GDOT Crews Opening Roads Around Metro Area

WHAT: Work crews have been moving across the Metro Area and have opened a number of areas.
Additionally, crews are on location at several hot spots in an effort to get those interstates opened.

WHERE:
I-75 at Wade Green - opened
I-75 at Mt. Zion – opened
I-75 at Delk Road in Cobb County – DOT crews on site
I-20 Conyers/Rockdale County – 5 DOT trucks on site
I-75/I-285 in South Fulton County – 12 DOT trucks on site – already moved 3 tractor trailer trucks out of the roadway
I-75 at Frey Road overpass in Cobb County– DOT crews on site
I-85 N at GA 400 – DOT crews are working a jack-knifed tractor trailer

WHEN: NOW through late Tuesday at least

The Georgia DOT Maintenance Crews continue to work around the clock to clear roadways across Georgia. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution as travel remains hazardous in many areas. If you must drive, be especially careful on bridges and overpasses, as ice often forms more quickly in these areas. Motorists should check with media outlets for updates.

Motorists are urged to slow down and leave, at least, a ten car length distance between their vehicles and the DOT trucks clearing the roadways. They are also advised to treat any traffic signal that is not working as a four-way stop, and be aware of black ice, especially on bridges and overpasses.

Georgia 511 is a free phone service that provides real-time traffic and travel information statewide, such as traffic conditions, incidents, lane closures, and delays due to inclement weather. Callers also can transfer to operators to request assistance or report incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information is available at www.511ga.org .

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Seeking Information on Serial Bank Robber in Metro Atlanta Area

(January 12) Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Gregory Jones, FBI Atlanta, requests public assistance in identifying and locating a serial bank robber responsible for the robbery of the following metro Atlanta area banks:

Wachovia Bank, 1028 Killian Hill, Lilburn, GA
1/11/2010 at 4:40 p.m.

Chase Bank, 4081 Stone Mountain Highway, Lilburn, GA
1/12/2010 at 11:16 a.m.

Wachovia Bank, 1815 Rock Bridge Road, Stone Mountain, GA
1/12/2010 at 2:41 p.m.

Beginning yesterday, 1/11/2010, a lone black male embarked on a bank robbery crime spree by walking in to the Wachovia Bank, located at 1028 Killian Hill, Lilburn, Georgia and announcing a bank robbery. After obtaining an undisclosed amount of money, the robber departed the bank without further incident.

This morning, the same robber entered the Chase Bank, located at 2081 Stone Mountain Highway, Lilburn, Georgia, at 11:16 a.m., and announced a robbery. While engaging the bank teller, the robber pulled back a portion of his clothing to reveal a possible weapon/handgun. Later that afternoon, at 2:41 p.m., the robber struck again at the Wachovia Bank, located at 1815 Rock Bridge Rd., Stone Mountain, Georgia.

The robber is described as being a black male, light complexion, 25-35 years of age, 5’4”-5’9” in height, 145-170 lbs., light facial hair, possible mole on left side of face/mouth. A mid 2000 model Chevrolet Impala, black or dark blue in color, with possible Florida license plate, was observed at one of the robberies and is of interest to investigators.

Wachovia Bank has announced a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification and apprehension of this individual. Anyone with information regarding this matter should contact the Atlanta Office FBI at (404) 679-9000.

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Symposium to present 2009 Metro Atlanta Homeless Survey

As the recession impacts the social and economic fabric of communities, local governments and agencies will present the results of the 2009 Metro Atlanta Homeless Survey during the 2009 Homeless Symposium Nov. 20 at Georgia State University.

The symposium will be held at 8:30 a.m. in the Speaker's Auditorium at the GSU Student Center, 44 Courtland St. S.E., and will include a summary of the survey and a panel discussion about its results.

"The symposium is designed to get those involved with providing assistance to the homeless to look at the survey results and their meaning, and to discuss the issues surrounding homelessness," said Tim Crimmins, director of the GSU Center for Neighborhood and Metropolitan Studies.

The survey is a project of the Metropolitan Atlanta Tri-Jurisdictional Collaborative on Homelessness and Pathways Community Network. GSU's Center for Neighborhood and Metropolitan Studies, GSU's Department of Sociology, and the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Commission on Homelessness, are joining them in sponsoring the symposium.

The fourth-annual survey represents examines homelessness in the city of Atlanta and Fulton and DeKalb counties. The survey provides a way to look at different factors which might play a role in homelessness in 2009, including the effects of the recession, as well as the efforts in transitioning homeless persons into jobs, counseling and other programs, and those efforts' effects.

Prior to the 2009 survey, researchers completed a census of homeless persons within Atlanta and Fulton and DeKalb counties during a single day in January, and found a total of 7,019 homeless individuals and homeless family members in the three jurisdictions. The total census increased by 20 percent from 2003 to 2009, with a 6 percent increase from 2007 to 2009. The survey helps to flesh out this data, providing context and the factors behind the numbers.

For every survey since 2003, surveyors have gathered a standard set of demographic information, including history and reasons for homelessness, but with each year, researchers also hone in on different sets of specialized issues. This year, researchers also focused on vulnerability, foster care, and criminal history as a barrier to finding jobs and housing, among other issues, said Josie Parker, manager for research and data analysis for Pathways Community Network and a doctoral candidate in sociology at Georgia State.

The symposium is open to the public. For more information, contact Josie Parker at 404-639-9933, ext. 323, or josie.parker@pcni.org.

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State of Georgia Approves First IE2 Contract

Yesterday, the State Board of Education (SBOE) approved a five-year contract with Gwinnett County Public Schools that grants the school district greater flexibility in exchange for increased accountability. The contract was made possible by Governor Sonny Perdue’s Investing in Educational Excellence (IE2) legislation, which was passed and signed into law last year. IE2 allows for balanced local control, allowing officials closest to the students to make important decisions concerning their schools. Gwinnett, which educates 10 percent of the state’s students, is the first school system to accept the challenge of linking accountability with increased flexibility.

“I commend Superintendent Wilbanks and the Gwinnett County Board of Education for their willingness and courage to be held to a higher standard,” said Governor Perdue. “This contract fundamentally shifts the state-local relationship from being based on compliance to a true partnership focused on performance. IE2 is about increasing student achievement, and I am confident that Gwinnett will use its flexibility to deliver superior results and be a model district for the state.”

Under IE2 local school districts work with the Georgia Department of Education and the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement to create a strategic plan that clearly identifies the flexibility sought from Georgia education laws, the accountability goals in addition to federal NCLB requirements the district is willing to accept at the school level in exchange for the flexibility, and the consequences that will be imposed upon the district for schools that do not reach their accountability goals.

The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement will monitor Gwinnett County’s progress towards meeting annual goals and will report these findings to the SBOE each fall. In addition, Gwinnett will provide interventions and sanctions throughout the contract period to those schools that do not meet their annual IE2 accountability goals. Those schools that do not meet their IE2 accountability goals by the end of the contract period will be converted to charter schools.

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Seeking Public's Assistance in Identifying Armed Robbers in Metro Atlanta

Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Gregory Jones, FBI Atlanta, is requesting the public's assistance in identifying a violent group of associates believed responsible for at least four armed bank robberies in Metro Atlanta over the last ten days.

On Monday, December 8, 2008, around 12:30 p.m., three unidentified black males entered the lobby of the Wachovia Bank located at 6756 Covington Highway in Lithonia. Two of the robbers controlled the customers in the lobby, while the third robber jumped the teller counter and took an undisclosed amount of cash.

On Wednesday, December 10, 2008, at approximately 3:20 p.m., three unidentified black males, believed to be the same as those who robbed the Lithonia Wachovia, entered the lobby of the Wachovia Bank located at 3615 Flat Shoals Road in Decatur. Again, two of the robbers stayed in the lobby area while a third jumped the teller counter and took an undisclosed amount of cash. While leaving the bank, one of the robbers fired a single shot, which did not strike any bank employees or customers.

On Monday, December 15, 2008, the same group robbed the Suntrust Bank located at 3590 Club Drive in Duluth, using the same method of operation.

Today, Wednesday, December 17, 2008, the same group struck again, this time at the Bank of America located at 3040 Panola Road in Lithonia. As with the previous robberies, two of the robbers controlled customers in the lobby while the third jumped the teller counter and took an undisclosed amount of cash. As the robbers were leaving the bank, they were briefly confronted by an off-duty Dekalb County Police Officer, who identified himself as such. One of the robbers fired a single shot in the direction of the officer, and the officer fired a single shot in return. The officer was not struck; it is unknown if any of the robbers were hit by the shot fired by the officer.

The robbers fled the bank on foot in a Southbound direction, and may have shortly thereafter left the area in a white vehicle.

The robbers took steps to conceal their identities prior to entering the bank, but before doing so, they visited a business nearby, where excellent photographs of their faces were recorded on the business' security system . The public is asked to closely review these photographs, and report any information concerning the robbers' identity immediately to the FBI at (404) 679-9000.

The female featured in one of the attached photographs is believed to be an associate of the robbers, and may have been the getaway driver in today's robbery.

The public can also review information concerning these and other bank robberies at www.georgiabankrobbery.com, an interactive site which provides bank robbery details, photographs, and the opportunity for the public to provide information to the FBI via the Internet.

The FBI considers these robbers armed and dangerous, and cautions the public not to take any action other than to notify the FBI's Bank Robbery Squad.

The public is reminded that all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Georgia’s Uninsured Rate Holds Steady but Employer Coverage Loses Ground

Georgia’s Uninsured Rate Holds Steady but Employer Coverage Loses Ground

Georgia has the sixth highest number of residents without health insurance in the United States and ranks 11th in its percentage of the population lacking coverage, according to a new report from the Georgia Health Policy Center and the Center for Health Services Research at Georgia State University. In 2007, about 18 percent of all Georgians and 20 percent of those under age 65 (approximately 1.66 million people) were without health insurance — roughly the same number reported in 2005 and 2006 but higher than the national average of 15 percent (45.7 million Americans).

Nationally, the number of uninsured Americans decreased from 46.9 million in 2006 to 45.6 million in 2007 while Georgia’s number of uninsured remained constant.

The report is a combination of data from the U.S. Census Current Population Survey (CPS) and an independent Georgia Population Survey of more than 15,800 people commissioned by the Georgia Department of Community Health. The Georgia Population Survey was conducted between February and April 2008.

Though the overall number of uninsured Georgians remains relatively unchanged over the past few years, the share of the population with employer-based private insurance has declined over the past eight years while the share with publicly funded health plans (Medicaid, PeachCare) has edged upward. Between 2000 and 2007, the percentage of Georgians with private health insurance coverage dropped by about eight percentage points. And from 2000-'06, the percentage of uninsured non-elderly Georgians rose from 16 percent to 20 percent. All Georgians 65 or over are eligible for Medicaid and are therefore not included in the report.

Unemployment or employment with a small firm increases an individual’s likelihood of being uninsured. According to the report, roughly half of Georgia’s uninsured live in a family headed by someone who works for a small business with fewer than 100 employees.

And while the majority of Georgians have private insurance through companies large enough to provide it, the economic slowdown could leave thousands without coverage. More than 90 percent of Georgians with private health insurance have employer-based health plans, the report finds.

“When people lose their jobs, they lose their coverage,” said Bill Custer, director of the Center for Health Services Research in the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State. “And throughout economic downturns, more people move into poverty, putting added strain on sources of public health coverage.”

According to the report, only one in five individuals living below poverty have private insurance and nearly 38 percent are uninsured.

In addition to employees of small businesses and those in poverty, other groups at particular risk for being uninsured include those in families headed by a part-time or part-year worker and young adults between the ages of 18 and 24, according to the report. And while those aged 45 to 65 were once the least likely to be uninsured, they’re the only age group to see an increase in the percentage of uninsured over the past two years.

Georgia’s men are also at risk – they’re more likely than women to go without coverage, but women are more likely than men to have public coverage.

Those surveyed who were without health coverage were also more likely to report being in poor health, increasing their likelihood of needing emergency care in the near future, Custer said.

As in past years, residents of Georgia’s rural areas, who are more likely to have low incomes and work for small firms, were also found to be more likely to lack health insurance than those living in urban/suburban areas. When grouped by public health district, about 22 percent of residents in Southeast and South Central Georgia health districts are uninsured; 21 percent in Southwest Georgia; 20 percent in North Georgia; and 19 percent in West Central, Northwest and Northeast Georgia districts.

By contrast, metro Atlanta has a significantly lower percentage of uninsured (though greater in its total number of uninsured due to its larger population). Only 12 percent of residents in the East Metro Georgia health district (including Gwinnett) are uninsured, 13 percent in Fulton, and 15 percent in the Cobb-Douglas and DeKalb districts. The only exception, according to the report, was Clayton County, in which 24 percent of residents are uninsured.

“Georgia’s relatively high rank nationally for uninsured residents has several causes,” said Patricia Ketsche, an associate professor in the Robinson College of Business. “We have a large rural population and rural workers are more likely to be employed at small firms. Rural residents usually have fewer options for employment and for coverage. And although parts of metro Atlanta have high coverage rates, there are other areas where a large number of families live at or near poverty.”

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Suniva Opens the South’s First Solar Cell Factory

(BUSINESS WIRE)--At a ribbon cutting ceremony this morning, Suniva Inc., a manufacturer of high value crystalline silicon solar cells, officially opened the first solar factory in the Southeastern US with the help of Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. Located in the Atlanta metro area, Suniva’s manufacturing facility will create over 100 high-paying, permanent green jobs by year-end 2009 and even more as it ramps to full production capacity in 2010.

Governor Perdue spoke at the event about the company’s importance to the state economy and Georgia’s presence on the national energy stage, “With patents developed in the laboratories of Georgia Tech, Suniva’s story is a prime example of how Georgia can lead the nation by teaming the strengths of public and private institutions,” said Governor Perdue. “Georgia made a strong commitment to the clean energy industry through its Energy Innovation Center and Bioenergy Corridor, and Suniva’s new facility makes us one of the first states in the nation manufacturing solar cell technology.”

Today’s announcement comes at a crossroads in the nation’s pursuit of new energy policies during tough economic times. President-elect Barack Obama and his transition team have discussed advancing the new energy economy as part of the US’s economic recovery plan. As a company whose major intellectual property was developed in a government-funded lab, Suniva is a stand out example of how government-backed initiatives can generate new US-based companies and facilitate the growth of renewable energy production and adoption.

Suniva’s founder and CTO, Dr. Ajeet Rohatgi, who is also the founder and director of Georgia Tech’s University Center of Excellence for Photovoltaic Research and Education (UCEP) funded directly through the Department of Energy (DOE), spoke at the event: “Though Suniva is barely a year old, in some ways today’s ceremony is twenty years in the making. My life’s work in advancing solar technologies has been made possible as a direct result of government funding and involvement with Georgia Tech. Suniva is the realization of all those years of hard work.”

In October — less than six months after announcing plans to build a manufacturing facility — Suniva completed installation of its first production line in this new facility and began shipping its proprietary ARTisun™ solar cells. Suniva’s solar cells are delivered to solar module manufacturers around the world under existing contracts worth over USD$1B.

“As the U.S. economy retools to become an international leader in the new energy economy, Suniva stands at the forefront, supplying a superior homegrown product to the international solar industry,” said John Baumstark, CEO of Suniva. “With our first factory officially open today, we are driving down the cost of solar and keeping clean energy technology and jobs in the US.”

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Federal Government Plan Aims to Curb Metro Atlanta Traffic

The federal government is investing $110 million to support an innovative Georgia state plan to reduce traffic congestion in Metropolitan Atlanta, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters announced today. The plan will allow more commuters to take advantage of I-85’s HOV lanes northeast of the city, and will allow for the establishment of new high-speed commuter bus service into downtown, Secretary Peters noted.

“This ambitious plan will tame traffic, pump new money into the region’s transit services and redefine the way people use I-85,” said Secretary Peters. “The goal is simple, make commutes reliable, not ridiculous.”

Georgia Tech’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering has helped shepherd the project for two years, from honing the technology to be utilized to analyzing the impact this project will have on metro Atlanta gridlock.

The result should be a smoother - and swifter - ride for road-weary commuters.

“It increases the ability of facilities to carry vehicles without making a new right of way,” said Dr. Randall Guensler, professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “If you look at the I-85 corridor, there’s no room to expand. People have the option of buying into faster travel and our focus groups said that was valued by all income groups.”

Similar programs have been initiated in Denver, Houston, Orange County, Calif., San Diego and Minneapolis, with the latter system most closely resembling the plan destined for Gwinnett, Guensler said.

According to the Texas Transportation Institute’s 2007 Urban Mobility Report, the Atlanta metro area is tied for the second-highest level of traffic congestion as measured in terms of hours of delay per rush hour driver.

Georgia Tech’s involvement in this effort to break the bottleneck is just beginning. Guensler is overseeing a vehicle monitoring program for drivers who elect to cruise through the new lanes. Measurements will include household traffic behavior, emissions and potential equity impacts.

The focus group will include 700 households comprising 1,500 vehicles, which include express buses.

Guensler calls it “the most comprehensive travel behavior study that’s ever been done.”

The first phase of the project will institute a network consisting of dynamically-priced high occupancy toll lanes on I-85, stretching from I-285 to Old Peachtree Road by January 2011. Future phases of Atlanta’s congestion plan will include a 49-mile network of additional HOV-to-HOT lane conversions along I-85, I-75 and I-20. Similar HOT lane projects have been implemented in Minneapolis and Southern California, and these areas have already seen a reduction in the amount of congestion during peak travel times.

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

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

“The money we are providing today will make commuting faster, transit better and small businesses more competitive,” said Secretary Peters. “Together, we’ll make traffic in Atlanta go with the wind.”

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American Express Announces Atlanta, The City of Trees, to Receive $300,000 Worth of Green for Participation in Root for Our City Challenge

-(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Express announced today that it is giving the City of Atlanta $300,000 for tree-planting projects as part of the American Express Root for Our City Challenge, an initiative designed to help make eight U.S. cities cleaner, greener and more beautiful. The “City of Trees” will receive funding for tree planting programs led by Trees Atlanta, which will support the planting of 300 trees and their maintenance in residential neighborhoods and retail districts throughout the city.

Through the Root For Our City Challenge, American Express has committed $1 million toward tree planting projects for further expansion of the nation’s urban tree canopies, with Atlanta securing the largest portion of the $1 million. The additional participating cities, which included Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC, will each receive $100,000 for tree planting projects in those cities that will be spearheaded by local environmentally-focused organizations.

“Trees play an important role in our local communities, from cutting carbon emissions and spurring economic development to making an area look beautiful,” said Kathy King, vice president of marketplace development, American Express Merchant Services. “While we congratulate the Atlanta community for their strong participation in the Root For Our City Challenge, we thank all of the eight participating cities, merchants and the local communities for rising to the challenge and working to green their cities.”

The final Root For Our City ranking is as follows:
1. Atlanta
2. Los Angeles
3. San Francisco
4. Miami
5. Chicago
6. Washington, DC
7. New York
8. Boston
“Trees Atlanta is absolutely bursting with this amazing news!” said Marcia Bansley, Executive Director of Trees Atlanta. “This contribution will enable us to demonstrate to the community that life can truly be more rewarding with trees – cleaner air and water, cooler temperatures, lower energy costs…the list goes on.”

“This is such an honor for Atlanta,” said Mayor Shirley Franklin. “This gift from American Express will have a tremendous impact on our city and will allow us to continue to be known as the City of Trees.”

The Root for Our City Challenge is part of American Express’s commitment to community improvement and the environment. From September 22 through October 31, 2008, American Express Cardmembers were able to vote for their city through every purchase made at a participating merchant. Cardmembers were also able to visit the rootforourcity.com website to locate merchants and learn more about the benefits of trees in an urban environment.

Project plans for the eight participating cities range from replacing storm-damaged and aging trees, to the planting of hundreds of native trees that would significantly increase the tree canopy in urban areas.

For more information about the American Express Root For Our City Challenge, visit http://www.rootforourcity.com.

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Paulding County Regional Airport Becomes First Airport to Open in Georgia in Three Decades

The Paulding County Regional Airport officially opened November 14, becoming the first airport to open in Georgia in 33 years.

“Companies far and wide can now look to Paulding County for operations that require the connectivity and direct access this new airport will provide,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “This has truly been a team effort, from our elected officials in Washington, our federal agency partners and state and local leaders who all committed to working together to see this project complete.”

Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson was joined by U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, Congressman Phil Gingrey and local officials to celebrate the opening. Governor Perdue was scheduled to be there but his return to Georgia from the Republican Governors' Association meeting in Miami was delayed by weather.

“Today is a great day for Paulding County as we formally open the Paulding County Regional Airport,” said Speaker Richardson. “I am thrilled to see this new facility build on the growth that our county has already experienced. It will only help this area continue its positive momentum by bringing in more quality jobs that our citizens deserve. The construction of this airport would not have been possible without the hard work of our local, state and federal partners coupled with the expertise of the private sector-to those groups we owe special thanks.”

The Paulding County Regional Airport (PUJ) is the first jet-capable airport to be built in Georgia in over 30 years and its design provides a foundation for the future of aviation and commerce in Paulding County. Named by the United States Department of Commerce as winner of the 2007 “Excellence for Innovation in Economic Development” award, the airport is the centerpiece of a 10,000 acre pod system designed to enhance commerce and industry in the region.

“I commend everyone who has been involved in making the Paulding County Regional Airport a reality,” said Senator Chambliss. “The completion of this airport, as well as the work that has gone into the nearby industrial park, will provide a great economic engine for Paulding County and the surrounding communities. I’m honored to join my friends for this Grand Opening Ceremony.”

Over the last two years, the state has contributed over $3 million dollars to Paulding County for this project through the Airport Aid program at the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). A contract was recently signed with Paulding County to provide state funds for 75 percent of the cost for the construction of the taxiway and apron and for the installation of navigation aids. GDOT has considered the Paulding County project to be one of the highest priority projects in its statewide system, and has recognized the need to build it for more than 20 years.

“Today marks a great victory for Paulding County and all of Northwest Georgia. Paulding County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation, and the addition of this airport will only make the area more attractive to prospective businesses and families looking to invest in a community.” said Congressman Gingrey. “I am proud to have worked alongside Governor Perdue, Senators Chambliss and Isakson, as well as Chairman Shearin, the Paulding County Commission and the Airport Authority to make this airport a reality. The airport, combined with an adjacent business and technology park, will bring good-paying jobs to the community especially needed in this time of economic difficulty and uncertainty.”

“The Paulding County Airport is perfectly situated to meet the pent-up demand for air traffic infrastructure in metro Atlanta.” said Congressman Lynn Westmoreland. “As the only Georgian on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and a member of the Aviation Subcommittee, I have worked for several years along with Congressman Phil Gingrey to steer the course for this airport on the federal level. I've taken a personal interest in this project even though it’s outside my district because our region is increasingly interdependent and the Paulding County Airport will have a positive impact on all of metro Atlanta. I congratulate Paulding County on this special day, which is the result of many of years of vision and hard work by local leaders.”


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December 22 Is Deadline to Apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding small businesses of the deadline to submit disaster loan applications for economic injury as a result of the severe storms and tornadoes that occurred March 14-16, 2008. The deadline to file applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) is December 22, 2008.

Small businesses and small agricultural cooperatives that suffered substantial economic injury in the following counties are eligible to apply to the SBA: Bartow, Burke, Carroll, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Emanuel, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Fulton, Glascock, Gordon, Gwinnett, Haralson, Henry, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, McDuffie, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Richmond, Rockdale, Screven, Walker, Warren and Washington counties in the State of Georgia; and Cherokee and Cleburne counties in the State of Alabama; and Aiken, Allendale and Barnwell counties in the State of South Carolina.

Economic injury disaster loans are available up to $1.5 million for small businesses and small agricultural cooperatives to meet ongoing operating expenses. These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. The loans are not intended to replace lost sales or profits.

The interest rate on these loans is 4 percent with a maximum term of 30 years. The SBA determines the amount of economic injury and the terms of each loan based on the financial circumstances of each borrower. Eligibility for the program is based on the size and type of business and its financial resources.

To obtain a loan application, interested business owners should contact the SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired) or by emailing our customer service center at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. EST. Business disaster loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

Disaster victims may visit SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/ to apply for disaster loans.

The deadline to return applications for economic injury is December 22, 2008.

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Several Members of the “South Side Myfas” Street Gang Indicted for Cocaine Trafficking

RICARDO LARIOS-TRUJILLO, a/k/a “Rico,” 33, of Lawrenceville, Georgia; RIGOBERTO DELGADO-OROZCO, a/k/a “Chapparo,” 30, of Buford, Georgia; RAMON CORTEZ, a/k/a “Toro,” 20, of Lawrenceville, Georgia; HOMER LARIOS, a/k/a “Hummer,” 34, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, and ALEXANDER I. ACHER, 29, of Southborough, Massachusetts, have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, more than five kilograms of cocaine. Their initial court appearances have not yet been scheduled, but are expected within a week before a United States Magistrate Judge.

United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said of today’s indictment, “Metro Atlanta unfortunately continues to be a major drug distribution center for gangs in the Southeast and beyond. The South Side Myfas street gang, which originated near Bakersfield, California, and has organized drug distribution organizations in various parts of the country, is a sub-set of the notorious Surenos gang – one of the oldest, largest, and most violent of the Mexican-American street gangs active in the United States. Today’s indictment is a warning to all South Side Myfas and other gang members in our community that we will fight to eliminate their presence.”

“ICE is committed to partnering with other law enforcement agencies to target the transnational street gangs that terrorize our community through their involvement with drugs and violence,” said Kenneth A. Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Atlanta. “By combining our resources and enforcement authorities, we can impact these gang and drug cells on multiple levels by seeking both criminal prosecution and removal from the country after their debt to society has been paid.”

According to United States Attorney Nahmias, and other information presented in court: Between 2007 and 2008, LARIOS-TRUJILLO, DELGADO-OROZCO, CORTEZ and LARIOS, members of an Hispanic street gang called “South Side Myfas,” along with ACHER, allegedly utilized “Monster Car Audio,” a audio installation business belonging to LARIOS-TRUJILLO and located at 134 South Clayton Street in Lawrenceville, Georgia, to store and distribute cocaine. After a lengthy investigation, on November 3, 2008, FBI and ICE agents conducted a joint undercover operation at the “Monster Car Audio” business, during which the defendants allegedly purchased more than five kilograms of cocaine from an undercover FBI agent. On November 3, 2008, at the times of the arrests, FBI agents also seized $130,000 in cash from the defendants.

LARIOS-TRUJILLO, DELGADO-OROZCO, CORTEZ, LARIOS and ACHER are charged in a two-count indictment with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute in excess of five kilograms of cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute in excess of five kilograms of cocaine. The indictment also includes a forfeiture count in which the United States seeks the forfeiture of all proceeds from the alleged criminal scheme. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of up to $8,000,000.

This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the FBI and ICE.

Assistant United States Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. is prosecuting the case.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government's burden to prove a defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.com.

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Circuit City Stores, Inc. Provides Update on Liquidity and Announces Store Closing Plan

GFP Note: 19 Circuit City Stores are slated for closing due to the economy. Store locations include several around the metro Atlanta area.

/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Circuit City Stores, Inc. (NYSE:CC) today provided an update on its liquidity position and its previously announced ongoing comprehensive business review. Due in part to its deteriorating liquidity position and the continued weak macroeconomic environment, the company has decided to take certain restructuring actions immediately, including closing 155 domestic segment stores, reducing future store openings and aggressively renegotiating certain leases. The company also is considering all available options and alternatives to restructure its business.

Business and Liquidity Update

Over the past several weeks, a number of factors have impacted severely the company's liquidity position. These factors include the following:

-- Waning consumer confidence and a significantly weakened retail environment have impacted negatively the company's sales and gross profit margin rate to a greater degree than management had anticipated previously.

-- Following the company's second quarter results announcement, the company's liquidity position and the sharply worsened overall economic environment led some of Circuit City's vendors to take restrictive actions with respect to payment terms and the credit they make available to the company. Additionally, the recent disruption in the financial markets has contributed to certain of the company's vendors experiencing insurmountable challenges with obtaining credit insurance for the company's purchases. As a result of this and other considerations, certain of the company's vendors have set more restrictive payment terms than in previous quarters, including in some cases requiring payment before shipment. Vendors also have limited the credit available to the company for purchases, including in some cases not providing customary increases in credit lines for holiday purchases. While management is working diligently to secure the support of its vendors and believes it has maintained good relationships with these important partners, the current mix of terms and credit availability is becoming unmanageable for the company.

-- To date, the company has been unable to collect an income tax refund of approximately $80 million that the company believes it is owed from the federal government.

-- Due primarily to the weakened economic environment and its potential impact on the timing of sales of the company's inventory and costs and expenses associated with such sales, a recent third-party appraisal conducted for the company's asset-based credit facility resulted in a reduction of the estimated net orderly liquidation value of the company's inventory. This valuation adjustment was made despite the mix of merchandise remaining consistent with the previous appraisal in November 2007. This reduction has led to a lower borrowing base and reduced availability for the current period compared with what the company had expected previously.

James A. Marcum, vice chairman and acting president and chief executive officer of Circuit City Stores, Inc. said, "Since late September, unprecedented events have occurred in the financial and consumer markets causing macroeconomic trends to worsen sharply. The weakened environment has resulted in a slowdown of consumer spending, further impacting our business as well as the business of our vendors. The combination of these trends has strained severely our working capital and liquidity, and so we are making a number of difficult, but necessary, decisions to address the company's financial situation as quickly as possible."

Domestic Segment Real Estate Actions

As a result of the company's ongoing asset productivity assessment and working capital situation, the company has determined to take the following initial actions with respect to its domestic segment real estate portfolio and strategy:

-- Close 155 stores and exit certain markets: Circuit City plans to close 155 stores that are underperforming or are no longer a strategic fit for the company. The stores identified for closure are located in 55 U.S. media markets, of which Circuit City will exit 12 U.S. media markets.

The list of closing stores can be found by visiting the company's investor information home page at http://investor.circuitcity.com/ and clicking the link regarding today's announcements. The company expects that impacted stores will not open on Tuesday, November 4, and the store closing sales will begin on Wednesday, November 5. The company expects the sales to be completed no later than calendar year end.

For fiscal 2008, the stores that are being closed generated in total approximately $1.4 billion in net sales. When results were viewed at the individual comparable store level, the closing stores, as compared to the stores remaining open, on average had lower net sales, a lower close rate and a lower gross profit margin rate. The stores, on average, were also unprofitable when marketing expenses were allocated to the individual store-level results.

Circuit City will continue to honor its customer commitments and serve its guests through 566 stores in 153 U.S. media markets, via its Web site at www.circuitcity.com and via phone at 1-800-THE-CITY (1-800-843-2489). During this transitional period, Circuit City is executing a plan to minimize disruption to the operations of stores that are remaining open. No international segment stores are closing as a result of the real estate plans announced today.

-- Further reduce new store openings: The company has revised its store opening plans for the current fiscal year and will not open at least 10 locations that were previously expected to be opened. The company still expects to open up to two incremental stores during the remainder of fiscal 2009. As previously announced, other than existing commitments, management intends to suspend store openings beginning in fiscal 2010.

-- Renegotiate certain existing leases: Circuit City intends to begin immediately renegotiating certain of its existing leases with the goal of significantly lowering rents. In some cases, the company may choose to negotiate with landlords to exit leases if rents are not reduced. The company also plans to work with landlords to terminate the leases for the stores included in today's closing announcement, as well as leases for a number of inactive locations that were closed previously and for the locations that are no longer being opened.

As a result of the store closures, Circuit City expects to reduce store operating, payroll and marketing expenses. The store closures will result in a reduction of approximately 17 percent of the domestic segment workforce. The company also expects to incur charges in fiscal 2009 associated with the above real estate actions. The company is currently evaluating the benefits and expenses associated with these changes, which are subject to the outcome of negotiations and store closure agreements. Presentation on the financial statements is currently being evaluated for accounting treatment.

"We deeply regret the impact today's announcement will have on our associates, our guests and the communities where these stores are located. We truly are grateful to each of our associates for their many contributions to the company. We are also grateful for the loyalty and support we have received from our guests in the impacted communities. Circuit City will continue to serve guests through 566 stores in 153 U.S. media markets, via its Web site at www.circuitcity.com and via phone at 1-800-THE-CITY (1-800-843-2489)," concluded Marcum.

Evaluating All Options

As a result of unfavorable macroeconomic conditions and the company's deteriorating liquidity position, the company is considering all available options and alternatives for the business. Consistent with this evaluation, the company will continue to take appropriate actions to conserve cash, reduce expenses and improve liquidity. In addition, the company is continuing to evaluate additional near-term cost reduction initiatives that may be necessary to address its financial condition. The company is also in negotiations with its lenders and other third parties regarding various financing alternatives.

The company plans to operate its business without interruption while it engages in discussions with its lenders and works with advisors to determine the most appropriate restructuring alternatives. The company can make no assurance that the discussions will result in any agreements or transactions.

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Chambliss Statement on Announcement of New Efforts to Stabilize the Economy

“This morning the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets announced new efforts to stabilize our economy authorized under the recently passed Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. I commend the members of this group for acting swiftly to quell the extreme volatility that has dominated our capital markets during the past weeks.

“Make no mistake about it; these efforts are measures of last resort. No one is pleased to be in this situation. I am, and always have been, a person who believes in free markets. However, these recent drastic steps are necessary to protect the framework which allows those markets to remain open and free. The current financial crisis was years in the making fueled by Wall Street greed and dishonesty, and today’s actions are another step on the long road to recovery.

“The current state of affairs in our financial markets runs deep, touching the lives of all Georgians. This crisis is crushing Main Street. Small businesses and local community banks are feeling the brunt of this economic instability. Our pensions and retirement security have been placed in jeopardy and must be made secure.

“Despite this period of economic volatility, I am confident in the long-term prosperity of our economy. The resilience of our financial system remains strong and will prevail through these troubling times. And those executives who forced us into this economic meltdown and stole from the American people will be investigated, prosecuted and punished accordingly.”

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AAUW Hosts Political Forum Tuesday in Valdosta

The American Association of University Women will host the South Georgia Political Forum from 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center.

Candidates for all national and local offices will participate in free-form roundtables and offer three-minute speeches, which will be moderated by Dr. Sharon Gravett, assistant vice president for Academic Affairs and longtime member of the AAUW. Prior to the addresses, the estimated 20 candidates from state and local races will be available in the meeting room to entertain questions from the public and distribute campaign information.

The Valdosta branch of the AAUW organized the forum, in conjunction with Myrna Ballard of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, Julie Greenhaw of the Lowndes County Republican Party and Dennis Marks of the Lowndes County Democratic party.

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Belgian Journalists Speak on European Opinion about the U.S. Elections

Citing the current economic crisis, the war in Iraq and a need for multilateralism as reasons for Europeans to keep an eye on the U.S. presidential election, seven Belgian journalists weighed in on the candidates in a panel discussion at Georgia State on Monday.

“If you would have an election in Europe with the two candidates, you would see Barack Obama win 80 to 20 percent,” said Jorn De Cock, foreign affairs writer for De Standaard and Het Nieuwsblad/De Gentenaar. “But there is a real feeling in Europe that we should not express an opinion so it will not backfire over here.”

Guy Van Vlierden, foreign desk coordinator at Het Laatste Nieuws, said that although Europeans see Obama as a more favorable candidate, it’s still anybody’s game.

“It’s a constant surprise,” he said. “It’s crystal clear for us Belgians and Europeans: Barack Obama is the most interesting. I think John McCain will win at the end, I don’t know. It’s still a constant surprise.”

Jurek Kuczkiewicz of daily newspaper Le Soir said that in talking to Americans, it’s evident that U.S. foreign policy and global image are becoming an issue for voters, and many on the panel expressed apprehension about vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s foreign policy experience.

“The first issue anybody mentioned was and still is the United States’ image abroad,” Kuczkiewicz said. “I was very surprised. I think that as foreign media, we contribute to the American people learning about what effects their action abroad has.”

Panelists also said that after eight years of George W. Bush’s presidency, Europeans are ready for change, whatever the outcome of the election may be.

“There’s the economic problems, but besides that, the Iraq situation, the arrogance of people like Dick Cheney,” De Cock said. “The United States is our main ally, and we need each other. We haven’t really been behaving like allies in the past few years.”

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News to Use in Fayetteville, Atlanta, Savannah, Peachtree City and all of Georgia

Urbanization Causes Concrete Jungle to Grow

Each day, more of Georgia gets covered in concrete. This development affects traffic and eats up agricultural land. Now, in North Georgia especially, it’s affecting the water system, says a University of Georgia expert.

“It’s the 800-pound gorilla in North Georgia,” said Liz Kramer, who works jointly with the departments of agriculture and applied economics and engineering in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “We really have to be thinking of that in issues of water quality and quantity. North Georgia is getting gobbled away by those housing density numbers.”

Between 2001 and 2005, approximately 13,410 acres of impervious surfaces were put down in Gwinnett County. The metro Atlanta area averaged 55 acres a day, the equivalent of about 41 football fields. Georgia in total covered 38 million acres.

When an area is covered in pavement, sidewalks, rooftops or buildings, rainwater can’t get into the ground. Instead, it rushes across the solid surfaces, picks up pollutants and washes into streams. This can cause an artificial spike in water levels, which quickly returns to the levels before the rain. Streams don’t stay as full as they did before housing growth.

“We’re no longer recharging our groundwater, and we’re reducing the amount of available water we can use to dilute the pollutants going into the streams,” Kramer said.

And it’s all because less and less water flows through the dirt, cleaning itself as it seeps through the ground and back into aquifers and streams.

Urban pollution sources

Ten years ago, streams in metro Atlanta had much more pesticides than those in agricultural areas, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. This was due to solid surfaces and improper pesticide use.

“Farmers understand pesticides and use them properly,” Kramer said. “If someone in an urban area is working on their two-acre lot and using pesticides, they’re going to go to a home-improvement store and pick up the first thing off the shelf. And we’re Americans. If a little is good, a lot is better.”

Farmers are often blamed for pollution, particularly North Georgia poultry farmers. But in urban areas, people pollution is a bigger problem.

“Tires produce a lot of zinc,” Kramer said. “Parking lots have a lot of heavy metals, a lot of oils, anything that drips out of your car.”

Changing landscape

The population boom in North Georgia has sent many farmers looking for cheaper land or out of the industry altogether. “As we develop, we’re pushing these guys out of the watershed,” Kramer said.

By raising chickens, poultry farmers also produce chicken litter, which contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other minerals important for crop growth. Farmers sometimes spread it for fertilizer. Near urban areas where less water is absorbed before it hits a stream, farmers have to be careful where they put chicken litter and how much they spread, she said.
“If someone’s applying chicken litter, even the same amount as they have in the past, any runoff would be magnified,” Kramer said.

"Pollution is a problem," she said, "but losing farmland and forests is a bigger problem because agricultural land helps maintain air and water quality and ecosystems."

"The challenge", she said, "is to keep agriculture in North Georgia. (It) provides so much value, and that value is not being accounted for because we just look at houses.”

By Stephanie Schupska
University of Georgia

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Link Shown Between Thunderstorms and Asthma Attacks in Metro Atlanta Area by Team of Researchers from University of Georgia and Emory University

In the first in-depth study of its kind ever done in the Southeastern United States, researchers at the University of Georgia and Emory University have discovered a link between thunderstorms and asthma attacks in the metro Atlanta area that could have a “significant public health impact.”

While a relationship between thunderstorms and increased hospital visits for asthma attacks has been known and studied worldwide for years, this is the first time a team of climatologists and epidemiologists has ever conducted a detailed study of the phenomenon in the American South.

The team, studying a database consisting of more than 10 million emergency room visits in some 41 hospitals in a 20-county area in and around Atlanta for the period between 1993 and 2004, found a three percent higher incidence of visits for asthma attacks on days following thunderstorms.

“While a three percent increase in risk may seem modest, asthma is quite prevalent in Atlanta, and a modest relative increase could have a significant public health impact for a region with more than five million people,” said Andrew Grundstein, a climatologist in the department of geography at UGA and lead author on the research. Grundstein went on to say that “three percent is likely conservative because of limitations in this study.”

The next step for the UGA and Emory team will be, for the first time, to apply Doppler radar, modeling and observational data to the “thunderstorm asthma” problem based on what Grundstein calls an intriguing initial finding. He points out that “radar data coupled with the metro Atlanta database will allow us to correlate thunderstorm-asthma interactions that we are probably missing today.”

Paige Tolbert, professor and chair of the department of environmental and occupational health in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory and a co-author of the just-published study, said the expertise of the two universities came together strongly in studying the problem.

“The Emory team has experience with a comprehensive emergency department database, and the UGA team can provide a much more refined characterization of thunderstorms than was performed in the previous studies of this question,” she said. “The study will thus provide new insight into the mechanisms under the phenomenon of thunderstorm-induced asthma.”

The research was published in the online edition of the medical journal Thorax. Other authors of the paper include: Marshall Shepherd and Thomas Mote from the UGA department of geography; Luke Naeher from the UGA department of environmental health science; and Stefanie Ebelt Sarnat and Mitchell Klein, who along with Tolbert are from the department of environmental and occupational health in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory.

About 20 million Americans have asthma, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. There also has been a dramatic increase in reported cases of the disease, with its prevalence increasing 75 percent between 1980 and 1994. Some 5,000 Americans die annually from asthma attacks.

Approximately 210,000 Georgia children under the age of 17 have asthma, according to the Division of Public Health of the Georgia Department of Human Resources. Some 65 percent of that number had an attack within the last year.

While associations between thunderstorm activity and asthma deaths and emergency room visits have been reported around the world, virtually no studies have been done in the American South, where hundreds of thousands suffer from asthma and thunderstorms are prevalent.

Some people may find it odd that thunderstorms, which supposedly “clear the air” of pollen and pollutants, are implicated in asthma attacks. The most prominent hypothesis as to why it happens, the authors of the paper say, is that “pollen grains may rupture upon contact with rainwater, releasing respirable allergens, and that gusty winds from thunderstorm downdrafts spread particles . . . which may ultimately increase the risk of asthma attacks.”

The team used thunderstorm occurrences from meteorological data gathered at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and compared that information with the vast database of emergency room visits to arrive at the figure of a three percent increase in asthma-related emergency room visits following thunderstorms for the study period.

In all, during the 11-year period, there were 564 thunderstorm days, and in order to better understand the physical mechanisms that relate thunderstorms and asthma, the team also mined the information on total daily rainfall and maximum five-second wind gusts, which they used as “a surrogate for thunderstorm downdrafts and to indicate the maximum wind speed of the storm.”

In all, there were 215,832 asthma emergency room visits during the period and 28,350 of these occurred on days following thunderstorms. While the new study is the first of its kind in the South and does clearly indicate a relationship between thunderstorms and asthma in the metro Atlanta area, much more work remains, Grundstein said.

“Obtaining a better understanding of the mechanistic basis of the phenomenon of thunderstorm-induced asthma will allow for better intervention strategies and improved emergencies services planning,” said Stefanie Ebelt Sarnat of Emory. “This will be particularly important in the era of climate change.”

Grundstein added that in the Atlanta area conditions favorable for an estimated doubling of severe thunderstorms are expected within this century.

By Philip Lee Williams
University of Georgia

Governor Perdue Announces IT3 Transportation Plan

Today Governor Sonny Perdue announced a new statewide transportation partnership called Investing in Tomorrow’s Transportation Today or IT3. IT3 is designed to bring the Department of Transportation, Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, the General Assembly, local partners and the executive branch together to formulate strategies that will improve transportation infrastructure throughout the state.

“As we did in education, we will transform the way we look at transportation from counting how much money we spend to an outcomes-based investment strategy to ensure we create a 21st century transportation network throughout the state,” said Governor Sonny Perdue.

Throughout the summer and fall, the state’s transportation agencies will be working in collaboration with the General Assembly’s transportation committees and stakeholders throughout Georgia to develop a business case for transportation investment. Included will be the definition of strategic goals and policies, benchmarking with other states’ transportation successes and examination of ways to financially support outcomes.

During the press conference, Governor Perdue announced that the state will fund 28 new GRTA buses using a combination of state and federal dollars. The Xpress service has proven a successful way to provide reliable commute alternatives for residents of metropolitan Atlanta who have work destinations in the Downtown and Midtown areas of the city of Atlanta. These additions to the Xpress fleet are based on consumer demand on routes originating in Conyers, Stockbridge, Newnan, Buford, Douglasville, Canton and Snellville. These buses will serve new routes and supply more bus departure times on existing routes.

“I think with standing room only on buses and gas at four dollars a gallon, we need more transportation options, and that’s what I am committed to do by funding additional GRTA buses,” said Governor Perdue. “One bus can take up to 57 cars off the road and we understand with the addition of these new buses increased ridership will ease congestion.”

Governor Perdue also voiced his strong support for a commuter rail pilot project from Atlanta to Griffin, previously known as the Lovejoy line. The extension of the line from Lovejoy to Griffin is anticipated to improve ridership by 40 percent while only requiring a marginal increase in operating costs. GDOT will work in partnership with GRTA in executing the next steps in bringing the line to fruition.

Such steps will include obtaining commitments from local governments to partner with state in supporting operations on the Griffin line. Among the criteria for success will include providing reliable service that saves commuters time and money.

“I am fully prepared to support GDOT’s efforts on commuter rail and making the pilot a reality,” said Governor Perdue. “After looking at the operational costs that I’ve seen it makes sense to go all the way to Griffin using this pilot program.”

Governor Perdue was joined at the press conference by DOT Commissioner Gena Abraham and members of the DOT and GRTA boards.

“After nearly two decades in state government at various levels, I believe that this is the best state transportation board I have had the privilege to work with,” Governor Perdue said. “I am eager to continue working closely with them and the General Assembly in this critical effort.”