Coaches Not Liable in Player's Death

A federal appeals court has decided who can't be held liable for a high school football player's death. The three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta ruled today three Rockdale County High School football coaches cannot be held liable for the death of a 15-year-old. Tyler Davis died the morning after collapsing from the heat during voluntary workout in July 2006. His parents sued the school system, the state of Georgia and various school employees. The court ruled the coaches are entitled to qualified immunity as public employees performing their duties.

(Associated Press)

Former lawmaker pleads guilty

A former Georgia lawmaker has pleaded guilty to secretly obtaining a $250,000 loan using as collateral property that belonged to the church he led. State Rep. Ron Sailor already pleaded guilty in March to laundering $375,000 in drug money for an undercover agent posing as a drug dealer. Sailor is a Democrat who represented parts of DeKalb and Rockdale Counties. He was fired by the Greater New Light Missionary Baptist Church after church members discovered the secret mortgage.

State says bridges are safe

Months after two state bridge inspectors admitted to falsifying bridge inspections, state transportation officials say they have completed re-inspections of bridges. The state says the bridges are safe. The Georgia Department of Transportation had to direct all its bridge inspectors from across the state in February to reinspect bridges in Rockdale, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties.

Man arrested selling LSD in chocolate bunnies and ducks

Rockdale County sheriff's deputies arrested a 20-year-old man after they caught him allegedly selling chocolate bunnies and ducks that contained hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Sgt. Jodi Shupe said Saturday deputies were tipped off that Matthew Jackson was selling LSD along with candy containing psilocybin mushrooms in Newton and Rockdale Counties.

Deputies caught the suspect after an officer saw Jackson allegedly selling a sheet of LSD and a chocolate duck containing the mushrooms for $650.

"It appears they were using the chocolate to cover up they were selling drugs, and they had been doing it for a while," Shupe said.

Shupe said officers found 74 more of the chocolate psilocybin candy ducks and bunnies in a cooler bag in Jackson's truck, along with $1,200 in cash in his pants pockets.

Click here for more GPB News reports of illicit drug use.

(The Associated Press)

High school football player collapses

Officials with Rockdale County schools have suspended all outdoor activities until at least Saturday after a football player collapsed during practice.

The 16-year-old Heritage High junior collapsed near the end of an afternoon practice session Tuesday. He was treated at a local hospital, later released, and is recovering at home. An official said the heat index was 101 degrees at the start of that practice.

Last summer, a Rockdale County High player died from heat-related injuries.

New device helps school gauge heat danger

A Rockdale County school is using a thermal imaging device to let administrators know whether it's unsafe for their students to be outside. Yesterday, the principal at Peek's Chapel Elementary School used the device, and says it read “Extreme Caution." The principal cancelled outdoor activities at the school. The county school district announced a system-wide ban on outdoor activities for today and tomorrow. Last August, a Rockdale County high school football player died from heat-related injuries during practice.