GOOD EVENING AND THANKS FOR JOINING US..
I'M LEAH JOIHNSON..
AND I'M FRANK MALLOY..THIS IS EYEWITNESS NEWS AT 11.
OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT... PARTS OF JONES COUNTY RESEMBLED TINSEL TOWN WITH HOLLYWOOD MOVIE CAMERAS AND CREWS DECENDING ON A STRETCH OF UPPER RIVER ROAD.
FILMING IS UNDERWAY THERE FOR "42," A BIOPIC ABOUT JACKIE ROBINSON STARRING HARRISON FORD.
THE EYEWITNESS NEWS TEAM STAKED OUT ALL THE MAJOR SPOTS TO SEE HOW CAST AND CREWS GOT READY FOR FILMING..
SOT: They've got a lot of old beautiful cars here and dressing up like the 50s. Seen the old guys in the suspenders and old timey hats so it's really neat.
Allen Moore says he's never been a part of the movie making experience. So he admits he's a little in awe about what's happening in his neck of the woods of Jones County. Just up the road he says are Hollywood film crews prepping for "42" starring Harrison Ford. He says crews chose his Food Store to help.
SOT: They call this base camp here, they've got all the dressing rooms, eating and everything set up here so it's real nice to have 'em around, it's great for the community, real excitin'!"
SOt: They come in and asked us if they could use our property and it's just real exciting. We'ver never had something like this. Upper River Road has never had something like this so we're really excited.
You can see where crews have turned Upper River Road from a paved road to a dirt road. In the distance an old bus sits in front of a gas station that's been in Jones County for generations.
We also caught a glimpse of our own Suzanne Lawler on one of the sets talking with a cast member behind the wheel of one of the many cars that will appear in the movie.
With the filming of a movie comes long hours and big appetities. Eyewitness news got up close with the catering area at Northeast High School in Macon. Everywhere you looked you could see signs of 42 making it's mark in Central Georgia.
WE CONTINUE TO BRING YOU MORE INFORMATION ON SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AT THE IGNICO DRIVE RAILROAD CROSSING IN WARNER ROBINS.
THAT'S THE SPOT WHERE 31-YEAR-OLD DONNELL REID...AND HER SEVEN WEEK OLD INFANT...DIED AFTER A TRAIN HIT THEIR CAR.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SAYS IT COULD TAKE NEARLY A YEAR TO BRING CROSSING ARMS THERE.
BUT AUSTIN LEWIS TELLS US SOME PEOPLE ARE ASKING WHY SO LONG?
<<WE CALLED THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE...JIM COLE WHO IS ON THE STATE TRANSPORTATION BOARD...AND GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO TALK ABOUT THE CROSSING ARMS.
JILL GOLDBERG...THE DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY FOR GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OR G-DOT...TALKED TO US MORE ABOUT G-DOT'S TIMETABLE.
GOLDBERG SAYS THEY'VE DONE THEIR PARTS TO SPEED IT UP ... BUT STATE LAW ALLOWS THE RAILROAD A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO WORK ON PROJECTS LIKE CROSSING ARMS.
SHE SAID THEY'RE NOT IMPLYING THAT THE RAILROAD IS DRAGGING THEIR FEET ...BECAUSE NORFOLK SOUTHERN HAS TO DO THE JOB PROPERLY.
THE STATE'S TIMETABLE SAYS THE CROSSING ARMS COULD COME TO IGNICO DRIVE BY NOVEMBER....OR AT LATE AS NEXT APRIL.
WHEN WE ASKED IF THE RAILROAD HAS TO TAKE THE TIME GIVEN TO THEM BY LAW...GOLDBERG SAYS THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO TAKE ALL THE TIME...BUT THEY CAN.
GOLDBERG ALSO WANTED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW HOW MUCH GOES INTO A PROJECT LIKE THIS.
SHE SAYS PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE THAT WARNING DEVICES ARE NOT STANDARD EQUIPMENT...EACH SET HAS TO BE CUSTOM MADE.. BASED ON ROAD HEIGHTS...LINE SIGHTS...AND MANY OTHER THINGS.
WHEN WE ASKED IF CROSSING ARMS COULD COME TO THE IGNICO DRIVE RAIL LINE INTERSECTION BEFORE NOVEMBER...SHE SAID IT'S TOO SOON TO TELL.
>> SUSAN TERPAY OF NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD SAYS THE G-DOT SCHEDULE IS MORE LIKE A TEMPLATE THAT SHOWS HOW MUCH TIME THEY ARE REQUIRED BY LAW...BUT THEY'RE PLANNING TO EXPEDITE THAT TIME.
TERPAY SAYS THIS PROJECT IS NOT JUST ABOUT ADDING GATES....IT HAS TO BE COMPLETELY REBUILT AND THAT THERE WILL BE AN ENTIRELY NEW AUTOMATIC WARNING DEVICE FOR THE IGNICO RAIL LINE CROSSING.
SHE ALSO TOLD US ABOUT 36 TRAINS A DAY PASS THROUGH THE IGNICO DRIVE CROSSING. THAT'S ABOUT ONE EVERY 40 MINUTES. SHE SAID THAT'S A BUSY INTERSECTION FOR THE RAILROAD.
TWO PEOPLE DIED IN A SHOOTOUT AFTER A FUNERAL IN DEKALB COUNTY..
GUNFIRE RIPPED THROUGH THE AIR AT THE VICTORY FOR WORLD CHURCH WHILE SHORTLY AFTER THE FUNERAL SERVICE FOR 19 YEAR OLD RYAN GUIDER FINISHED..
POLICE AT THE SCENE SAID THAT ONE OF THE VICTIMS WAS FOUND IN A CAR IN THE PARKING LOT AND THE SECOND VICTIM DIED ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL..
TWO OTHER PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL..
ACCORDING TO THE DEKALB SHERIFF'S OFFICE - 28 YEAR OLD MARCUS VENTRESS WAS SEEN IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT..
VENTRESS IS WANTED FOR GUIDER'S KILLING..
GEORGIA ALREADY BANS IT... BUT TODAY... THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNVEILED A LONG-TERM PLAN TO PUT A STOP TO TEXTING AND DRIVNG NATIONWIDE.
TWO STATES WILL GET NEARLY TWO-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP FIGHT THE PROBLEM.
BIGAD SHABAN HAS MORE FROM LOS ANGELES.
CASEY SHTEAMER USED TO PASS THE TIME IN LOS ANGELES TRAFFIC BY SENDING TEXT MESSAGE.
SHE SAYS SHE'S CUT DOWN AFTER GETTING IN ACCIDENT
(---sot: Casey Shteamer, driver---)
"???"
EACH YEAR, DISTRACTED DRIVERS KILL ABOUT 3-THOUSAND PEOPLE . ..THAT'S ABOUT ONE IN EVERY TEN DEATHS ON US ROADWAYS . U-S TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY RAY LAHOOD CALLS DISTRACTED DRIVING A NATIONAL EPIDEMIC.. AND IS PUSHING FOR A CRACK DOWN ESPECIALLY AMONG YOUNGER DRIVERS.
(----SOT: Ray LaHood, U.S. Transportation Secretary--)
"we need to teach kids, who are the most vulnerable drivers, that testing and driving don't mix".
MORE THAN HALF OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ADMIT THEY TEXT OR EMAIL WHILE DRIVING ACCORDING TO A NEW CDC SURVEY.
THIS MASSACHUSETTES TEENAGER WHO WAS TEXTING WHILE DRIVING WAS SENTENCED TO A YEAR BEHIND BARS WEDNESDAY FOR KILLING A MAN.
(SOT LA HOOD)
"Americans have gotten into very dangerous behavior with their cell phones and their texting devices. ."
(---Bigad Shaban, CBS News---)
Under the new initiative California receives about 2 and a half million dollars. That money will be used to put more police on the roads and to launch an ad-campaign driving home the dangers of texting and driving. "
(---IN: GRAPHIC---)
RIGHT NOW, 38 STATES and the District of Columbia PROHIBIT ALL DRIVERS FROM TEXTING WHILE BEHIND THE WHEEL....
(--GRAPHIC---REVEAL--)
ONLY 10 STATES AND DC FORBID *ALL* HAND HELD CELL PHONE USE WHILE DRIVING
(---OUT: GRAPHIC---)
SCTEAMER SAYS SHE'S LUCKY NO ONE WAS INJURED IN HER ACCIDENT
The transportation department NOW also wants automakers to back voluntary guidelines and to make sure new dashboard technology won't distract drivers EITHER.
DELAWARE IS ALSO RECEIVING FEDERAL FUNDS TO LAUNCH PILOT PROGRAMS THIS FALL.
WARNER ROBINS MAYOR CHUCK SHAHEEN IS TRYING A NEW APPROACH TO TALKING WITH REPORTERS.
HE ORGANIZED A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION AT CITY HALL... AND SAYS HE'S WILLING TO MEET WITH THE MEDIA ONCE A WEEK.
SHAHEEN SAYS THE NEW PLAN COMES AFTER HE RECEIVED MULTIPLE PHONE CALLS AND REQUESTS FOR INTERVIEWS YESTERDAY.
HE SAID HE WANTED TO ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS AT ONCE... TO SAVE TIME.
THE QUESTIONS RAISED INCLUDED ONES ON THE BUDGET... NEW POSITIONS AT CITY HALL... RAILROAD CROSSING ARMS.... AND OTHER SUBJECTS.
Chuck Shaheen, Mayor of Warner Robins:Shaheen (1:50) "This is your time. Yesterday I had about ten phone calls and emails and texts from the media discussing about four different issues. I apologize I didnt have the time to stop to answer every one of them, so I thought I would just give yall the time you needed to get the information out to the public."
SHAHEEN ALSO PROPOSED HIRING A LOBBYIST TO WORK FOR THE CITY'S INTERESTS AT THE STATE CAPITAL.
TO HEAR HIS EXPLANATION FOR THAT... AND A LOOK AT HOW IT'S WORKED OUT FOR OTHER CITIES IN THE STATE... VISIT THIS STORY AT 13WMAZ DOT COM.
MACON POLICE SAY THEY ARRESTED A MAN FOR THE FIFTH TIME IN FIVE MONTHS... AND CHARGED HIM WITH A ROBBERY IN THE BLOOMFIELD AREA.
POLICE SPOKESWOMAN JAMI GAUDET SAYS THAT ROBBERY HAPPENED AROUND FOUR O'CLOCK YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AT A STORE ON ROCKY CREEK ROAD.
ACCORDING TO GAUDET... A MAN TOLD POLICE THAT THREE MEN ROBBED HIM AS HE SAT OUTSIDE ROCKY CREEK FOODS.
GAUDET SAYS OFFICERS ARRESTED 19-YEAR-OLD EMMANUEL LEE STROUD JUNIOR ON BLOOMFIELD ROAD.
THE RELEASE SAYS STROUD HAS BEEN ARRESTED EIGHT TIMES SINCE 2010... FIVE OF THEM SINCE MID-JANUARY.
HE'S CURRENTLY IN THE BIBB COUNTY JAIL..
IF YOU'RE AT A LOSS THIS WEEKEND... SCENE 13 CAN HELP YOU FILL THE TIME... WITH ENTERTAINMENT HAPPENINGS ALL OVER CENTRAL GEORGIA.
START THINGS OFF TOMORROW... WITH THE HALLUVA AUCTION IN MACON.
THE ITEMS ON THE BLOCK INCLUDE A CHARLIE DANIELS AUTOGRAPHED FIDDLE... A TRIP TO THIS YEAR'S GEORGIA-FLORIDA GAME... AND MUCH MORE.
IT ALL STARTS AT THE MACON CITY AUDITORIUM AT 7 P-M.... AND IT BENEFITS THE CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL... GEORGIA SPORTS HALL OF FAME... AND NEWTOWN MACON.
FOR MORE INFORMATION... JUST VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT HALLUVA-AUCTION DOT COM.
FOR THOSE NURSING A SWEET TOOTH... FORT VALLEY IS THE PLACE TO BE THIS WEEKEND.
IT'S THE BIG WEEKEND FOR THE GEORGIA PEACH FESTIVAL.... WITH THE FESTIVITIES MOVING TO FORT VALLEY.
FIRST... WARM UP YOUR VOCAL CORDS WITH KARAOKE AT THE BANDSTAND DOWNTOWN AT 8 P-M FRIDAY.
THEN ON SATURDAY... TAKE YOUR PICK.
THERE'S THE KHOURY'S WALK FOR HEALTH AT THE FORT VALLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AT 7 A-M.... THE KIWANIS CLUB PANCAKE BREAKFAST... SAME TIME AND PLACE... THE PEACH FESTIVAL PARADE AT 10... AND THAT'S JUST THE MORNING EVENTS.
THE AFTERNOON INCLUDES THE WORLD'S LARGEST PEACH COBBLER... SERVED AT 2 P-M... A CONCERT IN THE COURTHOUSE PARKING LOT FEATURING THE SOUL PURPOSE BAND AT 7 P-M... AND THE FIREWORKS GRAND FINALE AT 9-45.
AND IF YOU NEED A WARM-UP BEFORE YOU CHECK OUT THE PEACHY FUN... THE 441 SPEEDWAY IN DUBLIN HAS A SOLUTION FOR YOU.
JOIN ANDY GRIGGS AND SOME LOCAL ARTISTS FRIDAY NIGHT... FOR A CHARITY CONCERT.
PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT THE NEPHCURE FOUNDATION AND THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY.
THE CONCERT KICKS OFF AT SEVEN P-M... FOLLOWED BY A FREE STOCK CAR PRACTICE AND RACE.
FIFTEEN DOLLARS GETS YOU IN THE DOOR... AND 25 COMES WITH V-I-P ACCESS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION... LOG ON TO 441-SPEEDWAY DOT COM.
THEN... END YOUR WEEKEND BY TAKING IN A LITTLE MUSIC... WITH SECOND SUNDAY AT SUNSET.
THIS MONTH'S FEATURED BAND IS DEAN BROWN AND DUBSHAK.
CATCH THE FREE CONCERT FROM SEVEN TO NINE P-M IN WASHINGTON PARK.
CHAIRS... BLANKETS AND FOOD ARE WELCOME... BUT PLEASE... NO TENTS OR GRILLS.
AT THE MOVIES THIS WEEKEND... WHAT STARTS OUT AS EXPLORATION TURNS INTO A RACE TO SAVE MANKIND... AND SOME GOOFY AND CREATIVE ANIMALS COME UP WITH A UNIQUE WAY TO MIGRATE HOME.
FIRST UP... IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A FEW THRILLS AND CHILLS... CHECK OUT "PROMETHEUS."
EXPLORERS EMBARK ON AN ADENTURE INTO A LITTLE-KNOWN CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE.
WHAT THEY UNCOVER MAY UNLOCK MANY OF THE MYSTERIES SURROUNDING THE ORIGINS OF MAN... BUT IT COULD ALSO SPELL THE END OF THE HUMAN RACE.
LEAVE THE KIDS AT HOME FOR THIS ONE... "PROMETHEUS" IS RATED R.
IN A MORE FAMILY-FRIENDLY FILM... SOME OF THE BELOVED CHARACTERS FROM "MADAGASCAR" ARE BACK ON THE BIG SCREEN.
THEY'RE STRANDED IN EUROPE AND TRYING TO GET BACK TO NEW YORK CITY.
THEY DECIDE THEIR BEST SHOT AT A TICKET HOME IS TO JOIN THE CIRCUS.
BEN STILLER... JADA PINKETT SMITH... CHRIS ROCK AND DAVID SCHWIMMER LEND THEIR VOICES TO THIS ANIMATED FLICK.
"MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED" IS RATED P-G.
A WARNER ROBINS TEEN WON THE LOTTERY AND THEN MADE COLLEGE PLANS..
19-YEAR-OLD SEQUOYEAH CANION SCRATCHED OFF A WINNING 25 THOUSAND DOLLAR CASH DELUXE TICKET PURCHASED AT THE PERRY FOOD MART..
CANION TOLD LOTTERY OFFICIALS HE PLANS TO ATTEND MERCER UNIVERSITY WITH HIS WINNINGS AND STUDY MECHANICAL ENGINEERING.
EVERY SCHOOL DAY.. .BUS DRIVERS MAKE SURE CHILDREN GET TO SCHOOL SAFELY.
AND DURING THEIR OFF-TIME... THEY KEEP THE SKILLS SHARP WITH A LITTLE COMPETITION.
DRIVERS FROM 40 GEORGIA COUNTIES DID JUST THAT TODAY IN A STATEWIDE BUS ROAD-E-O IN WARNER ROBINS.
THE PUPIL TRANSPORATION SAFETY COMPETITION FOUNDATION SPONSORED THE TWO-DAY EVENT.
IT INCLUDES BUS INSPECTIONS... A WRITTEN TEST AND OF COURSE THE DRIVING COMPETITION.
AND THE FOLKS INVOLVED SAY IT'S ALL ABOUT SAFETY.
Clay Moncrief, Houston County Bus Driver: Each contestant represents their county, compete in their local rodeo and the 1st and 2nd place moves on to the state competition and the 1st and 2nd place from this competition goes on to the international competition.
Frank Scott, Houston Schools Transportation Director: We're hoping all the counties throughout GA will have local competition just like we did in April. be able to elt the drivers polish their skills and practice doing some of the things they do on a daily basis.
HOUSTON COUNTY PLACED 14TH OUT OF 59 COMPETITORS.
COBB COUNTY... WON THE TOP PRIZE.