WGAA 1340AM Cedartown

ATLANTA — Georgia’s top-ranking legislative leaders have backed a plan by Gov. Nathan Deal to preserve some $450 million in federal Medicaid funding.

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Speaker David Ralston effectively endorsed a plan Wednesday that would empower the state Board of Community Health to establish assessments on hospitals. Those assessments would then be used to generate federal financing for the health care system. The assessments would replace a tax that is scheduled to expire at the end of June.

A Senate committee voted Tuesday to support Deal’s plan.

Ralston called the plan fair during a forum hosted by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Cagle said the funding cuts required if the tax went away would be “devastating.”

Associated Press

ATLANTA — A spokesman for Gov. Nathan Deal says the governor is proposing a plan that would allow lawmakers to avoid an explicit vote on whether to extend an expiring hospital industry tax that helps finance Georgia’s health care system.

Deal spokesman Brian Robinson says the governor’s floor leaders introduced legislation outlining the plan Monday.

Currently, hospitals pay an amount based on net patient revenue. That money is then used to generate federal support for the Medicaid insurance program for poor, disabled and older Georgians. The arrangement expires in June. That means lawmakers could have to choose between steep cuts to Medicaid or backing the renewal of a tax.

To avoid that scenario, Deal’s proposal would shift control over any hospital assessment to the state’s Board of Community Health.

By Bill Barrow, Associated Press

DALTON, GA. — Authorities say a small earthquake struck near Dalton, in northwest Georgia.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that the quake hit at 7:39 Tuesday about four miles northwest of Dalton.

The U.S. Geological Survey reports that it was a 2.9-magnitude earthquake. There were no immediate reports of any damage.

Associated Press

Cedartown High School Running Back, Nick Chubb

You’re a pretty big deal if you’re a high school junior and Mark Richt stops by to see you three weeks from signing day.

Cedartown High School’s Nick Chubb is a pretty big deal.

He’s likely the state’s No. 1 prospect at running back for 2014.

Richt stopped by Cedartown on Monday in between visits to Walton and Kell high schools, among other places.

“It went good,” Chubb told the AJC. “He came up to see me. We didn’t talk much but he just wanted me to know that they’re interested in me.”

“It always means a lot when a head coach comes by to see you.”

The 5-foot-11, 210-pounder holds early scholarship offers from Georgia Tech, Ohio State, Tennessee and Purdue. After proving himself at last month’s RisingSeniors game, Chubb also talked with UGA running backs coach Bryan McClendon.

“The last time I talked with (McClendon), he said to consider myself ‘offered,’” Chubb said. “But they haven’t done it officially yet because they’re finishing up with the 2013 class.”

How does Chubb feel about Georgia? “I like Georgia. I like them a lot.”

What about Georgia Tech? “I like them, too. I like every school that is interested in me.”

Chubb said Richt was the first coach to stop by his school during the current NCAA contact period, and that Georgia Tech may be by there later this week.

Chubb plans to make unofficial visits to Georgia Tech on Jan. 20, Alabama on Jan. 26, and Ohio State on Feb. 10.

Dr. Terry Greer, Pastor Mount Vernon UMC

GARDENDALE — The Rev. Dr. Terry Greer is charged with one count of murder and another count of attempted murder, as a result of the shooting Thursday afternoon that left Greer’s wife Lisa dead, and his daughter Suzanna injured from gunshot wounds.
Greer remains in UAB Hospital Friday afternoon, but his condition has been upgraded from critical to stable, according to Gardendale Police Chief Mike Walker.

Walker held a press conference at the Public Safety Center Friday afternoon to give updates on the case, as well as release some details of the incident, which took place at the parsonage of Gardendale-Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church. The parsonage is located on Country Meadow Drive in Mt. Olive, near the Mt. Olive Road exit on Interstate 65.

Walker said that Terry Greer shot his wife and daughter with a pistol, but Suzanna was able to wrest the gun away from her father and flee. Suzanna Greer then ran to a neighbor’s house, who then reported the incident to police.

Terry Greer then stabbed himself several times in the chest and neck. Responding officers stopped Terry Greer from further injury and restrained him.

All three were transported to UAB Hospital. Lisa Greer died between 12:30 and 1 a.m. Friday morning, Walker said.

When Terry Greer is released, he will be turned over to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. He will face bond of $135,000 total.

Walker refused to speculate on a motive, but did say that his department had no history of incidents with the Greer family or their address, to his knowledge.

Walker had words of condolence for Suzanna Greer, and for the Gardendale-Mt. Vernon church family.

“Our hope is that the church and community will support Ms. Greer during the aftermath of this tragic incident and beyond,” Walker said, reading from a prepared statement.

Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett, the North Alabama Conference presiding bishop for the Birmingham area, will offer the message in both morning worship services this Sunday. The conference will also offer counselors for children and young people that morning.

Terry Greer took over the pastorate at Gardendale-Mt. Vernon in June, after transferring from First Methodist Church in Decatur. He swapped pastorates with Dr. Randy Guess, the longtime senior pastor at Gardendale-Mt. Vernon.

1st Place Finishers
Will McLendon
Calvin Ragsdale
Tyler Blalock

2nd Place Finishers
David Stocks
Cade Smith
James Sines

3rd Place Finishers
Bobby Easterwood
Jesse Kirkpatrick
Patrick Ballew

4th Place Finishers
Dalton Bowman

1. Patrick Ballew
2. Tyler Blalock
3. Dalton Bowman
4. Ricky Brooks
5. Brendan Clement
6. Bobby Easterwood
7. Jacob Groves
8. Jesse Kirkpatrick
9. Levi Lafitte
10. Will McLendon
11. Calvin Ragsdale
12. James Sines
13. Cade Smith
14. David Stocks
15. Isiah Stocks
16. Graham Taff
17. John Watkins
18. Levi Womack
19. Mat Manager: Mackinzie Beevens
20. Mat Manager:  Maddie Bowman
21. Mat Manager:  Katy Blalock
22. Mat Manager:  Brooklyn Brame
23. Mat Manager:  Taylor Marsh
24. Coaches:  James Bowman, Shannon Smith, Kelly McLendon, Greg Orebaugh

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 92 Georgia counties, including Polk as primary natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the recent drought.

The counties are:

Baker, Baldwin, Bartow, Bibb, Bleckley, Burke, Butts, Calhoun, Carroll, Chattahoochee, Cherokee, Clay, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Crawford, Crisp, Dawson, Decatur, De Kalb, Dodge, Dooly, Dougherty, Douglas, Early, Elbert, Fannin, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gilmer, Glascock, Grady, Greene, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Heard, Henry, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Lamar, Laurens, Lee, Lincoln, Lumpkin, McDuffie, Macon, Marion, Meriwether, Mitchell, Monroe, Morgan, Muscogee, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Peach, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Quitman, Randolph, Richmond, Rockdale, Schley, Spalding, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taliaferro, Taylor, Terrell, Thomas, Troup, Twiggs, Union, Upson, Walton, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wilcox, Wilkes, and Wilkinson.

U.S. Attorney’s Office Press Release

Miles Lamar Gammage, 59, a recently disbarred attorney from Cedartown, Georgia, pleaded guilty today in federal court to charges that he defrauded more than 50 of his seriously injured worker’s compensation clients out of settlement funds they were owed.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “This former attorney has now admitted his blatant and extensive misuse of his clients’ money. By his own admission, instead of helping his clients receive the compensation that they were owed and that they needed for the treatment of their injuries, he used their settlement money for his own selfish purposes—and hurt people who were already hurting.”

Mark F. Giuliano, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated, “As the representing attorney for many worker’s compensation claimants, Mr. Gammage was counted upon to provide legal counsel and facilitate compensation to these claimants. Instead of the expected level of due diligence, these claimants saw their money unlawfully diverted to their attorney and his law firm. Mr. Gammage will now have to answer for his actions.”

“Miles Gammage victimized many persons in his community causing them great financial harm and personal distress. The GBI is proud to have partnered with federal authorities to bring him to justice,” said Vernon Keenan, Georgia Bureau of Investigations Director.

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court, Gammage was licensed to practice law in the state of Georgia from June 1979 through January 2012. Gammage owned and operated The Gammage Firm in Cedartown, Georgia, where he specialized in workers’ compensation cases and represented people who were seriously injured at work. From approximately January 2008 through January 2012, Gammage converted more than $2.5 million of his clients’ settlement funds to his own use. Gammage used the stolen funds to pay his own expenses and to pay his law firm’s payroll and operating expenses. In furtherance of the scheme, Gammage settled claims on behalf of clients without authorization; failed to notify clients that he had received their settlement checks; forged clients’ names on settlement checks and deposited those checks into bank accounts that he controlled; commingled clients’ funds with his own funds; and refused to provide clients with a full and accurate accounting concerning the disposition of their funds.

When clients asked why they had not received their settlement funds, Gammage blamed the delay on others. He also delayed disbursing any portion of the settlement funds to clients as long as possible. When clients insisted that they needed money to pay medical bills and purchase medication, Gammage tried to pacify them by giving them partial payments, which he referred to as “advances” and “interest-free loans.” By engaging in such tactics, Gammage lulled his clients into a false sense of security and delayed their complaints to law enforcement authorities.

Gammage pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with one count of mail fraud. He could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentence, the court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 2013, before United States District Judge Robert L. Vining.

This case is being investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Russell Phillips is prosecuting the case.

A collision at the intersections of Georgia Highways 113 and 278 have left one dead.

The collisions occured in the early afternoon on Wednesday January 9th, 2012.

The wreck involved two vehicles, a car and a tractor-trailer.

In addition to the death, another individual was life-flighted to an Atlanta area medical center.

The name of the deceased has not yet been released.

The crash is being investigated by the Rockmart Police Department.

The District has completed 41.67% of the fiscal year as of November 2012. Revenues were 6.18% less  than expected. Expenditures were 1.26% less than projected. The general fund balance was $414,104.33. Interest earned for the month was $94.18  funds invested at .07%. The Balance in the State Reimbursement RMS and VES Account is $246,198.04. The Balance in the 2008 Construction Account is  $1,022,675.63. The Balance in the SPLOST III account is $250,995.24. SPLOST proceeds reported for November were $402,747.97. The Balance in the SPLOST IV account is $4,225,308.35.