Masked Gunmen Storm Restaurant, Tie Up Employees | Patch PM

A wave of counterfeit pills has swept the Atlanta area, with illicit and deadly drugs in some of the capsules, while Georgia is about to be hit by another sort of plague: mosquitoes. Plus, authorities are searching for armed gunmen who stormed workers at a popular restaurant, and we have a roundup of Memorial Day events across the metro. Here are the top local news stories worth reading and talking and knowing about on Friday, May 26, as pulled from our Georgia Patch sites.

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and, in Georgia, that means the return of some unwelcome guests at our outdoor gatherings — mosquitoes. Patch has reminders on how to avoid mosquito bites and prevent mosquito-borne illnesses from spreading to others: Memorial Day Ushers In Mosquito Season, Ga. Health Officials Say

• Memorial Day 2017: Events In Cobb County
• Memorial Day 2017: Events In Marietta
• Memorial Day 2017: Events In Kennesaw
• Memorial Day 2017: What's Open And Closed In Cobb County
• Memorial Day 2017: Events Abound Around Atlanta

A wave of pills that appear to be one drug but contain other, sometimes dangerous, ingredients has put Georgians at risk, and the Atlanta area has the most cases so far, says the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. In many cases, the GBI said, the fake pills masquerade as prescription pain medications and other legal drugs that are frequently illegally abused: Dangerous Fake Pills Rampant In Georgia, GBI Says

One of downtown Decatur's most venerable restaurants was the scene of a vicious attack late Thursday, Patch has learned. Masked men stormed into the Pinewood restaurant and tied up employees, according to the eatery's owners: Workers At Decatur's Pinewood Restaurant Tied Up By Masked Men

More Georgia headlines:

• Memorial Day Movie Guide: 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales' And 'Baywatch'
• Two Deadly Overdoses In Same Gwinnett Neighborhood: Police
• Decatur Arts Festival 2017: Dates, Events, Info
• Mother Charged With Cruelty In Child's Beating In Cobb
• Man Extradited To Cobb In Rape, Murder Cold Case: DA
• Marietta Police Invite Public To Community Justice Dialogue

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