DeKalb County officials said they are testing the air quality throughout the day, adding that there are currently no advisories concerning air quality from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division for DeKalb County. Residents are advised to call 311 to report any air quality concerns. 

Atlanta News First and Decaturish take you through the latest news making headlines.

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The Georgia Hemp Farming Act goes into effect on Oct. 1, 2024, placing restrictions on hemp products made and sold in the Peach State. Gary Long, CEO of One59 and Botanical Sciences, talks with Digital Producer Tim Darnell on what it means for Georgians. Read the full story here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2024/09/30/georgia-hemp-farming-act-goes-into-effect-oct-1-heres-what-it-means/

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Gov. Kemp declared a state of emergency for all 159 Georgia counties, enabling emergency management teams to make necessary arrangements and position needed resources ahead of the storm’s impact.

With Hurricane Helene expected to push through north Georgia Thursday night into Friday, conditions could approach that of 2009 Austell when heavy rains flooded parts of the city under more than a dozen feet of water. 

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Georgia’s Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King is warning residents to protect their property as now-Hurricane Helene nears landfall and Georgia remains in its storm path.

Preparation is key to avoid unnecessary problems after big storms. Before Helene arrives, King suggested saving important documents, like birth certificates, insurance policies and loading them to the cloud for safekeeping.

He also advised to take inventory of your belongings, like furniture, electronics, and jewelry ... and take pictures of everything.

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Hurricane Helene is expected to bring significant impacts to Georgia, including flooding rain, strong winds, and isolated severe storms. The National Hurricane Center has Helene making landfall as a category 4 hurricane.

Atlanta News First continues to monitor the airport and provide updates throughout the storm.

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The Georgia state elections board has passed a rule requiring ballots in this year's Nov. 5 presidential election to be counted by hand. But opponents are up in arms over this 11th hour requirement. Susannah Goodman, director of election security programs at Common Cause Georgia, talks with Digital Producer Tim Darnell on why her organization thinks this will lead to even more potential for chaos in this year's election.

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 Young Thug’s internationally watched criminal trial in Atlanta resumed one day after an attorney representing a key witness pleaded for his release from jail.

On Friday, Quindarrius Zachary – aka D, Dee and Lil’ D – was arrested and booked into the Fulton County Jail.

His attorney Dennis Schieb says Zachary was moved to Grady Memorial Hospital after concerns for his health at the jail and is currently being held in custody there.

Schieb spoke exclusively with Atlanta News First on Zachary’s ability to testify in the case. 

Full coverage of Young Thug's trial from Atlanta News First: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/news/crime/young-thug-trial/

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Young Thug’s internationally watched criminal trial in Atlanta just got more intense.

Quindarrius Zachary – aka D, Dee and Lil’ D – was arrested and booked into the Fulton County Jail. His attorney said Zachary was moved to Grady Memorial Hospital after concerns for his health at the jail and is currently being held in custody there.

Atlanta Attorney Erica Wilson weighed in on the latest development in this installment of Attorney Analysis on ANF+

https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/news/anf-plus/ 

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Businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist Bradley Tusk is the author of "Vote With Your Phone: Why Mobile Voting Is Our Final Shot At Saving Democracy." He talks with ANF+ Digital Producer Tim Darnell on why being able to cast your ballot via cell phone is the last best hope at creating bipartisan political governance. How secure would your ballot be? What are the challenges to implementing such a system? And could hackers or cyber criminals influence the outcome of an election? This edition of Political Update is a fascinating conversation about what could be in the future of the American democratic republic.

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One day after another setback in her efforts to criminally prosecute former President Donald Trump, Fulton County DA Fani Willis on Friday defied a special Georgia Senate committee’s subpoena to testify before it. Atlanta Attorney Josh Schiffer weighs in. 

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