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Despite Augusta families fight for stronger laws, report shows decrease in overdose deaths

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Despite Augusta families fight for stronger laws, report shows decrease in overdose deaths


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT)- Despite Augusta families fighting for stronger overdose laws, a new report from the CDC found that overdose deaths are down in Georgia and across the country.

Though the new decrease in deaths, this week two people in Burke County were charged under the new fentanyl overdose law called “Austin’s Law”, and we talked to a family of another victim in a different case.

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Reports show Georgia deaths are down nearly 6%. This is the first change in an increasing trend since 2011.

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Atlanta

Carrollton Police Chief Joel Richards says the number of overdose deaths is still too high in their community. He’s a part of the FentanylStopsHere campaign. You can see signs across the county.

“We have the resources for mental health, substance abuse homelessness, it’s just getting people to use it,” said Richards.

Grieving family members turned advocates work to saving others.

Zaneta Jones lost her husband Nicholas to an overdose when he was 22 years old. Jones meets with people in active addiction to try to lead them to sobriety.

“I kept thinking he was going to come home and I’m going to get him back and now I don’t get that and that’s what makes it so hard,” said Jones.

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The average age for overdose deaths is getting younger. Overdoses are the leading cause of death of people 18 to 45.

Bruce Guthrie lost his son Cody to an overdose at 29 years old. He now speaks at school and public events to warn about the dangers of fentanyl.

“I remember standing outside of the hospital while they brought out the body bag. I made myself watch and I decided there, I was going to fight or die behind him. When I was at Carrollton High School, I opened it up to questions. The question that knocked me over, a high schooler asking me how he could help his friend who was in addictive addiction,” said Guthrie.

Guthrie and Jones now advocate for change in their community. They’re optimistic about the new study, but they are not done with their advocacy work.

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Augusta, GA

Emery Thomas Woody Obituary January 24, 2026 – Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors

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Emery Thomas Woody Obituary January 24, 2026 – Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors


Emery Thomas Woody, age 22, of Augusta, Georgia, entered into rest on January 24, 2026.

Born on October 31, 2003, Emery spent his early years in Alabama and Michigan before making Augusta his home, where he lived the majority of his life. He was a graduate of Lakeside High School and was just one class away from completing his degree in Automation Technology at Augusta Technical College.

Emery deeply loved his family, especially his nephew, who was truly the apple of his eye. He loved any excuse to be outside: cruising disc golf courses, scuba diving with his dad, skiing whenever he had the chance, playing cornhole with anyone he could round up, or simply enjoying a meal with friends under the sun or the stars. While Emery liked to play it cool, repping Carhart and Gucci, he was also known for being the goofiest guy in the room: jumping into “Uncle E” mode on the floor playing dinosaurs with his nephew, and the one making sure he got the largest serving of buffalo chicken dip while cheering on the Tennessee Volunteers. Those who knew Emery will remember and love him for his warmth, his honesty, the way he really let you know he loved the food he was eating, his willingness to pick up the phone and actually have a conversation, and most of all, his love for and faith in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Emery was not a perfect man. His siblings would be the first to tell you they had their fair share of fights, and his parents would admit there were times they didn’t always agree. But Emery never claimed perfection, and he knew his life rested in the hands of a perfect God. While those of us remaining earthside do not understand why Emery’s time here was cut short, we hold fast to the hope of an eternal future, not only with Emery but with our Savior.

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Emery is survived by his parents, Tom and Amy Woody; his siblings, Corbin Hughes and Spencer Woody; his sister-in-law, Caroline Hughes; his beloved nephew, Conrad Hughes; and many cherished family members and friends.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, January 30, at 6:00 PM at Warren Church, with visitation from 3:00 until 5:00 PM prior to the service. The family will have a private burial the following morning. Pallbearers will be Chase Cory, Chris Munson, Cole Curry, Jackson Strickland, Jalen Husky, Madison Mixon, and Neel Smith, and Tyler Scarbary.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made. The family hopes to sponsor a disc golf basket or bench at Patriots Park in Emery’s memory; details will be shared as plans are finalized.



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Augusta, GA

Ice storm update today. Sunday’s GA local weather forecasts

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Ice storm update today. Sunday’s GA local weather forecasts


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What the Weather Channel has been calling ‘Winter Storm Fern’ is finally here. Some parts of Georgia have already been hit by snow and/or ice, while others have been lucky enough to avoid it. Either way, it’s not over yet.

Here are the latest forecasts from the National Weather Service and the Weather Channel, and what to expect Sunday.

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Athens weather forecast

Athens is under an ice storm warning through 10 a.m. Monday due to significant icing and additional snow/sleet accumulations. Power outages and tree damages are possible, and travel may be impossible. There will also be a cold weather advisory going into effect 4-10 a.m. Monday due to very cold wind chills up to 15 degrees, which would make the already cold temperatures worse.

More freezing rain is expected sporadically throughout the day until 4 p.m., at which point there will be rain showers until about 7 p.m. Ice accumulations of 0.1 to 0.3 inches today are possible.

Today’s winds will be 5-15 mph with gusts as high as 20-25 mph, while tomorrow’s gusts will rise to 30 mph. There’s also a 3% chance of at least some snow over the next couple of days.

Temperatures are currently sitting at just under 30 degrees and will stay there until around lunchtime. They will rise to up to 36 degrees by later this evening. These temps will hardly change tomorrow, so freezing conditions are still possible even if the rain has stopped.

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Atlanta weather forecast

Atlanta has been issued the same ice storm warning and cold weather advisory as Athens later, with similar conditions expected.

More freezing rain is expected over the next hour or two, with a short break before more rain showers 1-4 p.m. Ice accumulations of less than 0.1 inches today are possible.

Today’s winds will be 10-15 mph with gusts as high as 25-30 mph, while tomorrow’s winds may be slightly stronger.

Temperatures are currently sitting at just above 30 degrees, gently rising to the 40’s by this afternoon, but dropping back into the 30’s by later tonight and will get into the 20’s by early tomorrow morning.

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Winter storm radar for North Georgia

Augusta weather forecast

Augusta is under an ice storm warning through 10 a.m. tomorrow due to significant icing, with roads (especially bridges and overpasses) becoming slick and hazardous, making travel difficult.

The Garden City has largely avoided winter weather, with the Augusta NWS station reporting overcast skies so far. However, it did report light snow at just before 7 a.m. and the forecast for rain starting at 3 p.m. includes a likelihood of it becoming freezing rain. That rain is forecasted to become a thunderstorm around 5-6 p.m. Ice accumulations of less than 0.1 inches today are also possible.

Today’s winds will be 10-15 mph with gusts as high as 25-30 mph, while tomorrow’s winds may be slightly stronger.

Temperatures are currently sitting at just below 30 degrees, gently rising to the 40’s by this afternoon, staying above 40 degrees until 7 a.m. tomorrow

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Live weather radar Augusta

Savannah weather forecast

Savannah will continue to largely avoid the ice storm. There is a hazardous weather outlook showing ice accumulation for today, but there’s been no precipitation and little chance of it for most of today.

That will change later this evening with showers and scattered thunderstorms starting about 8 p.m. tonight through 4 a.m. tomorrow morning. However, temperatures will stay in the 60’s throughout the storm, so there’s no chance of it turning to ice without a serious temp drop.

Live weather radar Savannah

Will it snow?

Sunday through Monday, there’s almost no chance of snow except in the North Georgia areas. Gainesville and Jasper are looking at just under a 30% chance, while surrounding areas including Athens generally don’t have more than a 10% chance.

Either way, even if it does snow, it’s likely it will be a light flurry, not even an inch.

Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta flight cancellations mount as ice storm approaches

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Augusta flight cancellations mount as ice storm approaches


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Airlines are delaying and canceling flights as a massive ice storm closes in on Georgia this weekend.

The airline snags are affecting not only Augusta Regional Airport but also Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest, and one that most local fliers pass through.

In Augusta

While the cancellations at Augusta Regional Airport weren’t in the hundreds like Atlanta, they’re substantial.

CANCELED ARRIVALS

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  • American Flight 3462 from Dallas-Fort Worth (scheduled for 3:57 p.m. Saturday)
  • American Flight 5896 from Charlotte (scheduled for 6:44 p.m. Saturday)
  • Delta Flight 5477 from Atlanta (scheduled for 11:38 p.m. Saturday)
  • American Flight 5848 from Charlotte (scheduled for 11:48 p.m. Saturday)

CANCELED DEPARTURES

  • Delta Flight 5504 to Atlanta (scheduled for 5:12 p.m. Saturday)
  • American Flight 5898 to Charlotte (scheduled for 7:09 p.m. Saturday)
  • Delta Flight 5514 to Atlanta (scheduled for 5:45 a.m. Sunday)
  • American Flight 5042 to Washington, D.C. (scheduled for 6 a.m. Sunday)
  • Delta Flight 365 to Atlanta (scheduled for 6:50 a.m. Sunday)
  • American Flight 3668 to Dallas-Fort Worth (scheduled for 7:08 a.m. Sunday)
  • American Flight 5847 to Charlotte (scheduled for 8:08 a.m. Sunday)

In Atlanta

The world’s busiest airport has been even busier behind the scenes as crews prepare for the winter weather heading into Georgia on Saturday night.

The storm has already affected flights nationwide. According to FlightAware, more than 4,200 flights have been cancelled nationwide on Saturday. On Sunday, that number hits 9,000 — including more than 1,000 into and out of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport brined the runways as an ice storm approached. (WANF)

Some passengers have already made arrangements to switch their flights to get ahead of the storm.

Mark Nevle said his daughter and about 30 other students from Blessed Kennedy Catholic High School are on their way back from March for Life in Washington, D.C.

“They were originally supposed to come back tomorrow, but the school had the foresight and good planning to change all the flights and get them back here today,” he said. “We were laughing, we were looking at the weather map, and you can see their flight coming in right next to the big storm that’s moving in.”

He said he’s glad to see their school being proactive, especially after the storm Atlanta saw back in 2014.

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“I think when we were all here for ‘Snow-Palooza’ X number of years ago, I think everybody is a little more proactive now in what they do,” he said. “You put everything in God’s hands that everything is gonna work out fine. Get these kids home safe and sound.”

Delta offers flexibility

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, Augusta’s primary carrier, said winter storm waivers remain in effect through Monday. These provide flexibility for customers to adjust their travel plans at no additional cost in the Delta app or at Delta.com.

Delta works to give customers as much notice as possible about changes to their flights and is taking proactive actions to minimize disruption and aid in recovery efforts:

  • Enacting flight cancelations well in advance of scheduled departures to allow customers more time and flexibility while away from airports.  
  • Adjusting staffing levels with additional reserve pilots and flight attendants, as well as relocating experts from cold weather hubs to support deicing and baggage teams at several Southern airports. 
  • Placing aircraft out of frozen precipitation, where possible, to aid in faster recovery efforts. Once conditions improve, aircraft will be repositioned to resume scheduled flying. 

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  10. How to get help with your heating bill in the CSRA
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  16. How to prepare your home for major freeze

Customers have options if their flight is significantly delayed or canceled.

Delta automatically rebooks customers to the next best itinerary, and customers can make further changes via the Delta app and Delta.com.

Additional guidance includes:

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  • Customers who experience a cancellation and are not automatically rebooked should promptly contact Delta either at the airport or by reaching out to our Reservations team by phone or the Message Us option on the app, to identify alternative flight options. 
  • Customers traveling on a U.S. domestic itinerary who experience a flight delay of three hours or more and choose not to fly — either on the original delayed flight or on a rebooked itinerary — are entitled to receive a full refund for the unflown portion of their ticket (including any ancillary fees paid or checked baggage charges). The same refund eligibility applies if a customer experiences a flight delay of six hours or more on an international itinerary and chooses not to fly.  
  • If a flight is canceled and the customer chooses not to fly on their rebooked itinerary, Delta will initiate a full, automatic refund back to the original form of payment of the unflown portion of the ticket, following a 24-hour waiting period. 
  • Per Department of Transportation automatic refund requirements, Delta will initiate an automatic ticket refund of the unflown portion of the ticket if we are unable to rebook the trip and have not heard from the customer to arrange an alternative flight. 

More information can be found on the refund and reimbursement section of Delta.com .



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