“He was more than just an employee to me. He’s family,” said Sheriff Eric Levett.

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TIME NOW FOR YOUR MORNING HEADLINES. I'M ASHLEY GARRETT. AND I'M CHRIS TATUM. WE HAVE A TRAFFIC ALERT TO PASS ALONG -- DEAN FOREST ROAD IS CLOSED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AT DAVIDSON ROAD. SAVANNAH POLICE ADVISES EVERYONE TO USE CAUTION. STAY WITH US FOR UPDATES. BEAUFORT COUNTY LEADERS WANT TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO BETTER PROTECT HOMES FROM FLOODING... WJCL'S DANIEL ROBINSON BREAKS DOWN- THEIR-- PROPOSED- ORDINANCE. TODAY - WILL BE THE 2ND OF 3 PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR THE PROPOSED SOUTHERN LOWCOUNTRY STORMWATER ORDINANCE. A CHANGE THAT MAY IMPACT YOUR NEXT DEVELOPMENT. COUNTY OFFICIALS - SAY THE NEW PLAN IS TO ADDRESS POST- CONSTRUCTION STORMWATER MANAGEMENT IN THE LOWCOUNTRY. THAT INCLUDES, BEAUFORT AND JASPER COUNTIES. THE NEW ORDINANCE - ASKS PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, LAND DEVELOPERS, RE- DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNMENT PERMIT APPLICATIONS - TO SUBMIT PLANS THAT COMPLY WITH NEW STANDARDS. THE PLANS SUBMITTED WILL SHOW HOW THE PROJECT WILL BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER - SUCH AS DURING A HURRICANE - A CHANGE FROM THE PAST. THOSE PLANS WILL BE EVALUATED BY THE PARTICIPATING TOWNS AND CITIES. THE COUNTY SAYS - THE ORDINANCE APPLIES TO ANY PROJECT 5 THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OR LARGER. ACCORDING TO THE ORDINANCE - THE OVERALL GOAL - IS TO HELP IMPROVE WATER QUALITY THROUGH RUNOFF REDUCTION , SAFELY REDUCE THE RUNOFF FROM EXTREME STORM EVENTS AND PREVENT DOWN STREAM EROSION. --- TODAY'S MEETING WILL START AT 4 THIS AFTERNOON, RIGHT HERE AT THE BEAUFORT COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING. THE COUNTY - ENCOURAGES THE COMMUNITY TO COME AND SHARE THEIR OPINIONS. REPORTING IN BEAUFORT, DROB, WJCL 22 NEWS. TODAY SUNNY, WITH A HIGH NEAR 64. NORTH WIND 5 TO 7 MPH BECOMING CALM IN THE AFTERNOON. TUESDAY NIGHT CLEAR, WITH A LOW AROUND 40. CALM WIND. WEDNESDAY A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN AFTER 1PM. INCREASING CLOUDS, WITH A HIGH NEAR 62. CALM WIND BECOMING EAST 5 TO 7 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. WEDNESDAY NIGHT RAIN LIKELY. CLOUDY, WITH A LOW AROUND 44. NORTHEAST WIND 6 TO 8 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IS 60%. NEW PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS BETWEEN A QUARTER AND HALF OF AN INCH POSSIBLE. THURSDAY PARTLY SUNNY, WITH A HIGH NEAR 60. THURSDAY NIGHT PARTLY CLOUDY, WITH A LOW AROUND 44. FRIDAY A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. MOSTLY CLOUDY, WITH A HIGH NEAR 58. FRIDAY NIGHT A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. CLOUD

Advertisement Sheriff: 27-year-old Georgia deputy dies from complications of the flu “He was more than just an employee to me. He’s family,” said Sheriff Eric Levett. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Above video: Your morning headlinesAn entire community is mourning the death of a 27-year-old Georgia sheriff’s deputy.According to family members and the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office, investigator John Cole Haynie died Saturday from complications from the flu after a month-long battle.Deputies held a special memorial for the investigator Monday.One by one, they placed flowers and pictures on a patrol car.“He was more than just an employee to me. He’s family,” Sheriff Eric Levett said. “I can only imagine when he pulled over someone and if someone used profanity towards him or cussed him out, he would just look at them smiling. Everything that he had done, he done with a smile,” Levett said.Levett said, at first, Haynie, who beat cancer years ago, thought he had a simple cold. Then, that cold got worse.“We did not expect that this would become deadly,” Levett said.According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, in the week of Jan. 12, five people in Georgia died from influenza.“When you start feeling those symptoms, it’s important we go to the doctor. Often, we self-medicate ourselves,” Levett said.Now, while family, friends and coworkers grieve, the Sheriff’s Office is using the passing of one of their own to teach others how to protect themselves.“I think it’s important that we take those precautions, as not as a disrespectful thing because you don’t know who’s feeling ill or who might get ill," Levett said.Deputies will hold a candlelight vigil Tuesday night. The funeral will held Friday afternoon.