HELLO EVERYONE AND THANKS FOR JOINING US....I'M LEAH JOHNSON.
AND I'M FRANK MALLOY.
THIS IS EYEWITNESS NEWS AT SIX...
NORTH CENTRAL HEALTH DISTRICT PRODUCED AN AD THAT THEY HOPE WILL GET YOU... AND YOUR TEEN... TALKING ABOUT SEX.
IT'S A 30 SECOND LOCALLY PRODUCED AD THAT SHOWS TWO SIDES OF A TEEN'S DECISION ON HAVING SEX.
AUSTIN LEWIS TALKED WITH TEENS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY THINK THE AD HITS HOME WITH ITS TARGET AUDIENCE..
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nats off top: maybe we shouldn't, come on what's the worse that can happen?
NORTH CENTRAL HEALTH DISTRICT'S P-S-A...GIVES TWO ANSWERS TO THAT QUESTION.
Jennifer Jones, Public Information Officer, North Central Health District: What we wanted to do is show how difficult this decision is in that very, that heat of the moment, that split decision
ONE ANSWER...THE TEENS HAVE SEX...AND END UP PREGNANT...CHANGING THEIR LIVES.
Jennifer Jones, Public Information Officer, North Central Health District: it doesn't ruin your life, we definitely don't want to say that having a baby will ruin your life, but it makes your life whole lot more difficult.
ON THE OTHER SIDE...THEY DON'T
Jennifer Jones, Public Information Officer, North Central Health District:What we wanted the conversation to be is... am I even ready for this moment.
THE AD DOESN'T MENTION CONTRACEPTION. JENNIFER JONES...WHO HELP CREATE IT..SAYS THAT WAS INTENTIONAL.
Jennifer Jones, Public Information Officer, North Central Health District: When you start talking about it's okay to have sex as long as you have a condom that makes people very uncomfortable and we live in an environment wehre sex is kinda a taboo subject that we don't talk about, what we wanted this PSA to do is to open the door to even have the conversation.
nats of the ad......
Adriana Mendes, Covington, 19 years old: I feel like it's very effective because it happens everyday and it's an opportunity to show the two sides of what route you can take if you choose to have sex and unfortunately end up pregnant.
SOME TEENS SAY THEY LIKE tthat IT SHOWS...THAT A YOUNG MOTHER DOES HAVE OPTIONS.
Katie Elliott, Macon, 19 years old: I think it's effective because a lot of people don't think about getting an education once you are pregnant, um I know I have a freiend who is going through that right now and she's pregnant and now she's like, she's very unsure of what she is going to do with her life.
BUT OTHERS SAY IT DOESN'T DO ENOUGH.
Megan Norkunas, Lawrenceville, 19 years old: It shows the hardships and everything, but everybody knows what the consequences are and they just ignore them anyway , there's not really, you are not really saying anythign new that nobody else knows about
WHATEVER YOU THINK....THE NORTH CENTRAL HEALTH DISTRICT HOPES IT MAKES TEENS THINK BEFORE HAVING SEX.
AUSTIN LEWS 13WMAZ EYEWITNESS NEWS. >>
THE AD WAS PRODUCED LOCALLY... BY BRIGHT BLUE SKIES PRODUCTION.
THE NORTH CENTRAL HEALTH DISTRICT COVERS 13 CENTRAL GEORGIA COUNTIES..
SO LET'S LOOK AT THE NUMBERS..
LOOKING AT THE TEN YEARs FROM 2000 TO 2010.. GEORGIA'S AVERAGE TEEN BIRTH RATE WAS 53 - THAT MEANS OUT OF EVERY 1,000 BIRTHS.. 53 OF THEM WERE TO GIRLS AGES 15 TO 19.
SOME CENTRAL GEORGIA COUNTIES ARE FAR HIGHER.
TEEN BIRTH RATES IN HANCOCK.. JASPER.. AND PUTNAM COUNTIES ARE SOME OF THE STATE'S HIGHEST .. AT 62-POINT-7.. 63-POINT-6.. AND 64-POINT-3.
BIBB COUNTY'S AVERAGE TEEN BIRTH RATE FOR THAT SAME TEN YEARS - 59-POINT-3.
HOUSTON COUNTY'S IS 46-POINT-9 AND BALDWIN COUNTY HAD CENTRAL GEORGIA'S LOWEST TEEN BIRTH RATE... AT 39-POINT-8.
TO FIND OUT HOW YOUR COUNTY RANKS ON TEEN PREGNANCY RATES.. JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE.. 13 WMAZ DOT COM.
BIBB COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT ROMAIN DALLEMAND SAYS HE PAID FOR HIS RECENT FOUR DAY TRIP TO BELGIUM...OUT OF HIS OWN POCKET.
THAT'S ACCORDING TO SCHOOL SPOKESWOMAN STEPHANIE HARTLEY.
DALLEMAND REPORTEDLY MADE THAT STATEMENT TO A RECENT GATHERING OF LEADERSHIP MACON.
SCHOOL OFFICIALS ESTIMATED THE COST OF THE TRIP AT AROUND 3 THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SHE WASN'T SURE HOW MUCH DALLEMAND ACTUALLY PAID.
THE SUPERINTENDENT AND TWO ASSISTANTS SPENT FOUR DAYS IN GHENT LAST WEEK....AT THE WORLD APPRECIATVIE INQUIRY CONFERENCE.
HE WAS DISCUSSING THE PROCESS THAT LED TO HIS MACON-MIRACLE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AN ARREST WARRANT SAYS A WEAVER MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER PUT HIS HAND INSIDE A STUDENT'S PANTS.
THE TEACHER...SAMUEL MCPHEE IS STILL IN THE BIBB COUNTY JAIL....CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT.
THE WARRANT SAYS THE ALLEGED ASSAULT HAPPENED APRIL 23RD DURING A MUSIC LESSON IN MCPHEE'S OFFICE.
IT SAYS 14-YEAR-OLD MALE STUDENT RAN FROM THE OFFICE AND TOLD ANOTHER TEACHER ABOUT THE ASSAULT.
MCPHEE WAS ARRESTED EIGHT DAYS LATER...AND IS BEING HELD ON 49 THOUSAND DOLLARS BOND.
A HOUSTON COUNTY JUDGE GAVE A LIFE SENTENCE TO A MOTHER ACCUSED OF STARVING HER TWO-YEAR-OLD SON TO DEATH.
SADE SHAMON KING PLEADED GUILTY TO CHILD ABUSE AND MURDER THIS MORNING.
IN SEPTEMBER OF 2010... KING CALLED 9-1-1 BECAUSE THE CHILD HAD STOPPED BREATHING.
MEDICAL CREWS SAY THE BOY WEIGHED 12 POUNDS 6 OUNCES WHEN THEY FOUND HIM... THE SAME WEIGHT AS AN AVERAGE TWO-MONTH-OLD.
THEY SAY HE HAD NOT RECEIVED MEDICAL TREATMENT IN AT LEAST 10 MONTHS.
KING CLAIMED SHE DID NOT HAVE MONEY FOR FOOD... BUT PROSECUTOR DAN BIBLER SAYS INVESTIGATORS FOUND A STOCKED PANTRY AT HER HOME.
parenting his hard work, the rewards are great... but the care and nurture of the child is job number one.
THE CHILD'S FATHER WILLIAM THOMAS DAVIS... IS SCHEDULED FOR TRIAL LATER THIS MONTH.
PUBLIC DEFENDER NICK WHITE SAYS HE PLANS TO SUBPEONA KING AS A WITNESS.
JURY SELECTION STARTS MAY 14th.
MANY PARENTS HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY AND DISCIPLINE IN BIBB COUNTY SCHOOLS... AND TODAY... THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS ITS DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT ED JUDIE SAYS THEY'VE TAPPED JULIETTE-BASED SAFE-HAVEN INTERNATIONAL TO EVALUATE SAFETY ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
CANDACE ADORKA REPORTS ON HOW THE DISTRICT IS WORKING TO TURN THE INFORMATION FROM THE COMPANY INTO A SAFETY PLAN.
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DAVID GOWAN... THE DISTRICT'S DIRECTOR OF RISK MANAGEMENT... SAYS A LOT OF DETAILS GO INTO MAKING SURE A SCHOOL IS SAFE.
"..."
THE DISTRICT SELECTED SAFE HAVEN INTERNATIONAL... A NON-PROFIT BASED IN JULIETTE... TO ASSESS JUST HOW EFFECTIVE CURRENT SCHOOL SAFETY MEASURES ARE.
"They actually look into the physical safety conditions, they monitor the procedures, they will conduct interviews with staff members to test their knowledge of the system.."
THEY'LL ALSO SURVEY STUDENTS ABOUT THE SAFETY CONDITIONS.
DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT ED JUDIE SAYS SAFE HAVEN HAS FREE REIN TO CONDUCT THE STUDY.
"As closely as the community is scrutinizing our system, we want to aSsure them that this is an unbiased piece that we're doing in our district for assessment."
HE SAYS THE DISTRICT IS PAYING 36-THOUSAND DOLLARS... AND THE COMPANY IS DONATING 14-THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF ITS SERVICE.
"Doctor dallemand has heard the voice of our stakeholders in the community, realising that there's a cry for discipline and safety and we have that same want as a leadership team that we provide that safety that our community wants."
SAFE HAVEN WILL ASSESS 9 SCHOOLS THROUGH MAY 18... INCLUDING NORTHEAST HIGH... RUTLAND HIGH... AND WEAVER MIDDLE SCHOOLS... THEN THEY'LL TRAIN A TEAM OF 20 SCHOOL EMPLOYEES TO ASSESS THE REST OF THE SCHOOLS.
"this will be an ongoing process where we are alaways looking at our plan to make sure that we're doing all we can to keep our students and parents and staff and visitors safe."
GOWAN SAYS SAFE HAVEN WILL PRESENT THEIR FINDINGS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD IN LATE JULY... AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS WILL USE THEM TO CREATE A SAFETY PLAN.
CANDACE ADORKA 13 WMAZ EYEWITNESS NEWS.
>> GOWAN SAYS THEY SELECTED THE FIRST NINE SCHOOLS TO BE EVALUATED.... BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PAST PROBLEMS AND COMPLAINTS.
BUT HE SAYS EVERY SCHOOL WILL GET THE SAME TREATMENT AT THE START OF THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.
TODAY'S 13WMAZ DOT COM WEB POLL ASKS...
DO YOU THINK YOUR COMMUNITY SCHOOL IS SAFE?
SO FAR.. 48 PERCENT OF YOU SAY YES.. IT IS SAFE.. AND 52 PERCENT SAY NO.. IT'S NOT.
VOTE NOW... VISIT 13WMAZ DOT COM AND LOOK FOR THE QUESTION ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HOMEPAGE.
HOUSTON COUNTY'S NEW DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY DIRECTOR SAYS SHE CAME AT THE RIGHT TIME.
ANGIE GHEESLING BELIEVES THE PIECES ARE FALLING INTO PLACE... TO ATTRACT BIG BUSINESS... AND REDUCE THE COUNTY'S ECONOMIC DEPENDENCE ON ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE.
LORRA LYNCH JONES EXPLAINS.
<<nats-
IN THE OFFICE THREE WEEKS... ANGIE GHEESLING'S NEW SPACE LOOKS MORE LIKE SHE'S BEEN HERE THREE DAYS.
Angie Gheesling: (27:48) "I've not settled in at all here, which is fine. I'm not making any apologies for that."
SHE EXPLAINS THE LACK OF DECORATIONS... WITH A HEAVY LOAD OF MEETING WITH PROSPECTS. GHEESLING SAYS THE OFFICE STARTED SEEING INCREASED INTEREST IN MARCH... WHEN VOTERS APPROVED A PENNY SALES TAX.. WITH A 22 MILLION DOLLAR PIECE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
Angie Gheesling: (27:00) "Almost from the minute that vote passed, they could see we were really ready to do business."
SHE SAYS A LACK OF LAND OWNERSHIP BY THE AUTHORITY.. CRIPPLED THE AGENCY IN THE PAST... IN ATTRACTING NEW INDUSTRY.
Angie Gheesling: (26:46) "It's just been difficult to put real deals together when at the end of the day, you have got to truly have more assurances that the property is yours and you can sell that to a prospect."
THEY'RE NOW WORKING TO BUY LAND WITH PART OF THE SPLOST MONEY. THAT PROPERTY WILL BE IMMEDIATELY AVIALABLE TO NEW EMPLOYERS...
nats- robins
DIFFERENT TYPES OF INDUSTRIES SHE HOPES... THAT WILL LESSEN THE COUNTY'S DEPENDENCE ON THE AIR FORCE.
Lorra Lynch Jones, EWN: (41:30) "No surprise, Robins Air Force Base is the largest employer in Houston County with about 23,000 employees. The Houston County Board of Education takes a distant number two spot providing 3,700 jobs."
Angie Gheesling: (28:50) "Weve got to bring in other types of industry that will also be there in case we do have closures or layoffs."
GHEESLING WOULDN'T TALK ABOUT DEALS IN THE WORKS... BUT HINTED AT AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR NEW JOBS THIS SUMMER.
nats-
STD>> THE LARGEST HOUSTON COUNTY EMPLOYERS BEHIND ROBINS AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION... ARE HOUSTON HEALTHCARE... PERDUE FARMS AND FRITO LAY.
EXCLUDING GOVERNMENT JOBS... ONLY THREE COMPANIES EMPLOY 500 PEOPLE OR MORE.
THAT'S ACCORDING TO INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE HOUSTON DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.
PEOPLE CAME TO MACON'S FORT HAWKINS TODAY....DIGGING FOR BITS OF THE CITY'S HISTORY.
ABOUT A DOZEN ARCHEOLOGISTS WITH THE LAMAR INSTITUTE STARTED A DIG TO MARK THE START OF ARCHAEOLOGY MONTH.
(NAT 3 SECS: we wont go any deeper....than where you are there)
THE LAMAR INSTITUTE'S PRESDIENT...DAN ELLIOTT..SAYS THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND REMNANTS OF THE NORTHWEST BLOCKHOUSE AT FORT HAWKINS. THAT'S MACON'S BIRTHPLACE....STARTED MORE THAN 200 YEARS AGO.
THE SOUTHEAST BLOCKHOUSE THAT YOU SEE TODAY IS ACTUALLY A REPLICA MADE IN THE 1930S.
THE HARDEST PART ABOUT THIS EXCAVATION IS GOING IN BLIND... there is no map of this fort that says its survived historically so what we have of the sit is that archaeology creats for us and we're just trying to finish off the map
PEOPLE CAN STOP BY FORT HAWKINS TO WATCH THE DIG...FREE OF CHARGE...FROM 9-AM TO 3-PM.
THE FORT IS OFF EMERY HIGHWAY IN EAST MACON.
THE 13 WMAZ APP ISN'T JUST FOR I-PHONE USERS ANYMORE.
YOU CAN NOW GET IT ON YOUR ANDROID.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SEARCH FOR W-M-A-Z IN THE GOOGLE PLAY STORE... OR THE ANDROID MARKET... WHICHEVER IS ON YOUR PHONE.
ONCE YOU DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL THE APP... YOU CAN SCROLL THROUGH STORIES... KEEP UP WITH THE WEATHER... AND WATCH LOCAL VIDEO.
AGAIN... THAT'S IN THE GOOGLE PLAY STORE AND THE ANDROID MARKET.
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.