GOOD EVENING AND THANKS FOR JOINING US..
I'M LEAH JOHNSON..
frank malloy has the night off.
DISAGREEMENT OVER BIBB COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT ROMAIN DALLEMAND... AND HIS MACON MIRACLE... TURNED INTO A SHOUTING MATCH BETWEEN A BIBB COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER... AND A CRITIC.
IT HAPPENED MINUTES AFTER QUALIFYING ENDED FOR BIBB COUNTY CANDIDATES AT NOON.
TOM HUDSON . A DEMOCRAT WHO HOLDS THE DISTRICT FIVE SEAT.. QUALIFIED WEDNESDAY.. BUT RETURNED TO SEE IF HE DREW AN OPPONENT.
TODAY... ANGEL DAVIS HOPPER QUALIFIED TO RUN AGAINST HIM... SAYING THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY ON THE CURRENT SCHOOL BOARD.
Angel Hopper, Candidate: There are a lot of injustices going on. Uh, we have secret meetings. Uh, fiscal accountability, financial accountability.
HUDSON OVERHEARD HER AND SHARPLY DISAGREED.
Tom Hudson, Board Member: In terms of fiscal accountability, the Bibb County Board of Education ever since I've been on the board we've had one of the highest reviews in terms of our audits.
HOPPER WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A FRIEND... DARREN LATCH.
HE ORGANIZED A GROUP CALLED SUPPORT BIBB SCHOOLS... AND RUNS A WEBSITE THAT CRITICIZES DALLEMAND AND THE SCHOOL BOARD.
WHILE ELECTION OFFICIALS SHUT DOWN QUALIFYING FOR THE DAY.... HUDSON AND LATCH WERE JUST GETTING STARTED.
HUDSON AND HOPPER MEET IN THE JULY 31ST DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.. THERE'S NO REPUBLICAN IN THE RACE.
FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF PEOPLE WHO QUALIFIED FOR ELECTIONS THIS WEEK... LOOK FOR THIS STORY AT 13WMAZ DOT COM.
AUSTIN SCOTT APPARENTLY HAS A FREE RIDE TO A SECOND TERM IN CONGRESS.
NO REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS QUALIFIED TO CHALLENGE THE REPUBLICAN FROM ASHBURN IN THE EIGHTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
THAT MEANS, BARRING A SUCCESSFUL WRITE-IN OR INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE, SCOTT WILL BE SWORN IN FOR ANOTHER TERM IN JANUARY.
STUDENTS FROM TWO BIBB COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THE WALK ACROSS THE STAGE TO PICK UP THEIR DIPLOMAS... AND THE REST OF THE GRADUATING SENIORS WILL JOIN THEM TOMORROW.
TONIGHT... HOWARD HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS BECAME THE FIRST MEMBERS OF BIBB COUNTY'S CLASS OF 2012.
THEY WALKED THE STAGE AT THE MACON CENTREPLEX... AS FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS WATCHED.
LATER IN THE EVENING... HUTCHINGS CAREER CENTER HELD ITS GRADUATION.
IN HOUSTON COUNTY... VETERANS HIGH SCHOOL HELD PRACTICE TODAY FOR ITS FIRST GRADUATING CLASS.
THEY'LL WALK THE STAGE IN A CEREMONY BEGINNING AT 4 O'CLOCK TOMORROW AFTERNOON... THE FIFTH OF THE COUNTY'S SIX CEREMONIES.
SENIORS AT CAREER ACADEMY AND HOUSTON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL RECEIVED THEIR DIPLOMAS TONIGHT.... AND PERRY... WARNER ROBINS... NORTHSIDE HIGHS WILL HOLD CEREMONIES TOMORROW AS WELL.
ALL GRADUATION CEREMONIES WILL BE HELD AT THE GEORGIA NATIONAL FAIRGROUNDS IN PERRY... INSIDE THE MILLER-MURPHY-HOWARD BUILDING.
BUT DURING THE GRADUATION CEREMONIES... SCHOOL LEADERS WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE OBSERVES PROPER ETIQUETTE.
STUDENTS AND GUESTS SHOULD DRESS APPROPRIATELY.
T-SHIRTS... SHORTS OR OTHER INFORMAL CLOTHING WON'T BE ALLOWED.
IN BIBB COUNTY... IF YOU'RE NOT DRESSED FOR THE OCCASION... YOU WON'T BE ALLOWED INSIDE.
THAT INCLUDES PROPER FOOTWEAR.
MAKE SURE YOU ARRIVE ON TIME FOR THE CEREMONY.
THE HOUSTON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD'S WEBSITE SAYS THEIR CEREMONIES WILL BEGIN PROMPTLY ON-TIME... AND IF YOU'RE NOT THERE AT LEAST FIFTEEN MINUTES BEFORE... YOU WON'T GET INSIDE.
THEY RECOMMEND ARRIVING AT LEAST AN HOUR EARLY.
IN FACT... IN MOST CASES... IT'S BEST TO ARRIVE EARLY... TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE SEATS YOU WANT FOR THE BEST VIEW OF YOUR GRADUATE.
ONCE THE CEREMONY BEGINS... NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO ENTER.
CHECK WITH YOUR GRADUATE AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ABOUT WHETHER YOU'LL NEED A TICKET.
FOR INSTANCE... IN BIBB COUNTY... YOU WON'T BE ALLOWED INTO A GRADUATION WITHOUT ONE.
SOME SCHOOLS ALSO HAVE OVERFLOW AREAS... FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T GET INTO THE CEREMONY... OR DON'T HAVE A TICKET.
MAKE SURE YOU FIND OUT THE ARRANGEMENTS BEFORE YOU GO.
GRADUATION IS A TIME FOR CELEBRATING YOUR GRADUATE'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS... BUT TAKE CARE NOT TO DISRUPT THE CEREMONY.
YOU WON'T BE ALLOWED TO STAY IF YOU DO.
THAT MEANS NO NOISEMAKERS... BEACH BALLS... OR OTHER ITEMS THAT MIGHT INTERRUPT THINGS.
AND LOUD OR PROLONGED NOISES FOR ONE GRADUATE... TAKE ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE NEXT PERSON.
SCHOOL LEADERS WANT YOU TO SAVE YOUR CELEBRATING UNTIL AFTER THE CEREMONY... SO EVERYONE GETS THE RECOGNITION THEY DESERVE.
AND AFTER THE GRADUATION IS DONE.... WE WANT TO SEE YOUR GRADUATION PICTURES.
LOOK FOR THE LINK IN THE CHECK IT OUT BOX ON 13WMAZ DOT COM TO ADD YOUR PHOTOS... AND CHECK OUT THE ONES OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SENT IN THE 'SLIDESHOWS' SECTION.
A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO... WE BROUGHT YOU A STORY ABOUT A DUBLIN CHURCH GROUP PRAYING FOR GAS PRICES TO DROP.
TODAY... THAT GROUP SAYS THE LOWER PRICES ARE AN ANSWER FROM ABOVE.
ACCORDING TO TRIPLE-A... WHEN THE GROUP STARTED PRAYING LAST APRIL... GAS IN MACON WAS 3 DOLLARS 67 CENTS A GALLON.
THIS APRIL... IT JUMPED TO 3-75...
BUT TODAY... MACON'S AVERAGE... IS 3 DOLLARS AND 27 CENTS.
DRIVERS SAY THEY'RE NOT USED TO SPENDING LESS TO TRAVEL ON A HOLIDAY WEEKEND.
BUT THEY'RE MIXED... ON THEIR IDEAS OF WHY THOSE PRICES ARE DROPPING.
Will Younger, Savannah: "God works in mysterious ways."
Renee Lindsay, Florida: "I don't believe that. I'm sorry, but that's not me. I really believe it's because the economy is getting better."
Donnie Chastain, Gray: "It could be part of that, it could be the government involved with it."
THE PRAYER CHAIN STARTED THROUGH DUBLIN PASTOR... MARSHALL MABRY.
HE SAYS HE PRAYS EVERY DAY WITH ABOUT 20 OTHER PASTORS FOR LOWER GAS PRICES... PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST... AND A STABLE ECONOMY.
TODAY'S 13WMAZ DOT COM WEB POLL ASKS... DO YOU THINK GAS WILL DROP BELOW THREE DOLLARS A GALLON THIS SUMMER?
SO FAR... 68 PERCENT OF YOU SAY NO...
AND 32 PERCENT SAY YES.
VOTE NOW... VISIT 13WMAZ DOT COM AND LOOK FOR THE QUESTION ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HOMEPAGE.
SOCIAL MEDIA ACTS AS A SOUNDBOARD FOR ANYONE TO SAY ANYTHING THEY WANT... BUT WHAT THEY SAY AND WHO THEY SAY IT TO CAN BE VALUABLE EVIDENCE.
LISA HUTSON WITH OUR GANNETT SISTER STATION K-T-H-V IN LITTLE ROCK TAKES A LOOK AT HOW FACEBOOK POSTS... ARE GETTING TANGLED UP IN DIVORCES.
It is a place where you can say too much without ever saying word.
"People are using that as a substitute for verbal communications and what they don't always remember is that it is in written form and it doesn't go away."
Facebook messages, status updates, and wall posts all can be used against you in the court of law.
"It can be used as evidence and very often it is the basis of why the party who is seeking the services of an attorney is wanting a divorce in the first place because of the content of those communications.
That's right--divorce. More than a third of divorce filings last year contained the word Facebook according to a U.K. Survey by Divorce Online. Jacksonville Attorney Gene Adams is not surprised.
"It is used in a lot of divorces now because it represents communications that spouses have with other parties and sometimes even with each other."
And if your relationship status says you are committed but messages to your inbox say you aren't, that can be used too.
"If it's taking place four times a day, 20 minutes at a time and then you actually see the content of the communication, then there's not much left to the imagination."
And that could land you in divorce court - for all the world to see.
"Very often, people think their facebook conversations are private and they're really not."
ADAMS SAYS FACEBOOK CAN ALSO BE USED IN CUSTODY BATTLES.
HE SAYS IN ONE OF HIS RECENT CASES... A MOTHER WAS COURT ORDERED TO REMOVE PICTURES OF HER CHILDREN FROM HER PAGE.
EACH WEEK... THE RESTAURANTS WITH THE BEST HEALTH INSPECTION SCORES... ARE NOMINATED FOR OUR GOLDEN SPATULA AWARD.
BRITTINY BARBER REVEALS THE WINNER... IN THIS WEEKS RESTAURANT RATINGS..
WE'RE BACK IN BIBB COUNTY THIS WEEK...STARTING OFF WITH OUR LOWEST SCORES FIRST....
MCDONALD'S IN THE WALMART ON ZEBULON RD... RECEIVED AN 86.. WHICH IS A "B".. AND WHEN THE HEALTH INSPECTOR WAS THERE LAST THEY GOT A 100.
LOS COMALES ON HAWKINSVILLE ROAD SCORE 71 OR A "C".. ON THEIR LAST REPORT THEY GOT A 94.. WHICH IS AN "A".
AND LOGAN'S ROADHOUSE AT 39-33 ARKWRIGHT ROAD BROUGHT IN A 63.. OR A "U".. THAT AFTER THEY RECEIVED A 99 OR A ON THEIR LAST INSPECTION.
NOW FOR A LOOK THE TOP SCORES OF THE WEEK.. AND YOUR GOLDEN SPATUAL NOMINEES.
VERONICA'S SOUL FOOD AT 20-55 EISENHOWER PKWY.. BROUGHT IN A 100.. ON THEIR LAST REPORT THEY GOT ANOTHER 100.
TACO BELL ON BLOOMFIELD ROAD.. ALSO SCORED A PERFECT 100.. COMING AFTER A 100 ON THEIR PREVIOUS INSPECTION.
AND JOE D'S ON INGLESIDE AVE RAKED IN A 100... COMING AFTER A 100 ON THEIR LAST REPORT.
WE AVERAGED OUR NOMINEES' PAST FIVE SCORES... AND THIS WEEK'S GOLDEN SPATULA WINNER HAS HAD A 100 DATING BACK TO INSPECTIONS IN JULY 2008.... THE WINNER IS...
VERONICA'S SOUL FOOD AT 20-55 EISENHOWER PKWY... THEIR AVERAGE CAME IT AT A 100.
CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE AT VERONICA'S. TUNE IN NEXT WEEK TO FIND OUT MORE RESTAURANT RATINGS. BRITTINY BARBER... 13 WMAZ...E EYWITNESS NEWS.
FOR ALL YOUR RESTAURANT RATINGS... GO TO OUR WEBSITE 13WMAZ DOT COM.
CLICK ON "RESTAURANT RATINGS" UNDER THE FEATURES TAB ON THE HOMEPAGE.
FROM THERE... YOU CAN SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE AND CHECK OUT INSPECTION SCORES FROM *YOUR* COUNTY.
TONIGHT COUNTRY MUSIC FANS POURED INTO THE MACON CITY AUDITORIUM TO LISTEN TO A COUNTRY MUSIC LEGEND AND RAISE MONEY AND AWARENESS FOR A MACON CHARITY.
TRAVIS TRITT TOOK THE STAGE TONIGHT TO BENEFIT ARC. IT'S A CHARITY THAT PROVIDES COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
FANS FILLED THE VENUE AND HEARD FROM SHANE BRIDGES AND OTHER LOCAL COUNTRY MUSIC TALENT.
WE TALKED TO ONE COUPLE FROM MCDONOUGH, GEORGIA WHO ATTENDED THE CONCERT.
Marlinda Phillips, McDonough: We grew up during the Smokey and the Bandit era and we love listening to old school country music. We don't like new county music stuff, but we like old school country music."
CENTRAL GEORGIA'S OWN SHANE BRIDGES OPENED FOR TRITT.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.... WEEKEND MORNIN COMES YOUR WAY AT 7 A-M.
THE NEWS IS ALWAYS ON AT 13WMAZ DOT COM.
LETTERMAN'S NEXT.
HAVE A SAFE NIGHT EVERYONE.