First hires on the job at KIA plant

The first group of workers at the under-construction KIA plant in west Georgia are now on the job. The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reports that 28 employees began work this week at the site. The two-billion dollar KIA plant is being built along Interstate-85, about five miles from the Georgia-Alabama state line.

Kia supplier to build west Georgia facility

Governor Sonny Perdue announced Tuesday that a main supplier to automaker Kia will locate a new facility in west Georgia. Milwaukee-based ‘Johnson Controls’ will establish a 130-thousand square foot facility in Harris County, and expects to create over 300 jobs. The company will make complete seat systems and door panels for Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia. Construction on the Kia-plant is expected to be complete by early 2009.

Sony to layoff 100 workers in Carrollton

100 workers will be out of work at a Sony distribution center in west Georgia. The company says the layoffs are happening at the Carrollton site because of a normal drop-off of order volume. There is also the end of a distribution agreement with a third-party customer. Sony employs 360 people at the center--the facility was opened in 1981.

Worker killed at west Georgia Kia site

A construction worker has died from an accident at the Kia auto factory site in west Georgia. The Troup County coroner says 47-year-old Ollie Tate of Cartersville was killed Tuesday morning at the plant in West Point. No details on the accident were given. Officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating. The 2.4 million-square-foot Kia plant is scheduled to open in November of 2009, and expected to employ at least 25-hundred people.

Georgia sports for Thursday, December 13th

The Atlanta Falcons are moving ahead from the sudden departure of their head coach. One of the assistants on the staff, Emmitt Thomas, will serve as interim head coach for the Falcons' final three games of the season. The team has been hit hard all season long. The punches have included star quarterback Michael Vick landing in prison for a dogfighting conviction, and then the abrupt resignation of coach Bobby Petrino Tuesday night. The Falcons are 3-10.

From the ice, the Atlanta Thrashers suffered the 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins in action from Atlanta Wednesday night. The Thrashers fell to a record of 14-15.

West Georgia has hired Daryl Dickey as its new head football coach. Dickey comes to Carrollton via Florida State's program, where he served as quarterbacks coach for six seasons. He replaces Mike Ledford, who resigned in November.

Seven injured in west Georgia plant explosion

Seven workers from a metals plant in west Georgia are recovering from injuries today, after an explosion rocked their workplace yesterday morning. Authorities now believe a burst of steam sparked the blast at G-and-S Metals in Manchester. The site is still under investigation. Of the seven injured, three were transferred to Grady Hospital in Atlanta--one of the three is listed in critical condition. The other four injured were taken to other hospitals with less serious injuries.