GNB Update

Here's what making news in Georgia for Tuesday...

The investigation into the salmonella outbreak has claimed another victim. This time it has caused the shut down of a plant in Texas. The beleagured Peanut Corporation of America has suspended at its plant in Plainview, Texas. Officials with the Blakely-based company say it's voluntarily suspending its operations in the Texas Panhandle town while state and federal health authorities there continue their investigation into that plant's food safety records. The salmonella outbreak has sickened close to 600 people, and may be to blame for eight deaths. It has already closed the PCA plant in Georgia.

No place for sex offenders on school boards.

That's the message the Georgia Senate sent to those would-be candidates, as it passed SB 14 earlier Tuesday morning. It prohibits registered sex offenders from seeking election to school boards in any Georgia county. The legislation was brought about when a convicted sex offender tried to run for a seat on the school board in Newton County. He eventually withdrew from that race. The bill passed with no opposition.

Georgia lawmakers are moving ahead with their plan to implement more tax breaks. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation that would extend tax breaks to Delta Air-Lines. The move gives Delta and other airlines about $25 million in state taxes a year. It comes despite the state facing a more than $2 billion deficit.

Finally, if you're a parent, you may be the reason why your kids aren't using illegal drugs in their teenage years. The University of Georgia reports that a genetic risk factor that makes youth more likely to engage in substance use can be neutralized by supportive parenting. Researchers at UGA interviewed more than 250 African-American families in rural Georgia within the last four years. Their study found that more than 20 percent of the youth had smoked cigarettes, over 40 percent drinking alcohol, and five percent each had either drank heavily, or used marijuana. The findings were publishing in the February issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

That's the news. Remember to log on to GNB, and visit the links on the right rail at georgianewsbeat.blogspot.com for the freshest and latest news content, 24/7. Have a great day, and evening.