Tour de Georgia Canceled for Second Consecutive Year, Event Has No Title Sponsor

The Tour de Georgia has been canceled for a second consecutive year due to financial struggles. The seven-day race has been touted as North America's premier professional bicycling event, but the event is missing a title sponsor for the second year in a row.

Tom Saddlemire, a board member of the Tour de Georgia Foundation told the Athens Banner-Herald that they remain committed to reviving the race “as soon as possible.” He also said that canceling the race was the best decision due to the current economic climate.

The last race was held in April 2008, and  Kanstantin Sivtsov, a native of Belarus, won. This was the first time he competed in a bicycling race in the United States.

Read more »

Gen. David Petraeus to Speak at Georgia Tech January 19, 2010

Gen. David G. Petraeus, commander of the U.S. Central Command, is coming to Georgia. He will speak at Georgia Tech on Jan. 19, 2010. The event is free and open to the public. He will give the Col. Leslie Callahan Memorial Endowment Lecture at 2:30 p.m. at the Ferst Center for the Arts.

For those of you interested in seeing Gen. Petraeus, please note that seating is limited. Reservations will be accepted until Jan. 11 on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, log on to www.cistp.gatech.edu or call 404-894-3199.

Read more »

Jimmy Carter's Apology to Israel Gets Mixed Reaction

Former President Jimmy Carter isn't getting rave reviews and praise for his recent apology to Israel. It seems a little hollow, at best, considering that he has been accused in recent years, of bias against Israel, starting with his book, "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid," which was published in 2006. The book caused a dust-up in Israel and in the Jewish community in the United States. He has been accused of blaming Israel for the constant unrest in the Middle East. I had to ponder why he apologized at this time. Is there more to this than mending political fences? It is widely known that his grandson, Jason Carter, 34, has indicated that he may seek a Georgia State Senate seat in a district that has many Jewish voters.

According to media reports, he sent a letter to JTA, a wire service for Jewish newspapers, which is being called his "Al Het," which is a Hebrew plea for forgiveness. Carter's letter says, in part, "We must not permit criticisms for improvement to stigmatize Israel...I offer an Al Het for any words or deeds of mine that may have done so." "We're happy that he issued that statement," says Bill Nigut, Southeast Director of the Anti-Defamation League, "it's a hopeful sign."

But Nigut told 11 Alive News on Thursday that the former President still has a long way to go to be believed. "One statement is the beginning of a process," Nigut continued, "What's the next step? In what ways will Jimmy Carter continue to speak out in a more balanced way about the State of Israel's right to exist? That's what we'll wait to see." Source: 11 Alive News

We'll just have to wait and see how this apology is digested and studied to see if it ease the tensions between Jimmy Carter and Israel.

Read more »

Fermin Garfias, Jesus Pena & Jonathan Segovia-Saucedo Arrested & Charged with Trafficking Marijuana After Agents Seize 800 Pounds of Weed

Officials said narcotics agents seized 800 pounds of marijuana, valued at $957,600, from a home in Acworth, Cherokee County.

Agents arrested Fermin Garfias, 35, of Douglasville; Jesus Pena, 29, Birmingham, Ala., and Jonathan Segovia-Saucedo, 22, of Acworth. All three men were charged with trafficking marijuana and are being held without bond at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center.

The seizure was made Saturday in the 6300 block of Bells Ferry Road in Acworth. Agents were able to obtain a search warrant for the residence as a result of surveillance on the location.

---

SLIDESHOW: Pot Seizure Nabs 7 Drug Suspects, Courtesy of WSB-TV

---

Read more »

Accused Shoplifter Marty Bridges, 38, Dies After Scuffle with Wal-Mart Store Officers

Marty Bridges, 38, accused of shoplifting, died after he was forcibly apprehended by loss prevention officers at a Wal-Mart store at 4725 Ashford Dunwoody Road, in Dunwoody, Ga., Saturday. Bridges was attempting to flee the store when officers grabbed him. Another shopper reportedly intervened and a scuffle ensued.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Dunwoody Police spokesman Mike Carlson said of the altercation that "it was basically a big pile-up. "They had him pinned on the ground to keep him from running."

When police arrived around 1 p.m., two bystanders were administering CPR, but they were unable to save him. He was pronounced dead shortly after being brought to Northside Hospital.  An autopsy is underway.

Photo credit: Marty Bridges, WSB-TV

Read more »