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Army reservists head overseas
The second half of the Augusta-based 319th Transportation
Company will deploy overseas today as part of the United States'
war on terrorism. The first half left Wednesday morning from
Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga. Augusta
Chronicle
State crime labs face DNA backlog; Georgia
keeping up with case load
Georgia is staying ahead of the game by using robots to perform
some of the time-consuming tasks. Augusta
Chronicle
Ferguson says economy strong enough to weather
storm
The U.S. economy will likely weather the current onslaught
of economic woes and dodge the threat of deflation, in the
view of Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Roger W. Ferguson, who
spoke Wednesday at the University of Georgia. Athens
Banner-Herald
U.S. Rep. John Linder says he is finally
seeing movement on his Fair Tax proposal
Recent meetings with Speaker Dennis Hastert and Ways and Means
Chair Bill Thomas show that legislators may consider moving
to a consumption tax, applied to things people buy instead
of payroll and businesses. Gwinnett
Daily Post
Governor calls for vote on flag
Reopening one of the state's most controversial issues, Gov.
Sonny Perdue presented a plan Wednesday that would let voters
help select the state flag. Augusta
Chronicle/Morris
Midyear budget clears House committee
The state's midyear budget is on its way to the Georgia House
after clearing a legislative committee Wednesday. Augusta
Chronicle
Perdue introduces tax bills
In a new twist to his evolving tax policy, Gov. Sonny Perdue
is considering whether the tax increases he proposed for tobacco
and alcohol just weeks ago should be made permanent rather
than ending after four years. Athens
Banner-Herald/AP
Senate passes bill that raises penalty on
elder abuse
A bill that would raise the penalty for abusing senior citizens
from one year up to five was passed unanimously in the Senate
Wednesday. Augusta
Chronicle/AP , Gwinnett
Daily Post
Trucks could be forced to drive slower
Trucks would be forced to drive 10 mph slower than other vehicles
on highways under a legislative proposal made by Rep. Larry
Walker of Perry. Macon
Telegraph Truckers against bill to make them drive
slower. Rome
News-Tribune
Williams will keep seat on state BOE
Carol Williams, an Athens woman, will keep her seat on the
state Board of Education, while board members from Augusta
and Savannah will lose their posts, victims of congressional
redistricting. Athens
Banner-Herald/Morris
Legislators force tax collection plan
State legislators took decisive action to force an agreement
between the Chatham County Commission and the Savannah-Chatham
school board over the county's school tax-collection fee hike.
Savannah
Morning News
Mortgage market seeks fix
Some mortgage brokers in the state say the predatory lending
law passed last year by the Georgia General Assembly is taking
a big bite out of their business and putting loans out of
reach for some consumers. Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
Customers show few signs of terrorist fears
Some people are heeding the government warnings about stockpiling
goods, but most are taking the warnings in stride. Augusta
Chronicle Hardware stores benefit from terror alert.
Gwinnett
Daily Post
Coca-Cola net income falls 23% in 2002
The Coca-Cola Co. reported its net income dropped 22.5 percent
after charges related to expensing stock options in 2002.
WPBA-TV
Fisher rejects buyout bids
Debt-laden broadcaster Fisher Communications Inc. said on
Wednesday it had rejected buyout proposals and decided instead
to remain independent and aggressively pursue a restructuring
initiative. New
York Times/Reuters
Columbus Council OKs library contractor
Columbus Council unanimously approved Batson-Cook Co. of West
Point, Ga., as the construction contractor for the $50.4 million
new main library project. Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
Fiber-optics company recalls workers to meet
deadlines
After months downsizing, optical-fiber maker OFS is adding
jobs to the payroll. The company said it recalled 80 production
workers to its Norcross plant to meet increasing demand for
optical fiber. Gwinnett
Daily Post
Parking lot deal may be dead in Rome
Atlanta Gas Light has withdrawn from the downtown parking
deck deal, landing a serious blow to a six-year effort to
bring additional parking and a proposed Marriott Courtyard
Hotel to downtown Rome. Rome
News-Tribune
Ethics complaint may be filed in Cuthbert
|A consultant for a state ethics group accused the Randolph
County School Board of violating state ethics guidelines Tuesday
night. Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
Who's in charge at State Board of Education?
Even with a scorecard you can't tell the players who serve
on the Georgia State Board of Education. Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
College-entrance preferences for the well-connected
draw ire
In response to legal challenges to affirmative action, the
public university systems of Georgia and California have dropped
preferences in recent years for legacies and other so-called
V.I.P. applicants. New
York Times
Mediation in UGA dispute over animal center
A legal dispute holding up funding for the Animal Health Research
Center at the University of Georgia could be resolved soon,
a state official close to the project said Wednesday. Athens
Banner-Herald/Morris
Dual enrollment gives students a head start
About 200 students are earning high school and college credits
from Middle Georgia Technical College as part of a statewide
dual-enrollment program aimed at moving students from high
school to college to the work force within two years. Macon
Telegraph
High school writing test scores rise
Keeping with the state trend, juniors in Gwinnett increased
their writing scores on the Georgia high school writing exam,
administered in October. Gwinnett
Daily Post
Funds sought for designs of next SPLOST schools
Despite the fact that county voters have yet to approve the
renewal of a local sales tax for new school construction,
the Cobb Board of Education may move forward with hiring architects
to design 10 still unfunded construction projects.
Marietta Daily Journal
White House disinvitation prompts poetry readings at GC&SU
The first lady's decision to cancel a poetry symposium first
scheduled for Wednesday afternoon launched what GC&SU
English professor Martin Lammon called a "grass-roots
campaign" of poets across the country to stage poetry
readings Wednesday. Macon
Telegraph
Partnership between UGA and Athens-Clarke
will shorten response time
In one of the first Athens-Clarke County/University of Georgia
partnerships of its kind, the Athens-Clarke Fire Department
and UGA's Environmental Safety Division will work side by
side in a newly expanded hazardous material response team.
Athens
Banner Herald
Jackson facility receives Plant of the Year
award
With no pollution violations in eight years, Gwinnett’s
first advanced water reclamation facility has won the state’s
highest honor. Gwinnett
Daily Post
Gwinnett county to create master plan for
water reuse
In a quest to recycle water, Gwinnett officials will devise
a master plan for the future of the county’s water reuse
system. Gwinnett
Daily Post
Emory: Adult stem cells may repair damage
High levels of an adult stem cell believed to be able to patch
damaged blood vessel walls may indicate a lower risk of heart
attack and stroke, Emory University Hospital and government
researchers said Wednesday. Athens
Banner-Herald/AP
Alzheimer's problem only growing. Gwinnett
Daily Post
Cancer Coalition seeks state funding
Members of the Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition's executive
committee presented their case for funding and assistance
to representatives from the Georgia Cancer Coalition Wednesday
at South Georgia Medical Center. Valdosta
Daily Times
Augusta project map expands
Citing urban growth, officials said a study area for projects
will be expanded to include more of Augusta's outer reaches.
Augusta
Chronicle
Probe prompts Meriwether to OK audit
Meriwether County Commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday
to hire an independent auditor to conduct a 5-year audit of
all county offices under the jurisdiction of the board of
commissioners. Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
Athens proposes collection meters to target
panhandlers
Pay a few cents into Athens parking meters and shop for a
few hours without getting a ticket. Then add whatever pocket
change is left to another meter and keep aggressive panhandlers
away. Augusta
Chronicle
Safety, quality of life are commission priorities
Improving public safety and quality of life are among the
top goals of Athens-Clarke County commissioners as they approach
the hard decisions that may arise as they develop a budget
for the coming fiscal year. Athens
Banner-Herald
Former Surgeon General to speak
Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher will be the
keynote speaker at a local Black History Observance breakfast
at 7:30 a.m.Monday at the Columbus Convention & Trade
Center. Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
Commissioners abandon fight over Bear Creek
debt
With a January loan bill still unpaid, the commission voted
this week to borrow $1.7 million to pay Jackson County's share
of the debt on the four-county reservoir for the remainder
of this year. Athens
Banner-Herald
Parking violators get the boot in Macon.
Macon Telegraph
Department's approval clears way for redevelopment
efforts in Marietta
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved
the demolition of the vacant Johnny Walker Homes housing project,
clearing the way to redevelop the coveted land near Marietta
Square. Marietta
Daily Journal
Augusta panel awaits dispute on tax
Persuading downtown property owners to levy a tax increase
on themselves is not going to be an easy task, members of
the committee looking to create a business improvement district
acknowledged Wednesday. Augusta
Chronicle
Barrow citizens to decide what to do with
charter
A small committee of Barrow County citizens will decide how
- or whether - to change the structure of the local government,
after the county commission decided to back off of proposed
changes and create an advisory panel to study the matter.
Athens
Banner Herald
Political hypocrisy
"If Richmond County Democrats had a history of calling
to account politicians of their own party who engaged in ethical
lapses, then Tuesday's attack on state Sen. Don Cheeks, R-Augusta,
by Chairman Lowell Greenbaum would have some credibility."
Augusta
Chronicle
The political facts of life
"Marquette McKnight of Columbus was appointed to the
state Board of Education by then-Gov. Roy Barnes just over
two years ago. In an editorial at that time congratulating
McKnight on her appointment and wishing her well, we noted
that her role, 'like it or not, will frequently be at least
as much about politics and PR as about education.'" Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer
Though not a surprise, Perdue's flag proposal is still
disappointing
"Gov. Sonny Perdue chose the 194th anniversary of Abraham
Lincoln's birth to announce his plan for when and how the
next battle over the Civil War will be waged." Athens
Banner-Herald
Call it what it is: price gouging
"Anyone who's driven their vehicle in the past week already
knows the bad news: Gasoline prices are skyrocketing. The
busiest, hardest working employees in town are the service
stations workers flipping the ever-higher numbers up on the
pricing signs." Macon
Telegraph
Let's start a trend
"It should be considered heartening to the people of
Georgia, and the nation, that former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr is
taking "a very close and hard look" at running in
the 6th Congressional District. That seat would be coming
open because Johnny Isakson, its current occupant, has announced
he will in 2004 seek the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by
Zell Miller." Rome
News-Tribune
Feds should help tobacco farmers
"With the federal government mired in international crises
and a deficit budget, it might be easy for elected leaders
to forget about the situation faced by U.S. tobacco farmers.
They shouldn't." Valdosta
Daily Times
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