'Biomass' electricity plant coming to Lamar County

Lamar County officials say a 160-million dollar plant that produces electricity from biomass is on the way to Barnesville. Rollcast Energy plans to build the plant on a 60-thousand square foot tract in the middle Georgia county. Wood waste from logging and land-clearing operations would be burned in the process leading to producing enough electricity for 40-thousand homes. Officials say up to 25 jobs would be created with a 1.5 million dollar payroll.

Hilton to fight extradition

The man serving a life sentence for murdering a Georgia hiker has vowed to fight extradition to Florida. The Herald-Gazette newspaper of Barnesville reports that Gary Michael Hilton told a judge yesterday he wished to contest the validity of murder charges against him in Florida. Authorities there believe he killed Cheryl Hodges Dunlap. Hilton pleaded guilty to murdering Meredith Emerson in January after kidnapping her from a hiking trail in north Georgia.

Good and bad news for jobs in Georgia

Over 200 jobs and 30-million dollars in investment is on the way to Barnesville in Lamar County. Governor Sonny Perdue announced into the weekend that a major Chinese manufacturer will soon buy more than 200 acres of land to build an assembly and distribution plant for electrical products and wired devices.

The Augusta Chronicle reports that over 300 workers in Burke County will soon be looking for new jobs. One of that county's largest employers—Cummins Filtration--is set to close in June. The plant in Waynesboro makes parts for motors and diesel engines. The parent company in Indiana says it has been unprofitable for the last three years.

Georgia attracts Chinese manufacturer

Another major Chinese manufacturer has chosen to open up shop in Georgia. The U.S. wing of General Protecht is opening doors in Barnesville in Lamar County south of Atlanta. The company will purchase more than 200 acres in Barnesville to build an assembly and distribution facility for electrical products, wired devices and other related products. The Governor’s office says the company is expected to bring 240 jobs and $30 dollars of investment to the area. Last June, Chinese food products manufacturing company Kingwasong announced that it would locate a plant in Newnan.