Vice President Biden’s motorcade snarls traffic

For about 45 minutes Thursday night, there was no traffic on the southbound lanes of the Downtown Connector. The only vehicles moving? Those traveling with Vice President Joe Biden.

The Vice President’s motorcade temporarily blocked the Connector, ramps from I-85 and I-75 and some side streets during the evening commute as Biden headed back to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Shortly after 7 p.m., all lanes of the Connector re-opened, but there were still traffic back-ups north of town, according to Judd Hickinbotham in the WSB Traffic Center.

Many of the “traffic troopers” who called to report blocked roads and a heavy police presence weren’t sure what all the fuss was about, Hickinbotham said.

“They didn’t know, even though we’d been saying it throughout the day,” he said.

Biden was in Atlanta to attend a naturalization ceremony held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center.

About the Author

Clapping out the paper: A farewell to ink, deadlines and the print AJC

Beginning on Jan. 1, this 157-year-old institution will become a fully digital news operation. No more paper. No more ink-stained fingers. No more paper in your driveway.

DeKalb ambulance provider to receive $77 million contract despite struggles

County officials say ambulance provider AMR has made progress on response times and that the new subsidy should help.

VETERANS DAY

Georgia’s Woman Veteran of the Year beat cancer. Now she helps others.

Georgia Woman Veteran of the Year Raquel Durden survived advanced cancer. Now she helps other female military veterans through her Humble Warrior nonprofit.

The Latest

Credit: (Handout and screen grabs)

A.M. ATL: I spy AI

A.M. ATL: Just a TAD

A.M. ATL: Schools and screens

Featured

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

UGA to pay $100K H-1B visa fee only ‘in exceptional circumstances’

The University of Georgia could soon limit the number of foreign workers it employs, a result of the $100,000 fee imposed on some H-1B visas.

Georgia judges deal blow to ICE’s new mandatory detention policy

The ruling is a first-of-its-kind to come out of Georgia’s Middle District.

At the Cobb jail, a new kind of rehabilitation starts at the horse barn

Joshua Arp is one of two Cobb County jail detainees taking part of the sheriff’s office new equine therapy program meant to help him stay out of jail.