GOOD EVENING AND THANKS FOR JOINING US..
I'M LEAH JOHNSON..
FRANK MALLOY HAS THE NIGHT OFF.
IF CONSOLIDATION PASSES IN JULY... ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WOULD PATROL ALL 254 MILES OF THE COUNTY.. THAT'S ACCORDING TO BIBB COUNTY SHERIFF JERRY MODENA.
HE SAYS THAT COULD ALMOST DOUBLE HIS FORCE IF MOST MACON POLICE OFFICERS TRANSITION OVER.
MODENA SAYS HE HOPES THAT HAPPENS.
STATE SENTOR CECIL STATON SAYS THE DELEGATION DECIDED ON THE SHERIFF AS THE HEAD OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR SEVERAL REASONS.. INCLUDING SAVING MONEY.
HE SAYS IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS OF THE CONSOLIDATION PLAN.
STATON: "we debated that quite a bit and it was a good discussion there frankly were pros and cons with either choice. At the end of the day I think the most important thing for us was the idea that we wanted the people to be able to choose their top elected law enforcement officer."
CONSOLIDATION COMES UP FOR A VOTE IN JULY.
TODAY'S 13WMAZ DOT COM WEB POLL ASKS... WHO DO YOU THINK SHOULD BE THE TOP COP IN A CONSOLIDATED BIBB COUNTY... THE SHERIFF OR THE MACON POLICE CHIEF?
SO FAR 84 PERCENT OF YOU SAY THE SHERIFF.
AND 16 PERCENT SAY THE POLICE CHIEF.
VOTE NOW... VISIT 13WMAZ DOT COM AND LOOK FOR THE QUESTION ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HOMEPAGE.
ON THIS ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR.. PEOPLE IN MACON CAME TOGETHER TO HONOR KING'S LEGACY.. AND TO REMEMBER ANOTHER YOUNG MAN SHOT AND KILLED..... TRAYVON MARTIN.
IT'S AN EVENT CALLED REMEMBERING THE MARTINS... A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR TWO KINGS.
ORGANIZER CLEOPATRA SIMPSON SAYS
THE VIGIL COMMEMORATES THE 44TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER'S DEATH.
SHE TIES KING'S A "I'm just amazed and intrigued at the young folks in today's society willing to stand up and march and rally and be a voice for the voiceless. I think it's a beautiful thing."SSASSINATION TO TRAYVON MARTIN'S RECENT DEATH... SAYING THEY WERE BOTH KILLED THROUGH ACTS OF VIOLENCE.
COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AL TILLMAN SAYS HE'S PROUD TO SEE PEOPLE JOINING TOGETHER TO REMEMBER THE LESSONS LEFT BY KING... AND THE SHORT-LIVED LIFE OF 17-YEAR-OLD TRAYVON MARTIN.
"I'm just amazed and intrigued at the young folks in today's society willing to stand up and march and rally and be a voice for the voiceless. I think it's a beautiful thing."
TONIGHT'S VIGIL WAS HELD AT WASHINGTON PARK IN DOWNTOWN MACON.
HOUSTON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT LEADERS SAY THEY'RE ABOUT TO BE MORE PREPARED THAN EVER BEFORE FOR DISASTERS.
JULY FIRST... THEY'LL LAUNCH A WEB BASED EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER... OR WEB E-O-C... WITH A GOAL OF HELPING PEOPLE FASTER.
LORRA LYNCH JONES HAS A PREVIEW.
<<nats- radio operators
CLYDE MATHE AND HIS CLUB OF AMATUER RADIO OPERATORS SAY PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.
Clyde Mathis: (11:50) "We're testing here today."
THEY'RE TINKERING WITH TECHNOLOGY THAT HELPS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DURING DISASTERS.
Gene Willis: (8:20) "If we have a problem somewhere this trailer can go up anywhere."
THEY SPOT STORMS AND REPORT INFORMATION TO THE 9-11 CENTER.
nats- 911
WHICH IN THE PAST... MANAGED RESPONSE THE OLD FASHIONED WAY.
Kevin Noles, Deputy Director: (53:40) "On a black board, paper."
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT KEVIN NOLES SAYS JULY FIRST... THEY'LL LAUNCH INTO A NEW ERA.
Kevin Noles: "This is like the remote control."
WEB E-O-C TRACKS ROAD CLOSURES... REQUESTS FOR HELP... SHELTER LOCATIONS AND MUCH MORE.
Lorra Lynch Jones, EWN:(19:15) "With the click of the mouse, without ever making a phone call, Web EOC can tell emergency management leaders what's going on at area hospitals. For example, if a disaster leads to overcrowding at Houston Healtcare, they could route ambulances to Macon."
Kevin Noles: (59:20) "More organization and quicker."
AND THE PROGRAM DIGITALLY CONNECTS EVERY E-M-A IN THE STATE... MANAGING DISASTER ASSISTANCE ON ONE SITE. ALL 159 COUNTIES START WEB E-O-C THE SAME DATE AS HOUSTON.
Kevin Noles: (56:00) "Every county was trying to get this, and have been wanting it for years."
nats- radio guys
MATHE SAYS THE SYSTEM MAY BE HIGH TECH COMPARED WITH RADIO.. BUT SUPPORTS THEIR MAIN MISSION.
Clyde Mathe: (12:30) "It's in all our blood, really to help."
AND FASTER RESPONSE CAN'T HURT.
>> THE STATEWIDE WEB E-O-C SYSTEM COSTS ABOUT 292-THOUSAND DOLLARS... AND IS BEING PAID FOR BY A FEDERAL GRANT.
THAT'S ACCORDING TO KEN DAVIS WITH THE GEORGIA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.
STATE UNIVERSITY DRIVE IN FORT VALLEY WILL GET A WHOLE NEW LOOK SOON.
ROAD WORK HAS ALREADY BEGUN ON THE STREET LEADING TO FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY.
THE CITY SAYS THE NEW PLAN INCLUDES MEDIANS WITH STREETLIGHTS... AND MORE CROSSWALKS.
FORT VALLEY MAYOR JOHN STUMBO SAYS THE EFFORT WILL ENHANCE THE ENTRANCE TO THE UNIVERSITY.
Mayor John Stumbo, Fort Valley: 01:03 What I am trying to do is create an ambience that will be distinc that will cause people to say wo when start down there.
MAYOR STUMBO SAYS THEY RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL MONEY FOR THE PROJECT.
THE COUNTY ALSO CONTRIBUTED ABOUT 250-THOUSAND DOLLARS RAISED BY A SPLOST.
STUMBO SAYS CREWS SHOULD FINISH UP SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS... GEORGIA'S JUGFEST IS COMING BACK TO CENTRAL GEORGIA NEXT MONTH.
THIS MONTH... DEL WARD SAT DOWN WITH ELAINE WESTBERRY... AN OFFICIAL WITH THE EVENT.
THEY CONTINUE THEIR CONVERSATION IN TONIGHT'S PERSONAL PROFILE.
AGAIN... YOU CAN CHECK OUT JUGFEST MAY 17TH THROUGH THE 19TH IN KNOXVILLE... GEORGIA.
CLEAN UP CONTINUES IN NORTH TEXAS TONIGHT... AFTER A STRING OF TORNADOES TORE THROUGH THE AREA YESTERDAY.
SUSAN McGINNIS HAS THE LATEST FROM THE DALLAS SUBURB OF FORNEY.
HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES IN SUBURBAN DALLAS ARE SPENDING A SECOND NIGHT AWAY FROM THEIR TORNADO-DAMAGED HOMES.
(LANCASTER STORMS)
TUESDAY'S STORMS - INCLUDING THIS ONE IN LANCASTER - TORE OFF ROOFS, SCATTERED PERSONAL BELONGINGS, AND CAUSED UNTOLD DAMAGE... BUT CLAIMED NO LIVES.
(SOT FROM 330) (Mayor Darren Rozell/Forney, TX)
the fact that everyone who woke up in forney is still alive today in forney is a blessing.
((NARR-2))
NEIGHBORS IN HARD-HIT FORNEY, TEXAS, HELPED EACH OTHER AFTER THE TWISTERS DESTROYED 'SOME' HOMES - LIKE CHRIS WILSON'S, WHILE LEAVING THOSE NEXT DOOR MOSTLY INTACT.
((sot)) Chris Wilson
"the whole community is coming out to embrace everybody who's going through this devastation right now."
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS AS MANY AS 13 TORNADOES TOUCHED DOWN IN NORTH TEXAS. THE STRONGEST, HERE IN FORNEY, WAS ESTIMATED TO BE AN E-F-3 TWISTER, WITH WINDS UP TO 165 MILES AN HOUR.
NATS
((NARR-3))
DELAYS REMAIN AT AIRPORTS AROUND DALLAS. MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND FLIGHTS HAVE BEEN CANCELED, LEAVING PASSENGERS STRANDED.
SOT - Dallas airport
"Yeah I'm used to earthquakes and tornados are just something new for me and I never want to go through that again. That's all I can say."
((NARR-4))
THE CLEAN UP WILL TAKE WEEKS, AND REPAIRS EVEN LONGER. STILL, MANY OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR HOMES ARE THANKFUL THAT EVERYONE SURVIVED.
((sot)) Chris Wilson
"We have insurance, and everything's taken care of and we will rebuild. You have quite an attitude... Thank you, I have faith. Faith gives you that attitude. I'm very grateful. I'm very blessed."
((NARR-5))
APRIL IS THE PEAK OF TORNADO SEASON, WHICH LASTS TIL JUNE. SOME WEATHER EXPERTS SAY TUESDAY'S STORMS COULD INDICATE A TOUGH COUPLE OF MONTHS AHEAD.
TONIGHT'S FACEBOOK FAN OF THE DAY IS TIFFANY EDMOND.
TIFFANY... YOU'LL NEED TO EMAIL FAN OF THE DAY AT 13WMAZ DOT COM TO CLAIM YOUR COFFEE MUG.
NOW... GETTING INTO THE RUNNING FOR FAN OF THE DAY IS AN EASY THREE-STEP PROCESS.
ONE... VISIT FACEBOOK DOT COM SLASH 13WMAZ.
TWO... BECOME A FAN... AND THREE... GET IN ON THE CONVERSATIONS.
WE PICK OUR FAN OF THE DAY RANDOMLY.
WELL... IT'S NOT QUITE WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE IN THE JETSONS... BUT THE INVENTORS OF A NEW "CAR-SLASH-AIRPLANE" HOPE TO BRING IT TO THE MARKET NEXT YEAR.
PETER VALDES-DAPENA TAKES AN UP-CLOSE LOOK AT ONE OF THE "FLYING CARS" AT THE NEW YORK AUTO SHOW.
AT THIS YEAR'S NEW YORK AUTOSHOW PROBABLY THE THING PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT MOST IS THIS. IT'S A FLYING CAR. OR AN AIRPLANE YOU CAN DRIVE ON THE ROAD. EITHER WAY YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT. WE TALKED TO THE CEO ABOUT WHY SOMEONE WOULD WANT SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND HOW FUEL EFFICIENT IT IS.
What we're doing with Terrafugia's transition is we're bring a product to market that you can count on to get to where you want to go no matter what happens with the weather. It's a product that brings a new level of convenience to general aviation because you can keep this plane at home in your garage, you don't have to rent a hangar. You fill it up on super unleaded gasoline at the gas station just like your car, which is 35 percent less expensive than aviation fuel. And it gets better gas mileage than most cars on the road.
HOW IS IT? HOW DOES THIS ACTUALLY GET BETTER GAS MILEAGE THAN A DEDICATED AUTOMOBILE?
Well it's a very light weight vehicle, it's made from carbon fiber. The empty weight of this vehicle is actually less than a thousand pounds. So that reduces the rolling resistance on the ground, it's relatively aerodynamic even with the wings folded up. and one of the biggest things is it's got a 100 horse powered engine that's very fuel efficient.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.... FIRST MORNIN COMES YOUR WAY AT 5 A-M.
THE NEWS IS ALWAYS ON AT 13WMAZ DOT COM.
LETTERMAN'S NEXT.... WITH KEIFER SUTHERLAND.
HAVE A SAFE NIGHT EVERYONE.