The city and its world-renowned stadium will host eight matches, including a semifinal in July. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be called Atlanta Stadium during the tournament.

Here’s your guide to the schedule, parking, concessions and more at Atlanta Stadium.

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ATLANTA WORLD CUP SCHEDULE

Group stage:

• June 15: Group H, Spain v. Cabo Verde, 12 p.m. kickoff
• June 18: Group A, South Africa v. Czechia, 12 p.m. kickoff
• June 21: Group H, Spain v. Saudi Arabia, 12 p.m. kickoff
• June 24: Group C, Morocco v. Haiti, 6 p.m. kickoff
• June 27: Group K, Uzbekistan v. DR Congo, 7:30 p.m. kickoff

Round of 32: Teams TBD, July 1, 12 p.m. kickoff

Round of 16: Teams TBD, July 7, 12 p.m. kickoff

Semifinal: Teams TBD, July 15, 3 p.m. kickoff

GETTING TO ATLANTA STADIUM

PARKING

All parking passes must be pre-purchased and only people with match tickets can buy them, according to FIFA. You can find what parking is available near Atlanta Stadium here. The parking lots will open four hours before kickoff.

RIDESHARE

Atlanta Stadium will have rideshare areas on Broad Street between Trinity Avenue and Mitchell Street. There will also be accessible pickup and drop-off areas at GWCC Bus Lane C (Entrances B & C) and the Transportation Terminal (Entrance E)

MARTA

MARTA will keep its $2.50 fares for one-way trips. There are two MARTA stations next to the stadium: SEC District (formerly known as CNN Center/GWCC station) and Vine City. Fans can also walk from Peachtree Center or Five Points stations.

ATLANTA STADIUM GATES

The stadium gates will open three hours before kickoff. FIFA encourages fans to give themselves enough time to get through security and in case any ticket issues come up at the gate.

Here are the Atlanta Stadium entrances that fans can use.

• Entrance A: Postell Street, closest to the Vine City Station
• Entrance B: Northside Drive
• Entrance C: Magnolia Street
• Entrance D: Just off Andrew Young International Boulevard and Magnolia Street
• Entrance E: Andrew Young International Boulevard
• Entrance F: Centennial Olympic Park Drive (Not accessible)
• Entrance G: On the other side of the Silver Deck and entrance F (Not accessible)

WILL THE ROOF BE OPEN?

To help protect the new natural grass surface, the Atlanta Stadium’s iconic roof will stay closed throughout the tournament.

The grass is a mixture of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass. Atlanta Stadium Field Director Stuart Wilson says any exposure to humidity can be harmful for the grass.

“If we open the roof, it will put a lot of pressure on the playing surface for disease. So yeah, so we’re just keeping away from that,” Wilson told Channel 2 in May.

CHEAP CONCESSION PRICES

Fan-friendly prices have been a trademark since the stadium opened. And those won’t go away for the World Cup matches.

Owner Arthur M. Blank told Channel 2’s Alison Mastrangelo that he wants soccer fans to enjoy Atlanta’s Southern hospitality.

“Fans give us their energy, their time, their passion, their resources, their families, whatever it may be, and we need to honor that in the truest sense of the word, whatever we can,” Blank said.

The stadium will keep concession prices affordable for everyone.

“We can’t always control what happens on the field, what happens on the pitch, but we can control the fan experience,” Blank said.

Atlanta Stadium is cashless.

WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN’T BRING IN

There will be a clear bag policy for all FIFA matches during the World Cup. The bags can’t be larger than 12x6x12 inches. Nonclear small clutches or wallets are allowed as long as they are the size of your hand. All bags will be inspected.

Fans are able to bring in small flags, banners and posted but they can’t be bigger than 78 inches by 60 inches and must be fire-resistant. Any banners larger than that must be approved in advance.

Any signs or paraphernalia that’s political, offensive or discriminatory are banned. The same goes for any commercial or promotional items.

FIFA will allow fans to bring in one plastic, sealed and disposable water bottle into any match. It can’t be more than 20 ounces. Fans will not be allowed to bring in a hard water bottle.

You can find a full list of what is and what is not allowed here.

WHERE TO FIND WORLD CUP MERCHANDISE

• Stadium Fan Experience area, inside gate 1
• Section 101
• Section C108
• Section 113
• Section 118
• Section 121
• Section 125
• Section 204
• Section 221
• Section 226
• Section 234
• Section 301
• Section 323
• Section 333.

The Spain and Cabo Verde national teams will face each other at 12 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, temporarily known as Atlanta Stadium for the tournament.

We are preparing you with what to expect regarding security, inside the stadium and on the streets around it, LIVE on Channel 2 Action News This Morning from 4:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

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Everything will be heightened on match days from the excitement to the security.

The city’s joint operations center is at a higher level of activation. The perimeter around the stadium has been pushed pashed and fans can expect the same level of security as when Atlanta hosted the Super Bowl.

Atlanta police say they are working with state and federal partners on counterterrorism efforts to keep the fans, venue and city protected.

“So that has been enhanced as you can imagine. For the next six weeks, the FBI is in constant communication with us. They will be present in this center on many of the days so when we receive information we respond to it,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum.

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Atlanta will host five group stage matches, a Round of 32 game, Round of 16 game and one of the semifinals for the world’s biggest tournament this summer.

Here’s the schedule for all the games that will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium:

Group Stage

• June 15: Group H, Spain v. Cabo Verde, 12 p.m. kickoff
• June 18: Group A, South Africa v. Czechia, 12 p.m. kickoff
• June 21: Group H, Spain v. Saudi Arabia, 12 p.m. kickoff
• June 24: Group C, Morocco v. Haiti, 6 p.m. kickoff
• June 27: Group K, Uzbekistan v. DR Congo, 7:30 p.m. kickoff

Round of 32

• July 1: Group L winners v Group E/H/I/J/K third place, 12 p.m. kickoff

Round of 16

• July 7: Winner match 86 v Winner match 88, 12 p.m. kickoff

Semifinal

• July 15: TBD, 3 p.m. kickoff

You can watch the full schedule reveal on FIFA’s website and YouTube page here.

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Georgia became the fifth school to win back-to-back outdoor championships. The Bulldogs also won the indoor championship this season. Georgia finished with 50 points. Florida (43) was second and Arkansas (38) took third.

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Georgia’s Adaejah Hodge won the 200-meter race with a NCAA-record time of 21.68 seconds, and was runner-up in the 100 behind Florida State’s Shenese Walker — who clocked 10.88. The Bulldogs’ Dejanea Oakley set a collegiate record in winning the 400 in 48.79.

It was Georgia’s fourth championship and second under head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert, who also won two titles at Southern California.

Arkansas’ Sanu Jallow-Lockhart won the women’s 800 in a collegiate-record time of 1:56.85. She also anchored the second fastest 4x400 relay in history, winning in 3:18.88.

Alabama’s Doris Lemngole won the women’s 5,000 in 15:11.71 to claim her sixth national championship.

Sofia Cosculluela finished with 6,182 points in the heptathlon to win Washington’s first championship in the event.

Oregon’s Aaliyah McCormick won the 100 hurdles in 12.47 to become the first repeat champion in 18 years.

Clemson’s Shantae Foreman leaped 46 feet, 7 inches on her sixth and final try to win the triple jump.

Arkansas cruised to the men’s indoor and outdoor championships a year after Southern California pulled off the feat.

Razorbacks coach Doug Case captured the school’s 11th title and first since 2003 in his first season. Arkansas had 2004 and 2005 championships vacated.

The Razorbacks totaled 56 points despite having no individual champions. Georgia (49) was second and Tennessee (46) placed third.

New Mexico’s Habtom Samuel won the men’s 5,000 in 13:38.93 after winning the 10,000 earlier.

Georgia’s Kimani Jack cleared 7-5 3/4 to win the high jump and the Bulldogs won the 4x400 relay by 0.03 seconds over LSU.

Alabama’s Samuel Ogazi set a collegiate record in the 400 with a winning time of 43.38.

Northern Arizona’s Colin Sahlman won the 800 in 1:44.22, while Auburn’s Kanyinsola Ajayi clocked a wind-aided 9.72 to win the 100.

It was the first time the men’s and women’s champions defended their titles since LSU’s women and Arkansas’ men did it in 2003.

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Channel 2’s Cory James was at Lake Lanier on Saturday, where the missing man’s sister identified him as Terrell Shelton.

She said she knew that ever second, minute and hour mattered as crews worked to find her brother after he went missing off shore at Robinson Park on Saturday afternoon.

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According to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Terrell Shelton was swimming with his friends to an island.

When the friends looked back, they couldn’t seem him and believed he had gone underwater without resurfacing.

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Shelton’s sister told James on Saturday that it was surprising because her brother is a good swimmer.

“Honestly I was shaking, I was freaking out. My brother is a good swimmer. How could this happen?” Calista Shelton said. “I don’t know what could have happened with the timeframe of him going to that island.”

On Sunday morning, wildlife officials told Channel 2 Action News that Game Wardens responded to Robinson Park on Lake Lanier around 2:54 p.m. Saturday in response to a possible drowning.

Working with Hall County personnel, DNR searched the area with sonar equipment, eventually recovering the victim’s remains at about 11:24 p.m. on Saturday.

The victim was found in about 14 feet of water using a remotely operated vehicle.

DNR identified the remains as those of Terrell Shelton, 21 of Pendergrass. The cause of the drowning is still under investigation, officials said.

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Kemp has endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones to succeed him in a tweet Sunday.

He said in a lengthy statement posted on social media, “I’ve worked alongside Burt for nearly fifteen years and I’m confident that he will always put hardworking Georgians first.”

Kemp also released a social media video announcing his endorsement.

Jones is facing billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson in the runoff. Election Day is Tuesday.

Ads for the Jones and Jackson campaigns have flooded the airwaves during this hotly contested race.

Kemp said his teamwork with Jones helped make Georgia’s economic successes possible.

Over the last eight years, we’ve achieved historic wins for hardworking Georgians from all walks of life and made our state the best place to live, work, and raise a family.

We’ve passed the largest tax cut in state history, announced the largest economic development projects…

— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) June 14, 2026

He said he passed the “largest tax cut in state history, announced the largest economic development projects ever, raised teacher pay by nearly ten thousand dollars, led the entire nation in recovering from a pandemic, cracked down on criminal street gangs, invested historic amounts in school safety and classroom excellence, and made Georgia a national leader in job creation from businesses large and small” with the help of Jones, who Kemp described as “a strong, trusted ally.”

Channel 2 Action News has reached out to the Jackson campaign for their response.

The Democrat Party of Georgia’s spokesperson Jake Strickland responded to the news, describing Kemp as adding “even more chaos to the already messy GOP primary. No matter who wins this Republican run-off, both Jones and Jackson have let voters see first-hand that they’re only out for themselves – and won’t fight for Georgia."

The eventual winner of the GOP gubernatorial runoff will face former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Sunday was a busy day for endorsements. Earlier in the day, President Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Mike Collins over Derek Dooley in the GOP Senate runoff. The GOP candidate will face the incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat.

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• Kemp endorses Jones, who faces rival Jackson in GOP runoff for governor

Trump disclosed his choice of Collins over former football coach Derek Dooley in a middle-of-the-night social media post that praised the second-term congressman for his loyalty.

“I’ve always said that President Trump has this just impeccable ability to put his thumb on the scale at the right time,” Collins said at a campaign stop Sunday in the northern Atlanta exurbs.

The Republican candidates are competing Tuesday for the chance to unseat Ossoff in one of the most closely watched campaigns in the November midterm elections. Dooley, a political newcomer, is backed by outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp, who has clashed with Trump in the past.

Collins called it “encouraging” to have the president’s approval. Looking past Dooley to the potential matchup with Ossoff, the congressman said he planned to invited Trump to Georgia, even as the president’s approval ratings have slipped in the battleground state that he won twice and lost once.

“I’d love to have President Trump in Georgia every day, any day he wants to come down,” Collins said.

Collins has been a stalwart Trump ally

Collins has backed Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement since his first House campaign in 2022, and the president said in his announcement early Sunday on social media that the trucking company owner and second-term congressman “has been with me from the very beginning” and is a “true friend, fighter, and WARRIOR.”

“I don’t know Derek Dooley, and neither does anyone else, but he seems like a nice person,” Trump wrote, while noting that Dooley did not vote in 2016 or 2020, when Trump was on the ballot. Dooley has acknowledged going nearly two decades without voting but says he did vote for Trump in 2024.

Trump also complained that Dooley — accurately — said Trump lost Georgia to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020, refusing to back the president’s lie that the election was stolen from him.

Collins has consistently echoed Trump’s false claims about his defeat and, on Sunday, called the 2020 election “legitimately rigged,” arguing that elections officials in Georgia and other states erred by expanding absentee voting and, in the congressman’s views, relaxing other election controls.

Collins led Dooley in the May 19 primary but neither surpassed 40%, leaving many Republican votes up for grabs. Trump’s endorsement has proved powerful as he shapes a party identity that is increasingly indistinguishable from his own.

Still, the president’s choice puts him at odds with more traditional Republicans, including Kemp. The endorsement is reminiscent of Trump’s decision to back Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton before his victory over U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in that state’s recent primary runoff.

Dooley maintains confidence despite Trump’s decision

Collins supporters cheered enthusiastically at the mention of Trump’s endorsement.

“He waited a little bit,” said James Haddad, a 66-year-old retired engineer from Woodstock in Cherokee County. “But he’s studied the candidates, and he did the right thing. It’s going to help.”

Dooley responded to the president’s pick by saying Georgia voters do not want “typical D.C. politicians like Mike Collins.” In an X post, Dooley expressed confidence that he’d still win.

With Kemp as his top surrogate, Dooley argues that a first-time candidate has a better shot to defeat Ossoff, the only Democratic senator facing voters in a state Trump carried in 2024.

Kemp was the top choice of Senate Republican leaders looking for an Ossoff challenger. Kemp recruited Dooley, a childhood friend, to run instead.

Haddad said he voted for Kemp twice and appreciates the job he’s done but did not consider the outgoing governor’s opinion when deciding who to back for the Senate.

Collins did not mention Kemp on Sunday, paid little attention to Dooley and spent more time criticizing Ossoff.

“He doesn’t reflect the state of Georgia,” he told supporters from the bed of a pickup truck. “He doesn’t represent our values — matter of fact, he shouldn’t even be there.”

Trump’s uneasy relationship with Kemp

Trump’s choice, and his insistence on bringing up the 2020 election again, puts the spotlight again on his uneasy relationship with Kemp. The governor resisted Trump’s pressure not to certify Biden’s presidential electors before the Electoral College convened in December of the election year.

Trump criticized Kemp in the years after and backed a primary challenger, former Sen. David Perdue, against the governor in 2022. Kemp trounced Perdue and coasted in the general election. By 2024, he and Trump managed a detente as Trump worked to return Georgia to the GOP presidential column.

But behind the scenes, it’s been clear the alliance was fragile and circumstantial. Kemp’s decision to recruit Dooley in the first place, with an emphasis on the need for a political outsider, has itself been a subtle rejection of Trump’s domination of the party.

In his many campaign stops alongside Dooley, Kemp has reminded voters that Republicans have not won a Senate election in Georgia since 2016 — when Trump was first elected. Each time, the GOP nominee has fully embraced Trump.

The governor points to a trio of first-term Republican senators — Montana’s Tim Sheehy, Pennsylvania’s Dave McCormick and Ohio’s Bernie Moreno — who defeated Democratic incumbents in 2024 running as outsiders who still aligned with the president.

Collins pushed back at Kemp’s framing, saying his record in Washington shows he can be staunchly conservative, align with Trump and still court moderates voters who may not like the president.

The congressman sponsored the Laken Riley Act, a 2025 law that requires immigrants be detained when charged with certain crimes. Republicans believe the issue damages Ossoff because he initially voted against the measure before supporting it after Trump returned to the White House.

Collins noted that dozens of Democrats supported the measure.

“Bipartisan is not a bad word,” he said, arguing that metropolitan voters will reward him for results.

And even Kemp deviated from his Senate argument Sunday by endorsing Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the GOP’s primary runoff for government. That choice puts Kemp on the side as Trump — who endorsed Jones last year — and against billionaire businessman Rick Jackson, who’s run as an outsider like Dooley.

Trump’s primary track record

Dooley’s and Kemp’s argument is matched against Trump’s winning streak inside the party. In a matter of weeks, Trump has celebrated victories over Republicans who did not pass his test of loyalty.

Cornyn lost to Paxton, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky lost to Ed Gallrein, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana failed to make a runoff and several Indiana state senators were defeated by challengers. Dooley needs Georgia to look more like Iowa, where Trump was unable to lift U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra to victory in the state’s gubernatorial primary.

Dooley has told voters he will “work with President Trump but fight for you.”

He will campaign again Monday, and Kemp will be at his side.

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But when it came down to doing what it takes to win the Cup, the Hurricanes’ defense put its stamp on this series, shutting down the Vegas Golden Knights and not letting up.

The Hurricanes held Vegas to five total goals in Games 4 and 5 and used a suffocating defense in a 3-0 shutout in Sunday night’s clinching Game 6 to win their first championship in 20 years.

“That’s a lot of years,” said Carolina center Jordan Staal, who received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. “It’s amazing. This is something I’ve been going after ever since we got the first one. You want to win it again and again and again. What a feeling, what a battle. The boys were grinding today, my goodness. So many individual efforts just to keep the puck out of our net. It was an amazing ride. I’m just so proud of these guys.”

Brandon Bussi, who entrance late into Game 3 helped turn around the series for Carolina, recorded his first career playoff shutout in stopping 22 shots. Jackson Blake had a goal and assist, and Taylor Hall scored just 3:47 into the game to set the tone. Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net goal.

“Your mind wanders the last couple of days and wonder what it may be like out here (on ice after winning) and it’s better than I could have expected,” Hall said. “My career has taken a lot of different turns, but to end up here with this group of guys and to do this is amazing.”

The Golden Knights, who made an unlikely run just to reach the final, struggled badly to muster any kind of offense in Game 6 and went 18:37 between shots on goal in the second and third periods. Playing in their third Cup final, this is the first time they have been shut out.

This clinching game was what many observers expected the series to be like between the defensive-minded teams, but each side watched leads of two-plus goals disappear in the first three games.

Now, the Cup belongs to the Hurricanes, led by coach Rod Brind’Amour, who also captained Carolina to its 2006 title.

This was the first game of the series that Vegas goalie Carter Hart didn’t allow four goals in a game. He finished with 20 saves.

The Hurricanes began to assume control of the series after falling behind by the score of 4-0 in Game 3. They came back force overtime, and though the Canes lost, they outplayed the Golden Knights from there on out.

Reflecting the do-or-die situation for the Golden Knights, they made several lineup changes, with Brett Howden replacing the injured William Karlsson at second-line center. Mitch Marner could have moved there, but remained at right wing.

Original Golden Knight Reilly Smith made his Cup final debut at third-line right wing, and Braeden Bowman made his playoff debut at fourth-line right wing. Kaedan Korczak replaced Dyland Coghlan on the third defensive pairing.

This title is a testament to Carolina’s resilience as a franchise that kept coming close to winning the Eastern Conference, but couldn’t quite get through until now.

Brind’Amour made sure the Hurricanes kept getting back up after losing in the conference final twice in the past three years and three times in their current eight-year playoff run. The talent was clearly there, but there was always a stumbling block.

Not anymore.

After dispatching Montreal in five games to make the final, the Brind’Amour-led Hurricanes then faced perennial power Vegas and took care of business there, too. Now, he will get his name on the Cup for the second time.

So will 37-year-old Staal, who also won the title in 2009 with Pittsburgh. He planted himself in front of Hart and dared the Golden Knights to knock him out of the way. Staal scored in each of the first five Cup final games, the first time that has happened.

The Hurricanes got off to a fast start with a goal just 25 seconds into Game 1, only to lose 5-4 on a late goal from Tomas Hertl. And the Golden Knights were on the verge of taking complete control as minutes ticked down in Game 2 while holding a 2-0 lead and appearing as if they would take a two-game advantage back home.

Then, it all changed. Carolina showed a fight that not only brought the Hurricanes back into the series by rallying to win 4-3 in overtime on Seth Jarvis’ one-timer, but would serve as their signature throughout the series.

That was especially true the following game when the Golden Knights took a 4-0 lead into the third period and the Canes seemed to have no answers. Brind’Amour even appeared to wave the white flag by removing goalie Frederik Andersen and replacing him with Bussi.

But the Hurricanes weren’t simply trying to get to Game 4. They sent a message, going on a remarkable rally to force overtime. Though Carolina lost, it was inflection point, with Bussi backstopping a team that was only growing stronger. Carolina then went on to win the next two games and moved within a victory of the championship.

The Hurricanes got it done against the Golden Knights team that was on a heater after John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season. Vegas then went from third in the Pacific Division to first, knocked off Utah and Anaheim in six games apiece in the playoffs and shockingly swept Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado to win the West.

Now, the Golden Knights have some notable questions to ask, including at the top of the list whether to make Tortorella a full-time coach. He didn’t have any guarantees of coaching in Vegas beyond this season, but getting to the Cup final is a good argument to run it back.

Golden Knights management will make the final call on that, and they don’t always follow league norms.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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The drivers, who spoke exclusively to Channel 2’s Eryn Rogers on the condition of anonymity because they fear retaliation, said they are underpaid, overworked and facing increasingly difficult working conditions as staffing levels continue to decline.

Turnover is high, drivers say

“We are underpaid, overworked,” one driver said.

The drivers work for A-National, a subcontractor under Transdev, which contracts with MARTA to provide Mobility service for riders with disabilities.

According to the drivers, turnover has accelerated in recent months, leaving fewer operators to handle the same number of trips, which is impacting customers.

“Mobility turnover is high, and this is why these people are being left behind,” one driver said.

Drivers said the workforce has dropped significantly since April.

“We went from having 125 drivers to now we have about 75 drivers,” one driver said.

As a result, they said the remaining drivers are being assigned additional routes, leading to lengthy rides and delays for passengers.

“They’re putting trips, on top of trips, on top of trips. Sometimes we have people who’ve been on the bus for three or four hours,” one driver said.

Some riders are experiencing lengthy delays

The staffing concerns echo complaints from riders. Last month, Rogers reported on a MARTA Mobility customer who waited seven hours for a pickup.

Following that report, several viewers contacted Rogers saying they had experienced similar delays.

Tamara Hale, who is visually impaired and relies on MARTA Mobility daily, said late arrivals have become common.

“I am always usually late, or sometimes you don’t get to where you need to go,” Hale said.

Channel 2 Action News encountered Hale arriving at her SHOWAbility chorus practice in an Uber because her MARTA Mobility bus was running late.

SHOWAbility founder Myrna Clayton said transportation delays have repeatedly affected members of the organization.

“We’ve had situations where drivers have dropped persons off, and again, nobody was here, or we had to wait, like we’re here waiting for an hour or two for MARTA to come and pick them up,” Clayton said.

Drivers said they formed a union about a year ago and have been attempting to negotiate their first contract. They claim the owner of A-National has repeatedly appealed decisions during the process, delaying negotiations.

“He keeps asking for appeals, so this is his 5th appeal,” one driver said. “He’s just dragging it.”

Rogers attempted to contact A-National using the phone number listed on the company’s website, but the number was out of service.

MARTA responds

Rogers also contacted MARTA. In a statement, MARTA said:

MARTA works with ATU Local 732 to ensure our frontline team members are supported, as operating a bus, train, or paratransit vehicle is a skilled and demanding profession.

Currently, Transdev leadership has not advised us of concerns regarding pay or union regulations being upheld for Mobility operators.

MARTA

Drivers also said they were expecting a pay raise last October that never materialized.

“We were supposed to have gotten a raise back in October, and the day before our raise was supposed to take effect, it was taken away,” one driver said.

They said the possibility of a strike is intended to bring company leadership back to the negotiating table.

“Once we get a contract, we’re able to negotiate what we want. We want better pay. We want better benefits. We want a 401k,” one driver said.

MARTA also apologized to Mobility riders, and said it has begun implementing new technology intended to improve service.

In a statement, the agency said:

We sincerely apologize to our MARTA Mobility customers who have experienced recent service delays. We understand these disruptions can be deeply frustrating, and our Mobility team is working to address these challenges as we transition to a more reliable system.

This month, we have begun a phased rollout of a new RideCo platform designed to improve routing efficiency and on-time performance. While the transition will continue through June 20, we are already seeing positive improvements in trip reliability.

We appreciate the patience of our Mobility customers during this transition period as we move toward a more modern and dependable service that better serves our community. We encourage those with questions or concerns about MARTA Mobility to please contact MARTA Customer Service at 404-848-5000.

MARTA

However, drivers said the new system isn’t improving much.

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Rio de Janeiro’s Military Fire Department said one of the helicopters crashed on the parking lot of a car dealership, where several electric vehicles were parked, igniting a fire that was extinguished.

Officials said an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the collision.

Police said that American singer and comedian Oliver Tree was on the list of passengers given to aviation authorities, but they have not been able to identify the bodies of those killed in the crash.

Tree performed in Buenos Aires, Argentina on June 4, and published a video on his Instagram Saturday where he is playing soccer in a Brazilian neighborhood.

Argentine streaming channel Blender said that content creator Gaspar Prim Díaz — also known as Gaspi — was in one of the helicopters.

Gaspi had more than 2.8 million followers on YouTube and was 23.

“Thanks for your art, your magic and your sensibility, every one of us will miss you,” Blender said on its X account.

Fernandes de Freitas, a tire repair worker, said he saw one of the helicopters in flames following the midair collision, and noticed that one of the passengers jumped out of the other aircraft, before it hit the ground.

“It was terrifying, absolutely horrifying,” De Freitas said.

___

Ramiro Barreiro contributed from Buenos Aires.

___

Follow AP’s Latin America coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

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The Missouri State Highway Patrol said in a statement that troopers were on the scene, assisting the Butler Police Department & Bates County Sheriff’s Office. The crash occurred near the Butler Memorial Airport. The small town of Butler has a population of around 4,300 people and is roughly 65 miles (105 kilometers) south of Kansas City.

Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Justin Ewing said the plane was taking people up to skydive. Emergency responders got a call that a plane was down and engulfed in fire around 11:30 a.m. Sunday morning, he said.

Emergency responders were able to put out the fire shortly after the crash, Jacobs said, calling the scene “brutal.”

“It landed in a field adjacent to the airport, but I think they’re shutting down the roadway just as a precaution,” Ewing said.

Teams from the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were en route to the crash site Sunday afternoon to investigate, according to the Missouri State Patrol.

The private plane was operated by Skydive Kansas City, said Dennis Jacobs, the acting airport manager and Bates County Emergency Management Agency director.

“It had just taken off and made a left turn” before the crash, Jacobs said. “In my opinion I think it was losing power, and he was trying to make it over to the highway and land, and he stalled and went down nose first and caught fire.”

First responders have checked the area under the flight path and did not find anyone who might have tried to jump out before the crash, Jacobs said.

The Pacific Aerospace 750XL that crashed is a single engine turboprop plane model that’s popular for skydiving but has also proven useful for other uses, including cargo, aerial surveying and medical evacuation flights. The aircraft can carry as many as 17 skydivers and is capable of taking off and landing on short runways. The plane that crashed Saturday was manufactured in 2010, according to FAA records.

The small airport serves around 30 aircraft, all privately owned, including crop dusting companies and sky dive operators, Ewing said.

Sky diving companies operate in the region eight or nine months a year, with the season usually starting in late March or early April and lasting into October or November. Someone answering the phone at Skydive Kansas City declined to speak to a reporter from The Associated Press.

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The Federal Aviation Administration has expanded the size and height of the temporary flight restrictions compared to previous FIFA World Cup event days.

Those who fail to obey these restriction may lose their drones, face a hefty fine and potentially face federal charges.

FBI Atlanta says as of Sunday night, 15 drones have been confiscated, the owners of which were violating the flight restrictions near the stadium and Centennial Olympic Park.

Flight restrictions are also in place in Kennesaw and Macon.

Pilots who violate these restrictions can face fines of up to $100,000 as well as potential federal felony charges for unsafely maneuvering their drones.

Authorities urge pilots to use the FAA approved B4UFLY app to check for restrictions.

The public is encouraged to report unsafe or improper drone use via the FBI tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov

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The ground stop expired at 10 p.m.

Know before you go: Airport departure delays are averaging about 100 minutes, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Ground stops were also issued earlier in the day.

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Police said the suspects were involved in an aggravated assault. A 12-year-old boy was found shot near Rosa Burney Park at 477 Windsor St. SW in Atlanta on Friday.

APD said it appears he was the unintended target of gunfire in the vicinity, Channel 2 Action News reported.

Anyone with information on this case can submit a tip anonymously to the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577-TIPS (8477), online at www.StopCrimeAtl.org, or by texting CSGA.

You don’t have to give their name or any identifying information to be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.

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Atlanta police said they responded to the scene near 477 Windsor St. SW at around 6:21 p.m. and found the boy with an apparent gunshot wound.

The shooting scene is near Rosa Burney Park.

He was taken to the hospital and was alert, conscious and breathing.

APD said officers are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

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