GOOD EVENING AND THANKS FOR JOINING US..
I'M LEAH JOHNSON.
AND I'M FRANK MALLOY. THIS IS EYEWITNESS NEWS AT ELEVEN.
OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT... FIRE RIPPED THROUGH A WARNER ROBINS APARTMENT COMPLEX, DESTROYING TWENTY-FOUR UNITS.
IT HAPPENED AT THE SANDPIPER APARTMENT COMPLEX ON LEISURE LAKE ROAD.
A SPOKESWOMAN WITH THE WARNER ROBINS FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS SHE BELIEVES PEOPLE WERE LIVING IN ALL OF THE UNITS.
VIEWER KRISTEN WELSH SENT US THIS PICTURE EARLIER TONIGHT OF THE FLAMES.
EYEWITNESSES SAY YOU COULD SEE SMOKE FROM MILES AWAY.
THE RED CROSS SAYS IT'S ASSISTING FAMILIES DISPLACED BY THE FIRE.
BUILDINGS... NEW AND OLD... FILLED TONIGHT'S MACON CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.
KATELYN HECK JOINS US FROM OUR NEWSROOM.
KATELYN WHAT BIG PROJECTS ARE ON THE WAY FOR MACON?
WELL FRANK... CONSTRUCTION ON THE DANNENBERG BUILDING WILL START MID JULY.... IF NOT SOONER.
LAURA MATHIS WITH THE MIDDLE GEORGIA REGIONAL COMMISSION SAYS FRIDAY... THEY CLOSED ON THE ONE AND HALF MILLION DOLLAR LOAN NEEDED TO BEGIN THE PROJECT.
THE PROPERTY ON POPLAR AND THIRD STREETS... WILL TRANSFORM INTO 69 APARTMENTS AND 6 COMMERCIAL UNITS.
THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR THE PROJECT RINGS IN AT SEVEN POINT THREE MILLION.
theres two big pieces to it, first of all, were going to see a piece of urban blight dealt with in downtown macon, and two years from now when they repay that loan, we're going to be able to develop a revolving loan fund which will allow us to take on additional projects going forward.
HOW LONG DO THEY EXPECT CONSTRUCTION TO LAST?
GENE DUNWOODY JUNIOR IS HEADING UP THE PROJECT.
HE TOLD ME HE HOPES TO WRAP IT UP WITHIN A YEAR.... THAT'S ALMOST THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME IT TOOK JUST TO SECURE THE LOAN.
HE ALSO SAYS THEY WILL HAVE A MODEL APARTMENT FOR PEOPLE TO SEE WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF THE GROUND-BREAKING.
AND MOVING FROM A NEW BUILDING... TO ONE SLIGHTLY OLDER.... CITY COUNCIL OFFICIALLY PURCHASED THE BUILDING AT ONE-THOUSAND SEVENTH STREET.
WHAT DO THEY PLAN TO DO WITH IT?
THE BUILDING WILL HOUSE THE CENTRAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS... INCLUDING TRAFFIC MAINTENANCE... ADMINISTRATION... AND FOUR OTHERS.
THE CITY SPENT SIX-HUNDRED-AND 72 THOUSAND DOLLARS ON THE NEW SPACE.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBER HENRY GIBSON SAYS THE CITY WILL HAVE TO SPEND ALMOST ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS TO FIX THE ROOF BEFORE CENTRAL SERVICES CAN MOVE IN.
theres two big pieces to it, first of all, were going to see a piece of urban blight dealt with in downtown macon, and two years from now when they repay that loan, we're going to be able to develop a revolving loan fund which will allow us to take on additional projects going forward.
HOW LONG DO THEY EXPECT CONSTRUCTION TO LAST?
GENE DUNWOODY JUNIOR IS HEADING UP THE PROJECT.
HE TOLD ME HE HOPES TO WRAP IT UP WITHIN A YEAR.... THAT'S ALMOST THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME IT TOOK JUST TO SECURE THE LOAN.
HE ALSO SAYS THEY WILL HAVE A MODEL APARTMENT FOR PEOPLE TO SEE WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF THE GROUND-BREAKING.
i still disagree with purchasing a building having to spend that much of the taxpayers money to get it in order to even move in
THEY DO NOT HAVE BUILDING REPAIRS OR A MOVE-IN DATE SCHEDULED YET.
SPEAKING OF REPAIRS... DID COUNCIL APPROVE TO HIRE A PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE SECOND STREET REVITALIZATION?
THEY DID... COUNCIL VOTED TO ACCEPT THE ONE-HUNDRED-AND-50 DOLLAR GRANT FROM THE PEYTON ANDERSON FOUNDATION FOR THE POSITION.
THAT PERSON WILL OVERSEE BOTH PRIVATE INVESTOR AND PUBLIC ISSUES.
THANKS KATELYN... THE MAYORS OFFICE STILL HAS TO DRAW UP A CONTRACT AND FINALIZE THE JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THE PROJECT.
A FOLLOW UP TO A STORY WE FIRST BROUGHT YOU LAST WEEK...
THE CITY OF MILLEDGEVILLE WILL *NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH LEGAL ACTION AGAINST BALDWIN COUNTY.... AT LEAST FOR NOW.
MAYOR RICHARD BENTLEY SAYS COUNTY OFFICIALS SENT A PROPOSAL WITH WAYS TO WORK OUT THE PAYMENT OF 1-MILLION DOLLARS IN SPLOST FUNDS.
LAST MONTH... THE MAYOR SENT A LETTER TO COUNTY LEADERS THREATENING LEGAL ACTION IF THE ISSUE WAS NOT ADDRESSED BEFORE JULY 1.
BENTLEY SAYS THE COUNTY MET THAT DEADLINE, AND CITY LEADERS WENT OVER THE PROPOSAL MONDAY NIGHT IN CLOSED SESSION.
LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY CONTINUE TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS, ACCORDING TO THE MAYOR.
BENTLEY SAYS HE FEELS CONFIDENT THE TWO WILL REACH AN AGREEMENT IN THE COMING WEEKS.
THE COUNTRY LOST A T-V ICON TODAY.
ANDY GRIFFITH PASSED AWAY AT AGE 86.
GRIFFITH'S FAMILY CONFIRMED HE DIED AT HIS HOME IN ROANOKE ISLAND, NORTH CAROLINA.
C-N-N REPORTS THAT THE ACTOR HAS ALREADY BEEN LAID TO REST.
FOR YEARS, HE'S BEEN A FIXTURE ON 13-W-M-A-Z AS SHERIFF ANDY TAYLOR... BETWEEN EYEWITNESS NEWS AT FIVE AND SIX. . .
GRIFFITH CALLED NORTH CAROLINA HOME.
PEOPLE IN DARE COUNTY TALKED TO OUR SISTER STATION, W-F-M-Y TODAY.... AND SHARED WHY EVEN THOSE WHO NEVER MET GRIFFITH... VIEWED HIM AS A FATHER FIGURE.
IT'S ONLY THE THIRD DAY BIBB COUNTY HAS HAD CONTROL OF THE ANIMAL SHELTER... AND ALREADY... COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS PUTTING ITS MARK ON THE OPERATION.
CANDACE ADORKA HAS MORE ON CHANGES COMMISSIONERS PUT IN PLACE TODAY.
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WHAT'S IN A NAME?
"the macon bibb county department of animal welfare."
FOR COMMISSIONER LONZY EDWARDS... IT'S THE FUTURE OF HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS THAT COME TO THE SHELTER EACH YEAR.
"we need to make sure that we use every availiable option before we start euthanizing animals before we just start allowing the wholesale mistreatment of animals. It says to me that we care, and I think that's important."
THE COUNTY COMMISSION SIGNED OFF ON THE NAME... AND A NEW MISSION STATEMENT.
"Well you have to have an identity..."
INTERIM DIRECTOR DEBORAH BIGGS SAYS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGE SO FAR IS A NEW MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE.
"the reorganization of the department will ensure that the kennels are cleaned on a daily basis, cleaner what they have been on on weekends and holidays."
S/U "one change, Bibb county residents will now have to pay fees for certain animal services. For example, if you need to rent a cat trap its 5 dollars a day. If thye have to impond your pet, it's 25 dollars, and if you can no longer take care of your pet and you have to drop it off, its 35 dollars."
"If people just all of a sudden decide they don't want to be bothered with an animal anymore, I think they ought to bear the responsiblity of dealing with that animal themselves rather than putting that responsibility on the back of their fellow taxpayers."
BIGGS SAYS THE FEES COULD RAKE IN AN ADDITIONAL 10-THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE SHELTER... AND THE RESTRUCTURING COULD HELP KEEP IT OPEN ON THE WEEKENDS... MEANING MORE ADOPTIONS.
"We saw this little baby on AC pup on facebook and we fell in love with him."
CANDACE ADORKA... 13 WMAZ EYEWITNESS NEWS.
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EDWARDS SAYS AT THE NEXT MEETING... COMMISSIONERS WILL DECIDE ON SHELTER POLICIES.... INCLUDING POSSIBLY OPENING THE SHELTER ON WEEKENDS.
WE HAVE SOME BREAKING NEWS TO TELL YOU ABOUT.
HOUSTON COUNTY AUTHORITIES ARE INVESTIGATING THE DEATH OF A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN KATHLEEN...
ACCORDING TO HOUSTON COUNTY CORONER DANNY GALPIN...THE GIRL WAS INSIDE A HOUSE THAT CAUGHT FIRE TUESDAY NIGHT ON ADDINGTON ROAD.
THE CAUSE OF DEATH ISN'T KNOWN... SINCE AN AUTOPSY HAS TO BE PERFORMED. THERE'S NO WORD ON WHAT STARTED THE FIRE.
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