GNB Update

One more day until Friday...Here's the news...

The Georgia Department of Transportation finally has its new leader. Ledger-Enquirer.com reports that Vance Smith was named GDOT Commissioner Thursday. He replaces Gena Evans, who was fired in February after an 8-2 vote by the GDOT board. In 2007, Evans edged him by one vote to get the job. Smith will leave the state Representative post he's held for the last 17 years. He starts at his new job next week.

Saying goodbye to bad housing. That's what officials in Albany declared Wednesday. The Albany Herald reports that 17 houses considered blighted by local officials were destroyed with no extra cost to taxpayers. Almost a full block of houses were demolished in order to comply with the city's housing code. Albany Code Enforcement Director Mike Tilson told the Herald that the going rate to tear down a home is about $5,500. The whole project alone could save taxpayers up to $100,000.

A pair of stepsisters from coastal Georgia texts their way to the top. SavannahNow.com reports that stepsisters Morgan Dynda and Erin Fink from the Savannah suburb of Pooler competed at the LG national texting championships in New York earlier this week. They were among 21 finalists that competed for the title. All of the finalists won new cell phones from LG. Both teens had to send a text within a minute while running on a treadmill, translating text messgae abbreviations, not to mention texting alphabet: all with a blindfold. The 14-year-old Dynda also won a laptop computer, and a plasma television for finishing in second place.

That's the news. GNB is available online at georgianewsbeat.blogspot.com, and on Twitter at twitter.com/georgianewsbeat. Enjoy your Thursday night.