Dads at River Eves Elementary School in Roswell took charge of the school beautification effort on Landscape Day, a bi-annual event held each October and April. The event was spearheaded by Jim and Gina Thomas, PTA co-landscape chairs, and members of the Calling All Dads program. Calling All Dads is a River Eves initiative that strengthens student performance by involving fathers and male role models. A $5,000 grant from the Kroger Earning Plus Learning “Go for the Gold” Program and a $500 grant from the National Wildlife Federation were invaluable. Sixty-five volunteers helped build six new picnic tables for outdoor learning. The school grounds were improved with the addition of 35 native plants. All the beds were weeded, and 130 bags of mulch and 50 bales of pine straw were installed.

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Retired Army Lt. Col. Raquel Durden, who was named Georgia Woman Veteran of the Year, rode in the Georgia Veterans Day Parade in Midtown Atlanta on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. In 2018, the Bogart resident cofounded a nonprofit for female veterans and first responders called Humble Warrior Wellness & Yoga. It brings them together for walks, workshops and retreats, helping them form friendships, avoid isolation and practice mindfulness. “God just picked me up,” said Durden, a cancer survivor, “and put me on a different path.” (Ben Gray for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal

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Passengers wait at a Delta check-in counter at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport domestic terminal on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, the first day of the Federal Aviation Administration cutting flight capacity at airports during the government shutdown. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com