The Tennessee – Georgia Auto Auction in Catoosa County was one of 10 dealers in the state that received cease and desist orders from the Georgia State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers and Parts Dealers last week.

The board said that the auto auction did not have proper licensure to operate the type of business they were condcuting.  The board that oversees Used Car Dealers and Auto Auctions is appointed by the governor.

The Georgia State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers and Parts Dealers, Used Motor Vehicle Division will hold its next meeting on March, 18, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. at the Professional Licensing Boards in Macon.

The Alabama legislature is seeing increased support for the idea of eliminating the sales tax on groceries in that state.  Neighboring states of Georgia and Florida already have reduced or eliminated the sales tax on most grocery products.

A recent poll by the Associated Press shows that 60% of the legislators in the Alabama House and Senate believe the time is right to eliminate the grocery tax.  Democrats have tried for several years to get the grocery tax cut or eliminated in Alabama.  At this point it is still not clear if Democrats and Republicans in Alabama can come up with a bill that would pass both houses of the legislature to eliminate the grocery tax.

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According to statistics from the Georgia Department of Labor job losses in the Northwest portion of the state are higher than the state wide numbers.

In the latest round of bad news numbers released from Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond’s office, Northwest Georgia has seen job losses of 5.2% from this time last year.  That compares with job losses of 2.9% state wide.

The flooring industry has been especially hard hit with the downturn in the housing market.  An estimated 4,100 jobs have been lost in Northwest Georgia. State-wide there are over 349,000 Georgians without jobs and of that number about 40% are drawing unemployment benefits.

The Georgia State Patrol is reminding drivers to be alert when traveling in school zones and near school bus stops.  Colonel Bill Hitchens, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety, said Georgia State Troopers regularly patrol school zones as part of their normal duties and they will be keeping a close watch for school zone violations.  He said troopers will also be watching for people who fail to stop for a school bus that is stopped to load or unload passengers.

Colonel Hitchens reminds drivers that Georgia Law requires vehicles to stop when overtaking or meeting a stopped school bus that is loading or unloading passengers.  Vehicles are required to stop in both directions for a stopped school bus that is displaying its red stop lights and has the stop arm activated, except on a controlled-access highway or when the highway is divided into separate roadways.  After stopping, you may proceed only when the school bus resumes motion or when the flashing lights are no longer activated.

Due to almost two years of deficit rain fall in the State of Georgia, the Georgia Department of Agriculture lists out of state hay sources that are able to sell hay to Georgia Cattle producers. 

Not only does the state provide this service to Georgia cattlemen, they also have eased hauling restrictions on out of state hay producers delivering hay into Georgia.

For a complete list of out of state hay producers and more information, click this link to the Georgia Department of Agriculture:

http://agr.georgia.gov/00/article/0,2086,38902732_39653527_83501992,00.html

State wide budget cutbacks are affecting all departments of the state budget.  One of particular concern to Chattooga County residents is the budget for the Georgia Department of Corrections.

Newly appointed Commissioner of Corrections Brian Owens told AM 1180 Chattooga County radio recently that the security at Hays State Prison will be one of his top priorities as commissioner.  Many Chattooga County residents believe that budget cuts at the prison lead to the escape of two inmates from Hays Prison in October, one of which has never been re-captured.

Although there is little doubt that the prison and the hundreds of jobs that it provides for Chattooga County will remain open, it is possible one of the life-saving benefits the prison provides could be in danger of being cut out.

Hays Prison Fire Department provides a much needed service to the rural areas of Chattooga County.  According to published reports, State Representative Barbara Massey Reece of Menlo said that there is the possibility the prison fire department could be cut out of the state budget.  Reece said that while the importance of the prison fire department can’t be underestimated, providing rural fire protection is not one of the core missions of the Department of Corrections.

There has been a large increase in the number of inmates being housed at the Chattooga County Jail.  According to records from the Sheriffs Department on Friday there were 117 inmates in the custody of the Chattooga County Sheriffs Department with 98 being housed in the Chattooga County Jail. 

According to a Federal Court Order handed down in 1984 the Chattooga County Jail is not supposed to house more than 47 inmates.  The court order states: “The inmate population of the Chattooga County jail shall not exceed 47 inmates except that in emergency situations the jail may house 57 inmates.  The population cap of 47 inmates shall not be exceeded for more that 20 days per calendar year.  At no time shall any inmate be required to sleep on the floor.” 

The court order that was handed down 24 years ago when Gary McConnell was Sheriff and Pete Denson was County Commissioner, was in response to a law suite filed by jail inmates regarding conditions in the Chattooga County Jail. Since that time the issue of a new jail has been brought up several times, most recently by former Chattooga County Commissioner Mike Dawson.  Dawson was met with fierce opposition by residents who did not want their taxes raised to pay for a new jail. 

Current Chattooga County Commissioner Jason Winters has expressed his concern about the number of inmates being housed at the Chattooga County jail.  Winters told AM 1180 Chattooga County Radio that he does not want the jail to be a liability issue for the county at this time.  

Should Chattooga County be forced to build a jail, it could cost millions for a new facility – money that the county does not have at this time and would mean a substantial increase in property taxes to county residents.  

Chattooga County Sheriff John Everett told AM 1180 Chattooga County Radio that the reason for the increased number of inmates at the jail is due to a large number of people that are due in court in the next couple of weeks.  Everett stated that the number of inmates at the jail would go back down after the upcoming court session. 

Everett stated that he has been able to follow the court ordered guidelines that require the Sheriffs Department to keep Sex Offenders separated from the general population of the jail and that at no time has the Sheriffs Department kept women inmates in the facility for an extended period of time.