NEWS NEARBY: Hurricane Isaac, Labor Day Could Raise Gas Prices

 – Duluth Patch

Already, gas prices in the area are rising, in some cases above the national average. And two factors – Hurricane Isaac and Labor Day weekend – could push them higher.

As the storm bears down today, Aug. 28, on the U.S. Gulf Coast, where much of the nation's gasoline is produced, many oil companies are considering shutting down their refineries in that area.

According to cbsnews.com, refineries with the combined capacity to refine 1 million barrels of oil per day are in the process of shutting down. The U.S. consumes about 19 million barrels of oil products per day. .

– Canton-Sixes Patch

Good news for Labor Day travelers: is suspending all scheduled and ongoing construction-related lane closures in Northwest Georgia.

In an effort to ease traffic congestion throughout the long weekend, the suspension begins Friday at noon and continues until Tuesday at 5 a.m., according to the press release.

"The only exception would be for emergency maintenance work in the case of traffic accidents and other unpredictable types of transportation incidents," District Engineer DeWayne Comer said at GDOT's office in Cartersville. .

 – Alpharetta-Milton Patch

The lead architect for Alpharetta's City Center revealed two proposed major changes to the downtown property's site plan that would save a large oak tree and enlarge the city park on the property to just over 5 acres.

The 450-space parking garage was shown reorinted to north-south to shift it away from a 48-50 inch oak tree. The shfit also moved a main pedestrian access point to the parking garage much closer to the City Hall and Alpharetta library branch locations, which was another concern voiced in prevoius updates at City Council meetings. .