Georgia Gazette Thursday, June 11, 2009

Join host Rickey Bevington tonight for Georgia Gazette. On tonight's show … Suspicion over cheating fifth graders… Inside the state investigation. Re-branding Macon as the birthplace of southern rock. And classical music from two living American composers. These stories and more tonight on Georgia Gazette at 6, 7 in Athens, re-broadcast at 11, hear our show any time at www.gpb.org/georgiagazette , and download a free podcast on iTunes.

Section Of I-16 Remains Closed

A two-mile stretch of Interstate 16 in middle Georgia remains closed this morning to westbound traffic at Dublin as repairs continue on an overpass. The state Department of Transportation says the section of I-16 West could remain closed throughout the Memorial Day weekend.

Repair crews are working on an overpass damaged Tuesday by a tractor-trailer carrying a piece of heavy equipment that was too tall to pass beneath the bridge. The impact sent chunks of concrete raining down onto the interstate.

Georgia DOT officials say holiday travelers on that route between Savannah and Macon should plan for delays and a possible detour.

Army Corps of Engineers Searching for Old Weapons

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is getting ready to look for leftover weapons in Middle Georgia.
In the 1940's close to 20-thousand soldiers trained at Camp Wheeler Army base in Macon. Much of that training included learning to use things like; rifles, grenades, and mines.
When soldiers left in 1946 the land was given back for public use. Fifty-one year old Linda Harris has lived in the area all her life and remembers playing on the property as a child.

"There were shells, like we would play in the dirt. We would dig up shells and metal fragments. Even my dad saved a cannonball, but we don't know where it is right now. It may still be on the property."

Experts will spend four months going over the land with metal detectors. If ordnance's are found, they'll mark the area and come back later to remove them. Two years ago officials removed more than 300 unexploded devices on the former grounds of Camp Wheeler.

Former State Representative Dies

Funeral services are being held in Macon for former State Representative, Wayne Elliott. The Florida native and Republican served two terms in the Legislature from 1990-1994. According to the Telegraph Elliott created controversy after he introduced a bill designed to protect medical waste incinerators, which another lawmaker was trying to ban. A business Elliott owned produced medical waste incinerators. The ban passed, but Elliott was able to receive an exemption for the Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon. He is survived by a wife and daughter.

Security Bank Could Be in Trouble

Macon-based Security Bank is facing major losses, raising concerns about the bank's ability to stay afloat.
Security bank is the fourth largest bank in Georgia. Last year the bank, which was heavily invested in the metro-Atlanta real estate market, lost more than 200-million dollars.
This week the bank filed an audit with the Securities and Exchange Commission that says they may be unable to meet their 2009 financial obligations. Bank officials, however, disagree with the audit's findings and say they're not facing imminent closure.
Security Bank applied for bailout funds from the U.S. Treasury, but has not received any money. In the meantime the bank says it will seek investors and try to sell some offices.

Wal-Mart To Close Macon Facility

400 workers will be losing their jobs in middle Georgia. Wal-Mart says the layoffs are from its return center in Macon, which will be closing in September. The Arkansas-based company says economic conditions were not a factor in the decision. Instead, officials say the Macon facility is too small for serving the southeast region.

Macon makes homeless sweep

Macon police are cracking down on the homeless. During sweeps yesterday, people living in tents and under bridges were directed to city shelters. The sweeps followed complaints from residents troubled by the tents along the Ocmulgee river walk and people under bridges near downtown. Officials from the Macon Rescue Mission outreach center were on hand to provide information about substance-abuse treatment and 24-hour residency. Other efforts to aid homeless in Macon include shelter space planned a women's shelter planned for the estimated 1,000 female homeless in the city.

(Associated Press)

Rev. Jeremiah Wright set for Macon revival

President-elect Barack Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, is expected to preach at a Macon revival this coming week.

Wright will preach Monday through Wednesday at St. Paul AME Church. It will be his second visit to the Georgia city. Wright also spoke at St. Paul last year.

The Chicago minister drew headlines in the presidential campaign for remarks on racial injustice, conduct of the American government and U.S. foreign policy.

Obama resigned from Trinity United Church of Christ during the campaign after inflammatory comments by Wright from the pulpit became a campaign issue.

St. Paul's pastor, the Rev. Ronald Slaughter, defends Wright, pointing to his longtime community activism.
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Information from: The Macon Telegraph,
http://www.macontelegraph.com

(AP)

Click here for more GPB News coverage about Rev. Wright.

Macon to look at county consolidation

Macon officials plan to open talks with those of Bibb County about the possibility of consolidation of city and county governments. Macon mayor Robert Reichert says the election of a new county commission chairman is opening the door on discussions. He says incoming chair Sam Hart is open to the idea of consolidation, unlike his predecessor Charlie Bishop. A recent survey of city and county residents showed 49-percent in favor of the idea--it was more popular with city residents. Examples of merged city-county governments in the state include Augusta-Richmond, and Columbus-Muscogee.

Macon to pay $300-K plus to settle federal dispute

The city of Macon will have to pay more than $300,000 to federal officials--the payment will settle a dispute over how money from a federal grant was spent earlier this year. Federal officials say Macon inappropriately used $350,000 from a one-million dollar 2002 Safe Schools Initiative Grant. Macon earlier this year offered just over $100,000 to settle the dispute, which was rejected. This agreement will prevent any litigation in the matter.

Kumho delays tire plant in Macon

Construction of a 225-million dollar tire plant in Macon has been put on hold, and business leaders are blaming the economy.
The South Korean tire company, Kumho already has three factories in Asia. The Macon plant was going to be their first in the United States. Company officials say they will still complete construction on the plant, but would not say when.
Macon City officials call the decision regrettable but understandable. Kumho was planning to supply tires to auto makers in the United States, and employ 450 people. Across the country September auto sales fell below 1-million for the first time in fifteen years.

New airline between Atlanta, Macon, Athens

A new airline starts up in Georgia and the initial flight fare will be $9. The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports GeorgiaSkies will fly six flights a day from Atlanta to Macon and Athens. The usual price will be $49.

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.

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.

NAACP calls for curfew

The Macon branch of the NAACP wants people under age 25 off Macon’s streets by 9:00 at night. Officials say drastic measures are needed in the wake of several shootings last weekend. They call the surge in gun crime a community emergency. Police suspect some of the shootings are gang-related. However, Macon Mayor Robert Reichert does not believe a curfew would be enforceable although he agrees the situation requires immediate attention.

Macon's water tastes best

The City of Macon has the best tasting water in Georgia. Judges from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals blindly sampled H2o from finalists in nine Georgia districts. They called Macon’s water clean and crisp with zero taste. In May Macon’s water will compete with water samples at the international finals in San Diego.

Diabetes study in black churches

Thirteen percent of people in Georgia have diabetes. Several of those don’t even know they have it. And in the African-American community, the numbers are even worse. But the Mercer University School of Medicine hopes to make big dent in those numbers. The Mercer University School of Medicine will use a 3-million dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health to partner with local African-American Churches and the Medical Center of Central Georgia.

The community partnership will allow them to identify people at risk for diabetes in local churches. Dr. John Bolstri is one of the researchers. He says they have been using a similar program since 2004 and it seems to be very effective.

“Basically we tracked blood sugar and blood pressure and weight for a year. And what we found was in all our churches that partnered with us the average blood pressure and blood sugar and weight all decreased after the end of the program.”

Bolstri says researchers discovered churches are a great way to reach people who do not make regular visits to the doctor or get health screenings.

Corrections centers to close

The state Department of Corrections says it will close diversion centers at Gainesville, Macon and Waycross. Corrections Commissioner James Donald says the closings are needed to accomplish a 3.5 percent budget cut Gov. Sonny Perdue ordered. The centers are for low-risk felons. They are designed to house adult felons for 90 to 120 days while they work paying jobs in the community to pay fines. Donald says employees will be offered other jobs within the Corrections Department.

Howard Dean to visit Dixie Dems

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean will be in Georgia on July 26. He's on a voter registration bus tour he hopes will help push Dixie to the Democrats. Dean's itinerary includes stops in Savannah, Macon and Atlanta. Dean said he's focusing on winning over people who are struggling economically.