Georgia

Have you given blood lately? Georgia communities in urgent need as winter threat continues

Published

2 years ago

February 12, 2024

Have you given blood lately? Georgia communities in urgent need as winter threat continues

ATLANTA — February is the month of love. In a month filled with gifts and gestures, another way to show someone that you care: donate blood.

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According to the American Red Cross, weather systems can disrupt blood drives and the ability to provide critical blood products to hospitals.

While thousands have donated, blood supply is needed now more than ever.

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The Red Cross states that people of all blood types–especially type O blood donors are the most needed blood group by hospitals.

Platelet donors are needed daily to ensure blood products are available for hospitals at a moment’s notice.

Citizens who donate in February will receive a $20 Amazon.com gift card by email.

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For the full list of counties’ dates and availability or to schedule an appointment to give blood or platelets, click here. Citizens can also download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

Here are a few upcoming blood donation opportunities beginning Feb.12 throughout metro Atlanta:

Clayton County: Morrow

2/15/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., City of Morrow, 1500 Morrow Rd
2/28/2024: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Morrow High School, 2299 Old Rex Morrow Road

Riverdale

2/16/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Clayton County Fire Department, 7810 Highway 85

Clayton County: Jonesboro

2/20/2024: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Perry Career Center, 137 Spring St

Cobb County: Acworth

2/12/2024: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, 6301 Cedarcrest Road
2/13/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Freedom Church, 3611 Cobb Parkway
2/14/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Freedom Church, 3611 Cobb Parkway
2/16/2024: 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Georgia Fitness, 3362 Acworth Summit Blvd

Atlanta

2/15/2024: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Atlanta Braves, 755 Battery Avenue Southeast
2/15/2024: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Atlanta Braves, 755 Battery Avenue Southeast

Austell

2/19/2024: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Wellstar Cobb Hospital/Women’s Center, 3950 Austell Road

Kennesaw

2/15/2024: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Bullard Elementary School, 3656 Old Stilesboro Road
2/22/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Legacy Park, 4201 Legacy Park Circle
2/29/2024: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Northwest Family YMCA, 1700 Dennis Kemp Lane

Marietta

2/12/2024: 8 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Cobb Blood Donation Center, East Lake Shopping Center, 2145 Roswell Road Suite 250

2/13/2024: 1 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Cobb Blood Donation Center, East Lake Shopping Center, 2145 Roswell Road Suite 250

2/13/2024: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., St. Paul UMC, 244 Kurtz Road

2/14/2024: 1 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Cobb Blood Donation Center, East Lake Shopping Center, 2145 Roswell Road Suite 250

2/14/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority, 1170 Atlanta Industrial Drive

Powder Springs

2/12/2024: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Macland Presbyterian Church, 3615 Macland Rd
2/13/2024: 3 p.m. – 8 p.m., Church of Latter Day Saints – Powder Springs, 2595 New Macland Rd.

Smyrna

2/12/2024: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Smyrna Community Center, 200 Village Green Circle
2/13/2024: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Wellstar Vinings Health Park, 4441 Atlanta Rd

DeKalb County: Decatur

2/12/2024: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., North Decatur UMC, 1523 Church Street
2/21/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., First Christian Church of Decatur, 601 West Ponce de Leon Avenue
2/23/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore Street
2/27/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Dekalb Medical Center Women’s Center, 2701 N. Decatur Road

Tucker

2/20/2024: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., City of Tucker Parks and Recreation, 4898 Lavista Rd
2/22/2024: 2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Tucker First United Methodist Church, 2397 Fourth Street

DeKalb County: Clarkston

2/27/2024: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., CN-Bookstore, 555 N Indian Creek Dr

Decatur

2/25/2024: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., House of Hope Atlanta, 4650 Flat Shoals Pkwy

Douglas County: Douglasville

2/13/2024: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Douglasville Public Safety Complex, 2083 Fairburn Rd
2/14/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Douglasville First United Methodist Church-Tidwll Hall, 6167 Prestley Mill Road

Peachtree City

2/26/2024: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Keller Williams Peachtree City, 1200 Commerce Drive, Suite 110

Fulton County: Alpharetta

2/12/2024: 1 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Alpharetta Blood Donation Center, 3000 Old Alabama RD, Suite 110
2/13/2024: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Alpharetta Blood Donation Center, 3000 Old Alabama RD, Suite 110
2/14/2024: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Alpharetta Blood Donation Center, 3000 Old Alabama RD, Suite 110
2/14/2024: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Hewlett Packard Enterprise, 5555 Windward Parkway, Mail Stop A3D702C

Atlanta

2/12/2024: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Midtown Blood Donation Center, 1955 Monroe Drive
2/13/2024: 1 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Midtown Blood Donation Center, 1955 Monroe Drive
2/13/2024: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Urban Life Building, 140 Decatur Street
2/13/2024: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Piedmont Atlanta Hospital 1984 Building, 1968 Peachtree Road, NW

Duluth

2/12/2024: 1 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Duluth Blood Donation Center, 3090 Premiere Pkwy, Suite 500

2/13/2024: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Duluth Blood Donation Center, 3090 Premiere Pkwy, Suite 500

2/14/2024: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Duluth Blood Donation Center, 3090 Premiere Pkwy, Suite 500

2/15/2024: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Duluth Blood Donation Center, 3090 Premiere Pkwy, Suite 500

2/16/2024: 9:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m., Duluth Blood Donation Center, 3090 Premiere Pkwy, Suite 500

2/17/2024: 8 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Duluth Blood Donation Center, 3090 Premiere Pkwy, Suite 500

Suwanee

2/15/2024: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Riverwatch Middle School, 610 James Burgess Road

2/15/2024: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Gwinnett County Public Schools Instructional Support Center, 437 Old Peachtree Road NW, Instructional Support Center

2/22/2024: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., City of Suwanee, 330 Town Center Ave

2/29/2024: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Richland Community Clubhouse, 2074 Quinton Place

Gwinnett County: Lawrenceville

2/28/2024: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, 970 McElvaney Ln NW

Henry County: McDonough

2/27/2024: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., McDonough Presbyterian Church, 427 McGarity Road

2/27/2024: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Henry County Academy for Advanced Studies, 401 East Tomlinson Street

Stockbridge

2/28/2024: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Piedmont Henry, 1133 Eagles Landing Parkway

Rockdale County: Conyers

2/12/2024: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m., Conyers Blood Donation Center, 2445 Salem Road SE, Suite 206F/207G

2/13/2024: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m., Conyers Blood Donation Center, 2445 Salem Road SE, Suite 206F/207G

2/14/2024: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m., Conyers Blood Donation Center, 2445 Salem Road SE, Suite 206F/207G

2/16/2024: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Conyers Blood Donation Center, 2445 Salem Road SE, Suite 206F/207G

2/17/2024: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Conyers Blood Donation Center, 2445 Salem Road SE, Suite 206F/207G

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Georgia

Georgia farmers on alert as New World Screwworm confirmed in Texas, New Mexico

Published

9 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Georgia farmers on alert as New World Screwworm confirmed in Texas, New Mexico

SCREVEN COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) – A parasite not seen in the United States since the 1960s is making a comeback, and Georgia cattle producers are watching closely.

The New World Screwworm has been confirmed in Texas and New Mexico, raising alarms across the South. The pest — eradicated in the U.S. more than 60 years ago and driven all the way to Panama — has been working its way back north through Mexico.

Screven County cattle producer Lindy Sheppard says he learned about screwworm in agriculture college and heard stories from his father, who dealt with the parasite in the 1950s and ’60s.

“I never thought I would have to deal with it,” said Sheppard.

Now, with confirmed cases edging closer to Georgia, Sheppard isn’t so sure.

“We hope they keep it on that side of the Mississippi River,” he said. “We don’t want it over here.”

How screwworm spreads

The New World Screwworm spreads through flies whose larvae burrow into the open wounds of living animals. Livestock, horses, pets and wildlife are all at risk. Newborn cattle are especially vulnerable; their exposed navel cords provide an entry point for flies.

Sheppard says calving season, which begins as early as late August in Georgia, is his biggest concern.

“When we start calving in late August, September, because the navel cords are so exposed. That’s a red flag in my mind that it could be a real problem when we start calving this fall,” he said.

Georgia’s response

The Georgia Department of Agriculture is already taking action. Officials are monitoring livestock movement into and out of the state around the clock and have prepared traps ready to deploy if needed.

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said the state is stepping up protocol checks on all animals entering Georgia.

Sheppard says he is confident in the state’s leadership.

“We’ve got Tyler Harper, our commissioner of agriculture. He’s all over it,” Sheppard said. “I feel like they’re doing everything they can. I really do.”

Economic concerns

The screwworm threat comes as Georgia’s cattle industry is already under significant pressure. Rising costs, shrinking profit margins, dwindling access to markets and an aging workforce have pushed many farmers to the brink.

Sheppard, 65, notes the average age of a cattle farmer is 58, and says screwworm could be the breaking point for some.

“We’re losing cattle in this state anyway, so that may accelerate it,” he said. “It might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, it sure might. It makes them go ahead and sell all of the cattle.”

The USDA has allocated $100 million toward screwworm eradication efforts. In South Texas, federal officials are already releasing sterile flies, the same method used to eradicate the parasite in the 1960s.

Food supply not at risk

Despite the growing concern, both Sheppard and state officials say the food supply is not in danger.

“It does not affect the food supply,” Sheppard said. “The quality of the food has nothing to do with it… it only really affects those of us here producing it. And we just have to manage it the best we can.”

What to do if you suspect screwworm

The Georgia Department of Agriculture is urging farmers and pet owners to report any signs of screwworm immediately, including unusual wounds, maggots or strange behavior in livestock or animals.

To report a suspected case, contact the Office of the State Veterinarian:

Phone: 404-656-3667
Email: AnimalHealth@agr.georgia.gov

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Georgia

Georgia National Fair announces ticket pricing changes for 2026

Published

19 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Georgia National Fair announces ticket pricing changes for 2026

PERRY, Ga. (WALB) — The Georgia National Fair announced ticket pricing changes for 2026 in a Facebook post.

Children ages 3-10 will now require a $5 admission ticket.

Adult tickets purchased with cash at the entry gate will cost $20, excluding discounted admission days. Adults paying with a card at the gate will pay $15.

All online transactions will include a processing fee.

Discounted admission days will be $10 for everyone. Seniors 60 and up are $10 every day.

For more ticket information and fair dates, visit https://www.georgianationalfair.com/p/getconnected/pricing.

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To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook, Instagram and X. For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app and add WALB as a preferred source on Google.

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Georgia

DHS appears to axe plan to construct immigration detention megacenter in small Georgia town

Published

1 day ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

DHS appears to axe plan to construct immigration detention megacenter in small Georgia town

After months of tension between the city of Social Circle and the federal government, the city announced in a press release Thursday that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will abandon its plan to convert an industrial warehouse into a 10,000-bed immigration detention center in the rural community. The department’s apparent decision to discontinue the […]

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