Georgia
Should South Georgia be worried about potential impacts from the Bird Flu?
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ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) – According to the CDC, H5N1 or Bird Flu, is a virus that originates from wild birds. Both poultry and cows can contract this virus.
Through consumption of dairy products and interactions with infected animals, humans are also at risk for exposure.
“I think that people need to be appropriately concerned. And for most people, that’s going to mean taking precautions if they are engaging in any type of high-risk exposure. So, if they are a dairy or a poultry farm worker, absolutely they need to be taking precautions,” said Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist from the University of Saskatchewan.
The CDC reports that there are 65 confirmed cases of bird flu in the US, so far none in Georgia. But many are at risk for exposure. Experts say those with backyard chickens should wear appropriate personal protective equipment when near those birds.
“When you think about all the various ways that Avian Influenza can spread, the biggest vector usually is wild birds migrating, bringing the disease into an area it wasn’t before. It’s really hard to control that interaction between domesticated birds and wild birds, especially when we want things like cage free eggs,” said Chad Hart, an Agricultural Economist at Iowa State University.
In November, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that over 6 million infected chickens were slaughtered in an attempt to contain the virus from spreading to humans, but recent trends in raw milk consumption have experts worried for those who prefer unpasteurized dairy products.
“I strongly advise people not to drink raw milk. This is not a good way to immunize yourself against H5N1, and it might be a very good way to infect yourself with a massive dose of H5N1 that could lead to severe or fatal disease, and especially in a child,” continued Rasmussen.
Experts say the spread of Bird Flu from one human to another is rare. It’s more likely for an individual to contract the virus through exposure or consumption of infected animals and their by-products. The University of Georgia is currently one of five institutions working with the Food and Drug Administration to test the country’s dairy supply for signs of H5N1.
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GEORGIA, Ga. (WALB) — A new bill introduced to the Georgia Senate could create a constitutional amendment to restrict voting to legal U.S. citizens.
The bill, Senate Resolution 4EX says, “No person who is not a citizen of the United States shall be entitled to vote at any election by the people.”
If passed, Georgians will vote on the constitutional amendment in the November election.
Georgia Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger said “I have been calling on the legislature for years to pass this amendment to the state constitution. I am glad to see the legislature finally act to ensure only American citizens are voting in our elections.”
According to Raffensperger, Georgia was the first state in the nation to conduct citizen verification of voter rolls. Since 2022, Raffensperger’s office conducted two citizenship audits of Georgia’s voter rolls.
SR 4EX Text
“Casting a vote is one of the most important elements of American citizenship. Any illegal vote dilutes the value of a citizen’s lawfully cast ballot. U.S. Citizens should decide Georgia elections. Period. I urge the legislature to pass this important legislation.”
The state uses information from the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) to identify people who are non-citizens. This data is based on documents provided to DDS, through its REAL ID drivers licenses or state identification cards.
That information is also ran through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to verify an individual’s citizenship status.
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Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.
The Oklahoma Sooners left no doubt in their 11-4 win over the Georgia Bulldogs to advance to the College World Series finals. It is OU’s second trip to the finals since 2022 but this one feels far more improbable.
A bubble team toward the end of the regular season and down 8-2 in an elimination game against Georgia Tech, Oklahoma has defied the odds and powered its way to the finals in Omaha. On Wednesday night, the Sooners hit five home runs against a Bulldogs team that led the nation in home runs per game this season.
Jason Walk got the home run party started, and Dasan Harris hit a pair of two-run bombs to help Oklahoma separate from one of the best teams in college baseball.
From the mound, freshman Nick Wesloski put together a strong performance for the Sooners, allowing just one earned run in 5.2 innings pitched. L.J. Mercurius worked 3.1 and allowed just one earned run against the vaunted Georgia offense.
Everything is clicking for Oklahoma heading into the finals, which begins on Saturday. They’ll face a good North Carolina Tar Heels for all the marbles. But before we get to the championship series, here’s a look at how social media reacted to the Sooners win over Georgia.
Playing for a Natty
Incredible Job by Skip Johnson
Definition of Team
Just Unreal
Got Hot at the Right Time
The Moment from the Dugout
Freshmen Phenoms
Nothing Easy, Everything Earned
Team of Destiny?
Exceeding All Expectations
Dasan Harris is that Dude
Incredible Story
Sooner Magic is alive and well
Playing for a trophy
Time to lay it all on the line
Just doing ridiculous things
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
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