11Alive sends undercover cameras to investigate drugs at Tomorrowworld

ATLANTA -- The Drug Enforcement Agency put out a warning about illegal drugs there at the electronic dance music festival in south Fulton County, TomorrowWorld.  That warning focused on a designer drug called Molly. 

11Alive investigative journalists Ross McLaughlin and Shawn Hoder went to the event, bought two tickets, and took a small camera along. They captured activity right out in the open.

RELATED | Thousands turn out for Day 1 of TomorrowWorld

VIDEO | TomorrowWorld drug use a concern

PHOTOS | Electronic music fans pour into Fairburn

DEA agents say Molly is a purer form of the designer drug ecstasy or MDMA.  The problem is people overdose and many times the drug is cut with other dangerous substances.

Shawn Hoder asked one attendee, "Do you find that it's easy to get at a place like here?"

"Uh, very easy to get at a place like this. People walking around like hey I got Molly, I got Molly," he says on the undercover tape.

While no one would openly admit using, 11Alive watched as people pulled baggies out of cigarette boxes and took substances out that weren't cigarettes.

However, someone did show us their drug testing kit make sure what they were getting was pure.

The signs said no drugs, bag searches were done and there was supposed to be an amnesty bin at the entrance to drop off contraband, without consequences.

See more stories from the 11Alive investigative team. 

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Falcons fall short on Sunday Night Football, lose to Patriots 30-23

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons were unable to complete a furious fourth quarter comeback and in the process, fell to the New England Patriots 30-23 on Sunday Night Football. 

Atlanta falls to 1-3 on the season, while New England improves to 4-0. 

SEE THE BIG PLAYS | Game day photo gallery

The Falcons scored first with a 23-yard field goal. Just after the start of the second quarter, Tom Brady hit backup tight end Matthew Mulligan for a 1-yard touchdown pass. 

With 38 seconds left in the half, Tony Gonzalez had Falcons fans praising his decision NOT to retire. He went 21 yards for a touchdown to even the score 10-10 at halftime. 

PHOTO GALLERY | Tailgaters surround Georgia Dome

The late game didn't put off early tailgaters. The smell of grill smoke filled the air around the Georgia Dome by lunchtime. Barbeque grills, satellite televisions, and Falcons banners marked a group of fans confident the Falcons could end the Patriots' winning streak.

MORE FOOTBALL NEWS:

Steelers legend L.C. Greenwood dies at 67 

Three-week preseason, 14-team playoffs could be coming 

The Falcons told the 11Alive Sports Team running back Steven Jackson won't play due to a hamstring injury. According to the official injury report, four other players are listed as questionable: Sam Baker , Julio Jones, Asante Samuel, and Roddy White.

The Patriots will have to wait at least one more week for the return of wide receiver Danny Amendola and the debut of tight end Rob Gronkowski. Both players were originally listed as questionable, but ruled out when the team traveled to Atlanta without them. The Patriots have won three games without them, but  Julian Edleman has more than ten catches from Tom Brady (he has 27 catches and 201 yards).

Jim Carey in town for filming Dumber and Dumber To is at the game. The Atlanta Falcons retweeted a photo from the crew at Sunday Night Football on NBC.

The match up includes a battle of two strong quarterbacks: Tom Brady and Matt Ryan. Who do you think will have better numbers today?

Are you watching the Falcons game on 11Alive tonight? Join the conversation on Twitter using #SNFon11Alive and on our Facebook page. 

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Behind the scenes of Sunday Night Football

Bob Costas, Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth behind the scenes of Sunday Night Football.

ATLANTA -- Sunday Night Football is the number one primetime show in America, drawing more than twenty-million viewers per episode.

Staging this show is akin to moving a small city week in and week out. The production involves more than a hundred and fifty crew members, thirty high definition cameras, twelve digital replay devices, and forty-eight microphones. 

The show is anchored by a talented cast of veteran broadcasters including legendary play by play man Al Michaels, former NFL receiver Cris Collinsworth, NBC mainstay Bob Costas, former Superbowl M.V.P. Hines Ward and versatile Michelle Tafoya.

11Alive's John Gerard goes behind the scenes with these amazing people to show you how they put on this remarkable production.

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Thousands turn out for day one of TomorrowWorld

ATLANTA -- The wait is finally over for thousands of people, TomorrowWorld is here. 

Over the course of the next three days, people from 70 different counties will listen to 300 electronica acts with stages covering over 500 acres in Fairburn. 

MORE | Fans streaming into Atlanta for TomorrowWorld
PHOTOS | TomorrowWorld comes to Fairburn

The music got started at noon on Friday and will go until 1 a.m. every night. 

EVENTS | TomorrowWorld Activities 
MORE | Electronica collides with bucolica in Fulton

Event organizers expect close to 30,000 people to camp on the festival grounds throughout the weekend. 

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Smash and grab thieves swipe laptops in Tucker

TUCKER, GA -- CSR Computers opened for business during a halting economic recovery three and a half years ago.  The last few weeks saw an uptick. "It's a family business," said Chandra Singh, the store owner.  "And we had just started to see a trend of up, which we think which was part of the holiday season upcoming."

But the setback CSR suffered this week was jarring and destructive, and captured on the store's surveillance cameras in the wee hours of Thursday.  A pickup truck backed up to the front door, then raced backward through a metal security gate, and through the glass storefront.  The four thieves took off with armloads of laptop computers and printers.

"They pretty much wiped out about everything. All the laptops we had on display," said Singh. "And it's gone." 

The owners of the family business had seen the countless stories in the news about brazen smash and grab robberies - including several since midsummer in Henry County.  The thieves concern themselves with speed, not subtlety - and the volume of goods and cash they can grab in a matter of seconds. 

RELATED || Smash-and-grab thieves hit again in Henry Co.

Singh says DeKalb police were able to make two arrests on this robbery while two more thieves remain at large.  (DeKalb police declined comment.)  And the store is ruefully upgrading security - for what that's worth.,

"Whatever kind of security measure you do, it's not going to be enough. They'll find some way around it," said Scott Rippy, the store's general manager.

But they plan to try.  Business had been looking up - until Thursday.  

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Numerous Reports of a Fireball Streaking Across the Southeast Sky Saturday

We've had numerous reports from folks who saw a fireball streaking across the sky Saturday night.  This is most likely from a meteor breaking up and burning as it enters the atmosphere.  After getting reports locally, I checked some websites that report fireballs.  There was a big uptick in reports after 8pm Saturday from Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina.

We are checking with the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville to see if they got any type of video.  We will let you know what we find out.  If you happened to get a picture, send it to us at photos@11alive.com.  Some folks might even see this on security cameras in the 7:30-8pm time frame.  

(The attached picture was emailed to us from Sandy Miller from Dallas, Georgia)  Sandy said "I was out taking pics of the sunset tonight like I do every night and me and my neighbor were just about to walk in our homes when I looked up and saw what looked to be fireworks to the west.  The light looked to be going straight up with a bright blue flame on the tail and as I realized it was a meteor, I yelled to my neighbor to look up to see it . I still had my camera phone up but it took me by surprise, so I was not able to get a clear shot once  realized it was moving overhead. The attached shot is blurry, but it was right overhead as it broke up into about 3-4 pieces. It was the only shot I got.  It was awesome to see since it was still pretty light out, but scary since it was so close to earth."

Here's a look at some of the emails we got here at 11Alive:

"Hi would it have been possible to have seen a shooting star ...we do believe we saw one on griffin"

From Gainesville: "Seen a giant glowing shooting star like object just before dark. It was shooting sort of side ways. It was glowing aqua green at first.. Like a single firework... It had a white tail like a falling star... It moved in slow motion it seemed. And it lost color and broke into a couple of white dots then dissappeared. I wish I could have taken a picture. I know it was a very unusual happening. Just wanted to let you know. Not sure what it was. A comet, metor, not sure."

From Atlanta-"Seen a giant glowing shooting star like object just before dark. It was shooting sort of side ways. It was glowing aqua green at first.. Like a single firework... It had a white tail like a falling star... It moved in slow motion it seemed. And it lost color and broke into a couple of white dots then dissappeared. I wish I could have taken a picture. I know it was a very unusual happening. Just wanted to let you know. Not sure what it was. A comet, metor, not sure. "

From Cedartown-"Around 7:48 the 28 th I saw a light like a airplane but mutch briter annd way way faster it was traveling almost due east it had to be a meteor or astriod.never saw anything like it before."

Here's a look at some of the local reports from http://thelatestworldwidemeteorreports.blogspot.com/

Suwanee-"Traveling really fast. very bright, multiple pieces"

Atlanta-"Spotted at PDK airport. Approached as one large meteor with a white tail then booke up roughly overhead to orange burning, then continued to travel SW with no color emitting. Happened about 20 minutes after sunset."

Oakwood-"it was an impressive celestial display... I personally have not witnessed such a sustained entry since the Leonid meter shower of1998"

Marietta-"Amazing to see"

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Thousands turn out for day one of TomorrowWorld

ATLANTA -- The wait is finally over for thousands of people, TomorrowWorld is here. 

Over the course of the next three days, people from 70 different counties will listen to 300 electronica acts with stages covering over 500 acres in Fairburn. 

MORE | Fans streaming into Atlanta for TomorrowWorld
PHOTOS | TomorrowWorld comes to Fairburn

The music got started at noon on Friday and will go until 1 a.m. every night. 

EVENTS | TomorrowWorld Activities 
MORE | Electronica collides with bucolica in Fulton

Event organizers expect close to 30,000 people to camp on the festival grounds throughout the weekend. 

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State senator indicted by Fulton County grand jury

Georgia State Sen. Don Balfour (R-Lawrenceville, Snellville)

ATLANTA -- A Fulton County grand jury has indicted Georgia state Sen. Donald Balfour (R-Snellville) on 18 separate counts related to his submission of General Assembly expense reimbursement vouchers, which prosecutors say he was not entitled to.

Balfour faces 16 counts of making a false certificate, one count of theft by taking, and one count of false statement and writing.

The indictment says Balfour submitted false reimbursement vouchers for 29 different dates between 2007 and 2011. Typically, the vouchers were for "mileage reimbursement for travel from Snellville to Atlanta and back to Snellville."  

The state routinely pays per diem and mileage expenses for lawmakers.  But the indictment says Balfour submitted reimbursement vouchers for expenditures that he never actually made -- on days he wasn't at the Capitol.

Balfour's attorney told 11Alive's Blayne Alexander the allegations are false.

"Our investigation revealed that he might have made some inadvertent mistakes, but he certainly didn't intentionally take anything from the state," said attorney Patrick McDonough.

The discrepancies were first reported in Atlanta Unfiltered  -- where blogger Jim Walls noticed that Balfour had submitted mileage expenses on days in which lobbyists had separately reported spending money on him in New Orleans and San Antonio.

The indictment also accuses Balfour of theft by taking.  It accuses him of double-dipping an expense report -- taking a state reimbursement check  "greater than $500"  -- even though he was "was also reimbursed by (his employer) Waffle House Inc." for the same amount.

If convicted, each count of making a false certificate could lead to one-to-five years imprisonment and/or up to a $1,000 fine. Theft by is punishable to one-to-10 years in prison, and false statement and writing is punishable by one-to-five years imprisonment and/or up to a $1,000 fine.

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High School Football Scores - September 27

WXIA -- Here are the scores for week six of the high school football season:

MORE | Complete High School Sports Coverage: Scores, Highlights and more

Send us pictures of your team's game.  Email them tophotos@11alive.com.

Milton High School 38 Wheeler High School 9
FINAL

Alpharetta High School 38 South Forsyth High School 16
FINAL

Morrow High School 69 Rockdale County High School 20
FINAL

Flowery Branch High School 38 Salem High School 7
FINAL

Luella HS/MS 31 Alcovy High School 34
FINAL

Langston Hughes HS 44 Newton County High School 7
FINAL

Eastside High School 31 Madison County High School 14
FINAL

Archer High School 31 Dacula High School 14
FINAL

Clarkston High School 14 Hapeville Charter Career Academy 14
FINAL

Johns Creek HS 7 Chattahoochee High School 23
FINAL

Mountain View High School 13 Collins Hill High School 28
FINAL

North Forsyth High School 13 Lambert High School 14
FINAL

Rabun County High School 64 Social Circle High School 0
FINAL

Decatur High School 3 Cedar Grove High School 27
FINAL

Towers High School 7 St. Pius X Catholic High School 45
FINAL

Stephenson High School 35 Southwest Dekalb High School 7
FINAL

Arabia Mountain High School 6 Martin Luther King, Jr. High School 20
FINAL

Grayson High School 44 Shiloh High School 3
FINAL

Pinecrest Academy 37 Hebron Christian Academy 0
FINAL

Centennial High School 24 West Forsyth High School 48
FINAL

South Gwinnett High School 14 Central Gwinnett High School 41
FINAL

Brookwood High School 10 Parkview High School 0
FINAL

Cedar Shoals High School 13 Loganville High School 27
FINAL

Dunwoody High School 20 Miller Grove High School 8
FINAL

Creekview High School 54 Osborne High School 13
FINAL

Cherokee High School 14 Walton High School 38
FINAL

Cambridge High School 41 Pope High School 32
FINAL

Marietta High School 38 Pebblebrook High School 6
FINAL

Sequoyah High School 35 Sprayberry High School 7
FINAL

Woodstock High School 44 Lassiter High School 43
FINAL

Etowah High School 38 Roswell High School 36
FINAL

Blessed Trinity High School 27 Woodward Academy 17
FINAL

Hillgrove High School 63 Campbell High School 28
FINAL

Lakeside High School 7 Tucker High School 56
FINAL

Greater Atlanta Christian School 67 Howard School of Academics and Tech. 20
FINAL

Norcross High School 20 Mill Creek High School 13
FINAL

Wesleyan School 0 Jefferson County High School 7
FINAL

Meadowcreek High School 7 Duluth High School 34
FINAL

Northview 34 Riverwood High School 32
FINAL

South Paulding High School 48 Allatoona High School 45
FINAL

Ringgold High School 38 Adairsville High School 20
FINAL

Manchester High School 12 Bowdon High School 35
FINAL

Bremen High School 48 Jordan High School 7
FINAL

Cartersville High School 41 Coahulla Creek HS 3
FINAL

Cass High School 17 Dalton High School 30
FINAL

Lithia Springs High School 6 Paulding County High School 36
FINAL

Southeast Whitfield County High School 28 Cedartown High School 42
FINAL

Gordon Lee High School 0 Whitefield Academy 18
FINAL

Mc Eachern High School 41 Kennesaw Mountain High School 7
FINAL

North Paulding High School 56 Woodland High Shool 0
FINAL

Douglas County High School 27 Harris County High School 48
FINAL

Ridgeland High School 28 Pickens High School 41
FINAL

Harrison High School 14 North Cobb High School 46
FINAL

Dade County High School 13 Pepperell High School 7
FINAL

Mount Zion High School 21 Christian Heritage 42
FINAL

Villa Rica High School 0 East Paulding High School 31
FINAL

Darlington School 42 Trion High School 14
FINAL

New Manchester High School 26 Rome High School 42
FINAL

Armuchee High School 12 Model High School 13
FINAL

Calhoun High School 49 Coosa High School 13
FINAL

Spencer High School 48 Temple High School 6
FINAL

Northwest Whitfield High School 54 River Ridge HS 17
FINAL

Lamar County High School 40 Taylor County High School 14
FINAL

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School 22 Pace Academy 14
FINAL

Fayette County High School 19 Sandy Creek High School 54
FINAL

Starrs Mill High School 34 Charles R. Drew Charter 35
FINAL

Heard County High School 27 Kendrick High School 0
FINAL

Greenville High School 8 Marion County High School 35
FINAL

Stockbridge High School 14 Griffin High School 35
FINAL

Dutchtown HS/MS 42 Spalding High School 3
FINAL

Callaway High School 39 Maynard Jackson High School 14
FINAL

Southwest High School 19 Jackson High School 41
FINAL

Mundy's Mill 27 Mcintosh High School 28
FINAL

Locust Grove HS 43 North Clayton High School 14
FINAL

Union Grove HS/MS 14 Northgate High School 17
FINAL

Henry County HS 27 Central High School 26
FINAL

Eagles Landing Christian 34 Holy Innocents' Episcopal 14
FINAL

Eagle's Landing HS 31 Riverdale High School 10
FINAL

Newnan High School 29 Hardaway High School 27
FINAL

East Coweta High School 41 Central HS - Phoenix City 40
FINAL

Pike County High School 22 Carver High School 31
FINAL

North Atlanta High School 0 Mays High School 43
FINAL

Westminster School 30 Thomson High School 13
FINAL

Fort Payne HS 13 Lovett School, The 35
FINAL

Tri-Cities High School 21 Carver High School 50
FINAL

Portal High School 21 Emanuel County Institute 42
FINAL

Riverside Military Academy 28 Oglethorpe County High School 20
FINAL

North Hall High School 51 Dawson County High School 6
FINAL

East Hall High School 0 White County High School 6
FINAL

Washington-Wilkes High School 41 Union County High School 10
FINAL

Buford High School 63 Banks County High School 0
FINAL

Franklin County High School 7 Hart County High School 41
FINAL

East Jackson Comprehensive High School 4 Elbert County Comp High School 54
FINAL

Commerce High School 31 George Walton Academy 21
FINAL

Lumpkin County High School 31 Walnut Grove 19
FINAL

North Oconee High School 62 Jackson County High School 27
FINAL

Jefferson High School 55 Greene County High School 10
FINAL

Fannin County High School 7 West Hall High School 49
FINAL

Prince Avenue Christian School 50 Athens Christian School 10
FINAL

Clarke Central High School 43 Apalachee High School 19
FINAL

Oconee County High School 29 Morgan County High School 41
FINAL

Monroe Area High School 56 Lanier HS 28
FINAL

Gilmer High School 38 La Fayette High School 7
FINAL

Hancock Central High School 62 Warren County High School 12
FINAL

Richmond Academy 17 Wayne County High School 49
FINAL

Crisp County High School 40 Dougherty Comprehensive High School 14
FINAL

Monticello High School 6 Northeast High School 29
FINAL

Dooly County High School 21 Brookstone High School 0
FINAL

Windsor Academy 12 Gatewood Schools Inc 42
FINAL

Bacon County High School 13 Mc Intosh County Academy 19
FINAL

Effingham County High School 7 Bradwell Institute 6
FINAL

Savannah Christian Prep School 7 Johnson County High School 14
FINAL

Brantley County High School 25 A E Beach High School 14
FINAL

H. V. Jenkins High School 40 Groves 7
FINAL

Atkinson County High School 15 Benedictine Military School 48
FINAL

Wilcox County High School 19 Charlton County High School 51
FINAL

Camden County High School 14 Valdosta HS 10
FINAL

Early County High School 6 Brooks County High School 13
FINAL

Turner County High School 27 Lanier County High School 0
FINAL

Fitzgerald High School 24 Pelham High School 0
FINAL

Lee County High School 28 Dodge High School 14
FINAL

Lowndes HS 7 Colquitt County HS 37
FINAL

Americus Sumter High - South 40 Worth County High School 27
FINAL

Thomasville High School 21 Cook High School 14
FINAL

Miller County High School 13 Mitchell County High School 20
FINAL

Terrell County High School 8 Calhoun County High School 0
FINAL

Howard HS 0 Mary Persons High School 48
FINAL

Cross Keys High School 47 North Cobb Christian 29
FINAL

Peachtree Ridge 49 Habersham Central High School 0
FINAL

North Springs High School 0 Carlton J. Kell High School 35
FINAL

Heritage High School- Conyers 7 Gainesville High School 48
FINAL

Best Academy 0 Central High School (Carroll) 14
FINAL

Carrollton High School 51 Columbus High School 0
FINAL

Athens Academy 35 Lakeview Academy 7
FINAL

Savannah High School 0 Appling County High School 40
FINAL

Woodland HS/MS 14 Jonesboro High School 17
FINAL

Chestatee High School 17 Stephens County High School 0
FINAL

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Evelyn Lowery dies from stroke-related complications

Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery and his wife, Evelyn Lowery (USA Today)

ATLANTA -- Evelyn Lowery, wife of civil rights leader Dr. Joseph Lowery, died Thursday morning. Mrs. Lowery suffered a massive stroke last weekend. She was 88.

MORE | Evelyn Lowery dies from stroke-related complications

The funeral will be held on Oct. 2 at the Morehouse King Chapel at 11 a.m. A public viewing will take place on Monday, Oct. 1 at Atlanta City Hall. 

The Lowery family said Wednesday doctors told them damage from the stroke was "irreversible" and had brought her home from the hospital.

PHOTOS | Mrs. Evelyn Lowery
PHOTOS | Notable deaths in 2013
RELATED | Local reaction to the death of Evelyn Lowery

The Lowery family released a statement Thursday morning:

In the early hours of the morning, surrounded by her family and husband of close to 70 years, Mrs. Evelyn Gibson Lowery made her transition in the comforts of her home. Having suffered irreversible damages after experiencing a severe stroke on last Wednesday evening, Mrs. Lowery returned home on last evening, having been under the constant care of medical experts at a local Atlanta hospital. After having received guidance from the medical experts that there was nothing more medically that they could do, the Lowery family returned their beloved Evelyn home to peacefully rest around those she loved.

"My beloved Evelyn was a special woman, whose life was committed to service, especially around the issues of empowering women. She was a wonderful mother and wife and I thank God that she didn't suffer any pain and that I was blessed having her as my partner, my confidant and my best friend for close to 70 years. I will miss her each and every day, but as a man of faith, I know that she is with her God," stated Rev. Lowery. "My entire family has been overwhelmed by the continuous outpourings of love, support and prayers that have come from across the country and we ask for your continued prayers over the next few days."

Mrs. Lowery was the founder of S.C.L.C. Women, Inc. the sister organization to the historic civil rights organization, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the creator of the annual Drum Major of Justice Awards that is held annually in April in Atlanta, GA. Funeral announcements are yet to be announced.

In a statement Thursday, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed celebrated Mrs. Lowery's life, calling her a champion for human rights.

"On behalf of the City of Atlanta, I extend my deepest sympathies to the family of Rev. Joseph Lowery. Today we remember Mrs. Evelyn Lowery, a remarkable woman in her own right, who dedicated her life to promoting equality, liberty and justice for all people. We are all a direct beneficiary of her sacrifice, service and work as a champion for human rights. Her legacy will continue to encourage many individuals, like me, to live with integrity, pride, courage and faith."

Rev. Bernice King, CEO of the King Center, released a statement regarding Mrs. Lowery's death Thursday afternoon:

"I am deeply saddened by the death of Mrs. Evelyn Gibson Lowery, and my heart goes out to her husband, Dr. Joseph E. Lowery and their three daughters, Yvonne Kennedy, Karen Lowery and Cheryl Lowery-Osborne. We are never prepared to say "goodbye" to a loved one.

"Evelyn Lowery was not only the beloved wife and active partner of one of America's greatest civil rights leaders, but one of the most admired and respected veterans of the American Civil Rights Movement. She was a dedicated and energetic leader in her own right. As founder and chair of SCLC/Women, Mrs. Lowery provided tireless leadership to empower women, protect and educate children and nurture families. She further led the way to making a difference in the world by establishing the Drum Major for Justice Awards Dinner, the Evelyn G. Lowery Civil Rights Heritage Tour, and the Bridging the Gap -Girls to Women Mentoring Program.

"The King Center joins the civil rights community in mourning the loss of our dear sister, Mrs. Evelyn G. Lowery. But we celebrate her life as a good and faithful servant of God and humanity, whose indelible contributions will continue to inspire us as we carry forward the struggle into the future."  

Evelyn Gibson Lowery was born February 16, 1925 in Memphis to the Rev. and Mrs. Harry Gibson. Her father was a major presence as president of the local chapter of the NAACP. Before the age of 18, young Evelyn committed herself toward a future of working for the future of those around her.

On May 5, 1946, she joined her life with that of Rev. Joseph Lowery as the two of them began their long and loving marriage.

In 1979, seeing a special need for women and families, Mrs. Lowery formed SCLC/Women's Organizational Movement for Equality Now as an offshoot of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

In 1980, she founded the Drum Major for Justice Awards Dinner. In 1987, Mrs. Lowery founded the Evelyn G. Lowery Civil Rights Heritage Tour, a two-day motor coach tour across Alabama.

In 1995, she created the Bridging the Gap - Girls to Women mentoring program. Later that year, she led to the purchase and renovation of the historic Tabor Building on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, which now houses the offices and resources of SCLC/W.O.M.E.N, Inc.

OTHER STORIES OF INTEREST:
- 50 Years of Change: Remembering the March on Washington
- Rev. Joseph Lowery shares his memories of the 1963 Civil Rights movement
- Rev. Lowery celebrates his 90th birthday 

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Tripp Halstead shows improvement, starts preschool

Tripp Halstead attends first day of preschool.

JEFFERSON, Ga. -- It's been almost a year since Tripp Halstead was hit and nearly killed by a falling tree branch during Hurricane Sandy. 

Since then, it's been a tough road for the toddler, who is now three years old. But Thursday, his family celebrated a major milestone: Tripp began his first day of preschool.

Stacey Halstead said at times, it felt like this day would never come.

"With the throwing up and the medicines and him being on such a particular food schedule, I didn't think I'd be able to leave him at all," she said. "I figured 24-7, I'd always be with him."

Thursday afternoon, Stacey Halstead sat down with 11Alive's Blayne Alexander to talk about her son's first day of school.

She said in the past few months, Tripp has made a marked improvement. He is learning to communicate with his eyes; a long blink means "yes." He's also holding his head up and making noises, neither of which were possible a few months ago, she says.

"They do push him a little harder [in therapy], and if he gets upset, we just talk him through it and keep going," she said.

Tripp attends a school for special needs children once a week. His mother said if he continues to do well, they might increase his attendance.

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Body of missing Army vet found in car

ATLANTA -- Randal Andrew Ackerman, the missing Army veteran, was found deceased in his car Thursday evening around 6 p.m. in an embankment. 

Ackerman's body was discovered by Georgia State Patrol, who was called in to investigate a traffic crash involving a Ford Focus at Johnson Ferry Road and Mill Creek.

CLOSER LOOK | Photos of Andrew Ackerman

Upon arrival, the troopers found a vehicle that had left the roadway, traveled down the embankment and overturned. 

The exact day and time of the crash has not yet been determined at this time.

Atlanta police tell 11Alive's Julie Wolfe they responded to a call for a missing person Tuesday morning at the Hangovers Bar in Buckhead. Jeanette Kunitz reported her friend, Randal Andrew Ackerman, was last seen there around 2 a.m. Tuesday. He lives in Sandy Springs and was in the city going out after attending a Braves game.   

RELATED VIDEO | Coping with PTSD

When he stopped answering his phone, she called mutual friends who also were unable to locate him. Ackerman's roommate said he hasn't been home. Kunitz told police she was concerned because Ackerman suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and could be in the middle of an episode. He was recently honorably discharged from the Army after a tour in Afghanistan.  He's served for more than ten years and had also been stationed in Iraq for multiple tours. 

A close friend, Kara Jenkins, called him "trusting, silly, fun... a great friend who cared about everyone."

WOODSTOCK | Police searching for missing man in Woodstock

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Braves: Tim Hudson up for Roberto Clemente Award

ATLANTA -- Tim Hudson is in the running for the Roberto Clemente Award, according to a tweet the Braves sent Wednesday. 

VOTE HERE| Tim Hudson for Roberto Clemente Award

The team nominated Hudson just weeks after he suffered a fractured ankle. The moment was called "hard to watch" by fans and the unfortunate fall put the Braves pitcher out for the season's remainder.  

Comments flooded social media on the gruesome injury and well wishes for Hudson. 

At the time of the injury, Hudson was a three-time All-Star with 205 career wins. 

Hudson was born in Georgia and grew up a Braves fan in Alabama. In December 2004, he was traded from the Oakland Athletics to come back home to Braves country. He had served a nine-year tenure before the ankle injury forced an early closeout in 2013.

PHOTOS | Tim Hudson fractures ankle

In the tweet, the Braves began rallying votes for Hudson through the #VoteHuddy hashtag. 

They also included a link where fans can help Hudson move closer to winning the award.

Do you think Tim Hudson has what it takes to win the Roberto Clemente Award for sportsmanship, and being a big part of his team? If so, you can #VoteHuddy.

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Former UGA football player Paul Oliver dies at 29

ATLANTA -- Former Bulldog cornerback Paul Oliver passed away in Atlanta on Tuesday at the age of 29.

A native of Kennesaw, Ga., and graduate of Harrison High School, Oliver signed with Georgia and arrived in Athens before the 2003 season. He redshirted his first year before playing the 2004-06 seasons for the Bulldogs.

Oliver played in 38 games during his Georgia career and started 15 of them, including all 13 in 2006. He finished with 94 tackles, three sacks, five forced fumbles and seven interceptions in his career.

"It's heartbreaking for me personally, for our staff, for the Bulldog Nation I'm sure, and obviously for his family," said Georgia head coach Mark Richt. "I was crushed this morning when I heard it, quite frankly. I really haven't been able to keep it off my mind to be honest with you. We've got to find a way to reach out and help in any way we can. If there's some way that the Bulldog Nation can rally around that family I hope everybody would be encouraged to do so."

One of Oliver's highlights was holding current Detroit Lion and former Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson to just two catches for 13 yards in 2006. Oliver snagged an interception in the game's final minute to help the Bulldogs top the Yellow Jackets 15-12.

The San Diego Chargers used a fourth round pick in the 2007 supplemental draft to take Oliver. He made his debut for the Chargers in 2008 and played in 57 games over the next four seasons. In 2010, Oliver started eight games at safety and tallied 44 tackles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.

Oliver started 12 games in his NFL career (all with the Chargers) and finished with 144 tackles, one sack and four interceptions.

Oliver leaves behind his wife, the former Chelsea Young, and two children.

Funeral arrangements have not bee finalized.

The Sports Network

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Lohse pitches 2-hit shutout as Brewers beat Braves

Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez (27) reacts with Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann (16) after hitting a home run during the first inning at Turner Field. Photo: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

ATLANTA (AP) -- Kyle Lohse pitched a two-hitter and the Milwaukee Brewers overcame Carlos Gomez's ejection in the first inning to beat the Atlanta Braves 4-0 on Wednesday night.

The NL East champion Braves were shut out for the second time in three nights and have been blanked 17 times, second-most in the league.

After losing three of four, Atlanta has fallen three games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL's best winning percentage.

Lohse (11-10) struck out five and threw just 22 of 89 pitches for balls. In his first season with Milwaukee, Lohse was pitching for St. Louis when he had his last shutout, a 5-0 victory over Washington on April 21, 2011.

Gomez, made it 1-0 in the first with his 23rd homer, but was ejected without touching home plate during a benches-clearing argument.

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Atlanta Mayor disputes some of critical crime fighting audit

ATLANTA - On Monday our Waste Watchers team told you about a federal audit that claimed Atlanta may have misspent as much as $400,000 of $1-Million in federal crime fighting grants.

Tuesday morning, Mayor Kasim Reed responded to our questions about the audit.

Several times he pointed out most of the questionable spending did not happen on his watch.

"The events occurred, the overwhelming majority of them, before we ever took office," Reed said, pointing out he became mayor in January of 2010 and the audit covered the period from 2007 to 2010.

The U.S. Justice Department audit looked into how the city spent grants for the Weed and Seed program designed to help reduce crime in the Mechanicsville and Pittsburgh neighborhoods.

SEE ORIGINAL STORY HERE

Reed admitted the city may not be able to justify how it spent about $73,000 of the nearly $400,000 in question, but disputed the rest.

"We disagree with the findings of the amount owed," he said.

He also insisted the city not only met the overall goal of the program, but exceeded it.

"The purpose of the Weed and Seed initiative was to push crime down in those communities by 5%; we've pushed down crime in those communities by 40%, which is why we no longer have the program," the mayor added.

Reed claimed it isn't easy finding all the documents the federal government wants going back to 2007.

But he said the finance department is working on it and he will let us know the outcome.

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DeKalb District Attorney dismisses charges against wrongly accused man

Flanked by family member and community leaders, Nathan Dwight appeared on the steps of the DeKalb County courthouse to announce that the charges against him had been dropped -- his long and arduous journey through the criminal justice system at an end.

Even with a growing body of evidence pointing to this innocence, calls from civil rights leaders to dismiss the charges and an embarrassing videotape in which a DeKalb County Detective was caught using a racial slur during his interrogation, it still took the 25-year-old more than four years to clear his name.

"It's been said the wheels of justice move slowly," Dwight said. "But in my case, it seemed like they were turning backwards."

DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James recently notified Dwight that his office was dismissing all charges related to a 2009 carjacking -- a crime he insists he did not commit.

11Alive News was the first to report on the videotaped police interrogation in which Detective Michael Hellerman uses a racial slur as he tries to intimidate Dwight into confessing to a carjacking and armed robbery -- crimes he insists he did not commit.

RELATED | DeKalb detective caught on tape using racial slur
RELATED | NAACP investigates police interrogation
MORE | Rockdale Sheriff apologizes for racial slur
MORE | DeKalb detective transferred out of investigative unit

The fallout from the videotape and our special report continues to widen. Two metro Atlanta law enforcement agencies -- the DeKalb County Police Department and the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office -- have launched internal investigations into the conduct of their officers and the use of the racial slur. 

The videotape shows DeKalb County Detective Michael Hellerman threatening an Nathan Dwight with the prospect of being convicted by a "jury full of white people," who will only see him as a "straight-up n*****."

An internal investigation found Det. Hellerman guilty of "Conduct Unbecoming" a police officer. Det. Hellerman tendered his resignation shortly after the scathing report was completed.

In 2009, Nathan Dwight was accused of carjacking a woman in DeKalb County and then using that stolen car in a violent armed robbery of a convenience store in Rockdale County.

He was tried, convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the robbery in Rockdale.

Eyewitnesses identified him, even though the robber was wearing a disguise.

Nathan spent more than two years behind bars before DNA evidence found in the stolen car convinced a judge to overturn his conviction.

During a blistering police interrogation, the then 21-year-old adamantly maintained his innocence.

The police, however, were convinced they had their man and turned up the heat in hopes of getting a confession.  In stark, unflattering terms, Detective Michael Hellerman paints a picture of Dwight's chances before a jury.

"We're going to get a whole jury -- a whole jury full of white people," Detective Hellerman told an visibly agitated Dwight.

"I'm not confessing to nothing I didn't do," Dwight interjected.

Dwight sat down with 11Alive's Devin Fehely, saying "Morally, in my eyes, that was wrong.  I mean he looked me dead in my face and called me, 'a n****.' It was just blatant."

DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric Alexander said, "It sent a chill up my back that an investigator in this police department would use such language."

11Alive News showed the interrogation video to Chief Alexander and his reaction was a mix of embarrassment and outrage.

"Quite frankly, I shouldn't be the only person upset with this. I think anybody in the judicial system should be absolutely outraged by this," he said.

The jurors at Dwight's original trial saw parts of the videotaped interrogation, but neither the prosecution nor the defense played the segment where Detective Hellerman used the n-word.

Defense attorney Mawuli Davis said, "They needed to see how far this officer would go to get this young man to confess to something that he has always said he did not do."

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80 yr old man beaten in attempted carjacking in East Point

Creston Portis, 80, suffered a fractured cheek

EAST POINT, Ga. -- East Point Police are looking for suspects in an attempted carjacking and beating of an 80-year-old man.

It happened September 14th as Creston Portis was returning to his East Point home after visiting friends.

East Point Police Lt. Cliff Chandler said the crime hit the police department hard because the victim's son used to be a police officer with East Point. "This crime is particularly disconcerting to us at the police department," he said. "We are particularly concerned at the level of violence that was exhibited by these perpetrators."

Police said Portis was approached by two males and one female after they blocked him in his driveway. They were driving a black Mercedes Benz, according to police.

The two males were armed with at least one handgun and threw a brick through the passenger side window and began striking Portis in the head with the gun.

Portis told 11 Alive News he refused to unlock the door. "He (suspect) had like a 45 (handgun) and he's beating on the window and telling me to 'get out the car, get out the car, get out the car'," he said.

Portis said he heard the female tell the suspects to "leave him alone'. "At one time she said 'come on, let's go, leave him alone'," Portis said. "Then I heard her say 'get his money, see if he's got money'."

Portis said the suspects forcefully ripped his pants and stole his wallet.  

The suspects fled the area and Portis said he called 911. He suffered a fractured cheek and cuts above his eye.

Police have surveillance photos of a black male and two black females that are persons of interest in this crime as well as two vehicles believed to be involved. Lt. Chandler said they were using the victim's credit card at a convenience store. 

TAKE A LOOK | Pictures of the people wanted for questioning and the cars involved

Portis asked why they would pick on someone his age. "What kind of training, home training or life training do they have?," he said. "What kind of character do they have doing something like this?"

Anyone with information on this case can submit it anonymously to the East Point Police Department at 404-761-6287 (Sergeant Glover), Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577-TIPS(8477), online www.crimestoppersatlanta.org or by texting CSA and the tip to CRIMES(274637).  

There is a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest.

You can follow Kevin on Twitter @krowson11alive

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Dream beat Mystics in Game 3 to advance

ATLANTA (AP) - Erika de Souza scored 10 of her 18 points during a decisive fourth quarter and the Atlanta Dream beat the Washington Mystics 80-72 win in the decisive Game 3 of their WNBA first-round series Monday night.

The Dream advanced to face the fourth-seeded Indiana Fever in the Eastern Conference finals, which will begin Thursday in Atlanta. The Fever, who won the WNBA title last season, eliminated top-seeded Chicago in two games.

Tiffany Hayes had 18 points and Armintie Herrington added 14 points for the Dream, while Monique Currie led the Mystics with 22 points.

The Dream trailed 57-55 after three quarters, but a 15-2 run early in the fourth quarter put Atlanta in position to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the third time in four years. De Souza had six points during the run, emotionally gesturing to the crowd as Atlanta took control.

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DeKalb District Attorney dismisses charges against wrongly accused man

Nathan Dwight's long and arduous journey through the criminal justice system is finally over.

Even with a growing body of evidence pointing to this innocence, calls from civil rights leaders to dismiss the charges against him and an embarrassing videotape in which a DeKalb County Detective is caught with a racial slur during his interrogation, it still took the 25-year-old more than four years to clear his name.

DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James recently notified Dwight that his office was dismissing all charges related to a 2009 carjacking -- a crime he insists he did not commit.

11Alive News was the first to report on the videotaped police interrogation in which Detective Michael Hellerman uses a racial slur as he tries to intimidate Dwight into confessing to a carjacking and armed robbery -- crimes he insists he did not commit.

RELATED | DeKalb detective caught on tape using racial slur
RELATED | NAACP investigates police interrogation
MORE | Rockdale Sheriff apologizes for racial slur
MORE | DeKalb detective transferred out of investigative unit

The fallout from the videotape and our special report continues to widen. Two metro Atlanta law enforcement agencies -- the DeKalb County Police Department and the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office -- have launched internal investigations into the conduct of their officers and the use of the racial slur. 

The videotape shows DeKalb County Detective Michael Hellerman threatening an Nathan Dwight with the prospect of being convicted by a "jury full of white people," who will only see him as a "straight-up n*****."

An internal investigation found Det. Hellerman guilty of "Conduct Unbecoming" a police officer. Det. Hellerman tendered his resignation shortly after the scathing report was completed.

In 2009, Nathan Dwight was accused of carjacking a woman in DeKalb County and then using that stolen car in a violent armed robbery of a convenience store in Rockdale County.

He was tried, convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the robbery in Rockdale.

Eyewitnesses identified him, even though the robber was wearing a disguise.

Nathan spent more than two years behind bars before DNA evidence found in the stolen car convinced a judge to overturn his conviction.

During a blistering police interrogation, the then 21-year-old adamantly maintained his innocence.

The police, however, were convinced they had their man and turned up the heat in hopes of getting a confession.  In stark, unflattering terms, Detective Michael Hellerman paints a picture of Dwight's chances before a jury.

"We're going to get a whole jury -- a whole jury full of white people," Detective Hellerman told an visibly agitated Dwight.

"I'm not confessing to nothing I didn't do," Dwight interjected.

Dwight sat down with 11Alive's Devin Fehely, saying "Morally, in my eyes, that was wrong.  I mean he looked me dead in my face and called me, 'a n****.' It was just blatant."

DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric Alexander said, "It sent a chill up my back that an investigator in this police department would use such language."

11Alive News showed the interrogation video to Chief Alexander and his reaction was a mix of embarrassment and outrage.

"Quite frankly, I shouldn't be the only person upset with this. I think anybody in the judicial system should be absolutely outraged by this," he said.

The jurors at Dwight's original trial saw parts of the videotaped interrogation, but neither the prosecution nor the defense played the segment where Detective Hellerman used the n-word.

Defense attorney Mawuli Davis said, "They needed to see how far this officer would go to get this young man to confess to something that he has always said he did not do."

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Catholic Organist says he lost his job because he is gay

ATLANTA -- Nick Johns is a gifted musician.  As a cradle Catholic who was the son of a deacon and an altar boy himself, Johns grew up with a love for the organ that was so strong, he pursued a degree in it at Georgia State University. 

"It's very lifting for me and very spiritual for me," Johns says.

For all those years, because of his faith, Johns says he denied who he really was -- a gay man.  "When you grow up Catholic, there's always that teaching being gay is wrong and not natural. It's the devil working inside of you."

Two years ago when he was 25, Johns came out.  Last October he was hired as an organist at St. Brigid in Johns Creek, a church with close to 5,000 families.

Shortly after he was hired Johns says a parishioner went to the head pastor, Monsignor David Talley. 

"They printed out something that was on my Facebook wall.  They were pictures, I support marriage equality or something like that."

Johns' Facebook wall has posts supporting gay marriage and photos of he and his fiance. Johns says Monsignor Talley spoke to him and that he was compassionate.   "He asked me to be cautious around here and make my profile private." 

Johns made his profile private.  He says he loved his job and that Monsignor Talley sang his praises from the pulpit, saying in one sermon how he loved to listen to Johns rehearse when the church was empty.

Then Pope Benedict named Talley Atlanta's Auxiliary Bishop.  In a press conference held at the archdiocese Talley says, "I will hope to give my whole heart, all that I am, to this new way of caring for the Lord's flock." 

Johns says, "We were all so excited. We were so proud of him. He was doing wonderful things there."

Johns says just weeks after Talley left St. Brigid, Father Joshua Allen, another priest at the church who served under Talley, called him.  "And he said 'I hate to do this over the phone but you're under suspension facing possible termination due to your Facebook account being in moral dissension with the teachings of the Catholic church.'"

RELATED | Pope Francis says there should be less attention on gays and abortion

In a letter Johns received from St. Brigid, Father Allen writes that disciplinary action 'could include termination.' Johns says one week later Allen gave him the option of termination or resignation. Johns says he chose resignation.

In a video of Father Allen on Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters website, he discusses the Supreme Court's ruling on same sex marriage, saying "Homosexual activity is just another sin.  It's not like we have a problem with this one over another one.  And the church is never going to stand by idly as society tries to turn it into something that is not a sin."

The Atlanta Chapter of the American Guild of Organists wrote to St. Brigid and asked for mediation.  It has yet to happen.  The Guild filed a complaint against the church and writes in a letter that 'No Guild member can seek employment there until the matter is resolved.'  Guild leaders also wrote that members 'should be treated with dignity regardless of their beliefs and stances on social issues."

The Catholic church has every right to fire Nick Johns, or to force his resignation.  Employee handbooks for dioceses across the country state that church employees must reflect the teachings of the church.  The Atlanta Archdiocese would not speak for the story except to say they do not comment on current or former employees.  Off camera, two priests with the archdiocese say Nick Johns' story is well known and cause for concern, especially in light of Pope Francis who said months ago when asked about homosexuals, "Who am I to judge?"  And last week in an interview said that 'Religion does not have the right to interfere spiritually in the lives of gays and lesbians.'

Johns is the interim organist at Rock Spring Presbyterian Church.  They know his story.  They know he is gay and they welcomed him.  "I've never felt more welcome than I have here," Johns said.

Being Catholic is a big part of who Johns is, but he is questioning whether he will ever return to the only faith he's ever known.  "The Catholic church was my home for my whole life.  And this is them telling me that I'm not wanted."

RELATED STORIES:
- PHOTOS | Pope Francis around the world
- Pope Francis says we "need to embrace those in need"
- Pope says he won't judge gay priests
- Pope Francis to bishops: Get out of your churches
- Pope Francis jokes with Crowd before blessing

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Friendship Baptist votes "Yes" to stadium deal

ATLANTA -- Friendship Baptist Church "overwhelmingly" voted in favor of the new Falcons stadium, according to Lloyd Hawk, who is a chairman of the church's board of trustees.

"After careful prayerful and deliberate consideration of all this this proposal means to our church, the community, to our missions, ministry and service, the congregation of friendship baptist church has overwhelmingly agreed to accept the proposed agreement between ourselves, the Atlanta falcons organization and the city of Atlanta to sell our current site," Hawk said. 

The deal with the church is worth $19.5 million. 

RELATED | Mount Vernon church approves $14.5 million deal
PHOTOS | What the new stadium will look like

"We believe with this transaction and our ability to remain in our community we will be able to provide an even greater level of service and ministry which is so desperately needed in order to transform this community to the heights it is capable of achieving and so desperately deserving," Hawk added.

According to Hawk, the entire congregation voted on the deal however, the final tally was not released.

Friendship Baptist Church has been around for 151 years and at it's current location for 134 years.

"(The) church has been here 151 years. It's sad but it's good for the church," said Lafayette Beamon, who used to be a church member at Friendship Baptist.
"It was the right thing to do. It makes a lot of sense, business sense. Sometimes religion and business don't quite meet. You can't grow a church with a football stadium across the street."

After the deal was announced, Mayer Kasim Reed congratulated everyone involved in the deal with a tweet. 

Mayor Reed also released a statement shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon. 

"Today's vote by the congregation of Friendship Baptist Church is the result of a great deal of cooperation and hard work over many weeks. This was not an easy process, but I believe all the parties involved kept true to the Atlanta way by coming together to make a decision in a fair, open fashion for the overall benefit of our city. I appreciate the efforts of the Friendship Board of Trustees, Chairman Lloyd Hawk, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel McCall and the entire Friendship congregation.

I am excited about the positive impact that the expanded ministries of both Friendship Baptist Church and Mount Vernon Baptist Church will have in the community in the months and years ahead. I also look forward to the construction of an iconic Atlanta Falcons stadium that is easily accessible to all of our city's residents and brings well-paying jobs and greater business opportunities to the surrounding historic neighborhoods of Vine City, English Avenue and Castleberry Hill."

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Obama calls for 'transformation' of nation's gun laws

Mourners leave a funeral service for Navy Yard shooting victim Martin Bodrog at the Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield, Va. on Sept. 21. (Photo: Cliff Owen, AP)

President Obama called Sunday for a "transformation" of the nation's gun laws, saying last week's deadly shooting at the Washington Navy Yard echoes too many similar killings across the United States.

"Our tears are not enough," Obama said during a memorial service in Washington, D.C. "Our words are not enough. We are going to have to change."

RELATED| Investigators find history of erratic behavior in Navy Yard shooter
MORE | 13 killed, including lone gunman; motive unclear

Acknowledging that a gun control package he proposed earlier this year has stalled in Congress, Obama said the changed won't come from Washington, but has to come from the American people themselves.

During a 20-minute eulogy delivered at the Marine Barracks Washington, Obama also warned that Americans must fight "a creeping resignation" about mass shootings, the notion that "this is somehow the new normal."

There is "nothing normal about innocent men and women gunned down where they work,' Obama said.

In a sometimes emotional address, the president said he has now spoken at "five American communities ripped apart by mass violence," and added: "Once more, our hearts are broken; once more, we ask why."

Obama, who has proposed changes to the nation's gun and mental illness laws, noted that shootings in other countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom led to changes in their gun laws.

"What's different in America is that it's easy to get your hands on a gun," Obama said.

Obama has delivered sadly similar remarks at Fort Hood in Texas, an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., a movie theater in Aurora, Colo.; and a supermarket appearance by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., in Tucson -- and, now, Washington, D.C.

Just before his speech, Obama met privately with relatives of those who lost their lives during the attack. During the service, the president told the families, "we cannot begin to comprehend your loss."

Obama proposed a series of gun control laws after the Newtown shooting, including expanded background checks, but they have been blocked in Congress, mostly because of Republican opposition.

Many Republicans, and some Democrats, called the gun control plans ineffective and an infringement on Second Amendment rights to gun ownership. GOP members said they emphasis should be on preventing the mental ill from obtaining guns.

Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, also cited inadequate security as another reason for Monday's shooting at the Washington Navy Yard, just a few miles from the U.S. Capitol and the White House.

"A terrorist target -- a high-value terrorist target -- completely unprotected," LaPierre said on NBC's Meet The Press.

Neighbors and tourists across the street from the Marine Barracks also debated the gun control issue.

Jake Kennedy, who had traveled down from Boston, said the shooting served as a reminder of how inefficient Congress has become -- it's now impossible to even talk about gun laws. After recent shootings at an elementary school, a neighborhood, a workplace and a movie theater, Kennedy aid he wondered what it would take.

"This is a stalemate," he said. "A law doesn't need to restrict anyone's freedom, but this argument over military-style rifles is silly."

Alix Montes, who lives in Washington, said he is worried that people are so focused on guns -- and stressed that they should be -- that they miss all other aspects of the gun violence problem: Mental health, poverty, education, security and profiling in cases where the police shoot unarmed people.

"What do the schools look like?" he said. "What do homes look like? Racial profiling? In this case, did people do the right thing? What can they do to prevent it?"

He added: "We're human, so it's easy to find one thing to blame."

Authorities say Navy contractor Aaron Alexis, 34, arrived at work Monday morning, passed through security, assembled a shotgun in a men's room and began a shooting spree that left 12 people dead before he was fatally shot.

Witnesses say Alexis had a history of mental problems.

Nathan Sterling, a Washington bartender, said "it's too easy to get guns," but also cited reports that the Alexis had "heard voices" and tried to get help. "He tried reaching out and they didn't do anything," Sterling said. "it's unconscionable."

During the service inside the Marine Barracks, Obama noted that he has ordered a review of security at military installations. But he said the U.S. must seek a transformation of the nation's gun laws.

Another speaker, Washington Mayor Vincent Gray, echoed Obama by saying that "our country is drowning in a sea of guns." He called it "a fact of life which we must stop accepting."

Officials closed the memorial to the public amid tight security. Some 4,000 invitees attended, many of them military personnel and members of Congress.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and other officials are spoke. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told mourners, "this act of evil defies comprehension."

The service included a reading of the names of the fallen, accompanied by the tolling of a bell; a band played both the Navy hymn and Taps.

The Navy Yard reopened Thursday -- except for Building 197, where the tragedy took place.

As Obama noted, this is only his latest memorial address.

Just this year, the president has spoken at services follow a bombing at the Boston Marathon, a fertilizer plant explosion in Texas, and a deadly tornado in Oklahoma.

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Kenya military says most hostages rescued in mall siege

Kenya's military reported late Sunday that it had rescued hostages and secured "most parts" of an upscale shopping mall in Nairobi where al-Qaeda-linked militants armed with assault rifles and grenades killed scores of people in an attack and two-day siege.

The Red Cross in Kenya said the death toll in the attack at Narobi's Westgate Shopping Mall was at least 68.

PHOTOS | Deadly Kenya mall attack

The Kenya Defence Forces posted on its Twitter account that "most of the hostages hostages have been rescued'' and that four security forces had taken control of "most parts of the building.''

"All efforts are underway to bring this matter to a speedy conclusion,'' the government's defense forces statement said.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said five Americans were among the people injured in the attack. She said the U.S. has no reports of any American deaths, although the wife of a Foreign Service employee working for the U.S. Agency for International Development was killed.

Harf said U.S. law enforcement, military and civilian personnel in Nairobi are providing advice and assistance to the Kenyan authorities. She said the U.S. government condemns the "despicable massacre of innocent men, women and children'' at the shopping mall.

An unknown number of extremists and hostages remained in the mall. Kenya's Daily Nation reported that a combination of Kenyan defense and internal security security forces were attempting to make an assault on the attackers, reportedly holed in a room with bulletproof glass.

Earlier, Kenya's interior cabinet secretary Joseph Lenku said 175 were injured and that about 1,000 people have been rescued so far.

The Somali militant group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility on Twitter for Saturday's attack, which was allegedly carried out by 10 to 15 gunmen with AK-47s and other sophisticated weapons. Al-Shabaab, which said the attack was retribution for Kenyan forces' 2011 push into Somalia, threatened more violence.

"The Mujahideen entered #Westgate Mall today at around noon and are still inside the mall, fighting the #Kenyan Kuffar inside their own turf," the group said on Twitter.

"What Kenyans are witnessing at #Westgate is retributive justice for crimes committed by their military," the group said.

On Friday, the day before the attack on the mall began, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel hosted the Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, senior members of his cabinet, and the chief of the Somali National Army, Gen. Dahir Elmi.

The Pentagon said Hagel "reaffirmed the United States' support to the year-old Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali people" and that Hagel and the Somali leaders discussed how the U.S. military might assist in the training of Somali troops.

President Obama called President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya on Sunday to express condolences. Obama "reiterated U.S. support for Kenya's efforts to bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice," the White House said in a statement.

Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement describing the attack as "a heartbreaking reminder that there exists unspeakable evil in our world which can destroy life in a senseless instant."

The attack killed the wife of a foreign service national working for the U.S. Agency for International Development, according to the statement.

"While we mourn with her family today, we also pledge our commitment to do whatever we can to assist in bringing the perpetrators of this abhorrent violence to justice, and to continue our efforts to improve the lives of people across the globe," Kerry said.

Kenyans and foreigners were among those confirmed dead, including French and Canadians. Kenyatta said he lost some family members in the attack.

The Israeli publication Haaretz was among media reporting that Israeli advisers were aiding Kenyan authorities. All Israelis in the mall had escaped, Haaretz said.

A local organization was hosting a party for children at the Israeli-owned Westgate mall on Saturday. The mall is also a popular nightspot for hip, young Kenyans who gather there to watch movies or eat at restaurants.

Prime Minister David Cameron said three Britons had died in the attack, adding that "we should prepare ourselves for further bad news."

Kenya's presidential office said that one of the attackers was arrested on Saturday and died from bullet wounds. Lenku said there were 10 to 15 attackers involved. He said that Kenyan forces have control of the mall's security cameras.

Kenyan media reported that several people in hiding in the mall escaped to safety, suggesting that not everyone who is still inside is being held by al-Shabab.

Cecile Ndwiga said she had been hiding under a car in the basement parking garage.

"I called my husband to ask the soldiers to come and rescue me. Because I couldn't just walk out anyhow. The shootout was all over here - left, right- just gun shots," she said.

Nairobi resident Paolo Abenavoli said he is holed up in his apartment only 100 meters from the mall with a direct view of the entrance. He said he could see a dozen or more security forces inside a first floor restaurant.

"The battle is on now," Abenavoli said by telephone as the fresh gunfire broke out Sunday.

The attack began on Saturday afternoon when gunmen tossed grenades and opened fire as panicking shoppers fled the building, some jumping down one story from the second floor of the mall to escape, witnesses told the Nation.

Witnesses told local and national news media that the gunman asked Muslims to leave before opening fire. Kenya is 83% Christian with a sizable Muslim community - about 11% of its 44 million people.

The gunmen carried AK-47s and wore vests with hand grenades on them, Manish Turohit, 18, who hid in a parking garage for two hours, told the Associated Press.

"They just came in and threw a grenade. We were running and they opened fire. They were shouting and firing," he said after marching out of the mall in a line of 15 people who all held their hands in the air.

Off-duty Sgt. Major Frank Mugungu told AP that he saw four male attackers and one female, and that he could clearly identify one of the gunmen as a Somali, though he could not identify the rest.

Military cordoned off the building in the heart of the upscale Westlands district, which is home to upper-class Kenyans and expatriate Westerners - many of whom work for the United Nations - and a locale frequented by tourists.

It is on Kenya's watch list as a site for attacks, along with its towering conference center and Western hotels such as the Hilton.

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Music Midtown officially sold out

ATLANTA -- One of Atlanta's biggest and most popular music festivals will return to Piedmont Park this weekend.

As of Saturday morning, the festival is officially sold out of all tickets. 

Music Midtown 2013 will feature several big name performers, including Journey, Phoenix, Imagine Dragons, Weezer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

PHOTOS | Music Midtown 2013 performers
RELATED | Music Midtown 2012 brings 52,000 music fans to Piedmont Park

Parking is extremely limited, so festival attendees are encouraged to walk, bike or take MARTA to the park. Bicycle parking will be available on 10th Street near the Grady High School stadium.

Attendees are allowed to bring one factory-sealed bottle of water or empty reusable bottle, a small backpack or purse, and a towel or blanket. No chairs, alcohol, pets (except service dogs), weapons or coolers are permitted.

Visit musicmidtown.com for more information and to buy tickets.

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7 injured in multiple car accident on I-285SB

ATLANTA -- Seven people are injured after being involved in a four car accident on I-285 Southbound at Arthur B. Langford Parkway. 

Preliminary investigation indicates that a vehicle lost control on the exit ramp and spun out. The occupants exited to check on their vehicle when a second vehicle lost control and spun out. 

MORE | 11Alive Traffic Map 

The second vehicle struck the two occupants of the first vehicle. Both people were transported to a local hospital. Both are said to be in stable condition. 

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Family of Evelyn Lowery says stroke damage is "irreversible"

Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery and his wife, Evelyn Lowery (USA Today)

ATLANTA --  Sad news to pass along from  a press release Saturday afternoon from  the family of Evelyn Lowery.

It stated in part,

After many consultations with top medical experts, the Lowery family is saddened to learn that the stroke suffered by our beloved Evelyn has caused irreversible damage.  As a family of faith, we remain by her side in constant prayers, knowing that God is in control, while also fully understanding her medical condition and that the team of experts have done all that they can do.

Mrs. Lowery, wife of civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, suffered a massive stroke earlier in the week.

She remains in critical condition in the hospital.

Saturday evening members of the Southern Christian Leadership Council met at its headquarters on Auburn Avenue to pray for Evelyn Lowery.

In 1979 she founded SCLC/W.O.M.E.N. Inc. in 1979. The group works to empower women, girls and families as they relate to human rights, social action, economic self-sufficiency, reduction of health disparities, and leadership to build strong families and communities.

OTHER STORIES OF INTEREST:
- 50 Years of Change: Remembering the March on Washington
- Rev. Joseph Lowery shares his memories of the 1963 Civil Rights movement
- Rev. Lowery celebrates his 90th birthday 

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Music Midtown returns to Piedmont Park

ATLANTA -- One of Atlanta's biggest and most popular music festivals will return to Piedmont Park this weekend.

Music Midtown 2013 will feature several big name performers, including Journey, Phoenix, Imagine Dragons, Weezer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

PHOTOS | Music Midtown 2013 performers
RELATED | Music Midtown 2012 brings 52,000 music fans to Piedmont Park

It will be held Friday, Sept. 20 and Saturday, Sept. 21. The gates open at 4 p.m. Friday and noon on Saturday.

Parking is extremely limited, so festival attendees are encouraged to walk, bike or take MARTA to the park. Bicycle parking will be available on 10th Street near the Grady High School stadium.

Attendees are allowed to bring one factory-sealed bottle of water or empty reusable bottle, a small backpack or purse, and a towel or blanket. No chairs, alcohol, pets (except service dogs), weapons or coolers are permitted.

Tickets to the festival are $50 for Friday, $85 for Saturday or $110 for both days. VIP packages are $250 per day or $500 for both days, and include access to a private entrance, air conditioned restrooms and a hospitality area with free food.

Music Midtown also offers a $1,000 two-day Super VIP package, which has all the features of the VIP packages plus valet parking, access to a premium viewing area, a T-shirt and a souvenir laminate.

Visit musicmidtown.com for more information and to buy tickets.

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High School Football Scores - September 20

WXIA -- Here are the scores for week five of the high school football season:

MORE | Complete High School Sports Coverage: Scores, Highlights and more

Send us pictures of your team's game.  Email them tophotos@11alive.com.

Roswell High School 3 Milton High School 33
FINAL

West Forsyth High School 17 Alpharetta High School 31
FINAL

Langston Hughes HS 34 Rockdale County High School 0
FINAL

Winder-Barrow High School 37 Salem High School 60
FINAL

Valdosta HS 41 Newton County High School 14
FINAL

Eastside High School 23 Chestatee High School 33
FINAL

Dacula High School 14 Grayson High School 7
FINAL

Decatur High School 42 Clarkston High School 10
FINAL

Centennial High School 45 Johns Creek HS 34
FINAL

Chattahoochee High School 6 North Forsyth High School 24
FINAL

South Forsyth High School 21 Lambert High School 14
FINAL

North Gwinnett High School 63 Meadowcreek High School 0
FINAL

Peachtree Ridge 31 Mill Creek High School 30
FINAL

Social Circle High School 0 Harlem High School 38
FINAL

Shiloh High School 21 South Gwinnett High School 14
FINAL

Sprayberry High School 45 Forsyth Central High School 28
FINAL

Lakeview Academy 3 Pinecrest Academy 43
FINAL

Habersham Central High School 0 Mountain View High School 27
FINAL

Parkview High School 7 Archer High School 27
FINAL

Central Gwinnett High School 15 Berkmar High School 12
FINAL

St. Francis High School 41 Hebron Christian Academy 16
FINAL

Loganville High School 14 Flowery Branch High School 48
FINAL

Osborne High School 5 Cambridge High School 0
FINAL

Woodstock High School 40 Walton High School 47
FINAL

Mount Zion High School 3 Walker School, The 7
FINAL

Pope High School 28 Northview 24
FINAL

Marietta High School 30 Mc Eachern High School 43
FINAL

Carlton J. Kell High School 32 Creekview High School 7
FINAL

Lassiter High School 42 Cherokee High School 41
FINAL

Wheeler High School 14 Etowah High School 31
FINAL

White County High School 0 Blessed Trinity High School 30
FINAL

Campbell High School 20 South Cobb High School 23
FINAL

Tucker High School 55 Dunwoody High School 9
FINAL

Stephenson High School 42 Lakeside High School 0
FINAL

Redan High School 1 Banneker High School 0
FINAL

Duluth High School 3 Norcross High School 38
FINAL

Brookstone High School 24 Wesleyan School 17
FINAL

Cedar Shoals High School 14 Heritage High School- Conyers 17
FINAL

Allatoona High School 49 Lithia Springs High School 0
FINAL

Bremen High School 21 Heard County High School 42
FINAL

Riverwood High School 28 Sequoyah High School 32
FINAL

Central High School (Carroll) 42 Pike County High School 7
FINAL

Cartersville High School 55 North Murray High School 15
FINAL

Cass High School 35 Northwest Whitfield High School 52
FINAL

Cedartown High School 36 Ridgeland High School 14
FINAL

Pebblebrook High School 9 Harrison High School 24
FINAL

Woodland High Shool 0 South Paulding High School 49
FINAL

Warner Robins High School 34 Douglas County High School 14
FINAL

Kennesaw Mountain High School 13 North Cobb High School 55
FINAL

Trion High School 12 Mt. Paran Christian 31
FINAL

East Paulding High School 24 New Manchester High School 10
FINAL

Paulding County High School 17 Villa Rica High School 20
FINAL

Model High School 15 Chattooga High School 7
FINAL

Murray County High School 0 Armuchee High School 41
FINAL

Temple High School 0 Kendrick High School 14
FINAL

La Fayette High School 0 River Ridge HS 28
FINAL

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School 13 Athens Academy 20
FINAL

Creekside High School 66 Forest Park High School 14
FINAL

Whitewater H.S. 36 Union Grove HS/MS 19
FINAL

Callaway High School 12 Harris County High School 31
FINAL

Coffee High School 18 Mundy's Mill 14
FINAL

Thomson High School 31 La Grange High School 28
FINAL

Luella HS/MS 24 Henry County HS 21
FINAL

Lovejoy High School 39 East Coweta High School 35
FINAL

Northgate High School 63 Ola HS/MS 7
FINAL

Lee County High School 43 Morrow High School 14
FINAL

Charles R. Drew Charter 40 Mcintosh High School 48
FINAL

First Presbyterian Day School 28 Pace Academy 18
FINAL

Woodward Academy 30 Westminster School 15
FINAL

Lovett School, The 28 St. Pius X Catholic High School 7
FINAL

Westlake High School 36 Bainbridge High School 0
FINAL

Apalachee High School 6 Gainesville High School 49
FINAL

Riverside Military Academy 14 Washington-Wilkes High School 50
FINAL

East Jackson Comprehensive High School 6 Jackson County High School 38
FINAL

Rabun County High School 28 Commerce High School 0
FINAL

Lumpkin County High School 3 Monroe Area High School 49
FINAL

Rabun Gap Nacoochee School 34 Towns County High School 14
FINAL

North Oconee High School 56 Athens Christian School 0
FINAL

Glascock County High School 6 Prince Avenue Christian School 55
FINAL

Madison County High School 8 Lanier HS 34
FINAL

Hapeville Charter Career Academy 13 Greene County High School 35
FINAL

Calhoun High School 38 Dade County High School 0
FINAL

Dalton High School 31 Gilmer High School 0
FINAL

Ringgold High School 48 Gordon Central High School 8
FINAL

George Walton Academy 39 Warren County High School 14
FINAL

Laney High School 0 Washington County HS 38
FINAL

Cairo High School 24 Crisp County High School 6
FINAL

Perry High School 6 Mary Persons High School 21
FINAL

Montgomery County High School 7 Savannah Christian Prep School 23
FINAL

A E Beach High School 14 Pierce County High School 42
FINAL

Brunswick HS 46 Groves 0
FINAL

Benedictine Military School 28 Vidalia High School 0
FINAL

Screven County HS 42 Windsor Forest High School 14
FINAL

Appling County High School 49 Johnson High School 20
FINAL

Charlton County High School 15 Fitzgerald High School 29
FINAL

Wayne County High School 53 Butler High School 0
FINAL

Brooks County High School 50 Mitchell County High School 6
FINAL

Turner County High School 41 Berrien County High School 34
FINAL

Dougherty Comprehensive High School 21 Worth County High School 42
FINAL

Marion County High School 54 Miller County High School 0
FINAL

Schley County High School 30 Terrell County High School 38
FINAL

Lithonia High School 14 Grady High School 25
FINAL

Griffin High School 34 Woodland HS/MS 7
FINAL

Therrell High School 6 Marist School 67
FINAL

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Health food store fights food desert, accepts EBT cards

ATLANTA -- Just off Peters Street, nestled in Castleberry Hill, there's a little grocery store serving food the neighborhood could really use.

Before The Boxcar Grocer opened two years ago, Castleberry Hill was considered a food desert - an area where healthy food options were nowhere to be found.

"The only places that residents could really walk to and get retail food were two Chevron stations and a Texaco gas station. And that was it," said Boxcar Grocer co-owner Alphonzo Cross.

The store's mission is to bring healthy food options to under served communities. Now they're taking it a step further: starting Monday, the store will begin accepting EBT cards. 

Cross said becoming EBT approved was a six-month process, including an application, inspection and meeting a number of qualifications. He expects business to increase by as much as 20 percent once the machines are functional.

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Three bears climb fences in Cumming yards

CUMMING, Ga. -- "I've heard for years there were bears in the area, but I always told people they were crazy," Jeff Adler said. "Then I saw them."

Adler was driving home from a restaurant near the intersection of Post and Major Roads  near the Polo Golf Country Club neighborhood when he spotted an adult and two juvenile black bears climbing a fence into a backyard. He followed them through the neighborhood as they moved through several backyards.

JEFF'S PHOTOS | Three bears in Cumming

"As I was trying to get ahead of them, I saw a guy working on sprinklers. When I told him the bears were coming, he looked at me like I was crazy," he said. "But then, he screamed: Here they come!"

Adler said he followed the bears from a safe distance in his car until they went into an area of the neighborhood without roads. He called 911, and was told they would contact the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

DNR spokesman Melissa Cummings told 11Alive's Julie Wolfe they currently have no plans to trap and remove bears in the area. They've been in touch with local authorities, but advised them to allow the bears to keep moving as they work their way to a more appropriate habitat.

To keep the bears moving, it's important people in the area take steps to make sure they don't unknowingly invite the bears to stay. They suggest the following tips:

- Do not feed or toss food to a bear
- Keep children away from the animal
- Keep pets indoors or in a controlled environment (remember, these bears can climb fences!)
- Do not approach a bear
- Never corner a bear
- Never run from a bear, back away slowly and make lots of noise

Cummings also said easily accessible garbage is irresistible to a hungry black bear. Homeowners in the area where the bears were spotted should consider security garbage containers inside the garage and putting them on the curb the morning of pickup instead of the night before.

"Ideally, you want the bear to keep moving," Cummings said. "So, by making any non-natural food sources unavailable and by not cornering the bear (up a tree or otherwise), the animal will keep moving until it is back in a more appropriate habitat."

Adler called the bear sighting a once in a lifetime experience: "I still can't believe it."

RELATED:

VIDEO | Bear roams Alpharetta streets

VIDEO | Bears 'Twerking' in national park

READ | Bear settles down on back patio

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Mount Vernon church approves $14.5 million deal

ATLANTA -- The congregation of Mount Vernon Baptist Church has approved the $14.5 million deal to relocate, making way for the new Falcons stadium. 

The crucial vote, which was tallied up 116 in favor of to 16 opposed of, took place Thursday night. 

GALLERY | What the new stadium will look like

Shortly after the announcement, Mayor Kasim Reed released a statement about the approval of the deal: 

"I am pleased that the congregation of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church was able to vote on this important matter. The decision tonight ensures that the Atlanta Falcons can continue pursuing their goal of building a best-in-class sports facility that will also expand economic development not only in the city, but also in the surrounding neighborhoods. This step forward also will allow this historic church to relocate and continue to serve its congregation and our community."

Mayor Reed also praised the leadership of Reverend Rodney Turner in a tweet. 

In a briefing that took place last week, the mayor said no taxpayer money will go toward buying Atlanta churches for the stadium site. 

STADIUM DEAL COVERAGE
Mayor speaks on deal for remaining stadium church property
$14.5 million for Mt. Vernon Church deal on table
Falcons reach agreement with churches
Mount Vernon Baptist to vote Thursday

A City Hall source told 11Alive's Jerry Carnes last week that the city brokered a deal that could lead to the purchase of Mount Vernon Baptist Church. 

Mount Vernon Baptist is the second of two churches that sit within the "south site" footprint of the proposed billion-dollar new Atlanta Falcons stadium.

RELATED | Reed announces deal on part of stadium church property
MORE | How much is stadium church property worth?
FULL COVERAGE | New Atlanta Stadium

Funding for the purchase of the church, according to the City Hall source, comes partly from state funds and partly from private sources.

Last month, Atlanta Mayor Kasim announced that the city had reached a deal with Friendship Baptist Church for $19.5 million. Both churches are on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, immediately to the south of the Georgia Dome.

Of the deal, Reed said the Falcons organization and owner Arthur Blank are contributing more than $8 million. 

The state, according to Reed is adding $6 million. 

PHOTOS | Falcons stadium concepts
PHOTOS | Other stadiums designed by 360 Architecture

Talks with the two churches had previously stalled as negotiations neared a August 1 deadline. The Falcons and the Georgia World Congress Center Authority had announced in late July that they would pursue construction on a site to the north of the Georgia Dome and the World Congress Center along Ivan Allen Boulevard.

The city and the Falcons have expressed an ongoing preference for constructing the stadium on the "south site" -- along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, and very close to both the World Congress Center and Vine City MARTA stations. The north site lies about a half-mile to the north of the Georgia Dome.

The future, Mayor Reed said, is for fans to get on a train, go to a game, then get back on a train to go home. By building the stadium on the south site, that vision would likely be realized.

Current plans for the new stadium call for it to be open during the summer of 2017, in time for the beginning of the 2017 NFL season.

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Many local elementary schools violate fire codes

ATLANTA -- How safe is your child's school?  11Alive's Center for Investigative Action dug through fire inspection reports to get the answer.  We found schools in Metro Atlanta need to do a better job eliminating fire hazards.

We spent several weeks examining two years of fire inspection reports for 329 elementary schools and discovered the majority of elementary schools have been failing to get it right.

HOW MANY FIRE SAFETY VIOLATIONS DOES YOUR SCHOOL HAVE? | Click here to search for your school's inspection reports

"We don't expect them to pass the first time," said Deputy Chief Jeff Yoder with the Gwinnett Fire Department.

We followed along during an annual fire inspection of Dyer Elementary School in Dacula, to get a better perspective about what poses potential hazards.

Virginia Watson, a fire inspector with the Gwinnett County Fire Department, pointed out the problems.

"These are bad," she said pointing to a door stopper preventing an empty classroom door from closing. The doors are supposed to be closed because they act as barriers in the event of a fire.

Some common problems that are found in elementary schools are too much artwork on the walls, combustibles hanging from the ceiling and improper use of extension cords and space heaters.

Teachers commonly try to make their elementary school classrooms more inviting but often times forget that hanging things from the ceiling and covering the walls with paper can be a hazard.

We enlisted the help of the Atlanta Fire Department to conduct a burn test to visually demonstrate what can happen when too much art is covering a wall. The flames spread quickly.

In a school with sprinklers, only 50 percent of the wall can be covered and in an older school without sprinklers, no more than 20 percent of paper can be on the wall.

"This absolutely would be a hazard," said Chief Shinkle, who conducted the test.

HOW OFTEN IT HAPPENS | Statistics on fires in schools 

HOW TO PREVENT IT | School Fire Safety Checklist

Every school is inspected at least once a year and if violations are found they are revisited to make sure that problems have been corrected. Often times the violations are corrected the same day.

During the last round of inspections here's what we found. In Gwinnett County, 92 percent of elementary schools had fire code violations, 85 percent in Cobb, 68 percent in Fulton, 35 percent of Atlanta Elementary Schools failed to get a violation free report, as did 10 percent of DeKalb County Schools.

"You have to follow up," Chief Yoder explained.

The local fire departments work closely with the schools to conduct training and to educate staff about fire code standards. However, there is a lot to consider, which is why every year the schools are inspected and sometimes revisited multiple times until they get it right.

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Mom of abducted teen arrested in 2012 with one of the suspects

ELLENWOOD, Ga. -- 11Alive News has learned that one of the suspects arrested in connection with the kidnapping of 14-year-old Ayvani Hope Perez was arrested in February 2012 along with Ayvani's mother, Maria Magdalena Corral.

WATCH OUR COVERAGE 
- Ayvani's mother had relationship with suspect
- Neighbor says Ayvani was smiling, relaxed
- FBI: Still searching for suspects in sketch
- Police press conference announcing missing girl is found safe
- Timeline of Clayton County Teen Abduction

The suspect, who the FBI identified as 40-year-old Juan Alberto Contreras-Rodriguez, is also known as Juan Alberto Contreras-Ramirez, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Henry County's drug task force got a tip in December of 2011 about possible drug activity at a house on McCullough Road in Stockbridge.  They raided it February 21, 2012 and found several men, a forklift and lots of pot.

Ayvani's mother, 39-year-old Maria Magdalena Corral, was arrested with 4 men, including Juan Alberto Contreras-Ramirez.

But just a week after that 150 to 200 pound marijuana bust, charges against Maria and the 4 men were suddenly dismissed.

RELATED | 2012 drug charges against Ayvani's mom dropped

No one in Henry County's Magistrate Court or the D.A's office seemed to remember.  The head of the drug task force referred us to the FBI who said their investigation is continuing.

Maria's drug arrest has been officially expunged from court records.

Ayvani was found safe and sound in Conyers early Wednesday afternoon. Contreras-Ramirez and 29-year-old Wildrego Jackson were taken into custody at the time. 

MUG SHOTS | 'Career Criminal' Wildrego Jackson
PHOTOS | Mug shots of suspects, photos of Ayvani, and vigil for her

"She is safe," said Clayton County Police Chief Greg Porter in a Wednesday afternoon news conference.

According NBC News, Ayvani was found in the 4000 block of Covington Highway. Conyers is about 25 miles from Ayvani's Clayton County home.

Clayton County police described Jackson as a career felon, currently on probation. Police said he's being held on conspiracy to kidnapping charges. Contreras-Rodriguez is being held on immigration related charges by federal Homeland Security investigators.

The FBI added other suspects are being investigated, including the two from the sketches released Tuesday.

Porter said Ayvani had been reunited with her family, and her condition was being evaluated by medical personnel. Investigators said she looks to be in good health.

Clayton County police said Ayvani was abducted Early Tuesday morning by two men from a home in the Ellenwood neighborhood on Brookgate Drive. 

The two men demanded money and jewelry, and shot the family's dog. When the mother told the invaders she did not have money or jewelry, they took the teen. 

The family took the dog to the vet, but it did not survive.

A nationwide Amber Alert was issued after Ayvani was taken.

Police said they did not have a motive for the kidnapping.

On Wednesday morning, NBC News reported that Perez's family said her kidnappers demanded a ransom of $10,000, but quickly raised that amount to $100,000.

OTHER STORIES OF INTEREST
- Photos of missing Georgia children
- Hannah Anderson first discusses kidnapping, texts with abductor
- 8 month-old kidnapped boy will stay in state custody

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Man in critical condition after shooting in NW Atlanta

ATLANTA --- One man was hospitalized after a shooting in northwest Atlanta on Wednesday evening. 

The incident happened around 5:30 p.m. 

According to Atlanta Police, the shooting happened near Proctor Street and Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard in northwest Atlanta. 

The victim, who looks to be between 20 and 30-years-old, was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital in critical condition. 

No further information was immediately released.  

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Man hospitalized after being shot in head

SNELLVILLE, GA. -- Authorities responded to a shooting in unincorporated Snellville Wednesday evening.

According to Gwinnett County Police, the shooting happened on the 4400 block of Raptor Place around 5 p.m. 

Authorities say they received a call from the victim reporting he had been shot in the head and an ambulance was dispatched to the location. 

The victim was transported to a local medical center where he is currently recovering. Investigators believe this shooting is the result of an argument.

A suspect has not been identified, at this time. No further information was immediately released. 

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Classmates hold vigil for missing 14-year-old Ayvani Hope Perez

ELLENWOOD, Ga. -- The search continues for a missing 14-year-old girl and the two men suspected of kidnapping her from her home in the middle of the night.

PHOTOS | Vigil for Ayvani, sketches of suspects in abduction and pictures of the missing girl

UPDATE | Team coverage of search for missing 14-year-old girl

Clayton County police said Ayvani Hope Perez was abducted from a home in the Ellenwood neighborhood on Brookgate Drive when two armed men broke in.

Tuesday evening, group of about 50 people gathered in front of Dutchtown High School in Hampton for a prayer vigil. Many of the missing girl's friends were classmates at Dutchtown Middle School before Perez moved to attend Stockbridge High.

"She's so nice," said one friend. "I don't know why people would do this to her. I'm praying just to get her home safely."

Friends burned candles and held signs with pictures of the missing teen.

"I don't get it," said Sydney Chaquir. "It's not clicking in my mind why somebody would do this to her. It's like a dream."

Anyone with any information is asked to call the hotline at (770) 477-3513.

Ayvani was last seen wearing blue and grey Star Wars pajamas and a blue and grey superhero shirt. 

She is 4 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 93 pounds. 

Those wanting to spread hope that Ayvani returns home safe held a prayer vigil for the teen Tuesday evening at Dutchtown High School on Mitchell Road in Hampton. 

PHOTOS | Missing Georgia children

Police say the armed suspects were driving a grey Dodge or Chevrolet sedan and that Ayvani is believed to be in extreme danger. 

Clayton County police officer Phong Nguyen said the intruders demanded jewelry and money when they broke in through the back door. There were two kids home at the time - Ayvani and her 15-year-old brother. Police did not release his name.

As their home was being invaded, Ayvani's mother tried to hide both of the kids, but the intruders found the girl.

One of the men shot the family dog, Nguyen said.  The dog was not killed, and taken to a nearby vet for treatment.

A nationwide Amber Alert was issued at around 3:00 a.m. to help find Ayvani. 

OTHER STORIES OF INTEREST:
- Hannah Anderson first discusses kidnapping, texts with abductor
- 8 month-old kidnapped boy will stay in state custody

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