Photo by WEIS Radio
CEDAR BLUFF, ALA. – Authorities have learned the identity of the man missing after being involved in a boating accident Tuesday evening in Cedar Bluff. According to family members at the location – the victim has been identified, as 67 year old Jerry Coker of Adairsville, Georgia. Coker was thrown from his bass boat, after apparently striking a log in the water, at around 6:30 that evening. A 9-1-1 call was placed by an individual on Savannah Drive in the Savannah Place Subdivision – off of Money’s Bend Road with the caller stating that he had heard a loud noise which he initially thought to be a car crash. The man then witnessed a person in the water in the distance with a boat circling the subject; the caller reported that he heard a single cry for help and at the time attempted to provide assistance by traveling to the location on a jet-ski – however the man had already gone under and could not be found. According to eyewitnesses the man was not wearing a lifejacket and failed to use a killswitch. The boat eventually ended up hitting the pier belonging to the caller and stalled out there. After running the tag number on the boat authorities had their first indication that the victim was from Bartow County, Georgia. Several boat teams continue to search the area where the man fell overboard. We’ll have additional information as it becomes available. Those responding to the scene, included the Cedar Bluff Fire and Police Departments; Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, including the Sheriff’s Office Lake Patrol; the Rescue Squad & Alabama Marine Police.
The Polk County Police Department’s Narcotics Enforcement Team has arrested 7 individuals on several drug charges after a month’s long investigation. Agents from NET, along with the DEA, FBI, GBI, and the Rome/Floyd Metro Task Force all participated in the investigation and arrests of the suspects. During the course of these arrests, 3 other individuals were arrested on unrelated charges. In all, eight individuals were placed under arrest and two others were already in custody. This group of individuals became known to investigators as “The Seney Group”, with Roderick McCullough heading up the organization. Investigators determined that the group was responsible for approximately 60% of methamphetamine sales conducted within the boundaries of Polk County, as well as the sales of large quantities of methamphetamine in surrounding counties. Arrested include Roderick McCullough of Cedartown, Tim Washington of Rockmart, Kevin Kent of Rockmart, Ray Washington of Rockmart, Demark Ware of Rockmart, Juan Maldonado of Cedartown, and Tommy Morgan of Lindale were indicted on federal charges after the meeting of a federal grand jury in May 2010. Narcotics agents expect more arrests to follow, due to the nature of the ongoing investigation.
10-digit dialing is just around the corner for residents of Northeast Alabama. Beginning June 5th – those in the (256) area code will have to dial both the area code, and the seven digit phone number, even for local calls. According to the Alabama Public Service Commission, after June 5th anyone dialing a local number without first dialing the area code will get a recorded message instructing the caller to hang up – and then dial again – using all ten digits. The new 10-digit dialing has come about as existing phone numbers in the (256) region, are close to being exhausted – and the requirement will apply to all types of phone services within the (256) area code including wireless phones. Calls to 9-1-1 however, will remain the same and will continue to be dialed as they are now. Beginning in July a second area code (938) will be introduced into the area as well – a practice that is known as an area code “overlay”. All those already having (256) area codes will retain the area code along with the existing telephone number and will NOT be required to switch to a new one; anyone activating phone service after the 10th of July could receive a (938) number. Even after the new changes, all calls currently considered “Local” will still be “Local”, even though all 10 digits must be dialed – and – calls that are now “Long Distance”, will remain as such, after the 938 overlay goes into effect.
The Georgia Board of Regents approved a tuition hike for next school year. The board voted to increase tuition between 4 and 16 percent for many of the students at one of the 35 public colleges and universities. At research universities like Georgia Tech, University of Georgia and Georgia State University, tuition will be $3,535 per semester, up from $3,035. At other campuses like Georgia Southern University and Kennesaw State University, students will pay $2,298 per semester, up $300. Students at two-year colleges, like Georgia Highlands, will pay $50 per semester more, with tuition rising to $1,199. The first group of students coming off the fixed 4-year program will see massive increases. Students who do not graduate in four years will pay an additional 34 percent. Students who do not graduate in four years from Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia will see an increase of $1589 per semester which amounts to an 81 percent increase.
