18TH “Hands Across the Border” DUI Enforcement

This Labor Day, drunk drivers who try to run from police in Georgia, will be frustrated to find even more police waiting for them at every Georgia state line -- It’s Georgia’s annual Hands Across The Border intra-state highway safety crackdown. This Labor Day law enforcement tradition is now in its eighteenth year of making roads throughout the southeast safer from drunk drivers.

“This campaign serves as an annual reminder that Georgia and its neighbor states won’t tolerate any form of impaired driving as summer revelers hit the road for their last vacation of the season,” said Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) Director Bob Dallas. “Whether you’re coming to see Georgia’s beautiful coast, travelling to Tennessee’s majestic mountains, or visiting any great southeastern vacation destination, our message is clear: If you drive drunk, your itinerary will also include a memorable trip to a Georgia jail.”

For six days leading up to the Labor Day weekend, police, sheriff’s deputies and State Troopers throughout Georgia will rendezvous at state Welcome Centers for interviews with news media and photo-ops with handshakes and helicopters to promote highway safety education. But it’s not just about local TV, radio and newspaper coverage -- Georgia’s peace officers will join their traffic enforcement partners from five bordering states in a major mobilization effort coordinated by the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) to crack down on impaired drivers.

“Motorists heading toward any of the five state lines that Georgia shares should expect to see a high concentration of law enforcement on our interstates and roadways,” Director Dallas said. “Day and night and on both sides of the state line, our highway safety partners will be conducting sobriety checks to get the summer’s most dangerous drivers off the road. From Aug. 30th through Sept. 4th, the flashing red and blue lights of our Hands Across the Border teams will blanket the state as a colorful reminder that drunk driving will not be tolerated now or ever.”

Each year this campaign creates an outstanding opportunity for law enforcement officers from
neighboring Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, and North and South Carolina to renew their commitment to cooperate in their lifesaving mission. For eighteen years the highlight of these media events at Georgia Welcome Centers has been the traditional handshake between traffic enforcement officers from both sides of the state lines as they make their annual Hands Across The Border Pledge to work together all year long to reduce crashes, fatalities and serious injuries on our highways. After the speeches and media coverage, officers convoy in blue-light motorcades to the adjoining states’ visitor centers to repeat their lifesaving pledge.

This year, the Hands Across The Border campaign runs concurrent with the nationwide Labor Day impaired driving mobilization. In Georgia, it’s Operation Zero Tolerance.. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. GOHS is also coordinating the “100 Days Of Summer HEAT” initiative this Labor Day to raise awareness about the deadly consequences of speed, aggressive driving, and failure to use safety belts and child restraints. For more information about Operation Zero Tolerance, Hands Across The Border, and the “100 Days Of Summer HEAT”, visit the GOHS website at www.gahighwaysafety.org .

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Georgia Plans Labor Day Operation Zero Tolerance Campaign

The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) will launch its Labor Day Operation Zero Tolerance (OZT) campaign with a kickoff news conference on August 28.

Regional traffic enforcement networks will conduct sobriety checkpoints, concentrated patrols and impaired driving campaign media events around the state to announce the OZT holiday travel period initiative.

During the more than two week long enforcement campaign, Georgia law enforcement will also line up at State Welcome Centers to greet motorists as part of the 18th annual Hands Across the Border highway safety awareness campaign. Georgia police will join partners from five border states to crack down on impaired driving and send the message that safe driving doesn't stop at the state line. For more information, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org.

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'My Big Redneck' Producers to Look for Future Program Participants at Powers' Crossroads Labor Day Weekend Festival in Newnan, Ga.

PRNewswire/ -- Talent scouts for the "My Big Redneck" television series that airs on Country Music Television will be searching for future show participants for three upcoming programs this weekend at the Powers' Crossroads Country Fair and Art Festival in Newnan, Ga.

Held every year on the 100 acres of historic Powers Plantation in Newnan, Ga., near Franklin, Ga., the Powers' Crossroads Festival will open for its 38th consecutive year at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, and will wrap up at 5 p.m. Labor Day afternoon, Sept. 1.

"The producers, Pink Sneakers Productions of Apopka, Fla., told me they plan to have talent scouts on the Festival grounds on Sunday, Aug. 31, and Monday, Sept. 1," said Carol Chancey, the festival's executive director.

According to Ms. Chancey the producers are looking for participants for three programs, "Redneck Bash," "My Big Redneck Wedding" and "My Big Redneck Christmas."

"It's a little out of the ordinary for us, but we think it's a great opportunity to give Festival attendees 'a little extra Labor Day weekend fun' during their festival visit," Ms. Chancey said.

"Redneck Bash" documents the wild and crazy preparations and celebrations associated with a variety of events from divorce and retirement parties to baby showers and backyard bar-b-cues.

"Redneck Wedding" covers the down-to-earth fun of a redneck nuptial from denim wedding dresses and camouflage tuxedos to shotgun salutes and arriving at the reception in an all terrain vehicle.

"Redneck Christmas" focuses on heart-warming families with wacky traditions and decorations that might include shotgun shell ornaments, monster truck tree toppers or rockin' reindeer games.

Scheduled festival activities include the traditional Rising Star competition on Saturday morning, a contemporary Christian music concert sponsored by radio station J93.3, WVFJ-FM, Atlanta on Sunday afternoon, and an encore performance by the Rising Star competition winners and the Miss Coweta County Pageant, a preliminary event for the Miss West Georgia competition in January 2009, on Monday afternoon.

Visitors to this year's festival will also find perennial favorites in shopping for unique arts and crafts. Each of the more than 175 artisans showcasing their work for sale is selected by judges during the course of the year.

Festival hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and military personnel, $3 for children ages 5-12, and free for children 4 and under. Parking is free and complimentary shuttle service is available from the parking areas.

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Get Away to Great Past Times During Labor Day Weekend at Powers' Crossroads Festival in Newnan, Ga., Aug. 30 - Sept. 1

PRNewswire/ -- The Powers' Crossroads Country Fair and Art Festival opens for its 38th consecutive year on Labor Day Weekend with new entertainment as it continues to celebrate its proud tradition as host to innovative art exhibitions in this West Georgia community.

"It's a great opportunity for festival visitors to dial back the hands of time and experience a real country fair set in the rolling woodlands of this west Georgia community," said Carol Chancy, the festival's executive director.

Held every year on the 100 acres of historic Powers Plantation in Newnan, Ga., near Franklin, Ga., the Powers' Crossroads Festival will open at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, and will wrap up at 5 p.m. Labor Day afternoon, Sept. 1, after a 2 p.m. Miss Coweta County Pageant, a preliminary event for the Miss West Georgia competition in January 2009.

Festival hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and military personnel, $3 for children ages 5-12, and free for children 4 and under. Parking is free and complimentary shuttle service is available from the parking areas.

Visit www.newnan.com/powers for additional information and driving directions.

With a proud heritage as one of the best events in the Southeast, Powers brings back again this year its local Rising Star talent competition on the Festival's opening day.

Beginning at 10 a.m. 30 contestants will vie for the title of the 2008 Powers' Crossroads Rising Star. Contestants will compete in one of three age categories: 15-18 years old; 19-34; and, 35 plus.

This year's three celebrity judges for the rising star competition are "Mid-Days" radio personality J. D. from Midwest Georgia's music station, Magic 98.1, WMGP-FM in Newnan; Jessica Scott, Miss West Georgia 2008; and Linda Walker, owner of the talent agency Speer Entertainment and Really Big Productions, Inc., an entertainment production company.

They will select a winner from each age group, and from that group of three, the judges -- with some audience participation -- will select the 2008 Powers' Crossroads Rising Star.

Each age group winner will receive cash prizes and will perform an Encore Show Monday, Sept. 1 prior to the Miss Coweta County competition.

Visitors to this year's festival can also find perennial favorites in shopping for unique arts and crafts. Each of the more than 200 artisans showcasing their work for sale is selected by judges during the course of the year.

Judges for this year's art competition are Amanda Dumas-Hernandez, a Newnan native who is currently an instructor at the Savannah College of Art & Design's Atlanta campus, and Claudia McDavid, the Art Partners Program Officer for the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.

This year, visitors may also see a limited viewing of art purchased by the Festival between 1971-2007.

Each year the Festival art judges select several pieces to purchase as exemplary of that particular year's offerings at the Festival. Known as the Purchase Awards, there are currently more than 100 works of art in this collection.

The Powers' Crossroads Country Fair and Art Festival is organized and produced by five local non-profit organizations as their annual major fundraiser with net proceeds divided among the organizations. They are: Newnan Coweta Chamber of Commerce, Newnan Coweta Arts Association, Coweta 4H, Newnan Coweta Jaycees and The Pilot Club of Newnan

Presenting sponsors include Buffalo Rock Beverages and Food Services, Newnan, Ga., West Georgia Technical College, LaGrange, Ga., Toyota of Newnan.

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