The Bibb County Commission now has a fourth site being considered as a location for the new courthouse. The Telegraph is offering its downtown building as well as some surrounding property to the county for just over 2-million dollars. A final decision on where to locate the courthouse will be made by the Bibb County Commission. They must also vote whether to include the Telegraph's property in their study of proposed sites. Those currently under consideration include a parking lot at 1st Street and Mulberry, the Bb&T Building, as well as land near the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center.
President Barack Obama's choice to become the new surgeon general has ties to Macon. Dr. Regina Benjamin came here in the 1980's after receiving her doctor of medicine degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1984. She was also a member of the second class at the Morehouse School of Medicine. She served her internship and residency in family practice at the Medical Center of Central Georgia.
Representative Jim Marshall is suggesting that military bases look at becoming energy independent by building nuclear power plants. According to the Telegraph the proposal is included in the 650-page House Defense Authorization Bill. It asks for a study yo look at the feasibility of developing nuclear power plants on bases. The bill recently cleared the U.S. House of Representatives. Marshall says it comes as a response to the military's mandate to have clean, efficient, secure energy. No new nuclear plants have been built in the U.S. since a 1979 accident at 3 Mile Island Power Plant in Pennsylvania.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Headlines for June 30, 2009
The Environmental Protection Agency has released a list of potentially hazardous coal ash ponds, and one of them is in Milledgeville. It is only one listed in Georgia. The agency says it will inspect each of the 44 sites across the country to make sure they are structurally sound. 'the ash ponds are similar to one in Tennessee that collapsed, sending ash and sludge into a neighborhood, damaging 40 homes and contaminating a river. The EPA says the sites are being listed as hazardous because they are near where people live, not because they have found any problems. Officials with Georgia Power say they inspect the coal ash pond at Plant Branch regularly and have not found any problems. Coal ash is a by product from burning coal to produce electricity.
The Bibb County Commissions has adopted its 2010 budget. It goes into effect Wednesday. The budget is just over 115-million dollars and includes a probable tax increase. That translates into an additional 13 dollars a year for a 100-thousand dollar home.
A new state law could make hundreds of Bibb County students eligible for transfers. According to the Telegraph, House Bill 251 allows parents to move their children to different schools if those schools have space. The law goes into effect Wednesday and requires school systems to notify parents about the option. The law does not allow students to transfer to newly built schools. Nineteen Bibb County schools are on the list of eligible schools. So far 50 parents have requested information about transfers.
The Bibb County Commissions has adopted its 2010 budget. It goes into effect Wednesday. The budget is just over 115-million dollars and includes a probable tax increase. That translates into an additional 13 dollars a year for a 100-thousand dollar home.
A new state law could make hundreds of Bibb County students eligible for transfers. According to the Telegraph, House Bill 251 allows parents to move their children to different schools if those schools have space. The law goes into effect Wednesday and requires school systems to notify parents about the option. The law does not allow students to transfer to newly built schools. Nineteen Bibb County schools are on the list of eligible schools. So far 50 parents have requested information about transfers.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Headlines for June 29, 2009
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to consider a last minute hearing this week for Georgia Death Row inmate Troy Davis. If the court does not decide by Tuesday to hear the case, Davis may have to wait until the fall. Davis is petitioning the court for a retrial in the 1991 murder case. He was convicted for murdering Savannah Police officer, Mark MacPhail. Since the trial, seven of nine witnesses in the case have recanted their testimony and some have indicated another man as the shooter. Today the NAACP is expected to deliver a petition with thousands of signatures to the Chatham County District Attorney. Davis is currently on death row in Jackson.
The Judicial Nominating Commission begins the task today of finding candidates to fill a vacancy on the State Supreme Court. The Commission, headed by former State Attorney General Michael Bowers will interview 38 candidates to replace Chief Justice Leah War Sears, who is stepping down. The commission expects to hold 20 minute interviews with each candidate and then make recommendations to Governor Sonny Perdue.
After two months of increases, gas prices in Georgia are expected to drop heading into the 4th of July weekend. In the last week the price for a gallon of gas has dropped 5 cents. Huge inventories and weak demand are the reasons for the decrease. Triple AAA has also predicted that 25-thousand fewer Georgians will take road trips over the holiday weekend.. More people are expected to fly, taking advantage of affordable plane tickets.
The Judicial Nominating Commission begins the task today of finding candidates to fill a vacancy on the State Supreme Court. The Commission, headed by former State Attorney General Michael Bowers will interview 38 candidates to replace Chief Justice Leah War Sears, who is stepping down. The commission expects to hold 20 minute interviews with each candidate and then make recommendations to Governor Sonny Perdue.
After two months of increases, gas prices in Georgia are expected to drop heading into the 4th of July weekend. In the last week the price for a gallon of gas has dropped 5 cents. Huge inventories and weak demand are the reasons for the decrease. Triple AAA has also predicted that 25-thousand fewer Georgians will take road trips over the holiday weekend.. More people are expected to fly, taking advantage of affordable plane tickets.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Headlines for June 25, 2009
State budget cuts will cause the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame to close Sundays and Mondays, beginning July 1st. The museum will also have to lay off six workers, leaving only five full-time employees. In March, local legislators attempted to pass a bill that would allow the museum to use money from the county’s hotel/motel tax for funding, but an agreement was never reached. In the upcoming fiscal year that begins on July 1st, the Sports Hall of Fame will receive about $512,000 from the state.
Macon City Council members met Wednesday to discuss changes to retiree health benefits. Changes such as withdrawing health insurance coverage for future retirees, charging retirees more for retirement health insurance and changing city policy for new hires, informing them at their time of hire that they won’t have city health insurance after they retire were proposed during the meeting. No action has been taken on any proposals because council members say they need more time. The changes will not affect current retirees but futures ones, which may cause workers to retire early. A change already made compels city employees to pay monthly premiums that will increase August 1st to about $113 per month. Next month, the council’s Employee Development and Compensation Committee meet.
Macon City Council members met Wednesday to discuss changes to retiree health benefits. Changes such as withdrawing health insurance coverage for future retirees, charging retirees more for retirement health insurance and changing city policy for new hires, informing them at their time of hire that they won’t have city health insurance after they retire were proposed during the meeting. No action has been taken on any proposals because council members say they need more time. The changes will not affect current retirees but futures ones, which may cause workers to retire early. A change already made compels city employees to pay monthly premiums that will increase August 1st to about $113 per month. Next month, the council’s Employee Development and Compensation Committee meet.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Headlines for June 24, 2009
The Macon City Council has approved its 2010 budget. Despite the approval, officials know they may have to revisit the budget in coming months because of declining revenues. The 112-million dollar budget includes cuts to funds set aside to close Macon's landfill. Dollars were also cut from the city's vehicle maintenance budget and there will be less money to pay fuel costs. City employees will not get a raise, but they will also not face furloughs or unpaid vacations. However, the city council is still waiting for a report that could recommend cutting more than 100 jobs from city payrolls at a later date.
Meanwhile, Fort Hawkins is getting a new visitors center. An empty service station on Emery Highway will also house an office, and classroom. Marty Willett is with the all volunteer Fort Hawkins Commission. He says the center will educate visitors and let them know of the fort's future plans. "How we want to keep archaeology going on in Middle Georgia forever. How we have plans to rebuild the fort. How we have plans to practice living history every day here." Willett says the commission will raise the money needed to renovate the new facility. The building was made available through a land swap involving the city, Mercer University, and a donation from the Peyton Anderson Foundation.
Agricultural experts say South Georgia's blueberry crop is in good shape. Originally they thought it would be a bad year, but yields are turning out higher than expected.
Meanwhile, Fort Hawkins is getting a new visitors center. An empty service station on Emery Highway will also house an office, and classroom. Marty Willett is with the all volunteer Fort Hawkins Commission. He says the center will educate visitors and let them know of the fort's future plans. "How we want to keep archaeology going on in Middle Georgia forever. How we have plans to rebuild the fort. How we have plans to practice living history every day here." Willett says the commission will raise the money needed to renovate the new facility. The building was made available through a land swap involving the city, Mercer University, and a donation from the Peyton Anderson Foundation.
Agricultural experts say South Georgia's blueberry crop is in good shape. Originally they thought it would be a bad year, but yields are turning out higher than expected.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Headlines for June 23, 2009
Mercer University has received a 5-million dollar grant to help revitalize the neighborhood near its Macon campus. The Knight Foundation is giving the College Hill Corridor Commission the money to implement a master plan to fix up parks, bring in businesses and enhance the local arts scene. Mercer President, Bill Underwood says the money will help increase public and private investment in the 1.5 mile stretch. "It can provide a catalyst to generating the resources necessary to make the College Hill Corridor an even more attractive, livable, lively, and sustainable residential commercial and recreational district in the heart of our historic neighborhoods." The grant could help bring even more money to the area. Congressman Jim Marshall has included close to 6-million dollars in transportation funding for the project in a bill now before Congress. Mercer says it will match a portion of those funds if the bill is approved.
A soldier with Georgia's 48th Brigade has died in Afghanistan. Sgt. John Blair of Calhoun died over the weekend after a grenade struck his vehicle. He was assigned to the brigade's 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry base in Lawrenceville. He's the fourth member of the 48th killed since soldiers began arriving in Afghanistan in May. More than 2-thousand members of the 48th based in Macon have been deployed to Afghanistan to help train the country's police and security forces.
A soldier with Georgia's 48th Brigade has died in Afghanistan. Sgt. John Blair of Calhoun died over the weekend after a grenade struck his vehicle. He was assigned to the brigade's 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry base in Lawrenceville. He's the fourth member of the 48th killed since soldiers began arriving in Afghanistan in May. More than 2-thousand members of the 48th based in Macon have been deployed to Afghanistan to help train the country's police and security forces.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Headlines for June 22, 2009
Convicted Perry physician, Spurgeon Green is being sentenced this week. According to the Telegraph, he faces up to 20 years in prison. Back in November a federal jury convicted him of wrongfully prescribing medications that led to the death of a patient. He was also convicted for postdating prescriptions. Prosecutors referred to his medical practice as a "pill mill". Green also dismissed his first attorney and was assigned court-appointed counsel. He later asked the judge to remove that lawyer. The judge denied his request and told him to either accept that counsel or represent himself.
A judge has sided with Macon-based Security Bank in a lawsuit. Former CEO Rhett Walker filed the suit alleging breach of contract after the bank failed to pay him more than 800-thousand dollars in severance pay. The bank claimed they could not pay him because the Federal Reserve deemed the money a "Golden Parachute" payment. The term is used to describe payments to executives of troubled banks. Walker claims the money was supposed to be paid months before the bank was deemed to be in troubled condition. Security Bank is currently under a cease and desist order from the FDIC and under federal regulation.
Federal regulators have shut down another Georgia bank. Southern Community Bank in Fayetteville will now be run by United Community Bank of Blairsville. The Federal deposit Insurance Corporation estimates that Southern Community bank's failure will cost the insurance fund 114-million dollars.
A judge has sided with Macon-based Security Bank in a lawsuit. Former CEO Rhett Walker filed the suit alleging breach of contract after the bank failed to pay him more than 800-thousand dollars in severance pay. The bank claimed they could not pay him because the Federal Reserve deemed the money a "Golden Parachute" payment. The term is used to describe payments to executives of troubled banks. Walker claims the money was supposed to be paid months before the bank was deemed to be in troubled condition. Security Bank is currently under a cease and desist order from the FDIC and under federal regulation.
Federal regulators have shut down another Georgia bank. Southern Community Bank in Fayetteville will now be run by United Community Bank of Blairsville. The Federal deposit Insurance Corporation estimates that Southern Community bank's failure will cost the insurance fund 114-million dollars.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)