GNB PHOTO EXTRA--College presidents discuss ways to boost economy

The presidents of Albany State University, Albany Technical College, Georgia Southwestern State University, and South Georgia Technical College recently visited the GSW campus in Americus. They discussed ways to jump start a sluggish economy. It's a challenge that's especially tremendous in southwest Georgia.

Photo caption: (from left to right--Albany Technical College President Anthony Parker, South Georgia Technical College President Sparky Reeves, Albany State University President Everette Freeman, and Georgia Southwestern State University President Kendall Blanchard)

Photo courtesy of Georgia Southwestern State University

GNB EXTRA--SPECIAL REPORT--The Swine Flu

With the first confirmed swine flu case in Georgia occurring earlier today...GNB is suspending its regular coverage...and devoting this post to coverage of the swine pandemic...

At around 7 a.m. this morning...the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta reported that a 30-year-old woman from Kentucky contracted the disease while on a trip to Mexico. According to the LaGrange Daily News, the woman was in west central Georgia for an unspecified function, and has been in the hospital since Sunday. Georgia has become the 11th state to have at least one confirmed of the swine flu, with one death in Texas so far.

More coverage...

WSB-TV Atlanta

WTVM Columbus (via Associated Press)

Macon.com (via Associated Press)

Emergency operation center set up in southwest Georgia

WALB Albany

Augusta doctor talks about swine flu

WJBF Augusta

Resources

NOTE: This is not meant to be a comprehensive list. Stay with GNB for further updates on the swine pandemic.

Georgia Division of Public Health Swine Flu Information Page:
http://health.state.ga.us/swineflu/

Swine Flu Update on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SwineFluUpdate

CDC Swine Flu Homepage: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

Health & Human Services Disease Information: http://www.hhs.gov/diseases/index.html

WTOC Swine Flu Information Page: Click here.

GNB Update

Halfway through the work week...Here's the news...

Top honors for prominent graduates of the Medical College of Georgia. The Augusta-based medical school honored eight of its distinguished alumni. Among those honored were Dr. Edward J. Green of Albany, Elberton native Dr. Lenette Burrell, and Dr. Lamar Fleming of Emory University in Atlanta. The awards were given out during MCG's homecoming ceremonies last weekend.

Do you want to know what's going on at your child's school? You can turn to Twitter for that information. That's what many Georgia school systems are doing, according to an article in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution. They use the free social media service to inform parents of important developments that are going on in their schools. Forsyth County recently earned the distinction of becoming the first metro Atlanta school system to use Twitter. It started using the service in March, and now has 300 followers. The Georgia Department of Education has more than 60 followers of its Twitter page. That's about five times fewer followers than in Forsyth County, but around 20 more than last week.

And from the "blog files", SWGA Politics weighs in on the issue of a controversial ordinance in Albany. The link to the report from WALB-TV is here.

That's the news. GNB is available online at georgianewsbeat.blogspot.com. It's also available on Twitter, either by clicking the "follow me on Twitter" link, or by logging on to twitter.com/georgianewsbeat. Have a good Wednesday night.

GNB Update

Hope your Tuesday went well...Here's the news...

The spread of the swine flu has become a major topic of conversation worldwide. The University of Georgia has a list of experts available for comment on this latest pandemic. Click here for that list.

For more information on the swine flu, please visit the Centers For Disease Control's homepage by clicking here.

Also read: U.S. swine flu cases reach 68.

On Twitter: Swine Flu Update

Georgia schools are among the big beneficiaries from the federal stimulus package. In a unaminous vote, the state school board earlier today approved close to $670 million in stimulus money. The funds will be used to ease the budget shortfall for the state's 180 school districts. They're caused by massive cuts in state funding, as well as declining property tax collections. The money will be distributed to more than 1,300 schools throughout Georgia immediately. It's K-12 system will get up to $1.5 billion from the federal stimulus program over the next two years.

Also read: Middle Georgia schools get stimulus money

An east Georgia lake gets significant funding from the federal stimulus package. The Augusta Chronicle reports that Lake Thurmond in Lincoln County will get more than $16 million in improvements. They will speed up the start of projects that range from building a new campground to getting much needed repairs to the dam and powerhouse. The Savannah District will get more than $94 million total in total funding commitments.

That's the news. GNB is available online at georgianewsbeat.blogspot.com, and on Twitter at twitter.com/georgianewsbeat. Have a good Tuesday night.

GNB Update

Hope you got through your Monday...Here's the news...

Another Republican declared his candidacy for Georgia governor earlier today. WXIA-TV in Atlanta reports that state Senator Eric Johnson of Savannah announced that he would seek the GOP gubernatorial nomination in 2010. He originally chose to run for Lieutenant Governor, but changed his mind when Casey Cagle withdrew from the governor's race earlier this month. Johnson joins three Republicans running for the top spot in state government. That list includes Secretary of State Karen Handel, State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, and state Representative Austin Scott.

The continuing recession leads to furloughs at a Macon museum. Macon.com reports that the Museum of Arts and Sciences will close on Mondays starting next week, with furloughs also in the works. Museum director Suzanne Harper says the moves are needed to reduce its operating costs. She also says that pay reductions for salaried employees could come by this fall. Under the plan, all full-time employees must take an unpaid furlough between now and the end of September.

And Carol Fullerton had an eventful first year as a state represenative representing House District 151. The Albany Herald has this report how it turned out.

That's the news. GNB is available online at georgianewsbeat.blogspot.com. It's also available on Twitter. Just click the "Follow Me On Twitter" link in the upper right hand corner of the blog. Enjoy your Monday night.

GNB Weekend Update

The weekend is here...Here's the news...



Add another person to the list of those not running for Governor in 2010. 3rd District Congressman Lynn Westmoreland earlier today announced that he will not seek the Republican nomination for Georgia governor, and choosing to stay in the nation's capital instead. He joins the likes of Cobb County Commission Chairman Sam Olens, state House Speaker Pro-Tem Mark Burkhalter, and Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle among the Republicans choosing not to run for the Peach State's gubernatorial nomination. Cagle pulled out earlier this month.



State lawmakers didn't use any federal stimulus money for education. That's what an education advocacy group charged earlier today. The Southern Education Foundation says the Georgia failed to allocate the $178 million available for education. It charged that those funds are desperately needed as schools struggle through an ongoing recession. SEF Vice President Steve Suitts says the money should be used to minizime the cutbacks on the upcoming fiscal year budget. The governor's office, though, says those funds aren't lost, but they won't be spent right away.


And if you're looking for something worth reading this weekend, consider the 401-page report released today by the Georgia Legislative Watch. It contains every bill that passed the Georgia House in 2009. The entire report can be read by clicking here.

That's the news. GNB is online at georgianewsbeat.blogspot.com. Have a good weekend.

GNB Update

It's Thursday...Only one more day until Friday...Here's the news...

Another candidate has announced his candicacy for Georgia Attorney General. Former Dougherty Judicial Circuit District Attorney Ken Hodges announced Wednesday that he's running for the seat that current Attorney General Thurbert Baker is giving up next year. Hodges will face State Representative Rob Teilhet for the Democratic nomination, while Cobb County Commission Chairman Sam Olens is the only announced candidate on the Republican side.

A lawyer is making plans to visit the now-closed peanut plant in Blakely. The Associated Press reports that Attorney Bill Marler will take a tour of the former Peanut Corporation of America facility that's been at the center of the deadly salmonella outbreak. He's one of many lawyers representing the plaintiffs who have filed lawsuits against the company. In a visit to a similar plant in Texas, Marler saw openings that would animals to get inside that building.

An Atlanta television station is doing a series on the candidates in next year's governor's race. Fox 5 Atlanta recently did interviews with Republican nominees Karen Handel and Ray McBerry. Profiles of other declared candidates will follow on the Fox 5 website at myfoxatlanta.com. SWGA Politics weighs on the series here.

That's the news. GNB is available at georgianewsbeat.blogspot.com. Enjoy your Thursday night.