Good Day Atlanta viewer information August 17, 2020

ATLANTA - Local middle schooler’s creativity soars through paper airplanes: 

Thirteen-year-old Zaron Mack talks about airplanes the way most people talk about their favorite celebrities.

“That’s a Boeing 727,” he says, looking down at a model of the real thing. “There’s not a lot of them made, so when you see one it’s, like, legendary.”

The Pine Mountain Middle School eighth-grader has been a fan of planes for as long as he can remember.  

“I love to fly,” he says. “I love to just go up and see all the clouds, and the little things moving like ants. I like it. I like it a lot.”

And since the Kennesaw teenager can’t just go out and buy a plane of this own, he makes them. Using nothing more than notebook paper, scissors, glue, and a pen, Mack creates painstaking replicas of actual airplanes. He’s not working off of any guides or plans — using mainly his own encyclopedic knowledge of aircraft engineering.

Although his paper planes are incredibly tiny — some just the size of a quarter — they’re made to scale, complete with moving wheels and wing flaps.

“With me, having my hands growing every day … the more I try to keep it simple, the more it gets harder,” he says.  “It gets stressful over time, but … the challenge of it keeps me going.”

For Mack’s mother, Jessica, there’s no better feeling than watching her son’s creativity take flight.

“It started, like, just him folding the paper.  He would cut it out and kind of fold it, and put the little wings onto it and everything.  But then, over time, it evolved to where he was just putting his all into it and it got better and better over the years,” she says.

For Zaron Mack, the goal is to eventually move from paper planes to the real thing, becoming a pilot and flying for a major airline.  

And with a young man this focused and talented, the sky’s the limit.

Coronavirus Q&A with Dr. Neil Winawer from Emory School of Medicine: 

Dr. Neil Winawer joins us with the latest Coronavirus news. This week he talks about Russia's vaccine and controlling the spread on college campuses. For more information on Dr. Newil Winawer from Emory School of Medicine or his Instagram Coronavirus Q&S follow him @neilwinawer.

"Dish Nation" announces Sherri Sheppard is a new host for the show: 

She's an actress, comedian, Emmy Award-winning co-host and now Sherri Shpherd is joining "Dish Nation." She joins us to talk more about her new role. For more information on "Dish Nation," click here.

Positve Athlete's Scott Pederson on Good Day Atlanta: 

Many local high school sports programs have been delayed or cancelled this fall. The Big 10 and PAC 12 are two of the biggest programs to cancel college sports. For many student athletes, sports is their life, and some may be struggling to stay positive amid the changes. 

Scott Pederson is the founder and CEO of Positive Athlete, an organization helping to motivate and encourage young athletes. He joins us live via Skype with a lesson in positivity. For more information on Scott Pederson click here.

Meal Plan Monday with Chef Virginia Willis: 

Meal planning can be difficult and coming up with new recipes can be stressful and time consuming. Chef Virginia Wills joins us with an easy recipe for the family to enjoy using a sheet pan. See recipe below. For more information on Chef Virginia Willis click here.

Chef Virginia Willis’ Creole Buttermilk Chicken with Green Beans and Tomatoes
Serves 4
There’s nothing as simple as a sheet pan supper! Everything cooks at once reducing both prep time and clean up.

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 pound thin green beans
• 1/2 pint grape tomatoes
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup Creole Ranch Dressing
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, or to taste
• Nonstick cooking spray

Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or aluminum foil.

Scatter the green beans tomatoes on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.

Place the chicken breasts on the baking sheet adjacent to the vegetables. Set aside.

Combine the buttermilk and Creole Ranch Dressing. Spoon the mixture over the top of the chicken breasts to coat.

Sprinkle over the panko breadcrumbs. Season the chicken and vegetables with Creole Seasoning.

Spray entire pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Transfer to the oven until bake and the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked. (An instant read thermometer will register 165°F when inserted into the breast.)

Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Jenn Hobby joins us from Star 94.1's "Jenn & Freinds" with the latest celebrity news. For more information on Jenn Hobby click here.