Augusta's University Hopsital Lays Off Workers

A hospital spokeswoman says about 30 workers have been laid off at University Hospital in Augusta. Rebecca Sylvester said Wednesday the hospital is shelving a unit it no longer needs - a cardiac unit that was kept open after the hospital began moving most of those patients to a new Heart & Vascular Institute in January.

Sylvester said the affected employees have known for a while that the change was coming. She said there are no plans for across-the-board layoffs.

(AP)

Residents in Augusta Protest Drug Activity

Residents of an Augusta neighborhood took to the streets on Independence Day to protest drug activity and irresponsible property owners they blame for much of the problem. About 20 residents and property owners marched Saturday against what they claim are deadbeat landlords and drug-peddling tenants dragging down the Harrisburg community. Sheriff's deputies keeping a watchful eye on protestors from their patrol cars, as the marchers carried signs reading, "Dope Kills Kids," "Lazy Land Lords", "Drugs, Crime," and "Corridor of Shame."

(Associated Press)

New Report Shows High Mercury Levels In Fish Downstream Of Augusta

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control say that anglers should not eat any large-mouth bass caught in the portion of the Savannah River south of Augusta.

They have put up warning signs because too much mercury can cause damage to internal organs. On the Georgia side, there are no such warnings.

Sonya Bonitatibus is a spokesperson for the environmental group Savannah River Keeper. She says that Georgia trails South Carolina when it comes to warning its citizens about mercury levels in the river.

"There is nothing in law stating that they have to restrict the amounts of mercury that are being put in the Savannah River. South Carolina does recognize that there is a problem. A good way to notice that is when you go on the South Carolina side they have the fish advisory warnings, the big signs sitting there right on the boat landings. Georgia does not offer that to it’s citizens."

The data used in the report was compiled over a 3 year period and involved testing 15 different species of fish.

It shows that further up river in Augusta it’s okay to eat fish. The mercury levels are significantly lower.

The Savannah River Keeper speculates that the mercury comes from various chemical industries on the south side of town.

VA Hearings On HIV Exposure Begin Tuesday

A House subcommittee meets tomorrow in Washington with the Department of Veterans Affairs--at issue is the concern that more than 10,000 veterans may have been exposed to HIV at an Augusta VA hospital and two others in the Southeast. VA officials plan to tell committee members how mistakes made with endoscopic equipment raised health concerns over the past few months. Along with the VA hospital in Augusta, facilities in Miami and Murfreesboro-Tennessee are also under review for the problems.

Second HIV Patient At Augusta VA Clinic

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs now shows six former patients have tested positive for HIV since mistakes at VA hospitals in Tennessee, Florida and Georgia possibly exposed them to infections. An update on the VA's Web site shows a second patient at the ear, nose and throat clinic in Augusta, Ga., has tested positive for HIV. Three former colonoscopy patients at the VA hospital in Miami and one at the VA hospital in Murfreesboro, Tenn., have tested positive for HIV. The six are among about 10,000 former VA patients warned that they are at a "small risk of infection" due to equipment that wasn't properly cleaned or operated. Forty-five former patients have tested positive for hepatitis. Congressional hearings are set for June 16 and June 24.

(Associated Press)

Georgian Gets Double-Hand Transplant

A Georgia man has become the first person in the U.S. to undergo a double hand transplant. A University of Pittsburgh Medical Center spokeswoman says 57-year-old Jeff Kepner is in stable condition following the daylong surgery that finished Monday night. Kepner is a native of Lancaster, Pa., who lives in Augusta, Ga. He lost his hands and feet to a bacterial infection. In March, UPMC performed its first hand transplant on a Marine who lost his right hand when a quarter-stick of dynamite blew up in his hand during a training exercise in Quantico, Va. Eight double hand transplants have been performed abroad. Last month, French physicians performed the world's first simultaneous partial face and double hand transplant.

(Associated Press)

Masters Underway In Augusta

The Masters golf tournament is underway from Augusta this morning. The first threesome teed-off right at 8 o’clock--Ian Woosnam, Chez Reavie, and Briny Baird. The groups of golfers will continue to start their rounds into early afternoon. That includes Tiger Woods, who’s won four times at Augusta. Woods tees-off at 1:52 today. Last year’s defending champ, Trevor Immelman, starts in the group preceding Woods. Weather in Augusta this morning was fair and 53-degrees at the tournament's start. The Augusta-area is headed for a high of 77 under mostly sunny skies, with a west wind of 6-8 mph.

A programming note that GPB's Georgia Gazette will originate from Augusta and the Masters tonight--Mary Ellen Cheatham hosting. Join us on the GPB Radio network at 6pm, 7pm in Athens, or join us online at gpb.org to stream the show.

Masters Competition Opens Thursday

The crown jewel of the major golf tournaments—the Masters--opens competition with first-round action Thursday morning in Augusta. Today, it's the popular prelude to the serious competition--the Par-3 tournament.

The Masters is steeped in rich history, it has a unique mystique, and it typically provides intriguing storylines amongst the golfers once the action starts.

John Patrick is a longtime Augusta broadcaster who knows this event inside-and-out, having covered more than 20 Masters Tournaments. He spoke to GPB’s Edgar Treiguts.

Click below to listen to the interview:

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Club Car Axes Jobs In Augusta

Golf cart manufacturer Club Car has laid-off 40 employees from its plant in Evans, and another 10 outside the state. Company officials say the reductions come at all levels and functions within its operations.

Until this move, the company had been cutting payroll through attrition, and not hiring as many temporary workers.

Club Car is Columbia County’s largest manufacturing employer, with 850 workers at its east Georgia plant.

Vacant SC-mill must stop water draw from Augusta Canal

A judge has ordered a vacant textile mill in South Carolina to stop using water from the Augusta Canal for electricity. Avondale Mills no longer makes fabrics, but its turbines produce up to $1,200 in electricity daily. The city of Augusta sued when the company refused to stop running the turbines despite closure of the mill. The city argued it needs the water the mill is using to help meet federal mandates for water levels in nearby Augusta Shoals.

Woodrow Wilson home becomes landmark

The boyhood home of President Woodrow Wilson is now a federal historic landmark. Wilson lived in the two-story brick home in Augusta between1860 and 1870, from age 4 to 14. The Wilson home is the first Augusta building to receive the designation since 1996. The country has less than 2,500 National Historic Landmarks.

(Associated Press)

NAACP gathers in Augusta

More than 500 delegates and volunteers from the Georgia NAACP are meeting in Augusta to talk about issues confronting African-Americans. The group's 66th annual state convention begins today. The convention will focus on increasing the number of African-American voters in this year's elections. It will also address how the struggling economy is affecting blacks, according to the Augusta Chronicle.

By Mary Ellen Cheatham

Gas shortages still widespread

Motorist fills up Hummer at a station in midtown Atlanta, Sept. 22, 2008. (Dave Bender)

Gas stations in much of the southeast are having a tough time getting enough fuel. Many have temporarily closed, and cars lined up at the pump are a not uncommon sight.

Atlanta, Nashville, and Tallahassee, are among other cities in the region, reporting closures or limited fuel supplies.

Motorist Tate Nichols, who lives in Atlanta suburb Stone Mountain, says he’s seen the biggest problems in town:

“Generally, out in my area, I haven’t had any problem finding gas - I have, in midtown today run across a couple of empty stations that do not have gas - but I found one within two minutes of looking that did have gas.”

State and industry officials say one factor behind the shortage are interrupted supplies from refineries in the Gulf of Mexico. Many closed for the duration of hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

And, an Atlanta law requiring stations to use cleaner-burning fuel means gas can't be easily diverted from better-supplied areas.

Governor Sonny Perdue and other officials here say they expect fuel supplies to return to normal later this week.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the gas crisis.

Gas supplies limited

When it comes to filling up with gas these days it's a mixed bag. People in some parts of the state have ample supplies, while others are waiting in line to fill up their tanks, In some cases stations are running out.

People in Georgia get their gas from different places. Gas in Savannah comes in at the port, while gas in places like Macon, Augusta, and Atlanta comes from pipelines. Those pipelines are fed by refineries in Louisiana and Texas. Some refineries remain shut down in the wake of two recent hurricanes.

Refineries should come back on line over the next few weeks, but for now supplies are tight. Jim Tudor is with the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores. He says consumers can help by not topping off their tanks.

"If you have three-quarters of a tank of gas, and you pass three gas stations and you automatically feel the need that you've got to go fill up that quarter of a tank just to feel better, that creates real challenges in the marketplace because it's never been designed that everybody can go around with a full tank of gas."

The state is trying to help out by allowing more fuel to be brought in to Atlanta, increasing the number of hour's gas haulers can be on the road, and allowing them to deliver heavier loads.

Perdue may call in feds over gas gouging

The dramatic spike in gas prices from Hurricane Ike has prompted The Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) to investigate hundreds of complaints of price gouging at the pump.

Officials have issued subpoenas for sales records of 25 gas stations statewide, and say more are on the way.

Bill Cloud, the director of administration and external affairs at the OCA says they've received over 700 complaints since Governor Sonny Perdue imposed an anti-gouging law last Friday.

But, Perdue says the skyrocketing numbers at the pump weren't only due to decisions by station owners :

"...[they] were the prices that some of the stations were having to pay up the line, and we're trying to investigate where that began and why, and what steps we should take – that probably would be outside of the purview of the State of Georgia, and while I’m a free-market guy, I certainly think it bears investigation by our federal government."

Perdue says Valdosta and Augusta were having the worst problems statewide in getting fuel from refineries knocked out by last week's hurricane.

Perdue and OCA officials, though, say the situation is improving and expect supply to be back to normal next week.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the gas crisis, and here for more on Hurricane Ike.

Moving Georgians: a look ahead

Georgians will be able to tell state officials what they want in public transportation next week. The plan's dubbed the Investing in Tomorrow’s Transportation Today initiative (IT3).

Officials say they want to hear what Georgians want in public transportation. They say they'll use that input to set strategic policies, and create a business model for the future.

The public is invited to a week-long series of meetings starting September 22. They'll be held in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Dalton, Macon, Savannah and Valdosta.

Officials on-hand for the series of public forums will include DOT commissioner Gena Abraham, department board members, and local officials to the particular area.

Ericka Davis of the Department of Transportation says the forums will be one-stop shopping for residents to give their opinions:

"That’s an opportunity for them to be in one spot and the key decision-makers on the transportation plan for Georgia will be right there listening to what they have to say."

The legislature failed to pass a transportation plan this past session. That was after a group of legislators held similar hearings around the state last year.

Lawmakers are expected to try again come January.

More information is available at http://www.it3.ga.gov.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of state transportation and infrastructure issues.

New drought low for lake

As Georgia's drought continues, an east Georgia lake is expected to hit a five-year low. Thurmond Lake in Augusta could reach that low within 10 days. That would trigger a Level 3 drought classification. Under that category, water from Lake Hartwell would be moved to Thurmond to keep up minimum necessary flows to communities downstream along the Savannah River.

State's gas average holds above 4-dollars

The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Georgia stands at $4.03. AAA reports the average is up about four cents from the price a month ago in the state. Georgia however, is four cents below the national average for a gallon of unleaded--$4.07. The cheapest average for gas in Georgia right now is in the Augusta-area, about $3.96 a gallon.

Former coronor stole from suicide victim

A former assistant coroner in Augusta has been sentenced to seven years' probation for stealing gift cards from the scene of suicide. 44-year-old Charlena Graham must also pay $325 in restitution and $5,000 in fines for the New Year's Eve crime. Authorities say she stole the cards from the personal belongings of a 29-year-old suicide victim.

Gilmer County breaks smog standard

Gilmer County in north Georgia county recorded the state's worst smog yesterday – the first day of smog season. Gilmer County, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, broke federal ozone standards. A spokesperson says it's because Atlanta's air pollution blows north. Other Georgia counties have been caught with high levels of ground-level ozone this year. On April 17th, Augusta, Macon, Athens and the town of Dawsonville violated the limit.