(GA. NEWS NETWORK)
*South Georgia wildfires are still burning across thousands of acres. The Georgia Forestry Commission says more than 35,000 acres have now burned from just two wildfires on the Clinch-Echols county line and in Brantley County since last weekend. In Brantley County, officials say that the wind is creating worsening conditions. Gov. Kemp is flying in today to tour the damaged areas.
*Edwin Brant Frost IV, former president of the now-defunct, Newnan-based First Liberty Building & Loan LLC (“First Liberty”), was arraigned Thursday on a federal charge of wire fraud for orchestrating a massive, multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme. “Frost abused the trust of his clients, family, and friends by allegedly soliciting investors with promises of sizable returns, while knowing the money raised would instead be used for his personal expenses and to pay early investors to maintain the illusion of profits,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.
*A massive beehive that officials are calling a super hive has been discovered in an Albany backyard. Homeowner, Laura Spencer, tells WALB she wanted to protect the colony that experts have told her was living in the tree for probably more than 30 years. Spencer says the hive’s colony was filled with thousands of honeybees making the “most gorgeous honey” and is 20 feet long and 8 feet wide. City officials say the colony had multiple queen bees, which is rare. The hive is being relocated and the bees saved.