GOOD EVENING AND THANKS FOR JOINING US..
I'M FRANK MALLOY..
AND I'M LEAH JOHNSON..THIS IS EYEWITNESS NEWS AT 11.

MACON POLICE SAY THERE'S THREE MAIN GANGS IN MACON... BUT AROUND 450 OF WHAT THEY CALL... SUB GANGS.
THEY DESCRIBE THEM AS GROUPS THAT ASSOCIATE THEMSELVES WITH QUOTE STREET ACTIVITY... MAINLY BASED AROUND WHERE THEY LIVE.
MAJOR CHARLES STONE PRESENTED THE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE THIS AFTERNOON.
HE SAYS... THEY MADE 10 GANG PARTICIPATION ARRESTS LAST YEAR.
THAT NUMBER HITS AROUND 5 SO FAR... FOR 20-12.
Major Charles Stone, Macon PD: "Our focus is on those that are violent, those small number that are creating havoc, and those are the ones that we've been working with the DA's office, been able to prosecute, send to jail, and we've seen either a steady or slight decline in gang activity as far as those that we can associate with crime."
THE BULK OF THE COMMITTEE'S AGENDA FOCUSED ON ANTI-GANG INTIATIVES... BUT COUNCIL MEMBERS TOOK NO ACTION.
AMY AUBERT WAS AT THE MEETING... AND TELLS YOU WHY.
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Nats, Virgil: "This is the intitial you gotta admit you have a problem before you can get into how to adress is type of phase."
A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA... FOCUSED ON WAYS TO JUMPSTART ANTI-GANG INTIATIVES.
Nats, Virgil: "Developing programs and initiatives within our that povides intervention for our youth."

CHAIRMAN VIRGIL WATKINS DESCRIBES IT AS A REBUTTLE TO MACON MAYOR ROBERT REICHERT'S 20-11 CRIME PLAN.

Virgil Watkins, Chairman: "We were spending so much on extra staff and not enough on the actual operation. So I was trying to design a way that we could accomplish a lot of those same goals without the additional operations."

BUT COUNCIL MEMBERS TOOK NO ACTION... ON THE THREE ANTI-GANG RESOLUTIONS.

Nats, Timley: "I think it would be in your best interest to table it so you can look at all the language and ramifications."

THEY TABLED THE IDEA OF MAKING THE MACON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S YOUTH AND INTERVENTION DIVISION... ALONG WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE... THE LEAD AGENCIES FOR GANG REDUCTION... BECAUSE IT INCLUDED UNANSWERED QUESTIONS... ABOUT A STEERING COMMITTEE.

Nats, Virgil: "I can get a little bit more into it, the more questions that get asked."

THE COMMITTEE POSTPONED A RESOLUTION FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO REQUEST PROPOSALS OF ANTI-VIOLENCE INITIATIVES AND A RESOLUTION FOR THE CITY TO SPONSOR A YOUTH BOXING TOURNAMENT TO CLEAR UP SOME CONFUSION.

TABLING A RESOLUTION... MEANS THERE IS NO SET TIME OF WHEN THE COMMITTEE WILL GET BACK TO THE RESOLUTION. IT ALSO IS NOT DEBATABLE.
POSTPONING MEANS THE COMMITTEE SETS A SPECIFIC DATE... OR CONDITION... OF WHEN THEY WILL REVIEW THE MOTION AGAIN.

WATKINS SAYS THEY PLAN TO GO OVER ALL THREE RESOLUTIONS AT THE NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING.

AMYA UEBR 13 WMAZ EYEWITNESS NEWS.>>
WATKINS SAYS HE'S HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE TONIGHT'S MEETING... AND HOPES THE COMMITTEE WILL PASS THE RESOLUTIONS AT THE NEXT MEETING.
THE COMMITTEE ALSO PASSED OVER AN ITEM TO APPROPRIATE MORE THAN 43 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR THE YOUTH INVERVENTION PLAN... BECAUSE WATKINS SAYS IT WAS ALREADY FIGURED IN TO THE 20-13 BUDGET.

TODAY'S 13WMAZ DOT COM WEB POLL ASKS... DO YOU THINK YOUTH BOXING TOURNAMENTS... WHICH WERE INCLUDED IN THE PLAN... WILL HELP PREVENT CRIME IN MACON?
SO FAR 12 PERCENT OF YOU SAY YES... AND 88 PERCENT SAY NO.
VOTE NOW... VISIT 13WMAZ DOT COM AND LOOK FOR THE QUESTION ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HOMEPAGE.

WARNER ROBINS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTED TO ACCEPT A SETTLEMENT FROM A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT... AGAINST ON-LINE TRAVEL COMPANIES.
ABOUT 20 CITIES ACROSS THE STATE JOINED TOGETHER TO SUE NUMEROUS DISCOUNT VENDORS OF HOTEL ROOMS... SUCH AS HOTELS-DOT-COM AND ORBITZ.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE DAVIS SAYS THE LAWSUIT CLAIMED THE COMPANIES NEGOTIATED DISCOUNT RATES WITH HOTELS - MARKED-UP THE RATES TO CONSUMERS.
THEN... PAID HOTEL-MOTEL TAXES OWED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BASED ON THE DISCOUNTED RATE.
DAVIS SAID HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY THE SETTLEMENT WOULD PAY TO THE CITY BUT HE WANTS TO RECOVER ANY LOST TAX DOLLARS.
Mike Davis, Warner Robins City Council: "We may not be talking about a major amount of money, but any tax money is money that we can put to use for the city."
DAVIS SAYS THE SETTLEMENT COVERS LOST HOTEL-MOTEL TAXES GOING BACK ONE YEAR.
THERE'S STILL ON-GOING LITIGATION FOR PREVIOUS YEARS... HE SAID.
THE CITY OF MACON IS ALSO LISTED AS A PLAINTIFF IN THE LAWSUIT.

THE C-I-A HAS BROKEN UP A PLOT BY A GROUP LINKED TO AL-QAIDA TO BLOW UP A U-S BOUND AIRLINER.
THE PLAN CALLED FOR AN UPGRADED VERSION OF THE SO-CALLED "UNDERWEAR BOMB" THAT NEARLY DETONATED INSIDE A PLANE OVER DETROIT IN 2009.
RANDALL PINKSTON HAS AN UPDATE.
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS SAY THE LATEST THREAT IS A MODIFIED VERSION ANOTHER BOMB THAT WAS BROUGHT ON BOARD A FLIGHT ON CHRISTMAS DAY 2009. IN THAT CASE, POWERFUL EXPLOSIVES WERE HIDDEN INSIDE THE UNDERWEAR OF A PASSENGER. WHEN HE TRIED TO SET OFF THE BOMB IN THE SKY OVER DETROIT, THE DETONATOR FUNCTIONED, BUT THE EXPLOSIVE DID NOT.

INVESTIGATORS SAY THIS MAN, IBRAHIM AL ASIRI, BUILT BOTH DEVICES. HE ALSO DESIGNED TWO PRINTER BOMBS, WHICH INCLUDED EXPLOSIVES HIDDEN INSIDE TONER CARTRIDGES THAT WERE SHIPPED AS CARGO TO THE U.S.

SOT - Bruce Rydell/Former CIA Officer 34-42

"This is a very clever guy, very good at making bombs. He's probably al Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula's number one threat to the United States directly."

THE LATEST BOMB CONTAINED NO METAL PARTS - MEANING IT WOULD HAVE MADE IT PAST AIRPORT METAL DETECTORS. IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED THROUGH NEW FULL-BODY SCANNERS, DEPENDING ON THE SKILL OF TRANSPORTATION SECURITY AGENTS.

SOT - Rep. Peter King/R-New York 58-110

"I can assure you the TSA and airport security generally is going to be looking very carefully at this to see what steps - if any - we have to take to upgrade our defenses against this kind of attack."

STANDUP BRIDGE: Randall Pinkston/CBS News/The White House 111-116

PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS TOLD OF THE PLOT LAST MONTH AND WAS ASSURED THE PUBLIC WAS NOT IN DANGER.

THE ADMINISTRATION HAD LITTLE TO SAY ABOUT IT MONDAY

SOT - Leon Panetta/Secretary of Defense 120-130

"What this incident makes clear is that this country continues to remain vigilant against those who would attack this country and we will do anything to keep america safe"

THE DEVICE IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE FBI.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SAYS IT KNEW ABOUT THE PLOT LAST WEEK... BUT DIDN'T PUBLISH IT AT THE REQUEST OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE C-I-A.

THE CITY OF WARNER ROBINS WILL SAY GOOD-BYE TO A BELOVED PASTOR TOMORROW MORNING.
THE FUNERAL FOR DOCTOR WILLIE REID SENIOR WILL BE HELD AT HIS WARNER ROBINS CHURCH.
PASTOR REID DIED FRIDAY.
HE FOUNDED THE FELLOWSHIP BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH IN 19-80..WITH LESS THAN 25 MEMBERS.
TODAY THE CHURCH HAS MORE THAN 25-HUNDRED MEMBERS.
IN THE PAST... 13 WMAZ HAS FEATURED PASTOR REID IN MANY STORIES... INCLUDING HIS BOUT WITH KIDNEY FAILURE... AND THE RECENT CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHURCH'S FAITH DOME.
ACCORDING TO THE CHURCHES WEBSITE... REVEREND REID'S HOMEGOING SERVICE IS SCHEDULED FOR 11 TOMORROW MORNING AT THE FAITH DOME CAMPUS ON DUNBAR ROAD IN WARNER ROBINS.
PASTOR WILLIE REID, SR. WAS 60 OLD YEARS.

BIBB COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT ROMAIN DALLEMAND WILL MEET WITH MINISTERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS THIS MONTH.
IN HIS BLOG... DALLEMAND WRITES THAT A SERIES OF THREE MEETINGS WILL GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT WAYS CHURCHES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS CAN WORK TOGETHER.
THE SUPERINTENDENT WRITES THAT HE WILL HOST TWO GATHERINGS OF COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS ON FRIDAY MAY 18TH.
THOSE WILL BE AT 10 A-M AND 2 P-M IN THE FOURTH FLOOR BOARDROOM OF THE DISTRICT'S OFFICE ON MULBERRY STREET.
THE NEXT DAY... HE'LL HOST A GATHERING OF CHURCH LEADERS.
THAT WILL BE AT 10 A-M ON MAY 19TH AT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL.
IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND.. YOU CAN CONTACT KIM PELT IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS AT (478) 765-8548 AGAIN.. THAT'S 478-765-8548.

THE BATTLE OVER TAXES AT HARTSFIELD-JACKSON ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT... NOW HEADS TO THE STATE SUPREME COURT.
THE STATE'S HIGHEST COURT SAYS IT'LL REVIEW WHETHER THE CITY OF ATLANTA WILL HAVE TO REPAY TAXES IT COLLECTED FROM AIRPORT BUSINESSES.
AN APPEALS COURT RULED THE CITY OF COLLEGE PARK SHOULD COLLECT TAXES BECAUSE THE MAIN TERMINAL AND PART OF TWO AIRPORT CONCOURSES WERE ACTUALLY WITHIN ITS CITY LIMITS.
CITY OFFICIALS SAY THEY DON'T QUITE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN QUESTION... BUT EXPERTS SAY IT COULD BE WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN REVENUE.

HISTORY LOVERS CAN MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE MUSEUM OF AVIATION TOMORROW... TO WATCH A WAR HERO AND HIS AIRCRAFT REUNITE.
THIS C-130 IS THE FIRST AIRCRAFT TO EVACUATE A HUNDRED CIVILIANS UNDER REBEL FIRE DURING THE CONGO CRISIS IN 1964.
BOB DUBIEL WITH THE MUSEUM OF AVIATION SAYS THE C-130 HAS BEEN A STAPLE OF THE AIR FORCE FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS.
Bob Dubiel, Director of Marketing, Museum of Aviation: "This here plane got one of its engines shot at and out and it had to take off from the air field... it was kind of disabled. So... the pilot who flew that airplane back then is going to be here tomorrow."
THAT MAN... RETIRED LIEUTENANT COLONEL MAC SECORD... WILL SHARE HIS STORY AT THE MUSEUM OF AVIATION TOMORROW AFTERNOON AT 1-30.
THE EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

A MILITARY COUPLE WILL GET TO TIE THE KNOT WITHOUT TAKING A CHUNK OUT OF THEIR BUDGET.
IT'S PART OF THE "SALUTE TO LOVE" WEDDING GIVEAWAY.
VENDORS ACROSS THE STATE JOINED THE PROJECT... WHICH INCLUDES A CEREMONY AND RECEPTION VALUED AT NEARLY 30-THOUSAND DOLLARS AND GROWING.
IT INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM CATERING AND PHOTOGRAPHY... TO MUSIC.
EVEN BRIDALS BY LORI... THE SHOP FEATURED IN T-L-C's SHOW... "SAY YES TO THE DRESS: ATLANTA" ... OFFERED TO CHIP IN A GOWN FOR THE BRIDE.
everything we're offering, most couples can't get that package for their wedding, i mean that's pretty expensive to get all those vendors in so we're just hoping it's going to be over the top, something they'll never forget.
ACTIVE MILITARY COUPLES BETWEEN THE RANKS E-1 TO E-5 ALL ACROSS THE NATION CAN ENTER FOR THE WEDDING GIVEAWAY.
APPLICATIONS MUST BE SENT IN BY JULY 4th.
FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF RULES AND HOW TO APPLY... LOOK FOR THIS STORY AT 13-WMAZ.COM.

TONIGHT'S FACEBOOK FAN OF THE DAY IS MICHAEL WHIPPLE.
MICHAEL... 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.

THE VARSITY SOCCER TEAMS FROM VETERANS HIGH SCHOOL RECEIVED A BIG RECOGNITION TONIGHT.
THE WARNER ROBINS MAYOR AND COUNCIL INVITED ALL THE PLAYERS... BOYS AND GIRLS... TO THE COUNCIL MEETING.
MAYOR CHUCK SHAHEEN CONGRATULATED BOTH TEAMS... FOR GOING UNDEFEATED IN THE REGION.
EACH PLAYER RECEIVED A CITY PIN.
GIRLS COACH... CHRIS SMITH... CALLED IT A BIG HONOR.
Chris Smith, Warner Robins: "They're all on cloud 9. They didn't want to practice today, because they wanted to look good for the mayor. So, we canceled practice until after the meeting, and let them go home and get ready, but they love it."
BOTH TEAMS WON THE FIRST ROUND OF THE STATE TOURNAMENT.
THE BOYS TAKE ON DALTON TUESDAY AT SEVEN.... AT HOME.
THE GIRLS FACE OFF AGAINST HERITAGE HIGH WEDNESDAY AT 6-30... AT VETERANS.

WELL... THEY DON'T CALL THEM "EARTH'S MIGHTIEST HEROES" FOR NOTHING.
"THE AVENGERS" SET THEIR EYE ON THE OPENING WEEKEND RECORD HELD BY THE FINAL FILM OF THE HARRY POTTER FRANCHISE... AND THINGS DIDN'T GO TOO WELL FOR THE BOY WIZARD.
LET'S GET TO THE COUNTDOWN.
IN THIRD PLACE... THE BOX OFFICE TITAN "THE HUNGER GAMES" BROUGHT IN FIVE-POINT-SIX MILLION DOLLARS.
THE FILM ABOUT A WORLD WHERE TEENS FIGHT TO THE DEATH AS PUNISHMENT FOR A FORMER REBELLION... HAS MADE 380-POINT-7 MILLION DOLLARS SINCE ITS MARCH 23RD RELEASE.
THE SILVER MEDAL OF THE WEEK GOES TO "THINK LIKE A MAN".
THE FILM BASED ON STEVE HARVEY'S BEST-SELLING BOOK EARNED 8-POINT-ONE MILLION DOLLARS... BRINGING ITS TOTAL TO 73-POINT-ONE MILLION IN THREE WEEKS.
AND IN THE NUMBER ONE SPOT FOR THIS WEEKEND... THE NEW RECORD-HOLDER FOR BIGGEST OPENING WEEKEND EVER.
"THE AVENGERS" BROUGHT IN 207-POINT-FOUR MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT'S THE BIGGEST DOMESTIC OPENING EVER... SURPASSING LAST YEAR'S "HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART TWO"... WHICH EARNED 169 MILLION IN ITS FIRST WEEKEND.
AND IF YOU'RE KEEPING TRACK... THAT BRINGS "THE AVENGERS" WORLDWIDE GROSS TO AN ESTIMATED 654-POINT-8 MILLION DOLLARS SO FAR.

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.
HAVE A SAFE NIGHT EVERYONE.