As Hurricane Michael continues to barrel towards Florida’s panhandle and south Georgia, some businesses, schools and services are closing their doors and canceling events.
Michael was upgraded to a Category 4 storm Wednesday morning. It is expected to strengthen before making landfall near Panama City Beach between noon and 3 p.m. Wednesday, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Many schools and colleges in middle and south Georgia — including Albany State, Valdosta State, Georgia Southern and Mercer — have announced closures for the week. For a complete list of college closings, read this AJC story.
Here’s what else is closed in parts of Georgia ahead of Hurricane Michael...
• Sweetwater Brewery announced on its Facebook page that it will close Wednesday and Thursday. The Atlanta brewery will reopen Friday for "Pride Night."
• The state’s Department of Driver Services announced that it will close several locations Wednesday and Thursday, including locations in Bainbridge, Thomasville, Albany, Americus, Cordele, Douglas, Tifton and Valdosta.
• The Georgia National Fair, located in Perry, announced that it would close for Wednesday. Fair vice chairman Foster Rhodes said in a statement that "public safety" is the fair's "number one priority." The fair will reopen once road conditions have been deemed safe. A concert featuring Peabo Bryson has been rescheduled to Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Reaves Arena.
• Griffin-Spalding County School System will have a delayed start time for staff on Thursday. Employees should report at 10 a.m. Students are out of school this week for fall break.
• Public schools in Brantley and Pierce counties are closed Wednesday. Schools in Glynn County will close one hour early, according to Action News Jax. Appling, Bulloch and Bacon county schools will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, according to WSAV. Schools in Liberty, McIntosh, Montgomery, Tattnall and Toombs counties will be closed on Thursday, WSAV says.
• According to the Albany Herald, Byne Christian School, Sherwood Christian Academy, Deerfield-Windsor School and schools in Baker, Terrell, Worth, Dougherty and Lee counties are closed Wednesday and Thursday.
• Tybee Island's city hall will be closed Wednesday, and Thursday's work session will be rescheduled. Tybee's beaches are closed to swimmers until further notice, the city says.
• According to the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, schools in Harris and Russell counties are closed Wednesday. Schools in Chattahoochee County were already scheduled to be closed Wednesday, but they will also be closed Thursday now too. Chattahoochee Valley libraries will close at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
• According to the Augusta Chronicle, schools in Columbia, Richmond, Allendale and Jefferson counties are closed Thursday. Fox Creek High School, Edmond Burke Academy and Stallings Island Middle School will also be closed Thursday. Garbage collection services in North Augusta have been delayed until Friday.
• The Talmadge Memorial Bridge in Savannah will close at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, according to WSAV.
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