Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law legislation that aims to boost Georgia’s college completion rate. HB 131, signed at Georgia Gwinnett College, gives high school students more incentives to take `dual credit courses`, those where a student enrolls in a college course and simultaneously earns college credit and high school credit for the course.

`By 2020, more than 60 percent of job openings in Georgia will require some form of postsecondary education,` said Deal. `Frankly, we need to boost the percentage of Georgians who hold a postsecondary degree in order to create a highly skilled workforce. In the long run, this new law will give college freshman a head start and, we hope, will encourage more to stay until they attain their degree.

Under the new law, grades in these classes will give bonus points to a student’s GPA, just as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses do currently. As further incentive, dual credit classes will now count toward the “rigorous coursework” that the HOPE scholarship now requires.

`These partnerships allow high school students to earn college credits before graduating from high school, making their transition to postsecondary education smoother and their likelihood of graduating from college greater,” Deal said.

The Rome TEA Party will present `A Forum on State Nullification` on Thursday, April 25th at 6:30-8:00 P.M. at Grace Bible Church 614 Old Dalton Road in Rome, GA. The forum will feature speakers Dr. Eric Sands of Berry College, Bert Loftman of the Tenth Amendment Center, and moderator David Wright of the Rome TEA Party and will address the questions: state nullification a practical, constitutional means of blocking unconstitutional federal law and executive orders?`

Reservations are requested by contacting wethepeoplerome@rometeaparty.org or Mike Morton 706-346-3400

The event is open to the public at no charge and contributions will be accepted.

Motorists should expect the closure of the two right lanes of I-75 North between mile markers 313 and 315 in Gordon County on Tuesday, April 23, 2013 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. The two right lanes southbound between mile markers 317 and 315 will also be closed on Tuesday from 1 until 5 p.m. These lane closures are necessary for Georgia State Patrol troopers to conduct traffic investigations on this portion of the interstate.

A magnitude 6.6 earthquake has struck the western Chinese region of Sichuan, killing more than 100 people and injuring more than 2,600. Official Xinhua news agency said that the death toll could rise as search and rescue teams make their way into affected areas.

David Tidmore, with the Chattooga County Chamber of Commerce, is one of several Northwest Georgians in China but says that the earthquake was several hundred miles in Western China and that the group traveling from Georgia is nowhere near the devastation. 

Tidmore and the group are on a nine day trip to China at the invitation of Chinese manufacturing and trade officials.

Listed as cited or arrested from the docket records of the Chattooga County Sheriff's Department:

Peggy Catherine Mitchell, Charged with DUI, Failure to stop at a stop sign

James Willie Standifer, Charged with Driving with Suspended or Revoked License

Menlo PTO will be hosting "Menlo's Got Talent" talent show on Saturday May 4th at 6:00. Registration forms are available in the office and need to be turned back in by Wednesday April 24th. We will have practice Thursday April 25th and Friday May 3rd after school until 5:00. All money raised will go towards school safety projects

Representative Tom Graves will host the 2013 Senior Citizens Fair in Dalton on April 30.

In addition to vendors on hand, attendees will get free glucose, cholesterol, and vision screenings. Graves said, "Georgia has many great organizations that provide care and services for seniors, and I am thankful so many are gathering under one roof for this senior fair."

It will be held at the Dalton Community Center, 214 Frederick Street, and admission is free. That's Tuesday, April 30, from 10 a.m. until  p.m.  

Governor Nathan Deal has signed into law the Veteran Licensure Bill, HB188. The new law will help to expedite the licensing process for select in-demand occupations for Georgia's returning veterans.

Dean said, "the bill will better serve our returning heroes by ensuring that they move into qualified trade positions more quickly upon their return."

Included are licenses for electrical contractor, journeyman plumber, conditioned air contractor, residential and light commercial contractor, and utility foreman. Testing requirements will still apply.

The state expects to fill 60 thousand positions in those five trades by 2020.

A Dalton man drown after a kayak accident at Prater's Mill on Thursday

27-year-old Frank Bentley Fetzer lost control of the kayak going over the mill dam and it overturned. He was under water for about five minutes.

Fetzer's girlfriend, who was watching as the accident occurred, called 911 for help. He was recovered from the creek and taken to Hamilton Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

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