Winter weather closes some north Georgia schools

Snow was falling in some areas of northern-most Georgia this morning. Because of that, two school systems called-off classes for today--students in Fannin and Rabun counties get another day-off to extend their Thanksgiving holiday break.

The National Weather Service says there is a winter weather advisory in effect until 1am Tuesday morning for 10 northeast Georgia mountain counties. Forecasters say there could be snow accumulations of up to two inches for elevations above 2,500 feet.

Georgia's fastest-growing counties

Paulding County, near Atlanta, was the third fastest growing county in the nation in 2007. Census estimates rank 23 Georgia counties among the top 100 fastest growing. Paulding County had more than 50,000 housing units in July 2007, up 72 percent from April 2000. Henry County was the sixth fastest-growing county in the nation. Forsyth County was seventh. Also in the Top 25 were Newton, Fannin, Cherokee, Barrow and Jackson counties.

Update: Escaped inmates caught

Three jail inmates who escaped from a north Georgia prison last night have been caught. A Tennessee television station reports the three were caught today in Gilmer County. Joshua Sproles, Ryan Patrick and Richard James Hill escaped from the Fannin County jail. Authorities have not said how the three got out.

Search for escaped inmates in north Georgia

Authorities in north Georgia this morning are searching for three inmates who escaped from the Fannin County Jail outside Blue Ridge last night. The Georgia State Patrol was contacted by the county’s sheriff’s department around 11:30pm, asking for assistance in the search. A state patrol aviation unit is also involved in the search for the three inmates.