Body Found in Atlanta Tornado Rubble

Georgia counties affected by the March 14-16th storms. (Courtesy GEMA)

Workers found a body on Saturday while clearing rubble from a building damaged over a week ago when a tornado slammed into downtown Atlanta, police said.

"We may have the first tornado victim in the city of Atlanta, but we won't know for sure until the medical examiner"returns with results, Officer James Polite said.

The man had no identification, but he was wearing a wedding band, Polite said.

The front of the damaged building had been a store and the rear had been rented out to a local church. Workers using a Bobcat to scoop up bricks and debris saw a hand sticking out of the rubble and called police, Polite said.

"We believe the man was seeking shelter from the storm and did not make it into the building," Polite said. "He was facing the wall when we found him."

Investigators brought in two cadaver dogs to search the rubble, which was east of downtown, but no other bodies were found.

The twister struck the city with little warning March 14, cutting a 6-mile path of destruction through the city with winds gusting up to 130 miles per hour. At least 27 people were injured.

Another tornado that hit northwest Georgia on March 15 killed two Polk County residents.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the tornado.

Oxendine: Over $150 million in Atlanta storm damage

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People get out and survey the damage in Atlanta's Cabbage Town neighborhood. At least 27 people were hurt Friday night, though no injuries were believed to be life-threatening. (AP Photo/John Amis)

State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine estimated damage from Friday night's storm at $150 million to $200 million.

Tens of thousands of basketball fans at two Atlanta arenas were perfectly safe, officials insisted Saturday, even though the crowds apparently weren't warned about an approaching tornado — one that would ravage skyscrapers and injure dozens.

About 18,000 people were watching the Southeastern Conference men's tournament Friday night at the Georgia Dome when its fabric roof began rippling, the catwalks above the court started swaying and chunks of insulation rained onto the players.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning about eight minutes before the twister hit, but it wasn't clear when or if that alert was passed on to fans, said Katy Pando, a dome spokeswoman. Fans claimed they never heard or saw one.

Another 16,000 fans watching an NBA game at Philips Arena, in the same complex as the dome, weren't told of the weather, either. The arena apparently sustained little damage, Atlanta Hawks spokesman Arthur Triche said.

Governor Sonny Perdue and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin declared a state of emergency in several areas in Atlanta.

A sign rests atop four cars in a downtown Atlanta parking lot after a tornado touched down Friday evening, pictured Saturday March 15, 2008. (AP / Ron Williams)

The tornado, with wind up to 130 mph, cut a 6-mile path through downtown Atlanta, smashing hundreds of windows in and around the CNN Center, blowing furniture and luggage out of hotel rooms and crumbling part of an apartment building.

A cab sits in the debris in front of CNN Center in downtown Atlanta Friday, March 14, 2008.
(AP Photo/Dave Martin)

At least two people died in Polk and Floyd counties from the storms. A third is reported in critical condition.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the storm damage in downtown Atlanta Friday evening.

Click here for tornado and severe weather alerts from the National Weather Service for the Atlanta area and statewide.

(The Associated Press)

Severe storms leave two dead

Blown out windows can be seen behind the rubble of a heavily damaged building in downtown Atlanta, caused by a tornado which struck the area late Friday night. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

At least two people have died in Polk and Floyd counties from powerful storms near the state border with Alabama. The latest severe weather comes after a Tornado with winds of up to 130 miles per hour trashed downtown Atlanta last night. At least 27 people were hurt.

Governor Sonny Perdue and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin declared a state of emergency in several areas in Atlanta.

Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine estimated damage from Friday night's storm at $150 million to $200 million, most of it at the Georgia World Congress Center, a state convention facility near the CNN Center and the Georgia Dome.

People walk away from the Omni Hotel in downtown Atlanta Saturday morning. The hotel was damaged from a tornado which struck the area late Friday night. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the storm damage in downtown Atlanta Friday evening.

Click here for tornado and severe weather alerts from the National Weather Service for the Atlanta area and statewide.

(The Associated Press)

Former CNN anchor loses discrimination lawsuit against network

Kolbe

A former CNN anchor, who claimed the news network discriminated against her because she was older and white, has lost her federal law suit.

A U.S. District Court jury deliberated for five hours before deciding in favor of CNN, which claims that Marina Kolbe's contract was not renewed because of her average performance and failure to improve. Kolbe worked in Atlanta for CNN's International division from 1999 to 2003.

The network terminated the then 42-year-old's contract and refused to hire her to work for domestic CNN or to freelance. She was replaced with Daljit Dhaliwal, a South Asian anchor.

"We are obviously pleased with the jury's verdict. It not only shows that CNN does not discriminate, but also validates CNN's commitment to diversity," the network said in a statement.

Kolbe's attorney, Edward Buckley, says his client has not had permanent employment since leaving the network.

"The young and beautiful will do well in the business as long as they are young and beautiful," he said.

The case took four years to reach U.S. District Court Judge Clarence Cooper's courtroom, where the trial lasted three weeks. The jury's verdict came down on Wednesday.

(The Associated Press)