Georgians are feeling major impacts Friday morning from Hurricane Helene as it swept rapidly across Georgia during the overnight hours.

The storm left many in south Georgia with damage and without power and it continues to impact the north half of the state.

As of a 7:30 a.m. Friday, Hurricane Helene still had winds at 70 miles per hour after moving onto land in the big bend of Florida around 11 p.m. Thursday. Flooding is still a concern throughout the state.

Follow along here for updates as the hurricane makes its way into and through Georgia.

5:51 p.m. Saturday, More cooling stations open, ice available

Three more charging and cooling stations opened at 4 p.m. and will stay open until 7 p.m.- Tompkins Regional Center at 2333 Ogeechee Road – Mighty 8th Air Museum at 175 Bourne Ave. – Life Bridge Ministry at 8511 Waters Ave. – Kingdome Life Christian Fellowship at 425 W Montgomery Cross Road

By Luke Chafer

Published: 8:19 p.m. EDT, September 28, 2024 | Updated: 8:19 p.m. EDT, September 28, 2024

Thousands of people at risk of blindness will be spared monthly injections as NHS bosses approve a new drug that slows the progression of a debilitating eye problem.

The drug faricimab is offered to patients being treated for advanced retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

It is estimated that more than 11,000 people will benefit from the new drug, which is so effective it will require only three vaccinations a year compared to current monthly injections.

Experts say this could be a “big step” for patients suffering from the disease. RVO occurs when one of the small blood veins in the back of the eye becomes blocked by a clot. This allows blood and other fluids to enter the retina, causing bruising and swelling.

Over time, blindness can occur as the fluid buildup causes permanent damage to the eye. Studies suggest that 50,000 Brits suffer from RVO every year, with the majority being over 60 years old.

New drug faricimab saves thousands of people at risk of blindness from monthly injections (archive image above)

NHS bosses (pictured Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard) have approved the drug, which will be offered to patients being treated for advanced retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

Within two months of diagnosis, 80 percent of patients experience severe symptoms that result in blurred vision.

The exact cause of RVO is unknown, but several medical conditions make it more likely, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and smoking.

Treatment must be done once a month through an injection into the eye.

“This means that patients spend a lot of time coming to the hospital,” says Dr. Christiana Dinah, consultant ophthalmologist at London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust.

“This feels like a big step forward,” she adds. “The NHS spends thousands of hours each year carrying out these injections.”

“If we could reduce the number of procedures that need to be performed, it would free up doctors’ time and help address the worryingly long waiting lists we have.”

Roche eye expert Eelke Roos said: “People with this condition have a high treatment burden due to the frequency of injections. This causes great anxiety among patients and carers as they have to fit repeated clinic visits into their already busy lives.”

The Houston Texans will play the Jacksonville Jaguars in an NFL game on Sunday afternoon. The matchup begins at 12 p.m. CT on CBS. Fans can watch this game online for free by taking advantage of the free trial offered by Fubo TV, which also offers new users a $30 discount during their first month of service. Alternatively, DirecTV Stream offers a free trial.

Houston comes into this matchup with a 2-1 record and the team is coming off a tough 34-7 loss to Minnesota. What’s notable is that the Texans only ran for 38 yards in the loss. Cam Akers led the team in rushing as he finished the game with nine carries for 21 yards. Houston’s offense will look to improve its rushing attack on Sunday, but may have to play without its star running back Joe Mixon. He was unable to play against Minnesota due to injury, and it is questionable whether he will play against Jacksonville.

Houston’s starting quarterback CJ Stroud played poorly against Minnesota last week, throwing two interceptions. The second-year player has already thrown for 709 yards and four touchdowns in 2024, so he’ll look to bounce back with a better performance against Jacksonville.

Jacksonville enters this matchup with a record of 0-3 and the team is coming off a 47-10 loss to Buffalo. The Jaguars had two turnovers and only managed 239 total yards in the loss. Notably, Jacksonville hasn’t been able to score more than 17 points in a single game this season, so the team needs to turn things around quickly.

Fans can watch this game online for free by taking advantage of the free trial offered by Fubo TV, which also offers new users a $30 discount during their first month of service. Alternatively, DirecTV Stream offers a free trial.

The Ohio State football team is on a roll in Week 5 of the season, defeating Marshall 49-14.

In East Lansing, Michigan, against the Michigan State Spartans, OSU took an early lead as quarterback Will Howard repeatedly attacked the MSU defense.

But then the Spartans took advantage of a Will Howard interception in the second quarter to cut the Buckeyes’ lead to a field goal.

The Buckeyes are 3-0. Michigan State is 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten.

Flags of Switzerland and Ukraine

Switzerland has expressed support for the Sino-Brazilian “peace initiative” regarding Ukraine, although it does not refer to the UN Charter and does not directly mention Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

source: Nicolas Bideau, spokesman for the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, as reported by European Pravda, citing the Swiss newspaper Blick

Details: Bideau explained that Switzerland supports the “peace initiative” proposed by China and Brazil because it is committed to a ceasefire and a political solution to the conflict, thus representing an alternative to the “belligerent speeches” of the Ukrainian and Russian representatives at the UN.

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The spokesman also stressed the need to reference the UN Charter in all peace initiatives regarding Ukraine, stressing that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi noted this in his speech to the UN Security Council.

Background:

• Switzerland, which hosted the first world summit based on the Ukrainian peace formula in June, was among a few Western nations invited to a meeting organized by China and Brazil on their “peace initiative” during the UN General Assembly on September 27.
• Among European countries, Hungary has also expressed its support for the Sino-Brazilian initiative.
• President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously described the Sino-Brazilian proposal as “destructive,” particularly because it had not been discussed with Ukraine.
• EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell also criticized the proposed “peace plan,” noting that its participants “think of surrender when they talk about peace.”

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The suspect in the gruesome 1999 murder of Julie Paterson proudly confessed, but 25 years later, questions remain

Content Warning: The following article contains disturbing details.

A Briton remains behind bars more than 25 years after being convicted in one of the most shocking murder cases in modern English history.

David Harker, known in the media as the “cannibal killer,” was convicted in 1999 of the murder of Julie Paterson, a 32-year-old mother of four whom he had met just weeks earlier.

The details of Harker’s crimes remain shocking and disturbing some quarter of a century after the gruesome murder in Teesside, about 70 miles north of Leeds.

PEOPLE looks back at Paterson’s April 1998 murder, which happened after she and then-24-year-old Harker met to drink at a local park.

PA images via Getty

David Harker” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/i.TYWTeNv7dZL1S1qDb3kw–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTk0Mw–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_people_articles_471/ca8e1e2ce4633 f30dc1b9b3dcf429c57″ class=”caas-img”/>

A worried mother

According to Paterson, she was a mother of four and was struggling with alcoholism and depression at the time she met Harker The Teesside Gazette. Paterson’s partner, Alan Taylor, reportedly told police that Paterson often disappeared during binge drinking sessions but would always show up at home afterwards.

However, when Paterson met Harker for drinks at a local park in April 1998, the mother never returned.

Harker proudly confessed – and claimed more victims

After Paterson disappeared, police searched for a month in hopes of finding her body, they say The Guardianbut the mother of four children was only found in parts. It wasn’t until they interviewed Harker’s friends that investigators began to understand the brutal truth of what happened, the outlet reported.

“Harker told friends and psychiatrists at Ashworth Hospital that he killed her,” lead investigator Superintendent Barry Peart later testified in court The Guardian. “He also said he ate part of her thigh, fried it and ate it with pasta and cheese.”

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According to the report, Harker had told his friends that he wanted to be a serial killer one day gazettewho reported that he had also read books about other murderers. He pleaded guilty in February 1999 after telling a psychiatrist that “people like me don’t come from these movies, these movies come from people like me,” the outlet reported.

Owen Humphreys/PA Images via Getty

The search for the remains of Julie Paterson” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/qj7ceeal7wq15zDK7GD6Jg–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjk-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_people_articles_471 /9925b164d13036c8839ef65065fa853d” class=”caas-img”/>

Paterson’s remaining body parts were never found

Harker was convicted of Paterson’s murder in 1999 but has never told authorities where he disposed of Paterson’s head and limbs The Northern Echo.

The outlet reports that Taylor, Paterson’s then-partner, was tormented by not knowing where his loved one’s remaining body parts were hidden, and even as he began digging in areas, he believed his late partner’s body parts might be buried be.

The gazette reported that while in prison, Harker also withheld the information from Paterson’s first husband, who wrote a letter to his ex-wife’s murderer asking him to tell investigators where the woman’s head and limbs were buried because of the convicted murder.

“You are right when you talk about decency, I have none,” Harker reportedly wrote to Paterson’s ex-husband, Fred Newman gazette. “I have no inhibitions, no remorse or regret, and therefore I don’t care at all whether your wife receives a full body burial or not.”

BBC reported that Harker was denied parole in October 2021 under “Helen’s Law,” a law designed to make it harder for convicted murderers to be granted parole if they refuse to tell authorities where they found the remains disposed of their victims.

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Schools in the Clinton system are facing a roofing need that administrators say is getting worse and more costly. Total repair costs are currently estimated at over $11 million.

That was the message John Lowe, executive director of technology and support services for Clinton City Schools, delivered to the Clinton City School Board last week.

Both the city and county school systems have had roofing issues for some time, and Lowe said the estimated cost for four of the five Clinton City schools for total roof repairs is about $11,299,600 supplied.

“Going back to the (state) Needs Based Capital Fund, that window opened Aug. 1 and the filing deadline was Sept. 13,” Lowe said. “We met that deadline and I filled out 14 different applications that Dr. (Linda) Brunson was able to sign together with our district representatives. These applications allocate over $6 million for roofing and I included approximately $2.5 million for HVAC needs.

“There is no guarantee that we will receive funding, but in 2021-22 I received almost $900,000, so we can hope for some support from the state in this area,” he continued prices change.”

The $11 million estimate accounts for every school in need, except the newer Clinton High. Among those numbers were cases, Lowe said, that he considered high priority based on their current condition.

“I needed those estimates to support the grant,” Lowe explained. “So you can see some of the updated numbers as well as places that are high priority for me right now. This is Building 300 at LC Kerr, where multiple leaks have occurred in four of the six classrooms. The next equally high priorities are Sampson Middle, both the academic wing and the gymnasium, and then there is the Sunset Avenue wall.

“That wall, I mean, I don’t sleep on it because we have that dividing brick facade,” Lowe confirmed. “If action is not taken, the brick facade above office wing 800 will eventually fall away, from the upper part to the lower part. We have to deal with it.”

The wall project alone, Lowe said, is estimated to cost about $280,000, money he noted is included in his capital expenditure plan. Although there are plans to make the repairs, Lowe said more help is needed.

“My capital expenditure plan for this school year is to bid and rehabilitate that wall, but we’re going to need some assistance from the Needs Base Public School Capital Funds or an infusion of some (money) from the County Commissioners Fund Balance will help us do that because it will be an expensive project,” emphasized Lowe.

The director also explained in detail how the contractors should repair the wall and when funds will be available for the project.

“The recommendation is to take the brick façade off, replace the windows and install vertical metal roof panels as we are getting water through the current brick façade,” he said. “We made every possible attempt to patch it; We replaced the edging on the bottom and coated the wall with a water repellent to try to contain the problem, but we are now at the point where we have no more paving.”

The Sunset wall isn’t the only place Lowe said she’s at her patch limit.

“We’re also running out of pavers for the 300 Hall at LC Kerr,” he said. “As you know, we keep going back up there and covering the shingles even more and now it looks like a patchwork quilt, but then new leaks keep popping up elsewhere. That’s why I’m sharing these estimates to show where we stand in terms of our roofing needs. This really helped me prepare our applications for the Needs Based Public Schools Capital Funds Grant.”

Regarding the scope of the total roofing needs, Lowe’s provided estimates detailing the estimated 2024 construction costs and the 2024 consulting fee, which were equal to the total cost of the project.

• Butler Avenue – (Building 300) construction $243,000, consulting $19,000; a total of $262,000

• LC Kerr – (gym wall) construction $27,000, consulting $4,000; total $31,000; (300 buildings) $148,500, $12,000; total $160,500; (Building 01.15-Kimbrough Road, end of 200 Hall) $196,500, $16,000; a total of $212,500.

• Sunset Avenue – (Elevation Wall) construction $259,000, consulting $21,000; total $280,000; (Triangular building on Kerr Street side) $636,000, $51,000; a total of $687,000; (Auditorium) $315,000, $25,000; a total of $340,000; (700 Hall at Finch Street) $423,000, $33,800; total $456,800; (Combined Auditorium and Finch Street Hall – not charged as a whole) $738,000, $58,800; a total of $796,800.

• Sampson Middle – (Total area of ​​Sampson Middle – not calculated as a whole) Construction $3,720,000, Consulting $335,000; total $4,055,000; (Academic Wing) Construction $2,025,000, Consulting $162,000; a total of $2,187,000; (Gym Wing) $1,695,000, $136,000; totaling $1,831,000.

Based on these figures, the estimated total construction cost is $10,426,000 with consulting fees at $873,600 for a total cost of $11,299,600. While it is a steep hill to overcome, and while plans are underway to address the worst problems, he stressed that urgent help from other sources continues to be needed.

“There is some good news on LC Kerr, as I mentioned, such as our 2021-22 needs-based funds that I just filed this summer, our recent final reports, and my numbers are exactly the same as theirs. The offers were only slightly below our proposal, which was around $57,000.”

While these funds are only intended for the projects listed on their applications, such as new construction, Lowe said the possibility of using these grants for roof repairs at LC Kerr is an option.

“You (NC DPI) immediately said that we would not like to refund these funds, and I responded that I did not want to refund them either, but according to your information, they can only be used to the extent that was suggested in the grant application.” he said. “They said that’s true, but let me discuss this with my boss Dennis Hilton. Dennis then comes back to me and asks: Are there any other roofing projects at the locations that were included?

Lowe continued: “I said, yes, sir, there is; We have an urgent need at LC Kerr Elementary. It’s far more than what we have left, but would that be eligible?” What ultimately came out of it, and I got this in writing from the Office of School Planning, was that we were going to use the $57,000 that we were awarded for can use the LC Kerr project.

“This is helping us tremendously and I had already budgeted a certain amount for this product,” he added. “I hope the project goes through and receives a fair bid so I can shift the rest of my budget toward the wall at Sunset and both of these issues can be resolved with this capital outlay. That is my intention and then we will tackle the others as best we can, hopefully with the help of the district commissioners.”