Georgia news for Thursday, September 9th, 2010
Sep 9, 2010 - Atlanta Journal ConstitutionGeorgia records warmest summer nights ever; 2011 drought ‘likely'
Christian Boone reports that nearly every Georgia municipality saw record-high temperatures this summer -- especially at night. Atlanta, Jasper, Gainesville, Toccoa and Athens were among the Georgia cities that experienced record warm average daily minimum temperatures this summer. Climatologists define summer as the months of June, July and August.
Sep 9, 2010 - Augusta Chronicle
More look to saving for future
Erin Zureick reports that it's not unusual for people to buckle down and save more money when times are tough, said Simon Medcalfe, a finance professor at Augusta State University. "The last several recessions, the savings rate has increased because people are worried about their jobs and they're trying to build up that buffer," he said. Despite the savings increase, the rate was higher during recessions in the 1970s and 1980s, landing around 10 percent, Medcalfe said.
Sep 9, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Lake Lanier to get first state park
David Wickert reports that the state Department of Natural Resources is preparing to build its first park at Lake Lanier despite recent budget cuts that have curtailed services at other parks. The 1,040-acre Don Carter State Park is one of two facilities that soon will be added to the roster of 63 Georgia state parks and historic sites. DNR officials say the park will serve the less-developed northeastern part of Lake Lanier, offering camping, swimming and other outdoor activities.
Sep 9, 2010 - Augusta Chronicle
Board endorses MCG name change
The Medical College of Georgia will still refer to its School of Medicine, but the rest of the university will be changing names. The boards of MCG Health Inc. and MCG Health System met Wednesday by conference call to endorse the name change. MCG Health System's meeting was not publicly announced, as required by the Georgia Open Meetings Law, which means whatever action it took can be challenged in court during the next 90 days.
Sep 9, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Lawsuit: Fox Theatre refuses Muslim concert on Sept. 11
Alexis Stevens reports that two men who hoped to hold a concert at the Fox Theatre to mark the end of Ramadan claim the venue refused because they are Muslim. Basheer Jones and Nardin Jihad say their company, Da Akhs Entertainment, is promoting a concert called "EID 2010," and asked the Fox in March to host the program. Eid ul-Fitr is a Muslim holiday marking the end of a fasting period, and the first Saturday following Eid is Sept. 11.
Sep 9, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Billboards shun religion, promote separation of church and state
Shelia M. Poole reports that the Freedom from Religion Foundation plans to put messages on 50 billboards in metro Atlanta this week as part of a blitz through the Bible Belt shunning religion and advocating separation of church and state.
Sep 9, 2010 - Athens Banner-Herald
NCAA benches Dogs receiver
Marc Weiszer reports that the NCAA handed Georgia receiver A.J. Green a four-game suspension Wednesday for selling his Independence Bowl game jersey to an individual whom the college athletics governing body defines as an agent.
Sep 9, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Powerball jackpot up to $79 million
Mike Morris reports that the jackpot for Saturday's Powerball drawing climbed to $79 million after no players matched all six numbers in Wednesday night's game.
Sep 9, 2010 - Athens Banner-Herald
UGA Observatory plans open houses
Staff reports that the University of Georgia Observatory will host its first open house of the fall semester at 9 p.m. Friday
Sep 9, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Tony Gonzalez set to become first tight end with 1,000 catches
D. Orlando Ledbetter reports that Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez needs one catch to notch the 1,000th reception of his glorious career, and it probably won't be long into the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday when he gets the catch.
Sep 9, 2010 - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Braves close out trip with a trounce of the Pirates
Carroll Rogers reports that the Braves couldn’t get first place back Wednesday night, but they got a little sanity. After scoring one run in two days against the hapless Pirates, the Braves unleashed some offense, just in time to salvage the series finale 9-3 and give some cushion to the resurgent Derek Lowe.
Sep 9, 2010 - Gainesville Times
Enter the Dragon Boats
Staff reports that the 15th annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival is scheduled for Saturday at the Clarks Bridge Park Olympic venue on Lake Lanier. The event has grown over the years from a handful of teams and spectators into a fall tradition, with more than 60 teams expected to take part. Some 6,000 spectators are expected to attend to watch the races and partake of Chinese culture from artisans and performers.
Sep 9, 2010 - Cartersville Daily Tribune
'Saved by the Bell' actor to speak at GHC Cartersville tonight, Rome Thursday
Staff reports that Dennis Haskins, who humorously portrayed Principal Belding at Bayside High School in the 1990s television series “Saved by the Bell,” will kick off Georgia Highlands College’s Community Speaker Series today at 7 p.m. in the library of the college's Cartersville campus.
Sep 9, 2010 - Athens Banner-Herald
BOE weighs college-prep program
Ryan Blackburn reports that te Clarke County Board of Education tonight will discuss a midyear budget amendment that would give two schools an International Baccalaureate program, an internationally recognized set of academic standards that help prepare students for the rigors of college.
Sep 9, 2010 - Rockdale Citizen
School system gets grant for training
Michelle Floyd reports that Rockdale County Public Schools has received a grant that will expand its professional development training. Last week, RCPS announced that Superintendent Samuel King, and subsequently the school system, were awarded the Leading for Learning: Sybil Yastrow Superintendent Grant from the Impacting the Future Now Foundation. With this partnership grant, the superintendent and district leaders will partner with the National Staff Development Council for a three-year program.
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Sep 9, 2010 - Marietta Daily Journal
Cobb explores a la carte pricing for super search
Kathryn Dobies reports that after reviewing the Georgia School Boards Association's 17-step, $15,000 superintendent search process, Cobb School Board Chairwoman Lynnda Crowder-Eagle on Wednesday asked to see the GSBA's a la carte pricing for assistance. Also Wednesday, school board members discussed its Strategic Plan, although there was no mention of missing Adequate Yearly Progress targets for the 2009-10 school year.
Sep 9, 2010 - Savannah Morning News
Savannah-Chatham schools superintendent touts big attendance boost
Jenel Few reports that Superintendent Thomas Lockamy is celebrating an unexpected spike in enrollment, but board members want to make sure their growing student body is in the right schools and performing well before they celebrate. During the monthly school board meeting, Lockamy told the Savannah-Chatham school board enrollment has reached 35,014 students. That's the highest it has been in more than a decade and reverses a trend that at one point caused enrollment to dip as low as 32,000 students, he said. As of Wednesday, enrollment exceeded the district's projections for 2010-2011 by 47 students. More are expected to enroll this week.
Sep 9, 2010 - Henry Daily Herald
Henry closes test gap with state
Johnny Jackson reports that Henry County Schools still trails behind the state in average American College Test (ACT) scores, although the school system has begun to close the gap between it and the state. School officials recently reported system-level results on the ACT, Inc., college entrance exam, which includes data dating back to 2006, when the system’s average ACT scores were on par with state averages.
Sep 9, 2010 - Augusta Chronicle
Scientist to treat water pollution with artificial wetlands
Rob Pavey reports that Shawn Rosenquist hopes to use Augusta's most developed corridors as a living laboratory. "There's a lot we can learn here about clean water," the new Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy research scientist said. A decade ago, the academy used artificial wetlands to clean up polluted water flowing from the city's wastewater plant and transformed the restored area into Phinizy Swamp Nature Park. Rosenquist, a recent Ph.D. graduate of Virginia Tech's Biological Systems Engineering Department, hopes to use similar tactics to clean up stormwater.
Sep 9, 2010 - Rome News-Tribune
Rome International Film Festival begins tomorrow
Severo Avila reports that several Georgia filmmakers will step into the limelight this weekend as their films are screened during the Rome International Film Festival. Of the 75 films being screened at the DeSoto Theatre and Heritage Hall, eight of those are by filmmakers from Georgia and three are by Rome comedy troupe The Woodcreek Faction. Those three films are “Bunny Skates,” “Recession Santa,” and “Wrong Tree, Wrong Time.”
