Thursday, June 14, 2007

Clean Cities Coalition comes to Rome

Just days after Bibb County reached EPA attainment for its levels of air pollution, a new partnership hopes to do the same thing in Northwest Georgia.

There may not be any actual cities in the area, but that isn’t stopping the Clean Cities Coalition from locating its newest office here.

Several Northwest Georgia Counties, like Floyd, Walker and Murray, have high levels of air pollution and are in non-attainment with the EPA.

The Clean Cities Coalition is a project of the US Department of Energy. It partners with local industries to decrease the use of petroleum consumption and already has offices in Macon and Tifton.

Georgia Clean Cities Executive Director Charise Stephens said because there are already two bio-diesel producers in Rome, the area has a head start.
Can you imagine the potential? You have the distributor, you have the producers here, and you have 15 counties that can possibly use the project.
Stephens said the coalition will also work to encourage alternative transportation.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Wilson remains in jail

Genarlow Wilson will spend this Independence Day in jail.

Despite a judge’s ruling on Monday that he should be released, Wilson will spend at least three more weeks in jail.

Wilson, 21, is in prison for having consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old girl when he was a 17-year-old Douglas County High School Student.

Douglas County Superior Court Judge David Emerson yesterday set the bond hearing for July fifth.

Powder Springs soldier dies

A soldier from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade has died after suffering injuries during an accident in a motor pool at Fort Campbell.

Military officials say 22-year-old Specialist Crystal Bolling, of Powder Springs, was an ammunition specialist assigned to 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment.

Boy rescued from hot car in Ringgold

Ringgold police rescued a boy from a hot car yesterday where his mother's companion is accused of tying him up.

Police officials say a Cracker Barrel restaurant employee called them after seeing Raymond Minchew take the six-year-old out of the restaurant and return without him.

The 61-year-old Minchew and the boy's mother -- 35-year-old Rachel Gilchrist -- were arrested and charged with cruelty to children and concealing a weapon. There was a handgun in the car.

Investigators believe the boy was in the hot car for about a half hour.