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    <title>Home - CBS Atlanta</title>
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        <title>Georgia college graduate&#039;s degree withheld by New York university over health insurance charge</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/georgia-college-graduates-degree-withheld-by-new-york-university-over-health-insurance-charge/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 18:38:30 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>What was supposed to be a celebratory milestone for a Georgia college graduate has instead turned into a frustrating financial roadblock.</p><p>Dylan Merrell of Alpharetta spent two years on the field playing football for Long Island University (LIU) in New York. After graduating this past spring, he learned that his diploma and official transcripts were being withheld due to a medical hold on his account totaling $6,824.</p><p>"I found out that I had a medical hold on my record for insurance reasons, which completely blindsided me and caught me off guard," Merrell said. "I was told that my diploma was being withheld from me if those fees weren't cleared."</p><p>Like many collegiate athletic programs, LIU requires all student-athletes to maintain active primary health insurance before participating in practices, conditioning, or games. According to the university's student-athlete handbook, players must upload their primary health insurance details and front-and-back copies of their insurance card into the athletic medical portal for pre-participation clearance.</p><figure class="embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-none embed--size-feed_phone_image" data-ads='{"extraWordCount":50}'><span class="img embed__content "><img src="https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/3971d7a7-7600-467b-a4eb-e24e55e6faa7/thumbnail/620x349/8e1165fcbc59ffc2da5e60f74c56bb7b/lui-athlete-2.png#" alt="lui-athlete-2.png " height="349" width="620" class=" lazyload" srcset="https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/3971d7a7-7600-467b-a4eb-e24e55e6faa7/thumbnail/620x349/8e1165fcbc59ffc2da5e60f74c56bb7b/lui-athlete-2.png 1x" loading="lazy"></span><figcaption class="embed__caption-container"><span class="embed__caption">After graduating this past spring, Dylan Merrell learned that his diploma and official transcripts were being withheld due to a medical hold on his account totaling $6,824.</span><span class="embed__credit">
            
                CBS News Atlanta

                          </span></figcaption></figure><p>Merrell says he complied by submitting his existing Blue Cross Blue Shield policy and waiving the school's insurance. However, university administrators are saying otherwise.</p><p>"The school is telling me that even though I uploaded my own insurance, I didn't waive the school's insurance off," Merrell said. "So that insurance was automatically applied anyway, which means I would have to pay that fee."</p><p>The financial dispute has created immediate real-world consequences for Merrell's career prospects. He says employers frequently request official documentation to verify degrees, leaving him at a standstill.</p><p>"It's extremely frustrating. I've been in multiple job interviews where they asked for my official transcript, or they asked for my diploma, and I haven't been able to provide it," Merrell explained, estimating that at least 15 job applications have been stalled because of the hold.</p><p>His mother, Carla Merrell, has spent months trying to resolve the dispute through phone calls, emails, and an in-person visit to the New York campus.</p><p>"He finished, he graduated, and so this is your reward?" Carla Merrell said. "With AI being in place and young graduates looking for a job in this economy, competing with people with years of experience, to know that this is yet another hurdle that he has to get over is quite frustrating and disappointing."</p><p>She emphasized that the family should not be on the hook for double coverage.</p><p>"I pay insurance every two weeks out of my payroll check, and so I should not have to turn around and pay because of their lack of bookkeeping," she said. "They know for a fact that he has insurance."</p><p>Student navigation advocates say automatic insurance enrollment is a newer expense for families across the country.</p><p>Reginald Shareef with The E.D.G.E. Foundation, an organization that helps college students navigate campus challenges, notes that health insurance fees are routinely bundled into tuition bills unless an explicit waiver is filed each term.</p><p>"Every student nowadays is required to have health insurance, and the school automatically puts it in the bill," Shareef said. "It's one of the top reasons why people owe balances to universities because of unexpected charges that people don't foresee, or a lack of communication."</p><p>For families or recent graduates currently facing an unexpected balance that prevents access to transcripts or diplomas, Shareef suggests looking into external aid resources. Many nonprofit organizations, student advocacy groups, and institutional alumni associations offer emergency micro-grants and relief funds designed specifically to help clear final account balances.</p><p>In a statement to CBS News Atlanta, Long Island University says it has sent reminder emails about the waiver policy since last August.</p><p>The university also disputes withholding credentials, telling us it will provide transcripts and confirm degrees to graduate schools or employers who inquire, regardless of any outstanding balances.</p>

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                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ What was supposed to be a celebratory milestone for Dylan Merrell has instead turned into a frustrating financial roadblock. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Syndicated Local ]]>
          </category>
                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ La&#039;Tasha  Givens ]]></dc:creator>
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                <item>
        <title>Man reclaims title of oldest hiker to complete Appalachian Trail</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/video/man-reclaims-title-of-oldest-hiker-to-complete-appalachian-trail/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 18:31:00 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ At 91 years old, Dale "Grey Beard" Sanders is now the oldest hiker to ever complete the nearly-2,200-mile trail. ]]>
                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ At 91 years old, Dale "Grey Beard" Sanders is now the oldest hiker to ever complete the nearly-2,200-mile trail. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
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            <![CDATA[ Spoken Word WUPATV ]]>
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            <![CDATA[ News ]]>
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                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
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                <item>
        <title>Georgia Tech preparing for primetime matchup against Colorado</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/video/georgia-tech-preparing-for-primetime-matchup-against-colorado/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 18:28:00 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ The Georgia Tech Yellowjackets are opening their season against the Colorado Buffaloes on Thursday and are hoping for a second win against Deion Sanders' team. ]]>
                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ The Georgia Tech Yellowjackets are opening their season against the Colorado Buffaloes on Thursday and are hoping for a second win against Deion Sanders' team. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
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            <![CDATA[ Spoken Word WUPATV ]]>
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            <![CDATA[ News ]]>
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                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
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                <item>
        <title>MapQuest tops Apple App Store after refusing to change Lake Ontario to &quot;Lake America&quot;</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/mapquest-no-1-app-lake-ontario/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 18:25:20 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>Thirty years after launching during the dot-com boom, MapQuest has a new roadmap to success.</p><p>The digital mapping company is now the top free app in the Apple App Store after declining to rename Lake Ontario "Lake America," despite President Trump signing an executive order last week to <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-executive-order-lake-ontario-lake-america/" target="_blank">change its name</a></span>.</p><p>"The surge follows MapQuest's decision to keep the historical, familiar names for lakes and gulfs on its maps," the company said Monday in a press release.</p><p>ChatGPT is the second-most downloaded free app on Apple.</p><p>MapQuest disclosed its decision on social media on Aug. 27, posting "We're not changing it," the same day Mr. Trump signed the order directing the name change.</p><p>"We are aware that Lake Ontario is being correctly labeled on our map," the company later <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://x.com/MapQuest/status/2094252542230225305">posted</a>. MapQuest also launched a tool that allows people to create their own name for the lake.&nbsp;</p><p>MapQuest said Monday that hundreds of thousands of people have downloaded the app since the company announced it would keep the name Lake Ontario. Usage of the app is also running roughly 50 times its normal rate, the company said.</p><p>"We took the same approach we did with the Gulf of Mexico: be part of the conversation, and give people an app that keeps the names they're familiar with," Doug Berger, general manager of MapQuest, said in a statement on Monday. "Hundreds of thousands of people signaled to us this weekend that we got it right, by downloading our app."</p><p>Mr. Trump ordered the name change for Lake Ontario last week as the U.S. and Canada clashed over trade issues. The countries mutually imposed 50% tariffs on some imports after failing to reach a deal.</p><p>"Canada has been a bad neighbor by ripping off our country for years," Taylor Rogers, a White House spokeswoman, said in an email to CBS News. "President Trump promised voters that he would not allow our country to be taken advantage of anymore, which is why he is fighting so hard to protect American industries and workers. Thanks to the President's bold leadership, we are putting America back on the map."</p><p>The White House didn't address whether MapQuest's decision not to change Lake Ontario's name violates Mr. Trump's executive order.</p><p>Google Maps <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/maps/gnis-lake-ontario-lake-america-name-change/">announced</a>&nbsp;over the weekend that it was <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lake-america-trump-order-google-maps-lake-ontario/" target="_blank">updating its maps </a></span>to reflect Mr. Trump's new name for Lake Ontario, which straddles the border between New York and the Canadian province of Ontario. A search for "Lake Ontario" on Google now directs people to "Lake America."&nbsp;</p><p>As of late Tuesday, Apple's web version of its map had changed Lake Ontario to Lake America, although some phones still showed the name as Lake Ontario.&nbsp;</p><p>Denver-based MapQuest was launched in 1996 and was one of the first mapping services. It provided step-by-step navigation instructions, which many printed out to take with them on their car rides before GPS became more ubiquitous.&nbsp;</p>

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                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ MapQuest topped ChatGPT as Apple's most-downloaded free app after the digital mapping company said it would keep "historical, familiar" lake names. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ MoneyWatch ]]>
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            <![CDATA[ Technology ]]>
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                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ U.S. ]]>
          </category>
                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mary  Cunningham ]]></dc:creator>
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                <item>
        <title>Riverdale townhome residents say yearslong garbage problem has left them searching for answers</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/riverdale-townhome-residents-say-yearslong-garbage-problem-has-left-them-searching-for-answers/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 18:13:32 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>Residents of a Clayton County townhome community say they are caught in a dispute with their homeowners association over a problem that is hard to ignore: a growing pile of garbage they say has become a smelly and potentially hazardous fixture in the neighborhood.</p><p>At Lake Ridge, a modest subdivision of 193 townhomes in Riverdale, residents say household trash, furniture, mattresses, toilets and other discarded items have been dumped for years at a street corner in the community.</p><p>A resident says the pile has even included a dead dog.</p><p>The dumping site is just feet from one of the townhomes and next to a school bus stop where children gather each day.</p><p>"That's what we're trying to find out &mdash; what is going on?" one resident told CBS News Atlanta.</p><figure class="embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-none embed--size-feed_phone_image" data-ads='{"extraWordCount":50}'><span class="img embed__content "><img src="https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/0515574f-fb18-4f93-9f90-57c5510b9536/thumbnail/620x349/814cc20f472c3a0d3a78513d099b01f2/hoa-issues-1.png#" alt="hoa-issues-1.png " height="349" width="620" class=" lazyload" srcset="https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/0515574f-fb18-4f93-9f90-57c5510b9536/thumbnail/620x349/814cc20f472c3a0d3a78513d099b01f2/hoa-issues-1.png 1x" loading="lazy"></span><figcaption class="embed__caption-container"><span class="embed__caption">Residents say the dumping site is next to the school bus stop for the neighborhood.</span><span class="embed__credit">
            
                CBS News Atlanta

                          </span></figcaption></figure><p>The community does have a homeowners association responsible for services including garbage collection and landscaping. &nbsp;But unlike many HOAs that hire outside management companies, the Lake Ridge association is self-managed.</p><p>"We are self-managed because the reason, management companies overcharge," Lake Ridge HOA President Forrest Johnson said.</p><p>Johnson blamed at least part of the garbage problem on a broken trash compactor and said the company responsible for the equipment has not repaired it quickly enough.</p><p>"If your equipment breaks down, it should be an emergency for you to come out and repair it," Johnson said.</p><figure class="embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-none embed--size-feed_phone_image" data-ads='{"extraWordCount":50}'><span class="img embed__content "><img src="https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/8e89db47-e263-4761-a87f-6e019c79ab0b/thumbnail/620x349/4608df79cc1b1dbce847696b7b8a8f9e/hoa-issues-3.png#" alt="hoa-issues-3.png " height="349" width="620" class=" lazyload" srcset="https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/8e89db47-e263-4761-a87f-6e019c79ab0b/thumbnail/620x349/4608df79cc1b1dbce847696b7b8a8f9e/hoa-issues-3.png 1x" loading="lazy"></span><figcaption class="embed__caption-container"><span class="embed__caption">Lake Ridge HOA President Forrest Johnson blamed at least part of the garbage problem on a broken trash compactor.</span><span class="embed__credit">
            
                CBS News Atlanta

                          </span></figcaption></figure><p>She told CBS News Atlanta that repairs to the compactor could cost as much as $10,000, in addition to the cost of removing the accumulated garbage.</p><p>"We need to get rid of the compactor," Johnson said.</p><p>But residents say the garbage is only part of a larger concern about how their homeowners association is operated and how the money it collects is spent.</p><p>Based on figures provided to CBS Atlanta, monthly HOA dues for homeowners are $50. For investors who rent properties in Lake Ridge, it's $300.</p><p>CBS News Atlanta asked Johnson for financial statements showing how HOA money is collected and spent. We also asked for copies of the association's covenants or bylaws and a list of its board members. &nbsp;Those documents requested to be sent by email were not provided.</p><p>Johnson said financial information is provided in April, once a year, in accordance with the association's covenants. &nbsp;</p><p>HOA experts told CBS News Atlanta financial statements are to be sent to homeowners monthly and meetings should take place at least quarterly.</p><p>Johnson said the association has not held an HOA meeting in more than a decade, something a resident also confirmed.</p><p>"When the 2008 housing crisis [happened], we called off our meetings," Johnson said.</p><p>Three residents who spoke with CBS News Atlanta but did not want to appear on camera said they have also emailed Johnson with complaints about garbage collection and a lack of landscaping but received no response.</p><p>"We do not know what's going on," one resident said. "And it's time for somebody to get a hold to see what is going on."</p><p>For now, the dispute appears to be at a stalemate. &nbsp;Residents want answers about garbage collection, maintenance, HOA finances and when &mdash; or whether &mdash; association meetings will resume.</p><p>Johnson points to the broken compactor and the costs associated with repairing or replacing it.</p><p>And amid the questions, contradictions and disagreement, one thing remains plainly visible: &nbsp;a mountain of garbage sitting in the hot Atlanta sun, just feet from homes and a school bus stop.</p>

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                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ At the Clayton County townhome community, residents say household trash, furniture, mattresses, toilets and other discarded items have been dumped for years at a street corner. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Syndicated Local ]]>
          </category>
                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Brian  Unger ]]></dc:creator>
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                <item>
        <title>Clayton County residents fighting their HOA over trash disposal</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/video/clayton-county-residents-fighting-their-hoa-over-trash-disposal/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 18:03:00 -0400</pubDate>
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                <content:encoded>
                      <![CDATA[ At the Clayton County townhome community, residents say household trash, furniture, mattresses, toilets and other discarded items have been dumped for years at a street corner. ]]>
                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ At the Clayton County townhome community, residents say household trash, furniture, mattresses, toilets and other discarded items have been dumped for years at a street corner. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
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            <![CDATA[ Spoken Word WUPATV ]]>
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                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ News ]]>
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                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
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                <item>
        <title>Near-dangerous heat conditions expected in Georgia ahead of Labor Day weekend</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/video/near-dangerous-heat-conditions-expected-in-georgia-ahead-of-labor-day-weekend/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:57:00 -0400</pubDate>
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                <content:encoded>
                      <![CDATA[ The mid-week sunshine isn't helping the high temperatures that made things potentially dangerous across North Georgia, ]]>
                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ The mid-week sunshine isn't helping the high temperatures that made things potentially dangerous across North Georgia, ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
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            <![CDATA[ Spoken Word WUPATV ]]>
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                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ News ]]>
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                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
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        <title>More Americans turning to hospice care for terminally ill pets</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/video/more-americans-turning-to-hospice-care-for-terminally-ill-pets/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:45:00 -0400</pubDate>
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          <media:thumbnail url="https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/61182391-0b26-447d-b2a2-2ffebde4ff29/thumbnail/1024x576/2c99244597fcd7039be446ecb611b628/1ece74ce089debbd9f01918806769647.jpg" width="1024" height="576"/>
                <content:encoded>
                      <![CDATA[ Losing pets to illness can be heartbreaking, but a new growing industry could make the process a little bit easier. ]]>
                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ Losing pets to illness can be heartbreaking, but a new growing industry could make the process a little bit easier. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Spoken Word WUPATV ]]>
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                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ News ]]>
          </category>
                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
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                <item>
        <title>AI use for emotional support may be a sign of psychological distress</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/video/ai-use-for-emotional-support-may-be-a-sign-of-psychological-distress/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:43:00 -0400</pubDate>
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                  <media:content url="https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/bd216fb4-23cf-4e54-a0b5-f5d4ed0e2035/thumbnail/1024x576/297cfa725b02afb57efd49c87af68f5c/c9f8029873f9dbd181c412fa22907c42.jpg" width="1024" height="576"/>
          <media:thumbnail url="https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/bd216fb4-23cf-4e54-a0b5-f5d4ed0e2035/thumbnail/1024x576/297cfa725b02afb57efd49c87af68f5c/c9f8029873f9dbd181c412fa22907c42.jpg" width="1024" height="576"/>
                <content:encoded>
                      <![CDATA[ If your child or teen is using artificial intelligence for emotional support, but a new study finds that those using it are twice as likely to have emotional problems. ]]>
                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ If your child or teen is using artificial intelligence for emotional support, but a new study finds that those using it are twice as likely to have emotional problems. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Spoken Word WUPATV ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ News ]]>
          </category>
                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
                              </item>
                <item>
        <title>Graduated college athlete&#039;s degree withheld over health insurance charge</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/video/graduated-college-athletes-degree-withheld-over-health-insurance-charge/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:38:00 -0400</pubDate>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">c71f9cd8-1f25-4804-8e1b-3e0a7b089ac5</guid>
                  <media:content url="https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/873abf60-920b-4d20-9a11-0ee3c2c1affe/thumbnail/1024x576/33e136f13a5e1d8ccc588b3381031a32/ed526716e948c9c160297cb860fd993f.png" width="1024" height="576"/>
          <media:thumbnail url="https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/873abf60-920b-4d20-9a11-0ee3c2c1affe/thumbnail/1024x576/33e136f13a5e1d8ccc588b3381031a32/ed526716e948c9c160297cb860fd993f.png" width="1024" height="576"/>
                <content:encoded>
                      <![CDATA[ A metro Atlanta family is asking a New York university to remove a health insurance charge from their son's college account that they say is keeping him from getting his diploma. ]]>
                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ A metro Atlanta family is asking a New York university to remove a health insurance charge from their son's college account that they say is keeping him from getting his diploma. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Spoken Word WUPATV ]]>
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                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ News ]]>
          </category>
                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
                              </item>
                <item>
        <title>Trending Now: Atlanta jail negotiations, Labor Day travel, and more</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/video/trending-now-atlanta-jail-negotiations-labor-day-travel-and-more/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:26:00 -0400</pubDate>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">05bce97e-4793-44ed-8348-e41dc926cf8f</guid>
                  <media:content url="https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/d5a05994-b6b8-4bfb-87a5-9adfa78844f2/thumbnail/1024x576/36f0bd5c3974c39ab355c2a80bde8cec/a6cc132d8df634136e3fd377163dd0a5.png" width="1024" height="576"/>
          <media:thumbnail url="https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/d5a05994-b6b8-4bfb-87a5-9adfa78844f2/thumbnail/1024x576/36f0bd5c3974c39ab355c2a80bde8cec/a6cc132d8df634136e3fd377163dd0a5.png" width="1024" height="576"/>
                <content:encoded>
                      <![CDATA[ Fulton County officials are expected to discuss the city of Atlanta's counteroffer on the price of the Atlanta City Detention Center. ]]>
                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ Fulton County officials are expected to discuss the city of Atlanta's counteroffer on the price of the Atlanta City Detention Center. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Spoken Word WUPATV ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ News ]]>
          </category>
                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
                              </item>
                <item>
        <title>Metro area police departments help feed families at Atlanta Community Food Bank</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/video/metro-area-police-departments-help-feed-families-at-atlanta-community-food-bank/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:24:00 -0400</pubDate>
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          <media:thumbnail url="https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/4470db9a-d6f0-4b8c-b73b-3944980751f3/thumbnail/1024x576/7d63a72ab837fbf576aacff2f39ac26f/22777a1c8e17999b4c2f479507272250.jpg" width="1024" height="576"/>
                <content:encoded>
                      <![CDATA[ Members of the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, Cobb County Police Department, Austell Police Department, MARTA Police Department, Brookhaven Police Department and Dunwoody Police Department came together to fight hunger and serve communities across the metro area. ]]>
                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ Members of the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, Cobb County Police Department, Austell Police Department, MARTA Police Department, Brookhaven Police Department and Dunwoody Police Department came together to fight hunger and serve communities across the metro area. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Spoken Word WUPATV ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ News ]]>
          </category>
                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
                              </item>
                <item>
        <title>Atlanta police recruit killed after crash while driving motorcycle</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/video/atlanta-police-recruit-killed-after-crash-while-driving-motorcycle/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:21:00 -0400</pubDate>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">400d3449-cefb-4df7-92e1-44c1d851b54d</guid>
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          <media:thumbnail url="https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/1f9ca342-8d7c-43b7-b32b-867d2ccd32c2/thumbnail/1024x576/c288d5a4d897d1914dc80e5bb439c452/8ffe045f02069a4e65924d1d53a8f0cc.jpg" width="1024" height="576"/>
                <content:encoded>
                      <![CDATA[ The Atlanta Police Department is mourning one of its own after police recruit Moses Russ was hit while on his way to training early Tuesday morning. ]]>
                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ The Atlanta Police Department is mourning one of its own after police recruit Moses Russ was hit while on his way to training early Tuesday morning. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
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                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Spoken Word WUPATV ]]>
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                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ News ]]>
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                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
                              </item>
                <item>
        <title>Alcohol distributor RNDC shutting down Georgia operations, laying off 558 workers after bankruptcy filing</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/alcohol-distributor-rndc-closing-2-metro-atlanta-facilities-laying-off-558-workers-after-bankruptcy-filing/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 16:37:20 -0400</pubDate>
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          <media:thumbnail url="https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/077ad230-6c4f-4f3d-b09b-79a739d038ed/thumbnail/1024x576/ed4a4215c0a76f6117c66ee4d30dc100/gettyimages-2160487405.jpg" width="1024" height="576"/>
                <content:encoded>
                      <![CDATA[ <p>One of the nation's largest wholesale alcohol distributors is closing its Georgia operations and eliminating more than 550 jobs as it winds down under bankruptcy protection.</p><p>Republic National Distributing Company and affiliated businesses filed four WARN notices covering 558 employees at facilities at 1 National Drive SW in Atlanta and 4300 Wildwood Parkway SE near Marietta.</p><p>The permanent layoffs are expected to begin Oct. 19 or within the following two weeks. The affected employees will not have the right to move into other RNDC positions, according to the notices.</p><p>The four notices cover: 321 Republic National Distributing Company employees, 157 Republic National Distributing Company of Texas employees, 78 Young's Market Company employees and two Young's Market Company of Arizona employees.</p><figure class="embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-none embed--size-feed_phone_image" data-ads='{"extraWordCount":50}'><span class="img embed__content "><img src="https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/1b7c30ab-8261-4cfa-96e0-e0fabc647a75/thumbnail/620x414/1c89f9d0534108df5265a81b78450e9a/gettyimages-2160487405.jpg#" alt="RNDC Truck " height="414" width="620" class=" lazyload" srcset="https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/1b7c30ab-8261-4cfa-96e0-e0fabc647a75/thumbnail/620x414/1c89f9d0534108df5265a81b78450e9a/gettyimages-2160487405.jpg 1x, https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/1b7c30ab-8261-4cfa-96e0-e0fabc647a75/thumbnail/1240x828/768efff8351c5a10cbe4bfed49869563/gettyimages-2160487405.jpg 2x" loading="lazy"></span><figcaption class="embed__caption-container"><span class="embed__caption">Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) truck parked on a sunny street in downtown Pleasant Hill, California, July 2, 2024. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)</span><span class="embed__credit">
            
                Smith Collection/Gado

                          </span></figcaption></figure><p>The separate filings explain the difference between the 321 layoffs listed in one Georgia WARN notice and the larger total for the two facilities.</p><p>RNDC said it explored financing and other options that could have prevented the Georgia closures but was unable to secure enough money to continue operating the facilities.</p><p>The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection July 26 to pursue potential sales and wind down operations that could not be sold.</p><p>"This decision was not made lightly," the company said. "Over time, our industry has evolved, consumer preferences have shifted and the wholesale environment has grown increasingly challenging."</p><p>RNDC said sales of some of its operations allowed those businesses to continue serving customers and suppliers while preserving more than 5,000 jobs. The company's joint ventures in New York, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky are not included in the bankruptcy filing.</p><p>While RNDC is ending its operations at the 1 National Drive facility, the National Distributing&nbsp;Company, a separate legal entity from RNDC that is not involved in the bankruptcy proceedings, will remain at the facility with none of its employees affected.</p><p>"NDC's business is strong and growing. We are expanding our team and investing in new technology and capabilities to better serve our customers and suppliers, and we are well-positioned to continue building on our momentum," NDC's Executive Vice President and Managing Director Randy Hecklinski said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

 ]]>
                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ One of the nation's largest wholesale alcohol distributors is closing its Georgia operations and eliminating more than 550 jobs as it winds down under bankruptcy protection. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Syndicated Local ]]>
          </category>
                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
                              </item>
                <item>
        <title>3 more Hall County deputies resign as agency continues Flock camera system audit, sheriff says</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/3-more-hall-county-deputies-resign-as-agency-continues-flock-camera-system-audit-sheriff-says/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 16:26:23 -0400</pubDate>
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                  <media:content url="https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/08/03/26a18344-896c-47ae-8f06-c7d0a8869c68/thumbnail/1024x576/4eac1dd22c99ecd985216e45dfa09595/ap26064713365173.jpg" width="1024" height="576"/>
          <media:thumbnail url="https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/08/03/26a18344-896c-47ae-8f06-c7d0a8869c68/thumbnail/1024x576/4eac1dd22c99ecd985216e45dfa09595/ap26064713365173.jpg" width="1024" height="576"/>
                <content:encoded>
                      <![CDATA[ <p>Three deputies under investigation in Hall County have resigned while the agency continues auditing its <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/5-georgia-officers-fired-arrested-for-misusing-access-to-citys-flock-cameras-gbi-says/" target="_blank">Flock camera system.</a></span></p><p>The resignations come less than a month after the Hall County Sheriff's Office <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/hall-county-investigator-joins-growing-list-of-georgia-officers-fired-over-flock-camera-misuse/" target="_blank">fired two other investigators</a></span> for allegedly misusing the system.</p><p>According to the agency, Jason Orellana, a deputy with the Uniform Patrol Division, submitted his resignation on Aug. 26 after an internal investigation showed he made 10 unauthorized searches on the system.&nbsp;</p><p>Authorities say Orellana did the searches on behalf of Deputy Taylor McArthur, who was assigned to the Jail Division and did not have access to the system. While the details of the searches are limited, officials say she asked that he "check the Flock system for information on persons known to her." McArthur resigned on Aug. 27.</p><p>Orellana had been employed with the Hall County Sheriff's Office since April 2019. McArthur had been employed since April 2023.</p><p>The third deputy who resigned was <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/hall-county-deputy-arrested-for-harassing-phone-calls-placed-on-paid-leave-officials-say/" target="_blank">30-year-old Austin Scott Flanagan</a></span>, who had previously been put on leave after he was arrested for allegedly making harassing phone calls by the Gainesville Police Department. Authorities accused Flanagan of accessing the Flock system twice for personal reasons. The deputy, who had been with the sheriff's office since November 2022, resigned on Aug. 27.</p><p>The alleged system misuse remains under investigation by the Hall County Sheriff's Office. Officials say they will also refer the incidents to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council for its review.</p>

 ]]>
                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ The resignations come less than a month after the Hall County Sheriff's Office fired two other investigators​ for allegedly misusing its Flock license plate camera system. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Syndicated Local ]]>
          </category>
                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Dan  Raby ]]></dc:creator>
                                        </item>
                <item>
        <title>24-year-old Atlanta police recruit killed in crash on Moreland Avenue: &quot;A very tough time&quot;</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/atlanta-police-recruit-killed-in-crash-on-moreland-avenue-a-very-tough-time/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 15:18:51 -0400</pubDate>
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                <content:encoded>
                      <![CDATA[ <p>An Atlanta police recruit has died in a crash on Moreland Avenue early Tuesday morning, officials say.</p><p>According to the Atlanta Police Department, the deadly crash happened shortly before 7:17 a.m. near the intersection of McDonough Boulevard and Moreland Avenue and involved at least one vehicle and a motorcycle.</p><p>At a press conference, Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta Chief of Police Darin Schierbaum said that 24-year-old recruit Moses Russ was involved in the accident while on his way to work. Medics rushed Moses to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he died.</p><figure class="embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-left embed--size-feed_phone_image" data-ads='{"extraWordCount":50}'><span class="img embed__content "><img src="https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/5b06cf0f-419e-49a1-b800-9a2df3ef427a/thumbnail/620x1200/a416672957defa6f73c57be85d2b22ed/moses-russ-apd-recruit.jpg#" alt="moses-russ-apd-recruit.jpg " height="1200" width="620" srcset="https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/5b06cf0f-419e-49a1-b800-9a2df3ef427a/thumbnail/620x1200/a416672957defa6f73c57be85d2b22ed/moses-russ-apd-recruit.jpg 1x, https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/5b06cf0f-419e-49a1-b800-9a2df3ef427a/thumbnail/1240x2400/5cc5d354abbe3ea32fe9eceabcc33d11/moses-russ-apd-recruit.jpg 2x" loading="lazy"></span><figcaption class="embed__caption-container"><span class="embed__caption">Atlanta Police Department recruit Moses Russ was killed in a crash while on his way to work on Tuesday morning.</span><span class="embed__credit">
            
                Atlanta Police Department

                          </span></figcaption></figure><p>Officials say Russ was in his 16th week of training at the academy as part of APD's Class 302 and had been deployed out in downtown Atlanta during the FIFA World Cup.</p><p>"He was preparing to serve the public, preparing to serve you as citizens and members of this great region," Dickens said.</p><p>Schierbaum called Russ the "exact type of person we would want to be a police officer."</p><p>Before joining the APD, Russ served two years in the Atlanta Department of Corrections and had been a member of the U.S. Coast Guard</p><p>Atlanta Chief of Corrections Elder Dancy said Russ was beloved by his fellow team members and went out of his way to make sure those who were detained were treated with dignity.</p><p>Training has been paused for the other Atlanta police recruits to allow them time to grieve, Schierbaum said, describing Russ' death as a "very tough time."</p><p>"They have lost a friend and fellow recruit who was like a brother to them," he said.</p><p>In a statement, Dickens said, "Atlanta lost a young public servant this morning with the passing of APD Recruit Moses Russ." The pain of this loss is especially heavy for his classmates and instructors, some of whom came upon the scene and stopped to render aid to one of their own. My heart is with Moses' family and loved ones, his Class 302 brothers and sisters, his instructors and the entire APD family. We will surround them with support in the difficult days ahead and honor Moses for the life he lived and the service he had already given to his country and Atlanta."</p><p>Governor Brian Kemp shared on social media that he and his family are praying for Moses Russ' family as well as the entire community as they mourn his tragic loss.&nbsp;</p><p>"We send our deepest condolences to all who knew and loved him," he wrote.&nbsp;</p><p>Officials say the other driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries.</p><p>The cause of the crash remains under investigation.&nbsp;</p>

 ]]>
                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ Russ Moses was in his 16th week of training at the academy as part of Atlanta Police Department's Class 302 and had been deployed out in downtown Atlanta during the FIFA World Cup. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Syndicated Local ]]>
          </category>
                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Dan  Raby ]]></dc:creator>
                                        </item>
                <item>
        <title>Angel Reese goes back-to-back as WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week after breaking 2 league records</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/angel-reese-goes-back-to-back-as-wnba-eastern-conference-player-of-the-week-after-breaking-2-league-records/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 15:00:42 -0400</pubDate>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">d01938cc-f788-4ecd-abbb-8812952713a5</guid>
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          <media:thumbnail url="https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/9d25daa7-e2e1-4dac-9aa2-6c3f86b14715/thumbnail/1024x576/0f7acd44745a317ecf83d7eae7a60cf3/gettyimages-2291930445.jpg" width="1024" height="576"/>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>Records keep falling, and awards keep arriving during Angel Reese's first season in Atlanta.</p><p>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/tag/atlanta-dream/">Atlanta Dream</a> forward was named WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second consecutive week, the team announced Tuesday.</p><p>It is Reese's <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/angel-reese-named-wnba-eastern-conference-player-of-the-week-after-dominant-road-trip/" target="_blank">second weekly honor</a></span> with Atlanta and the fourth of her three-year WNBA career. She becomes the fourth player in Dream history to win the award in consecutive weeks.</p><p>Reese averaged 17.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals as Atlanta went 2-1 during the week.</p><figure class="embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-none embed--size-feed_phone_image" data-ads='{"extraWordCount":50}'><span class="img embed__content "><img src="https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/5951d644-691d-4a17-be1e-3c05de62781e/thumbnail/620x417/d98a8d966fe1cca05d20a46c80e7645e/gettyimages-2292750052.jpg#" alt="Minnesota Lynx v Atlanta Dream " height="417" width="620" class=" lazyload" srcset="https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/5951d644-691d-4a17-be1e-3c05de62781e/thumbnail/620x417/d98a8d966fe1cca05d20a46c80e7645e/gettyimages-2292750052.jpg 1x, https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/5951d644-691d-4a17-be1e-3c05de62781e/thumbnail/1240x834/989f7f2195945f7735df5fa61356dc47/gettyimages-2292750052.jpg 2x" loading="lazy"></span><figcaption class="embed__caption-container"><span class="embed__caption">COLLEGE PARK, GEORGIA - AUGUST 30: Angel Reese #5 of the Atlanta Dream brings the ball up the court against the Minnesota Lynx during the fourth quarter at Gateway Center Arena on August 30, 2026 in College Park, Georgia.&nbsp;</span><span class="embed__credit">
            
                Paras Griffin / Getty Images

                          </span></figcaption></figure><p>Her biggest performance came against the Los Angeles Sparks, when <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/angel-reese-breaks-2-wnba-rebounding-records-as-dream-finish-perfect-west-coast-trip-with-win-over-sparks/" target="_blank">she grabbed a WNBA-record 26 rebounds</a></span> and passed A'ja Wilson's single-season record of 451. The victory completed the first 4-0 road trip in Dream history.</p><p>Reese finished the week with 15 points and 11 rebounds in an 89-81 victory over the league-leading Minnesota Lynx. <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/angel-reese-sets-wnba-double-double-record-allisha-gray-scores-23-as-dream-beat-lynx-89-81/" target="_blank">It was her 29th double-double</a></span>, breaking Alyssa Thomas' WNBA single-season record of 28.</p><p>In her first season with Atlanta, Reese has set league records for rebounds in a game, rebounds and offensive rebounds in a season, and double-doubles in a season.</p><p>Reese and Dream teammate Rhyne Howard will represent the United States at the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Berlin. Atlanta's next game is Sept. 17 against the Connecticut Sun at Gateway Center Arena.</p>

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        <description><![CDATA[ Records keep falling, and awards keep arriving during Angel Reese's first season in Atlanta. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Sports ]]>
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                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Syndicated Local ]]>
          </category>
                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Christopher  Harris ]]></dc:creator>
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                <item>
        <title>CDC researcher stole $1 million in autism grant money to buy Atlanta home and Harley-Davidson, prosecutors say</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/cdc-researcher-stole-1-million-in-autism-grant-money-to-buy-atlanta-home-and-harley-davidson-prosecutors-say/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 14:43:41 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>After more than 14 years as a fugitive, a Danish researcher has admitted to stealing more than $1 million in federal grant money meant for autism and other public health research.</p><p>Poul Thorsen, 65, pleaded guilty Monday to wire fraud in federal court in Atlanta, according to the <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/danish-autism-researcher-extradited-after-14-years-run-pleads-guilty-stealing-cdc">U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia</a>.</p><p>Between 2000 and 2009, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/tag/centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention/">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> awarded more than $11 million to two Danish government agencies. The grants supported studies involving autism and vaccines, cerebral palsy and infections during pregnancy, and childhood development and fetal alcohol exposure.</p><p>Thorsen became responsible for overseeing the money in 2002. Prosecutors said he later submitted more than a dozen fraudulent invoices bearing the forged signature of a CDC official.</p><p>The invoices caused Aarhus University to transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars into accounts it believed belonged to the CDC. The accounts actually belonged to Thorsen, prosecutors said.</p><p>Thorsen admitted diverting more than $1 million from Aarhus University and Odense University Hospital. Prosecutors said he used the money to buy an Atlanta home, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and Audi and Honda vehicles. He also withdrew cash, paid credit card bills and transferred money to other accounts.</p><p>A federal judge issued a warrant for Thorsen's arrest in April 2011. He remained in Denmark until authorities arrested him in Germany in June 2025. Germany extradited him to the United States in May 2026, according to the <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/autism-researcher-extradited-germany-face-federal-charges-stealing-cdc-grant-money?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Justice Department</a>.</p><p>Thorsen is in federal custody being held&nbsp;without bail. His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 1.</p>
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                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ After more than 14 years as a fugitive, a Danish researcher has admitted to stealing more than $1 million in federal grant money meant for autism and other public health research. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Syndicated Local ]]>
          </category>
                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
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                <item>
        <title>Search for missing Georgia girl ends with man sentenced to prison for rape, deputies say</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/search-for-missing-georgia-girl-ends-with-man-sentenced-to-prison-for-rape-deputies-say/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 14:18:25 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>A search for a missing juvenile in Walton County ended with a man sentenced to serve decades in Georgia prison, deputies say.</p><p>Officials with the Carroll County Sheriff's Office say their investigation began on May 24, 2024, when they were contacted by officials in Walton County about a missing girl who may have been near Lamar Moody Park.</p><p>While deputies weren't able to find her at that time, they sent out an alert to be on the lookout for the girl.</p><p>The search ended after two travelers from Alabama called Carroll County 911, reporting that they found a young girl on the side of Interstate 20. That girl was eventually confirmed to be the missing juvenile, police say.</p><p>Investigators say they identified Nicholas Hallstrom as the person who picked up the girl earlier that morning and learned that he and his encounter with the underage victim "had been sexual in nature."</p><p>During an interview, officials say Hallstrom admitted to his actions and confessed. He was charged in Carroll County with two counts of child molestation, aggravated sexual battery, enticing a child for indecent purposes, second-degree cruelty to children, and statutory rape.</p><p>On Aug. 26, Hallstrom pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 50 years, with 30 to be served in prison.</p>
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                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ A search for a missing juvenile in Walton County ended with a man sentenced to serve decades in Georgia prison, deputies say. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Crime ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Syndicated Local ]]>
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                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Dan  Raby ]]></dc:creator>
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        <title>As measles outbreaks grow in the U.S., maps and charts show a record number of cases in 2026</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/measles-outbreak-us-map-2026/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 14:17:50 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>So far in 2026, the U.S. has recorded the most measles cases in more than three decades as outbreaks spread in multiple states, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows.&nbsp;</p><p>By mid-July, the number had already surpassed <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/measles-outbreak-us-map/" target="_blank">all of 2025</a>, which had been the worst year in recent history with more than 2,200 confirmed cases. Ongoing outbreaks have put the U.S. at risk of losing its official&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/measles-elimination-rfk-jr-cdc-deputy-downplays/" target="_blank">measles elimination</a> status, which it has held since 2000.&nbsp;</p><p>Pennsylvania's health department announced on Aug. 25 that the state recorded its first <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/measles-outbreak-pennsylvania-lancaster-county-deaths-health/">two deaths</a></span> connected to measles in 35 years, both in Lancaster County. The two people who died were not vaccinated against the virus, state health officials said. The CDC did not include the deaths in its <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html">weekly update</a>, however, saying that they "have not been confirmed based on the information currently available to CDC."</p><p><span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-measles-mmr-vaccine-symptoms/" target="_blank">Measles</a></span> is one of the most contagious infectious diseases. In some cases, it can cause&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/measles/symptoms/complications.html#">severe infections</a>&nbsp;in the lungs and brain that can lead to cognitive issues, deafness or death. But it can be prevented by <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-many-lives-vaccines-have-saved/" target="_blank">vaccination</a>, which medical research has proven to be <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004407.pub5/full">safe and highly effective</a>.</p><p>The CBS News data team has tracked confirmed measles cases nationwide as new data is released by state health departments and the CDC.&nbsp;</p><p>Out of the 2,289 <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html">confirmed cases</a> last year, more than 750 were connected to an outbreak in West Texas that led to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/measles-death-texas-outbreak/">the deaths</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/texas-measles-outbreak-second-child-death-unvaccinated/">two children</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Prior to 2025, the highest number of confirmed cases in the U.S. in recent years was 1,274 in 2019, driven by <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/measles-outbreak-cases-top-700-as-outbreaks-continue-to-spread/" target="_blank">outbreaks</a></span> in New York, California and Washington state. Most years the total was much lower.&nbsp;</p><p>Health experts point to <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vaccination-rate-decline-measles-polio-outbreaks/" target="_blank">lower vaccination rates</a></span> as the main reason for increases in <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/measles-outbreak-texas-preventable-symptoms/" target="_blank">preventable</a></span>&nbsp;infectious diseases like measles. The vast majority of cases have been in people who were unvaccinated, and outbreaks have spread in communities with lower vaccination rates.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html">CDC data</a> shows about <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/school-vaccination-rates-exemptions-record/" target="_blank">92.4% of kindergartners</a></span> in the U.S. got their measles-mumps-rubella shots in the 2025-2026 school year, down slightly from 92.5% the&nbsp;<span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/measles-outbreaks-schools-vaccination-rates-decline/" target="_blank">previous year</a></span>. The figure has declined from 95.2% during the 2019-2020 school year &mdash; a critical threshold to keep people safe. Only 10 states hit the 95% threshold last year.</p><p>"When more than 95% of people in a community are vaccinated, most people are protected through community immunity (herd immunity)," <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html">the CDC states</a>.</p><p>"I think that parents, for most kids, especially for the measles vaccines, the DTP, all the standard childhood vaccines, it's very important that parents vaccinate their kids," Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the director of the National Institutes of Health,&nbsp;<span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jay-bhattacharya-national-institutes-of-health-director-face-the-nation-transcript-08-09-2026/">said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."</a></span></p><p>Research&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-website-change-vaccines-autism/">has found no evidence</a>&nbsp;of increased rates of autism among those who are vaccinated compared to those who are not.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-vaccine-safety-aluminum-ingredients/">Vaccines</a>&nbsp;also undergo intensive safety testing.</p>

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                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ CBS News has been tracking a record number of measles cases and outbreaks around the country in 2026. The majority of cases are among those who haven't been vaccinated. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ HealthWatch ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Data Team ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ U.S. ]]>
          </category>
                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Grace  Manthey ]]></dc:creator>
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                <item>
        <title>Women from Florida, Georgia accused of sexually abusing, confining 4 children in semi-truck for years</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/children-abused-cab-semi-truck-florida-georgia-tamra-marshon-stewart-keysha-monique-epps/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 13:46:50 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>Women from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tag/florida/">Florida</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tag/georgia/">Georgia</a> are facing criminal charges in the Sunshine State after investigators said four children spent more than six years living in the cab of a semi-truck, where they were sexually abused, beaten and denied basic care.</p><p>Tamra Marshon Stewart, 37, of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tag/jacksonville/">Jacksonville</a> and Keysha Monique Epps, 51, of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tag/atlanta/">Atlanta</a>, Georgia, were charged in Orange County with sexually battering, molesting and neglecting the four children, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced.</p><p>According to investigators, the abuse spanned from January 2020 through April.&nbsp;</p><p>Epps, a commercial truck driver, ran routes from Atlanta to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tag/miami">Miami</a> with stops throughout Florida, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tag/orlando/">Orlando</a>. The four children lived with Epps and Stewart in the sleeper cab of Epps' truck during that time.</p><h2>2 girls detail years of abuse, 2 boys describe beatings after confronting suspects, authorities say</h2><p>Investigators say the children were forced to share a single bunk and were denied adequate food, hygiene, schooling and medical care. Two of the children suffered untreated burns that left significant scarring. After leaving the defendants' custody, one child was diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection.</p><p>The two girls in the group disclosed years of sexual abuse by Stewart. The two boys said they witnessed the abuse and were beaten after they confronted Stewart and told Epps about it.</p><p>Investigators allege Epps knew about the abuse, failed to stop it and failed to report it as required by Florida law.</p><p>During a post-Miranda interview, Stewart admitted to three sexual batteries against one of the girls, including one offense in Orlando, according to the attorney general's office.</p><h2>Children were "trapped in rolling prison," Uthmeier says</h2><p>"These children were trapped in a rolling prison and abused by the adults who were supposed to protect them," Uthmeier said. "Florida has zero tolerance for anyone who preys on children. We will seek the maximum punishment under the law."</p><p>Stewart faces two counts of sexual battery by a person in familial or custodial authority, two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation of a child less than 12, two counts of battery of a child by expelling certain fluids or materials, two counts of child neglect without great bodily harm and two counts of child neglect causing permanent disfigurement.</p><p>Epps faces two counts of sexual battery by a person in familial or custodial authority, two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation of a child less than 12, two counts of child neglect without great bodily harm, two counts of child neglect causing permanent disfigurement and four counts of failure to report child abuse.</p><p>The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed, authorities say.</p>
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                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ Tamra Marshon Stewart and Keysha Monique Epps face several charges, Attorney General James Uthmeier announced. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ CBS Miami  Team ]]></dc:creator>
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                <item>
        <title>High temperatures feeling even hotter across North Georgia as humidity sinks in</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/video/high-temperatures-feeling-even-hotter-across-north-georgia-as-humidity-sinks-in/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 13:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">f2f151d0-6c38-47f2-ae47-271f774b00fa</guid>
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                      <![CDATA[ We may be getting closer to Labor Day, but that doesn't mean the heat is going around any time soon in Georgia. ]]>
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        <description><![CDATA[ We may be getting closer to Labor Day, but that doesn't mean the heat is going around any time soon in Georgia. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Spoken Word WUPATV ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ News ]]>
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                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
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        <title>Former Georgia Sam&#039;s Club employee found guilty in massive cellphone, identity fraud scam</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/former-georgia-sams-club-employee-found-guilty-in-massive-cellphone-identity-fraud-scam/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 13:02:14 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>A former Douglas County Sam's Club employee has been found guilty of an identity fraud scheme involving more than 100 cell phone accounts, officials say.</p><p>On Aug. 28, a jury found Darlita Lynette McKeever guilty of five counts of theft by taking, two counts of theft by deception, and four counts of identity fraud, the Douglas County District Attorney announced.</p><p>Prosecutors say that McKeever was arrested on Sept. 24, 2020, after an investigation by local law enforcement and internal Walmart corporate investigators.</p><p>According to officials, McKeever opened more than 100 Sprint cellular accounts using fake identities and those of people who did not give her authorization to use their personal details. McKeever then stole the cellphones connected with the accounts, investigators said.</p><p>At the time, McKeever was working at the Sam's Club on Concourse Parkway in Douglasville.</p><p>"Identity fraud is not a victimless crime. It violates an individual's privacy and sense of security. This verdict holds the defendant responsible for abusing her position and using the personal information of others for her own benefit," Douglas County District Attorney Dalia Racine said in a statement. "I commend our trial team and law enforcement partners for their diligent work in securing justice in this case."</p><p>McKeever will be sentenced at a later date.</p>
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        <description><![CDATA[ The former Douglas County Sam's Club employee was accused of making more than 100 fraudulent Sprint accounts to steal cellphones. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Crime ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Syndicated Local ]]>
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                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Dan  Raby ]]></dc:creator>
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        <title>Atlanta sends $68 million counteroffer to Fulton County over possible sale of city jail</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/atlanta-sends-68-million-counteroffer-to-fulton-county-over-possible-sale-of-city-jail/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 12:45:17 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>The city of Atlanta has made a counteroffer to Fulton County in the continued negotiations over the possible purchase of the Atlanta City Detention Center.</p><p>In August, five Fulton County commissioners sent an offer to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and the Atlanta City Council <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/fulton-county-commissioners-offer-56-5-million-to-buy-atlanta-city-detention-center/" target="_blank">offering to pay $56.5 million</a></span> for the downtown jail.</p><p>County leaders pointed to a 2025 broker opinion of value from a commercial real estate firm as well as the renovation cost for the facility, which they estimated would be around $75 million.</p><p>On Monday, Dickens sent his response, calling the county's offer a "constructive starting point for continued negotiations."</p><p>The mayor had previously offered the detention center to the county for $80 million, but withdrew that offer in July, asking county leaders to send him a new proposal. In a letter obtained by CBS News Atlanta, Dickens offered a new price for the ACDC, one that hit a middle ground between the previous offer and the county's counteroffer.</p><p>"Recognizing that time is of the essence, the City is prepared to further reduce its offer and sell ACDC to Fulton County for $68 million, a discount of more than $76 million off the aforementioned appraised value of $144.6 million," Dickens wrote.</p><figure class="embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-none embed--size-feed_phone_image" data-ads='{"extraWordCount":50}'><span class="img embed__content "><img src="https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/04/20/dd513371-1447-4edc-9c6d-544bbd70c1f8/thumbnail/620x349/a24af6f492007cafaa15f470e7f83bcb/gettyimages-1602693682.jpg#" alt="Defendants In State Of Georgia V. Trump Case To Be Booked Through Fulton County Jail " height="349" width="620" class=" lazyload" srcset="https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/04/20/dd513371-1447-4edc-9c6d-544bbd70c1f8/thumbnail/620x349/a24af6f492007cafaa15f470e7f83bcb/gettyimages-1602693682.jpg 1x, https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/04/20/dd513371-1447-4edc-9c6d-544bbd70c1f8/thumbnail/1240x698/27c464dbf53e7615d632c803b93de6f8/gettyimages-1602693682.jpg 2x" loading="lazy"></span><figcaption class="embed__caption-container"><span class="embed__caption">An exterior view of the Fulton County Jail on Aug. 16, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia.&nbsp;</span><span class="embed__credit">
            
                Megan Varner / Getty Images

                          </span></figcaption></figure><p>The mayor argued that some of the items that Fulton County officials noted in their list of needed repairs had been addressed by the city.</p><p>As part of the offer, Dickens asked that the county keep space in the ACDC to house Atlanta detainees and that Fulton County conduct annual independent assessments of the facility's physical conditions. The mayor also asked that the county hire any city employees displaced because of the transaction.</p><p>Alongside the jail purchase, Dickens said another of the city's conditions would be that Fulton County would commit $200 million over a decade to creating a hospital in partnership with Atlanta, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Atrium Health.</p><p>"This agreement gives us an opportunity to address both an immediate detention challenge and another fundamental responsibility we share; ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare," he wrote. "The savings generated by this transaction provide Fulton County with greater capacity to make that investment while still producing significant savings for County taxpayers."</p><p>Dickens gave Fulton County a deadline of 5 p.m. on Sept. 21 to respond to his offer.</p><h2>A struggle to fix poor conditions at the Fulton County Jail</h2><p>Atlanta and Fulton County's negotiations come as the county continues to try and improve conditions at the county jail.</p><p>Federal monitors have repeatedly flagged staffing shortages at the jail. An independent monitor last year found that some housing units were staffed by a single deputy overseeing nearly 200 inmates across multiple areas. Security towers were often left vacant, and more than half of the assigned posts were empty during some shifts.</p><p>A 2024 Justice Department investigation described the jail as <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/aclu-report-raises-new-concerns-over-overcrowding-at-fulton-county-jail-after-major-flooding/" target="_blank">hazardous and unsanitary,</a></span> citing flooding from broken plumbing, infestations of rodents and insects, filthy cells, and exposed wiring. Investigators also documented more than 1,000 assaults and more than <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/mother-of-fulton-county-jail-stabbing-victim-says-reforms-must-prevent-another-familys-loss/" target="_blank">300 stabbings</a></span> in 2023, many of which were underreported.</p><p>The Justice Department and county officials announced in January 2025 that they had entered into a court-enforceable consent decree. An independent monitor has been visiting the county's jails and documenting the issues and any progress in fixing them.</p><p>Earlier this year, Fulton County leaders <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/fulton-county-approves-1-3-billion-jail-overhaul-as-mo-ivory-raises-concerns-over-inmate-transfer-plans/" target="_blank">approved a $1.3 billion plan</a></span> that involved building a new "special purpose facility" designed to house vulnerable populations - including detainees with mental and physical health needs, as well as other renovations. Construction on that new facility is expected to begin in 2028.</p><p>The county has also proposed reducing overcrowding by <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/fulton-county-sheriff-weighs-misdemeanor-booking-changes-as-jail-overcrowding-concerns/" target="_blank">not accepting misdemeanor arrests</a></span>, barring some exceptions.&nbsp;</p><p>Currently, Fulton County has leased space in the ACDC, allowing up to 700 detainees to stay in the facility. That lease expires at the end of the year.</p>

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                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ Mayor Andre Dickens has made his counteroffer to Fulton County in the continued negotiations over the possible purchase of the Atlanta City Detention Center. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Politics ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Syndicated Local ]]>
          </category>
                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Dan  Raby ]]></dc:creator>
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        <title>Georgia RB Nate Frazier chasing 1,000 yards and a place in Bulldogs history</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/nate-frazier-is-seeking-to-make-the-most-of-his-2026-season-as-no-3-georgias-top-returning-rusher/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 12:29:56 -0400</pubDate>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">b99457a0-d59e-4364-9998-4ebaa8ab713a</guid>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>Even though junior Nate Frazier has two years of eligibility remaining, he already feels time passing too quickly as he seeks to claim his place on No. 3 Georgia's rich legacy of running backs.</p><p>Frazier returns as the leader of Georgia's ground game as the Bulldogs prepare for Saturday's season opener against Tennessee State. He says he is determined to make sure he continues the momentum gained from a strong finish to his 2025 season to capitalize on every opportunity this season.</p><p>Frazier just missed 1,000 rushing yards last season, leading the team with 947 yards and six touchdowns. He showed his star potential when he rushed for 181 yards on only 12 carries in a 41-21 win at Mississippi State. It was the most yards for a Georgia running back since D'Andre Swift ran for 186 yards in a 2018 win at Auburn.</p><p>Frazier wants to earn his spot beside such recent Georgia rushing leaders as Swift, Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and Todd Gurley. Frazier seems to feel his time is running out as he approaches his junior season.</p><p>Before the start of preseason practice, Georgia <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/4162885497335580">posted a video</a> of an emotional Frazier standing on the steps of Sanford Stadium, wearing his uniform with his red No. 3 jersey. Frazier raised his hands and then clinched his fists as he loudly proclaimed "I don't want to leave this place, bro! I love this place, bro! I love it here! I don't want to go!"</p><p>Frazier said Monday his sentiments, which seemed to be delivered in an anguished tone, were real.</p><p>"Oh man, it's just a blessing, man," Frazier said. "We come and we put work in at this place, you know, Monday through Sunday, and then coming to the game on Saturday, it's all worth it."</p><figure class="embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-none embed--size-feed_phone_image" data-ads='{"extraWordCount":50}'><span class="img embed__content "><img src="https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/0c269351-4024-4079-9e99-a4eec96e8a5d/thumbnail/620x414/a20eb32a368b1cb822aba378a87e81d1/gettyimages-2253791187.jpg#" alt="College Football Playoff Quarterfinal - Allstate Sugar Bowl: Ole Miss v Georgia " height="414" width="620" class=" lazyload" srcset="https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/0c269351-4024-4079-9e99-a4eec96e8a5d/thumbnail/620x414/a20eb32a368b1cb822aba378a87e81d1/gettyimages-2253791187.jpg 1x, https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/0c269351-4024-4079-9e99-a4eec96e8a5d/thumbnail/1240x828/1915e140e6510fa647a7bdba6dd01308/gettyimages-2253791187.jpg 2x" loading="lazy"></span><figcaption class="embed__caption-container"><span class="embed__caption">NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 1: Nate Frazier #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs warms up before the College Football Playoff Quarter Final Game at Caesars Superdome on January 1, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana.</span><span class="embed__credit">
            
                CFP / Getty Images

                          </span></figcaption></figure><p>Frazier said when he is playing for Georgia "I feel like it is no greater feeling than that that moment right there."</p><p>Frazier said he cherishes such Georgia traditions as the Dawg Walk with fans before the game.</p><p>"The tradition of this place is crazy and it's like something that's unlike any other," he said. "So it's like it's a special feeling, right? So when I said I don't want to leave this place, it's actually a true feeling, but I can only be here for so long."</p><p>Georgia also returns running backs Chauncey Bowens, who rushed for 526 yards and six touchdowns, Bo Walker and Dwight Phillips Jr. Other key returning players on offense include quarterback Gunner Stockton and tight end Lawson Luckie.</p><p>Georgia linebacker Justin Williams said Frazier has "always been that twitchy guy" as a running back.</p><p>This year, Williams said he has seen Frazier "taking the extra mile to do the extra things, the little things after practice. I've seen that from him. He's been doing that consistently. So he knows that his time is very limited, just like the rest of us. So he's been taking that role very seriously."</p><p>Coach Kirby Smart said Frazier has taken a lead role of the running back room even though Bowens and Phillips also are juniors.</p><p>"Leadership in that room, I think he takes personal ownership and energy," Smart said of Frazier. "Those three guys are all came in together. He takes a lot of pride in having positive energy, stamina carrying the ball further downfield."</p><p>After having 16 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in 2025, Frazier has worked to become more of a factor as a target for Stockton.</p><p>"Pass (protection) and pass receiving becoming a weapon," Smart said when asked how Frazier has improved. "Weapon catching the ball out of the backfield has been a big focus for him. All in all, he's worked really hard in his game."</p><p>___</p><p>Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full college football coverage here</p>

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                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ Georgia running back Nate Frazier feels his college career is passing too quickly as he prepares for the start of his junior season. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Sports ]]>
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            <![CDATA[ U.S. ]]>
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                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
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        <title>Atlanta police searching for persons of interest in deadly shooting of music producer</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/atlanta-police-searching-for-persons-of-interest-in-deadly-shooting-of-music-producer/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 11:57:54 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>Police are asking the public's help identifying multiple persons of interest in a deadly shooting at a southwest Atlanta apartment complex.</p><p>Investigators say the victim and his friend were lured to a location because they thought they were picking up two men for a rap studio session that they were invited to. Instead, it turned into a robbery that left the 33-year-old music producer dead.</p><p>According to police, officers arrived at the Villages of Castleberry Hill apartments on McDaniel Street around 1:37 a.m. on Aug. 21 and found Tarris Caswell shot inside a vehicle. Medics pronounced him dead at the scene.</p><p>Officials say they believe that Caswell and his friend were "targeted in a planned robbery."</p><p>On Monday, the Atlanta Police Department shared photos and surveillance video of two men who are considered persons of interest in the case, asking the public for help identifying them.</p><figure class="embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-none embed--size-feed_phone_image" data-ads='{"extraWordCount":50}'><span class="img embed__content "><img src="https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/41278aa8-cbf3-472d-bfbe-e121c97656a6/thumbnail/620x349/f39f54e473c911efacf1f96d2df8560d/tarris-caswell-shooting-poi.jpg#" alt="tarris-caswell-shooting-poi.jpg " height="349" width="620" class=" lazyload" srcset="https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/41278aa8-cbf3-472d-bfbe-e121c97656a6/thumbnail/620x349/f39f54e473c911efacf1f96d2df8560d/tarris-caswell-shooting-poi.jpg 1x, https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/41278aa8-cbf3-472d-bfbe-e121c97656a6/thumbnail/1240x698/8f96f198be6f2f70d7abd7c90fa1d02d/tarris-caswell-shooting-poi.jpg 2x" loading="lazy"></span><figcaption class="embed__caption-container"><span class="embed__caption">Atlanta police say these two men are persons of interest in the deadly shooting of Tarris Caswell in August.</span><span class="embed__credit">
            
                Atlanta Police Department

                          </span></figcaption></figure><p>Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for any information that leads to an arrest and indictment in the case.</p><p>If you have any information that could help with the investigation, call Crime Stoppers at (404) 577-8477.</p>

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                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ Investigators say the music producer was lured to a location because he thought he was picking up two men for a rap studio session that they were invited to. Instead, it turned into a robbery that left the 33-year-old dead. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Crime ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Syndicated Local ]]>
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                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Dan  Raby ]]></dc:creator>
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        <title>Mother, teen daughters charged in golf club assault of 14-year-old in Newnan, police say</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/mother-teen-daughters-charged-in-golf-club-assault-of-14-year-old-in-newnan-police-say/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 11:28:58 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>A Newnan mother and her two teenage daughters are facing criminal charges for an attack that sent a 14-year-old to a metro Atlanta hospital, police say.</p><p>Authorities with the Newnan Police Department say the situation began on Ball Street on Monday evening with an argument between the teens that turned into a physical assault.</p><p>Police say they responded to a 911 call around 6:39 p.m. and say they learned that the 14-year-old victim was hit in the head with a golf club.</p><p>According to investigators, 36-year-old Curtisia Anya' Heath went into her apartment and retrieved the club, handing it to her 16-year-old daughter. After the victim was struck, police say the 16-year-old's younger sister took the club and hit a second juvenile victim.</p><p>The 14-year-old victim remains in the hospital as of Tuesday morning. Officials say she is expected to recover.</p><p>Officers took Heath into custody and charged her with aggravated assault. Police say her 16-year-old and 15-year-old daughters are also charged with aggravated assault, with the older one facing a charge of aggravated battery as well. Both teens are in custody at a regional youth detention center.</p><p>The investigation remains ongoing. Investigators are asking anyone with information to call the Newnan Police Department at (770) 254-2355.</p>
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        <description><![CDATA[ A Newnan mother and her two teenage daughters are facing criminal charges for an attack with a golf club that sent a 14-year-old to a metro Atlanta hospital, police say. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
          </category>
                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Crime ]]>
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                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ Syndicated Local ]]>
          </category>
                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Dan  Raby ]]></dc:creator>
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        <title>Lionel Richie hospitalized after St. Louis show in latest health concern</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/lionel-richie-hospitalized-st-louis-health-scare/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 10:29:12 -0400</pubDate>
        <guid isPermaLink="false">706f1098-e686-4a23-98ca-a709acc147ac</guid>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p>Lionel Richie checked himself into a hospital over the weekend following a show in St. Louis, according to TMZ, the latest health concern for the former Commodores singer.</p><p>While performing at The Muny on Saturday night, Richie appeared at one point to lean on a piano for support, according to video from the show. Later, fans said, the 77-year-old singer asked for a chair to sit down for his final number, "All Night Long."</p><p>After the show, Richie checked himself into a local hospital to have some tests, potentially for slight dehydration,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/08/31/lionel-richie-hospitalized/">TMZ reported</a>.</p><p>This isn't the Grammy-winning artist's first onstage health scare this year.</p><p>In June, he <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/lionel-richie-st-paul-grand-casino-arena-leaves-sick/" target="_blank">took a seat on stage</a></span> in Minnesota during a performance of "Dancing on the Ceiling," citing dizziness, before ending the show early and <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/lionel-richie-postpones-2-shows-after-cutting-st-paul-concert-short-due-to-illness/" target="_blank">postponing shows</a></span> in Chicago and Columbus, Ohio.</p><p>Then, in July, he joked about needing electrolytes in between songs during a show at Madison Square Garden.</p><figure class="embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-none embed--size-feed_phone_image" data-ads='{"extraWordCount":50}'><span class="img embed__content "><img src="https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/dd2c979c-b91f-452a-b594-306a5746e9ef/thumbnail/620x413/4fe4e72321738050fa2477213a636289/gettyimages-2276046927.jpg#" alt="Music Legend and Acrisure Brand Ambassador Lionel Richie Headlines Acrisure Amphitheater Opening Concert " height="413" width="620" class=" lazyload" srcset="https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/dd2c979c-b91f-452a-b594-306a5746e9ef/thumbnail/620x413/4fe4e72321738050fa2477213a636289/gettyimages-2276046927.jpg 1x, https://assets2.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/09/01/dd2c979c-b91f-452a-b594-306a5746e9ef/thumbnail/1240x826/d1bc17b5691fdd04c58300e9de6cf595/gettyimages-2276046927.jpg 2x" loading="lazy"></span><figcaption class="embed__caption-container"><span class="embed__caption">Music legend Lionel Richie headlines the Acrisure Amphitheater Opening Concert on May 15, 2026, in Grand Rapids, Mich.</span><span class="embed__credit">
            
                Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Acrisure Amphitheater

                          </span></figcaption></figure><p>Richie is currently in the middle of a 26-city "Sing A Song All Night Long" tour with Earth, Wind and Fire.&nbsp;</p><p>He is widely regarded as one of the best pop songwriters of the late 20th century. He was a member of the highly successful band the Commodores in the 1970s &mdash; releasing songs like "Easy," "Three Times a Lady" and "Brick House" &mdash; before going solo in the early '80s. As a solo artist, he released a string of hit ballads like "Hello," "My Love" and "Say You, Say Me."</p><p>Richie also co-wrote the global smash hit "We Are The World" in 1985 with Michael Jackson, which helped raise millions for famine relief efforts in Ethiopia.  He has been a judge on "American Idol" since 2018.</p><p>The singer has been nominated for 33 Grammys and won four, including album of the year in 1985 for "Can't Slow Down" and song of the year in 1986 for "We Are The World."</p>

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                  </content:encoded>
        <description><![CDATA[ While performing in St. Louis on Saturday night, Lionel Richie appeared at one point to lean on a piano for support, according to video from the show. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Entertainment ]]>
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                                      <category>
            <![CDATA[ U.S. ]]>
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                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Mark  Osborne ]]></dc:creator>
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        <title>Whistleblower warns Postal Service&#039;s new mail ballot system has &quot;potentially catastrophic problems&quot;</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/whistleblower-postal-service-new-mail-ballot-system/</link>
        <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 10:19:00 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ <p><em>Washington &mdash; </em>A whistleblower is warning of "potentially catastrophic problems" with the U.S. Postal Service's new system for handling mail ballots. The whistleblower is accusing the agency of flouting court rulings by continuing to work on implementing a Trump executive order to tighten mail voting rules before the November midterm elections.</p><p>Described by lawyers as a federal official, the anonymous whistleblower revealed the information about the Postal Service's mail-voting procedures in a <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2026-08-31_final_letter-disclosure.pdf">disclosure</a> provided to Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut that was made public Tuesday. In response, Blumenthal is now questioning Postmaster General David Steiner about the Postal Service's development of a new online portal to house information about voters and their mail ballots.</p><p>"The main takeaway for me is that the Postal Service has designed a system to disenfranchise millions of Americans," Blumenthal told reporters. "One third of all Americans cast their ballots by mail, and the USPS puts all of their votes at risk."</p><p>The Postal Service did not immediately return a request for comment.</p><p>President Trump has sought to exert more federal control over U.S. elections ahead of the November midterms, including through his executive order imposing new restrictions on mail ballots. The president has also pushed Congress to approve a package of voting regulations that would outlaw mail voting &mdash; with some exceptions &mdash; and impose new proof-of-citizenship requirements to register to vote.</p><p>As Mr. Trump signed his executive order <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-vote-by-mail-executive-order/">in March, </a></span>he claimed that "the cheating on mail-in voting is legendary," and said new mail voting rules were needed to ensure the integrity of federal elections. But his administration has not put forth evidence of widespread voter fraud, and the president himself has <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-votes-by-mail-florida-election-ballot/">cast ballots in Florida's elections</a></span> by mail.</p><p>As part of its implementation of the president's directive, the Postal Service published a final rule last month laying out its new requirements for mail voting. A federal judge <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/judge-temporarily-blocks-new-postal-service-rules-for-mail-voting-trump/">temporarily blocked</a></span> its enforcement last week, and the Justice Department has appealed that decision.</p><p>Currently, six states conduct their elections <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://electionlab.mit.edu/research/voting-mail-and-absentee-voting">entirely by mail</a>. There are also four states, plus the District of Columbia, that have not yet eliminated in-person voting but also send ballots to all of their voters. In a <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/voting-process-photo-id-opinion-poll/">CBS News poll</a></span> in March, 77% of Democrats said anyone should be allowed to vote by mail, while just 25% of Republicans also felt that way. Independents were split, with 49% backing mail voting by anyone.</p><p>The new Postal Service rule imposes new design standards for outbound and return mail ballot envelopes, including the addition of a unique barcode. Under the new rule, state election officials must submit to an online "Federal Ballot Mail Portal" the names and addresses of voters receiving mail ballots, as well as the unique barcodes on the mail ballot envelopes.&nbsp;</p><p>Once that information is provided through the portal, those voters would be considered enrolled with the Postal Service on their state's "Mail-In and Absentee Participation List." The agency has said it "will not play any role in determining voter eligibility, maintaining voter rolls, or counting ballots."</p><p>Most states led by Democrats oppose the rule, arguing that the Constitution gives states the authority to set election rules, not the federal government.&nbsp;</p><p>Blumenthal described the Postal Service's actions as "sabotage."</p><p>In a letter to Steiner dated Monday, Blumenthal said the agency's implementation of Mr. Trump's executive order has been "perilously rushed and potentially unlawful," and he urged the Postal Service to walk back its new mail-voting plans for the upcoming elections.&nbsp;</p><p>He wrote that the whistleblower's allegations show that "USPS lacks the technical or operational capability needed to effectively implement the EO's provisions in a way that safeguards every citizen's right to vote in the upcoming midterm elections."&nbsp;</p><p>According to the whistleblower disclosure provided to Blumenthal by lawyers with Whistleblower Aid, the new portal is "untested" and will have "significant operating problems" when released, given its "rushed" development.&nbsp;</p><p>The federal official also warned that the new verification process could keep large numbers of mail ballots from being delivered to voters.</p><p>For instance, the Postal Service has what the whistleblower claims is a "zero percent failure rate." Mail workers would scan a sample of a batch of mail ballots &mdash; about 400 out of a batch of 10,000 or more &mdash; to verify it matches what is in the federal mail ballot portal. Under the policy, if even one barcode on a single ballot in the batch doesn't scan properly or the information does not match, the entire batch would be rejected and returned to state election officials so the problem ballot could be addressed, and then the verification process would have to be started again.</p><p>The whistleblower's lawyers said that the way the process is designed is "entirely unforgiving."&nbsp;</p><p>"It could delay ballots by the thousands in repeated verification cycles &mdash; and thus prevent states from mailing enormous numbers of ballots," the lawyers said.</p><p>David Becker, executive director and founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, warned that the process raises "tremendous" concerns for disenfranchisement of voters.</p><p>"Are Americans clamoring for the Postal Service to have this added responsibility as they're hoping that their ballots are just seamlessly sent to them?" Becker, a CBS News election law contributor, asked.</p><p>He also said that the new Postal Service rules "would undoubtedly create a tremendous number of hoops that are completely unnecessary and do nothing for election integrity."&nbsp;</p><p>Publication of the final rule came days before the Supreme Court <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-trump-mail-voting-order-usps-dhs/">intervened last week </a></span>in a case brought by 23 Democratic-led states that challenged key provisions of Mr. Trump's executive order. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani had <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/judge-blocks-trump-executive-order-mail-in-voting/">blocked the Trump administration</a></span> from implementing those portions of the directive in June, including plans for the Postal Service, but the Supreme Court lifted that lower court decision.</p><p>The high court's order was procedural: The majority found that the states' lawsuit was premature. The Supreme Court said its decision "does not mean that any measure taken by the Government to implement the Order will necessarily be lawful. On that score, time will tell."</p><p>In addition to expressing concerns about the Postal Service's new requirements for mail voting, the whistleblower's disclosure also contends that the agency violated court orders by implementing Mr. Trump's executive order.</p><p>After the district judge issued her order blocking implementation of the president's directive, Postal Service workers resumed work on the portal, the official said, and work continued even after the judge's latest ruling last week.</p><p>In a brief order Monday, Talwani, who is presiding over challenges to the new rule, said the Postal Service can establish the portal and communicate with states about design standards "so long as states' participation is not required."</p><p>The Postal Service aims to have the portal ready to be rolled out to the public by Sept. 1, according to the disclosure. North Carolina will begin sending mail ballots to some voters Friday, and several other states will make mail ballots available around mid-September, according to the <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://electioninnovation.org/research/dates-for-2026-early-in-person-and-mail-voting/">Center for Election Innovation and Research</a>.</p><p>"Our client, a lawful anonymous whistleblower, has come forward to flag a foreseeable catastrophic disruption to our coming nationwide elections based on the reckless pursuit of readying a new, insu&#64259;ciently tested, poorly planned mail-in ballot screening system," the whistleblower's lawyers wrote.</p>

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        <description><![CDATA[ The whistleblower, described by lawyers as a federal official, disclosed information about the Postal Service's new mail-voting procedures to Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Politics ]]>
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            <![CDATA[ U.S. ]]>
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                                                <dc:creator><![CDATA[ Melissa  Quinn ]]></dc:creator>
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        <title>Atlanta&#039;s BronzeLens Film Festival showcases filmmakers of color</title>
        <link>https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/video/atlantas-bronzelens-film-festival-showcases-filmmakers-of-color/</link>
        <pubDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2026 17:25:00 -0400</pubDate>
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                      <![CDATA[ Atlanta's BronzeLens Film Festival offers resources like screenwriters workshops to help young filmmakers build crucial connections with industry leaders. ]]>
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        <description><![CDATA[ Atlanta's BronzeLens Film Festival offers resources like screenwriters workshops to help young filmmakers build crucial connections with industry leaders. ]]></description>
                            <category>
            <![CDATA[ Local News ]]>
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            <![CDATA[ Spoken Word WUPATV ]]>
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            <![CDATA[ News ]]>
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                                    <dc:creator>CBS Atlanta</dc:creator>
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