Ft. Benning soldier back in court

Coming up next week, Georgia's state Supreme Court will hear several high profile cases, including that of a Fort Benning soldier, charged with killing one of his army buddies. The court will hear the case of Alberto Martinez, charged with killing Richard Davis in 2003. He's one of two sentenced to life in prison for Davis' murder. The two soldiers were among a group from Fort Benning, enjoying a night out, after returning from a tour of duty in Iraq. Sometime during the evening, things went wrong and Davis' friends began beating him. The group moved to a wooded area where the fighting continued. And, that's where witnesses say Alberto Martinez stabbed Davis thirty-three times. Now, Martinez wants the state supreme court to consider that his court appointed lawyers failed to include psychological evidence of post traumatic stress disorder. Attorneys for the state argue that Martinez's lawyers chose to accuse someone else of the murder rather than call their own expert. Georgia law however, does not yet allow expert testimony to establish a defense of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Closing arguments in coal plant permit case

The state heard closing arguments today, on whether to allow a Houston, Texas company to build a coal-fired power plant in southwest Georgia. Environmentalists say if the plant is built, annual pollution levels will equal the exhaust from one and a half million new cars each year. The testimony before the Office of State Administrative Hearings capped a nearly month long trial. At issue is whether to allow Dynegy of Houston to build a 1,200 megawatt coal fired power plant in Early County.

Justine Thompson is Executive Director of Greenlaw, one of the groups protesting construction of the coal-powered facility. She accuses the state Environmental Protection Division of ignoring the concerns of Georgians throughout the permit and hearing process.

“The EPD, while it’s middle name is “protection,” it considers its client to be the industry that’s requesting a permit, instead of the general public. They basically just adopted the coal company’s position and didn’t adequately review the permit.”

Dynegy presently operates thirty two energy facilities around the country, including the Heard County Power Plant in Franklin, Georgia. Neither attorneys for the EPD nor Dynegy were available for comment.

University grant aimed at Hispanic women

As Georgia lawmakers prepare for hearings on the critical shortage of health care workers, Brenau University hopes a $250,000 grant from The Wal-Mart Foundation, will attract female health care majors in one of the state's fastest growing Spanish-speaking communities.

Jim Barco is primary fundraiser for the small, private, women's university in Gainesville. He says the need for bilingual medical professionals is essential in the state's fifth largest Hispanic community.

"The critical factor is, these women will help health care organizations become more effective, because there will not be the need for translators as much."

In the past decade, the state's Hispanic population has more than tripled.

Currently, less than 60 Hispanic women are health care majors at Brenau. Officials there say they hope its Nursing and Healthcare Scholars Program will add an additional 200 Spanish- speaking women by 2008.