Delay In Corruption Trial

The trial of a former Clinch County judge facing federal corruption charges has been delayed after he suffered life-threatening complications from a ruptured appendix. Former Superior Court Judge Brooks E. Blitch III was scheduled to stand trial Monday in U.S. District Court in Valdosta. But the federal judge presiding over the case postponed it after Blitch's doctor said he needed at least three months to recover after Blitch's appendix ruptured in May. The doctor wrote a letter saying the 74-year-old Blitch suffered life-threatening complications. Blitch's attorney, Robert Willis, said Tuesday that Blitch is recovering at home but remains very weak. Blitch was indicted last year on corruption charges accusing him of fixing cases and making illegal payments to employees. His attorney says Blitch did nothing illegal.

(Associated Press)

South Georgia Deals With Flooding

At least two dozen families have been evacuated, with 30 to 50 homes impacted by flood waters in the Valdosta-area. The Withlacoochee River is still the concern this morning, following multiple inches of heavy and soaking rains over the past 10 days in south Georgia. Forecasters say the river crested over the weekend, but still remains about five feet above flood stage. Buzz Weiss with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency says one concern of state emergency officials is protecting the water treatment plant in the Valdosta-area. However, city officials stress that drinking water is safe for residents. Lowndes County emergency officials say with numerous road and bridge closures, people should not travel unless absolutely necessary.

Shaw Closing Two More Plants

There are another two plant closings on the horizon in Georgia. Officials with Shaw Industries say its facilities in Calhoun and Valdosta will close, leaving about 600 workers without jobs. The struggling economy is cited as the reason. The Dalton-based carpet manufacturer says the layoffs will begin in the next five to six weeks. Shaw is the world’s largest maker of carpets.

Oil Found in Valdosta, But Not Quite a 'Gusher'

The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners has found oil - right under the new Lowndes County Judicial Complex now under construction.

They shouldn't get too excited, though. There probably isn't a whole lot there.

The county's public information officer, Paige Dukes, says enough was found that the commissioners approved a two-year contract Tuesday night with Georgia Petroleum, Inc. to remove unwanted petroleum at a dime a gallon.

Dukes says the process gets about three gallons a day, netting the county 30 cents a day, and that the petroleum is a byproduct of several gas stations located at the site in past years.

Information from: The Valdosta Daily Times,

(AP)

Muslim woman arrested for not taking off headscarf

A woman was arrested Tuesday for contempt of court in west Georgia after she refused to take off her hajib, the headscarf worn by Muslim women.

Chris Womack with the Douglasville Police Department says 40-year-old Lisa Valentine, who goes by her Islamic name Miedah, was ordered jailed for 10 days by Municipal Court Judge Keith Rollins. She violated a court policy that prohibits people from wearing anything on their head.

Valentine's husband, Omar Hall, said she was released from jail Tuesday evening. He called the judge's actions unconstitutional and humiliating.

The judge could not be reached for comment.

Last year, a Muslim woman in Valdosta made headlines when she was ordered to remove her hajib in Municipal Court. Officials cited homeland security reasons for forcing her to do so.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of this issue.

Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
http://www.ajc.com

(AP)

Valdosta police warn of crime spree

Police in Valdosta say armed robbers are victimizing citizens in their homes. The crime spree in the south Georgia city prompted authorities to put out a warning about the rash of home invasions. Police say at least three armed robberies have occurred in homes over the past week-and-a-half. No arrests have been made. Police are turning to the public for help in solving the crimes.

Perdue may call in feds over gas gouging

The dramatic spike in gas prices from Hurricane Ike has prompted The Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) to investigate hundreds of complaints of price gouging at the pump.

Officials have issued subpoenas for sales records of 25 gas stations statewide, and say more are on the way.

Bill Cloud, the director of administration and external affairs at the OCA says they've received over 700 complaints since Governor Sonny Perdue imposed an anti-gouging law last Friday.

But, Perdue says the skyrocketing numbers at the pump weren't only due to decisions by station owners :

"...[they] were the prices that some of the stations were having to pay up the line, and we're trying to investigate where that began and why, and what steps we should take – that probably would be outside of the purview of the State of Georgia, and while I’m a free-market guy, I certainly think it bears investigation by our federal government."

Perdue says Valdosta and Augusta were having the worst problems statewide in getting fuel from refineries knocked out by last week's hurricane.

Perdue and OCA officials, though, say the situation is improving and expect supply to be back to normal next week.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the gas crisis, and here for more on Hurricane Ike.

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.

South Georgia Sheriff acquitted

A federal jury in Valdosta has acquitted Clinch County Sheriff Winston Peterson of perjury and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors accused Peterson of tipping off then-Superior Court Judge Brooks E. Blitch III to the identity of an FBI informant. The sheriff also was accused of lying to a grand jury about conversations he'd had with Blitch about the federal investigation. Blitch has since resigned from the bench and was indicted in July on federal corruption charges. Peterson has remained on the job since a grand jury indicted him last year.

(Associated Press)

Average gas prices drop in Georgia

There is relief at the pump for Georgia drivers. AAA reports the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Georgia has fallen to $3.93. That represents a drop of two-cents from only yesterday, and a five-cent drop from a month ago. For averages around the state, the lowest can be found in Valdosta--$3.87. The highest average is $3.97 in Albany.

Judge found guilty of perjury

A federal jury in Valdosta has convicted a Clinch County magistrate judge of perjury and making false statements to federal investigators. Magistrate Judge Linda C. Peterson faces up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines after being found guilty Monday. Prosecutors said she lied under oath to a grand jury when she denied having ever suggested to criminal defendants that they hire her father as a bail bondsman. She was also charged with making false statements to FBI agents investigating possible corruption in the rural south Georgia county.

GBI seeks new leads in cold case

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking for new leads in a death from 28 years ago. 23-year-old Mary Susan Humphrey was an air traffic controller at Moody Air Force Base. She disappeared in May of 1980 after leaving a Valdosta nightclub.

Valdosta plant gains employees in consolidation

Valdosta is the chosen site for a consolidation of a company with some of its operation in Tallahassee.

Institutional Jobbers, Incorporated, known as the IJ Company, will relocate and merge its Florida operation with its plant in Valdosta. The Knoxville, Tennessee-based food distribution company says it hopes to wrap the merger by April 1st. The company says there are 91 Valdosta employees--the 54 workers in Tallahassee have been offered jobs in Valdosta.

The IJ Company is among the top ten largest broad-line food service distributors in the nation.

Aircraft company brings jobs to Valdosta

Valdosta is getting an infusion of nearly four million dollars and 150 new jobs. The new owners of Tiger Aircraft, True Flight Aerospace, plan to locate a corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility. The plans include a 60-thousand square foot facility on a 13-acre tract of land connecting to the city's airport. The 150 job positions are expected to be filled over three years time.

L.A. Laker charged in South Georgia

Los Angeles Lakers center Kwame Brown is in trouble with police in South Georgia. Valdosta police say they arrested Brown Saturday when he tried to interfere with officers’ investigation into Brown’s cousin, whom they suspected of driving drunk. Charles Warren Junior was charged with DUI. Brown was charged with disorderly conduct and inferring with an officer. He is free on bond.

Fed investigate project at Moody AFB

The federal government is investigating a housing construction project at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta that is behind schedule and millions of dollars over-budget. The ‘Magnolia Grove’ project was supposed to provide about 600 new or renovated homes for an additional 1-thousand troops on the way to the base in 2009. Of the 600 homes planned, only 2 have been built, and work is on hold. The contractor, American Eagle Communities, is 25-million dollars over budget. The legislation for the investigation was sponsored by U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson.

Theme park sold at auction

A Georgia theme park and its sister park in Florida are under new ownership. Today Valdosta’s Wild Adventure Theme Park and Cypress Gardens Adventure Park were sold at auction in Macon for more than 50-million dollars. Missouri-based Herschend Family Entertainment bought them. Herschend co-operates Atlanta's Stone Mountain Park.

South Georgia bathmaker expands

A south Georgia Jacuzzi maker is expanding and adding jobs. The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports BathCraft/Jacuzzi will add 125 positions in Valdosta. The company is also expanding its facility and expects to eventually employ 730 people. Two South Georgia entrepreneurs founded the company in 1986.

Leaders meet over Muslim incident

Today members of a national Muslim group met with city leaders in Valdosta to address a controversial incident involving a Muslim woman.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations says Valdosta violated Aniisa Karim’s civil rights when an officer banned her from entering a court building last month because she was wearing a head scarf. Karim says she was denied entry to due “homeland security”concerns.

Last week Valdosta city officials said the court officer acted properly, but apologized for offending Karim. The CAIR representatives said today’s meeting yielded no resolution but there was a spirit of cooperation.

Valdosta court bars Muslim woman wearing headscarf

Officials in Valdosta who last week refused to admit a Muslim woman to a local court, say there were justified because the woman refused to remove her headscarf. Aniisa Karim says she went to court to contest an outstanding parking ticket. Sheriff's deputies, however, refused to admit Karim to court, citing homeland security concerns and because they say wearing the traditional headscarf would be disrespectful to the judge. A spokesperson for the city of Valdosta said court officers acted properly but did offer apologies if Karim was offended. Since Karim's story was made public, anti-Muslim postings to an Internet blog suggest she go home. Karim however, is African American and says she been wearing her headscarf since she was a child. Valdosta City officials say they'll review their court admittance policy this coming week.