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  • Severe storms leave thousands without power across north Georgia

    Severe storms leave thousands without power across north Georgia

    Severe storms leave thousands without power across north Georgia

    Thousands in north Georgia remained without power Wednesday morning after strong storms swept the area Tuesday night that caused widespread flooding, washed-out roads and even a boil water advisory for parts of the region.

    The National Weather Service issued multiple severe thunderstorm warnings Tuesday night. Gilmer County was hit hard with one of the worst flash flooding events the county has experienced in recent years according to the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office.

    Utility outage maps showed Wednesday morning that more than 1,500 customers in Habersham County, 1,018 customers in White County and 950 customers in Towns County remained without power.

    In Gilmer County, nearly 4,000 customers lost power due to the storms.

    Georgia will see a reprieve from the torrential rains for the next few days with the next chance of rain coming in over the weekend. 

    However, the National Weather Service issued a heat advisory Wednesday morning with places in south Georgia reaching a heat index value of 109 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Georgia ranks 49th in national healthcare report

    Georgia ranks 49th in national healthcare report

    Georgia ranks 49th in national healthcare report

    Georgia ranks near the bottom of a new national report of healthcare systems. 

    WalletHub’s 2026 report ranked Georgia 49th overall in health care. The report compares healthcare costs, access and outcomes across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

    Georgia placed 37th in healthcare cost, 49th for access and 43rd for outcomes.

    Chip Lupo, a WallerHub analyst, said the best healthcare systems balance affordability with quality and accessibility.

    “The best states for healthcare are those that make high-quality care affordable, on top of providing many options for doctors and making insurance easily accessible,” Lupo said.

    Georgia beat Mississippi, which placed 50th overall, and Alaska, which placed 51st. New Hampshire secured the top spot followed by Minnesota and Iowa.

    Here are more Georgia rankings:

    • 22nd for average monthly insurance premiums
    • 2nd for hospital beds per capita
    • 42nd for physicians per capita
    • 46th for dentists per capita
    • 49th for the percentage of insured adults
    • 42nd for the percentage of insured children

    Best & Worst States for Healthcare

    Source: WalletHub

  • McDonough mom creates learning center built on community

    McDonough mom creates learning center built on community

    McDonough mom creates learning center built on community

    After struggling to find a community for her children, a mom in McDonough, Georgia, decided to build one herself.

    Chivon Carter founded Community Co., an early childhood center that focuses on community and helping children learn through play.

    “When you look through the lens of the idea that we’re actually raising people and not little kids, everything changes. Here we teach children how to learn, not what to learn,” she said.

    Children at Community Co. are encouraged to learn by doing with the help of licensed educators who create individualized learning plans.

    In addition to helping kids learn, Carter wanted to create a space for parents to connect.

    The center includes a coworking place for parents to work or hangout while their children are learning.

    Carter said a goal of hers was to keep families connected.

    “And that’s why we did it,” Carter said. “We didn’t want to be disconnected from our children.”

    Carter said she hopes her type of education center will become a normal part of the world.

    “My hope for our community at large is that alternative education becomes normalized. That parents really get to decide how their children are educated, and that we come together more as a true village,” Carter said.

    Applications for the school open Aug. 1, and Carter said families may be able to use the Georgia Promise Scholarship to help pay the tuition.

  • North Georgia school district says 4-day week continues to pay off

    North Georgia school district says 4-day week continues to pay off

    North Georgia school district says 4-day week continues to pay off

    A northwest school district in Georgia switched to a 4-day school week more than 15 years ago, and school officials say students and staff have loved the shift.

    Chattooga County School District adopted the model in 2010 to cut back on costs, but they found the change provided other benefits, such as an increase in morale, fewer discipline issues and improved academic performance.

    A school week in Chattooga starts on Tuesday at 7:45 a.m. for high schoolers and ends at 3:30 p.m. Friday.

    Superintendent Michelle Helie told CBS News that it offers students more opportunities to address other priorities.

    “For us, having that Monday allows our students time to go to doctor’s appointments,” said Helie. “We have students who also work. That’s a part of our work-based learning program that’s at the high school, and it gives them an extra day to get that in.”

    Helie said she has had other school districts reach out to see the district’s data and potentially make the switch.

    “You get to recover on the weekends,” said Helie, “You get that three-day week, and then the teachers have extra instructional time during the school day, so because we have a longer day it gives them more time per class period to do things in the classroom.”

  • Georgia ranks fourth for $1,000 monthly car payments, report finds

    Georgia ranks fourth for $1,000 monthly car payments, report finds

    Georgia ranks fourth for $1,000 monthly car payments, report finds

    Georgia ranks among the states with the most car payments that are more than $1,000 per month, according to a LendingTree report.

    The report says that one in 10 Americans with an active car loan pay $1,000 or more per month. In Georgia, that rate goes up to 12%, making it the fourth-highest rate in the nation behind Texas, Alaska and Wyoming.

    Matt Schulz, LendingTree’s chief consumer finance analyst, told CBS News Atlanta that Georgia is a unique situation because of its mix of urban and rural areas.

    “Georgia is interesting because it’s obviously got a big urban center in Atlanta, but most of the rest of the state, you’re going to need a car to get around,” Schulz said.

    The people most likely to have these larger payments are people in their 40s and 50s, or Generation X, who are often in their peak earning years.

    “I suspect that a lot of what we’re seeing with this thousand-dollar monthly car payment is coming from people wanting the luxury SUV or car or the big truck,” Schulz said.

    A $1,000 monthly car payment represents about 14% of the median household’s gross monthly income before taxes and doesn’t include other costs associated with owning a vehicle, such as insurance, gas and maintenance costs.

    Schulz said spending on car payments and other costs can take priority over other financial planning, such as emergency savings and retirement investments.

  • Federal investigation finds safety failures fueled catastrophic BioLab fire in Conyers

    Federal investigation finds safety failures fueled catastrophic BioLab fire in Conyers

    Federal investigation finds safety failures fueled catastrophic BioLab fire in Conyers

    A federal investigation has concluded that long-standing maintenance failures and unsafe chemical storage practices led to the massive BioLab fire that blanketed parts of Rockdale County in toxic smoke nearly two years ago.

    The final report from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board found the Conyers facility was storing approximately 14 million pounds of reactive pool treatment chemicals, more than double the amount originally anticipated for the warehouse. Investigators said the volume of chemicals, combined with deteriorating fire suppression equipment, created conditions that allowed a small equipment failure to escalate into a major industrial disaster.

    According to the board, chlorine gases released by the stored chemicals gradually corroded the warehouse’s sprinkler system over several years. Moisture in the building reacted with the fumes to form hydrochloric acid, damaging metal components designed to control fires.

    A routine inspection in late 2023 documented more than 1,100 corroded sprinkler heads, but the system remained in service.

    When a corroded sprinkler fitting failed on Sept. 29, 2024, water reached incompatible chemicals, triggering a powerful chemical reaction. The resulting fire released toxic gases and thick orange-and-black smoke, forcing thousands of residents to shelter in place as emergency crews worked to contain the blaze.

    Chemical Safety Board Chair Steve Owens said the warehouse lacked adequate safeguards for the amount of hazardous material being stored. He also said the way the chemical bags were stacked limited firefighters’ ability to stop the incident before it spread throughout the facility.

    The board is urging federal regulators to expand oversight of reactive pool chemicals to help prevent similar incidents.

    BioLab, a manufacturer of pool and spa treatment products and a subsidiary of KIK Consumer Products, said it is reviewing the investigation’s findings. The company said it fully cooperated with investigators, has completed cleanup of the property, and established programs to assist nearby residents and businesses affected by the fire.

    The company previously announced it would not reopen the Conyers plant. Separate from the federal investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor cited BioLab for six workplace safety violations and proposed more than $60,000 in penalties.

  • Trees Atlanta camp helps children build lifelong connections to nature

    Trees Atlanta camp helps children build lifelong connections to nature

    Trees Atlanta camp helps children build lifelong connections to nature

    A lesson about fallen leaves is changing how some Atlanta children think about the environment.

    Seven-year-old Isaac Fulton said he recently learned that leaving leaves on the ground in the fall can provide shelter for wildlife during the winter, a lesson he picked up while attending Trees Atlanta’s Junior TreeKeeper Camp.

    The summer program introduces children to Atlanta’s urban forest through a combination of classroom instruction and outdoor exploration. Campers study topics including trees, wildlife, water and soil before putting those lessons into practice in gardens, parks and along the Atlanta Beltline.

    For Isaac, the daily bike rides with friends are a highlight of camp, but organizers hope every activity encourages children to see nature in a new way.

    Camp counselor Danielle Hogan said the goal is to teach young people about Atlanta’s ecosystem and the nonprofit’s conservation mission while helping them understand why protecting trees matters.

    She said trees do much more than beautify neighborhoods. They create shade, improve air quality, provide habitat for wildlife and contribute to healthier communities.

    Hogan believes introducing environmental education at an early age helps ensure future generations will continue caring for Atlanta’s green spaces.

    Campers also participate in hands-on conservation work, including spreading mulch around trees and exploring local natural areas, giving them a firsthand look at what it takes to maintain an urban forest.

    Trees Atlanta has spent more than four decades working to expand and protect the region’s tree canopy. Since its founding in 1985, the nonprofit says it has planted more than 170,000 trees throughout metro Atlanta and remains a partner in the regional One Million Trees Initiative.

    Organizers hope the experience extends well beyond summer vacation, giving children the knowledge and confidence to become lifelong advocates for the environment in their own neighborhoods.

  • CDC probes Cyclospora spike as Georgia cases grow

    CDC probes Cyclospora spike as Georgia cases grow

    CDC probes Cyclospora spike as Georgia cases grow

    Georgia physicians are encouraging people with persistent diarrhea to seek medical care and ask about Cyclospora testing as health officials work to determine what is driving an increase in infections across the country.

    The parasitic illness can cause severe gastrointestinal symptoms, including frequent watery diarrhea, nausea, bloating, fatigue and, in some cases, a low-grade fever. Doctors warn that prolonged illness can quickly lead to dehydration, particularly among older adults, young children and people with weakened immune systems.

    Dr. Frita Fisher of Midtown Atlanta Nephrology said some patients have reported experiencing diarrhea as many as 40 times a day, making prompt medical evaluation essential.

    She also noted that Cyclospora is not routinely included in standard laboratory testing, meaning patients may need to specifically request that healthcare providers test for the parasite.

    Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating a multistate increase in Cyclospora infections after confirming 843 domestically acquired cases in 31 states. The illnesses have resulted in 86 hospitalizations, though no deaths have been reported. Officials expect those numbers to increase as additional cases are confirmed.

    Investigators have not yet identified the food responsible for the outbreak.

    Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that spreads through contaminated food or water rather than through typical person-to-person contact. Previous outbreaks have often been linked to fresh produce.

    Dr. Colleen Kraft, an infectious disease specialist at Emory University, said identifying the source can be challenging because symptoms may not appear until two days to two weeks after exposure.

    That delay often makes it difficult for patients to accurately remember what they ate before becoming sick, limiting investigators’ ability to identify a common source.

    Despite the ongoing investigation, doctors are not advising people to avoid fruits and vegetables. Instead, they recommend washing produce under running water, practicing proper hand hygiene and safely preparing food whenever possible.

    Fisher said washing produce can reduce contamination but does not eliminate Cyclospora, adding that thorough cooking is the only reliable way to kill the parasite. Because many fruits and vegetables are consumed raw, health experts stress the importance of recognizing symptoms and seeking treatment when illness persists.

  • Metro Atlanta Rideshare Drivers Push Back Against Growing Robotaxi Competition

    Metro Atlanta Rideshare Drivers Push Back Against Growing Robotaxi Competition

    Metro Atlanta Rideshare Drivers Push Back Against Growing Robotaxi Competition

    For many Atlanta-area rideshare drivers, the rapid expansion of autonomous vehicles is creating new uncertainty about the future of gig work.

    Some drivers gathered Thursday to voice concerns that driverless taxis are taking away trips they once depended on, leaving them with lower earnings while the costs of operating their own vehicles continue to climb.

    Richard Feinburg said the impact has been noticeable since Waymo vehicles became available through the Uber platform. He estimates his weekly income has dropped between 10% and 30%, although the decline varies from day to day.

    Feinburg, who previously worked as a graphic artist, said rideshare driving evolved from a side job into his primary source of income. Now, he says the economics no longer make sense. Fuel, tire replacements, maintenance and other vehicle expenses continue to rise, yet drivers are expected to absorb those costs without additional support from the companies they drive for.

    As a result, Feinburg said he is looking to cut back and return to driving only on weekends because the wear and tear on his vehicle has become too expensive to justify.

    When Uber and Waymo introduced autonomous rides in metro Atlanta, the companies said the self-driving vehicles would mainly serve shorter trips that human drivers often preferred to avoid. Feinburg argues the reality has been different. He said changes in Uber’s pricing model have made many short-distance rides among the most profitable fares, putting robotaxis in direct competition with drivers for some of their best-paying work.

    Drivers at Thursday’s event said the shift toward automation should not come without safeguards for the people who currently rely on rideshare work to earn a living.

    Neither Uber nor Waymo had issued a response to requests for comment from CBS News Atlanta before publication.

  • Restitution for hundreds of Georgia homeowners in MV Realty case

    Restitution for hundreds of Georgia homeowners in MV Realty case

    Restitution for hundreds of Georgia homeowners in MV Realty case

    A Florida real estate brokerage has been barred from doing business in Georgia after a court found its home sales program violated state law, clearing the way for hundreds of homeowners to receive restitution.

    The judgment requires MV Realty to pay $1 million to affected Georgians and removes the company’s Homeowner Benefit Agreements from property records across the state.

    State Attorney General Chris Carr said the company attracted homeowners with upfront cash payments but tied them to contracts lasting 40 years. Under those agreements, homeowners who sold their property without using MV Realty could be charged at least 3% of the home’s value. Similar penalties could also apply to property transfers and foreclosures.

    More than 3,300 Georgians signed the agreements, including a large number of older adults. According to Carr’s office, many participants did not fully understand the long-term financial commitments they were making.

    The court’s ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by the attorney general in 2024. In addition to the restitution order, MV Realty must cancel all Homeowner Benefit Agreement filings in Georgia. State officials said those filings functioned like liens, creating obstacles for homeowners seeking to sell, refinance or obtain reverse mortgages.

    More than 400 Georgians who paid early termination fees are expected to receive restitution through the attorney general’s office. Eligible homeowners who have not yet been contacted can visit consumer.ga.gov or call 404-651-8600 for assistance.