The Pineland Road Fire burning across Clinch and Echols counties has scorched 32,575 acres and is now 44% contained — up from 39% as of Thursday. What’s happening: The fire is pushing through dense, dry brush and low-lying shrub areas. Fuel conditions are extremely dry and the fire is proving hard to control. Crews are […]
Posted inFire
Highway 82 wildfire reaches 45% containment as rain moves in
The Highway 82 wildfire in Brantley County is now 45% contained — up from 37% as of Thursday — and rain arriving Saturday morning is expected to slow the fire through the afternoon. What’s happening: The fire has burned 22,532 acres since it started April 20 near the communities of Atkinson and Waynesville. The weather: […]
Posted inWeather
May frost threatens north Georgia
It’s May. Someone forgot to tell Mother Nature. Frost advisories are in effect for several north Georgia mountain counties from midnight Saturday into Sunday morning, May 3, as temperatures are expected to drop to a very un-springlike 33 degrees. What’s Happening: Two advisories cover north Georgia from midnight to 9 a.m. Sunday. Temperatures as low […]
Posted inBusiness
Spirit Airlines shuts down, stranding travelers at Atlanta’s airport
Spirit Airlines stopped flying at 3 a.m. today, canceling every flight it had left and leaving thousands of passengers stranded, including many at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the airline’s major hubs. What happened: Spirit said it ran out of money after a $500 million federal rescue deal fell apart. Jet fuel prices have […]
Posted inCrime
Savannah teacher arrested on child molestation charges
A 35-year-old Savannah-area teacher was arrested today on charges that she had sexual contact with a student. What’s Happening: Paulina Walden, an Englsh teacher at Jenkins High School, was arrested today and charged with improper sexual contact with a student and child molestation. She is booked into the Chatham County Detention Center. What’s Important: The […]
Posted inCrime
Georgia bank manager and mail carriers charged in $4.9 million mail theft scheme
Four people, including two Atlanta-area mail carriers and an Alpharetta bank manager, face federal charges after allegedly stealing mail and trying to cash a $4.9 million U.S. Treasury check, according to a federal indictment. What’s happening: A federal grand jury indicted the four on March 24. All four were scheduled to appear in federal court […]
Posted inFire
More Brantley County wildfire evacuees can go home today
More residents forced out by the Highway 82 wildfire in Brantley County can return home Friday, but officials say the fire is still burning and hazards remain. What’s happening: The Brantley County Sheriff’s Office says residents in Zone 25, the Southern Browntown area, are cleared to go back. Browntown Road south of Albert Gibson Road […]
Posted inFire
Two massive Georgia wildfires still burning as 8 new fires break out
Eight new wildfires broke out across Georgia on Thursday, burning a combined 54.64 acres — and that’s on top of two massive fires that have been burning for days and are still only partially under control. What’s Happening: The Pineland Road Fire has scorched 32,573 acres and is 39% contained. The Highway 82 Fire has […]
Posted inFire
Georgia officials defend balloon hitting power line as cause of wildfire
The Georgia Forestry Commission is directly addressing public doubt and online conspiracy theories about what started the Highway 82 Fire in Brantley County, saying its investigators have clear evidence that a Mylar balloon hit a power line and started the blaze. What’s Happening: Commission investigators say the fire began when a Mylar balloon touched a […]
Posted inIn The News
Man dies by suicide at Georgia ICE jail as death toll hits 18
A Cuban man held at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin died Tuesday in what federal immigration officials are calling an apparent suicide. It is the 18th known death in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody so far in 2026 — and the fifth apparent suicide this year. What’s Happening: Denny Adan Gonzalez died at […]