FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1232 PM EST WED JAN 7 2009

GAC047-055-115-129-213-295-313-081330-
/O.CON.KFFC.FA.W.0006.000000T0000Z-090108T1330Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
FLOYD GA-CHATTOOGA GA-GORDON GA-WALKER GA-WHITFIELD GA-CATOOSA GA-
MURRAY GA-
1232 PM EST WED JAN 7 2009

…THE COUNTY FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 AM EST
THURSDAY FOR MURRAY…CATOOSA…WHITFIELD…WALKER…GORDON…
CHATTOOGA AND FLOYD COUNTIES…

AT 1225 PM EST THE LAST LINE OF SCATTERED SHOWERS HAD MOVED EAST OF
THE AREA AND NO ADDITIONAL RAINFALL IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT FEW
DAYS.  HOWEVER…EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL…ON THE ORDER
OF 4 TO 6 INCHES TUESDAY…WILL CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST EARLY
THURSDAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN SEVERAL CREEKS…STREAMS…AND RIVERS
IN THE AREA CONTINUING TO SLOWLY RISE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

AT 1215 PM EST THE SOUTH CHICKAMAUGA CREEK NEAR CHICKAMAUGA WAS AT
21.4 FEET AND STILL SLOWLY RISING. FLOOD STAGE IS 18 FEET.

AT 1200 PM EST THE CONASAUGA RIVER NEAR ETON WAS AT 16.4 FEET AND
SLOWLY RISING. FLOOD STAGE IS 12 FEET.

AT 1200 PM EST THE COAHULLA CREEK AT KEITHS MILL NEAR DALTON WAS AT
19.4 FEET AND RISING SLOWLY. FLOOD STAGE IS 16 FEET.

AT 1215 PM EST THE OOSTANAULA RIVER IN CALHOUN WAS AT 23.8 FEET AND
STILL SLOWLY RISING. FLOOD STAGE IS 20 FEET.

AT 1200 PM EST THE OOTHKALOOGA CREEK NEAR CALHOUN WAS AT 18.2 FEET
AND SLOWLY FALLING. FLOOD STAGE IS 18 FEET.

AT 1215 PM EST THE ARMUCHEE CREEK NEAR ARMUCHEE WAS AT 23.1 FEET AND
SLOWLY RISING. FLOOD STAGE IS 19 FEET.

AT 1215 PM EST THE CHATTOOGA RIVER AT SUMMERVILLE WAS AT 16.6 FEET
AND STEADY. FLOOD STAGE IS 14 FEET.

THE WATER LEVEL OF MOST OF THE CREEKS AND RIVERS WILL BEGIN TO
RECEDE SLOWLY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

IF YOU SEE SIGNIFICANT FLOODING…WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE STORM HAS
PASSED…AND THEN CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOLL FREE AT 1 8
6 6 7 6 3 4 4 6 6.

ATLANTA (January 5, 2009) – A new Georgia law gives Internet users access to information on billions of dollars in state spending. The “Transparency in Government Act” authored by Senator Chip Rogers requires state spending information be placed on a searchable website allowing Georgia taxpayers easy access to where their tax dollars are being spent.

“This is a great day for Georgia taxpayers. We have taken a major step toward transparent and easily accessible accounting information of how every state tax dollar is spent,” said Senator Rogers. “The very best way to prevent wasteful government spending is to let those paying the bills see exactly where their money is going.”

The new website, www.Open.Ga.Gov, began operation on January 1, 2009. Visitors to the site can easily locate information on state government salaries, travel expenditures, professional services expenditures, government contracts, and comprehensive annual reports.  Performance audits, program evaluations, and special examinations released by the Department of Audits and Accounts over the last five years are also available.  The information maintained on the site is updated annually.

Highlights of the site include:

• Program Reviews – 5 years of Program Reviews issued by the Department of Audits and Accounts.
• Salaries and Expense Reimbursements – An annual compilation report in accordance with Standards for Accounting and Review Services issued by the American Institution of Certified Public Accountants listing personal services and travel expense paid to personnel of State agencies, boards, authorities, commissions, regional educational service agencies, technical colleges, units of the University System of Georgia and Georgia Military College and local boards of education.
• Professional Services Expenditures – An annual compilation report in accordance with Standards for Accounting and Review Services issued by the American Institution of Certified Public Accountants listing amounts paid to various professionals by State agencies, boards, authorities, commissions, regional educational service agencies, technical colleges, units of the University System of Georgia and Georgia Military College and local boards of education.
• The State of Georgia Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) – This annual financial report provides statements of financial condition and operations of the State, as well as information on each individual fund and component unit in accordance with generally acceptable accounting principles. This report is produced by the State Accounting Office with the Department of Audits and Accounts serving as the principal auditor and is made available in January of each year.
• The Budgetary Compliance Report (BCR) – This annual report provides information by State fiscal year, concerning financial compliance with the Appropriations Act, as amended. All statements in the BCR are presented in accordance with the State’s regulatory (statutory) basis of accounting and State budget laws which differ from generally accepted accounting principles. This report is produced by the State Accounting Office and is made available in January of each year.

For general questions about Open Georgia, call 1-800-Georgia.  For more specific questions regarding financial reports, program reviews or technical assistance, go to http://www.open.ga.gov/contact.html. 

ATLANTA (January 7, 2009) – A new state website gives Georgians access to the latest healthcare quality, cost and health education information.  In response to 2007 legislation championed by Georgia State Senator Judson Hill (R-Marietta) and after much hard work, the Department of Community Health (DCH) announced the launch of GeorgiaHealthInfo.gov Monday as a resource to help Georgians make educated health decisions. 

Senator Hill, a leading state healthcare reform advocate, passed the legislation giving Georgians access to both price and quality information about healthcare and prescription drug prices.  Working as a member of the Department of Community Health’s (DCH) Health Information Technology and Transparency (HITT) Advisory Board, Senator Hill helped guide the website’s core design.  The HITT Board has utilized Senator Hill’s experience and track record of healthcare improvement initiatives in its effort to establish a statewide strategy to make health information transparent and readily available.

“Every Georgian has the right to know the quality and costs of healthcare. This website is an exciting step toward making healthcare more accessible and affordable by making available information like prescription drug prices plus easy access to the quality of care provided in hospitals and surgery centers.” said Senator Hill.  “Every Georgian needs to know about this website so they can make the best informed decision as they seek healthcare for their families.”

The new website is being launched in two phases during 2009, with the first phase accessible now. It enables a person to search pharmacies by zip code to determine the best price for prescription drugs, offers quality assessments for medical facilities and provides easy access to the Mayo Clinic’s vast health education database.  The Mayo database gives users access to prevention, wellness, and disease management information plus cost and quality analysis for healthcare plans, prescription drugs, local hospitals and outpatient procedures. In addition, an online mapping tool is offered to help patients find a medical provider’s location and driving directions.

The second phase of the website will include extensive provider profile data and user support for deciding on long-term care options.  Both phases of the website will be fully operational by this summer.

This website launch is one of Senator Hill’s accomplishments to improve healthcare during his time in the Georgia Senate.  In 2008 Senator Hill authored and successfully passed the nation’s first patient-centered prevention-focused free market healthcare reform legislation making healthcare and insurance more affordable for Georgia’s working families. Several of his healthcare bills have been adopted by national associations as model legislation.  Lt. Governor Casey Cagle appointed Senator Hill chairman of the Senate Healthcare Transformation Study Committee, responsible for creating and perfecting policy to help make healthcare and health insurance more accessible and affordable for every Georgian.

For general questions about GeorgiaHealthInfo.gov, call the DCH Office of Communications at (404) 657-9918.  For more specific questions, go to http://georgiahealthinfo.gov/cms/contact_us. 

A crucial meeting of the Chattooga County Navigator Team will be held this Saturday, January 10, 2009 at Summerville Elementary School from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM to discuss and plan fund raising and community activities for 2009.  All interested parties welcome and urged to attend so that your voice can be heard as we plan for 2009 to be a great year to assist children and young adults with disabilities and those that care for them.  Light refreshments will be served.  For more information please contact Team Leader, Melissa Cummings at 706-857-3527 or by email at plcmcummings@windstream.net.  For more information on Navigator Teams and their roles please access the Parent to Parent of Georgia website at  www.parenttoparentofga.org/roadmp/navigating

Chattooga County Public Works Director Lamar Canada told AM 1180 Chattooga County Radio that Hair Lake Road is now re-opened.  It was closed last night due to water over the bridge.  Canada stated that most roadways are passable and the county has cleaned up the debris caused by last nights storms.  A Flood Watch remains in affect until 1 PM this afternoon.

FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON…

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA… NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND NORTHWEST GEORGIA.

* UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON

* A COLD FRONT IS MOVING EAST THROUGH CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS MORNING. BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN WITH SOME ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THIS FRONT CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH MID MORNING. THE HEAVY RAIN AXIS IS SHIFTING FURTHER SOUTH AS WELL SO NORTH GEORGIA SHOULD START TO SEE THE PRECIPITATION COME TO AN END THIS MORNING. RAINFALL OF 4 TO 6 INCHES HAS ALREADY OCCURRED WITHIN THE WATCH AREA.

* THIS HEAVY RAINFALL HAS CAUSED SOME RIVERS… STREAMS AND CREEKS TO RISE TO LEVELS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN MINOR FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE IN URBAN AREAS AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DUE TO RAPID RUNOFF.

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR FLOODING ESPECIALLY ALONG LARGER STREAMS AND RIVERS. IF YOU ARE IN THE WATCH AREA… CHECK YOUR PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS… ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE INTERESTS ALONG AREA RIVERS. KEEP INFORMED… AND BE READY FOR ACTION IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR IF A FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED.