Friday, January 1, 1904
CARTERSVILLE, Ga. - Georgia Department of Transportation crews will be trimming vegetation along the roadsides in Cherokee, Dade and Gilmer counties this week.
Work is scheduled on state Routes 20, 92, 108 and 140 in Cherokee County and 282 in Gilmer County.
Trimming crews also will be working on Interstates 59 and 24 in Dade County.
Work is planned for 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. today through Thursday, weather permitting.
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Police in Tennessee were investigating a bizarre text message that posed the question "OK, I hid the body ... now what?"
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said two people received that message last week, but told deputies they didn't know the sender.
The Cookeville Herald-Citizen reported that Cpl. Tony Branch tried to call the person who sent the text message, but received a message saying the number no longer worked.
Branch wrote in a report that he sent a text to the number and got a response saying a friend had taken the phone and "sent out some stupid text."
Branch tried to track down the owner of the number but was not able to do so by the end of the week.
KNOXVILLE - Two private organizations are hoping to buy a unique waterfall on the state's behalf and preserve it from future development.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has committed $300,000 to the purchase of Virgin Falls State Natural Area, and the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation has raised $85,675. The project also is expected to receive $1.5 million from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Virgin Falls is privately owned and leased by the state.
Tennessee Division of Natural Areas employee David Lincicome said the area is recreationally and ecologically important.
Among the species found at the falls are the Indiana bat and a rare fish called the bluemask darter.
ATLANTA - Facing more than $30 million in debt, Morris Brown College officials have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The move is a last-ditch effort to prevent the school from being foreclosed on and sold at auction.
The 131-year-old historically black college is facing foreclosure next month after investors called $13 million worth of bonds tied to the school.
The bonds were issued in 1996 by the Fulton County Development Authority. The school had pledged several pieces of property as security. An auction of assets was set for Sept. 4.