Three Georgians Arrested in Alleged Hazing

Louisiana authorities have arrested seven men who were reportedly involved in an alleged hazing incident involving members of the Southern University band. Among those arrested are three Georgia residents.

Among those arrested was:

1. Carlo-Andres Carter, 03/03/89, Stone Mountain, Ga.
2. Harvey Harrison, 04/10/89, Augusta, Ga
3. Joseph Lee Webb, 07/09/87, Columbus, Ga.

All were charged with Aggravated Second Degree Battery, and Ritualistic Acts.

According to authorities in East Baton Rouge Parish, three members of the band were beaten with a two-by-four wooden board as part of an initiation into the band’s French horn section. Two of the victims were hospitalized and were in serious condition in the intensive care unit at a Baton Rouge hospital.

A witness reportedly identified seven members of the band’s French horn section as being present and taking part in the ritual.

Girl Reportedly Abducted Near MARTA station

Editor's Note: Police have updated this information and are now saying the reported abduction may have been a false alarm. Authorities spent several hours this morning searching for a missing girl and have found no evidence. Police began their search after receiving a tip from a witness about a possible abduction.

A young girl was reportedly kidnapped early this morning around the Westlake MARTA station.

According to authorities, a man was taken into custody near the scene, but there was no sign of the reported victim, whom police say was walking in the area and was between 5 and 7 years old.

The MARTA station is located north of I-20 on Westlake Avenue.

Gays, Lesbians Calling for Work Boycott Dec. 10

EDITOR'S NOTE: Although this site is primarily geared towards Atlanta area news, we will from time to time take a look at national and world events, with some opinions thrown in. We welcome your comments at all times!

With their recent defeat of same-sex marriage in California, Arizona and Florida, gays and lesbians are taking a new approach to getting their way.

A number of same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to take a day off from work this Wednesday and "call in gay" to their bosses, showing how much the country depends on gays and lesbians to make offices run.

Backers of "Day Without a Gay" — scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and tooled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants — also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money.

Witeck-Combs Communications, a Washington public relations firm specializing in the gay and lesbian market, published a study this year that estimated that gay and lesbian consumers spend $700 billion each year.

Sean Hetherington, a West Hollywood, California comedian and personal trainer, came up with the notion along with his boyfriend, Aaron Hartzler.

The duo were reading online that a small number of angry gay-rights activists were seeking a daylong strike to protest California voters' passage last month of Proposition 8, which reversed this year's state Supreme Court decision permitting gay marriage.

California voters for the second time this decade said no to same-sex marriage, yet gays and lesbians once again vow to find judges who will turn the wishes of the majority around.

Several lawsuits were brought against the vote and will reportedly be heard by judges in March.

Editor's Take: While it is certainly one's right to take a "sick" day from work, those in the gay and lesbian community need to realize that much of mainstream America are not bigots. Those of us who have no problems with civil unions simply draw the line at redefining marriage. Californians have voted twice now on this issue and both times said no to redefining marriage. While the gay and lesbian community vow to fight the vote's outcome, I have no doubt that those who backed Prop 8 (keeping marriage as that of between a man and a woman) will stand behind their beliefs too. One of the biggest outrages I have with the gay and lesbian community is comparing their fight to that of black people who fought decades for civil rights. The two issues are entirely different, and it is rather insulting to many black people to have the two compared. Gays and lesbians have made great strides, but there comes a time to know when enough is enough. For many of us in the heterosexual community, that time has come.

Annual Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta Returns

The giant peach is back and ready for the countdown to 2009!

Ring in the New Year from midnight to 4 a.m. at the 20th Annual Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta (50 Upper Alabama St.) with family fun, singing sensation Julianne Hough and Atlanta's own 800 lb. peach! Peach Drop is the largest New Year's Eve Countdown celebration in the entire southeast and this year's celebration is set to be the best one yet!

Visit www.PeachDrop.com to find answers to frequently asked questions, fun facts and up-to-the-minute information about Peach Drop 2009.

Murphy the Dog Gets a New Home

An Atlanta area resident is getting a special gift for Christmas - a new dog.

Robert Kennedy, who rescued a dog from Murphey Candler Park last week, will become its new owner once all the paper work has been finalized.

The German Shepherd, who now goes by the name of Murphy, was found with severe head injuries after being hit in the head with a sledgehammer.

The dog's previous owner, Joseph Waters (pictured above), was arrested and taken to DeKalb County Jail on $25,000 bond, charged with a felony count of animal cruelty.

Murphy, who was named for the park where he was discovered, was taken to Pets are People Too of Dunwoody for treatment. Despite losing an eye in the attack, Murphy does not appear to have suffered permanent brain damage, according to vets.

Kennedy has set up a trust fund Thursday to help cover the costs that may reach $6,000.

Those interested in helping Kennedy with Murphy's medical bills can make a gift at any Wachovia Bank branch, to the Murphy the Dog account, number 1010209642669.

Students Show Improvement on State's Writing Test

Georgia's High School students showed steady improvement on the state's writing test this fall.

Eighty-nine percent of students met or exceeded standards on the Georgia High School Writing Test (GHSWT) -- up one percentage point from fall, 2007. Many of Georgia's student subgroups showed dramatic gains, including English Language Learners and Students with Disabilities.

"Our high schools are doing an excellent job teaching our students the importance of writing and the results are showing on the GHSWT," said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. "Using our new curriculum, the Georgia Performance Standards, Georgia is growing a strong generation of writers and communicators."

More than 106,000 students took the GHSWT this fall, of which 96,444 were first-time test takers in grade 11. The pass rate for first-time test takers was 91 percent.

The pass rate for English Language Learners was 65 percent, a jump of 12 percentage points from last year. The pass rate for Students with Disabilities was 60 percent, an increase of five percentage points. The scores of African-American (85 percent) and Hispanic (82 percent) students each rose two percentage points, while the pass rate of white students held steady at 93 percent.

"We are seeing high achievement and improvement across the board on the writing test," Cox said.

Radio Broadcaster Kavanagh Dead at 57

Veteran Atlanta radio broadcaster Mike Kavanagh passed away over the weekend at the age of 57.

According to WSB, where Kavanagh hosted "Money Matters Radio Talk Show" most recently, Kavanagh suffered a heart attack on Saturday at his residence.

Kavanagh's work included 15 years as co-anchor of "Atlanta's Evening News" on News/Talk 750 WSB with Lisa Campbell before hosting "Money Matters."

Kavanagh was also a senior partner in the financial firm Capital Investment Advisors Inc. in Atlanta.

Tough Economy Leads to Belt Tightening for Many

Some 61 percent of employees said they plan to spend “much less” this holiday season, according to a Tell It Now^SM poll released by ComPsych Corporation. Another 29 percent of employees said they plan to spend “somewhat less” this year.

Employees were asked: Are you changing your holiday spending due to the economic downturn?

• 61 percent said – Yes, I am spending much less than last year
• 29 percent said – Yes, I am spending somewhat less than last year
• 7 percent – No, I am spending the same as last year
• 3 percent – No, I am spending more than last year

Calls to ComPsych’s FinancialConnect service have increased considerably in the current economic climate as employees rethink their budgets. “Are people worried? Absolutely,” said Dr. Richard Chaifetz, chairman and CEO of ComPsych. “We’ve seen a significant increase in calls related to overhauling household budgets and also in hardship cases, where people are seeking outside assistance for paying basic bills. Providing financial information and resources has become more important than ever given the challenges employees are facing.”

The following is a list of the top reasons for calls to ComPsych’s FinancialConnect service:

1. Credit cards/debt management

2. Budgeting questions

3. Mortgage issues

4. Hardship issues

5. Tax questions

ComPsych’s FinancialConnect service is an employer-provided benefit that helps workers navigate financial issues with support, resources and information. The program provides access to certified financial planners, certified public accountants and other financial experts to answer employee questions and help develop solutions.

School Counselor Arrested for Interaction with Child

A Fulton County school employee found herself in trouble over the weekend as she was arrested for allegedly attacking a 10-year-old girl in a public bathroom at the AMF Woodstock Lanes.

According to police, Amy Syrinek-Ross, 32, a counselor at Woodland Charter Elementary School, allegedly grabbed the arm of a young girl in a bathroom during a birthday party.

Police reported that the child said she went in the bathroom to check on her hair and was approached by a woman who allegedly said how cute the girl was. After reportedly asking the girl if she needed help putting stick on tattoo and the girl said no, the accused allgedly grabbed the girl's arms and began to go through her pockets. Another woman in the bathroom reportedly intervened in the situation.

Syrinek-Ross, of Marietta, turned herself in to police this morning and was charged with simple battery before posting bail.

Dawgs, Spartans to Meet in Capital One Bowl

The Georgia Bulldogs will head to Orlando for the New Year's holiday as they will battle the Michigan State Spartans Jan. 1 in the Capital One Bowl.

Both teams will enter the game with 9-3 records, and both come in losing their season-ending games. Georgia lost a 45-42 decision to rival Georgia Tech, while Michigan State was blown out at Penn State.

Missing Paulding Co. Woman Found Dead in Austell

The family of Paulding County resident Laneeka Varnado got the terrible news Saturday evening - their loved one was found dead.

According to authorities, Varnado, 22, who had been missing since Nov. 25, was found inside her 1999 Mercedes on the property of a landowner in Austell.

Both the body and the vehicle were removed from the scene and taken to a vehicle examination spot on the grounds of the Cobb County Police Department Headquarters compound.

According to a preliminary examination by the Cobb County Medical Examiners Office, Varnado died as the result of an automobile accident.

Authorities said Varnado departed her residence in Paulding County on Nov. 24, to attend an event at the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta.

See related story at: goatlanta-ga.blogspot.com/2008/11/search-on-for-woman-missing-since.html

November National Job Losses Top 500,000

Georgians and others in the rest of the country felt the pain last month, as the U.S. Government reported this past week that the nation’s economy lost 533,000 non-farm jobs in November. The decline is the largest one-month job loss, in terms of raw numbers, since December of 1974.

The loss increased the nation's unemployment rate to 6.7%, up from a revised unemployment rate of 6.5% the month prior. The unemployment rate is the highest its been in some 15 years.

Since the recession began in December last year, more than 1.9 million jobs have been lost, according to the Labor Department.

On the local front, (November numbers not yet available), the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) reported that the unemployment rate in metro Atlanta rose to a preliminary unadjusted rate of 6.8 percent in October, up 2.4 percentage points over the year from October of 2007. The jobless rate in metro Atlanta rose four-tenths of one percentage point from a revised 6.4 percent in September.

Meanwhile, Georgia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 7.0 percent in October, the highest rate in more than 16 years. The jobless rate was up 2.5 percentage points from 4.5 percent at this same time last year. The October unemployment rate was up six-tenths of one percentage point from a revised 6.4 percent in September. At present, 343,093 unemployed Georgians are looking for work.

Pruitt Loses Battle with Cancer

The head of the Fayette County Sheriff's Drug Task Force lost his battle with cancer on Saturday.

Mike Pruitt, who was suffering from kidney and lung cancer, died peacefully with family and friends at his side.

Visitation is slated for Monday starting at 4 p.m. at the C.J. Mowell and Sons Funeral Home in Fayetteville.

Pruitt's funeral services are scheduled for Tuesday at 11 a.m. in Harp's Baptist Church.

Simpson to Stay Behind Bars for Some Time

EDITOR'S NOTE: Although this site is primarily geared towards Atlanta area news, we will from time to time take a look at national and world events, with some opinions thrown in. We welcome your comments at all times!

Former NFL great O.J. Simpson was sentenced today to up to 33 years behind bars for armed robbery and kidnapping during a failed attempt in September of 2007 to regain sports memorabilia from two collectibles dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room.

Simpson, 61, who will be eligible for parole after 2017, was led away in handcuffs and shackles following the sentencing before Judge Jackie Glass.

Simpson's co-defendant, Clarence "C.J." Stewart, was sentenced to at least 15 years behind bars.

Among those in the courtroom to hear the sentencing were Fred and Kim Goldman, the father and sister of murder victim Ron Goldman.

Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson were murdered in June of 1994, a crime O.J. Simpson was found not guilty of a year later.

EDITOR'S TAKE: This verdict has nothing to do (at least we hope not) with the verdict back in 1995. The verdict also will not bring back Nicole or Ron. However, we applaud the fact that Simpson is getting his time behind bars. He escaped a prison sentence once before due to incompetence by some in the Los Angeles police force and the prosecutor's office. Simpson has basically flung his nose at society since that verdict back in 1995. Now, society is the one getting the last laugh. Many of us believe Simpson got away with two murders back in June of 1994 in California. Today, time may have finally caught up with the Juice.

15 Die in Traffic Accidents During Holiday Period

The 2008 Thanksgiving holiday travel period ended Sunday night with 4,542 traffic crashes, 1,073 injuries, and 15 traffic deaths reported over the 102-hour long period, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

Rain across the state since last Friday contributed to the higher than expected number of crashes and injuries.

See dps.georgia.gov/00/article/0,2086,5635600_6640623_31707828,00.html
for more information.

Alpharetta Fire Captain Charged in Child Case

Alpharetta Fire Captain Tristen Cruz is in hot water with authorities, charged with six counts of sexual exploitation of a child.

According to authorities, Cruz, an employee of the city for seven years, has been placed on administrative leave with pay from his job as the city's fire services captain. Cruz allegedly had images of child pornography on two of his computers.

Cruz, who turned himself in yesterday, was being investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Georgia Ranked 41st Healthiest State

In a disturbing development, the 2008 America’s Health Rankings: A Call to Action for Individuals & Their Communities revealed that the health of Americans has failed to improve for the fourth consecutive year.

Key factors contributing to these results included unprecedented levels of obesity, an increasing number of uninsured people, and the persistence of risky health behaviors, particularly tobacco use.

For local residents, the news was not overly inspiring. Georgia ranked as the 41st healthiest state in the U.S.

For 19 years, America’s Health Rankings™ has provided an annual analysis of national health on a state-by-state basis. The longest running report of its kind, America’s Health Rankings evaluates a historical and comprehensive set of health, environmental, and socio-economic data to determine national health benchmarks and an annual ranking of the healthiest and least healthy states.

Despite the discouraging national story, some states are making significant strides against some of the country’s biggest health challenges — demonstrating that there are workable solutions to the most prevalent health problems.

During the 1990s, health improved at an average rate of 1.5 percent per year, but improvements against national health measurements have remained flat for the last four years. Smoking, obesity, and the uninsured are the nation’s three most critical challenges. Significant reductions in the prevalence of smoking have not occurred since the early 1990s and have virtually stalled in the last four years.

America’s Health Rankings 2008 edition shows Vermont as the healthiest state for the second year in a row. A broad range of health initiatives have made it possible for Vermont to make progress in areas where the rest of the country needs the greatest improvement. Within the state, the prevalence of smoking has declined to 17.6 percent of the population, there is a slower rise in obesity than the U.S. national average, and the number of people without health insurance remains low. Vermont leads the nation for all health determinants measured.

Hawaii climbed from a ranking of third to second this year, followed by New Hampshire (3), Minnesota (4), and Utah (5) to round out the top five healthiest states.

On the down side, Louisiana replaces Mississippi as the least healthy state this year. Challenges include a high prevalence of obesity, a high percentage of children in poverty, and a high rate of uninsured population.

Mississippi improved to 49th followed by South Carolina (48), Tennessee (47), and Texas (46). Each of these states continues to struggle with difficult socioeconomic challenges that manifest themselves in these rankings.

A comparison of state rankings from 2007 to 2008 indicates that 36 states had positive changes in their overall health scores and 14 experienced declines.

Teacher Arrested For Being in Park with Teenager

An Atlanta area teacher was arrested Tuesday evening after reportedly being caught in a public park with a 17-year-old female student.

According to authorities in Paulding County, Eric Woodworth, 42, was sitting in a parked car with the girl when police arrived on the scene. He was charged with sexual assault and obstruction.

Woodworth, who teaches physical education and coaches freshmen football at Paulding County High School, was being held on $4,250 bond.

The girl, meantime, was charged with providing a false name and date of birth to a police officer.

$110M Investment Planned to Address I-85 Traffic

Gov. Sonny Perdue and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters have announced the federal government is investing $110 million to support an innovative plan to reduce traffic congestion on the Interstate 85 corridor in Gwinnett and DeKalb counties.

The plan will allow more commuters to take advantage of I-85’s HOV lanes, and will allow for the establishment of new high-speed commuter bus service into downtown. The $110 million federal grant will be matched by $37 million in state and local funds.

The project development and delivery will take two years. The first phase of the demonstration project will institute a network consisting of dynamically-priced high occupancy toll lanes on I-85, stretching from I-285 to Old Peachtree Road by January, 2011. The state will monitor the demonstration project for multiple success factors and report its performance through extensive outreach to the general public and lawmakers.

Future phases of Atlanta’s congestion plan will include a 49-mile network of additional HOV-to-HOT lane conversions along I-85, I-75 and I-20. Similar HOT lane projects have been implemented in Minneapolis and Southern California, and these areas have already seen a reduction in the amount of congestion during peak travel times.

Also included in the grant is $30 million for transit service enhancement that will operate on the newly converted expressways. The funding will go towards the purchase of new buses and the construction and expansion of park-and-ride facilities.

Georgia is the most recent state to receive federal funding from the Department of Transportation for its efforts to establish a more permanent federal program focused on innovative solutions to improve mobility and fight increasing congestion in metropolitan areas. Details on Secretary Peters’ innovative Reform Proposal can be found at www.FightGridlockNow.gov .

Sen. Chambliss Thanks Backers for Their Efforts

Sen. Saxby Chambliss, who celebrated with supporters last evening in Atlanta following his victory in the run-off race with Jim Martin, sent out the following message a day after the election.


Greetings!

The day we have been working so hard for has finally arrived! Last night we showed the rest of the country that the conservative movement is still alive!

This victory would not have been possible without all of your hard work. Julianne and I were humbled and honored to have so many people working with us for victory.

With this historic victory behind us, we need to rebuild the party and get back to our principles that made us so great.

I will fight for smaller government, lower taxes, and individual freedoms, because that is what you sent me to Washington to do.

Thank you all for helping us achieve 57% of the vote in Georgia! I appreciate the hard campaign that my opponent ran, and wish him the best.

Now we need to focus on the future, and ensure that the America we know and love remains the free, safe, and secure country for our children and grandchildren.

Again, from the bottom of my heart I thank you for helping us achieve victory!

Thank you for your continued support and prayers.