

ATLANTA -- Thousands of Georgia parents are buying sparklers for their children this Fourth of July, thinking they are a safe way to celebrate. But, as a Georgia eye expert warns, sparklers heat up to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit -- hot enough to melt some metals -- and are the number one cause of fireworks injuries requiring trips to the emergency room.

Members of the Georgia Optometric Association are urging parents to leave all the fireworks to the professionals and avoid fireworks that may cause serious eye injuries when used inappropriately. Some of the most common fireworks injuries are eye abrasions, lacerations, contusions and foreign matter in the eye. The majority of these cases are related to the use of sparklers.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Monday, June 30th, 2014, 6:16am

Woman killed, 2 charged in motorcycle accident

ATLANTA -- Two people have been arrested in connection with a fatal motorcycle accident over the weekend.

The wreck happened Saturday night on the ramp leading to Interstate 20 from the southbound Downtown Connector.

Atlanta Police said a Hyundai Sonata was merging onto I-20 when it clipped the back of a motorcycle with two people aboard. The motorcycle's female passenger fell from the bike and was fatally run over by the Hyundai.

The motorcycle crashed into a median wall. Atlanta Police spokeswoman Kim Jones said its driver fled when he saw his passenger was dead. The victim's name was not released.

The Hyundai driver, Jessica M. Johnson, was arrested at the scene. Jones said Johnson's blood alcohol level was .209. She was charged with vehicular homicide, DUI, reckless driving and following too closely.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Friday, June 27th, 2014, 3:00pm

Weekend traffic: Roadwork on I-20, cyclists on Ga. 400

(WXIA) -- It will be another difficult weekend for drivers on Interstates 20 and 285.

Weather may provide a little relief, as road crews do not work during thunderstorms. See the weekend forecast.

But drivers should still use caution when traveling through these areas:

Clayton County
* One northbound right lane of I-675 will be closed between Highway 138 and I-285 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly for sweeping.

Cobb County
* Two southbound right lanes of I-285 will be closed between Paces Ferry Road and South Cobb Drive from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday for slab replacement and repair.
* One westbound right lane of I-285 will be closed at Rottenwood Creek from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday for concrete pouring.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Thursday, June 26th, 2014, 9:50am

(WXIA) -- Metro Atlanta's unemployment rate climbed eight-tenths of a point in one month.

May's rate was 7.3 percent, considerably higher than April's 6.5 percent.

In Fulton County, the rate was 8.0 percent in May.

Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said the spike was mostly due to new graduates entering the workforce. The Atlanta area's labor force grew by about 24,400 in May.

Metro Athens had last month's lowest area jobless rate at 5.7 percent. The Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region's was the highest at 9.8 percent.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Early voting begins Monday in runoff races

Submitted by AprilMajors on Wednesday, June 25th, 8:46 am

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. -- Fulton County voters are encouraged to can cast their ballots early for the July 22nd Primary Runoff election. Beginning Monday, June 30th, voters will have three weeks to vote early prior to Election Day, July 22, 2014.

Early Voting Hours & Locations

HOURS