Commercial and Residential Locksmiths in Smyrna

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Roaches, locked trash rooms and more — several residents who live at an apartment complex for senior citizens say they are concerned about their living conditions.

These pictures were taken inside the Galleria Manor — an apartment complex in Smyrna for senior citizens.

You can see roaches, some dirty floors and video of water inside a resident’s home from a leaking air conditioning unit.

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“We don’t want them to come after us. We don’t want to be evicted,” a neighbor told Channel 2′s Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell.

That’s why we’ve distorted the voices of residents who are concerned about their living conditions.

“It’s filthy, the entire building is filthy. You have carpets that are torn,” one neighbor said.

“You have roaches crawling on your walls. You have roaches dead. Laying in the hallways for days for weeks,” another neighbor said.

The neighbors say trash rooms that are located on each floor have been locked for one month.

“The trash has been allowed to accumulate sometimes six days without being emptied,” the neighbor said.

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They’ve had to take their trash to the outside dumpster, a job that they say a maintenance worker usually handles.

“We have to take our own trash out. We have people who are in wheelchairs and walkers,” the neighbor said.

They say they’ve voiced their concerns to management, but nothing has changed.

“We just want a clean place to live in. These are our final years. Our golden years are filthy?” the neighbor said.

Channel 2 went to the apartment complex and spoke with the property manager. We also received a statement from the company that owns the building.

The company says the trash rooms are temporarily locked because a maintenance supervisor quit without notice.

The dumpster that residents now have to walk to is ramped and is fully accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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The statement goes on to say that pest control services are available weekly and that maintaining trash and cleanliness inside each resident’s apartment key to preventing unwanted pest issues.

As for building cleanliness, the company says it has team members who inspect the building daily and maintain cleanliness.

A new team member was just hired, and the company expects the building to be cleaned daily.

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SMYRNA, Ga. — More than a dozen people have come forward as victims of sex trafficking at metro Atlanta hotels.

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Channel 2′s Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell was in Smyrna Wednesday, where a lawsuit alleges that sex trafficking took place at a Red Roof Inn off Windy Hill Road in Smyrna as well as three other metro Atlanta hotels.

Eleven victims initially came forward, but now there are a total of 15 survivors. Some of the victims were as young as 16 years old.

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According to the lawsuit, filed on behalf of nearly 20 women by attorney Patrick McDonough, a front desk employee at the Red Roof Inn said there was never a minute that prostitution wasn’t going on at the motel from 2008 to 2016.

“Their own employees would testify that there would be 10, 15 different girls that were being trafficked everyday,” McDonough said. “Multiple of the clients were at the Smyrna Red Roof hotel, and it’s all the same pattern. Horrific things happened. We have 16 year old children that were literally choked in front of hotel employees”

“We think it’s abundantly clear on all of the public record that the hotel not only should have known about it and (not) turned a blind eye, but had actual knowledge that sex trafficking was going on at this hotel,” McDonough said.

Lawyers initially filed four individual lawsuits in 2019, but since that time, another 11 survivors have come forward.

McDonough said the survivors came forward to try to “change the behavior at the hotels so this doesn’t happen to any other young girls in the future.”

Hotel lawyers have now filed a motion for summary judgement, arguing that the lawsuits shouldn’t be allowed to go forward.

Newell stopped by the Red Roof Inn on Wednesday and was told the manager was not around.

A representative for the Red Roof Inn sent a statement, saying,

“The company will fight these allegations vigorously. We condemn sex trafficking in all forms.”

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SMYRNA, Ga. — Construction on Windy Hill Road has been a multi-year project.

It’s beginning to take shape, but the deadline to complete it has been extended.

Channel 2′s Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell talked to Smyrna business owners about how the project is affecting their business.

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There are mixed reactions among business owners about how long the project is taking.

Once completed, the transformed Windy Hill Road will be a game-changer.

“I’m more excited now than ever in 25 years now on Windy Hill Road,” business owner Michael Farkas said.

Farkus owns the clothing store, Michael’s Clothing.

He said he gave up parking spaces to make room for the project, but he’s optimistic about the future.

“It’s going to be absolutely beautiful,” Farkas said.

The owner of Old South Bar-B-Q, Joy Llewallyn, makes her customers feel right at home.

But the past three years have been somewhat challenging because her restaurant is surrounded by construction.

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“We have a lot of people complaining that they don’t come as much because of all the construction,” Llewallyn said.

The Windy Hill Road project broke ground in 2020.

The stretch between South Cobb and Atlanta Road is being lowered to create express lanes with tunnels.

At street level, there will be intersection improvements, bike lanes, walking paths, and parks.

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“The worst part is what’s fixing to happen, which is when they take me off the red light corner,” Llewallyn said.

The project was set to wrap up this summer, but that won’t happen.

City officials aren’t sure how long it will take to finish.

But we do know construction workers will begin installing the bridges and walls soon.

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"It does not surprise me that they have issues with rats because it always seems like it’s kind of a mess in there.”

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Less than a day after an Atlanta News First investigation uncovered a rat infestation inside the Kroger on South Atlanta Road in Smyrna, workers cleaned the loading dock area and patched up drain holes to keep out the rodents.

Customers were appalled.

“I don’t believe it; I don’t believe it. No hell no, I don’t believe it,” a Kroger shopper said.

“It’s unfortunate, but it’s not surprising. This particular Kroger tends to be very lax,” Christine Craig, another Kroger shopper, said.

On Monday, the Georgia Department of Agriculture shared photographs taken at the store, which showed rodent droppings and urine spots in the storage area. The inspector also identified where rats had been gnawing on products, creating burrows.

“It does not surprise me that they have issues with rats because it always seems like it’s kind of a mess in there,” Craig said.

Then Tuesday afternoon, a state inspector took video showing the contaminated products from the store being dumped out of a Kroger trailer and into the landfill as ordered by the Department of Agriculture.

“Well, I’m glad somebody spoke up but I’ve never noticed anything in the store,” another Kroger shopper said.

A Kroger spokesperson said they are working with the state to eliminate the problem. That said, Atlanta News First did not see an inspection report posted within 15 feet of the entrance to the store as required by law. Atlanta News First asked corporate about it and has not received a response.

“I come in here for very specific things and I make sure I clean them off really well. But definitely not someplace I come unless I absolutely have to,” Craig said.

The State Department of Agriculture told Atlanta News First that every grocery store should have an inspection posted for people to see near the front door. If you don’t see it or notice a problem at the store, you can contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

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The inspector found rodent activity in the storage area, as well as in a trailer parked in the loading dock, and immediately issued a stop-sale order.

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The Georgia Department of Agriculture made a disturbing discovery inside a Kroger grocery store in Smyrna recently.

“It’s enough to turn your stomach, it’s just disgusting,” Amber Dent, a former Kroger employee, said.

Dent worked as an overnight associate at the Kroger on South Atlanta Road and complained about a rat problem.

“It was disgusting, revolting. The smell alone is nauseating,” Dent said. “Initially, I had heard stories about the rats. It was a thing buzzing around the store but then I started seeing them. I started seeing them come in at night.”

And after three months of working at the store, she left her job and complained about the conditions publicly. Atlanta News First instructed her to inform the Georgia Department of Agriculture. And on Friday, a state inspector paid a visit to the store.

“Our inspector found pretty significant evidence of rodent activity at the establishment,” Dent said.

The inspector found rodent activity in the storage area, as well as in a trailer parked in the loading dock, and immediately issued a stop-sale order.

“We’re talking about rodent droppings, evidence of burrowing done by the rodents, as well as a strong smell of urine in the trailer,” Matthew Agvent, a Georgia Department of Agriculture spokesperson, said.

So, Atlanta News First tried to question management at the store about the rat problem and they instructed us to contact the corporate office.

Kroger’s corporate office sent the following statement:

“Food safety is Kroger’s No. 1 priority. We are actively working with the Georgia Department of Agriculture regarding this isolated incident and following their guidance and direction. We are also bolstering operational and training protocol at the store.”

“It’s just sad to say that it took me coming in and experiencing it for a short period of time and speaking up for something to be done,’ Dent said.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture said they will be back out at the store this week to destroy all the contaminated food. Plus, they will reinspect the store next week to make sure that the rat problem has been eliminated.

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