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Project is asking people to report winter sightings of monarch butterflies in Georgia
Monarch

SOCIAL CIRCLE – Over the past few winters, volunteers from across the Southeast and Gulf states provided more than 6,700 observations of monarch butterflies.

And for the upcoming winter, the partnership of universities, agencies and other organizations called “Monarchs Overwintering in Southeastern States” is requesting the public’s continued involvement in reporting sightings.

Sonia Altizer, a University of Georgia ecology professor and director of Project Monarch Health, said the information can help scientists determine if these iconic but declining butterflies “can overwinter as non-breeding adults in the southern U.S. and how this might affect future population numbers.”

Also, the monitoring will help document how winter-breeding activity might be affecting the annual migration of monarchs to Mexico. Understanding migration and overwintering behavior is crucial to conserving monarchs, a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

Thousands of monarchs stream across the South each fall on their way to wintering grounds in central Mexico. In the spring, the eastern population of the butterfly returns to the U.S. and Canada to breed.

But not all monarchs migrate to Mexico. Volunteer observations over the past two decades have helped scientists better understand how and why some monarchs breed throughout the winter in the southern U.S. Scattered reports also suggest that some monarchs can overwinter in coastal regions in a non-breeding state, like their wintering behavior in Mexico.

The public is asked to report monarch sightings now through March 1 in Georgia, the Carolinas, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

Observations are entered in Journey North’s online data portal, where the data is transformed into real-time mapping visualizations of monarch migration and breeding. Journey North is an organization designed to engage people across North America in tracking wildlife migration and seasonal change.

Susan Meyers, volunteer from Monarchs Across Georgia agreed. “Volunteers are vital to this effort. If you enjoy being outdoors and exploring your local ecosystem, this is an easy activity that can be done alone or with your family.”

Wildlife biologist Anna Yellin of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said project partners are grateful to all who reported sightings last winter. “When we come together as a community as we have with this effort, we stand a better chance of protecting the monarch butterfly for future generations.”

How to take part

Step 1: Create a free account at journeynorth.org/reg.

Step 2: Learn how to report monarch sightings at journeynorth.org/monarchs.

Step 3: Now through March 1, submit monarch observations at journeynorth.org/sightings.
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Standoff in Flemington ends with man's death
GBI identifies man wanted on felony warrant who barricaded himself inside residence
Flemington Standoff
Law enforcement cordoned off a Flemington neighborhood Friday afternoon as a standoff with a man wanted on Maryland warrant for aggravated assault ensued. - photo by PATRICK DONAHUE

FLEMINGTON – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into the death of a man Friday following a standoff with law enforcement.

Daquan Phillips, 26, of Baltimore, was wanted on an aggravated assault warrant out of Maryland. At about 1:50 p.m. Friday, the U.S. Marshals Service, along with Liberty County Sheriff’s Office deputies, went to a Tranquil South home to carry out the warrant.

According to the GBI, one person was removed from the home without incident. Phillips, who was outside when law enforcement officers arrived, went into the home and barricaded himself.

Liberty County Sheriff’s Maj. Bill Kirkendall said Phillips did not respond to repeated attempts to establish communication.

Flash bang grenades were heard deployed around 6:15 p.m. and shots were fired shortly thereafter.

“We waited as long as we could,” Kirkendall said.

Kirkendall said law enforcement’s goal was to bring the situation to a peaceful conclusion.

“When that failed, they had to take immediate action to protect citizens in the area,” he said.

After hours of attempting to communicate with Phillips, entry was made into the home. Phillips was discovered in the home with what appeared to be a gunshot wound, and was later pronounced dead by the Liberty County Coroner’s Office. A 5-year-old child was removed from the home safe and unharmed.

Phillips’ body will be taken to the GBI Crime Lab in Pooler, Georgia where an autopsy will be performed.

Multiple agencies, including the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, the Hinesville Police Department, Savannah Police Department SWAT, the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, and Georgia State Patrol responded to assist.

This case is active and ongoing. Once complete, the case file will be given to the Atlantic Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for Review.

“This is a quickly-evolving situation,” Kirkendall said, “and the investigation is still in its infancy.”

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