High winds felt as far north as Jacksonville, Florida...with Tropical Storm Isaac churning off Florida's coasts today..
Good evening everyone... I'm Frank Malloy. Leah Johnson has the night off.
And I'm meteorologist Ben Jones. We're going to start off with what we can expect here from Isaac according to the current storm paths.
Thanks Ben. We'll talk to you again a little later in this newscast.
In our 13WMAZ web poll today, we asked if your family is prepared for severe weather.
61 percent of you responded yes... 39 percent of you still don't think you are.
We can help out with that. For information on what you need to stock up on...just in case...you can look for the storm preparations story on our website...13WMAZ-dot-com.
Right in the line of some of Isaac's storm bands...the city of Tampa...which is hosting the Republican National Convention this week.
<it is my privilege to proclaim the 2012 RNC in session and called to order. (gavel...6 strikes>
The nominating convention was called to order on time...at 2p.m. Today...
Looking over the convention floor...a giant, real-time clock showing the national debt.
But that was about all the business the party got to today...
Wilkinson County parents are still looking for answers about why the schools closed early Friday.
Some parents say it was because of a bomb threat...and others say the school's system was hacked.
Judy Le went to Wilkinson County for answers.
Stephanie Smith was reluctant to take her 6-year-old daughter to school this morning because of what happened Friday, when all Wilkinson County schools closed early.
<I mean, just tell me what happened. Don't sugarcoat it. You know, straight to the point, this is what happened, this is how we're handling it, this is how we're going to deal with it, hopefully it won't happen again.>
Rumors swirled about a bomb threat...but when the Wilkinson County Sheriff's office were notified...they investigated the school's I.T system.
<patrol got a call from a parent. They got an anonymous call saying someone had their child's personal information>
Sheriff Richard Chatman says school shut down because someone hacked teacher's accounts and posted their information online. Superintendent Aaron Geter says parents were notified by phone about the closing on Friday.... and another automated call on Sunday said the schools would reopen...but neither call explained why.
<Geter says limited information was given to the parents because the investigation is still going on. He said he wanted to err on the side of caution and didn't want to further alarm the parents.>
The lack of information has caused confusion. So Smith stopped by the Board of Education offices this morning to get answers.
<I was told by Dr. Whipple, the assistant superintendent that it was a bomb threat and that everything was ok>
<It was a safety risk. I wouldn't say it was a particular bomb threat to any campus >
Many parents are still left wondering why.
<Well where's the truth at then? I just want to know what actually happened at my child's school>
Judy Le...13wmaz...eyewitness news
The investigation is underway but Chatman say a middle school student is being questioned.
For thirty years...from 1930 through 1960... The Coca Cola plant was a staple of the Fort Valley community...but for years, it's stood lifeless.
Now...there's a new plan for the location where it sits...one some people say...is a sad loss for the historic community.
Tom George talked to some folks who are used to passing by the familiar site.
Nestled just next to a main road in Fort Valley, is a little piece of Coca-Cola history.
<I love this building, it's reminiscent of earlier times that many people can relate to>
But not for long ... When the mayor and council voted unanimously to tear down the historic bottling plant and allow a Wendy's to be put in.
"You take a town like Fort Valley, there's not going to be a lot of independent capital available to restore historic structures .. I mean it just doesn't exist."
<now even just standing in front the building you can see the iconic Coca Cola sign and the Drink Coca Cola clock ... Many here in Fort Valley say it's been a part of the community their entire lives and they're sad to see it go. >
< I hate to see it torn down, it was just very emotional.>
< I think its very, very, shortsighted, and it makes me really sad. >
Jo Ann Dankle and other preservations argued that the council should save the plant, or at least combine some of its historic elements with the new Wendy's ... But owner Danny Strickland says its not part of his plan.
< We'd be glad to donate them anything from the in there that they want, but, again, we're just trying to be good neighbors.
But Billie Logue is skeptical. He says restaurants come and go, but tearing down history cant be undone.
< Well if it closes down, now we've got an empty Wendys, so what would you rather have, any empty Coke building that has historic value or an empty Wendy's. >
When Eyewitness News at Six continues... After three deadly cases of West Nile disease in other parts of Georgia...we're giving you the information you need to arm yourself against catching the illness.
And, we continue to follow the weather. There's a look at downtown Macon this afternoon. Stay with us.
2012 is shaping up to be one of the worst years ever for West Nile...
So far..there have been 21 confirmed cases of the virus in Georgia...including 3 deaths..
We asked if you're concerned about West Nile in Central Georgia..
< It worries me a little bit because I do have a daughter and she's two so, whenever she goes outside to play I have to spray her down with the off spray. >
< Other cities and other states are trying to spray and get ready and stuff. I think Macon ought to get ahead of the game too and try to start spraying more and try to get caught up with it. >
So far there haven't been any cases of West Nile confirmed in Central Georgia...but we still need to take proper precautions...