Middle Georgia Twisters

Strong storms swept through several Middle Georgia counties on Wednesday night causing widespread damage from high winds and possible tornadoes.
All across Middle Georgia there were reports of damage. Jasper, Putnam and Hancock County were the hardest hit. Eighty year-old Johnny Frank Baker of Hancock County died when his mobile home was destroyed. His daughter and grandchildren were injured. Lynda Reynolds lives in Hancock County and describes the damage.

"Just debris everywhere. There was a log home that was completely lifted off of the foundation and set back down with trees on top of it. Hickory Grove Church was completely destroyed."

The storm also caused a suspected tornado in Eatonton. Putnam County Sheriff Howards Sills says it completely destroyed a bar called, "Robert Parham's Place," with four people inside.

"Mr. Parham himself was in there. He got down beneath the bar and everything else is gone, but I guess that protected him. The other two people were missing for a short period of time but we found them pretty quick."

The line of storms also destroyed several buildings in Jasper County.

GA-SC port gets approval from Palmetto State

A joint partnership deal between Georgia and South Carolina to build a port on the Savannah River is now one-third approved. The South Carolina State Ports Authority has okayed the deal on their side by unanimous vote. The deal still needs the "yes" vote from the Georgia Ports Authority--meeting next week--and Georgia's Department of Transportation. The DOT owns the land in South Carolina where the port is to be built, across the river from Savannah in Jasper County.