The Big 10: May 16-23, 2014

1. Albany officials monitor, but leave alone, hidden homeless population (PHOTO GALLERY)

ALBANY — Albany law enforcement and public health officials have settled for grudging acceptance of an ever-changing — and some officials say dangerously large — homeless population that has settled into a wooded area just south of 16th Avenue in North Albany, directly adjacent to Phoebe North hospital and the new Arlington Park subdivision currently under construction.

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2. The Dougherty School System is not renewing 24 teachers and administrators

ALBANY — The Dougherty County School system has confirmed that nearly two dozen elective teachers and administrators have been issued letters of non-renewal in what Superintendent Butch Mosely called a “reduction in force” to help reduce a $8.1 million shortfall in the system’s Fiscal Year 2015 budget.

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3. Dunkin Donuts coming to downtown Albany

ALBANY — Albany coffee drinkers and donut fans will soon have a new place to get their morning fix when Dunkin Donuts moves into downtown Albany.

Downtown Manager and Albany-Dougherty Inner City Authority CEO Aaron Blair announced Monday that the national franchise had entered into a lease agreement to open a store adjacent to Homerun Foods on Oglethorpe Boulevard.

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4. Albany pedestrian struck by teen who is charged with several offenses

ALBANY — A teenager faces multiple charges and an elderly man remained hospitalized on Monday after Albany Police Department officials said the teen got behind the wheel after he had been drinking and struck the man as he was walking nearby in the Lake Loretta area early Friday.

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5. District attorney to address mysterious Thomas Paschal death

ALBANY — The mysterious case of Dr. Thomas Paschal, found dead Feb. 18 in his home from a gunshot wound, will soon be brought to closure, Dougherty County District Attorney Greg Edwards said Friday.

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1. Autism and eye contact: Research yields surprise, hope

ATLANTA — How long a baby looks into people’s eyes provides an early sign of whether the child will probably develop autism, research has shown.

Infants who later developed autism began spending less time gazing into people’s eyes between 2 and 6 months of age, according to a study by the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta.

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7. Visitors filling up Albany hotel rooms this weekend

ALBANY, GA – Several events are causing Albany to welcome many visitors this weekend as hotels throughout the city are booking up for today and Saturday.

All four public high schools are conducting graduation Saturday at the Albany Civic Center. Sending off the new graduates will be Westover, Albany, Dougherty and Monroe high schools. Ceremonies begin at 9 p.m. and continue at two and a half hour increments ending with the last celebration at 4:30 p.m.

Albany’s 10th Annual Bike Race kicks off with the Criterium races at 8 a.m on Saturday, and continues throughout the day until approximately 5 p.m.

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8. Dougherty political candidates make final appeals before the Tuesday primaries

ALBANY — Like other national, state and local political candidates aiming squarely for Tuesday’s Republican and Democratic primaries, two of three candidates for the state House District 153 seat have been spending the final hours of the campaign talking about leadership and influence.

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9. Hiring of health official rescinded over comments

ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Public Health has decided to rescind a job offer to a California physician amid an uproar about his comments on homosexuality, religion and evolution.

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10. Leesburg in the house at Vegas MGM (Luke Bryan video, photo gallery)

LAS VEGAS — It was Leesburg, Ga., night for a minute or so in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

Country music superstar Luke Bryan, a Leesburg native, was presented with the award for top country music artist at the Billboard Music Awards by another music celebrity from “back home” — American Idol winner Phillip Phillips, whose sophomore album, “Behind the Light,” is out today.

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