GOOD EVENING AND THANKS FOR JOINING US..
I'M FRANK MALLOY..
AND I'M LEAH JOHNSON..THIS IS EYEWITNESS NEWS AT 11.
LAST WEEK'S TWO-DAY SEARCH FOR KIT COLBURN ENDED WELL... BUT IT CARRIED A HEFTY COST.
WE TALLIED THE TOTAL FROM MOST OF THE 20 AGENCIES THAT TOOK PART.
SO FAR... IT'S REACHED NEARLY 33-THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE COST OF MORE THAN 600 HOURS OF OVERTIME BY WARNER ROBINS POLICE OFFICERS.... WARNER ROBINS P-D DID NOT PROVIDE AN EXACT DOLLAR AMOUNT YET FOR HOW MUCH ALL OF THAT OVERTIME ADDED UP TO..
SO FAR... HOUSTON COUNTY SHERIFF CULLEN TALTON SAYS HIS OFFICERS EARNED ABOUT 79-HUNDRED DOLLARS IN OVERTIME PAY.
COUNTY FIRE CHIEF JIMMY WILLIAMS SAYS THEIR EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL COSTS CAME TO ABOUT 46-HUNDRED DOLLARS.
THE GEORGIA STATE PATROL SPENT 69-HUNDRED DOLLARS IN HELICOPTER FUEL.
TRACY WILLIS-KIGHT WITH THE AMERICAN RED CROSS SAYS THEIR OPERATION COST ABOUT 12-THOUSAND DOLLARS... BUT DONATIONS OF FOOD AND DRINKS MADE UP MOST OF THAT.
CHIEF JIMMY WILLIAMS WITH HOUSTON COUNTY FIRE ALSO TOTALED THE VALUE OF THE 685 CIVILIAN VOLUNTEERS... PLUS THE TIME AND EFFORT OF VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTERS... CERTIFIED EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND AMATUER RADIO OPERATORS.
HE ESTIMATED THAT OUTPOURING OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT ADDED UP TO MORE THAN 84-THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THE REBUILDING OF GRITS CAFE IN DOWNTOWN FORSYTH IS UNDERWAY..
DEMOLITION BEGAN THIS WEEK AT THE RESTAURANT'S ORIGINAL LOCATION ON JOHNSTON STREET IN FORSYTH. A FIRE DESTROYED GRITS LAST MARCH.
NATS OFF TOP - 3 SECONDS
OWNER WAYNE WETENDORF SAYS THE REBUILDING PROCESS WILL TAKE A WHILE BUT WHEN THE RESTAURANT RETURNS IT WILL BE BIGGER AND BETTER.
LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS LOOK FORWARD TO ITS RETURN AS WELL.
THEY HOPE THE DOWNTOWN AREA WILL REGAIN ITS BUZZ.
A 90-YEAR-OLD MACON WOMAN INVOLVED IN A CAR WRECK HAS DIED...MORE THAN A WEEK AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
BIBB COUNTY LT. SEAN DEFOE SAYS THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON MAY 6TH AT RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND ARKWRIGHT ROAD.
WITNESSES TOLD DEPUTIES THAT MARY BECKER WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT FROM RIVERSIDE ONTO ARKWRIGHT HER CAR AND AN SUV HIT ONE ANOTHER.
ACCORDING TO WITNESS STATEMENTS, BECKER RAN A RED LIGHT...
BECKER WAS TAKEN THE THE MEDICAL CENTER OF GEORGIA. BIBB COUNTY CORONER LEON JONES SAYS BECKER DIED THIS MORNING FROM INJURIES SHE SUFFERED IN THE ACCIDENT.
THE SUV DRIVER, DONNA WELCH OF JULIETTE, IS OKAY.
SO FAR THIS SCHOOL YEAR ... THERE HAVE BEEN 10 WEAPONS FOUND IN BIBB COUNTY SCHOOLS..
IN THE PAST TWO SCHOOL YEARS COMBINED.. THERE WERE ELEVEN .
ON EYEWITNESS NEWS AT 5...WE TALKED TO TWO BIBB SCHOOL OFFICIALS ABOUT THEY'RE DOING TO KEEP THE KIDS SAFE.
ED JUDIE.. DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF STUDENT AFFAIRS.. SAYS TOP SCHOOL LEADERS HAVE A PERSONAL STAKE IN THE SAFETY ISSUE.
Judie: "Look, let's face it, the superintendent has children in this school district. He wants his kid to feel just as safe as any other kid. I'm going to have grandchildren in this school district, and I want them to feel safe also. So making an approach toward this safety, I want to assure parents that we're going to do everything possible."
WHILE SOME PEOPLE SAY METAL DETECTORS WOULD HELP KEEP WEAPONS OUT OF SCHOOL ...DIRECTOR OF RISK MANAGEMENT DAVID GOWAN SAYS.. THAT'S NOT PRACTICAL.
Gowan: "You would need multiple metal detectors, not just at the front entrance, but where the kids enter at the school bus entrance, walk up students and then students arriving in the parent line. SO it would also increase time it would take for us to intake students during the morning arrival."
THIS WEEK.. BIBB COUNTY SCHOOL LEADERS WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT SAFETY AND DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS.
THEY ARE HOLDING TWO FORUMS WHERE PARENTS CAN SHARE THEIR CONCERNS.
THE FIRST TAKES PLACE TOMORROW AT MILLER MAGNET MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IT'S SET TO START AT 6 P-M.
THE SECOND ONE IS FRIDAY AT THE SAME TIME AT CARTER ELEMENTARY ON ZEBULON ROAD.
TODAY'S 13WMAZ DOT COM WEB POLL ASKS... WHAT WOULD DO THE MOST TO MAKE SCHOOLS SAFER?
SO FAR 25 PERCENT SAY METAL DETECTORS.
42 PERCENT SAY SPANKINGS.
15 PERCENT SAY MORE SUSPENSIONS.
AND 18 PERCENT SAY MORE CAMPUS OFFICERS.
VOTE NOW... VISIT 13WMAZ DOT COM AND LOOK FOR THE QUESTION ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HOMEPAGE.
A HOUSTON COUNTY MAN RECEIVED A REWARD FOR TURNING IN A MAN WHO PLEADED GUILTY TO FOUR ARSON CASES.
WE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT HOW HELPED FIRE INVESTIGATORS SOLVE THE CASE.
BANI VELAZQUEZ ORTIZ JUST RECEIVED A HEFTY REWARD.
THE WARNER ROBINS FIRE DEPARTMENT AWARDED HIM 35-HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR INFORMATION THAT LEAD TO AN ARREST IN AN ARSON INVESTIGATION.
SOT: Earlier in 2010 throughout the year we had 8 or 9 calls in an area on Tabor Drive and all the fires appeared to be arsons. We had no leads until a man stepped forward.
ORTIZ DOESN'T SPEAK ENGLISH. BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP HIM FROM CALLING IN A TIP.
THROUGH A TRANSLATOR HE TOLD US WHY HE MADE THE CALL.
SOT: He saw when the crime was committed. He knew it was wrong and life could be in danger so that's why he decided to make the phone call.
LIEUTENANT DANNY WILLIAMS WITH THE WARNER ROBINS FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE TIP HELPED LEAD THEM TO AN ARREST.
SOT: We really had no clue of who was starting the fires until some man stepped forward and witnessed somebody trying to light some insulation on fire.
HE SAYS HE'S THANKFUL THAT MAN... WHO HE NOW KNOWS AS ORTIZ... SPOKE UP ABOUT THE FIRE AT THE SAVANNAH APARTMENTS.
SOT: Without his help we never would have caught the guy. He may have had quite a few more fires after that before we could catch him anyway.
ORTIZ SAYS... HE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE REWARD... HE JUST WANTED TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
SOT: He felt a little nervous because he never done it before but he made the right decision he said to come forward and make the phone call.
THE POLICE ARRESTED 51 YEAR OLD RAYMOND DORMAN AND CHARGED HIM WITH FIRST DEGREE ARSON IN FOUR SEPARATE CASES.
DORMAN PLEADED GUILTY LAST YEAR AND IS NOW SERVING AN 18 YEAR PRISON SENTENCE.
THE EASTMAN CAREER CENTER WILL STAY OPEN... EVEN THOUGH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WAS SET TO CLOSE IT AND SIX OTHERS.
THAT'S ACCORDING TO A NEWS RELEASE FROM THE CAREER CENTER.
THE CENTER WAS ORIGINALLY SET TO CLOSE BY JULY FIRST... DUE TO BUDGET CUTS.
NOW THAT THE CENTER IS STAYING OPEN... ITS EIGHT WORKERS WILL KEEP THEIR JOBS AND PATRONS WON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL 32 MILES TO THE NEXT NEAREST CENTER IN DUBLIN.
BETWEEN STUDENT LOANS.... CREDIT CARDS AND OTHER DEBTS... THE AVERAGE 20-SOMETHING OWES AN AVERAGE OF 45-THOUSAND DOLLARS.
IF YOU'RE THINKING OF MAKING YOUR FIRST MAJOR PURCHASE... SHERRI GOSS HAS SOME ADVICE TO MULL OVER BEFORE YOU MAKE A COMMITMENT.... TO KEEP YOU FROM REACHING THAT AVERAGE.
Now that you're out on your own, and have a job, you might want to buy a nicer car than the one you're currently driving. Be careful here-if that car you're driving runs, you might just want to hang onto it. Consider that if you buy a different-not necessarily new car-you'll probably have to take out a loan, so you'll have a monthly payment. Plus, if the car is newer than what you're driving now, your car insurance premium is going to go up.
But let's say your current car is on its last leg so you need to purchase something better. Do your homework by visiting www.edmunds.com <http://www.edmunds.com> and www.consumerreports.com <http://www.consumerreports.com>. Stay away from car lots until you've determined what makes sense for you. Then, go get your own financing, first, from a bank or credit union. Once you have your financing, and know what you want to buy, you can start shopping. Do not be pressure sold into something more than you can handle, financially. If you fear that you might get pressured into buying something, take a friend with you. Or, stick to reviewing cars online before you even go to a lot.
Don't ever buy something on credit because someone else tells you you can afford it. You are the only person that knows what you can handle. According to surveys, the average 20-something owes $45,000 between student loans, credit cards, car payments, etc., and you don't want to be in that group.
NOW THAT YOU'VE DECIDED ON THAT FIRST MAJOR PURCHASE... YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU STAY HEALTHY SO YOU MAKE PAYMENTS.
TOMORROW... WE'LL COVER HOW TO SHOP AROUND FOR YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE.
THE STATE OF GEORGIA HAS A NEW POET LAUREATE... RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL GEORGIA.
HE'S JUDSON MITCHAM ...A CREATIVE WRITING PROFESSOR AT MERCER UNIVERSITY.
MITCHAM BEGAN WRITING POETRY AT U-G-A AND LATER STUDIED UNDER THE CURRENT U.S. POET LAUREATE..
HE SAYS HE DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM OTHER POETS AND FROM WATCHING HIS FAMILY.
Judson Mitcham, Georgia Poet Laureate: 01:55 Poerty doesn't come from abstractions it comes from small things it comes from looking at sensory details from everyday life.
MITCHAM SAYS HE HOPES TO USE HIS POSITION TO PROMOTE THE STATE'S LITERARY CULTURE.