A man set bathroom mats and towels on fire inside the Chamblee Walmart on Saturday afternoon, forcing the store to close. What happened: Chamblee police got a call at 1:31 p.m. about a fire in the bathroom aisle of the Walmart at 1871 Chamblee Tucker Road. Cameras inside and outside the store caught the man […]
Posted inFire
Want to stop wildfires? Don’t throw lit cigarettes out your car window
Two massive wildfires have scorched more than 55,000 acres in South Georgia, forced hundreds of people from their homes, and put 626 firefighters to work in brutal conditions, and that’s just the two biggest fires. The state has reported dozens of smaller fires in the last three weeks. Despite all this, the Georgia Forestry Commission […]
Posted inFire
More Brantley County wildfire evacuees cleared to return home Saturday
Four more groups of residents forced out by the Highway 82 wildfire in Brantley County can go home Saturday evening. Who can return: The Brantley County Sheriff’s Office says people in Zones 31, 32, 33, and 34 — all on the north side of Highway 32 — are cleared to head back. Road updates: Highway […]
Posted inFire
Pineland Road wildfire grows slightly, reaches 44% containment
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 […]
Posted inSports
How to watch the 2026 Kentucky Derby
The 152nd Kentucky Derby runs Saturday, May 2, on NBC and Peacock. Coverage starts at 2:30 p.m. Eastern. Spanish-language coverage airs on Universo at 6:30 p.m. Eastern. What’s Happening: NBC and Peacock both carry the race live starting at 2:30 p.m. Eastern. Peacock streams all of Friday’s and Saturday’s coverage live. What’s Important: NBC Sports […]
Posted inFire
Highway 82 wildfire still burning as second fire starts in Wayne County
The Highway 82 wildfire in Brantley County is now 37% contained after crews made progress Thursday — but a new fire broke out nearby in Wayne County, and smoke picked up across parts of the burn area as temperatures climbed. What’s Happening: The fire covers 22,532 acres and has been burning since April 20. Containment […]
Posted inWeather
Heavy rain expected across Georgia this weekend as drought grips every county
The National Weather Service says meaningful rainfall is on the way for Georgia this weekend, though forecasters warn it will not be enough to end a drought that now covers the entire state. What’s happening: Every county in Georgia is now in what forecasters call an “official drought,” rated between D2 and D4 on a […]
Posted inYour Vote
Georgia early voting tops 151,000 with Democrats leading turnout
More than 151,000 Georgians have voted in the first four days of early voting ahead of the May 19 primary, and voters in the Democratic primary are outpacing the Republican primary so far. What’s happening: As of Thursday, 151,974 ballots have been cast. Georgia has 7,358,887 active registered voters, meaning about 2.1% of them have […]
Posted inYour Vote
Republicans push to redraw Georgia maps after Supreme Court guts voting law
Some prominent Republicans started calling for Georgia lawmakers to redraw the state’s political maps hours after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that dilutes a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Democrats have roundly condemned the decision, which they say risks fair representation for minority voters across the country, and urged Georgia […]
