http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/donalsonville/ Donalsonville, GA News http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/donalsonville/content/ac537991e7a824522b320dc9670d76ba.html Three north Georgia counties closed schools on Wednesday because of flooding and road closings caused by heavy rain that is ushering in a return to winter conditions for the state The National Weather Service in Peachtree City is forecasting temperatures in the low 30s overnight with the possibility of snow showers in north Georgia Lows will be in the low 40s in south Georgia http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/donalsonville/content/5555998fd3b9b1fb7b9eada7c5a73d0e.html A panel appointed by Gov Sonny Perdue to make recommendations on the future of the statersquo;s education system has recommended that Georgiarsquo;s twoyear colleges be moved from the Board of Regents to the technical college system http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/donalsonville/content/dc1e292a3ba5ee42c9cb821ac3796d2f.html A panel appointed by Gov Sonny Perdue to make recommendations on the future of the statersquo;s education system has recommended that Georgiarsquo;s twoyear colleges be moved from the Board of Regents to the Technical College System http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/donalsonville/content/3cfaf2252b603d980c940dccaed2e828.html A Tornado Watch has been issued for most north Georgia counties until 11 pm Tuesday http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/donalsonville/content/8c16abc11ff31f88b4f8f144eecc760f.html Three big projects are on the plate for the Catoosa County Sheriffrsquo;s Department in 2009Sheriff Phil Summers outlined four major improvements that will have his attention in the coming year to the Kiwanis Club of Ringgold Tuesday Jan 6Summers said one priority is continuing the project which will bring together much of the region under one 800 megahertz communication systemHe said that during the year completion of the installation of the equipment to include Walker and Dade counties into the system will comeCatoosa County was able to gain a 5777 million federal grant through which the vision of the regional communication system tied in with Chattanooga is possible he saidHe added that the hope is as additional monies become available the system will be created in a way that additional counties such as Whitfield Murray and Gordon can be added eventually connecting a communication corridor between Atlanta and Chattanooga and even Knoxvilleldquo;Catoosa County is growing rapidly and if we have a major incident we have to have other agencies to assistrdquo; he saidHe said communication is a vital link in those agencies being able to work togetherbState certificationbSummers said that he is now taking the steps to have his department to be eligible for state certificationHe said the certification is optional in Georgia and only 20 counties form 159 are certifiedHe said that he and his staff have been working to tweak policy manuals and forms upgrade the evidence room to meet the state standardsHe plans to also go for federal certification once this process is achieved he saidHe said that the process will reduce liabilities thus improving insurances rates and potential legal liabilitiesbJail improvementsbFinally two building projects will be among the items he plans to put in place this yearThe first already approved by commissioners is called the mezzanine project Essentially an improvement that will place Plexiglas over a second floor balcony and stairs that prisoners have access tooHe said that prisoners in the past have used the onestory drop with the intention of ending their life but simply caused injuries insteadHe said by making the improvement it will better insure the safety of the prisoners and reduce liabilitiesThe second project he will soon bring to commissioners for consideration will be a 5000 squarefoot administration building connecting the current offices to the jail The new 500000 facility will provide one central lobby to serve individuals that come into the departmentldquo;We will be able to enhance and tie everything togetherrdquo; he saidHe said that the new facility will provide enhances services to the public and streamline operationsFunding for both construction projects will come from the Jail Fund collected from individuals who pay fines He said currently the fund holds about 500000 and receives 200000 per year He said those monies will adequately fund the projects and any interest from financing construction in advance of accumulationSummers said that crime in the county for 2009 has not gone up form the previous yearHe said that the biggest challenge in to stay within the budget numbersp stylemargintop: 0; marginbottom: 0font faceArial Blackcolor808080size2CLICK ON THESE LINKSfontphr color333333alignleftsize1p styletextindent: 12; lineheight: 200; margintop: 0; marginbottom: 0a targetblankhrefhttp:newsmywebpalcomnewstoolv2cfmNPV2DatasourceMywebpalpnpid724showcustompageCustomPageID2307font faceArial Rounded MT BoldFEEDBACK: fontfont faceArialSend a letter to the editorfontapp styletextindent: 12; lineheight: 200; margintop: 0; marginbottom: 0a targetblankhrefhttp:newsmywebpalcomnewstoolv2cfmpnpid724showsubscribefont faceArial Rounded MT BoldSUBSCRIBE: fontfont faceArialGet The Catoosa County News each Wednesdayfontapp styletextindent: 12; lineheight: 200; margintop: 0; marginbottom: 0font faceAriala hrefhttp:newsmywebpalcomindexcfmpnpid724bGO BACK:bReturn to our homepageafontphr color333333alignleftsize1p stylemargintop: 0; marginbottom: 0p http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/donalsonville/content/93020c178fd189693e70bed467eddfb3.html Wilkinson County authorities say an 18yearold man was killed when a wall of dirt collapsed on him in while he dug a tunnel According to Gordon Assistant Fire Chief Steven Beck the accident happened Monday evening around 5:30 pm http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/donalsonville/content/d2c37e89f1cda90105beb45c18b41c7b.html Three area schools were ranked in the Georgia Sports Writers Association high school basketball poll released Monday http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/georgia/donalsonville/content/4ab8dfeb3531bcd21d3b6842db85c4b6.html An Athens man soon may stand trial for his life four years after he allegedly murdered a 67yearold man during a burglary Phillip Randy Staples 50 would be the first defendant to face the death penalty since Ken Mauldin was elected nine years ago as district attorney for the Western Judicial Circuit which includes Clarke and Oconee counties