Cobb County Police Make Arrest in Teen's Death

An arrest has been made in the death of a 16-year-old Harrison High student who died last week in an auto accident.

According to Cobb County police, Kecia Evangela Whitfield, 43, was arrested and charged with reckless conduct and for furnishing alcohol to a minor. Garrett Reed, 16, was killed in an accident last Friday while reportedly driving under the influence of alcohol.

Reed, a student at Harrison High, lost control of his vehicle on Sylvia Road, crossed the center line and hit another vehicle head-on. The driver of the other car, Richard Reyes, 25, of Dallas, Ga., was seriously injured.

Search on for Missing Atlanta Woman; Last Seen Jan. 19

Authorities are searching for an Atlanta area woman who has been missing for more than a week now.

According to the Atlanta Police Department Missing Persons Unit, Alicia Cook has not been seen since Jan. 19, when she was spotted at 372 Arizona Ave.

Cook is described as a 27-year-old white female, 5’6”, 120 pounds, with burgundy hair. According to police, Cook has recently suffered from mental health problems.

Anyone with information in Cook's disappearance, can call 911 or contact the Atlanta Police Missing Persons Unit at (404) 853-4235.

Routine Traffic Stop Yields Drug Bust in Gwinnett County

Gwinnett County police hit the jackpot after pulling over a car for a rear brake light outage.

According to police, an officer pulled over a blue Cadillac on Lawrenceville Highway near Jimmy Carter Boulevard.The officer reported smelling an odor of marijuana coming from the car and further investigation led to the passenger having an outstanding warrant.

Police also reported that the driver had a handgun in his possession and a large amount of money also. A further search of the car yielded some 12 pounds of marijuana.

Police arrested the passenger, 34-year-old Mark Hayward of Atlanta, and the driver, 33-year-old Sean Chretien of Doraville.

Gov. Perdue Unveils 'Access to Flu Vaccines Act'

Gov. Sonny Perdue announced that Rep. Jimmy Pruett, one of the Governor’s floor leaders in the House, has introduced the Governor’s “Access to Flu Vaccines Act” legislation, HB 217, to the General Assembly. The legislation improves Georgians’ ability to receive a flu shot.

The “Access to Flu Vaccines Act” will allow physicians to enter into protocol agreements with pharmacists and registered nurses to allow the ordering and dispensing of flu shots without a physician’s individual prescription. To ensure quality control, physicians may issue no more than 10 standing orders with pharmacists and nurses within the same county or adjacent county to the physician’s primary place of business.

Physicians may also enter into more agreements with corporations with multiple locations such as drug stores and grocery store chains.

One Dead Following Shooting Near U. of West Georgia

One man was killed following a shooting at an off-campus apartment near the University of West Georgia in Carrollton.

According to authorities, Ramondo Johnson, 25, of Carrollton, was killed and Rahmere Cowling, 21, of Hampton, who was flown to Atlanta Medical Center, was critically injured after the shooting at the Campus Quad apartments early Friday morning. The shootings reportedly took place during a party at one of the apartments.

Police reported the arrest of Traveris Wilson, 24, of Carrollton, in relation to the crime, but did not identify him as the shooter.

Clear Channel Radio Job Fair Set for Columbus

State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said that the Georgia Department of Labor’s Columbus Career Center will assist Clear Channel Radio with its sixth annual job fair and career expo for employers and job seekers in the area. The event will be held Thursday, Feb. 5, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Columbus Trade Center, located at 801 Front Ave. in Columbus.

The event will feature about 40 employers who will be hiring to fill current job openings. In addition, other employers will be discussing possible future employment opportunities with the job seekers, while other organizations will be providing educational and other resources. Applicants should bring plenty of resumes and be prepared to fill out company applications and interview for available job openings.

Employers expected to participate in the job fair and career expo include: Accounting Principals, AFLAC Sales, American Home Shield, Avon, Caremaster Medical Services, Charlotte-Mcklenburg (N.C.) Police, Coldwell Banker/Kennon, Parker, Duncan and Key, Columbus Consolidated Government, Columbus Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Columbus Regional Healthcare, Columbus Police Department, Columbus Specialty Hospital, Columbus Water Works, Cubic Omega Training Group, Express Personnel, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Florida Highway Patrol, Global Diagnostic Services, Harris County School District, Hughston Clinic/Jack Hughston Memorial Hospital, LaGrange Police Department, Lear Siegler Services, Manpower, Marta Police Department, Militaryhire.com, New Phenix Travel, Opelika (Ala.) Police Department, Randstad USA, Rescare Homecare, St. Francis Hospital, Spherion Staffing, TIC Federal Credit Union, and TSYS.

Job seekers and employers who would like additional information about the job fair and career expo, may contact the Columbus Career Center at (706) 649-7423.

Marietta Man Indicted in Christian Radio Scheme

Jeffrey W. McLain, 52, of Marietta, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of mail fraud and wire fraud.

United States Attorney David Nahmias said, “This defendant advertised on Christian radio and used religious themes to sell a so-called ‘guaranteed’ business opportunity. He allegedly defrauded numerous victims of more than $200,000, saying that his so-called system would make them rich, and that it was not only legitimate but had a tone of religious approval. This defendant’s only true mission appears to have been making money by ripping off his customers.”

According to Nahmias, the indictment and information presented in court: From June 2005 through July 2006, McLain operated “Prophet 3H LLC,” “Prophet 3H Inc., ” “Georgia Home Health Care License and Certification Institute Inc.,” (“GHLCI”), and “Healthcare State License and Certification Institute Inc.,” d/b/a (“HLCI”) (collectively “HLCI”), all located at 1395 Marietta Parkway, Suites 115 and 105, in Marietta.

McLain advertised the businesses to potential customers, claiming they would become millionaires in one year or less by accessing “guaranteed” Medicaid clients.

McLain’s advertisements invited prospective customers to learn about his “guaranteed” money-making system at conferences he organized at major hotels and convention centers nationwide. The conferences were typically advertised on Christian radio stations with a large minority audience. “Home Healthcare” charged up to $85 for attendance, and up to $2,400 for the kit that would supposedly enable anyone to implement the system.

At the conferences, McLain delivered an approximately three-hour motivational speech with religious overtones including comments such as “praise the Lord” and “the Lord taught me business strategy models...and within a year or two years, they became multi-million dollar businesses.”

The indictment alleges that victims were lured by fraudulent claims. In one alleged instance, a radio advertisement in Nashville, Tenn., featured a testimonial in which the speaker said, “I never would have believed that I could make over $40,000 a month in my healthcare agency,” and “The most rewarding thing about going into healthcare isn’t just the $1.3 million we billed for last year, but serving those who are less fortunate.” McLain also claimed that “a $2,400 investment would turn into 15 million dollars, in just five years,” and that participants who agreed to pay his fee would learn how to “[r]etire in 2 to 5 years with an income of $45,000 plus, a month.”

The indictment alleges that these and other claims were false, because the “opportunity” that McLAIN ultimately presented after receiving his customers’ fees was bogus. The “opportunity” began with the suggestion that a customer incorporate two corporations: a healthcare company such as a home healthcare services provider for which the participant would seek Medicaid licensing approval, and a separate non-profit charitable organization. The purpose of the non-profit was to lure Medicaid beneficiaries to divulge their personal identification information, by offering small “donations” in exchange for this information. McLAIN then suggested that the customer would profit either by selling this Medicaid information to McLAIN’s “network,” or by using it to solicit the beneficiary to receive services from the customer’s for-profit health care company.

According to the indictment, McLain purposely omitted material facts, namely that this “opportunity” was illegal in numerous ways. McLain’s system would have resulted in violations of the laws pertaining, among things, to the use of non-profit corporations and the conduct of healthcare agencies. Because of the defendant’s fraudulent representations and omissions, purchasers who made substantial investments to pursue this purported legitimate business opportunity could neither establish a business nor realize the wealth as promised by McLain.

The indictment alleges that there were more than 15 victims, and the total loss amount was over $200,000.

Alleged Icing of DeKalb County Roads Leads to Arrests

What may have started as a prank last week led to serious consequences for three DeKalb County teens who have been charged with criminal damage to property, a felony, and misdemeanor reckless conduct.

The three allegedly vandalized several fire hydrants on Womack Road near Dunwoody High School and along Chamblee Dunwoody Road last Wednesday when temperatures fell into the teens. The result was several icy spots on local roadways, which could have led to accidents.

Police arrested Grant Michael Romeo and Michael John Tache, both of Dunwoody, and Joel Peter Mehler of Atlanta on Jan. 23. All three were eventually bailed out of jail.

Teen Dragged by Truck; Remains in Coma

A 16-year-old Mill Creek High School student is fighting for his life after being dragged while hanging onto a truck.

According to authorities, Edward Yebra remains in a coma at Gwinnett Medical Center. Authorities say Yebra was hanging out at home in the Hamilton Mill subdivision of Dacula on Saturday evening with friends when a black truck drove up. According to witnesses, Spencer walked toward the truck to talk with a man inside, but then they heard tires screeching and saw Spencer hanging from the side of the truck as it pulled away.

Police took David Andrew Donnelly into custody in connection with the incident, but did not indicate if he was the driver of the truck.

Emory Lecture Series Tackles Genocide, Terrorism, Gay Rights

Irwin Cotler, Canadian Member of Parliament and McGill University law professor, and the Right Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, are among those featured in the 2009 “When Law and Religion Meet” lecture series hosted by Emory University's Center for the Study of Law and Religion (CSLR).

"When Law and Religion Meet" provides a forum for religious leaders to discuss difficult legal, moral and ethical issues facing their religious communities. Lectures take place at Emory Law's Tull Auditorium, 1301 Clifton Road, on the Emory campus in Atlanta. They are free and open to the public. Call 404-712-8710 or go to www.law.emory.edu/cslr for more information.

• Cotler discusses his efforts to prevent genocide on March 16 at 7:30 p.m. in a lecture titled, “The Danger of a Genocidal and Nuclear Iran: The Responsibility to Prevent.” World renowned for his pursuit of human rights, including the release of Natan Sharansky from the Soviet gulag in 1986, his current focus is holding Iran legally accountable for genocidal incitement against Israel. He has issued a Responsibility to Prevent petition, which calls for a series of legal actions by the United Nations and international legal community.

Cotler was first elected a Canadian Member of Parliament in 1999 with 92 percent of the vote. He served as Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada from 2003-2006. A constitutional and comparative law scholar, he has served as Counsel to prisoners of conscience, including Nelson Mandela, and has been honored for his dedication to humanitarian causes with the Order of Canada and many other awards, including nine honorary doctorates. His lecture is sponsored by the Henry Luce Foundation in honor of Emory Law Professor Harold J. Berman, the pioneer of the field of law and religion, who died in 2007.

• Robinson delivers the CSLR's annual Currie Lecture in Law and Religion March 30 at 7:30 p.m. He will address the divide in the Episcopal Church caused by his election as bishop in 2003 in a lecture titled "Why Religion Matters in the Quest for Gay Civil Rights." CSLR Senior Fellow Mark Jordan, Richard Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School, will respond.

Robinson was elected bishop in 2003 after serving as Canon to the Ordinary for nearly 18 years. He is the first openly gay, noncelibate priest to be ordained a bishop in a major Christian denomination believing in the historic episcopate. Since his election, theologically conservative parishes have aligned themselves with bishops outside the Episcopal Church in the United States, a movement called the Anglican realignment.

• Mona Siddiqui, professor of Islamic studies and public understanding at the University of Glasgow, lectures March 18, 2009, at noon, about the stark differences between Islamic law and English law. Her lecture, titled "Islamic Law in Britain: A Minor Problem or a Problem for a Minority?" outlines her experiences as an expert witness in anti-terrorism cases. Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na`im, Charles Howard Candler Professor of Law and CSLR senior fellow, will respond.

Siddiqui joined the University of Glasgow in 1996, where she founded the Center for the Study of Islam in 1998 to develop the religious studies program. Her areas of research include classical Islamic law, and she has applied her research in anti-terrorism cases and issues relating to Muslim family law in the United Kingdom. Siddiqui is also a well-known public figure in the U.K., where she works for a wide range of public bodies and media. Her lecture is sponsored by the Luce Foundation.

Benoit Doc Pleads Guilty in Federal Court

The doctor who authorities say prescribed drugs for the late Chris Benoit pleaded guilty in federal court in Newnan this morning to prescribing drugs in some cases without even seeing the patients.

Dr. Phil Astin, who was linked to prescribing drugs for at least 19 patients for Thursday's hearing, pled guilty to all 175 counts he was facing.

"The point of going to a doctor is to help a patient and when the doctor doesn't provide a legitimate medical exam and prescribes controlled substances that are very addictive, obviously there's a great danger and I think that's reflected in the fact that one woman overdosed and died as a result of it," remarked Assistant U.S. Attorney John Horn.

Astin, who will be sentenced in May, was a doctor for Benoit, who was a former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) champion. In June of 2007, authorities claim that Benoit, who eventually settled in Atlanta after growing up in Canada, strangled his wife, Nancy, and son, then hanged himself in their home.

Authorities claim Astin, who could get up to 20 years in prison, prescribed Benoit anabolic steroids, although a medical examiner was unable to say whether steroids played a role in the deaths.

Gunman in California Murder-Suicide Born in Atlanta

Family and friends are still trying to fathom why a Los Angeles man shot and killed his five children and wife before turning the gun on himself early Tuesday morning.

Authorities said that Ervin Lupoe, who along with his wife, Ana, had recently been fired from Kaiser Permanente Medical Center West Los Angeles, killed his wife and kids out of despair.

In a note faxed to a Los Angeles television station, Lupoe claimed that prior to the firing, an administrator told the couple they should not have come to work and told them, "You should have blown your brains out,"

Police reported that the victims included two sets of twins and an 8-year-old girl.

Among those attempting to understand the reasoning behind the killings was Lupoe's 83-year-old grandmother, Josephine Lupoe of Atlanta.

According to the grandmother, Lupoe was born in Atlanta, but relocated to Detroit with his parents as a child before moving to California.

The shootings were the fifth mass death of a Southern California family by murder or suicide in less than a year.

Caffey Fouls Up in Payments; Hit With Arrest Warrant

An arrest warrant has been issued for former NBA player Jason Caffey, accusing him of failing to pay thousands of dollars in child support.

According to authorities, a judge in Alabama denied a bankruptcy case filed by Caffey last fall, allowing the former player to be sued for child support.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Cynthia Wright issued the arrest warrant Tuesday over Caffey’s reported failure to obey a court order that he pay more than $200,000 in child support and legal fees to Lorunda Brown and her attorney. Caffey, who was listed as having an Atlanta residence, and Brown have a 6-year-old son together.

Caffey spent nine years in the NBA, seeing time with the Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks.

Governor Drives Forward With Super Speeder

Gov. Sonny Perdue announced that State Rep. Jim Cole, the Governor’s senior floor leader in the House, has introduced the Governor’s “Super Speeder” legislation, HB 160, to the General Assembly. The legislation will reportedly help reduce traumatic automobile accidents and provide funds for trauma care in the state.

“Traffic accidents exact an enormous toll on our state,” said Gov. Perdue. “This legislation will save lives by discouraging reckless behavior and by providing critical additional funds for trauma care.”

In 2007, traffic accidents on Georgia’s roadways caused more than 1,600 fatalities. The overall cost of accidents totals $7.8 billion a year. The Super Speeder legislation would generate approximately $23 million that could be spent to improve state’s trauma care network.

“This is extremely important legislation not only to me but to the state of Georgia as a whole,” said Representative Cole. “We must do all we can to help make our roads and highways as safe as possible. The bottom line is this: Super Speeder will both directly and indirectly save the lives of Georgians.”

The principle behind the Super Speeder legislation is that it discourages trauma-causing behavior by increasing fines for dangerous drivers.

The legislation would add an additional $200 fine for driving over 85 mph anywhere in the state and for driving 75 mph or more on a two lane road. Super Speeders will also increase driver’s license reinstatement fees for drivers committing a second and third offense for violations that result in a suspended license and for other negligent behaviors.

Search on for Pair of Wachovia Bank Robbers

Police and FBI agents are searching today for a pair of bank robbers who took part in a holdup this morning at the Wachovia bank on Lawrenceville Highway in Gwinnett County.

According to authorities, the two sported masks and brandished guns. Authorities added the armed robbers fled the bank on foot, and a search perimeter had been set up around the bank.

Jonesboro High Dance Team Sent to the Sidelines

Saying they were dancing too provocatively, school officials at Jonesboro High School have disbanded the school's dance team.

According to school officials, the decision was made after parents complained about a provocative dance routine that was performed by the 8-member group at a basketball game earlier this month. School officials said the girls will not be hit with disciplinary action.

A video showing the dance, titled "The Sluts of Jonesboro," had also been set up on YouTube, but has since been taken down from the Web site.

School Nurses Say Budget Cuts Are Bad Medicine

School nurses lobbied hard Tuesday at the State Capitol amid plans by Gov. Sonny Perdue to eliminate their budget.

Gov. Perdue is proposing a $30 million cut for school nurses from next school year’s budget. However, a spokesperson from Perdue's office says schools will have room to maintain the program using local and other state funding.

The proposed cuts come as lawmakers seek ways to cover a $2.2 billion gap in the state’s budget.

In response to the proposed cuts, a number of online nurses petition have been set up seeking to gain signatures to present to lawmakers. Among them is: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/4/help-us-keep-school-nurses-in-our-schools

Man Arrested for Impersonating Officer, Alleged Rape

Police have arrested a Duluth man who they say impersonated an officer and raped a woman last year.

According to the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department Fugitive Unit, Preston Kennedy Mitchell, 47, was taken into custody for falsely informing a woman he was a police officer and showing her a badge and gun before raping her last February.

Police obtained warrants for Mitchell's arrest, and he was taken into custody on Monday at a local gas station.

Arson the Cause of Fire at Obama Supporter's House

Fire officials investigating a fire in Forsyth County at the home of a supporter of President Barack Obama say the cause of the blaze was arson.

Pamela Graf's home was destroyed while she was in Washington, D.C. last week attending Obama's inauguration. Authorities also reported discovering racially charged graffiti on a nearby fence.

If you have information regarding the fire, officials ask you to call an anonymous tip line at 770-888-7308.

Report Says Mildew, Other Problems Found at Plant

According to a report released Monday by the state Department of Agriculture, investigators discovered mildew on a ceiling and other problems in 2008 at a peanut butter producing plant in Georgia that has been linked to a Salmonella outbreak.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported approximately 500 cases of salmonella illnesses in 43 states from the most recent outbreak, and says the bacterial infection may have been a factor in seven deaths.

Responding to the just released report, Peanut Corp. of America says, however, the problems were minor and were generally taken care of. The company halted production this month at its Blakely plant and has conducted a nationwide recall of peanut butter and peanut paste produced at its facility after July 1 of last year.

Noting an inspection report from Aug. 23, 2007, The New York Times highlighted at least three incidences in which "food-contact surfaces" were "not properly cleaned and sanitized."

In an apparent counter to the Times article, PCA released a statement noting, "When the observations were noted during inspections by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, corrective action was taken immediately where possible and subsequently when immediate action was not possible."

In an Oct. 23, 2008 report, an inspector reportedly discovered"mildew and possibly some static dust on ceiling of butter storage room." The report did not specify the amount of mildew.

A June 2008 inspection of PCA's Blakely plant discovered violations that included dust buildup on a fan in the butter room, and "possible metal flakes from metal scrubber which is used to clean outside of equipment," according to an inspection report. The report did not note where the flakes were discovered.

PCA reports that the peanut butter and peanut paste made at the Blakely plant were sold in bulk to manufacturers, and that the recall does not include any peanut butter jars sold directly to consumers.

Despite $1.4 Billion Loss in 2008 Q4, Delta Looks to Take Off

New numbers released regarding Delta Air Lines' financial health were not good today, with the carrier saying it lost $1.4 billion in the last three months of 2008.

According to Delta officials, 2009 consolidated passenger unit revenue was likely to decrease by four percent.

Revenue for the world's largest carrier increased 43 percent to $6.7 billion in the quarter, compared to $4.7 billion in 2007, as Delta finalized its purchase of Northwest on in late October.

The decrease in revenue in the latest fourth quarter included a $904 million charge related to employee equity awards. Delta reiterated its previously announced move to trim systemwide capacity 6 percent to 8 percent in 2009.

Analysts predict that Delta will post another loss for the first quarter of this year, but to start turning a profit as the year moves on.

According to Delta CEO Richard Anderson in a released statement, "I want to thank my 85,000 Delta colleagues for their outstanding achievements in 2008 -- a year where we not only faced the severe challenges brought on by over $2 billion in increased fuel costs and the onset of a global recession, but also closed our merger with Northwest and began a smooth integration process. Despite the difficult economic environment, we expect to be solidly profitable in 2009 driven by lower fuel costs, capacity discipline, and merger synergies. Delta people have a great track record for achieving their goals, and I am confident that 2009 will be another successful year."

Delta Air Lines Inc. operates Delta, Northwest Airlines, Comair, Mesaba Airlines and Compass Airlines.

Man Nabbed for Using Computer to Entice Child to Atlanta

Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Gregory Jones, FBI Atlanta, announced the arrest of Russell Edward Worsham.

Worsham, 42, was arrested by Agents of the FBI’s Safe Child Task Force (SCTF) last Friday, for reportedly using an interstate telecommunications device (a computer) to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. A criminal complaint issued in the Northern District of Georgia charges Worsham with violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b).

Worsham, an appliance repairman from Macon, allegedly engaged in a series of Internet conversations with what he believed was the mother of girl under the age of 10. During these conversations, Worsham allegedly made plans with the mother to travel from Macon to Atlanta in order to engage in sexual behavior with the child.

In fact, both the mother and daughter were fictional, and Worsham was having the aforementioned conversations with an SCTF Agent acting in an undercover capacity. Worsham was arrested without incident upon his arrival at the agreed upon meeting place.

Worsham was expected to make an initial appearance before a United States Magistrate on Monday.

Atlanta Cop Ends Up on Wrong Side of Law

An Atlanta police officer spent some time on the other side of the law after being arrested for reportedly fighting with his wife, who is also a cop.

According to authorities, a fight ensued recently between officer Ricardo Moyet and his wife, Shannon, at City Hall East, where officers go to fuel up their squad cars. A third officer reportedly stepped in to break up the altercation, which turned physical.

Ricardo Moyet was booked at the Fulton County Jail and returned to work, where he is on non-enforcement administrative duty for now.

Moyet was charged with simple battery following the fight. The other two officers involved were not charged.

Emory Chemist Garners NSF Career Award

The National Science Foundation recently awarded a highly competitive CAREER development grant to Simon Blakey, assistant professor of organic chemistry at Emory University. The grant provides Blakey $550,000 over five years for his work to improve processes for both drug discovery and production, and for his commitment to interactive teaching methods.

Blakey is experimenting with new ways to form carbon-nitrogen bonds. "Out of the 50 top-selling drugs, 47 of them contain carbon-nitrogen bonds, making these bonds immensely important to medicine," he says.

During the past year, his lab has demonstrated the potential of using a rhodium catalyst to simultaneously form three bonds: for carbon-nitrogen, carbon-oxygen and carbon-carbon. "Eliminating steps in chemical processes can provide streamlined approaches to make existing drugs and to create new ones," Blakey says. "We are putting together a complex framework for drug discovery, to allow for efficient experimentation with variations."

Innovative Teaching Also Receives Notice

The NSF CAREER awards go to investigators in the early stages of their careers who are working on transformative ideas in their fields, while also striving to educate the next generation of scientists.

When he teaches sophomore chemistry, Blakey sees himself more as a guide than a lecturer. He briefly explains a concept to his students, gives them a problem, and then breaks them into groups to solve it. "We are linking the way we do chemistry in the research lab with the classroom, by getting the class to come up with the answers themselves," he says. "Students are more likely to understand the chemistry when they find the solution. They also better understand the mistakes that are commonly made, when they make one themselves."

Plant-Based Malaria Treatment Molecule Focus of New Research

In addition to the NSF award, Blakey's lab recently received seed funding to investigate the anti-malarial properties of a molecule derived from a plant in Madagascar. Several years ago, scientists isolated the molecule from the bark of the plant, which is boiled and used by traditional healers to treat malaria in Madagascar.

"It's an exciting molecule, but the plant only makes it in small quantities," says Blakey, who wants to learn how and why it protects against malaria.

Georgia Unemployment Rate Hits 8.1 Percent

The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) reported that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 8.1 percent in December, the highest rate in almost 26 years.

The jobless rate was up 3.6 percentage points from 4.5 percent at this same time last year. The December unemployment rate was up seven-tenths of one percentage point from a revised 7.4 percent in November. The last time Georgia posted a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate at this level was in March of 1983 when the rate was also 8.1 percent. The state rate remained above the national rate of 7.2 percent for the 11th straight month.

At present, 393,168 unemployed Georgians are looking for work. Of that number, 156,719, or 40 percent, are drawing unemployment insurance benefits. Over the last year, the number of payroll jobs decreased 121,800 or 2.9 percent.

Jobs were lost in manufacturing, construction, and trade, along with professional and business services, including temporary employment agencies. Jobs were added in health care, education, and with the federal government.

Home Depot Reports Some 7,000 Layoffs

Pink slips are unfortunately the order of the day for some 7,000 employees of Atlanta-based Home Depot.

According to Home Depot, it will close all of its EXPO stores as a result of poor performance. "Over the next two months, the company will be closing 34 EXPO Design Center stores, five YardBIRDS stores, two Design Center stores and a bath remodeling business known as HD Bath, with seven locations," company officials noted in a press release. The closures will impact 5,000 employees in those locations, their support functions and their distribution centers.

Along with closing the EXPO stores Home Depot officials report the elimination of another 2,000 jobs, trimming the company's workforce by 10 percent. Approximately 500 of those cuts will be at the company's headquarters in Cobb County.

Harrison High Athlete Killed in Car Crash

Family and friends are mourning the loss of a Harrison High School football player who was killed in Marietta early Saturday morning after the teen's vehicle reportedly veered off the road, hitting a vehicle in the opposite lane.

According to authorities, Garrett Reed, 16, of Powder Springs, was operating a black 1994 Lexus and traveling at a high rate of speed in the area of Midway Road and Sylvia Drive when the accident happened.

Investigators report Reed was headed northbound on Midway Road, lost control and crossed into the southbound lanes of Midway Road, striking a white 2003 Mazda-6. The operator of the other vehicle, Richard Reyes, 25, of Dallas, Ga., was injured and listed in stable condition.

Reed was a junior at Harrison High School in Kennesaw, and played wide receiver/defensive back for the Harrison Hoya Football team.

A viewing for Reed will be held Monday, Jan. 26 from 6-9 p.m. at West Cobb Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Powder Springs. A grave side service will follow at Kennesaw Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, Reed's loved ones are asking the public to make a donation to the Harrison Hoya Football Booster Club.

Husband Now Suspect in Death of Canton Woman

Rodney Burton has gone from a person of interest to the prime suspect in the death of his wife, Canton resident Kimberly Burton, 39.

Authorities say Burton's nude body was discovered by a relative inside her Canton home on Arlington Circle, in the Green subdivision last Monday. Burton, who died of blunt force trauma to the head, was discovered after not reporting to work at an eye care center. She was a graduate of Mary Persons High School in Forsyth.

In light of the crime, Rodney Burton now faces charges of murder and aggravated assault.

Authorities say Burton, who has reportedly departed the country, left a Canton home in his wife's vehicle and drove to Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.

Atlanta Resident Pleads Guilty in Wire Fraud, Tax Scheme

Ronald K. Johnston, 37, of Atlanta, has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of filing a false tax return, arising out of a scheme to defraud Home Depot, according to United States Attorney David Nahmias.

"This is the third former Home Depot employee who has now admitted accepting bribes from the company's foreign suppliers and then not reporting or paying taxes on that illegal income. This type of conduct corrupts the honest operation of American businesses, and those who pay, receive, or solicit such payoffs risk federal prosecution," said Deborah Garza, Acting Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department's Antitrust Division.

According to Nahmias and information presented in court: Between 2005 and 2007, Johnston, a former merchant for flooring, participated in a conspiracy to defraud Home Depot by taking kickbacks from foreign suppliers seeking to do business with Home Depot. Johnston arranged for Home Depot to purchase items for resale on less than the most advantageous terms to the company.

Another former Home Depot employee, Anthony Tesvich, who pleaded guilty last June to similar offenses, received millions of dollars in bribes from foreign suppliers and passed on to Johnston through kickbacks hundreds of thousands of dollars and also made payments to a home improvement company for work on Johnston's residence.

In July 2008, another former Home Depot employee, James P. Robinson, also pleaded guilty to similar charges arising out of his participation in this scheme to defraud Home Depot.

Johnston also pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return by underreporting his income for tax years 2005 ($60,108 in unreported income); and 2006 ($125,893 in unreported income).

Johnston could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge, and a maximum sentence of 3 years in prison on each tax charge. Johnston also could be fined up to $250,000 on each count.

Couple Pleads Guilty in Abusing Use of Nanny

An Atlanta couple offered guilty pleas Friday afternoon in a case where they reportedly exploited and harbored an illegal immigrant from India as their nanny.

According to court documents, Malika Garrett and her husband, Russell Garrett, a former Forsyth County sheriff's deputy, made the guilty pleas in federal court. The two reportedly used intimidation and fear as ways to keep their nanny from speaking up. Investigators claim that Russell Garrett used his badge as a way to keep the nanny quiet.

The couple is slated to be sentenced in April.

Woodstock Teen Arrested in Vehicle Break-ins

Police in Cherokee County have arrested a 19-year-old male and charged him with more than a dozen counts of breaking and entering.

According to authorities, Austin Stovall, 19, of Woodstock, was taken into custody Wednesday night after police discovered two bags filled with digital cameras, iPods, and GPS units in Stovall’s car. A deputy first pulled Stovall over on Bells Ferry Road for a broken tail light.

Authorities think the items discovered in Stovall’s car came from at least 40 vehicle break-ins stretching back to October.

Stovall is charged with 16 counts of entering autos and is in the Cherokee Adult Detention Center.

Public Invited to Join Emory 'Quest' for Knowledge

Emory QUEST, a partnership between Emory University's College of Arts and Sciences and the Emory Center for Lifelong Learning, is offering a new slate of academically focused, intellectually stimulating non-credit courses for the winter term. Taught by Emory faculty, QUEST courses highlight current events and hot topics from the liberal arts and sciences.

This session, participants can learn more about the culture of Iraq, the cause, effect and possible solutions for the current economic crisis, the culture death and dying, animal intelligence and more.

All Emory QUEST courses are open to the public. Upcoming courses are listed below. To obtain additional information and view a full schedule of upcoming courses or register, visit http://www.EmoryQUEST.org or call 404.727.5519. The five-session courses are $350. Courses offered this term include:

• The Financial Crisis: Market Volatility, the Bailout and Prospects for the U.S. Economy
Tuesdays, Feb. 3-24, 7-9 p.m.
Instructor: Hashem Dezhbakhsh, professor and chair of the Emory Department of Economics. This course will provide an intuitive understanding of the current financial crisis, its causes and potential effects, and explore proposals to mitigate its impact.

• Iraq: From Sumer to Saddam – A Cultural History
Mondays, Feb. 23-March 23, 7-9 p.m.
Instructor: Shalom Goldman, professor of Hebrew and Middle Eastern Studies. This course explores how Iraq’s history brought it to the forefront of today’s geopolitics.

• Animal Intelligence: Cognition and Culture
Tuesdays, Feb. 3-March 3, 7-9 p.m.
Instructor: Lori Marino, senior lecturer in neuroscience and behavioral biology and research associate with the Smithsonian Institution. This course explores the intriguing subjects of animal intelligence, emotion and self-awareness.

• Death, Dying and Religion: A Cultural and Historical Analysis
Wednesdays, Feb. 4-March 4, 7-9 p.m.
Gary Laderman, professor of American religious history and cultures and author of two books on death in America. This course provides a cross-cultural analysis of death and the rituals that surround it.

• All the World’s a Stage: Shakespeare in International Film
Mondays, March 23-April 20, 7-9 p.m.
Instructor: Sheila Cavanaugh, professor of Shakespeare and pedagogy and director of the Emory Women Writers’ Research Project. This course explores the central textual issues in Shakespeare’s plays across a range of diverse and intriguing international cinematic cultures.

• Molecular Fraud: Synthetic Imitations of Nature
Wednesdays, Feb. 4-March 4, 7-9 p.m.
Daphne Norton, director of general chemistry laboratories and recipient of Emory’s Center for Teaching and Curriculum Excellence in Teaching Award. This course explores how chemistry is inspired by, and at times improves on, nature.

• After the Death of God: Friedrich Nietzsche
Tuesdays, March 17-April 14, 7-9 p.m.
Instructor: Andrew J. Mitchell, assistant professor of philosophy at Emory. This course explores the major ideas of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: the will to power, the eternal recurrence of the same, and his conception of a "death" of God.

• Right, Wrong, and Relativism: Thinking About Contemporary Moral Challenges
Thursdays, March 26-April 30, 7-9 p.m.
Instructor: Edward L. Queen, director of research programs for the Institute of Human Rights, and the D. Abbott Turner Program in Ethics and Servant Leadership at Emory’s Center for Ethics. This course challenges students to think about moral decisions in a culture permeated by the twin poles of relativism and absolutism, and challenged by technological advances that impact our very understanding of what it means to be human.

• The Nuclear Threat: Proliferation, Terrorism and Science
Tuesdays, Feb. 3-March 3, 7-9 p.m.
Instructor: Dan Reiter, professor and chair of Emory's Department of Political Science. This course examines the science, history and politics of nuclear weapons, the most destructive machines ever devised.

• Three Novels of Magic Realism: One Hundred Years of Solitude, Midnight’s Children and Beloved
Tuesdays, Feb. 3-March 3, 7-9 p.m.
Instructor: Ricardo Gutiérrez-Mouat, director of undergraduate studies in the Latin American & Caribbean Studies Program. This course explores three acclaimed novels by authors Gabriel García Márquez, Salman Rushdie and Toni Morrison, each characterized by their cultural diversity.

GEICO Dropping Rates for Georgia Customers

GEICO has good news for motorists in the Peach State: a new auto insurance rate plan that will save Georgia drivers money. The rating plan is already in effect for new policies and will be effective Feb. 8 for renewal policies.

"On average, current GEICO policyholders will receive a 2.3 percent decrease for the same coverages,” said Dina Pon, assistant vice president with underwriting responsibilities for GEICO’s Southeast operations. “The changes for new business customers will make GEICO’s auto policy rates in Georgia even more competitive for consumers. This is especially true because some other companies are raising their auto insurance rates in Georgia at the same time we are lowering ours.”

The new low rates are expected to increase GEICO’s policyholder growth in Georgia, where it is currently the fourth-largest insurer in the state. The rate decreases are possible due to a combination of factors that include rate changes by coverage, implementation of additional discounts and the hard work of GEICO’s 4,079 associates in the company’s Macon office.

Overall premium changes for individual motorists will vary based upon factors such as coverages purchased, geographic area, type of vehicle, risk characteristics, and discounts for which they qualify.

Georgia residents may also notice GEICO’s increased marketing efforts with a slate of television, radio and print ads as part of the “New Low Rates in Georgia” campaign.

Perdue Announces Bond Package for USG

As part of his Fiscal Year 2010 Budget recommendation, Gov. Sonny Perdue proposed a $325 million bond package for construction projects for the University System of Georgia.

The bonds will fund new construction and renovation projects throughout Georgia’s University system. The Board of Regents bond package is part of the $1.2 billion in projects included in the Governor’s FY10 budget proposal, which was presented recently to the Georgia General Assembly during the Governor’s annual State of the State Address.

“This year’s bond package, totaling over $1.2 billion in new investment, will put Georgians to work and build critical infrastructure,” said Gov. Perdue. “In a time that we have trimmed our budget in other areas, we are aggressively increasing our bond package by a full twenty percent over last year. This will take advantage of low construction costs and create an estimated 20,000 new jobs in an industry that is ready to go to work.”

Dronett's Death Ruled a Suicide

The Gwinnett County medical examiner's chief forensics investigator ruled Thursday that the death of former Atlanta Falcons player Shane Dronett was a suicide.

Dronett, who was a member of the team's 1998 Super Bowl squad, was found dead in his home on Wednesday. The medical examiner's office did not release the type of suicide.

The former Falcon and Denver Broncos player had surgery around a year ago to remove a benign brain tumor. Dronett, who played professionally for 10 years, came to the NFL after playing at the University of Texas.

Dronett is survived by wife Kris and two daughters.

Alexander to Give Public Reading at Emory

Inaugural poet Elizabeth Alexander will give a public reading at Emory University at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, in Glenn Memorial Auditorium, 1652 N. Decatur Rd. Admission is free.

A book signing will follow the reading. Alexander's books, including the inaugural poem and a limited edition broadside, will be available for purchase and signing.

Alexander delivered her inaugural poem, "Praise Song for the Day," before an assembled crowd of more than a million people during Tuesday's ceremonies. "This will be her first public appearance since being on the presidential dais," says Kevin Young, award-winning poet and curator of literary collections and the Raymond Danowski Poetry Library at Emory's Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library.

Poet, essayist, playwright and teacher, Alexander is the author of four books of poems, including "The Venus Hottentot" and "American Sublime," the latter of which was named one of three finalists for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize. She has received many grants and honors, most recently the Alphonse Fletcher Sr. Fellowship and the 2007 Jackson Prize for Poetry, awarded by Poets & Writers. A professor at Yale University, Alexander was recently named Inaugural Poet, only the fourth poet asked to read at a presidential inauguration after Robert Frost, Maya Angelou and Miller Williams.

Alexander's appearance is part of the university's Raymond Danowski Poetry Library Reading Series. Other series events include: Campbell McGrath, 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, Jones Room, Woodruff Library; and Li-Young Lee, 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, Jones Room, Woodruff Library.

Husband of Former Police Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Child Porn

An Atlanta man who is the husband of a former city police sergeant is looking at a minimum of 10 years in jail for producing child porn.

In court on Thursday, Terrill Crane pleaded guilty to a child porn charge. His wife, Tonya Carroll-Crane, has admitted she destroyed pictures of her husband being sexually active with young girls. Crane, 49, could get a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.

The U.S. Attorney said Crane, who will be sentenced in March, snapped pictures of himself and others in sexual acts with young girls, some of whom were as young as middle school age.

Crane's wife was fired by the Atlanta Police Department after her involvement in destroying the pictures became known.

Emory Libraries Names New Associate Provost

Xuemao Wang has been selected for the newly established position of associate vice provost (AVP) for the Emory University Libraries.

Wang, who will begin the position Feb. 16, comes to Emory from The Johns Hopkins University, where he served as head of library systems for the Sheridan Libraries. As AVP, he will work closely with Rick Luce, vice provost and director of libraries, to implement the libraries’ vision and strategic initiatives. Wang will have direct responsibilities for managing the general libraries’ operational areas for general collections, technical services and user services.

During his tenure at Johns Hopkins, Wang led a strategic initiative across its five-campus library system to establish a foundation for collaboratively sharing information technologies and services.

During more than 25 years of broad library and information services experience, Wang also has held leadership positions at the Metropolitan New York Library Council, where he advocated for information technologies and services in the 270-plus libraries across the greater New York area, and the Queens Borough Public Library, where he helped pioneer the WorldLinQ system, the first multilingual library web portal in the country for public libraries.

Known as “Shimo” to his colleagues, Wang began his library career as head of the information service department at the Chongqing School of Government and Public Administration in China. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from Wuhan University in Wuhan, China, a master of library science degree from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, a master of library and information science degree from the University of South Carolina, and a master of business administration degree from the Frank G. Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University. He also was a 2007 participant in the Frye Leadership Institute at Emory.

Wang is a recognized contributor to the work of a broad range of national and international associations. He has research interests in library leadership development, global librarianship and global digital library infrastructures. He has published research articles and book chapters in these topics and has been a speaker at professional conferences in both the United States and China.

Police Want to Speak to Husband in Optician's Death

Police want to speak to the husband of a deceased Canton optician who was found beaten to death inside her home Monday.

According to authorities, Kimberly Leigh Burton, 39, was discovered inside her home by a relative in the River Green subdivision after she failed to report to work. Burton, who was discovered nude, reportedly died of blunt trauma to the head.

Burton's second husband, Rodney Burton, is not being named a suspect, yet police want to speak with him.

Authorities also reported that Kimberly Burton’s 2007 Nissan Maxima was not at the home, but her husband's car was.

Ex-Falcon Discovered Dead in Home

Shane Dronett, who played a decade in the NFL and was a starter in every game as a member of the Atlanta Falcons' 1998 Super Bowl squad, was discovered dead in his home Wednesday.

According to authorities from the Gwinnett County police department, officers were called to Dronett’s home near Atlanta on Wednesday in relation to a possible suicide. Police confirmed that Dronett’s body was discovered at the residence, and that an autopsy was pending.

Dronett, a second round pick of the Denver Broncos in 1992, was 38 years old.

Emory Appoints Bell, Goddard as New Trustees

Thomas Bell, a corporate management leader, and Robert Goddard III, an Atlanta-based real estate investor, have been elected to Emory University’s Board of Trustees. Both have been actively engaged in the community, including having served together on the board of Emory Healthcare. They will be welcomed as term trustees at the Board of Trustees’ meeting in February.

Bell is chairman and CEO of Cousins Properties, one of the country’s top diversified development companies. Bell spent 10 years at the marketing and communications company Young & Rubicam Inc., where he retired as chairman and CEO. A leader in corporate management and governance, Bell previously served as vice chairman of the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, president and CEO of the Hudson Institute, and chairman of the board for the Center for Naval Analysis.

Bell is a member of several boards, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Regal Entertainment Group, AGL Resources, and the Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation. During the Reagan administration, he chaired the Committee on the Next Agenda, which focused on prioritizing issues for President Reagan’s second term.

Goddard III is chairman and CEO of Goddard Investment Group LLC, a privately held firm investing in commercial real estate primarily in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Denver and Miami. He also is chairman of Post Properties Inc., a leading developer and operator of upscale multi-family communities throughout the United States. Previously, he was chairman and CEO of Atlanta-based NAI/Brannen Goddard Company.

Goddard has held posts on the board of directors of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Atlanta Ballet and the Georgia Special Olympics. He also has been active in the Society of International Business Fellows and the Chief Executives Organization. He currently serves on the board of the Pittuloch Foundation.

“Bell and Goddard bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the Board of Trustees,” says Rosemary Magee, vice president and secretary of the university. “Both care deeply about the power of community and the promise of education — Emory will benefit greatly from their increased commitment and contributions.”

The 39-member Emory University Board of Trustees oversees the governance and long-range fiduciary health of the university. New term trustees serve a six-year initial term; a four-year renewable term may follow. Term trustees are selected by the Governance, Trusteeship and Nominations Committee and submitted to the Board of Trustees for consideration and approval. Final approval rests with the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Make of Vehicle Can Determine If You Get a Ticket

EDITOR'S NOTE: This item ran on our sister site at dailyinsurer.blogspot.com .

Does it matter what kind of car you drive when it comes to getting a ticket? Perhaps it does.

San Francisco-based Quality Planning, a company that validates policyholder information for auto insurers, analyzed moving violations handed out to drivers of various vehicle models in the United States between August 2007 and September 2008.

According to the findings, drivers of the Hummer H2 and H3, with 1.07 tickets per 100,000 miles, were 4.63 times more likely to get a ticket than the average driver. The sporty tC came in a close second at 4.60 times the average.

Based on the study, "ticketability" appears to be related mainly to one or more of these factors: size, speed and driver age.

Also driving into the Top 10 were the Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG and CLS63 AMG, both of which produce in the neighborhood of 500 horsepower.

Four cars from Toyota -- the aforementioned Scion tC, the Scion xA and xB and the Matrix, also landed in the top of the rankings.

The Audi A4, a sleek upscale sedan, and the Subaru Outback station wagon also made the Top 10.

Among those being least ticketed were the Jaguar XJ, the Buick Park Avenue, the Oldsmobile Silhouette minivan and the Chevy Suburban and Tahoe SUVs.

Warning Continues on Foods Containing Peanut Butter

Health officials continue to warn people to avoid foods containing peanut butter, as the number of individuals sickened nationwide in a Salmonella outbreak involving the product has reached nearly 500 cases. The FDA has traced the outbreak to a Blakley, Georgia plant owned by Peanut Corp. of America, which produces peanut butter and peanut paste.

The illnesses have been noted in 43 states and Canada, and may have been a factor in the deaths of six people.

According to the government, consumers should stay away from cookies, cakes and other foods containing peanut butter for the time being. Peanut butter sold in jars to consumers is not considered a problem.

Actress Mitchell-Leon Dead at 57

Actress and drama teacher Carol Mitchell-Leon, 57, died Monday in Atlanta after a long illness.

Mitchell-Leon, who performed in a number of local stage performances and films, reportedly had been in deteriorating health since suffering a heart attack back in November of 2007.

Mitchell-Leon was married to Atlanta director Kenny Leon from 1987 to 1998 and was an instructor in the drama department of Clark Atlanta University. Her film credits included Fried Green Tomatoes, Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Idlewild.

She appeared on a number of stages in Atlanta including the Alliance, 7 Stages, PushPush, Actor’s Express, the Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Marietta’s Theatre in the Square and Synchronicity Performance Group.

William H. Scott Exhibition Opens Jan. 23 at Emory

An exhibition on the papers and personal effects of an African American leader who brought early attention to the issue of civil rights will open at Emory University’s Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library (MARBL) Friday, Jan. 23.

“Slave, Soldier, Citizen: The Journey of William Henry Scott,” an exhibition by Randall K. Burkett, curator of African American Collections, will be in display in MARBL Jan. 23-Aug. 8. A public opening and reception is scheduled 1:30-3:30 p.m. in MARBL.

Following the opening will be an address by Julian Bond, chairman of the NAACP, at 4 p.m. in Cannon Chapel, part of the King Week celebration at Emory Jan. 19-27.

Witnessed Civil War

Scott (1848-1910) grew up in Virginia in his master’s house and didn’t realize he was a slave until he was eight years old. He immediately began plotting his escape and found an opportunity in 1862, when Union troops moved into the area. Major Loring Muzzey of the 12th Massachusetts Regiment was looking for a bright young slave to educate, and he and the regiment took Scott under their wing. Scott spent three and a half years as Muzzey’s aide-de-camp, witnessing some of the worst battles of the Civil War.

Scott became a teacher, owned a bookstore in Washington, D.C., and was ordained a Baptist minister. Politically active throughout his adult life, he founded the Massachusetts Racial Protective League in 1896 and was one of the 29 original members of the Niagara Movement, the predecessor of the NAACP.

“As a teacher, historian, preacher and political activist, he was a fearless advocate for full citizenship rights at a time when, increasingly, those rights were being crushed by Northern indifference and Southern intransigence,” says Burkett.

Highlights

The exhibition encompasses photographs, sermon manuscripts, broadsides and pamphlets documenting all aspects of Scott’s life, including:

• A sword Scott snatched from a dead Confederate officer during a lull in the Battle of Fredericksburg.
• Recordings of Scott’s sermons read by the Rev. C. T. Vivian, one of Atlanta’s eminent civil rights leaders.
• Tintypes and photographs including a portrait of Muzzey, a photo of young Scott in his Union uniform and many family portraits.

Scott’s achievements came to light when one of Burkett’s students in Massachusetts wrote his senior thesis about the original members of the Niagara Movement and located Scott’s grandson, Henry T. Scott. The grandson bequeathed the family papers to Burkett with the request that his grandfather’s story be brought to public attention.

The exhibition is free and open to the public during normal library hours. MARBL is located on the 10th floor of the Woodruff Library on the Emory University campus, 540 Asbury Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322, marbl@emory.edu, 404-727-6887. Cannon Chapel is located at 515 Kilgo Circle on the Emory campus.

Optician Found Dead in Her Canton Residence

Canton police are awaiting autopsy results on a 39-year-old optician who was discovered dead in her home.

According to authorities, Kim Burton was found in her River Green subdivision residence on Monday after she failed to report to work at an eye care center.

While police suspect foul play, no arrests have been made in the case.

Arrests Made for Allegedly Supplying OxyContin to Teens

Cherokee County authorities reported the arrests of 10 individuals who allegedly took part in supplying teenagers with the prescription painkiller OxyContin.

Authorities noted the arrests of Marc Loren Peyton, 49, of Acworth, Gregory Shawn Davis, 35, of Cartersville, Larry Franklin Kines, 49, of Powder Springs, Craig Robert Jakubczyk, 26, of Kennesaw, Thomas Eugene Knight Jr., 25, of Dallas, Jason Andrew Gazaway, 26, of Acworth, Kelsey Rochelle Bos, 19, of Woodstock, Jesse James Clark, 17, of Boaz, Ala., Robert Joseph Clark Jr., 20, of Boaz, and Robert Joseph Clark Sr., 45, of Kennesaw.

Nearly 200 OxyContin pills and one and a half ounces of methamphetamine were confiscated during the drug sweep.

Authorities said that a 19-year-old white female, a graduate of Woodstock High School, was at a residence last Friday on Copperhead Road in Acworth purchasing OxyContin during the execution of a search warrant.

Delta Flight Attendant Sues; Claims She Was Denied Work

Both JetBlue Airways and Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines are being sued by a flight attendant who claims a male employee denied her a work-related flight because her outfit was not provocative enough.

According to the lawsuit, Karin Keegan, 37, of Pittsburgh, who works for Delta, which has an agreement for JetBlue to ferry Delta flight attendants to job assignments on a standby basis, claimed a male JetBlue worker wouldn't allow her on a flight in October 2007 because she wasn't dressed provocatively enough. The worker then reportedly permitted other flight attendants with less seniority to board the plane.

In part, the lawsuit states that "Keegan changed into more provocative clothes, but (the employee) told her she was too late to board the plane and should have dressed like that before." Her attorney claims that the worker wanted Keegan to change to a lower-cut shirt and tighter pants, and wear more makeup before letting her on the flight.

According to the lawsuit, Delta and JetBlue officials refused to intercede when she complained.

New D.A. to Look into Ramsey Murder

The new district attorney for Boulder County, Colorado, said he plans to take a fresh look at the investigation into the 1996 slaying of JonBenet Ramsey, which touched off a nationwide search for her killer.

The DA's office assumed responsibility for the investigation in 2002. But District Attorney Stan Garnett, who was sworn into office last week, wants to decide during his first 30 days in office whether the case should be returned to Boulder police.

On Dec. 26, 1996, John Ramsey discovered the body of his 6-year-old daughter, JonBenet, in the basement of the family's Boulder home. The girl had been strangled and beaten. A ransom note was discovered on the stairs of the home, demanding $118,000. While John and Patsy Ramsey were suspected of some involvement in their daughter's death, they were never formally named as suspects, and a grand jury refused to indict them. Patsy Ramsey died in 2006 of ovarian cancer.

John Mark Karr, a one-time teacher and Georgia resident at the time, was arrested in Thailand and brought to Colorado. Authorities said Karr told a University of Colorado professor in e-mails that he was involved in JonBenet's death. He told reporters after his arrest that he was with the child when she died, although he called her death an accident and said he loved her. He was later cleared in her death.

Both JonBenet and Patsy Ramsey are buried in Murietta.