Month: December 2011

  • AAA: Christmas travel expected to increase

    The number of Americans traveling at least 50 miles this Christmas is expected to increase 1.4 percent, AAA predicted. In total, 91.9 million are projected to be traveling, AAA said. The organization looks at travel between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2. “It’s a positive sign for the travel industry that so many Americans are planning…

  • Am I a Time Person of the Year?

    I’m seriously considering putting two-time “Time Person of the Year” winner on my resume. Why? In 2000 or so “You” was the winner. This year the “protester” is the winner.

  • Isakson: Returns money to treasury

    A Georgia senator says he has returned more than $503,000 of his office’s budget to the U.S. Treasury. “I am pleased to announce today that my office has returned more than half a million dollars to the Treasury for fiscal year 2011. I am trying to do all I can to rein in spending in…

  • Medicaid contractor employee indicted for computer theft

    Romona Ferrell-Davis was indicted by a DeKalb County Grand Jury on December 8, 2011 on four counts of computer theft, one count of Computer Invasion of Privacy and one count of Identity Fraud. Ferrell-Davis was employed at Hewlett-Packard (HP), fiscal intermediary for the Georgia Department of Community Health, the Georgia Medicaid agency, from Nov. 10,…

  • Deal recognizes Georgians for acts of heroism

    ATLANTA — Gov. Nathan Deal earlier this week announced the recipients of the Governor’s Public Safety Awards at a ceremony at the state Capitol, recognizing eight public safety professionals for acts of heroism and five for contributions to the profession. The recipients were given medallions and their names were added to the GPSA monument at…

  • Deal: KIA supplier Daewon to create 100 jobs in Troup County

    Seoul, South Korea-based Daewon America will open a manufacturing facility in LaGrange in Troup County, creating 100 jobs over three years, Gov. Nathan Deal announced today. Daewon America manufactures springs and torsion bars for the automotive industry. The company will purchase and expand an existing facility in LaGrange, investing $14 million. Daewon is one of…

  • State lawmaker wants option for non-partisan elections

    ATLANTA — A state legislator from Macon wants to allow counties the option to designate countywide offices, including county commissioner seats, as non-partisan. As it stands now, only the non-partisan countywide offices are those in Georgia’s seven consolidated governments, including Athens-Clarke County, Columbus-Muscogee County, Cusseta-Chattahoochee County and Augusta-Richmond County. “My local elected officials asked me to introduce…

  • Gwinnett accepts federal money for greenway

    Gwinnett County commissioners this week accepted $1 million in federal transportation enhancement funds. The money will help design and build Section 3 of the Ivy Creek Greenway. Construction will start next summer at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center in Buford. From a county news release: The new portion of the greenway will wind through the woods for…

  • Ga. parks picked for ‘Reader’s Choice’ awards

    ATLANTA — Readers of Georgia Magazine have bestowed Reader’s Choice Awards to a trio of Georgia state parks. From the official Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites news release: Amicalola Falls State Park near Dawsonville was voted “Best State Park” for its “gorgeous scenery, wooded hiking trails for all skill levels and breathtaking views of Amicalola…

  • Johnson: Improve signs’ ‘retro-reflectivity’

    ATLANTA — A Congressman from Georgia wants to increase the brightness and size of traffic signs, a move he says will allow motorists to them more clearly at night. U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., earlier this month introduced the “Safe Roads for America Act.” According to Johnson, the measure would ensure that legislation that Congress approved…