Ga. Senate Outlaws Sanctuary Cities

The Georgia Senate has voted to outlaw sanctuary cities - where officials are prohibited from reporting illegal immigrants.

The bill's sponsor Sen. Chip Pearson, a Dawsonville Republican, said Tuesday that while there are no sanctuary cities in Georgia, there are some 60 across the country. Pearson says several more are in the works and the bill is a pre-emptive strike to make sure none crop up in the state.

The measure drew criticism from some Democrats.

State Sen. Emanuel Jones of Decatur, called it a bill "in search of a problem." State Sen. Nan Orrock, of Atlanta, said it sends "an increasingly hostile message to the international community."

The bill passed 37-9.

S.B. 20: www.legis.ga.gov

(AP)

State grants charter status to three districts

Three of four school districts being considered for charter school status were approved Thursday by the state Board of Education. Decatur, Marietta, and Gainesville city schools become the first of Georgia’s "charter" systems. Chattahoochee County was denied charter status by unanimous vote. The three approved districts join Warren County this fall in going "charter". The new status allows the districts to operate relatively free of state control. The schools however, must show progress or face danger of losing such status.

State education officials consider charter applications

The state’s Board of Education meets today to discuss whether to grant charter school status to four Georgia school districts. The Board is considering applications from Decatur city, Chattahoochee County, Gainesville city and Marietta city school districts. The full Board will vote on the issue tomorrow.

Police Shoot Robery Suspect at Dekalb Mall

Police say a robbery suspect was shot by police during a foot chase outside a suburban Atlanta mall today.

The unidentified suspect -- who was later arrested at a home a few miles from The Gallery at South DeKalb -- was shot multiple times. DeKalb police spokeswoman Mekka Parish says he suffered non-life threatening injuries.

She says no shots were fired inside the mall, formerly known as the South DeKalb Mall, and no one except the suspect was injured.

The incident started around 12:30 p-m with a man approaching an off-duty police officer working a security detail at the mall and stating that he had been robbed.

Parish says police chased the suspect through the parking lot, the suspect displayed a gun and an officer fired at him, striking him.

She says she did not know if the suspect fired any shots

Malls around the nation were expected to be crowded today, the last day to shop before Tuesday's Christmas holiday.

(The Associated Press)

Chattahoochee Trace vying as nat'l site

Click on the map for more
information on each county.

The Historic Chattahoochee Commission is trying to convince Congress to declare the Chattahoochee Trace a national heritage site.

"There's no doubt in my mind that we will qualify," said Doug Purcell, executive director of the group, which formed in 1970:

"Our region fits (the program) to a tee."

Georgia and Alabama lawmakers are reportedly supportive of the commission's goals, according to an Associated Press report. The bill passed a Senate committee last month. Sen. Jeff Sessions said after the committee passed the measure:

"The region is rich in history and culture and deserves
recognition..."

The Bush administration also has expressed support for the effort.

Georgia counties along the Chattahoochee Trace are: Chattahoochee, Clay, Decatur, Early, Harris, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Seminole, Stewart and Troup.

The National Park Service is putting a $200,000 to $300,000 tab on the cost of the study to determine whether the Chattahoochee Trace meets the program's criteria.

More information on the Chattahoochee Trace is here.

More Georgia communities go wireless

Many small Georgia cities are already going wireless, soon after the state announced public funding. So far the state has announced 5-million dollars is state money. The Georgia Technology Authority says the one-time grants help some areas of Georgia kick-start funding from Internet service providers who otherwise wouldn't invest. So far the cities of Augusta, Decatur, Dublin, Milledgeville and Thomasville have received the grants, as well as Gwinnett County.