GEORGIA — An Independence Day heat advisory has been issued for parts of northwest and central Georgia, according to the National Weather Service’s Peachtree City office.

The advisory goes into effect at 1 p.m. Thursday and lasts until 7 p.m. that evening.

Weather officials say heat index values of up to 109 are expected in the region. They added hot temperatures and high humidity could potentially cause heat illnesses.

Fulton, Gwinnett, Bartow, Barrow, Clarke, Oconee, Cobb, Paulding, Cherokee, Douglas, DeKalb, Rockdale, Clayton, Henry, Butts, Spalding, Muscogee and Upson counties are among several impacted by the advisory.

Residents should drink plenty of fluids and remain in air-conditioned rooms, weather officials said. People are urged to stay out of the sun and to check on relatives or neighbors.

• Take extra precautions when outside.
• Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing.
• Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening.
• Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
• To reduce risk during outdoor work, schedule frequent rest breaks in
• shaded or air conditioned environments.
• Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
• Heat stroke is an emergency. Call 911.

Fireworks Near Me: GA July 4th 2024 Events

As of Wednesday afternoon, the temperature was 91 degrees in metro Atlanta and 94 degrees in Columbus. Coastal Georgia was a bit cooler at 87 degrees in Savannah.

In what might be much to the dismay of Fourth of July observers, temperatures are set to sit around the mid-90s through the remainder of the week.

The heat could linger through the weekend, with the weather service saying additional heat advisories may be necessary.

ATLANTA – The city of Atlanta has responded to a potential federal lawsuit over sewage dumping in the Chattahoochee River. 

The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper – an environmental nonprofit working to preserve the health of the river – has slapped the city with a notice of its intent to sue over violations of the Clean Water Act because of the mess that stretches nearly 60 miles downstream.

“We’re talking 80,000,000 gallons per day going into the Chattahoochee River that is only partially treated,” Jason Ulseth, the executive director of the group, told FOX 5’s Rob Diirenzo.

That’s why the nonprofit told the city of Atlanta they’re taking them to federal court if the spills don’t stop.

“Atlanta’s been working on it for several months. They’re not moving fast enough so we put them on notice. We gave them 60 days to get this plant fixed and online, or we will hold them accountable in federal court,” Ulseth said.

The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper periodically tests the water. They say since March, there have been high levels of E. coli and other hazardous bacteria that can be harmful to humans and the environment.

“We’re at a very real risk of fish kill on a major extent of the Chattahoochee River, downstream from Atlanta, if this doesn’t get fixed, and if it doesn’t get fixed quickly,” Ulseth said.

The sewage can be traced to the RM Clayton Water Reclamation Plant on Bolton Road in northwest Atlanta. It’s there that a limited amount of treated sewage can be released into the river.

But the Riverkeeper says the infrastructure to treat it hasn’t been kept in working order, which makes the 60-mile section down to Franklin possibly dangerous.

“If you’re young, immunocompromised, or elderly, you probably won’t want to come in contact with the water,” Ulseth said.

Atlanta responds to possible Chattahoochee lawsuit

The Atlanta Department of Watershed Management responded to the organization’s intent to sue on Tuesday afternoon, saying, “Both the City of Atlanta and CRK are aligned and share the same goal of protecting the water quality of the Chattahoochee River. Thus, we believe our collective time and efforts are best spent working towards that goal, not pursuing expensive and protracted litigation.”

The department also said it was committed to getting its operations functional and compliant with state and federal environmental rules.

Ulseth says it’s important that the compliance comes quickly.

“This tiny river sustains over 5 million people. We have to do everything we can to protect it or else it’s not going to be here for future generations,” he said.

Two Atlanta college students have received a $2 million settlement stemming from a lawsuit they filed after being tased and pulled from their car while they were stuck in traffic during a George Floyd protest in 2020, according to the AP.

Messiah Young and Taniyah Pilgrim filed the lawsuit in June 2021, arguing that the police had no cause to pull them from their car and shock them. Video of the May 30, 2020, incident went viral, and immediate action was taken by then-Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and then-Police Chief Erica Shields, who fired two of the police officers and placed three others on desk duty.

 Police body cam footage released following the clash showed a young man saying he hadn’t done anything and pleading with officers to release him as they placed him under arrest during a traffic jam.

Young, who was sitting in the driver’s seat of his car at the time, appeared to be filming the incident. The officers approached his car and yanked open the door. Young closed the door and told the officers to let the young man in custody go and let him get into his car.

Young then attempted to drive away but got stuck in traffic, and the officers ran up to both sides of the car, shouting demands. Pilgrim, who was in the passenger seat, tried to leave the vehicle, but at that point, officers tased her and pulled her from the car.

The scene escalated as police ordered Young to put the car in park and open the window. He refused, and the officers started trying to break the driver’s side window with a baton. They finally broke the window and tased Young and violently got him out of the car. 

In the footage,  police were also heard shouting, “Get your hand out of your pockets,” and, “He got a gun. He got a gun. He got a gun.” Young was then placed under arrest. However, no gun was ever found. 

The settlement with the city of Atlanta comes after the two officers who were fired were reinstated, and the six officers involved in the case were cleared of any charges. At the time of the 2022 ruling, the Cherokee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Samir Patel explained that the officers’ actions were justified given the law. “Not only was law enforcement acting within the scope of their legal authority in their actions to obtain compliance, but their actions were also largely consistent with the Atlanta Police Department’s own use of force policy.”

In reaching the settlement, the Atlanta City Council, which approved the payout, was careful to say that it was not an admission of liability. However, Pilgrim’s lawyers, Dianna Lee, L. Chris Stewart, and Justin Miller, said in a statement to the AP, “This case has been a roller coaster of emotions for two innocent college students who were the victims of unjustifiable excessive force by officers of the APD.”

Young’s lawyer, Mawuli Davis, echoed the sentiment, “The resolution of the civil case will allow these young people and their families to continue healing from this traumatic experience,” Davis continued, “It is important for them to help the community to remember that the fight to prevent police brutality continues.”