BioLab Closes Conyers Facility

BioLab has announced the permanent closure of its chemical manufacturing plant in Conyers following a fire in September 2024 that released toxic chlorine gas, forced the evacuation of nearly 17,000 residents, and led to widespread shelter-in-place orders affecting over 90,000 people.

Despite completing environmental remediation at the site, the company has decided not to resume manufacturing operations, citing the prioritizing of community safety and a strategic shift to alternative production methods to meet customer needs. The organization’s Conyers Distribution Center will remain operational.

The decision to close comes after months of community input, including petitions and legal action following the 2024 fire.

Some residents have displayed relief about the closure, having long expressed health concerns over the plant’s safety record, including previous fires in 2004 and 2020.

  Body Found During Search for Missing Kayaker

A body believed to be that of 43-year-old Dustin Valencia, a father of five who recently went missing while kayaking on Lake Lanier, was recovered on Friday.

Valencia was reported missing on May 14 after failing to pick up his children from school. His wife used a phone tracking app to locate his last known position near Little Ridge Park, where authorities later found his car and belongings. The following day, a dock worker discovered Valencia’s kayak and paddle.

On May 16, during the search for Valencia, authorities located and recovered a body submerged from 51 feet underwater in a cove near where Valencia’s kayak and paddle were previously found.

Lake Lanier, constructed in the 1950s, has a notorious reputation with over 200 drowning deaths since 1994.

20 Rural Hospitals at Risk of Closure

A recent report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform reveals that 20 of Georgia’s 71 rural hospitals are at risk of closure, with 10 facing immediate danger due to persistent financial challenges.

The findings are part of a broader national concern, with more than 700 rural hospitals across the United States currently struggling to stay open.

According to the report, the main reason hundreds of rural hospitals are at risk of closing is that there are limited funding sources and many private insurance plans reimburse less than the actual costs of service.

In Georgia, the financial situation for hospitals in rural areas is particularly dire, with nearly half operating at a loss. In the last decade, nine rural hospitals in Georgia have closed.

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➤ Augusta: The city’s Riverwalk is temporarily closed for almost two weeks to allow for debris cleanup from Hurricane Helene. (More)

➤ Buford: A local mom was arrested after leading Coweta County deputies on a high-speed chase exceeding 100 mph on I-85 with two children in her car while she was intoxicated. (More)

➤ Marietta: Employees at a local Waffle House have initiated a three-day strike demanding 24/7 security and higher wages, following a recent incident involving an intruder and a lack of management response. (More)

➤ Cobb County: The specialty shops at Cobb Galleria will permanently close at the end of the month, as the center undergoes a major renovation to add outdoor spaces, a new hotel, and upgraded convention facilities. (More)

➤ Atlanta: A man was shot and killed Saturday morning near Atlanta’s MARTA station. (More)

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➤ The Atlanta Braves are now over .500 for the first time this season at 23-22 after beginning the season 0-7, thanks to a spectacular pitching performance from Chris Sale against his former team, the Boston Red Sox, on Friday. (More)

➤ The Georgia Bulldogs are hosting their annual scavenger hunt recruiting event this weekend, with top prospects like five-star offensive lineman Darius Gray in attendance. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Dream fell 94-90 to the Washington Mystics on WNBA opening night on Friday. However, Atlanta rookies Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen showed promise, scoring a combined 33 points. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: MLB | NHL | WNBA | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | PGA

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➤ All 73 fifth graders at Kingston Elementary School in Bartow County were gifted new bikes, helmets, and gear through “Project Ride a Bike,” a community-led initiative. (More)

➤ Milton High School’s girls tennis team features four pairs of identical twins. (More)

➤ A group of colorful peacocks, dubbed the “Peacock Patrol,” has been delighting residents in a Powder Springs neighborhood. (See Video)

Would you rather take a weekend trip to Lake Oconee or the Blue Ridge Mountains?

1. Lake Oconee
2. Blue Ridge Mountains

Yesterday’s Results:

Would you rather eat peaches or peanuts?

1. Peaches: 43%
2. Peanuts: 38%
3. Neither: 19%

Which Georgia-born author won a Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Color Purple?

Show me the answer