Georgia

Georgia Southern students return to campus

Published

2 years ago

August 14, 2024

Georgia Southern students return to campus

STATESBORO, Ga. (WTOC) – As we have been covering a lot of back-to-school stories this past month it is officially time for local universities to start as well.

Wednesday, was the first day of class for Georgia Southern University.

WTOC was on campus to see how the first day went for both students and staff.

Wednesday marks the first day of classes for over 27,000 Georgia Southern students across all of their campuses.

We went to the Georgia Southern campus in Statesboro and checked in with students and faculty to see how the first day of class is going.

Many students we spoke to said they are looking forward to starting their core classes in a wide variety of majors.

“Intro to Criminal Justice,” said student, Maria Marin.

“Business Management here,” said student, Jimmy Fallstrom.

Tuesday night, the university kicked off their First in Flight event to welcome new students.

For the first day, the common challenge seemed to stay the same navigating campus.

“To just learn about the school and just not get lost around campus which…I just did,” said Marin.

However, faculty like Aileen Dowell the Dean of Students said they were prepared for this challenge.

“Today, is just going to be a lot of way-finding for students like where is this building, where is this class, how do I get there? So, actually today I’ll be helping with welcome tents that are all over campus. We have staff, students, and faculty pointing students to the right direction,” said Dowell.

Dowell said that for the more than 4,000 freshman, excited nerves are what makes this day so special.

“So today is going to be a lot of excitement, a lot of wow this is a new place, like how do I navigate it,” said Dowell.

Across campus, staff that have served this campus for years, like Chef Kathy Thomson, said that Wednesday is exciting because they get to see their beloved students again.

“I’m kinda like a mentor since I’m older and I kind of tell them the right thing, what to do, and go to school, graduate so you can get a good job so you can make some money. But I love them, I treat them like my own kids,” said Thomson.

University officials tell WTOC that their goal for the rest of the week is to make sure that the old and the new students are feel at home as much as possible.

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Georgia

Georgia cops’ alleged misuse of Flock license plate tracking data fuels privacy concerns

Published

4 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

Georgia cops’ alleged misuse of Flock license plate tracking data fuels privacy concerns

Georgia Flock cameras spark widespread misuse fears

ATLANTA – At least ten police officers across Georgia have been arrested and charged with misusing the Flock camera database for personal reasons, adding to growing privacy concerns about the technology.

The cameras, usually mounted to a black pole, record license plates and other data of whoever passes them.

Georgia police database tracking

What we know:

A series of recent arrests has exposed the misuse of Flock license-plate-reading cameras by police officers throughout the state.

In Greene County, Deputy Quin’sha Goss was fired on Tuesday and charged with misusing the system.

The recent arrests include five police officers in Albany, who were also charged earlier this week.

That’s alongside a lieutenant, a sergeant and a deputy in Cherokee County charged last month with violating their oath.

System audits flag searches

What they’re saying:

Flock Co-founder Paige Todd stated that many recent arrests resulted from departments utilizing a new audit assistance tool that automatically flags unusual searches.

“In this case where misuse happened, the technology itself was not creating the misuse. It was it was human beings,” Todd told FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo.

Todd argued that the public safety benefits of the technology heavily outweigh individual instances of human misconduct.

Todd explained, “best way to prevent misuse is now, every member of law enforcement out there knows that this audit exists,”

Todd added that the system has successfully helped track down thousands of individuals across the country.

“We, I believe, solve about a million crimes with our technology,” she said. “10,000 missing people have gone home because of it. This feels like pretty small in comparison.”

Privacy concerns trigger pushback

The other side:

The ACLU of Georgia called the incidents a critical wakeup call regarding constitutional protections and tracking limits. Christopher Bruce of the ACLU of Georgia said, “Jeopardizing your civil rights and civil liberties is never just an unfortunate event. You have constitutional rights, especially a right to privacy. And the question is who polices the police?”

Information security analyst Peter Tran noted that the network relies heavily on automated data collection.

“It uses AI,” Tran said.

Tran said many are uneased by the logging searchable personal data into a nationwide database.

“It becomes a privacy and security issue. So, you’re whereabouts where you shopped, your name, your address,” he said.

SEE ALSO: Dunwoody sets ‘guardrails’ for Flock surveillance cameras use

The blowback has prompted dozens of U.S. communities to end their contracts.

Videos have circulated on social media instructing people how to tear them down or disable them.

In Barrow County, the sheriff said three Flock cameras were recently damaged there.

The sheriff said damage to the devices could be considered a felony.

The Source: The information in this story is based on original reporting by FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo, who interviewed Flock co-founder Paige Todd, ACLU of Georgia representative Christopher Bruce, and security analyst Peter Tran, as well as tracking data from local sheriff offices.

GeorgiaCrime and Public SafetyTechnologyCherokee CountyNews

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Georgia

West Nile infections starting to raise concerns in Georgia

Published

15 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

West Nile infections starting to raise concerns in Georgia

ATLANTA, Ga. — Positive mosquito samples for West Nile virus have been found in Fulton County, according to the Board of Health.

Officials say the samples came from the Grant Park area and that infected mosquitoes are suspected to be present in the city of Atlanta.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report this year’s West Nile infections are the highest since 2004. The disease has been transmitted by mosquitoes, with reported cases in 23 states. Most of the reported cases are considered severe.

Health officials suggest using an insect repellent registered with the EPA. Wearing long, loose-fitting clothing is also recommended.

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Georgia

Travel and Leisure listed unique experiences in each state, including GA

Published

1 day ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Travel and Leisure listed unique experiences in each state, including GA

It can be hard to find a truly unique experience for your next vacation. That’s where Travel + Leisure comes in.

Back in May, members of the publication’s team created a list in celebration of America’s 250th Fourth of July, highlighting a unique experience in each state “from hidden gems to iconic highlights and editor-approved favorites.”

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Most unique experience in Georgia

The Georgia spot highlighted was the World of Quercus. Here’s what writer Lydia Mansel said about it:

“The 3,800-acre property, dotted with pecan groves and cabins, isn’t your run-of-the-mill retreat. Guests are encouraged to roam the land by golf cart or on foot, visit the biodynamic vegetable garden, fish the Flint River, and connect with the ranch’s horses. Owned by Chiara Visconti di Modrone and her husband Angelos Pervanas, Quercus is a place where relaxation comes in many forms—and you can design your experience to fit your pace and preferences.”