HELLO EVERYONE AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.... I'M LEAH JOHNSON

BIBB COUNTY SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT ROMAIN DALLEMAND SAYS HIS GOAL IS TO HAVE EVERY STUDENT GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL... AND READY FOR COLLEGE... BY THE YEAR 2023.
HE SAYS HIS STRATEGIC PLAN, CALLED THE MACON MIRACLE, CAN REACH THAT GOAL..
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT THE PLAN.
FRANK CONTINUES THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MACON MIRACLE... FRANK?

JOINING US WE HAVE....
SHERRI MOORE... HER TWO KIDS, AIDEN AND ALYSSA ATTEND SONNY CARTER ELEMETARY SCHOOL...
-- Her kids already have opinions about the plan,
-- She is also an educator; Managing Director at the Miller Motte TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

CLIFFARD WHITBY... CHAIRMAN OF THE MACON-BIBB INDUSTRIAL AUTHORITY.
-- Also local president of Whitby Inc. which develops commercial and residential properties.
-- graduated from Southwest High School and is still an involed alumna.
-- Very involved in local mentoring organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters, 100 black men, Rites of Passage .

THEY WILL BE DIRECTING QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO SUSANNE GRIFFIN-ZIEBART (ZEE-bart), DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND REDESIGN.

(from teachers) EARLIER TODAY... WE SPOKE TO TIM CALLAHAN WITH THE GEORGIA ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS. HE SAYS THEY HAVE 15-HUNDRED MEMBERS IN BIBB COUNTY, AND MANY OF THEM HAVE NEGATIVE FEELINGS ABOUT THE PLAN.

SPECIFICALLY:
-- 300 FEWER TEACHERS, UP TO 12 SCHOOLS CLOSED, WILL RESULT IN BIGGER CLASS SIZES AND LESS INSTRUCTION
-- SAFETY OF STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF ...THE MM HAS NO DISCIPLINE PLAN
-- EXTENDED SCHOOL DAYS
-- REORGANIZING THE GRADE LEVELS TO K-3, 4-7, AND 8-12
-- LACK OF A BUDGET FOR MACON MIRACLE
-- STUDENTS BEING TAUGHT MANDARIN CHINESE, AND HIRING TEACHERS FROM CHINA WHEN THERE ARE 300 TEACHERS BEING LET GO
-- TAKING AWAY THE GIFTED PROGRAM AND ALLOWING ALL STUDENTS TO BE IN THE GIFTED AND AP PROGRAM
-- STUDENTS BEING ABLE TO "CHOOSE" THE SCHOOL THEY WILL ATTEND, WHICH BRINGS UP SAFETY ISSUES (GANGS, ETC) AND THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION

SUPERINTENDENT ROMAIN DALLEMAND PLANS TO PRESENT THE PLAN TO THE PUBLIC AT A BIG EVENT AT THE CENTREPLEX ON FRIDAY AT 1 P-M .... AND THE SCHOOL BOARD IS SUPPOSED TO VOTE ON THE SAME DAY.
IF THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTES FOR THE PLAN... THEY WILL ADOPT IT AS A GENERAL DIRECTION FOR BIBB SCHOOLS... BUT THE DISTRICT WILL WORK OUT DETAILS OF THE PLAN LATER.
SOME MAJOR STEPS LIKE CLOSING SCHOOLS....OR CUTTING JOBS....WOULD NEED FURTHER ACTION BY THE BOARD.
LEAH...

TODAY'S 13 WMAZ DOT COM WEB POLL ASKS... SHOULD THE BIBB COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD APPROVE ROMAIN DALLEMAND'S STRATEGIC PLAN ON FRIDAY?

SO FAR 91 PERCENT OF YOU SAY NO

TO VOTE NOW.. VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT 13 WMAZ DOT COM.. AND LOOK FOR THE WEB POLL QUESTION ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF OUR HOMEPAGE.

ben gives three day forecast

THANKS BEN.. WE'LL TALK WITH YOU AGAIN IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

MACON POLICE SAY MANY CENTRAL GEORGIANS TRYING TO FILE THEIR TAXES HAVE REPORTED BEING VICTIMS OF IDENTITY THEFT.

WE TALKED WITH ONE LADY ABOUT HOW IT HAPPENED IT TO HER.

AND AS WE GO TO BREAK.. HERE'S A LOOK AT TODAY'S AVERAGE GAS PRICE IN MACON ACCORDING TO TRIPLE A.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

TAX SCAMS ARE ON THE RISE THIS YEAR... ACCORDING TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE...

MACON POLICE SAY MANY CENTRAL GEORGIAN'S FOUND OUT THEIR IDENTITY WAS STOLEN.. WHEN THEY TRIED FILE THEIR TAXES...
BRITTINY BARBER TELLS US ONE VICTIM'S STORY...

<<
CAREE BROWN REPRESENTS ONE OF THE MANY FACES OF IDENTITY FRAUD
Brown: "you know you hear about this happening to people all the time but I never thought it would happen to me."
WHEN SHE TRIED TO FILE HER TAXES FOR 2011.. BROWN SAYS SHE GOT THE SHOCK OF HER LIFE...
Brown: "When I got to the end to efile it wouldn't let me. It said that number had already been used or i was trying to file my taxes twice."
ACCORDING TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE.. SHE'S NOT ALONE...
Green: "Unfortunately identity theft has risen. it's across thE country It doesn't just affect the state of Georgia
MARK GREEN SAYS TAX FRAUD COMES IN MANY FORMS... FROM SCAMS TO IDENTITY THEFT...
Green: " Any information that provide to an outsider with your social security number, your financial information listed on there can be used... unfortunately during tax season this is just one of the areas that scam artists are concentrating on."
AND MACON POLICE RECEIVED THREE REPORTS OF THAT JUST ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY...
Woodford: "I'd say this year has probably been worst than most years."
LT KEITH WOODFORD SAYS IDENTITY THEFT POSES A CHALLENGE FOR POLICE.. ...
Woodford: "It's kind of hard to catch them but like I said It hink a lot of it is going to fall on to the business owner, the people that are cashing them."
HE SAYS BUSINESSES THAT CASH TAX RETURN CHECKS.. CAN HELP LOOK FOR FRAUD..
Brown: I guess I'm juST stressing because someone has my number."
FOR NOW MANY VICTIMS... LIKE BROWN ARE LEFT WAITING.. NOT ONLY FOR THE INVESTIGATION TO WRAP UP... BUT ALSO TO GET THEIR REFUNDS
BRITTINY BARBER 13WMAZ EYEWITNESS NEWS.
>>

IF YOU'VE BEEN A VICTIMS OF TAX FRAUD.. YOU CAN CALL THE I-R-S PROTECTION HOTLINE AT 1-800-908-4490
THAT NUMBER AGAIN.. 1-800-908-4490

CHIPPER JONES IS REALISTIC WHEN IT COMES TO HIS RETIREMENT.

YEA THE SLUGGER WHO ONCE PLAYED IN MACON... CHATTED WITH FOLKS AT MERCER.... WE'LL HEAR FROM HIM ON HIS FUTURE WITH THE BRAVOS.

PLUS MARY PERSON'S FOOTBALL COACH RODNEY WALKER SAYS THE GAME IS A TOOL TO GET AN EDUCATION.
EIGHT DIFFERENT KIDS ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA WILL PLAY AT THE NEXT LEVEL... WE'LL RUNDOWN ALL OF THE COLLEGE SIGNINGS AT TWO SCHOOLS.

FOUR PERRY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TOOK HOME THE TOP PRIZE AT A STATE COMPETITION.
THESE TEENS AREA OF EXPERTISE MAY SURPRISE YOU.

nats- "This is a -- ", this is a ---"

THE STUDENTS CAN IDENTIFY NINETY SPECIES OF PLANTS.
THESE YOUNG FLORICULTURISTS CAN ALSO DIAGNOSE DISEASE... AND PROBLEM SOLVE TO HEAL SICK PLANTS.
AFTER WINNING THE GEORGIA FLORICULTURE COMPETITION... MITCHELL FREEMAN, TYLER CLAXTON, SAMANTHA STRICKLAND AND JAKE
THANKS FOR JOINING US.... WE'LL BE BACK TONIGHT AT 11.

BUT REMEMBER...THE NEWS IS ALWAYS ON AT 13WMAZ.COM !

THE EVENING NEWS IS UP NEXT.

HAVE A SAFE NIGHT EVERYONE.