Local News
Non Credible Bomb Threats to Polling Locations Originate From Russian Email Domains
Georgia state officials reported that five polling stations in the state received bomb threats, leading to temporary evacuations at two locations.
The threats, traced back to Russia, prompted evacuations at Etris Community Center and Gullatt Elementary School in Union City, Fulton County, with closures lasting about 30 minutes each.
Three other targeted sites remained open despite the threats.
The Fulton County Police Department issued a statement confirming that no active threats were discovered and assured voters of their continued safety measures.
“Voters will see officers at all 177 polling places today,” the statement read, emphasizing that safety is the highest priority.
To ensure fair access, the Fulton County Department of Registration & Elections is seeking a court order to extend voting hours at the evacuated locations for the same amount of time they were closed.
At a press conference, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger confirmed the threats’ origins as Russian, which he said underscores foreign efforts to disrupt U.S. elections.
“They don’t want us to have a smooth, fair, and accurate election,” Raffensperger remarked. He expressed that these interference tactics aim to sow division within the U.S., and he highlighted the importance of national resilience against such threats.
Russia has denied involvement in U.S. election interference, though other nations, including Georgia and Moldova, have similarly accused Russia of attempting to influence their own democratic processes.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. — Authorities have identified the woman killed in a fatal crash Monday morning that also left a child injured in Jefferson County.
According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, the victim has been identified as 32-year-old Erica Nicole Austin, a resident of Birmingham.
The collision occurred early Monday morning and involved a passenger vehicle and a dump truck, said Center Point Fire District Chief Brandon Dahlen.
Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene shortly after the crash was reported.
Upon arrival, first responders found Austin critically injured. Despite efforts to assist, she was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:46 a.m.
A child who was traveling with Austin sustained injuries in the collision and was transported by Center Point Fire and Rescue to Children’s of Alabama for treatment. The child’s condition has not been released.
The driver of the dump truck was not injured, officials confirmed.
The impact of the collision led to a complete closure of the roadway for approximately five hours as authorities worked to investigate the scene and clear the wreckage.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team is leading the investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the deadly crash.
No additional details have been released at this time.