1. Second officer shot in Americus dies. Already struck by gunshots, Americus police Officer Nicholas Smarr died Wednesday while performing CPR on his wounded friend, Georgia Southwestern State University Officer Jody Smith, according to Smarr's uncle. Just over 24 hours later, Smith died at a Macon hospital. [Read here]
2. It's freezing outside. Temperatures were 28 degrees in Atlanta, 23 in Blairsville and 29 in Griffin just before 6:30 a.m. However, the wind chill made it feel like temperatures were in the teens. [Read here]
3. High school football at the Georgia Dome. It's time for the 2016 state finals. Here's The AJC's breakdown of this weekend's high school football state championship games at the Georgia Dome. [Read here]
4. Employee shot and killed inside McDonald's. Clayton County police are searching for a McDonald's employee who allegedly walked into the restaurant, shot and killed a co-worker and ran from the scene. About 7:30 p.m. Thursday, officers responded to the restaurant. [Read here]
5. Braves trade Tyrell Jenkins. Only a few hours after Braves officials left what had been a trade-less Winter Meetings for them, they finalized a trade that sent Braves pitching prospects Tyrell Jenkins and lefty reliever Brady Feigl to the Rangers for hard-throwing right-handed reliever Luke Jackson. [Read here]
