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Georgia postpones execution of woman

JACKSON, Ga. -- Georgia postponed its first execution of a woman in 70 years late Monday because of concerns about the drug to be used in the lethal injection.

The pentobarbital was sent to an independent lab to check its potency and the test came back at an acceptable level, but during subsequent checks it appeared cloudy, Georgia Department of Corrections spokeswoman Gwendolyn Hogan said. Corrections officials called the pharmacist and decided to postpone the execution "out of an abundance of caution," she said. No new date was given.

Pentobarbital is the only drug used in Georgia executions. For other recent executions, the state has gotten the drug from a compounding pharmacy, but officials did not immediately respond late Monday when asked if that was the source in this case. Georgia law prohibits the release of any identifying information about the source of execution drugs or any entity involved in an execution.

Kelly Renee Gissendaner was scheduled to be executed at 7 p.m. at the prison in Jackson for the February 1997 slaying of her husband, Douglas Gissendaner. The execution was put on hold while officials waited for the U.S. Supreme Court to either grant or deny a stay requested by her lawyers. The court had still not ruled more than five hours later.

Her lawyers were seeking a delay pending a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in another case out of Oklahoma, and an appellate court had rejected that request. Late Monday, the lawyers added additional arguments for the high court: that it should consider a stay because Gissendaner didn't kill her husband, Douglas Gissendaner, herself in February 1997. They also argued that she had been thoroughly rehabilitated.

Previously, courts had found Gissendaner had plotted the stabbing death of her husband by her boyfriend, Gregory Owen, who will be up for parole in eight years after accepting a life sentence and testifying against her.

Gissendaner would have been only the 16th woman put to death nationwide since the Supreme Court allowed the death penalty to resume in 1976. About 1,400 men have been executed since then, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, the only entity authorized to commute a death sentence, denied clemency last week and upheld that decision late Monday. Gissendaner's lawyers had urged the board to reconsider and "bestow mercy" by commuting her sentence to life without parole. The board said it voted to abide by its earlier decision after "careful consideration" of the request.

Kelly and Douglas Gissendaner had a troubled relationship, repeatedly splitting up and getting back together, divorcing and remarrying. At the time of her husband's death, Gissendaner was a 28-year-old mother of three children, 12, 7 and 5 years old. And she had an on-again, off-again lover in Owen.

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Rather than divorcing her husband again, Gissendaner repeatedly pushed Owen to kill him, prosecutors said. Acting on her instructions, Owen ambushed her husband while she went out with friends, and forced him to drive to a remote area. Then he marched him into the woods and stabbed him multiple times, prosecutors said.

Owen and Gissendaner then met up and set fire to the dead man's car in an attempted cover-up. Both initially denied involvement, but Owen eventually confessed and testified against his former girlfriend.

Her lawyers challenged the constitutionality of her sentence as disproportionate, given that she wasn't there when Owen killed her husband, and yet Owen will eventually be eligible for parole. But Georgia's Supreme Court voted 5-2 Monday to deny her motion, citing Owen's testimony that she pushed for murder rather than divorce so that she could get her husband's insurance money.

In their request Monday for reconsideration, Gissendaner's lawyers said the parole board did not have a chance to hear the overwhelmingly positive testimony of many corrections employees who declined to speak up for fear of retaliation.

Her clemency petition already included testimonials from dozens of spiritual advisers, inmates and prison staff who described a seriously damaged woman transformed through faith behind bars. She has shown remorse and provided hope to struggling inmates while helping guards maintain control, they said.

"The spiritual transformation and depth of faith that Ms. Gissendaner demonstrates and practices is a deep and sincere expression of a personal relationship with God," Prison chaplain Susan Bishop wrote. "It is not a superficial religious experience."

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s632/sh/3a0f98e0-1b1c-4e3b-b28a-4af8fef55d24/b4d232581f7a3057ed202bdbbce4ff8b

Two of Gissendaner's three children also asked the board to spare their mother's life, describing their own emotional journey from anger and bitterness to forgiveness.

"The impact of losing my mother would be devastating. I can't fathom losing another parent," wrote her daughter, Kayla Gissendaner. "My mom has touched so many lives. Executing her doesn't bring justice or peace to me or to anyone."

But it also has been "a long, hard, heartbreaking road" for Douglas Gissendaner's parents and sister, according to a statement from them issued through the Gwinnett County district attorney's office. The family made it clear they wanted the execution to go forward.

Several dozen people gathered outside the prison in support of Gissendaner, including some women who served time with her.

Kara Tragesser recalled Gissendaner telling her "You can do better!" when she was put on lockdown while serving a 10-year sentence for armed robbery.

"We're here because Kelly's made a difference in our lives," Tragesser said.

Michelle Collins, who did time for forgery, remembered Gissendaner persuading her to stop misbehaving and start caring about her future.

"She looked around at us and said, 'At least y'all are going to get out of here again. Who are you to throw your lives away when I'm never going to get out of here?"' said Collins.

"She gave me the will to do something good when I got out," said Collins, adding that she now makes good money working for a Fortune 500 company. "She told me to make sure I never came back and I never have."

A loud cheer came up from the crowd gathered outside the prison when they heard the execution had been postponed.

A news anchor for CBS Atlanta affiliate WGCL-TV, Scott Light, was slated to be one of the witnesses of the execution. He was in a room on prison grounds waiting to be transferred to another room where the execution was to have taken place, the station reports.

"I was in a news black hole," he said. "It was me and two other witnesses."

Light said he was given one note pad and two No.2 pencils.

"That four hours in that room was very, very strange," Light added. .

Also outside the prison were some death penalty opponents, WGCL says.

"I don't think it's right that a state just take a person's life," Melissa Roland told the station. "It's wrong. Kelly doesn't deserve to die."

Supporters formed a circle, sang and lit candles.

2015 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-postpones-execution-of-woman/

http://www.dds.ga.gov/

Armed suspect robs McDonough Holiday Inn Express

MCDONOUGH, Ga. -- McDonough Police are working to identify the suspect who robbed a local hotel.

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It happened Aug. 17 at around 12:30 a.m. at the McDonough Holiday Inn Express.

Surveillance video taken inside the hotel showed the suspect arriving and speaking with the clerk. After exchanging a few words, the suspect displayed a small handgun and demanded money from the register. He received cash, then ran from the hotel.

The suspect is described as a black man in his mid 20's, about 6 feet tall and 180 pounds. He was wearing shorts, a black Adidas T-shirt and a black Atlanta Braves baseball cap. The hat was later recovered in a wood line near the Holiday Inn.

Anyone with information in this robbery is asked to call McDonough Police at 678-782-6322.

http://mcdonough.11alive.com/news/news/1856232-armed-suspect-robs-mcdonough-holiday-inn-express

http://dor.georgia.gov/business-taxes

The Worst Job Of Her Life Helped This Woman Find Her True Calling

Fayette County Ga Businesses

Six years ago, there was nothing Tiffany Georgia loved more than getting up and going to her job as a dental hygienist at a community health clinic. Georgia, who lives in Tucson, Arizona, had always believed firmly in service work and giving back to her community, and she was thrilled to work at a place that provided care for patients who couldn't afford it on their own.

But when the economy took a dip in 2008, Georgia, now 34, found herself jobless. The government grants and donations that once provided funding for her position no longer existed.

"It became really clear to me that everything was driven by money and materialism," Georgia told The Huffington Post. "It was really disheartening that there were people who needed my services and my job was cut because of financial aspects."

Georgia took a job as a hygienist with a company called Pacific Dental Services. Now working in a corporate environment, she had to adjust to the idea that she could only treat patients who had enough money. It didn't feel right to Georgia to work for a company that turned away patients who needed care so badly. Around this time, she began to rethink her assumption that she would spend the rest of her career in health care.

As her new job wore on, Georgia became increasingly unhappy. The work itself was stressful, and she didn't feel uplifted by her coworkers. So when she began practicing yoga to relieve the mental and physical stress her job brought her, what started as a coping mechanism quickly became a passion.

"I never expected to be drawn into it and think, 'Oh, this is what I love doing, and I want to do it for the rest of my life,'" Georgia told The Huffington Post.

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She enrolled in a 200-hour teacher training program, a typical course for people seeking to become certified yoga instructors. While in that program, she connected with great people, learned more about herself and became even more invested in yoga as a career. Shortly after graduating in April 2013, Georgia began teaching yoga whenever she could.

Although she knew a full-time career in yoga was where she was headed, Georgia didn't feel comfortable leaving behind the financial security of her job. She attempted to teach yoga while continuing to work as a dental hygienist, but eventually, the job became more toxic than she could bear.

"When I asked for my hours to be cut, the environment just became more negative," Georgia said. "They cut my hours even more and sent me home some days. [The people I worked with] made it very easy for me to not want to be in the environment anymore."

So in June of this year, Georgia left her job and took up yoga full-time.

Since then, she has been much happier. She now teaches 12 classes a week and hopes to open her own studio next year. Even better, she finally feels like she's doing what she was put on this earth to do: give to others.

"I want to teach people how to find what they're passionate about and what makes them happy inwardly first, so they can make changes in their own life," Georgia said.

That's exactly how she feels, now that she's finally on a path she's happy with -- even if it wasn't what she expected.

"You can have a plan, and you can get attached to that plan," Georgia told HuffPost. "But you have to listen to what your heart is telling you and let that direct your path."

Check out Georgia's website, Empower Tucson, here.

If you or someone you know is taking steps to live a life that's simpler, saner and more fulfilling, we want to hear about it. To submit a Letting Go nomination, email thirdmetric@huffingtonpost.com.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/17/giving-back-community_n_5545233.html

http://www.georgiasbdc.org/

Law Newspaper Names Arnall Golden Gregory Insurance Litigation Practice Best in Georgia

Henry Fayette Group

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Arnall Golden Gregorys Insurance Coverage Practice has been named Insurance Litigation Department of the Year by the Fulton County Daily Report, a newspaper that covers the legal industry in metro Atlanta and Georgia.

AGGs team was selected in a competition among Georgias most respected law firms. Henry R. Chalmers and Ashley Steiner Kelly, co-chairs of the firms Litigation Practice, will accept the Daily Report award at a dinner on April 23 at The Ritz Carlton Buckhead in Atlanta. The newspaper will publish a special section on April 21 recognizing the award winners and finalists in seven litigation categories.

The Daily Report cited AGGs success in several insurance matters:

Defense of Zurich Services Corporation, an affiliate of Zurich Insurance Group, in wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits arising out of the Imperial Sugar Refinery explosion in Savannah, Ga., in February 2008, which caused 14 deaths. Zurich was a defendant in 47 separate actions before multiple judges on claims of negligent inspection, with claims approaching approximately $500 million. AGG won summary judgment from two judges; in one of those cases plaintiffs medical expenses were approximately $23 million. The ruling was recently affirmed by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Jeffrey Y. Lewis and David L. Hobson, who handle litigation matters in a variety of industries, represented Zurich. Defense of the Weinstock & Scavo, P.C. law firm, which faced a legal malpractice claim brought by a former client, OTS, Inc., alleging 10 separate errors in the defense of a sexual harassment claim. AGG attorneys Scott F. Bertschi and Theresa Y. Kananen obtained dismissal of nine of the ten allegations on motion and successfully tried the remaining allegation in a five-day jury trial in which OTS sought more than $2 million in damages. The jury found for Weinstock & Scavo. Representation of American Guarantee and Liability Insurance Company, a professional liability insurance carrier, in a declaratory judgment action seeking a determination of its obligation to defend and indemnify an insured law firm, The Abram Law Group. The Abram Law Group was sued for various alleged failures in connection with an $11 million real estate closing. AGG attorneys Scott F. Bertschi and Scott A. Wandstrat filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings, seeking a declaration that the claim was excluded because it was related to a prior closing the attorney undertook while at another law firm. The District Court granted American Guarantees motion and found that it had no obligation to defend or indemnify The Abram Law Group. The judgment was recently upheld by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Defense of Facility Investments, a long-term care facility operator, against a claim by its professional liability insurance carrier, OneBeacon, for recoupment of settlement proceeds. Following allegations that Facility altered medical records, Facilitys insurance carrier settled a wrongful death claim on Facilitys behalf for $800,000, subject to a purported reservation of rights to recoup from Facility any uncovered portion of the claim. After Facility refused to accede to the purported reservation of rights or contribute any money to the settlement, OneBeacon sued Facility for recoupment. AGG attorneys Scott F. Bertschi and Jennifer L. Shelfer filed a motion to dismiss based on the argument that Georgia law did not permit an insurance company to settle subject to a unilateral reservation of rights. While the trial court denied the motion, AGG persuaded the Court of Appeals to accept an interlocutory appeal to resolve this open question of Georgia law. Following briefing, the Court of Appeals reversed the trial courts order, dismissed the claim against Facility, and held that OneBeacons unilateral reservation of rights was ineffective under Georgia law.

ABOUT ARNALL GOLDEN GREGORY LLP

Arnall Golden Gregory, with more than 150 attorneys in Atlanta and Washington, DC, employs a business sensibility approach, developing a deep understanding of each clients situation in order to find a customized, cost-sensitive solution. Selected for The National Law Journals prestigious 2013 Midsize Hot List, the firm advises on corporate, litigation and regulatory matters for numerous industries, including business services, healthcare, life sciences, logistics and transportation, real estate, franchising, information services, energy, and manufacturing. AGG is a solutions partner that subscribes to the belief not if, but how.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140417005055/en/Law-Newspaper-Names-Arnall-Golden-Gregory-Insurance

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Reports of Islamic Indoctrination Spread to Georgia Public Schools

Islamic indoctrination in public school is occurring right here in our backyard. As we previously reported, the core tenets of Islam are being taught in public schools in a way that could violate the U.S. Constitution. Other religions, such as Christianity, are barely covered. Recently, reports out of Georgia paralleled what has happened in Florida, Wisconsin, and Tennessee.

Georgia schools are required by the Georgia Department of Education to teach about Islam. For example, the Georgia Performance Standards mandate that students be able to Compare and contrast the prominent religions in Southwest Asia (Middle East): Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Much like other states, the Georgia Department of Education sets state-wide education standards and the local schools decide the curriculum. Local schools in Georgia, however, are reportedly adopting curriculums that appear aimed at indoctrinatingrather than educatingstudents.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported on one local middle school that is taking their curriculum too far. The AJC reports:

It is important that students understand the differences between each of these religions to help them understand the tensions that exist in the region, the state standards, known as the Georgia Performance Standards, say.

http://wallinside.com/post-55076803-georgia-tech-clemson-preview-fox-sports.html

In Walton County, that manifested itself in a homework assignment one parent found objectionable: Allah is the [blank] worshiped by Jews & Christians, the document said. The child filled in the blank with same God.

This is outrageous. State education standards require education on Islam, not indoctrination into the religion. Rather than explain the history of world religions, schools are reportedly forcing students to learn the Five Pillars of Islamthe creed one must learn to convertand teaching students that Allah is the same God worshipped by Christians.

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Unfortunately, this practice has been happening in schools for years. A spokeswoman for Walton County Public Schools stated that

We are teaching the same stuff that everyone else is teaching, she said, adding that the district hasnt changed its curriculum on the topic in nine years. Her son, a senior in high school, told her he remembers doing a quiz along the lines of the Allah is the same God back when he was in seventh grade.

Parents are understandably outraged. As one frustrated parent told the local news, We are seeing one page, five statements of Christian faith and 5 or 10 pages of Islamic faith, so there is no accountability to make sure it is equal.

Something needs to be done. We at the ACLJ are working hard to investigate, expose, and end these unconstitutional practices, and are committed to fighting for the constitutionally protected rights of all public school students. We continue to receive contact from concerned parents and citizens. We are working directly with our clientsparents of students in local schoolsand preparing to send out demand letters to these schools if necessary. Moreover, we recently sent open records requests to every school district in Tennessee to find out exactly what is being taught in our schools.



The ACLJ will not stop until our students constitutionally protected rights have been restored.

To learn more about Shariah laws threat to our constitutional freedoms, please see our booklet Shariah Law: Radical Islams Threat to the U.S. Constitution.

http://aclj.org/religious-liberty/reports-of-islamic-indoctrination-spread-to-georgia-public-schools

http://www.ajc.com/s/money/

Thieves knock out tornado sirens

HENRY COUNTY, Ga -- Thieves have hit a new low in Henry County and they may be putting people's lives at risk. They're stealing power equipment from tornado sirens rendering them silent.

Early warning is critical to surviving a tornado. That's why many counties, like Henry County, have tornado warning sirens. They have 48 of them scattered across the county so every resident can be warned to take cover.

But two sirens, one in Ellenwood on Swan Lake Drive and one in Stockbridge on Hearn Road, are silent because they're missing their power supplies. "Say if we had a warning during that time, that population wouldn't have got a warning," said County EMA Director Don Ash.

The power supplies are at the base of the siren tower and contain wiring and a backup battery. Director Ash said the boxes weigh about 900-pounds and cost about $6,000 to replace. It's money the county did not budget for. "Twelve thousand dollars that we didn't have but twelve thousand dollars that could have went to better needs in our community," Ash said.

The sirens are located along road sides in plain sight and Henry County Police are hoping someone saw someone stealing them. They are also hoping the crime doesn't become a trend. "For whatever money they're getting for the recycling or the sale of the equipment, it costs ten, twenty-times to replace," Henry County Police Captain Joey Smith said.

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Ash said the county is already taking steps to prevent the crime from happening in the future by adding monitoring equipment at the towers. He also said the county will put alert systems on the power supplies so if someone tampers with them the sirens will go off.

You can follow Kevin on Twitter @krowson11alive and like him on Facebook

http://mcdonough.11alive.com/news/news/1859752-thieves-knock-out-tornado-sirens

https://www.sba.gov/offices/district/ga/atlanta

School Shooting in Georgia, Alleged Gunman in Custody Video

Transcript for School Shooting in Georgia, Alleged Gunman in Custody

Just as so many american children are heading back to school, once again we have faced a day of fear. Today in an elementary school in atlanta, a 19-year-old man with a semiautomatic weapon made his way in, announcing his intent to kill until he was stopped in the nick of time. No child was injured but we saw those pictures. Again, little children sprinting to safety. Parents stricken with fear. A security officer shouting directions in the chaos and the are you unions, union erie reminder of newtown, connecticut, 8 months ago. Steve osunsami who was there with what happened moment by moment. Reporter: These are pictures no parent wants to see and they're frighteningly familiar. DESPERATE TEACHERS AT the McNair academy outside of atlanta rushing the young children away from danger, a police officer at the child's level telling her it will be all right. Inside the grade school, a man with a gun losing his mind. There were shots that were fired. Exactly how many and how that all transpired, offthose details. Reporter: These are describing the gunman as a white man around 19 years old. They say he entered the front offers armed with an ak 37 and other weapons. They sent police a message. I thought perhaps it was a prank. Reporter: The tv station says he wanted a news crew to come to the school to record people dying. When police arrived, he fired at officers and they fired back, a glass window at the school entrance shattered but no one was hurt and the shooter surrendered without incident. For the parents who scrambled to a walmart parking lot nearby it's chaos. It's a feeling you can't describe. Unless you have kids, you can't describe it. It don't make sense. It just doesn't make sense. Reporter: They didn't know where to go or what to do. Police divided them by grades, families of third graders here, fifth graders there. Everyone here talked about the school shootings up north. Newtown, connecticut was suddenly not so far away. When the buses arrived with the children, the parents cheered. The children waved, a very relieved superintendent of schools worked the crowds. All our children are safe. That's a blessing. We're all safe. Reporter: A parent here told me there is nothing like safe kids. We're in a crazy time with a lot of crazy people. Hug your kids tight, tell them you love them all the time, all the time. Reporter: This is no way to start the school year, families here in only their second week of school, children telling the stories of hiding underneath their desks when they heard the gunfire. Police believe the gunman of may have had explosives on him so this could have been a much more difficult night for parents. Thank you so much. It could have been.

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This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

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http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/school-shooting-georgia-alleged-gunman-custody-20018807

Ex-CEO of Chicago schools charged with corruption

Ex-CEO of Chicago schools charged with corruption - THonline.com: Iowa-Illinois-Wisconsin

CHICAGO -- The former CEO of Chicago Public Schools was indicted on corruption charges Thursday in an alleged scheme to steer $20 million worth of no-bid contracts to education companies in exchange for bribes and kickbacks.

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The indictment against Barbara Byrd-Bennett comes about four months after she resigned as leader of the nation's third- largest school district. Appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2012, she stepped down amid a federal investigation into a contract between the district and SUPES Academy, a training academy where she once worked as a consultant.

Byrd-Bennett, 66, is charged with several counts of mail and wire fraud that each carry maximum 20-year prison sentences.

SUPES Academy and a related company, Synesi Associates LLC, are also charged, as are their owners, Gary Soloman and Thomas Vranas. Both men are charged with bribery and conspiracy to defraud, along with mail and wire fraud.

The two men are accused of placing money into the accounts of two of Byrd-Bennett's relatives, referred to as Relatives A and B in the indictment, that at one point each had $127,000. The indictment also alleges that Solomon and Vranas promised Byrd-Bennett a job after she left CPS, and that part of the agreed-to bribes would be disguised as a lucrative signing bonus.

The indictment alleges that one email from Solomon to Byrd-Bennett said, "If you only join for the day, you will be the highest paid person on the planet for that day." In another email, he allegedly said: "When this stint at CPS is done and you are ready to retire, we have your spot waiting for you."

In two emails between Solomon and Vranas, the men appear to discuss payments to Byrd-Bennett. Vranas is quoted in one email as saying, "Everyone sucks and is greedy."

The indictment also alleges that Byrd-Bennett agreed to accept bribes and kickbacks, including tickets to sports events.

Soloman's attorney released a statement saying Soloman has cooperated in the investigation and stands behind his companies' training and services. The statement says Solomon has acknowledged "certain errors" in judgment, but that he's disappointed he was charged.

Vranas and his attorney didn't immediately return calls for comment.

The indictment comes at a critical time for Chicago Public Schools and its roughly 400,000 students. The district is facing a severe budget shortfall and a severely underfunded pension system. Contract negotiations with the powerful Chicago Teachers Union also have been tense; teachers went on strike for the first time in 25 years during the last round of negotiations.

Byrd-Bennett, a longtime educator from Solon, Ohio, took a paid leave of absence in April following reports that federal investigators were looking into a $20 million no-bid contract with SUPES Academy. The academy, which trains principals and administrators, turned over records to investigators, who also asked for documents from Byrd-Bennett and other employees.

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CPS later suspended its contract with SUPES and confirmed it had been subpoenaed.

A federal investigation followed a tough re-election bid for Emanuel, who spent much of his time on the campaign trail defending his decision to close numerous schools and to choose Byrd-Bennett to lead the district of about 400,000 students. Her annual salary was $250,000.

Among the most scrutinized moves was a 2013 push to close dozens of neighborhood schools. During the campaign, Emanuel said it was a tough, but necessary decision to improve school achievement, and that he was proud of his choice of Byrd-Bennett.

http://www.thonline.com/news/iowa-illinois-wisconsin/article_87183218-eab6-565a-acdc-9098f8fdcfdd.html

http://www.georgia.org/small-business/

Armed suspect robs McDonough Holiday Inn Express

MCDONOUGH, Ga. -- McDonough Police are working to identify the suspect who robbed a local hotel.



It happened Aug. 17 at around 12:30 a.m. at the McDonough Holiday Inn Express.



Surveillance video taken inside the hotel showed the suspect arriving and speaking with the clerk. After exchanging a few words, the suspect displayed a small handgun and demanded money from the register. He received cash, then ran from the hotel.

The suspect is described as a black man in his mid 20's, about 6 feet tall and 180 pounds. He was wearing shorts, a black Adidas T-shirt and a black Atlanta Braves baseball cap. The hat was later recovered in a wood line near the Holiday Inn.

Anyone with information in this robbery is asked to call McDonough Police at 678-782-6322.

http://mcdonough.11alive.com/news/news/1856232-armed-suspect-robs-mcdonough-holiday-inn-express

Driver killed after colliding with tractor trailer on I-75

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. -- Southbound Interstate 75 in Henry County was shut down by a fatal accident Thursday morning.

It happened at around 2:15 a.m. at the Hudson Bridge Road exit near Stockbridge. Henry County Police Capt. Joey Smith said the accident occurred when a Honda CR-V driven by 22-year-old Thomas E. Taylor of Locust Grove made an improper lane change and rear-ended a tractor trailer.

Taylor was apparently changing lanes to avoid road construction. He was pronounced dead at the scene.The occupants of the tractor trailer were not hurt.

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I-75 south was completely shut down after the accident. Itreopened shortly after 5 a.m.

http://mcdonough.11alive.com/news/news/1856422-driver-killed-after-colliding-tractor-trailer-i-75

Chubb Scores 3 TDs as No. 7 Georgia Beats Southern 48-6

Nick Chubb knew he had to extend his streak of 100-yard rushing games when he saw how much it meant to his offensive linemen.

The big guys can relax. Chubb's streak is alive.

Chubb ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns and also caught a TD pass as No. 7 Georgia beat Southern 48-6 on Saturday to gain momentum for next week's visit from Alabama.

https://channel-clarissa3atkins88.disqus.com/thread/georgia_school_investigates_slave_math_problems/

Chubb had scoring runs of 9 and 49 yards in the third quarter. The 49-yarder gave him 12 straight games with at least 100 yards rushing one shy of Herschel Walker's school record. Chubb scored on a 24-yard pass from Greyson Lambert in the first quarter.

The linemen gave Chubb a pep talk when he had only 31 yards rushing at halftime.

"With them being more excited about it than I was, I knew we had to get it," Chubb said.

Georgia left tackle John Theus said he thinks the streak "is huge."

"Right after he scored the (49-yard) TD, I told him congrats," Theus said. "... He definitely makes us look good."

Southern defensive tackle Gabe Echols said the Jaguars could hit Chubb high "because he will bounce off you. ... We knew coming in he was going to be a load."

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Walker's streak of 13 straight 100-yard games started in 1980 and carried into the 1981 season.

Georgia (4-0) led 17-0 in the first quarter and then played in the second quarter as if looking ahead to the No. 12 Alabama.

Lenard Tillery's 16-yard scoring run for Southern (2-2) quieted the Georgia fans on a soggy day. The Bulldogs' only points in the second quarter came on a field goal.

"In the second quarter ... we just kind of stumbled a little bit," said Georgia coach Mark Richt.

Southern said in a statement wide receiver Devon Gales suffered a spinal injury in a collision late in the third quarter. Gales was placed on a backboard and stretcher and carted off.

The school said Gales will remain at Athens Regional hospital until further notice.

Georgia led only 20-6 at halftime before scoring four third-quarter touchdowns.

"I thought in the first half our guys played as good as they could have played," said Southern coach Dawson Odums.

"It came down to winning one on one. In the first half we were able to get two on one. In the third quarter it was one on one, and they won the one on ones."

Lambert completed 9 of 10 passes for 146 yards with two touchdowns his second straight week with only one incompletion. Brice Ramsey played most of the second half and completed 11 of 14 passes for 125 yards.

Lambert set a NCAA record for accuracy in at least 20 pass attempts by completing 24 of 25 (96 percent) for 330 yards and three touchdowns in last week's 52-20 win over South Carolina.



Georgia put the game away in the third quarter. In addition to Chubb's two scoring runs, Sony Michel scored on a 58-yard run and Greyson Lambert had a 23-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Mitchell.

Michel ran for 75 yards, including a 7-yard scoring run in the first quarter.

Tillery led the Jaguars with 75 yards rushing. Austin Howard completed 8 of 19 passes for 69 yards.

Lambert, who set a Georgia record by completing his last 20 passes against South Carolina, stretched the streak to 22 consecutive completions before he missed on a pass to Reggie Davis to end the Bulldogs' first drive. Marshall Morgan's 47-yard field goal gave Georgia a 3-0 lead.

With the win, Richt is tied with Wally Butts with 140 wins, second in school history behind Vince Dooley's 201.

A highlight of the day was the halftime show by Southern's famous band called the "Human Jukebox." The band earned an ovation from Georgia fans following the high-energy show. Southern's $650,000 guarantee for playing the game included a commitment the band would play at halftime.

AP college football website: collegefootball.ap.org

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/chubb-scores-tds-georgia-beats-southern-48-34067534

http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/doing-business-georgia

Georgia sheriff arrested after shooting pledges to stay on job | Reuters

ATLANTA A Georgia sheriff who was arrested after shooting and wounding a woman outside his jurisdiction said on Thursday that he will remain on the job.



Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill, 50, was arrested on Wednesday on a misdemeanor charge of reckless conduct and released from the Gwinnett County jail after posting bail, police said.

He is accused of wounding Gwenevere McCord, 43, a friend and real estate agent, by shooting her in the abdomen in an Atlanta subdivisions model home on Sunday. According to the arrest warrant, the sheriff was practicing police tactics when his gun discharged.

While focused on the recovery and healing of Gwenevere, I will simultaneously continue with my duties and responsibilities as the sheriff of Clayton County, Hill said in a statement posted on Thursday on his department's Facebook page.

Hill, who was acquitted by a jury in 2013 of corruption charges that he misused county-issued credit cards, has refused to discuss the case with police.

Fayette County - Elon Bomani

McCord has not been physically able to do so, authorities said.

https://app.box.com/s/k0sls8g321mx4bdaole0rt22b538l9sr

Because Hill faces a misdemeanor charge rather than a felony, Georgia law does not allow Governor Nathan Deal to appoint a committee of elected officials to recommend whether the sheriff should be suspended while the case is pending, said Deal spokesman Brian Robinson.

(Reporting by David Beasley; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Lisa Lambert)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/07/us-usa-sheriff-arrest-idUSKBN0NS22C20150507

http://www.atlantaga.gov/

Man involved in two-county chase after domestic dispute dies

McDONOUGH, Ga. -- Police confirmed on Wednesday that the suspect involved in a two county police chase in Georgia has died.

The entire incident began just before 2 p.m. when officers were sent to a domestic dispute on Audubon Avenue in McDonough, Ga.

The man then fled the scene in a 2006 PT Cruiser but was spotted in the area of Highway 81 east. They then began to pursue the vehicle which crossed into Newton County where Georgia State Patrol joined the chase.

Fayette County Ga Business Directory

Eventually, the suspect crashed into a tree in the Porterdale area of Broad Street and Elm Street and was taken by emergency personnel to a local hospital. The suspect later died according to information from Henry County police.

The victim in the initial domestic dispute sustained minor injuries.

http://mcdonough.11alive.com/news/news/1859592-man-involved-two-county-chase-after-domestic-dispute-dies

Inside CNN Studio Tour at CNN Center in Atlanta, Ga

Accessibility Information The Inside CNN Studio Tour is a 50-minute walking tour that descends 8 flights of stairs. Elevator assisted tours are available at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. These tours tend to sell out quickly so reservations are highly recommended.

For accessibility assistance, please call 404.827.2300 at least 72 hours in advance to make a reservation. Same day tickets are subject to availability ? call for information.

Visual and/or Hearing Impaired

Fayette County Business Directory

If you are visual or hearing impaired, require a sign language interpreter, or otherwise need assistance to enjoy your visit, please contact 404-827-2300 at least 72 hours in advance so that we can arrange accommodation.

http://www.cnn.com/tour/

http://gabb.org/

http://www.gaiaonline.com/journal/?mode=view&post_id=37823011&u=38359505

Armed suspect robs McDonough Holiday Inn Express

MCDONOUGH, Ga. -- McDonough Police are working to identify the suspect who robbed a local hotel.

It happened Aug. 17 at around 12:30 a.m. at the McDonough Holiday Inn Express.

Surveillance video taken inside the hotel showed the suspect arriving and speaking with the clerk. After exchanging a few words, the suspect displayed a small handgun and demanded money from the register. He received cash, then ran from the hotel.

The suspect is described as a black man in his mid 20's, about 6 feet tall and 180 pounds. He was wearing shorts, a black Adidas T-shirt and a black Atlanta Braves baseball cap. The hat was later recovered in a wood line near the Holiday Inn.



Anyone with information in this robbery is asked to call McDonough Police at 678-782-6322.

http://mcdonough.11alive.com/news/news/1856232-armed-suspect-robs-mcdonough-holiday-inn-express

Georgia Drug Testing Policy Not Catching Jobless Druggies So Far

Georgia businesses have complained recently that they have had trouble finding workers who can pass drug tests. But since February, when the Georgia Department of Labor started encouraging businesses to report job applicants with dirty urine, not a single one has done so.

"We have not received anything since we sent notification to employers and put the website up back in February," Brenda Brown, director of the department's unemployment insurance division, said in an interview. "That doesn't mean we're not going to get one."

Federal law does not allow states to require the unemployed to pass drug tests as a condition for receiving unemployment insurance, but it does allow states to deny benefits to workers who fail an employer's or potential employer's drug test. Failing a drug test can be interpreted as being unavailable for work, since many businesses require new hires to be clean.

In December, Rep. Jack Kingston, a Georgia Republican, introduced a bill to require drug screening and testing for all unemployment benefit claimants, citing complaints from businesses in his district. A watered-down version of his proposal made it into a broader bill that became law in February; states will be allowed to test some claimants as soon as the http://www.gaiaonline.com/journal/?mode=view&post_id=37793899&u=38359411 U.S. Labor Department offers guidance.

Businesses in Kingston's district and elsewhere had told HuffPost about waves of would-be employees failing drug tests, but were unable to provide anything yet beyond anecdotes. National drug use surveys indicate the unemployed are twice as likely as people with jobs to use drugs, but the past two years of state and federal proposals to test people receiving unemployment insurance have yielded no data to suggest that people receiving benefits do drugs more than anyone else.

"The witch-hunt continues," said Judy Conti, a lobbyist for the National Employment Law Project, a worker advocacy group. "Despite the stunning lack of evidence of anything other than Fayette County Ceorgia Businesses the most negligible drug use among the unemployed, Georgia plays to unsubstantiated stereotypes and, yet again, comes up empty. It would be refreshing to see Georgia show the same enthusiasm for job creation and re-employment that it does for combating the fictitious problem of rampant drug use among the unemployed."



It could be that businesses haven't reported any drugged-up applicants because the state Labor Department's initiative hasn't received much publicity. Businesses can download the form to report failed drug tests on a part of the state's website that also solicits tips for other types of potential unemployment fraud, such as refusing an offered job or continuing to receive benefits while working.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/06/georgia-drug-testing-unemployed_n_1573358.html

http://georgia.bizhwy.com/

School officials sued in Kendrick Johnson's gym death

Story highlightsThe lawsuit says school officials ignored repeated attacks by a white studentThe black teen was found dead in January 2013 in a rolled-up mat in his high school gymA sheriff's office investigation ruled https://www.rebelmouse.com/youthfuljurist613/how-did-georgia-lure-korean-carmaker-1382611030.html the death accidentalAn independent pathologist hired by Johnson's parents ruled it a homicideThe family of Kendrick Johnson filed a wrongful death lawsuit against school officials claiming their lack of action led to his death at the hands of another student.

Johnson's body was found in a rolled-up mat in the Lowndes High School gymnasium on Fayette County Group - Elon Bomani January 11, 2013.

His parents earlier filed a negligence lawsuit against the south Georgia school district claiming it was negligent and violated Johnson's constitutional right to equal protection based on race. Johnson, 17 when he died, was African-American.

The new lawsuit accuses the Lowndes County Board of Education, its superintendent and the high school principal of ignoring reports that Johnson was repeatedly attacked and harassed by a white student.

"As a direct result of and proximate result of defendants' aforesaid actions and omissions, on or about January 10, 2013, Kendrick Lamar Johnson was violently assaulted, severely injured, suffered great physical pain and mental anguish, and subjected to insult and loss of life, all of which took place at the hands of one or more students while on the property of Lowndes High School and during its normal hours of operations," the lawsuit said.

The complaint said school officials knew about an attack on Johnson by a white student during a school bus trip a year earlier and another attack later.

The other student "had a history of provoking and attacking" Johnson at school, the lawsuit said.

Johnson was "victimized" again "in the presence of the coaching staff and employees" of the school again after his mother complained about the attacks, the suit said.

After Johnson was "improperly accused and blamed for instigating" a school bus fight, school officials refused to let his mother see the bus surveillance video, the filing said.

Johnson was "subjected to undeserved punishment, humiliation and various forms of mistreatment by members of the coaching staff" of the football program, leading to his decision to quit the football team, the suit said.

The older brother of the student who attacked Johnson confronted him and told him "it ain't over," the lawsuit said.

Feds subpoena Kendrick Johnson's schoolmates amid probe into teen's death

No school official interviewed Johnson or his friends who witnessed the attacks, the suit said.

"This failure to act despite actual knowledge that Kendrick Lamar Johnson was being harassed departed from the defendant Lowndes County School System's own established procedures dealing with harassment and mistreatment, including racial discrimination," the suit said.

School officials also failed to "properly monitor the activities of students throughout all areas" of the campus and to "maintain a properly functioning video surveillance system," the family's suit contends.

Investigators with the Sheriff's Office ruled his death accidental -- concluding that Johnson climbed into the center of the gym mat to reach for a shoe and got stuck. Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson believe that their son was beaten to death. They hired an independent pathologist, who found "unexplained apparent nonaccidental blunt force trauma" to the teen's neck and concluded the death was a homicide.

State board: Filling Kendrick Johnson's body with newspaper not illegal

The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia launched a federal investigation into the case on October 31, 2013.

Warren Turner, an attorney for Lowndes County Schools, told CNN the school had not been served with the lawsuit so "it would be premature and inappropriate to make a public comment on this matter at this time."

Sheriff's office: Claim of confession in Kendrick Johnson death not credible

http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/28/us/georgia-kendrick-johnson-lawsuit/

http://www.sba.com/georgia/licenses-permits/

What the Controversial New Georgia Gun Law Really Says | Mike Weisser

You know that gun control is no longer an issue, either pro or con, when both sides try to make you believe that something big has happened when nothing of any real importance happened at all. I'm referring to the gun law just passed in Georgia which is awaiting Governor Nathan Deal's expected signature, a law described by the New York Times as one of "breathtaking sweep" and by the NRA as a "historic victory for the 2nd Amendment."

Since I really do believe in evidence-based discussion about guns, I took the trouble to read HB60, as the new law is known. If this law represents a "historic victory" for the 2nd Amendment, the NRA better find someone else to defend the beloved constitutional rights of gun owners. On the other hand, if the editors of Mother Jones really believe that this new law will result in guns being "everywhere" in Georgia, then there must be some place named Georgia other than the state where this law just passed.

Here's what the bill basically does: 1) It allows guns to be carried in places where liquor is served, which previously had been off-limits for guns; 2) It also allows guns to be carried in churches which, like restaurants and bars, were also Henry Fayette Group off-limits for guns; 3) It further allows guns to be carried in certain non-secure areas of airports, which is really funny since Atlanta's airport was ranked #1 nationally in the number of guns confiscated in 2013.

The law also makes some minor changes in the application process, a few new dos and don'ts when it comes to hunting and, what has become requisite in virtually every gun law passed since Sandy Hook, some language allegedly making it easier to pass information about mentally ill people to the Feds. But if you take the time to read the new law and go back and read the current law as well, you discover that most of these "historic" changes don't really change things at all.

First of all, the law about carrying guns into liquor-serving establishments does not prevent any bar or restaurant owner from declaring his premise off-limits to guns. Just stick a sign in the window or simply stand at the door and tell patrons to leave their guns in their cars. As for bringing guns into houses of worship, this is an "opt-in" law which means that the congregation has to agree to let parishioners bring their guns into the building before anyone can have a conversation with the Almighty while sitting on their Glock.

Finally, while Georgia does not require a permit in order to purchase or own a gun, it does require a background check and prints in order to carry a weapon, and the issuance of said license can be denied if the licensing authority (County Probate Judge) decides that the candidate, even Fayette County - Elon Bomani if he meets the legal requirements, is "not of good moral character." You'll have to read down to Section 1-7 to find this little gem and a few pages later you'll learn that someone who is denied a carry license can appeal the decision and will then appear at a hearing -- before the same judge! If the judge prevails at the hearing perhaps you can move to another County and try again.

Can someone from the NRA please explain to me how a law that determines my fitness to carry a gun based on something as vague as "moral character," advances 2nd Amendment rights? By the same token, does the Brady Campaign really believe that taking a pee in an airport toilet without first unhooking my holster indicates that guns will soon be found in every nook and cranny of the Peach State? Pro-gun and anti-gun groups can always manufacture a good argument -- but they might try, just once, to ground their opinions in real facts. On the other hand, why let facts stand in the way of a good argument?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-weisser/georgia-gun-law_b_5065774.html

No ‘Game of Thrones’ Movie in the Works, Says George R. R. Martin

Game of Thrones Movie Rumors are False, George R. R. Martin Says | Variety

The Internet, much like the night, is dark and full of terrors, which means rumors sometimes get blown out of proportion. Such is the case with a tabloid report claiming that HBO is working on a "Game of Thrones" movie, with quotes attributed to author George R.R. Martin that seemingly confirm the news.

According to the U.K.'s Daily Star, Martin was quoted as saying, "There will be a movie but I will not be involved. I have too much to do. That is something HBO and DB [Weiss] and David [Benioff] are dealing with. I have two more books to finish and I still have so much to do. The pressure is on. I am such a slow writer and the fans get upset that I don't write faster." An anonymous source was also said to have suggested to the tabloid that the film would adapt a storyline outside the main narrative, such as Robert Baratheon's uprising against The Mad King Aerys Targaryen: "They are looking at dipping back in time during certain periods of the series, which could be examined as a one Henry County - Elon Bomani off plot. That means that some of the big characters who fans have seen die on screen could be resurrected such as Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark, Oberyn Martell The Red Viper - and Ned Stark."

See More:'Game of Thrones' Casts Pilou Asbaek as Euron Greyjoy for Season 6

Sadly for eager "Thrones" fans, Martin took to his personal Livejournal to debunk the scuttlebutt, responding to a commenter, "Yes, completely false. No one is working on any movie just now. And if there was a movie, it would not be about Robert's Rebellion."

The Huffington Post contacted Martin's assistant, who reportedly said that the statements attributed to the author in the Daily Star article are "not direct quotes."

HuffPost also obtained a statement from Martin regarding the movie: "There's been talk about it. I'd love to see one, but nothing is decided."

See More:'Game of Thrones': Jon Snow Alive? Kit Harington Spotted on Set

Discussion about a potential "Thrones" movie has circulated since the series debuted, and Martin previously addressed the speculation earlier this year. "I see that this new crop of stories also raises, once again, the notion of concluding the series with one or more Fayette County Georgia Business Directory feature films. And in some of these stories, once again, this idea is wrongly attributed to me. Let me state, yet again, that while I love this idea, it did NOT originate with me. It was a notion suggested to me, which I have enthusiastically endorsed. Sure, I love the idea. Why not? What fantasist would not love the idea of going out with an epic hundred million feature film? And the recent success of the Imax experience shows that the audience is there for such a movie. If we build it, they will come. But will we build it? I have no bloody idea."

See More:'Game of Thrones' Sets Record for Most Emmy Wins in a Year

HBO President of Programming Michael Lombardo had a different opinion, however -- at least about concluding the current series with a feature film: "When you start a series with our subscribers, the promise is that for your HBO fee that we're going to take you to the end of this. I feel that on some level [a movie would be] changing the rules: Now you have to pay $16 to see how your show ends."



"Game of Thrones" returns to HBO in 2016.

See More:Gwendoline Christie on the Similarities Between 'Star Wars' and 'Game of Thrones'

http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/game-of-thrones-movie-rumors-false-george-r-r-martin-1201606852/

http://www.cityapplications.com/business-licenses/GA-Georgia/biz-Georgia.html

Speeding up slow internet service

STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. (WXIA) -- High speed internet connections aren't considered luxuries any more. To many, broadband service is a required utility for homework and even employment.



Yet hundreds of people in Henry County have no other choice than to deal with slow connections while their neighbors stream at full speed.

Reeshard Scott emailed 11Alive's Jeremy Campbell about the issue. Scott felt frustrated because no matter what he pays, he can't get high speed internet at his home.

http://henryfayettegrp.weebly.com/



He moved in to a brand new house in Stockbridge in December and expected reasonable service. That didn't happen.

"None of those service providers come to us. Nobody. We are limited to DSL through AT&T," Scott said.

AT&T provided the following statement and declined an on camera interview:

"We regularly assess the balance of customer needs and the overall service experience - including expanding AT&T U-verse high speed Internet service availability and 4G LTE wireless coverage. We are committed to providing our customers with a great service experience."

Scott says he pays $55 for 3Mbps. Scott says he'd rather have the cheaper $40 deal offered by Comcast for 75 Mbps. It's available just a few streets over.

However by Comcast standards there aren't enough people in Stockbridge to build new fiber lines to his neighborhood. It's too rural. Service isn't offered there, although it does serve nearby parts of Henry County.

"That to me is just a bunch of baloney. I think they can build this infrastructure if they choose to do so," Scott said.



After all his neighborhood is currently under construction.

We found one possible solution when speaking with Comcast spokesperson Alex Horwitz. He explained when a community demands a product, and especially when a neighborhood offers to pay for the infrastructure, it can happen.

"They would sort-of split the cost of bringing the network to them. Usually it's a very reasonable fee, and it obviously pays dividends for them and that's one avenue they can go," Horwitz said.

Horwitz asked that we give Scott his cell number to get the conversation going.

Scott is on the case. He's already spoken out at a county government meeting, and now he's organizing a movement to get a full list of people who want high speed internet in Henry County.

http://mcdonough.11alive.com/news/news/1856092-speeding-slow-internet-service

Spiva Law Group of Savannah and Sloan, Bagley, Hatcher & Perry Law Firm of Longview and Houston Offer Free Safety Helmets in May – National Bike Month — for Kids in Georgia and Texas Through Heads In Helmets Head Injury Prevention Program

LONGVIEW, Texas & SAVANNAH, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May is National Bike Month and, for Spiva Law Group and Sloan, Bagley, Hatcher & Perry Law Firm, this month presents a perfect opportunity to offer free bicycle safety helmets for kids in Texas and Georgia. National Bike Month is sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists and is celebrated throughout the United States. (visit www.bikeleague.org/bikemonth).

Spiva Law Group of Savannah (www.spivalaw.com) and Sloan, Bagley, Hatcher & Perry Law Firm of Longview and Houston (www.sloanfirm.com and www.sloanfirmhouston.com) are committed to preventing traumatic brain injuries in children by distributing free bicycle safety helmets through the Heads In Helmets campaign. As of April 2015, these two law firms combined have distributed approximately 15,000 free safety helmets; they custom-fit each child with the help of a lawyer, legal assistant or volunteer as part of the Heads In Helmets program. Both firms actively participate in festivals, church fairs, health and safety expositions and other special events to custom-fit and distribute free safety helmets throughout the year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that U.S. emergency departments treat an estimated 135,000 children ages 5 to 18 each year for sports-related brain injuries. Most of Henry County Businesses these injuries are concussions, and the children do recover. But, in some cases, the injuries cause serious and long-lasting damage, commented Howard Spiva, founding partner of Henry County Georgia Business Spiva Law Group.

In 1999, Spiva established The Justice For Children Foundation and the Heads In Helmets safety program (www.headsinhelmets.com) in Savannah. Then, in 2013, The Sloan Firm became the first Heads In Helmets national ambassador. Children aged 4 to 14 are the primary recipients of the helmets and must be accompanied by an adult, parent or guardian to receive a free safety helmet. Staff members and volunteers affiliated with The Sloan Firm and Spiva Law Group ensure that each child receives a custom fit to maximize safety and comfort.

Any parent or guardian in northeast Texas, southeast Texas or Savannah, Ga., can contact us for a free safety helmet for their child. We have a team of trained volunteers who custom-fit safety helmets for kids, and we have created solid referral networks with pediatricians close to our offices in Texas and Georgia, explained Kevin Fullen, Texas Ambassador for Heads In Helmets and administrator for The Sloan Firms Longview and Houston offices.

The Sloan Firm won top honors in the Best Public Health/Safety Initiative category of PR Dailys 2013 Corporate Social Responsibility Awards for its Heads In Helmets community outreach program. Spiva Law Group has won 12 awards, with some of them being the 2011 Readers Choice Award from Savannah Morning News, the 2011 Outstanding Service to the Community Award from the Savannah Bar Association, the 2011 Community Service Award from Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, and the 2011 Home Town Hero Award from WTOC TV.

To elevate the Heads In Helmets campaign to a national level, Spiva Law Group and The Sloan Firm are working together to recruit and train other law firms in the United States. Their mission: to equip even more children with free safety helmets and to help parents, guardians, teachers, coaches and youth leaders reduce the risks of head injuries that can lead to death or disability. Information packets explaining more about the Heads In Helmets Ambassador Program, roles and responsibilities are available by contacting Howard Spiva, (912) 920-2000 or by email at howard@spivalaw.com.

More About Spiva Law Group

Howard E. Spiva has been practicing law in Savannah, Ga., for 30 years. He limits his practice to serious personal injury, wrongful death and litigation with an emphasis on premises liability, trucking, brain injuries and claims involving children. He earned his reputation in Savannah as the kids lawyer for successfully fighting for the rights of seriously and catastrophically injured children. He champions the rights of wrongfully injured men and women with his Spiva Law Group team. Spiva Law Groups staff is trained in personal injury claims, death claims, car wrecks, accidents, serious injuries, disability, injured workers, traumatic injury, brain injury, injuries on waterways, trucks or motorcycle collisions, slip and fall, back, spinal and brain injuries, closed head injuries, scarring, broken bones, chemical exposure, premise liability, dangerous products, railroad F.E.L.A. and related matters.

More About The Sloan Firm

The Sloan Firm was established in 1980 and has offices in Longview and Houston, Texas. The Sloan Firm has an impressive track record in negotiations and litigation in its primary practice area of personal injury law with three board-certified attorneys in this practice area. The firms attorneys also have extensive experience in commercial law, employment law, product liability, insurance litigation, work place injuries, ERISA, and oil and gas law. The Sloan Firm has successfully litigated on behalf of its clients cases involving product defects, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, work injuries, medical malpractice, drunk driving accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, highway defects, burn injuries, premises defect, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and wrongful death. For more information on The Sloan Firm or its attorneys, please visit www.SloanFirm.com or call toll free at 800-730-0099.



http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150507006057/en/Spiva-Law-Group-Savannah-Sloan-Bagley-Hatcher

http://www.gaminoritybusinessawards.com/

Paula Deen's restaurant closes -- without telling employees

Uncle Bubba's Seafood & Oyster House, which is owned by Paula Deen and her younger brother, Earl W. "Bubba" Hiers Jr., recently announced that it's closing via Facebook. And nothing wrong with that -- social media is a great way to communicate with people, including customers.

Except that in this case this was also how Bubba's informed the restaurant's employees that it was going out of business and that they were out of a job.

At this point let us pause to make an obvious point: Workers should never be told they've been fired over Facebook. In fact, in all but extreme circumstances, employees should be told face to face. Worst case scenario? Phone calls from their direct supervisors.

Instead, Deen and Hiers chose to post this message on Facebook:

"Since its opening in 2004, Uncle Bubba's Oyster House has been a destination for residents and tourists in Savannah, offering the region's freshest seafood and oysters. However, the restaurant's owner and operator, Bubba Heirs, has made the decision to close the restaurant in order to explore development options for the waterfront property on which the restaurant is located. At this point, no specific plans have been announced and a range of uses are under consideration in order realize the highest and best use for the property. The closing is effective today, Thursday, April 3, 2014. Employees will be provided with severance based on position and tenure with the restaurant. All effort will be made to find employees comparable employment with other Savannah restaurant organizations."

Severance? Good. Help finding a new job? Also good. Fired via Facebook? Bad.

Not only is this a deeply impersonal way to find out you've lost a job (and I'm sure, in many cases, an employee's friends and family found out before the employee did), it also indicates a complete lack of character on the part of the owners and management.

Sometimes in business there are things that can't be announced in advance for legal reasons. For instance, I once found out a company I worked for had been taken over by a competitor on my drive in to work -- listening to National Public Radio. But that involved a takeover of one Fortune 100 company by another Fortune 100 company, not the closing of a small restaurant in order to figure out what the "highest and best use" for the property was. And, importantly, while numerous people lost their job with that merger, no one did at that very moment.

If you need to let people go, here is how you do it:

Gather all information and documents first. Whenever you terminate someone, at a minimum there should be paperwork, including information on continuing benefits (COBRA), severance pay, and checklists for keys and name badges. You need to have this all prepared in advance and ready to go.

Information should be given face to face. In Uncle Bubba's case, all employees were being terminated at the same moment, so it makes sense to have one meeting where everyone is told together (although, I would recommend telling the senior team first). But that's permissible in a case where everyone is being let go. If only a few people are losing their jobs, supervisors should sit down with individual employees and tell them in person. These meetings can, and should, be quick. No more than 15 minutes.

Severance is a great thing. Severance is not required in most terminations, but it is when it meets certain criteria, such as shutting down an Henry County Ga Business Directory entire business. Chances are, this closing required severance because employees weren't given 60 days notice and the whole business was closing. But even if it wasn't required, in any case where an employee is being let go without having done something terrible, the company should -- as a moral consideration -- offer severance. If a business can afford it, that Henry County Businesses should be a priority.

Support your former employees during the unemployment application process. Workers who lose a job through no fault of their own are entitled to unemployment payments. These payments cost the company money. As such, companies often fight unemployment and are prone to bringing up piddling things that were irrelevant in the decision to terminate in an attempt to save a few bucks -- and end up making a bad situation even worse. Laying someone off? Own it, and give accurate information to the unemployment office.

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http://www.cbsnews.com/news/paula-deens-restaurant-closes-without-telling-the-employees/