The Georgia Department of Public Health reported the death of a 15-year-old Gwinnett County boy from coronavirus Saturday. The teen becomes the fourth person under age 20 to die from the virus in Georgia and the second youngest person to die statewide. The youngest person to die from coronavirus was a 7-year-old boy from Chatham […]
Posted inCrime
Bomb threat at Amazon Warehouse in Bibb County investigated
It was a harrowing few hours Saturday afternoon for workers at the Amazon Warehouse on Skipper Road when a bomb threat forced the business to evacuate. Bibb County Sheriff’s Patrol Deputies responded to the Amazon Warehouse after a bomb threat was called into the facility at about 12:33 p.m. The caller said there was a […]
Posted inCoronavirus
Kemp’s New Order: Mask mandates are OK, but only on public property
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp extended his executive order on COVID-19 Saturday and made some concessions to cities and county’s that want to issue mask mandates. Under the new order, local mask mandates are allowed, but only on public property. The order would eliminate the restriction on local mask mandates while allowing businesses to choose whether […]
Posted inLocal
VIDEO: Georgia middle school welcomes students back with ‘Ice Ice Baby’ parody
A Forsyth County middle school filmed a parody of Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” to welcome students back to school and encourage mask use and social distancing. Lakeside Middle School’s version of the song, called “Mask Mask Baby,” offers tips about hand washing and social distancing and tells students and parents what steps the school […]
Posted inCrime
Cars at a Gwinnett County repair shop burned, arson is suspected
NORCROSS — Three cars were burned at a Gwinnett County auto shop and firefighters suspect arson. The fire occurred early Friday morning. Firefighters were called to the scene around 12:35 a.m. Friday, August 14. A passerby saw smoke and flames coming from the vehicles in the parking lot at the C & D Auto Performance. […]
Posted inCoronavirus
Georgia defends COVID-19 response despite poor Trump task force review
Public Health officials released information Friday about what the state agency called positive indicators on COVID-19 in Georgia. They include lower numbers of cases over the past week and decreasing COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide. And the percentage of tests coming back positive has dipped below 10 percent, the Department of Public Health announced. The news release […]
Posted inThe Public Record
Georgia lawmaker under fire for scathing remarks about John Lewis
A Northeast Georgia state lawmaker was stripped of his Georgia House committee chairmanship Friday for belittling the late Congressman John Lewis’ legacy in a radio interview. It’s the second time Rep. Tommy Benton, R-Jefferson, has lost a leadership position in the General Assembly since June 2017, when he distributed an article promoting the idea that […]
Posted inCrime
Georgia State Patrol officer charged with murder after shooting 60-year-old
The GBI has arrested a Georgia State Patrol Officer who who shot and killed a 60-year-old earlier this month after a brief chase. The GBI has arrested 27-year-old Jacob Gordon Thompson on charges of felony murder and aggravated assault. He will be booked into the Screven County Jail. Officials say the investigation supports the charges […]
Posted inCrime
Suspect arrested in gang-related slaying of 70-year-old in Norcross parking lot
NORCROSS — A suspect has been arrested in what police are calling a gang-related homicide in a hotel parking lot in Gwinnett County. The Gwinnett County Police Department responded to the In Town Suites at 1950 Willow Trail Parkway Thursday after 70-year-old Richard St. John was found dead in the parking lot with at least […]
Posted inNews Blog
News Blog: Athens-Clarke County settles mask lawsuit
The Mayor and Commission held a Special Called Session on Friday, August 14 at 8:15 a.m. to approve a settlement with plaintiffs related to the recent mask ordinance requirement for public and commercial spaces and an ordinance changing the hours of alcohol sales and closing times for retail by the drink licensees. With the support […]
Posted inYour Government
Georgia is getting serious about police reform
Police training and tactics like chokeholds, no-knock warrants and rubber bullets for crowd control in Georgia will face scrutiny from a group of state lawmakers tasked with making reform recommendations for law enforcement agencies before year’s end. The Georgia Senate study committee looking at policing techniques and oversight comes after the General Assembly passed legislation outlawing […]
Posted inMissing
Missing Woodstock teen found
WOODSTOCK — A 16 year-old girl who went missing Wednesday in Woodstock has been found and returned home safely. In the early morning hours Friday, the Woodstock Police Department announced that 16-year-old Lily Griffin had been found. Lily disappeared from the area of Weatherstone Trace Wednesday evening.
Posted inCoronavirus
Should fall sports resume? Emory experts weigh in
Emory University infectious disease experts have raised strong concerns about fall sports being played in areas, such as Georgia, that have high levels of COVID-19 cases. “I feel like the Titanic,’’ said del Rio, who serves on an NCAA COVID advisory panel. “We have hit the iceberg, and we’re trying to make decisions of what […]
Posted inEvents
Decatur Book Festival goes virtual
DECATUR — Metro Atlanta’s most well known book festival will be virtual only this year. The 2020 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Decatur Book Festival presented by Emory University has announced that the event will be free and completely virtual this year, beginning Friday, Sept. 4, and continuing through Sunday, Oct. 4. The Decatur Book Festival, one of the largest independent book […]
Posted inYour Government
Kemp to withdraw mask lawsuit against Atlanta mayor
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said today he would be withdrawing his lawsuit against Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the Atlanta City Council over the city’s mask mandate, but that doesn’t mean the controversy between them is over. Instead, Kemp will add language to his next executive order that will allow businesses an exemption from […]
Posted inCrime
Georgia court official charged with sexual exploitation of children
WOODBURY — A court official in Meriwether county has been arrested and charged with Sexual Exploitation of Children. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, Meriwether County Deputy Clerk of Magistrate Court Carol Washington was charged with one count of Sexual Exploitation of Children (Possession of Child Pornography) and one count of […]
Posted inMissing
Have you seen her? This Woodstock teen is missing
WOODSTOCK — The Woodstock Police Department is asking for the public’s help finding a 16-year-old girl who went missing yesterday. Police say 16-year-old Lily Griffin was last seen Wednesday evening in the area of Weatherstone Trace. If you have any information on Lilly’s whereabouts, please contact the Woodstock Police Department.
Posted inBusiness
Zillow is moving into Dunwoody
DUNWOODY — Popular real estate company Zillow will be making its new Southeastern home in Dunwoody. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp today announced that Zillow Group, the largest portfolio of real estate brands on the web, has named the metro Atlanta area its Southeastern hub, bringing nearly 200 jobs to the area. “Our state’s skilled workforce […]
