MainStreetNews

Although no cases of the swine flu have been reported in Georgia, Jackson County EMA officials are monitoring reports of the outbreak in other states. Jackson County EMA director Steve Nichols said Monday that local officials were "watching the situation closely" and are incontact with state GEMA officials who are also monitoring state and ... [Full Story »] 

Last year was tough for many Georgia banks as the economic slowdown hammered profits and increased loan losses.

Only five community banks that operate in the four counties covered by MainStreet Newspapers turned a profit in 2008. Perhaps not coincidentally, all five are based farthest away from the high-growth housing bubble corridor that ensnared some other financial institutions in a tide of faltering loans.

Statewide, some 46 percent of banks were unprofitable in 2008, according to the FDIC. A number of banks in the state have been closed by regulators in early 2009, including Freedom Bank, which was based in Commerce and had branches in Jackson, Banks and Barrow counties. Deposits of the closed bank were acquired by Northeast Georgia Bank, which has other branches in the area as well. [Full Story »] 

A 30-year-old Statham man was shot outside the Waffle House in downtown Winder early Monday. Ronald John Arnold was treated at Barrow Regional Medical Center for gunshot wounds to his foot and to his arm, according to a Winder Police Department incident report. He was shot in the parking lot on West May Street after midnight and the shots also ... [Full Story »] 

Heavy rain Sunday night was followed by high winds Monday morning, uprooting trees across roads, on power lines and on houses across Northeast Georgia.

In Jackson County, officials said straight line winds of 40 mph slammed the county, resulting in 51 trees down, 11 power lines down, two trees on residences resulting in minor damage, one roof of a porch blown off, two traffic signals blown down and 121 emergency calls.

Power outages were also reported in the area, but by 3 p.m. Jackson EMC reported that most power had been restored.

Earlier in the morning, the West Jackson Fire Department responded to a number of calls of trees down across roads. Especially hard hit in the West Jackson Area was Hwy. 332 where a number of trees across the road shut down traffic for a time.

No injuries had been reported at midday Monday from the weather.

Severe thunderstorms raked Jackson, Banks, Barrow and Madison counties Friday night. One fire was reported in the North Jackson area due to a lightening strike.

Jackson County Emergency Services issued the following report:

A series of storms moved through Jackson County starting around 6 p.m. this date and exited around 8 p.m. The storms resulted in the Jackson County EMA activating the weather warning sirens twice for tornadic activities in the area.

Several reports of tornadoes were reported through out Jackson County with no confirmed touch downs. Reports of several trees down in the roadways (5) were reported and quickly handled by Jackson County Sheriff's Office and the Jackson County road department.

Several power outages were reported due to downed power lines. Jackson EMC is currently working on that situation and power should be restored by midnight.

Two auto accidents were reported during the storms and resulted in only minor injures which were handled by Jackson County Rescue and EMS.

One fire was reported to an out building on Nichols Rd. in the Plainview community with Plainview, North Jackson, and the Jackson County CI Fire Departments responding and quickly extinguishing the fire. The fire was reported as being started by a lightning strike.

Jackson County storm spotters and a local amateur radio club, North East Georgia Amateur Radio Club/ ARES, were activated to monitor the storms and advise of changing weather conditions. No serious injuries were reported.