Kimberly Johnson, Kennesaw State Univ. Student, Dies in DUI Accident, Shaneisa Newsome Charged with Vehicular Homicide

Drinking and driving just don't mix. Cobb county (Ga.) police arrested and charged Shaneisa Newsome, a 21-year old student at Kennesaw State University for her role in a DUI crash early Sunday morning. Newsome was reportedly driving eastbound on Barrett Parkway when she lost control of her vehicle, left the right side of the roadway and struck several trees. Kimberly Johnson, 21, of Macon, was a passenger in the vehicle and was killed in the accident, police said. Police said Michelle Jackson, 21, of Waverly Hall, was in the front seat and a rear seat passenger,  Lauren Prewit, 22, of Kennesaw, were taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital with complaints of injuriesd. Police said Newsome, who was sent to the hospital with complaints of injuries, was charged with first-degree...

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George Houser & Wife, Rhonda Washington Houser, Accused in $30 Million Medicare & Medicaid Fraud

George D. Houser, 62, and his wife, Rhonda Washington Houser, 46, literally robbed Medicare and Medicaid blind. They are accused of using more than $30 million in federal funds to purchase real estate and fancy cars, the U.S. Attorney's office said. They were arraigned Friday on charges of conspiring to defraud Medicare and Georgia Medicaid programs. George Houser also faces charges for allegedly failing to pay payroll taxes to the IRS and file personal income tax returns. The truth will always come to light at some point. The pair operates nursing homes in Rome, Ga., and it is unconscionable that while they lived the high life, the residents went without basic necessities such as food and medicines, U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said in a statement. Here is how the pair carried out...

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Christopher James III Arrested & Charged with Aggravated Child Molestation at Woodstock Fitness Center

 Christopher James III, of Woodstock, was arrested and charged with aggravated child molestation at a Life Time Fitness center. He reportedly entered the shower stall of a 13 year old boy and sexually assaulted him on April 5. Police said the crime occurred at the fitness center located at 14200 Highway 92 in Woodstock. Police detectives said James is a member of the fitness center. At this time, detectives are pursuing the possibility that the teen might not be the only victim. If you or your child have been assaulted by this dirtbag or anyone else at the fitness center, please contact the Woodstock Police Department at (770) 592-6030. Photo...

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Fort Valley State University Alumni Stand Behind Lawsuit Filed by NAACP Over Underfunding of HBCUs

The leaders of Fort Valley State University's alumni association are standing behind a lawsuit filed by the Georgia State Conference NAACP, that alleges the state's public historically black colleges and universities are underfunded compared to other state colleges. According to the Sun News, a sophomore for Fort Valley State and a freshman from Savannah State University are also included as plaintiffs in the case. Gov. Sonny Perdue and Erroll B. Davis, chancellor of the University System of Georgia, are named as the defendants in the suit. If the schools are underfunded, then that needs to change. These schools are suffering, especially in this tough economic climate. No matter how you feel about this issue, HBCUs play an important role in education because they serve college students...

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Dekalb County School Board Approves Lay-Offs for 430 Workers, Teachers Not Affected

Dekalb County school board has voted to lay-off approximately 430 workers amid a massive budget shortfall. The budget shortfall could be as high as $115 million one board member told Fox 5 Atlanta. This reduction will not affect teachers, but will come from positions ranging from custodians to IT personnel. A final vote is expected in M...

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Chattooga County Eyes Four-Day School Week for its Students to Curb Costs

From the Chattanooga Times Free Press: School officials in Chattooga County are digging through ideas other systems are using to curb costs, including four-day weeks and fewer school days. Chattooga Superintendent Dwight Pullen said officials are eying Murray County's 160-day school year calendar and Peach County's four-day week for some ways to save money. "This is something I would want to have public hearings on before I make a recommendation to the board," Mr. Pullen said. "It would be a major cultural change for the community." Chattooga County could save an estimated $218,000 with a four-day week, or about $125,000 with a 160-day year, he said. Schools would be in session Tuesday through Friday for more hours a day on the four-day week, Mr. Pullen said. The system now is...

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Georgia Sees Spike in Swine Flu Hospitalizations

Georgia sees a spike in swine flu hospitalizations. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the spike was the most in the country for three weeks in a row, federal officials said Monday. It is too early to say whether Georgia or the country are seeing another wave of the illness, which had diminished across the nation for several months, the officials said.  But the number of people being hospitalized in Georgia equals the number of swine-flu hospitalizations when the disease peaked here last September. Officials stressed that no other state is seeing such an increase. "In Georgia," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, a Center for Disease Control expert on influenza, "things appear to be different." In the first two weeks of March, Georgia had 80 and 72 hospitalizations, respectively,...

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Parents Call in National Firms to Launch New Schools Out of Frustration with Crowded Classrooms, School Boards

From the Atlanta Journal Constitution: Lagging test scores. Crowded classrooms. Inattentive school boards. Aloof superintendents. Parents fed up with some Georgia school districts are partnering with national education management chains to open public schools of their own. The management firms enable parents to open charter schools with national resources. The number of Georgia schools run by community groups and education management firms is expected grow by 50 percent next fall as six new campuses prepare to open using government money to privatize the daily functions of public schools. The firms, which charge a management fee, handle the heavy lifting of opening campuses -- sometimes constructing classrooms, developing the...

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UGA Research: Myth President Obama is a Muslim Still Exists

From Athens Banner-Herald News reports debunking the myth that President Obama is a Muslim did nothing to dissuade religious conservatives from believing the rumor, according to research by a University of Georgia professor. Despite the best efforts of journalists, people on both the left and the right tend to believe what they want to believe whether it's true or not, said the paper's author, UGA journalism professor Barry Hollander. "You have people out there who want to believe the worst about politicians they don't like," Hollander said, noting that panelists who called Obama a Muslim perceived it to be negative. Hollander analyzed data collected by American National Election Studies, a political think tank that asked 2,400 panelists questions in September, October and November 2008...

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Police Officer Gary Clements Tests Positive for Cocaine, Allowed to Resign by Police Chief & Wasn't Charged with DUI

Why in the world didn't College Park, Ga., interim police chief, Ron Fears, fire police officer Gary Clements when he tested positive for cocaine. He should not have been allowed to resign. He should have been fired on the spot and charges filed for driving under the influence. According to investigators, Clements tested positive for having cocaine in his system when he backed into another car while transporting two prisoners. After the accident, he had to take a drug test. Police said Clements told them he had the drug in his system after he tested the drug by tasting it after he pursued suspects who got away. "He did some of the old type of testing. He tested with his finger," said Fears. Right. He should have been fired on the spot and arrested for driving under the influence immediately....

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Milton County Proposal Gets Committee Approval, Could Get House Vote by Next Week

A controversial proposal is making its way through the Georgia legislature that could lead to the re-creation of Milton County, made up of cities in North Fulton County, and could be voted on by the state House of Representatives in a week. The proposal, known as HR 21, won approval from the State Planning and Community Affairs Committee on Thursday by a 9-7 vote. This now clears the way for consideration by the House Rules Committee and the full House shortly thereafter. Milton and Campbell counties were merged with Fulton County during the Great Depression as a cost-cutting move. Since then, however, northern Fulton’s population has exploded. Some north Fulton residents contend that the county's Board of Commissioners has become increasingly unresponsive to their needs and an inefficient...

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Students Say Racism Still at University of Georgia, Though Less Blatant

From Athens Online: Nearly half a century after a federal judge forced the University of Georgia to admit black students, race still is an issue at UGA, students on campus say. But today's students are a lot more likely to judge each other on quality, not color, say both black and white scholars. UGA still has a predominantly white student body, even though the number of blacks and other minority students has climbed dramatically in the past five years. Greek organizations are among the most segregated of UGA groups, but last month two fraternities took what may be a historic step toward more integration at UGA, holding an open forum to talk about race relations. To read the entire article, CLICK HE...

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Dekalb County Taxpayers Foots School Superintendent Crawford Lewis' Salary & Legal Bills During Probe

Dekalb County taxpayers will continue to pay school superintendent Crawford Lewis' salary and legal bills despite his decision to step aside temporarily as an active investigation into school construction projects is underway. Under the terms of his contract, board Chairman told the Atlanta Journal Constitution, that the district will pay his legal expenses unless he is arrested or indicted. In the event that happens, the board may seek reimbursement of those expenses. Lewis isn't the only one afforded such treatment. Most public officials, including teachers, fire fighters and police officers, who are placed on administrative leave during an investigation are usually compensated. Their pay cannot be taken away unless they are proven guilty. The board voted to give all Lewis' duties to...

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Complaints Filed with EPD, EPA Over Allegations Toxic Wastes Buried at Reed Bingham Park

According to the Moultrie Observer, a complaint has been filed over the illegal dumping of possibly toxic chemicals at Reed Bingham State Park. The complaint was filed with both federal and state environmental agencies. A park employee has reportedly given statements to the Department of Natural Resource officials that the dumping did take place. The dumping involves used motor oil and paint. It is important to note that this park has been embroiled in a myriad of hot issues recently. An initial complaint of buried toxic wastes was filed in recent days with the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Shortly afterward, the complaint was received at the state’s Environmental Protection Division. An EPD spokesman in Atlanta said he had referred the case to the regional EPD office in Albany....

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Rajaan Bennett, Vanderbilt University Football Recruit, Shot & Killed by Mother's Ex-Boyfriend

 Rajaan Bennett, Fox SportsRajaan Bennett, a McEachern High School senior and football standout, was shot and killed early Thursday in an apparent murder-suicide at his home in Powder Springs, Ga. Bennett, 18, had recently committed to play running back for the Vanderbilt football team this fall. Police identified the decedents as Rajaan, who had recently signed to play football in the fall at Vanderbilt University and shooter Clifton O'Neal Steger, the former boyfriend of Bennett's mother. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, a third person was wounded in the shooting. Police were called to the Bennett's home around...

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Study: Metro Atlanta Among Healthiest Areas in Georgia

From the Atlanta Journal Constitution Craig Schneider reports that Metro Atlanta is among the healthiest areas to live in the state, according to a report released Wednesday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The metro area -- in particular the counties of Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb and Gwinnett -- ranked among the top counties in the state for health outcomes such as long life, as well as health factors such as access to health facilities. Gwinnett and Cobb ranked especially high in the category of long life, coming in at fourth and fifth, respectively, in a comparison of 157 of the state's 159 counties. DeKalb ranked 13th and Fulton was 22nd. Metro Atlanta counties also ranked consistently high in the area of health behaviors, which measured smoking, diet and exercise, alcohol use...

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Troup County School Board Mulls Cutting 2010-2011 Calendar

From Troup County's Ledger-Enquirer Troup County students might find themselves in school for fewer days next year as a tightening state budget has put the screws to area education officials. The Troup County School Board is mulling over a 2010-2011 calendar proposal that would save more than half a million dollars and have 15 fewer school days than the traditional 180-day school calendar. Since the state requires students log a certain amount of class time, the school day would be extended to make up for the days without school. But some instructional time would still be lost. For example, the proposal would lengthen...

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White Workers Sue Kennesaw Over E-mail Search, Say Black Workers Weren't Subjected to Same Search

From the Atlanta Journal Constitution: Four Kennesaw employees said the city violated their civil rights by searching e-mail archives for racially offensive messages and disciplining them, while not doing the same to minority employees. The employees – two white police officers and two white 911 center workers – filed a federal lawsuit last week against the city, Mayor Mark Mathews, City Manager Steve Kennedy and Richard Klein, who was the human resources director. City officials declined comment Monday, saying they hadn’t been served yet. E-mails also were part of a racial harassment lawsuit filed last March against the city by two African-American employees in the Public Works Department and a former public works employee who was a native of Korea. That lawsuit alleged racist jokes, such...

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Kinaya Byrd, 2nd Grade Teacher, Stabbed to Death by Boyfriend Dana McFarlane During Altercation

Dana McFarlane, stabbed his girlfriend, Kinaya Schenese Byrd, to death Friday during an altercation in her home in Stockbridge, Ga. Byrd, 34, was a second grade teacher at River's Edge Elementary School in Clayton County. McFarlane, who has been charged with murder, is sitting in the Henry County jail. According to WSB-TV, Jason Bolton, Henry County police captain, said McFarlane was driving in Rockdale County when he stopped a sheriff's lieutenant and turned himself in. Kinaya Byrd,'s funeral will be held on Friday. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family. Domestic violence continues to cut across all socioeconomic levels. It continues to be a real problem in our society. This is such a trage...

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Atlanta Police Officer Mike Vogt Shot & Killed With High-Powered Weapon, Suspect Still at Large

I am always deeply saddened when a police officer is killed. According to Channel 2 Action News, Officer Mike Vogt, was shot on Vernon Grove Road, in Chattahoochee Hills, Atlanta, and he later died at Grady Memorial Hospital. The officer noticed something amiss as he traveled on Vernon Grove Road. He stopped to talk to a group of people and was shot with a high-powered weapon, Col. Jeff Holmes told reporter Jeff Dore. The officer was able to drive away from the scene and call for help. Police told Channel 2 that they looking for a '90s model, brown Chrysler in connection with the incident.e Hills Mayor Don Hayes told reporters that Vogt had been with the department for two years and was recently promoted to lieutenant. Hayes also said there were 14 police officers on the Chattahoochee Hills...

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Brandon Harris Dies in Emory Sleep Center, Mom Says He Pleaded for Help

Brandon Harris, 25, died during a sleep study at Emory. His family has maintained that he pleaded for help that never came. Harris, a medical assistant, reportedly entered the sleep center on January 22, after attending an Atlanta Hawks basketball game. He was dead by the next morning, his mother Renee "Sunshine" Lewis told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. According to the AJC, Ms. Lewis states she received a telephone call informing her that her son's oxygen level was falling. When she arrived at the hospital he had already died. It is interesting to note, the mother said her son was healthy and was not sick. She also added that he had Type...

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Dekalb Fire Department Admits Firefighters Failed to Follow Procedures in death of Elderly Woman Ann Bartlett

Ann Bartlett, an elderly woman residing in Dekalb county, Ga., lost her life due to the negligence of the Fire Department. Ms. Bartlett called 911 to report a fire in her home in Dunwoody. The firefighters dispatched to her home didn't see smoke and didn't bother getting out of their truck to knock on her door to see whether or not there was an actual fire. Well, Ms. Bartlett's house in literally reduced to a smoldering heap within a few short hours. What's worst, her body was found in the garage. The Fire Department had no choice but to admit that the firefighters involved didn't follow proper procedures. WEB EXTRA: DeKalb Fire Investigation Report, WSB-TV This is a disgrace and Ms. Bartlett's life may have been saved if these firefighters had just done their jobs and investigated to...

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Sharon Barnes Sutton, Commissioner in Dekalb County, Ga., Plagued by Bad Checks, Foreclosure, Unpaid Bills

Why is Sharon Barnes Sutton still a commissioner in Dekalb County, Ga? Ms. Sutton, who is charged with the task of overseeing a $600 million budget is a hot mess. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, she has written several bad checks, lost her home to foreclosure and has had her wages garnished. What's shocking is that Ms. Sutton had four outstanding warrants for writing four bad checks, for $300 to $400 each, to a Costco warehouse in Gwinnett county in 2007. She was involved in a minor traffic accident Wednesday night and the police officer did not see that she had these open warrants. Why was she allowed to leave the scene of the...

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Court Knowingly Incarcerates Frank Hatley Over Non-Payment of Child Support for Son that Isn't His Biological Child

Frank Hatley has been sitting in a south Georgia prison since June 25, 2008, because he failed to reimburse the state for all the public assistance his so-called son received over the past two decades. The only problem with this is that the son in question isn't his biological child. What is unconscionable is that the special assistant state attorney and a judge knew that, but they threw him in jail anyway. Hatley, who is currently incarcerated in the Adel county jail, is costing the county between $35 to $40 daily, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Hartey paid thousands of dollars to the state even after learning that he was not the biological father of the child. This is a classic case of the court system trying to "squeeze water from a rock." Even after losing his job and...

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Gunman Kills Two People, Wounds Two Others at Penske Truck Rental Business in Kennesaw, Ga.

URGENT: A gunman has killed two people and wounded two others at at Penske truck rental establishment in Kennesaw, Ga., Tuesday. According to WSBTV, the gunman, who was dressed in camouflage, was taken into custody. Cobb County dispatch said Life Flight was called and transported two people from the scene to the hospital. Ofc. Joe Hernandez told CBS Atlanta that said the man, who was identified only as Jesse, was dressed in all camouflage and walked into the Penske truck rental business at 3011 Barrett Lakes Blvd. and began firing. Story developing. More to foll...

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Paula Deen's Cookbook "Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics" Named Unhealthiest of the Decade

Paula Deen has snagged a honor she certainly wishes she didn't win. Deen, Bobby Flay and Julia Child were named authors of books to avoid for people looking to eat healthy meals, at least that's how the Washington-based Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine feels in its latest list of "Best and Worst Cookbooks of the Decade." Deen's heavy dependence on fatty ingredients catapulted her to the top of the list, with her book, "Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics" named the unhealthiest cookbook of the decade. Ouch. I don't think Paula Deen's intention was to ever eat healthy. We visited her restaurant in Savannah two years ago and I couldn't...

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Georgia Revenues Continue to Plunge with Tax Revenues Falling 13.7% in 2009 Fiscal Year

Georgia's revenues continue to plunge. For the fiscal year that begun in July 2009, tax collections are reportedly down 13.7 percent, a decline of $1.1 billion. Governor Sonny Perdue has ordered state agencies to slash $900 million, with additional tax cuts possibly coming in the very near future. Sales and corporate income taxes both continued to decline in December, sales taxes by 20 percent and corporate taxes by 23 percent, while personal income taxes rose 6.3 percent, which is viewed as an encouraging sign by some. December's 13.7 percent drop is the 13th straight month tax collections in Georgia have dropp...

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Michael Pruitt is Being Sought by Richmond County, Ga., Police for Attempted Robbery Allegations

Michael Pruitt is being sought by Richmond County police for allegedly attempting to rob an unidentified woman at knifepoint as she picked up a prescription at Belle Terrace Health Center Saturday, authorities said. The woman told police she received a telephone call from the prescription program coordinator at the health center telling her she needed to come back to sign something. According to media reports, she told police when she returned the man asked her to go into his office and he then allegedly put a knife to her neck and told her not to scream. She was released without the suspect taking anything from her. This story seems shady, but it is still developing. Georgia Juice has placed a call to the Richmond County police department and we haven't received a return telephone call...

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Teens Jacob Bullock & Marven Mathurin Die After Falling into Frozen Pond in Dacula, Ga., a Third Teen in Fair Condition

Two teens, Jacob Bullock and cousin Marven Mathurin, die after falling into frozen pond in Dacula, Ga. A third teen listed in fair condition. In the aftermath of the snow that fell in the Atlanta metropolitan area on Thursday, there have been events ranging from a 29-car pile-up due to ice on the roads to people being stranded and some without electricity, but the latest news is tragic. Three teens, ages 13 to 15, in Dacula, Georgia, were reportedly playing near the middle of a frozen pond in the Daniel Park subdivision and fell through the ice. Two of the children, identified as Jacob Bullock, 15 and his cousin Marven Mathurin, 14, have died, while a third, named Alex Paul, 15, is in fair condition. Okay folks, yes, we have had some unusually cold weather in the ATL, but that does not mean...

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Atlanta Record Producer, Rapper Demetrius Stewart "Shawty Redd" Arrested on Murder Charges

Demetrius Stewart, popularly known as "Shawty Redd," has been accused of murder. The Atlanta based record producer, rapper and songwriter, is currently being held in the Henry County jail. He is scheduled to make a court appearance on January 12, 2010, after his appearance for Saturday was reset. Shawty Redd allegedly shot and killed Damon Martin, 35, of Detroit, after the two got into an altercation, which turned physical and led to the murder. Shawty Redd reportedly told police initially that he accidentally shot his friend in a house in the 2000 block of Ballymeade Lane in Hampton Friday morning. After the police conducted an investigation, they determined that the victim was shot following an altercation. Demetrius Stewart has worked with artists including Young Jeezy and Snoop Do...

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Georgia Personal Bankruptcies Rate Skyrockets to Third-Highest in the Nation, a 22% Increase Over 2008

The state of Georgia has the third highest bankruptcy rate in the country. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, one in 50 households in Georgia declared bankruptcy in the first 11 months of 2009. The National Bankruptcy Research Center's statistics show that federal bankruptcy courts in Georgia handled 66,925 filings from January to November 2009, a 22 percent increase over 2008. The NBRC's report states that on a national scale, there were nearly 1.3 million personal bankruptcy filings between January and November 2009 -- a staggering 32 percent over 2008. The states with the highest household-adjusted filing rates are Nevada, which comes in at two and one-half times the national average, followed by Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Indiana. The lowest filing rates occurred in Alaska,...

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