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Latest Georgia news, sports, business and entertainment
Posted: 04.29.2010 at 1:36 PM
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Latest Georgia news, sports, business and entertainment
(AP) -- GEORGIA LEGISLATURE
GA lawmakers enter final day of marathon session
ATLANTA (AP) - The 40-day legislative session that has lasted
four months is finally ending, but not before Georgia lawmakers
wrestle with controversy and their constitutional responsibility -
balancing the budget.
While state legislators have addressed several major priorities
this year, including water, transportation and ethics, issues like
abortion, guns and teacher performance pay are still lingering in
the final hours of the session.
Also left to hash out are Senate and House differences in the
$17.8 billion budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. With
tax collections plunging, the budget was an obstacle that kept
legislators at the state Capitol weeks later than usual.
Lawmakers must conclude their business by midnight Thursday.
WOMEN ON SUBMARINES
Navy to allow women to serve on submarines
WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. policy banning women from serving on
submarines passed quietly into history Thursday morning.
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates notified lawmakers in
mid-February that the Navy would be lifting the ban - unless
Congress objected.
Navy spokesman Lt. Justin Cole said the deadline for Congress to
object passed at midnight without action.
The Navy plans a press conference later Thursday to talk about
the new policy that will allow women to serve along side men on
submarines.
ATLANTA-LAYOFFS
Layoffs planned for Atlanta city workers
ATLANTA (AP) - The Atlanta mayor's office says layoffs will be
required this year, including dozens on workers at Hartsfield
Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
New Mayor Kasim Reed had hoped to avoid layoffs. But Reed's
staff told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday that 67
airport workers will lose their jobs and 62 vacant positions would
be abolished.
The mayor's staff informed the City Council's finance executive
committee that employees in other city agencies will get laid off,
but the number hasn't been decided.
Reed's staff released a four-page summary of actions related to
his $578 million proposed budget to the committee, with more to
come.
ATLANTA CAMPUS CRIME
Crime task force formed for Atlanta campuses
ATLANTA (AP) - Interim Atlanta Police Chief George Turner says a
task force has been formed to fight crime on and near the city's
college campuses.
Atlanta police say they'll be working with police from six
campuses. The campuses involved are Georgia State, Georgia Tech,
Clark Atlanta, Morehouse School of Medicine, Morehouse College and
Spelman.
The area around Georgia Tech's campus has been hit by a series
of robberies. Last week, there were three reports of Georgia Tech
students being robbed either on campus or a short distance from the
school.
Turner says additional officers, including some who will be
undercover, will be assigned to university beats.
UGA-ALCOHOL
UGA students get new alcohol rules
ATHENS, GA (AP) - The University of Georgia has adopted new
rules governing alcohol violations, and some students may get off
easier as a result.
Unider the rules adopted this week, students guilty of underage
possession or use of alcohol still will be placed on probation and
have to undergo an education program.
But students will no longer face an automatic suspension for a
second offense.
Second violators could be suspended under the new rules, but the
regulations will allow more leeway for hearing panels in the
university's Office of Judicial Programs to decide what punishment
best fits the violation.
The new rules go into effect next month.
MISSING OFFICER-CHARGES
2 charged as police investigate Cobb Co. cop death
CANTON, GA (AP) - Authorities have charged a police officer
with making false statements and obstruction in connection with an
investigation into last week's drowning death of a fellow Cobb
County officer at Lake Allatoona.
A dive team found Sergeant Thomas "Brent" Stephens' body
Friday. Authorities announced the arrest of 37-year-old Kenneth
Paul Reda yesterday. Authorities also arrested 37-year-old Shelly
Powell, who is accused of misleading investigators following the
drowning.
Authorities say the two officers were boating last Thursday
night when Stephens disappeared.
Reda initially told police that he thought Stephens had jumped
out of the boat. Instead, investigators now say the boat collided
with a navigational marker, which knocked Stephens out of the boat.
In a news release, authorities say they believe Reda told Powell to
lie to police about being on the boat.
GEORGIA CANDIDATES
GA AG Baker qualifies to run for governor
DECATUR, GA (AP) - Attorney General Thurbert Baker has made his
run for governor official.
The Democrat qualified Thursday and announced his candidacy in
the historic courthouse in downtown Decatur. Baker will go up
against several Democrats for the primary, including former Gov.
Roy Barnes, who qualified Wednesday.
Baker has been attorney general since 1997. Before that, he
served five terms in the Georgia House of Representatives.
State insurance commissioner John Oxendine, a Republican, was
expected to qualify later Thursday morning at the state Capitol.
The men join a crowded race for the governor's office.
OBAMA-HEIGHT FUNERAL
Obama to honor Height as godmother of civil rights
WASHINGTON (AP) - Hundreds of mourners are filing into the
Washington National Cathedral to honor the late Dorothy Height, a
matriarch of the civil rights movement.
President Barack Obama will give the eulogy at the funeral on
Thursday morning. Poet Maya Angelou will offer a reading, and
Camille Cosby will offer a tribute.
Attendees at the public funeral include Washington's powerful
and others who boarded trains at 3 a.m. to take part.
Some of the women arriving at the cathedral are wearing bright
hats like Height used to wear.
Leaders from Congress will share the front row with the
president. Several officials from Obama's cabinet also will attend,
including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Attorney General
Eric Holder. Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele
is also expected to attend.
CHURCH BUS WRECK-SENTENCE
Woman sentenced in Ala. for church van accident
DOTHAN, AL (AP) - A woman convicted of criminally negligent
homicide and assault in connection with a collision between her car
and a church van in Dothan has received a 2-year suspended
sentence.
The woman, 39-year-old Crystal Finnegan of Columbus, Ga. was
driving on June 29, 2008, when she apparently hydroplaned on wet
pavement, crossed the median and slammed into a church van from
Lexington, Ky.
One of Finnegan's sons, 11-year-old Rippen Upton, was killed and
another son was seriously injured.
Another son, 10-year-old Brody, was severely injured. More than
20 people in the church van were injured.
Finnegan will be required to pay fines and court costs. The
judge set a restitution hearing for next month.
TEXTILE MOVE
SC-based textile moving jobs to headquarters
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) - A South Carolina-based textile company
plans to bring 40 administrative jobs from Georgia to Spartanburg.
The Herald-Journal of Spartanburg reported Thursday that
Milliken & Co. will relocate part of its floor covering division
from LaGrange, Ga., to its Spartanburg headquarters by August.
Milliken spokesman Richard Dillard said employees are being
transferred from Georgia. But some support jobs may be added
locally.
The company said the move brings all the leaders of its major
divisions under one roof.
(Copyright ©2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)