Commercial and Residential Locksmiths in Buckhead

December 12, 2021, was the night the lights went out in the Georgia 400 tunnel in Buckhead.

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The state Department of Transportation (GDOT) has agreed to fix the lights in the Georgia 400 Buckhead tunnel, lights that have been out since December 2021.

The agreement comes after an Atlanta News First investigation revealing the tunnel’s electrical panels supplying power are flood damaged. Georgia Power’s initial estimate to move the panels and upgrade the lights to new LEDs was $3.1 million, prompting GDOT to request a new estimate.

The day after Better Call Harry’s report aired, GDOT said an agreement was made for the work to begin. A GDOT spokesperson said they agreed to the new estimate of $2.7 million. Work is scheduled to begin April 15 and should be completed in four to six months.

In the meantime, GDOT has put up the “Turn Lights On” signage before the tunnel on each side.

When asked why GDOT wasn’t using its overhead message board or light up construction signs to warn drivers about the outage, GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale said the new signs meet federal guidelines and are sufficient until the permanent repair is made.

“Overhaul of the system is the long-term fix we have for now,” Dale said.

GDOT said it has only received about two dozen complaints about the tunnel over the past year. The tunnel is 600 feet long, and can be traveled between three to five seconds.

But the tunnel’s sudden contrast from brightness to darkness, and then back to brightness, worries metro Atlanta optometrist Dr. Wesley Hansen.

“I drive through there every morning and it’s very challenging on a bright sunny day when the light is reflecting off the buildings above,” Dr. Hansen said. He added normal eyes need 15 to 20 minutes to fully adjust from bright to dark. But for drivers who have eye conditions, the contrast could be dangerous.

“As we get older, it takes even longer,” Dr. Hansen said. “If people have any conditions - cataracts or macular degeneration, or any changes to the eye - they may not adapt at all.”

Despite GDOT’s assertation the tunnel’s electrical power has been unavailable, MARTA’s red line train travels through the same Buckhead tunnel. The tunnel’s rail line is fully lit, and a MARTA spokesperson said the lights are for safety purposes.

If there’s something you would like Atlanta News First’s Consumer Investigator Better Call Harry to look into, fill out this submission form.

Copyright 2023 WANF. All rights reserved.

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - After more than a year since its lights went out, the Buckhead Georgia 400 tunnel should be fully lit by September, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).

Last week, Georgia Power crews began removing more than 700 tunnel lights that have been on and off for years. Georgia Power is restructuring the electrical lines and upgrading the lights to LEDs after a main electrical panel flooded in December 2021.

The project has taken so long to get started because GDOT didn’t have a funding source, nor could it reach an agreement with Georgia Power, which wanted $3.1 million.

Safety concerns first reported by Better Call Harry led to GDOT and Georgia Power reaching a deal for $2.7 million.

The lights are necessary because Georgia law requires lighting in tunnels. Also, anyone driving into that tunnel on a bright sunny day knows that when sunlight is bouncing off the Atlanta Financial Center, a driver’s eyes have a hard time adjusting.

Dr. Wesley Hanson, an optometrist, said normal eyes need 15 to 20 minutes to adjust to the drastic light change.

“As we get older, it takes even longer,” she said. “If people have any conditions, cataracts or macular degeneration, or any changes in the eye, they may not adapt at all.

Better Call Harry obtained 23 driver complaints to GDOT’s 511 helplines over the past year.

One complainant wrote, “This is particularly hazardous when one goes from the bright sunshine to pitch black, you are blinded, and everyone slams on their brakes.”

Georgia Power crews will be working in the tunnel over the next several months. They are not blocking any lanes and for safety, they are depending on a lighted truck to take the impact if a car swerves in the tunnel.

GOT A PROBLEM? BETTER CALL HARRY

If there’s something you would like CBS46′s Consumer Investigator Better Call Harry to look into, fill out this submission form.

Copyright 2023 WANF. All rights reserved.

Buckhead is always buzzing with great shopping and dining, but it is also home to many high-rise office buildings where companies from around the world are based at. When meetings need to happen, Buckhead offers exceptional options for a great meal and ambiance for a business lunch. Here are some of our favorites.

Alon’s Bakery & Market

Located at Phipps Plaza, the award-winning bakery and market is a staple in Atlanta where locals go for business and pleasure. With a wide selection of baked breads, pastries, fresh salads and gourmet sandwiches, you will find the perfect bite and ambiance for your business lunch. Alon’s Bakery and Market also has a location on the Eastside.

Where: 3500 Peachtree Road and 1394 North Highlands Ave. NE

Buckhead Village District

Buckhead Village District is the perfect stop for a business meeting. Discuss issues on a luxurious Parisian patio at Le Bilboquet, share Spanish tapas at Gypsy Kitchen, indulge in Italian deliciousness at Yeppa & Co, or get a coastal vibe at Carmel. Le Colonial’s Vietnamese fare is an option with an intimate setting, and Taverna’s Northern Italian food served in a spacious dining room is perfect for a conversation.

Where: 3035 Peachtree Road

Citizens Market at Phipps Plaza

Just-opened Citizens Market Atlanta at Phipps Plaza is a 25,000-square-foot food hall, bar and event space. A family-friendly destination, it offers eight food concepts and a full-service bar. Try something from fast-casual brands Umami Burger, Krispy Rice, Sam’s Crispy Chicken, Sa’Moto, EllaMia, Cicci di Carne, El Pollo Verde and Soom Soom. Citizens Market Atlanta serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week and is a great destination for a business meeting.

Where: 3500 Peachtree Road NE

Capital Grille

This favorite of Atlanta business types offers comfortable elegance and food that ranges from cheeseburgers to mini tenderloin sandwiches with truffle fries.

Where: 255 East Paces Ferry Road NE

THE CHASTAIN

Executive chef Christopher Grossman offers a seasonal New American lunch menu in a modern elegant bistro on the edge of Chastain Park. For lunch, you have the option to grab something from the AM CAFÉ or make reservation for one of the dining rooms. You may sit indoors or outdoors in a relaxing setting. It’s the perfect place for a lunch meeting in the middle of the forest.

Where: 4320 Powers Ferry Road

Chops Lobster Bar

Chops Lobster Bar is part of the city’s acclaimed Buckhead Life Restaurant Group. The food is exceptional, and the name of the game is business. Located at Buckhead Plaza, Chops Lobster Bar is just as popular at night and offers great seafood as well as USDA prime aged beef.

Where: 70 West Paces Ferry Road NW

Read More

Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse

Located at Phipps Plaza, Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse offers classic dishes such as crispy chicken livers, port balsamic glaze, glass Spinach and toasted pine nuts. One salad option is made up of arugula, shaved Parmigiano, lemon olive oil plus warm spinach, roasted peppers, portobellos, goat cheese, balsamic, roasted beets, yogurt, pistachio brittle, ricotta salata, Manodori aceto, chopped romaine, green beans, chickpeas, egg, tomatoes, Niman bacon and blue cheese. Tagliatelle Bolognese brings braised veal, beef, pork and San Marzano tomatoes.

Where: 3500 Peachtree Road NE

F&B

This French bistro attracts the business crowd who wants exquisite European-style service and a cuisine that blends modern French with regional fare. With its selections of snacks, appetizers, salads, savory sandwiches and main entrees, F&B provides the perfect atmosphere to start a discussion or close a deal. Our favorites are the white bean soup, iceberg and spinach salad and seared trout.

Where: 3630 Peachtree Road NE

Isla & Co

For a laid-back business meeting with adventure eaters, head to Isla & Co in Buckhead. The modern restaurant serves Australian dishes, quality coffee and fun cocktails in a fun and relaxing environment that brings the outdoors into the dining room. Break the ice at your business meeting by trying kangaroo meat, or keep it classy with the popular Australian pork sausage rolls.

Where: 56 East Andrews Drive NW

Mission + Market

Mission + Market offers inventive West Coast-inspired American fare. Right off Georgia 400 in Buckhead, Mission + Market is the masterpiece of chef Ian Winslade. The menu includes such items as seared black sea bass, oven-roasted Loch Duart salmon and a braised brisket sandwich.

Where: 3550 Lenox Road NE

The Palm

Located in the lobby of The Westin Buckhead, The Palm is the perfect location for a formal and intimate business meeting in Buckhead. The menu offers high-end steaks and seafood and a long list of wines and fine cocktails.

Where: 3391 Peachtree Road NE

Seven Lamps

The modern-rustic staple, tucked across the street from Lenox Square, offers seasonal American fare, handmade pasta and even a nice outdoor area.

Where: 3400 Around Lenox Road NE

South City Kitchen Buckhead

Meet and discuss business over Southern classics at South City Kitchen, a sophisticated and elegant restaurant. With various locations, including Buckhead and Midtown, the restaurant has become a staple for business meetings during the week and relaxing brunches on the weekend.

Where: 3350 Peachtree Road NE and 1144 Crescent Ave. NE

Three Arches

Located in Hyatt Centric Buckhead Hotel, Three Arches offers a pan-Mediterranean menu with options for a hearty or light lunch in a stunning setting. Step into the Middle East and soak in all the natural light the restaurant has to offer. It is the perfect scenario for a productive business lunch in the heart of Buckhead. Just steps from Lenox Square, Three Arches offers valet parking, and self-parking is easily accessible just across the street.

Where: 3301 Lenox Parkway

If your business lunch meeting lands you in another part of town, check out our recommendations around the city.

Born and raised in Mexico, Daniela is a bilingual journalist living in Atlanta. She is passionate about telling stories that highlight the diversity and the blooming gastronomic scene in Atlanta.

ATLANTA — Nine Georgians have pleaded guilty for their involvement in a fentanyl and meth trafficking ring.

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

The investigation began in Oct. 2021 and June 2022.

The Middle District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that Heather Breland, 39, of Atlanta, who was identified as the supplier of the drug trafficking organization was distributing kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, to Raiford Reeves aka “RH,” 43, of Warner Robins, Georgia, out of her high-rise condominium located in Buckhead.

Court documents revealed that phone calls and text messages between Breland and Reeves showed controlled purchases of meth from Reeves.

Reeves would then reportedly supply other co-defendants with the drugs to sell.

Officials said agents watched Breland travel to Macon to provide drugs to Reeves. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents said she also had a self-storage unit in Macon on Riverside Drive to store drugs. Agents learned Breland was planning to provide Heath with drugs.

TRENDING STORIES:

According to the attorney’s office, on May 21, 2022, Heath took an airport shuttle service to Atlanta. Breland ordered Heath a ride-hailing service from the shuttle station to her apartment. Heath returned to Macon on the same shuttle service on May 25 and was seen leaving the shuttle station with a suitcase and getting into his car.

Agents then conducted a traffic stop and reportedly found a kilogram of methamphetamine inside his suitcase.

On May 26, agents conducted a search warrant at a motel Reeves and Kendall Howard, 31, of Centerville, Georgia stayed at in Warner Robins.

Officials said Reeves was in the process of flushing methamphetamine down a toilet when agents went inside the room. Agents seized methamphetamine, fentanyl, oxycodone, alprazolam, clonazepam, codeine, and a 9mm semi-automatic pistol. That same day, agents executed a search warrant at Breland’s apartment.

Breland immediately ran and hopped in her Range Rover as agents arrived. Agents seized 3.266 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, 14.72 grams of fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana, a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a .22 magnum caliber revolver, two cellphones and $78,353 cash. On the same day, agents conducted a search warrant at her storage unit in Macon and seized eight pounds of marijuana in a Louis Vuitton duffle bag.

Following the execution of the search warrant, Breland drove to North Carolina, created a fake license plate, and changed her hair length and color.

She was arrested by U.S. Marshals on Oct. 20, 2022, at a hotel and casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. When she was arrested, she had methamphetamine and ID cards with a similar appearance but false identifying information.

Officials said Breland has seven prior felony convictions for forgery, possession of methamphetamine, burglary and identity fraud. Reeves has prior convictions for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

On Thursday, Breland pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting Heath’s possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She faces a mandatory minimum of ten years up to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a maximum $10,000,000 fine.

Heath pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a maximum $1,000,000 fine.

The remaining seven co-defendants indicted in this case have all previously entered guilty pleas:

Reeves pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years imprisonment up to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release;

Travis Warthen aka “Trap,” 39, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years up to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release;

Jeremiah Kaleta, 46, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by at least three years of supervised release;

Lucretia Snellgrove, 51, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by at least three years of supervised release;

Kendall Howard, 31, of Centerville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release;

Kenneth Maddox, 31, of Warner Robins, pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release; and

Luis Acosta, 35, of Centerville, pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release.

Sentencing will occur for all defendants on dates determined by the court. The defendants are not eligible for parole.

IN OTHER NEWS:

On July 9th, 2023 in Stockholm Sweden, Sir Elton John performed the final concert of his 53-year career. His farewell tour had spanned five years and grossed $931 million, reported to be the highest-grossing tour of all time. Meanwhile, halfway around the world, a curtain was closing on another part of the superstar’s life. Though he had called his Buckhead condo “home” since 1991, movers were quietly packing up and moving out a staggering volume of art and personal possessions from his nearly 13,000 square foot condo.

According to multiple Park Place residents, the move-out took nearly a month to complete and Sir Elton John has now left the building, Buckhead, and Atlanta for good.

“People always ask me, ‘Why do you have a place in Atlanta?’” John said in a 1998 AJC interview. “It’s because people here have always been that nice to me… I’ve always been welcomed. I feel at home.”

It all started in 1991 when John’s estate in England near Windsor became too full of memories and possessions. He gutted the residence and auctioned off many belongings while on his path to sobriety. In his search for a new home in the United States he found Los Angeles to be overwhelming and New York unsafe, and he fell in love with the Southern charm of Atlanta.

Making a splash in Buckhead

Jim Henderson, part of the development team behind the Park Place condo tower, remembers getting a call from the onsite sales agent in 1991 when he was on a sailing trip near Hilton Head: “I have Elton John here wanting to buy a condo,” she told him. The offer was $700,000, but Henderson was firm at his $950,000 asking price. “I eventually settled on $925,000 with his agent in London and by the time we were at closing 30 days later Elton had already decided to buy the unit next door. It was great PR for the building and we sold out the rest of the tower over the next couple of years. He was at a turning point in his life at the time and he ended up being great for the building. The other residents loved him and he treated our staff very well.”

After moving here in 1991 Sir Elton John quickly became ingrained into the Buckhead community and surrounding Atlanta area. He was a frequent visitor of Tower Records, dined at area restaurants (Umi Sushi and the now-shuttered Buckhead Diner were purportedly favorites), became a Braves fan, hosted a collection of his photographs at the High Museum of Art, named a 2004 album “Peachtree Road,” and became a frequent face at social functions throughout Buckhead and the Atlanta area.

John also commented that his life “in Atlanta is as normal a life as I can lead anywhere in the world,” and later said he is “an Atlanta person through and through.”

Building a unique home

Over the years, Elton continued to purchase neighboring units to accommodate a vast art collection. Eventually it expanded to include 12,000 + square feet across seven units combined on multiple floors in Park Place. The condo above the intersection of Peachtree Road and West Wesley Rd in the heart of Buckhead is likely to hit the market soon. In a 2016 CBS Sunday Morning interview, viewers got a brief tour of his sprawling condo that was full of artwork and photography collections. The singer was generous with his artwork, loaning it out to the building for display in some common areas and elevator lobbies.

During John’s final Atlanta concert last year, he addressed his semi-hometown crowd about his time in Atlanta.

“I’ve lived here for 30 years, and I’ve loved every single minute,” the AJC reported. “So I will take you with me in my heart, in my soul, and I’ll never forget you.”