Former Tift County Sheriff Gary Vowell has been tapped to fill Georgia’s public safety chief post after former public safety commissioner Col. Mark McDonough was forced out last week. McDonough was asked to resign by Gov. Brian Kemp following a cheating scandal involving 30 state troopers. Today the Board of Public Safety voted unanimously to […]
Posted inCrime
Georgia police search for bank robbery suspect
GAINESVILLE — Police in Gainesville need your help finding a suspect in a bank robbery that occurred Tuesday morning at a BB&T on Jesse Jewel Parkway. The robbery occurred at about 10:15 a.m., when the suspect entered the business through the main lobby and walked up to a bank teller. The suspect passed a note […]
Posted inYour Family
Bill to end Surprise Medical Billing in Georgia moves forward
Legislation aimed at ending the practice of “surprise billing” of medical patients in Georgia cleared a committee in the state House of Representatives Tuesday. Lawmakers have been trying for years to help patients hit with unexpected charges from hospitals that participate in their insurance plan’s network for health-care services provided by out-of-network specialists. “People are […]
Posted inCrime
Search continues for Georgia man wanted for arson
MORGAN COUNTY — Authorities are still searching for a Morgan County man they believe set fire to a pickup truck and a house last year. On Jan. 31, the Morgan County Grand Jury indicted 30-year-old Clifford Cole Walker for two counts of Arson in the First Degree and one count of Arson in the Second […]
Posted inIn The News
Former Georgia schools turnaround chief sues to block public release of damaging report
After resigning last month, the head of efforts to turnaround struggling schools in Georgia has filed a lawsuit against the state Department of Education to block public release of a damaging audit the agency completed that led to his resignation. The lawsuit was filed two days after the education agency notified Chief Turnaround Office Eric […]
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Landlords in Atlanta can no longer refuse to rent based on someone’s source of income
ATLANTA — The city of Atlanta is cracking down on housing discrimination by prohibiting landlords from rejecting an applicant based on that applicant’s source of income. The Atlanta City Council approved an ordinance Monday prohibiting such discrimination, which would also include denying the acceptance of government vouchers. The legislation was approved by a vote of […]
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14-year-old girl killed in fatal crash in Bibb County
MACON — A 14-year-old girl is dead after a police chase and crash that occurred in Bibb County early Monday morning. The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the fatal crash on Napier Ave. near Habersham Ave. at 1:40 a.m. Bibb County Sheriff’s Office Patrol deputies witnessed a Nissan Sentra fail to stop at the […]
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Rockdale County hit by ransomware attack
ROCKDALE COUNTY — Rockdale County was hit by a ransomware attack earlier this month, but the county reports the attack did not compromise any personal or financial data. According to county officials, the city received alerts that unusual activity was present on the Rockdale County network Feb. 6. After a brief investigation, abnormally high CPU […]
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Atlanta Mayor halts development around Westside Park
ATLANTA — Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has halted new construction permits and rezoning requests in the area surrounding Westside Park due to concerns about “pricing out” longtime residents. Bottoms issued an executive order directing the Directors of the Office of Buildings and the Office of Zoning and Development to “refuse to accept new applications […]
Posted inIn The News
Brown water, doing donuts in the snow and other news you missed over the weekend
It’s time to play a little game of catch-up for those local news items you may have missed over the weekend. For many Georgians, Valentine’s Day weekend blended into Presidents Day or a winter break for school-aged kids. Here is a rundown of some of the things you may not have heard about over the […]
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Why is the water in Decatur brown today?
DECATUR — If you live in the Decatur area and are experiencing brown water today, the DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management says you should run your faucets until the water is clear before using it. Crews are working to isolate and repair a 20-inch water main break at 920 Clairemont Ave. in Decatur. All […]
Posted inIn The News
5 Things We Didn’t Know Last Week
From concerns about Georgia’s teen suicide rate to the first Georgians to test positive for Coronavirus, this week has been an informative one. Here are some facts and figures we learned this week in the Peach State. Georgia’s teen suicide rate is a bigger problem than we thoughtAccording to Voices for Georgia’s Children, an advocacy […]
Posted inCrime
50-year-old Canton man convicted of child molestation
CANTON — A Cherokee County jury has convicted a 50-year-old Canton man of aggravated assault, battery-family violence, child molestation, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and hindering an emergency telephone call John Richard Hartsfield was found guilty of all charges after two hours of deliberation Jan. 30. Prosecutors say on May 20, 2018, Hartsfield […]
Posted inCrime
Police search for black Jeep that damaged property near Northwestern Middle School in Milton
MILTON — The Milton Police Department is looking for the occupants of a black Jeep Renegade who are responsible for doing “donuts” in a field near Northwestern Middle School, causing thousands of dollars in damage. According to the police department, on Feb. 8 the Jeep illegally entered onto property adjacent to Northwestern Middle School near […]
Posted inYour Family
Her son was transferred to an out-of-network hospital in an emergency. She got a surprise bill for $11,000
Lelia Stina had to act fast when her 4-year-old son, Liam, developed severe breathing problems last August. First she took him to an urgent care center in Rome, but it was a Sunday night and the center was closed. So she drove to Redmond Regional Medical Center, a hospital that’s in the network of her […]
Posted inIn The News
The Week In Pictures: North Georgia gets snow, Clarence Thomas comes to town
The story of this week in Georgia can be told through several photos, most of which contain snow. Saturday and Sunday saw the rare occurrence of snow in the Peach State and Georgians are always quick to get their cameras out before it melts away again. Other photos include notable people in Georgia and news […]
Posted inCrime
Sheriff’s Department: 77-year-old shot three people during deadly domestic dispute
DALLAS — A domestic dispute turned deadly in Dallas when Sheriff’s Dept. officials say a 77-year-old man opened fire on his wife, her son and her son’s girlfriend. According to the Sheriff’s Dept., at about 5:45 p.m. Feb. 11 a 911 call was placed in reference a domestic dispute with shots fired on Wesleyan Way […]
Posted inGeorgia People
Meet the new dean of UGA’s Tifton Campus
Michael Toews has been named assistant dean of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to oversee the Tifton Campus. Toews, a UGA entomology professor, succeeds Joe West, who is retiring February 28 after a 34-year career with the college. The UGA Tifton Campus has 60 faculty and more than 400 staff […]
