For the second straight day, Gilmer County dealt with a scare over an envelope containing suspicious white powder Wednesday. Both incidents appear to be hoaxes.
The envelope found Wednesday morning at Gilmer County High School in Ellijay prompted officials to close school for the day while authorities investigate. The FBI, GBI and a hazardous materials team from Cherokee County were still at the scene in the afternoon.
On Tuesday, a similar envelope was found at the Gilmer County courthouse.
"They investigated and found that was just a hoax, not a volatile substance," said Michael Schlabra, spokesman for Gilmer County schools. "People processing the mail this morning at Gilmer County High School came across another envelope with a powdery substance. Same M.O., same handwriting. Looks very similar."
By Wednesday evening, Schlabra said the substance found at the school was determined to be nothing dangerous or hazardous. It is being sent to a lab for further analysis, he said.
School was closed due to snow Tuesday and scheduled to start two hours late Wednesday. As students and staff arrived, they were told to go home.
For students who arrived by bus, "We kept them in the gym; their parents were contacted and picked them up," Schlabra said.
School will be session Thursday, he said.
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