The National Weather Service has included Athens in a winter storm warning that is in effect until noon today.

Almost every school and college east of I-75 and north of I-20 is either delaying its opening or closing altogether thanks the threat of icy roads. On the closure list are schools in Gainesville and Hall County; also Barrow, Lumpkin, and Gwinnett counties. Schools that are delaying their openings include those in Clarke, Oconee, and Madison counties; also the University of Georgia, the University of North Georgia, and Athens Technical College. A complete list of school closings is available at our station website and at Classic City Today dot com.

Athens-Clarke County Police say most major roads remained free of ice overnight. The same could not be said of trees and power lines, many of which are down and blocking streets and intersections across Athens. Topping the list, as of 3am, were intersections at Milledge and Prince and Chase and Prince.

The Georgia Power Company and the various EMCs reported north of 110,000 power outages across the region as last night’s wintry mix moved into north Georgia. Crews have been out all night and through the morning working to restore electricity. And the Georgia DOT had dozens of crews spread out across northeast Georgia, working to treat and clear roads and bridges.

The Red Cross has opened at least two shelters to help winter storm victims in North Georgia: one is in Clayton, the other is in Ellijay.

Governor Nathan Deal is responding to the winter storm by delaying the opening of most state offices in north Georgia until mid-morning.

The winter storm led to the suspension of a search for a man missing on Lake Hartwell: Brady Hamby is 62 years old, from West Union South Carolina, missing since he left on kayaking excursion last Friday. His kayak has been found; he has not.

Officials at the University of Georgia are alerting the public that there is no threat of meningitis on the Athens campus after a student died Monday morning. UGA and friends identified the student as Tanzila Alam, 18 years old, a freshman biology major who moved to America from Bangladesh two years ago. She apparently died from encephalitis.

Journalist Soledad O’Brien is in Athens this evening, speaking at 7 o’clock at the University of Georgia’s Tate Student Center.  O’Brien’s appearance is part of UGA’s observance of Black History Month.

A meeting of the board of the University of Georgia Athletic Association is on tap for today at UGA, underway at 4 o’clock at the Georgia Center.

Today’s campus blood drive starts at 10:30 and lasts til 2:30 at the Tate Student Center.

The University of Georgia's University Chorus is in concert this evening in Athens: it's an 8 o'clock performance at UGA's Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall.

Today is summer semester advisement day at Athens Technical College.


Athens-Clarke County Commissioners meet tonight: it's a 7 o'clock agenda-setting session at City Hall. On the agenda: Commission objectives for the 2016 budget year.

There is an afternoon meeting of Athens' Downtown Master Plan committee: it's set for 5:30 at City Hall.

The Athens Airport Authority meets, 3:30 this afternoon at Athens-Ben Epps Airport.

Ann Jones is stepping down as a member of the Hall County Elections Board.

The Georgia Supreme Court upholds the death sentence given to a man convicted in a Lumpkin County murder: Steven Spears is at the state prison in Jackson for the August 2001 strangulation murder of girlfriend Sherri Holland.

The Forsyth County Animal Shelter has a new manager. Jeanie Curphy has been a coordinator at the shelter in Cumming since July of last year.

A man in Sandy Springs is charged in the murder of his 57 year-old mother: Sandy Springs police say the son called 911 to report finding his mother, claiming she had been assaulted by two men. Investigators say he stabbed her to death.

Berry College is celebrating the arrival of another eagle, the second matched at the school in Floyd County. The first arrived last Friday.

A new poll from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce on the thorny issue of paying for roads and bridges around the state: survey says 57 percent of Georgians would support a gas tax increase if the money is spent on transportation projects.

Triple-A South reports another increase in Georgia's average price per gallon: $2.17 this week, up from $2.08 last week.

Benjamin Miller is now out of ICU but still hospitalized in Spain: the 20 year-old Georgia man was gored by a bull during a bullfighting festival in Madrid.

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