This home on Phillips Drive in White County sustained heavy damage in a fire caused by lightning. (photo courtesy White County Public Safety)
(Cleveland)- Heavy thunderstorms and high winds that moved across Northeast Georgia Tuesday night left many people dealing with power outages. In addition, White County Pubic Safety Director David Murphy reported at 10:30 p.m. fire personnel were dispatched to Independent Drive in southern White County, Murphy said the call was in reference to a tree that fell on a home during the storm.
Once on scene, firefighters confirmed a tree that had fallen onto the house and that the homeowners were out of the house and sitting in their car. White County fire personnel checked the house and found no additional hazards then called for Red Cross to assist the homeowners.
Murphy said, prior to exiting the home, the owner had secured the power to the house. He said there was heavy damage inside and outside the home including roof damage. There were no injuries to the occupants or responders.
A tree fell onto a van on Adair Mill Road. (wrwh.com)
Murphy said 11:01 p.m. Tuesday, E-911 received a call for a residential fire reported after a lightning strike hit a house on Phillips Drive. White County firefighters along with Automatic Aid from City of Cleveland Fire and Lee Arrendale State Prison Fire Brigade responded.
Murphy said upon arrival, firefighters found a 2,000 sq ft home heavily involved with flames showing through the roof. All occupants were out of the home; the Red Cross was contacted to assist three adults and one pet.
According to Murphy White County also requested the assistance of our C.E.R.T. personnel to assist with rehab. There was a vehicle in the garage of the home that sustained heat and smoke damage. No injuries were reported; firefighters were on the scene for 6 hours.
In addition to Murphy’s report a homeowner, Susan Hage, who lives off Adair Mill Road said they were surprised when they walked outside Wednesday morning and found a huge tree had fallen on a van that was parked next to their house. There was no damage to the house and no injuries reported.
(Cleveland)– Rescue personnel battled the excessive heat Tuesday to rescue an injured female hiker from the top of Yonah Mountain in White County.
Public Safety Director David Murphy says county firefighters and emergency medical service were dispatched around 3 p.m. Tuesday to a report of an injured hiker.
Later they called on the assistance from the Lee Arrendale State Prison Fire Brigade to help in extricating the injured hiker. In addition, White County C.E.R.T. personnel were called to assist with rehab.
Murphy says the initial team of firefighters and EMS hiked approximately ½ mile from the Ranger Station at Mount Yonah to the top rock face to find the hiker with an obvious injury to the lower leg.
According to Murphy rescuers placed the injured hiker onto the Stokes Basket and hiked back down the mountain to an awaiting med unit.
Once she was evaluated by EMS, Murphy says the hiker refused transport to the hospital. There were no other injuries. The operation lasted about 2 ½ hours.
The Sheraton Atlanta Hotel has been cleared to reopen after corrections were made to its water distribution system, public health officials said Thursday.
It’s not known when the hotel will actually open to the public. A spokeswoman for the Sheraton said the hotel should have an update sometime Thursday, 11Alive reported.
Environmental tests identified Legionella bacteria in the Sheraton Atlanta’s cooling tower and in a hotel atrium fountain, which were included in the remediation, the Department of Public Health said.
As of Thursday, there have been 13 confirmed case of Legionnaires’ disease, including one death, linked to the Atlanta hotel. Officials say the outbreak also includes 66 “probable’’ cases of Legionnaires’.
The latter represent people who had illness consistent with Legionnaires’ disease, including pneumonia diagnosed by a clinician or a chest X-ray, but have not received laboratory confirmation.
Public Health spokeswoman Nancy Nydam said Thursday that sampling and testing will continue at the hotel. After a complete inspection of the hotel by environmental health experts, she said, the Sheraton was cleared to reopen.
Legionnaires’ cases occurred among people who stayed at or visited the Sheraton Hotel in Atlanta between June 22 and July 15, when the hotel closed.
The outbreak of Legionnaires’ could be among the biggest in U.S. history. Earlier this year, GHN reported that cases of Legionnaires’ disease have quadrupled in Georgia over the past 10 years.
Legionnaires’ was not identified as a distinct disease until 1976, after a large, deadly outbreak among participants at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia. That outbreak was eventually traced to a hotel where they stayed.
The recent increase in Georgia mirrors a national trend, with U.S. cases up fivefold since 2000. About 80 percent of Georgia outbreaks have occurred in health care facilities, Cherie Drenzek, state epidemiologist, said in February.
Illustration of legionella bacteria
Legionella bacteria live in water, and are found naturally in lakes and streams. But they can be potentially lethal when they grow in man-made water systems, eventually finding their way into showerheads and sink faucets, where they become aerosolized.
Legionellosis, a respiratory condition, occurs after people breathe in water vapor containing the water-borne bacteria. It can cause a milder infection, Pontiac fever. In more serious cases, it can lead to the pneumonia called Legionnaires’ disease.
Neither illness is spread person to person, but people over age 50 and those with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to developing the disease.
Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include fever, chills, coughing and shortness of breath. Legionnaires’ disease requires treatment with antibiotics, and most cases are treated successfully.
A lawsuit filed Monday alleges “negligence in the operation and maintenance of the water systems” caused the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at the Atlanta hotel.
Professional photographer Germany Greer, 67, who fell ill in July after photographing a conference at the hotel from June 27 to July 1, filed the lawsuit in Gwinnett County State Court, the Associated Press reported.
Ken Peduzzi, general manager of the Sheraton Atlanta, said in an emailed statement Monday that the hotel “does not comment on legal matters,” according to the AP report
A skunk that recently came into contact with a dog northwest of Cleveland has tested positive for rabies. The skunk was shipped to the Georgia Public Health Lab in Decatur after the two animals encountered each other in the Paradise Valley Road.
White County Environmental Health was advised Wednesday that the skunk tested positive for the rabies virus. This is the first confirmed case of rabies in White County in 2019, according to the White County Animal Control office.
Positive alert signs will be posted in the area where the rabid skunk was located. If you live in this area and have concerns about rabid animal exposure, contact the county’s environmental health department at 706-348-7698 during normal business hours.
Public health and animal control officials urge pet owners to make sure their pets are up to date on rabies vaccinactions.
A large enthusiastic crowd turned out for a community pep rally Thursday evening at Level Grove Baptist Church in Cornelia. They cheered on Habersham Central High’s football team ahead of Friday night’s scrimmage against Union.
“Tonight was a lot of fun for our community,” says HCHS head football coach Benji Harrison. “It’s always good to kick off the season with a community event and hopefully it’ll turn into the way we play tomorrow night; hopefully we play really well, have a lot of fun, and start the season off right.”
HCHS head football coach Benji Harrison pumps up the crowd during the community Raider rally on Aug. 15. (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)
Expectations are heightened this season for Coach Harrison and team. The Raiders’ posted seven wins last year and made it to the second round of the state playoffs after not getting into the postseason the previous six years.
Some of last year’s big playmakers are gone but the Maxwell Ratings playoff projections still give the Raiders a 58.71% shot of returning to the playoffs this season. If the enthusiasm displayed at the Raider rally is any indication, the community will be behind them every step of the way.
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School welcomes twelve new faculty members for the 2019-2020 school year. Pictured are, front row (l-r): Amber Miller, Anna Raley, Ashley Burnett, and Julia Johnson. Back Row (l-r): Clark Wright, Le’Aqua Shoates, Hagos Yohannes, Yuhuan Long, Quashona Antoine, Justin Mercer, Jackson Roper, and Dustin Barnes. (RGNS)
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School will welcome 12 new faculty members for the 2019-2020 school year. Classes begin Wednesday, August 28.
“This year’s new faculty bring vast knowledge and experience to Rabun Gap and will undoubtedly contribute to our legacy of excellence,” said Head of School Jeff Miles. “We look forward to introducing them to our community.”
Quashona Antoine
Quashona Antoine will join Agata Potter, current Lower School music teacher, to expand Rabun Gap’s music programming for the school’s youngest students. She will teach Lower School music on Fridays throughout the 2019-20 school year.
Antoine is a singer/songwriter and has spent many years performing and teaching, not only in the United States but also abroad. Antoine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Catawba College and has performed everywhere from Disney World to Dr. Maya Angelou’s 85th Birthday Celebration. She has given private vocal lessons since 2010.
Dustin Barnes
Dustin Barnes will join the Middle School faculty, teaching eighth-grade science, and will co-lead the varsity basketball program alongside his former high school coach, Rabun Gap Coach Roger Cox.
He comes to Rabun Gap from Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg, Florida, where over the past five years he has taught AP Geography, Marine Science, Earth-Space Science, and Environmental Science.
Barnes earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Florida in 2009, and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Lynn University in 2018. Barnes also has extensive coaching experience; at Admiral Farragut Academy, he served as JV and varsity basketball coach. Prior to this role, he coached numerous AAU and high school teams across Florida and Georgia.
Ashley Burnett
Ashley Burnett comes to Rabun Gap with years of teaching experience across a broad range of levels. Burnett earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Western Carolina University with a minor in communications. In her career, she has taught English as a Second language at Southwestern Community College, Spanish and English as a Second Language at Highlands High School, and served as a translator for numerous organizations.
Burnett will join the Middle School faculty, where she will teach Spanish. She will also coach middle school boys soccer in the fall and Cirque Out in the spring
Julia Johnson
Julia Johnson, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in social work from Western Carolina University, comes to Rabun Gap as Director of Lower School Counseling after an extensive career in social work across Western North Carolina.
She will work with our Lower School students on wellness initiatives and in social and emotional areas. She will join the administrative team at the Lower School as a partner with parents and teachers.
Yuhuan Long
Yuhuan Long, who started teaching some Upper School Mandarin classes part-time last school year, has joined Rabun Gap as a full-time faculty member this year.
Long has been teaching Mandarin since 2011 to students of all ages, and most recently taught at various high and middle schools in North Georgia.
A native of China, Long earned a Master in Teaching Chinese at Minzu University of China in Beijing and a bachelor’s degree in Chinese Language and Literature from Baoding University.
Justin Mercer
Justin Mercer comes to Rabun Gap from Darlington School in Rome, Georgia, where he was teaching Modern World History and a senior elective called “Sports in Society.” At Darlington, he received the Excellence in Teaching Award. As a member of the faculty there, he also coached middle school soccer and served on a dorm team.
Mercer holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s in history education from Auburn University and is a published author and Eagle Scout. In his career, he has taught in a public school environment as part of his graduate work, and as a volunteer teacher in Pago Pago, American Samoa through the World Teach Organization.
Mercer will join the English Immersion Department, working in the Upper School to support international students in Humanities 9 and 10. He will also coach soccer in the fall and spring, and serve on a dorm team.
Amber Miller
Amber Miller is a familiar face at Rabun Gap. She has taught classes for the Studio for several years and joined the middle school faculty part-time last winter. She is joining the Middle School faculty full time this year. Miller will support Middle School Cirque Out in the fall and direct a first-time-ever Middle School Musical this winter.
Miller is the perfect fit for Rabun Gap’s middle school arts program: she is multi-talented and capable of teaching voice, dance, and performance. She holds a Bachelor of Performing Arts in Musical Theater from Mars Hill University. In her career, she has taught tap, jazz, lyrical, creative movement, contemporary, and ballet, both for The Studio and Betsy’s School of Dance and was once a student of Rabun Gap’s dance instructor, Heidi Spoon.
Anna Raley
Anna Raley is joining the Upper School Humanities Department this year.
She has taught history and coached soccer and basketball at St. Michael’s Catholic High School in Alabama.Raley has also served as assistant director and house supervisor for the Advanced Studies Program at St. Paul’s School.
Raley graduated from Huntingdon College with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Secondary Education and earned a MALS in cultural studies from Dartmouth College.
Raley will coach volleyball in the fall and middle school girls soccer in the spring.
Jackson Roper
Jackson Roper will join Mark Green as an Assistant Athletic Trainer this year.
A native of Franklin, North Carolina, Roper joins Rabun Gap after having just completed his Master of Science in Exercise Science at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Prior to attending Liberty University, Roper earned a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Western Carolina University.
Roper will teach three sections of weight training in the Upper School and will assist Green in keeping our athletes well and thriving. Through his education and professional journey, he has experienced high-level athletics and traveled internationally.
Le’Aqua Shoates
Le’Aqua Shoates will join the Niles Bolton Middle School faculty this school year as Middle School Dean of Students.
Shoates served as a middle school humanities teacher and chair of diversity, equity, and inclusion at The Alexander Dawson School in Las Vegas, Nevada, before coming to Rabun Gap. Before moving to Las Vegas, Shoates taught for five years at Hapeville Charter Career Academy in Atlanta.
She is a graduate of Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature and creative writing. She also holds a Master of Education degree with a concentration in curriculum, instruction, and assessment from Strayer University, and is currently working on her doctorate in education. She will coach middle school girls basketball this winter and serve as head middle school track coach this spring.
Clark Wright
Clark Wright joins the Upper School faculty, where he will teach humanities and support students in the Teaching and Learning Center. He will also lead the varsity baseball program and serve as a dorm parent.
Wright comes to Rabun Gap from Charleston, South Carolina, where he was the varsity baseball coach at North Charleston High School. He spent his summer in Hungary coaching club-level baseball for a range of age levels, serving as the hitting coach for the Hungarian National Team, and playing on a semi-pro team.
Wright earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Georgia in history and both played and coached for the University of Georgia Club Baseball team.
Wright grew up in New York City and is an alumnus of Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, where he boarded throughout high school
Hagos Yohannes
Hagos Yohannes, a native of Ethiopia, comes to Rabun Gap from China. He will be working as a math teacher in the Upper School and will also serve as a dorm head.
Yohannes has more than 20 years of experience teaching a range of subjects in high school and college and is a true master teacher and a life-long learner. In 1986, he earned a Baccalaureate in theology and philosophy from the Catholic Major Seminary of the Eparchy of Adigrat, Ethiopia, in affiliation with the Pontifical University of Urbaniana.
Ellen Venida Aaron Reems, age 90, of Homer, Georgia, passed away on Friday, August 16, 2019.
Born on March 10, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia; she was a daughter of the late Abbie Efton and Doris Jenkins Aaron. Mrs. Reems was a homemaker and member of Rock Springs Baptist Church.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 40 years, James Thomas Reems, Sr.
Survivors include her sons and daughter-in-law: Steve and Susan Reems of Homer, Bobby Reems of Jefferson, and Freddie Reems of Homer; daughters, Gail Taylor of Demorest and Annette Modesto of Murphy, NC; ten grandchildren; and fourteen great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, August 17, 2019, at Rock Springs Baptist Church Cemetery with Mrs. Lynn Grizzle officiating.
A shooting threat targeting Walmart stores is making the rounds online. The Habersham County Sheriff’s Office publicly addressed the threat.
In a Facebook post, the Sheriff says the information contained in the threat has not been verified.
“This is a post that came to my attention today. We have no information on this situation. Please remember that everything you read on Facebook is not always the truth. If more information is found out I will let everyone know. As always stay safe.”
Law enforcement in other parts of the country have addressed similar threats in the wake of a mass shooting in Texas. On August 3, a lone gunman killed 22 people and injured 24 others at a Walmart in El Paso.
If you have any information about an alleged threat you should immediately contact your local law enforcement agency.
Curtis Marvin Crowe Jr, loving and devoted husband passed away on Thursday August 15th, 2019, at the age of 90. He was preceded in death by his parents; Curtis Marvin Crowe, Sr. and Thurza Wilkerson Crowe; his sons John Curtis Crowe and Bob Marvin Orr Crowe; his brothers and sisters; Kenneth Crowe; Helen Crowe Riley, Mildred Crowe Gibson, Elma Doris Crowe Elliott.
He is survived by his wife, Julia Orr Crowe of Helen; nieces and nephews: Mark Gibson, Teresa Gibson White, Carolyn Riley Clifton.
A private funeral service will be held at Whitfield Funeral Home.
(ATLANTA) – Sen. John Wilkinson (R – Toccoa) was recently appointed by Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan to chair the Senate Study Committee on Reducing Georgia’s Cost of Doing Business.
“I am honored to be chosen to chair this study committee and look forward to researching ways to help reduce regulatory and financial burdens on our state’s businesses,” said Sen. Wilkinson. “Ensuring our state’s business-friendly climate helps encourage growth in both small businesses and large corporations and is vital to our continued economic success. I look forward to working with stakeholders and members of this committee to help us sustain our bright future for business.”
The Senate Study Committee on Reducing Georgia’s Cost of Doing Business will meet across the state in the next several months. Below is a tentative schedule of the meetings, which will all begin at 10 a.m. Additional details on the location will be available on the Senate website in the weeks to come.
Meeting 1: Thursday, August 29th at the Georgia State Capitol
Meeting 2: Thursday, September 26th in Perry, Georgia
Meeting 3: Monday, October 21st in Savannah, Georgia
Meeting 4: Tuesday, November 19th at Young Harris, Georgia
The Senate Study Committee on Reducing Georgia’s Cost of Doing Business will be comprised of 15 members who are tasked with reviewing the current legal climate and other areas that impact the cost of doing business in Georgia. The study committee will report its findings before or on December 1, 2019. You can see the full Senate Resolution here:http://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20192020/SR/433
The TFS precision rifle team is aiming for the National Junior Olympic Championship in April. Shown, front row, from left, are sophomore Madi Perdue of Clayton and junior Sam Stamey of Clarkesville; back row, from left, are coach Tim Stamey, junior Ben Fisher of Lakemont, sophomore Aiden Gragg of Clarkesville, sophomore Andrew Erwin of Demorest and coach Kerry Stamey. (E. Lane Gresham/Tallulah Falls School)
The Tallulah Falls School precision rifle team will participate in 14 USA Shooting competitions during the 2019-20 season.
According to coach Tim Stamey, all five team members have been training vigorously ahead of the season, and hope to qualify for the National Junior Olympic Championship held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado in April 2020.
The TFS precision rifle team will launch its campaign with the Civilian Marksmanship Program Monthly 3×20 on Sept. 14 in Anniston, Alabama.
A Clarkesville man is behind bars charged with trafficking methamphetamine. He was arrested over the weekend at a residence less than a half-mile from Woodville Elementary School.
Habersham County deputies and agents with the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO) executed a search warrant at 200 Midland Drive in Clarkesville Saturday morning. Inside the home they say they found approximately one quarter-pound of meth and other illegal drugs.
Authorities arrested 49-year-old Darron Wayne Mann. ARDEO Special Agent in Charge Trent Hillsman says Mann’s arrest followed a three-month long investigation. He says officers waited until Saturday to execute the search warrant due to the home’s proximity to the school.
Mann faces multiple drug charges including trafficking and selling methamphetamine and trafficking meth within 500 feet of a school zone. He was booked into the Habersham County jail.
Officials say they seized over a quarter-pound of meth and other illegal drugs from Mann’s home. (ARDEO)
Brooklyn Reed of Mt. Airy is all smiles on the first day of school at Tallulah Falls. (E. Lane Gresham/Tallulah Falls School)
On August 12, students filled the newly waxed corridors at Tallulah Falls School, abuzz with the excitement that a new school year brings.
There are 545 students enrolled in grades five through 12 at TFS this year. Of those, 237 – or 43% – are from Habersham County. The student body also includes 132 boarding students from 20 countries and eight states.
President and Head of School Larry Peevy who is starting his 13th year at TFS called it “an exciting day” in the life of the school.
Dad grew up in Zebulon, North Carolina, with two younger sisters. My aunts, Sandra and Susanne, still live in eastern North Carolina and made the journey last week to visit us for several days. It’s a long drive, but they each brought a daughter along for the trip and were able to travel on Monday and Thursday with two full days here. Susanne and her daughter Amy stayed in Cornelia and Sandra and her daughter Susan stayed at Mom and Dad’s.
I loved having them here. It was good for Dad to have the sibling teasing and memories. I’m not certain Mom ever understood who they were, but she always loves company. Aunt Sandra was her usual bright and bubbly self, and she interacted with Mom the most. She said that she was glad to “be able to give Ruth a hug and talk to her. I was there if she wasn’t.” Aunt Susanne (or Susie, as Dad calls her) has begun some dementia issues, too, and was much more quiet than usual. Because of her confusion and their stay at the hotel, I didn’t see her as much.
There was a lot of laughter and remembrances. Because I only visited my grandparents and that area when I was young, I didn’t remember most of the locations and the people they were discussing. I loved watching Dad take on his older, wiser, protective brother persona.
In recent years, their visits have become too few and far between. The last trip they made back east together was when Uncle Staley (Susanne’s husband) died in 2012. My daughter Jessica and I went along to assist Mom so Dad could be more available to Susanne. It was a very difficult trip, not only because we all loved Staley so much, but Mom was very confused and didn’t tolerate the travel very well. The next time Dad made the trip was in 2017 with my sister Carla, but he really missed his usual travel partner. We’ve not been able to talk him into another trip since then.
There were two poignant moments for me while they were here. The first came at breakfast Tuesday morning of their visit. Dad was saying how glad he was for them to have made the trip. He said, “I really wasn’t sure I’d see you again on this side (of heaven.)” Whew. He was matter-of-fact, but I about lost it! The second moment was saying goodbye, knowing this would be the last time I saw Aunt Susanne unless I made the trip east.
I texted with Sandra after she returned home and asked if she would share some of her thoughts from the visit. She said things haven’t changed in the Bunn household. She felt completely at home and enjoyed all the love given to Mom. She thought Dad looked great – “one fit 90-year-old” according to my cousin Susan – and enjoyed the chance to hike Anna Ruby Falls with him. She enjoyed going to Amicolola State Park with Dad, Susanne, Susan, and Amy, although it was exhausting for Susanne. “Being with my siblings was great, even though I don’t know when that will happen again – maybe 2021.”
I’m so glad they still have each other. It’s amazing when you think about it – all this time and long distances through the years hasn’t dimmed the love at all. What a precious gift!
The Habersham County Commission Monday night voted to sell the old county courthouse to a developer for $1 million. The building will be renovated into a mixed-use facility.
The building will undergo a major external facelift and significant renovation inside. The repurposed building will include a number of one and two bedroom apartments.
“This is great news for the City of Clarkesvillle and Habersham County,” Hall says. County Commisioner Natalie Crawford agrees.
“This will return the property to the tax rolls, increase the inventory for downtown living, and bring business to the downtown,” Crawford says.
Monday night’s vote draws an end to over two years of discussion and speculation about the fate of the 55-year-old building. Built in 1964, it once housed the county’s jail, courtrooms, and administrative offices. A slow exodus from the building through the years saw the various departments branch out into three different facilities spread across the county seat.
The jail was moved from the top floor of the old courthouse to the current detention facility on the west side of Clarkesville in the late 1990s. In 2013, courtrooms and legal offices were moved to the new judicial center on Llewellyn Street in central Clarkesville. And this past spring, the building was left empty after the county moved its offices into the new administration building off of Highway 17 on Clarkesville’s east side.
Peggy Dickerson, age 72, of Loganville, Georgia went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, August 18, 2019.
Ms. Dickerson was born on January 31, 1947 in DeKalb County, Georgia to the late James and Nellie Bradford Cook. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her two grandchildren, Nikki and Austin Wiggley. Peggy, known as Nana was a loving and dedicated mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She had a love for spending time with her family, including cooking for them as well as playing Rook.
Survivors include her loving daughters and sons-in-law, Denise Dickerson and Kevin Burgess, of Loganville; Patty and Randy Miller, of Auburn; sister and brother-in-law, Pat and Bill Thompson, of Marietta; grandchildren, CJ Dickerson and spouse Kacey, Logan Phillips, Rebecca Miller and fiance, Jacob Hulsey; great-grandchildren, Izabella and Luxanna Dickerson; and several nieces, nephews, and many friends.
Memorial Services will be announced at a later date.
Scattered to numerous thunderstorms are expected to develop across northeast Georgia and the western Carolinas this afternoon. Cloud-to-ground lightning, locally heavy downpours, and brief gusty winds will be the primary threats with these thunderstorms.
Forecasters say a few of the storms may be strong enough to produce damaging wind gusts and near quarter-size hail.
Isolated flooding may occur at any locations repeatedly affected by thunderstorms.
Hall County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a traffic accident on Monday afternoon, August 19, that resulted in the hours-long closure of Holly Springs Road due to a load of coins spilled onto the roadway.
Holly Springs Road near Clermont was closed for 6 hours as crews cleaned up the coins and wreckage. (HCSO)
Deputies received the call to an overturned Freightliner box truck near Oxford Road in the area of Clermont at approximately 4:45 p.m. The truck was hauling coins as part of its business in service of coin-cashing machines.
The driver of the truck, Donovann Miller, 21, of Decatur, was transported by Hall County Fire Services to Northeast Georgia Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
According to the preliminary investigation by the Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit, Miller was headed east on Holly Springs Road when the truck ran off the eastbound shoulder. Miller overcorrected into the westbound lane. The truck went off the westbound shoulder and overturned.
The driver of an oncoming Ford F150 pickup truck went off the road to avoid the accident and sideswiped the roof of the overturned box truck. The pickup truck driver suffered minor injuries and was not transported to the hospital.
Deputies cited Miller for failure to maintain lane and no proof of insurance.
