Tropical Storm Irma Topples Trees, Blocks Roadways
News September 12, 2017
Hiawassee, GA – The remnants of Hurricane Irma toppled trees, restricted travel, and downed power lines throughout the mountains of North Georgia as the center of the storm made its way through the western portion of the state.
Heavy rainfall and strong wind gusts contributed to the damage.
Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corporation (BRMEMC) reported 200 power outages, affecting 8,505 customers, early Tuesday morning. Crews are continuing to work to restore electricity to the affected areas.
Several major roadways in Towns County were temporarily impassable due to fallen trees. Highway 75 South, which crosses Unicoi Gap, was blocked during the night as county employees cleared widespread debris.
Department of Transportation (DOT) crews arrived early Tuesday morning to assist with the clean up effort.
“Trees were falling faster than they could be removed,” a Towns County first responder tells Fetch Your News.
Fortunately, there were no reports of flooding or human injuries as a result of the storm.
Scattered showers remain in the forecast with clouds clearing in time for the weekend.
Mostly sunny skies are expected over Hiawassee on Saturday.
*UPDATED* School Closings Due to Severe Weather Conditions
News September 11, 2017
- Union County Schools will be CLOSED Monday, September 11th and Tuesday, September 12th due to Gov. Nathan Deal declaring a state of emergency for all 159 counties in Georgia. Please continue to monitor here for further updates.
- Fannin County Schools will be closed for students and all personnel on Monday, September 11 and Tuesday, September 12, for students, as well as all faculty and staff, except for 12-month personnel, district directors, and principals. As long as it is safe to do so, all 12-month personnel, as well as district directors and principals, should anticipate reporting by 9:00 a.m. on September 12. These personnel should note, though, that this expectation may be revised, depending on the weather conditions overnight; nonetheless, if you ever believe it is unsafe to report, please notify your immediate supervisor. In addition, the Board of Education work session meeting that was scheduled for 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 12, has been cancelled. Please continue to stay safe!
- Pickens County Schools closed Monday, September 11th – TWELVE MONTH EMPLOYEES REPORT AT NORMAL TIME. Schools will also be closed on Tuesday, September 12. Twelve month employees will be contacted late Monday as to whether they will be required to come to work on Tuesday. All school activities, including athletic events and after-school programs, will be canceled.
- Gilmer County Schools will be closed Monday, September 11th and Sepember 12th due to Hurricane Irma. We have made this decision after consultation with local emergency management authorities and careful consideration of safety factors, such as the probability of severe winds especially at higher elevations, debris, dangerous road conditions and downed power lines left in its wake. Only 12 month staff should report if safe to do so.
- Dawson County Schools will be closed on Monday, September 11, and Tuesday, September 12, 2017. Twelve month employees will operate on a 2 hour delay.
- Lumpkin County Schools closed due to the weather forecast for our area, Lumpkin County Schools will be closed on Monday, September 11, and Tuesday, September 12, 2017. The anticipated high winds pose a significant threat to our students and staff. We understand that weather predictions are not always accurate, but we cannot ignore the potentially dangerous situation that this storm poses. Our number one priority is to keep our students and staff safe! Wednesday will still be a early release day as planned so that teachers will be available for parent conferences. 12 month employees should report if it is safe to do so.
- Towns County Schools closed Monday, September 11th and Tuesday, September 12th for all students. All employees should report at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, September 12th if safe to do so.
- White County Schools due to the severe weather forecast, White County Schools are closed for students and staff Monday, September 11, and Tuesday, September 12, 2017. Please be safe!
- Murray County Schools closed Monday September 11 and Tuesday September 12, due to the possible impact of Hurricane Irma. We have made this decision after consultation with local emergency management authorities and careful consideration of safety factors, such as the probability of severe winds, debris, dangerous road conditions, and downed power lines. We understand that weather predictions are often incorrect, but the size of this storm cannot be ignored. It is our hope that Murray County is spared from any of this storm’s impact, but we will always choose to error on the side of caution. All events planned for Monday and Tuesday evenings are also cancelled. This includes the September 11 MCPS Board meeting. This meeting will be rescheduled for Thursday, September 14 at 6:15 p.m. All maintenance, grounds crew, and transportation employees will meet at the transportation office.
Towns County Sheriff’s Office Hurricane Advisory
News September 8, 2017
Towns County, GA – The Towns County Sheriff’s Office is bracing for remnants of Hurricane Irma as the storm tracks toward the Florida-Georgia coast. Hurricane Irma is expected to bring excessive wind and rain to the North Georgia area. Tropical storm force winds are predicted to arrive in southeast Georgia on Sunday.
As the remnants travel north, as forecasted by the latest models, the Towns County area should see some of the effects by late Sunday evening or early Monday morning.
Our area is expected to see heavier than usual traffic for the next few days as Florida and Georgia coastal residents seek refuge from the category 5 hurricane.
Local residents are encouraged to obtain their basic essentials – food, medicine, and gasoline, along with any other needed items prior to the arrival of the storm. Local residents are also advised to prepare for possible power outages due to the expected high winds.
Excessive rain may cause flooding in some areas. Never attempt to drive on roadways covered with water as automobiles can be swept away and flooded roadways often fail. Never attempt to cross downed power lines.
The Sheriff’s Office Operational Plan includes additional manpower to be on hand to respond to calls for service as the remnants of Hurricane Irma move over the Towns County area.
As the weather models are updated, additional information may be released. Please stay tuned to news and local weather reports.
Follow Fetch Your News as we continue to track developments.
Deal Expands State of Emergency to Include ALL 159 Counties
News, State & National September 10, 2017
Acting on a recommendation from the state’s Emergency Operations Command and ahead of heavy rains, strong wind and potential flooding from Hurricane Irma, Gov. Nathan Deal today expanded the emergency declaration to include an additional 65 counties. The state of emergency now includes all 159 counties in Georgia. State government will be closed Monday and Tuesday for all employees except essential personnel.
Following a briefing from officials and visit with emergency responders, Deal will hold a media avail tonight at the State Operations Center at 6 p.m.
Follow this link to read the executive order.
For more information on hurricane preparedness, visit the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency website.
Tropical Conditions Expected in Hiawassee
News September 10, 2017
Hiawassee, GA – As Hurricane Irma churns through the “sunshine” state, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urges residents, visitors, and evacuees to prepare for Tropical Storm conditions in northern Georgia.
A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued by the National Weather Service for Towns County and surrounding areas as Hurricane Irma’s outer bands travel through southern portion of the state.
**UPDATE: The Tropical Storm Watch has been upgraded to a Tropical Storm Warning**
Governor Nathan Deal has expanded a State of Emergency to include all 159 Georgia counties.
“Just because the weather appears to be calm now, don’t take that for granted,” Governor Deal warns.
As Hurricane Irma charges north, Towns County awaits her arrival.
Heavy rain amounts of 3-5 inches is expected locally, with sustained winds of 35-40 mph.
Computer models predict wind gusts exceeding 50 mph on Monday evening.
The risk to life and property is elevated due to expected tropical gusts and potential flash flooding. Do not attempt to travel during high winds and never attempt to cross flooded roadways.
Fallen debris is likely to occur and outdoor items should be secured in advance to prevent projectile damage.
If necessary to venture out, do not cross downed electrical lines and alert emergency services if one is located.
Power and communication outages are possible as the storm passes over the area.
There is no threat of tornadic activity at this time.
It is important to remain updated as weather forecasts are apt to change and additional developments may occur.
Follow Fetch Your News for local information as we track the destined to become historic hurricane.
Feature Image: wind forecast
Hurricane Irma Evacuees Seek Higher Ground
News September 7, 2017
Hiawassee, GA – Towns County is beginning to feel the impact of Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms in recorded history, as residents in the projected path head toward higher ground.
Southern Florida expects to begin experiencing the hurricane’s wrath as early as Saturday morning. Where the storm will make landfall isn’t certain, but residents from southeastern states are taking the threat to heart.
As mandatory evacuations continue in coastal regions, Hurricane Irma has the potential to create gridlock in Florida as evacuees attempt to travel north. There are reports of gas shortages throughout the Sunshine state.
“Do not wait for this storm to come,” Florida Governor Rick Scott said. “Get out now.”
Hurricane Irma’s projected path via weather.com
Gabriel Chastain, an assistant manager at the Holiday Inn in Hiawassee, says the hotel has seen a sharp increase in reservations due to Hurricane Irma’s approach. Chastain says rooms are nearly sold out for the coming week, mainly filled with residents from Florida and southern Georgia.
Local stores and gas stations are seeing a spike in sales as citizens prepare for the storm.
Hurricane Irma, a German name meaning “war goddess”
Joan Truman, a retired elementary school teacher from Florida’s east central coast, decided it was best to heed warnings and evacuate her home state. “I’ve rode out hurricanes [in Florida] before, but this one made me especially antsy. We thought it was best to pack up and visit our son in Hiawassee until Irma had passed. After seeing the footage from Texas when Hurricane Harvey hit, it’s better to be safe than forever sorry. The higher the altitude, the safer I feel,” the soft spoken lady tells Fetch Your News.
Towns County’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Rickey Mathis says northern Georgia is subject to heavy rainfall, strong winds, potential flooding, and fallen debris if Hurricane Irma impacts the state. Director Mathis says he received a call from the Department of Agriculture, inquiring about pet friendly shelters, but he isn’t aware of specific weather warnings for Towns County at this time. Director Mathis was also notified of a request for available personnel to assist with efforts in Florida should the hurricane prove to be as destructive as predicted by forecasters.
“We’re waiting and watching the entire situation closely,” EMA Director Mathis says.
Towns County EMA maintains communication with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), and assures Fetch Your News that necessary updates will be provided on county developments as the storm draws near.
“Though it’s too soon to tell just how Hurricane Irma will impact Georgia, we are urging everyone to take steps to prepare now,” said GEMA/Homeland Security Director Homer Bryson. “We will keep the public updated with new information, but we encourage Georgians to ensure their plans are in place.”
For information on how to prepare, visit http://ready.ga.gov/
Follow Fetch Your News for local updates as we continue to track Hurricane Irma’s path.
Update on Hurricane Irma Cleanup and Relief Efforts
State & National September 19, 2017
ATLANTA (September 18, 2017) | On Thursday, September 14, 2017, Senator Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega) joined Governor Nathan Deal, local elected officials and first responders for a press conference in Habersham County to address Hurricane Irma cleanup and relief efforts.
“First and foremost, I would like to extend my gratitude to the first responders and volunteers who are helping the ongoing recovery efforts in our local communities and throughout the state,” said Sen. Gooch. “It is an honor to join Governor Deal, our local elected officials, first responders and citizens in any and all efforts to get our state back up and running. Our citizens are resilient and I am confident that by working together, we can help those in need and rebuilt each and every community that was impacted. It was very uplifting to witness the outpour of assistance from the hundreds of employees of utility companies from all over the United States.”
On Monday, September 11, 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall in Georgia leaving around 1 million citizens without power. The impact from Irma was felt from the coastal plains to the north Georgia mountains. The state of Georgia saw unprecedented damage caused by the tropical storm force winds that reached more than 400 miles from the storm’s center. Relief efforts are ongoing and first responders, power companies, state agencies, volunteers and citizens are working around the clock to rebuild and restore power.
Governor Deal and the federal government responded quickly and declared a state of emergency in Georgia so that funds could be appropriated to help with the financial burden of the storm. Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) is coordinating their efforts with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), state agencies and local authorities to ensure recovery, rebuilding and cleanup is completed in the most efficient and cost effective manner.
Additional information can be found on the GEMA and FEMA websites:
Hurricane Irma Impacts State Rate
State & National October 19, 2017
Jobs decrease slightly in state, as Hurricane Irma impacts Coastal Georgia
ATLANTA – State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said today that Hurricane Irma caused Georgia’s job numbers to fall and unemployment claims to rise in September.
Butler noted that the state lost about 500 jobs for the month. Similarly, Georgia also saw nearly 25,000 unemployment claims filed in September. That was a modest increase from the prior month and from September 2016. A 240 percent jump for the month in the coastal region drove the statewide numbers up slightly, the commissioner said.
“Even though the hurricane did have a negative effect on Georgia’s job and unemployment claims numbers, we still had a record month for employment and persons entering the workforce,” Butler said. “This shows the strength of Georgia’s economy and job market.”
Butler noted that even though September’s numbers were impacted by Hurricane Irma those changes were not enough to significantly affect the state’s strong performance over the past 12 months. Georgia added more than 84,000 new jobs during that time, Butler said.
Further, Butler said in September the state jobless rate continued to decline. He reported the September unemployment rate was 4.5 percent, down from 4.7 percent in August. It was last that low in June 2007. The monthly rate compares favorably to last September when the rate was 5.4 percent.
Butler added that employment among the state’s residents was up by 35,649 from August. That’s the largest single-month gain in at least 40 years. The labor force, which is the number of residents employed and those unemployed but actively looking for work, rose by 25,761, as the number of unemployed declined by 9,888.
“It continues to be a very good year for Georgia’s economy when you look at the whole picture,” Butler said.
With the monthly job loss, Georgia ended September with 4,497,200 total jobs. Jobs were up 1.9 percent from September 2016.
Most of the over-the-year job growth came in professional and business services, 28,200; leisure and hospitality, 19,200; education and health services, 14,600; and trade, transportation and warehousing, 10,400.
Statewide, unemployment claims were up by 3.6 percent to 24,666, due largely to temporary claims filed in manufacturing and accommodations and food services. Compared to September 2016, claims were up a modest 1.1 percent from 24,403.
Employ Georgia, the GDOL’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed 56,210 new active job postings in Georgia for September.
Visit dol.georgia.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers and to connect with us on social media.
DATA FOR THE METRO AREAS ARE ATTACHED, TABLES AND GRAPHS REFLECTING LABOR MARKET DATA ARE AVAILABLE AT http://dol.georgia.gov/current
NEWS MEDIA NEEDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY CALL (404) 232-3685
Hurricane Irma prompts school closings in Georgia
News September 10, 2017
* Union County Schools will be CLOSED Monday, September 11th, 2017 due to Gov. Nathan Deal declaring a state of emergency for all 159 counties in Georgia. Please continue to monitor here for further updates.
- Fannin County Schools will be closed for students and all personnel on Monday, September 11.A great deal of consideration has been given to this decision. Governor Deal has us under a State of Emergency. Severe weather conditions, such as severe winds (especially at higher elevations), debris, dangerous road conditions, and downed power lines are all possible for our area beginning tomorrow(Monday) morning.Weather predictions are not always accurate, but this storm is massive and cannot be ignored. It is my hope that our community is spared from this, but it is better to err on the side of caution when safety is in question. Please stay safe!
- Pickens County Schools closed Jasper, Georgia — Due to inclement weather conditions,the Pickens County School District will be closed tomorrow, Monday, September 11th – TWELVE MONTH EMPLOYEES REPORT AT NORMAL TIME. Schools will also be closed on Tuesday, September 12. Twelve month employess will be contacted late Monday as to whether they will be required to come to work on Tuesday. All school activities, including athletic events and after-school programs, will be canceled. Information will be posted on the Pickens County School District website at www.pickenscountyschools.org, the Infinite Campus parent portal, district and school websites and social media sites, and sent to local media.
* Gilmer County Schools closed Release from Gilmer County School School Closed – Monday, September 11, 2017Gilmer County Schools will be closed Monday September 11 due to Hurricane Irma. We have made this decision after consultation with local emergency management authorities and careful consideration of safety factors, such as the probability of severe winds especially at higher elevations, debris, dangerous road conditions and downed power lines left in its wake. We understand that weather predictions are not always accurate, but this storm is massive and cannot be ignored. It is our hope that our community is spared from the force of this storm, but we will always choose to err on the side of caution when our students’ safety is in question.
* Dawson County Schools Closed Based on information from the NWS, Dawson County Schools will be closed on Monday, September 11, 2017. Twelve month employees report.
* Lumpkin County Schools Closed Due to the weather forecast for our area, Lumpkin County Schools will be closed on Monday, September 11, 2017. The anticipated high winds pose a significant threat to our students and staff. We understand that weather predictions are not always accurate, but we cannot ignore the potentially dangerous situation that this storm poses. Our number one priority is to keep our students and staff safe! Decisions for future closings will be made as more information becomes available. Thank you for supporting Lumpkin County Schools!
* Towns County Schools will be closed Monday for all students and staff. A decision about Tuesday will be made tomorrow afternoon.
* White County Schools Closed Due to the severe weather forecast, White County Schools are closed for students and staff Monday, September 11, 2017. Please be safe!
* Murray County Schools Closed Murray County Schools will be closed Monday September 11 and Tuesday September 12, due to the possible impact of Hurricane Irma. We have made this decision after consultation with local emergency management authorities and careful consideration of safety factors, such as the probability of severe winds, debris, dangerous road conditions, and downed power lines. We understand that weather predictions are often incorrect, but the size of this storm cannot be ignored. It is our hope that Murray County is spared from any of this storm’s impact, but we will always choose to error on the side of caution. All events planned for Monday and Tuesday evenings are also cancelled. This includes the September 11 MCPS Board meeting. This meeting will be rescheduled for Thursday, September 14 at 6:15 p.m. All maintenance, grounds crew, and transportation employees will meet at the transportation office.