Georgia News Briefly

Justices named to dispute commission

ATLANTA — Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice P. Harris Hines has appointed justices Keith R. Blackwell and Britt C. Grant to the Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution.

“The Commission is honored that two such accomplished and highly regarded judicial leaders will help guide the Commission’s continued work of providing the citizens of Georgia with high-quality, cost-effective alternatives to traditional litigation,” Judge Charles E. Auslander III of the State Court of Athens-Clarke County, who chairs the committee, said.

The appointments were effective last Wednesday.

The Supreme Court established the Commission on Dispute Resolution to administer a statewide alternative dispute resolution program to approve, develop, and govern court programs, training criteria, and standards of conduct and qualifications for all registered “neutrals” – mediators and arbitrators. The 18 members of the commission include representatives of Georgia’s appellate and trial courts; representatives of the General Assembly and the State Bar of Georgia; approved trainers, registered mediators and arbitrators, and other professionals with an interest in dispute resolution.

Student wins drug abuse video contest

ATLANTA — A Dunwoody High school student has won the “We’re Not Gonna Take It” video contest, which is aimed at preventing prescription drug abuse among teens and is sponsored by the Georgia Attorney General’s Office.

Attorney General Chris Carr announced at Dunwoody High School Monday that the winning video was produced by Dunwoody High student Peter Vuong. The runner-up was produced by Northview High School students Vivek Ramchandani and Chris Wei. The People’s Choice award winner was produced by Martha Ellen Stilwell School of the Arts student Niara Thompson.

“The Office of the Attorney General wants to thank all of those who submitted entries in the ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ video contest,” Carr said. “Each video expertly described the atrocities that accompany prescription drug abuse, mentally and physically.

“We understand the judges had a difficult task in choosing a winner, and we want to congratulate the students of Dunwoody High School for their dedication and creativity in bringing awareness to this modern-day plague.”

This is the third year of the video contest. Students were challenged to produce a 30-second video encouraging their peers to live a healthy lifestyle by rejecting prescription drug abuse. Vuong’s winning video will be aired on Georgia TV stations.

FEMA center opens in Crisp County

CORDELE — A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Cordele. Crisp County is one of eight Southwest Georgia counties that has been included in a federal disaster declaration because of damage from tornadoes and storms Jan. 21-22.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency DRC is at the Cordele Fire Department, 112 Eddie Road. The center, which opened Monday, has operating hours of 9 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays.

The center is staffed with representatives from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and other disaster-assistance officials who can provide information and guidance for storm survivors. Registration can also be conducted at other FEMA DRCs. The closest are in Albany and Ashburn, and a DRC is set to open soon in Sylvester.

Storm survivors also can register online at disasterassistance.gov and via phone by calling (800) 621-3362. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and use a TTY, may call (800) 462-7585. Smartphone users also can download the FEMA app and register through it.

Soldier fatally shot while breaking in

COLUMBUS (TNS) — A Fort Benning soldier killed in a Sunday-morning shooting on Armour Avenue had broken into an apartment and was shot by the resident living there, according to a police report on the incident.

Christopher Warden, 31, a Fort Benning soldier apparently thought the apartment was where his wife had gone to pick up her daughter. An unidentified friend of Warden’s and a neighbor in the apartments tried to tell Warden he was at the wrong address. But Warden beat and kicked the door, then broke out a window and climbed through.

Once he was inside the apartment, the resident there heard him, armed herself and yelled at Warden to leave. He refused and walked into her bedroom, where she fired a handgun once into his chest.

The shooting happened at about 7 a.m., and Warden was pronounced dead at about 8:30 at Midtown Medical Center.

Based on evidence at the scene and witness statements, no charges will be filed against the woman, police said.

Deputy killed during rescue attempt

ATLANTA (TNS) — A Georgia sheriff’s deputy died Sunday after he inhaled liquid nitrogen while trying to save an employee inside an Augusta sperm bank, officials said.

Richmond County Sheriff’s Sgt. Greg Meagher, 57, was trying to rescue a woman he believed inhaled the chemical substance when he was overcome by it, Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen said.

Just after 3:50 p.m., emergency officials were called to the Xytex sperm bank in the 1100 block of Emmett Street, according to Dee Griffin, a spokeswoman for the Augusta Fire Department and Augusta’s Emergency Management Agency. Inside, they found Meagher and the employee unresponsive.

“Firefighters pulled both people out of the building,” Griffin said.

They were taken to Augusta University Medical Center, where Meagher was pronounced dead about 4:30 p.m.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is conducting the autopsy, Bowen said.

The woman’s condition was not known Monday afternoon, but she was alive, authorities said.

Griffin said three other deputies complained of difficulty breathing and were taken to a hospital for treatment. Their injuries were not life-threatening.

Social media was filled with condolences for Meagher.

“The Augusta Fire Department and EMA send sincere condolences and prayers to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office on the passing of dedicated servant Sgt. Greg Meagher,” the agency said Sunday in a Facebook post.

Xytex, which has locations in Augusta, Atlanta and New Jersey, preserves cells and tissues for sperm donations, according to the company’s website. Liquid nitrogen is used to freeze those donations.

A hazardous materials team responded and shut off liquid nitrogen tanks, Griffin said.