Friday, May 24 2013 10:55 PM EDT2013-05-25 02:55:46 GMT
Not going out of town for Memorial Day? Don't worry, the Albany Panthers want to make sure you have a good weekend as they host their first ever beer fest. You can sample more than 20 types of beer SaturdayMore >>
Not going out of town for Memorial Day? Don't worry, the Albany Panthers want to make sure you have a good weekend as they host their first ever beer fest.More >>
Friday, May 24 2013 10:50 PM EDT2013-05-25 02:50:57 GMT
The family of a Miller County woman is mourning tonight after GBI investigators say the 58 year old was murdered by her husband, before he took his own life. Now the family of Barbara Bass is speakingMore >>
The family of a Miller County woman is mourning tonight after GBI investigators say the 58 year old was murdered by her husband, before he took his own life.More >>
Friday, May 24 2013 6:38 PM EDT2013-05-24 22:38:36 GMT
Dougherty County Police Officer issues seat belt citation
The Memorial Day Holiday weekend is here, and Dougherty county police are gearing up for a busy weekend. They'll be keeping a close eye on the roads, and are asking motorists to stay safe. Police saidMore >>
The Memorial Day Holiday weekend is here, and Dougherty county police are gearing up for a busy weekend. They'll be keeping a close eye on the roads, and are asking motorists to stay safe.More >>
Friday, May 24 2013 6:25 PM EDT2013-05-24 22:25:44 GMT
The Albany Dougherty County Post of the American Legion will be on the lawn of the Albany Mall Saturday morning at 8:00 to erect 122 white crosses. They are there to represent the men and women fromMore >>
The Albany Dougherty County Post of the American Legion will be on the lawn of the Albany Mall Saturday morning at 8:00 to erect 122 white crosses.More >>
Friday, May 24 2013 6:21 PM EDT2013-05-24 22:21:31 GMT
A huge truck load of peanut butter is headed to Oklahoma tornado victims. Friday afternoon, 31,680 jars of it were loaded onto a truck at Lineage Logistics in Albany. The 22 pallets of peanut butterMore >>
Friday afternoon, 31,680 jars of it were loaded onto a truck at Lineage Logistics in Albany.More >>
January 15, 2004
(Atlanta-AP) -- The Georgia House voted to tighten truancy codes today, the latest push to curb absenteeism that educators blame in part for low test scores and the state's high dropout rate.
The House voted 162-to-3 to set a minimum fine of $25 for parents who don't make sure their children are in school. The bill also requires schools to notify parents after two unexcused absences that their children are not in school, and that parents could face fines and even jail time if their children are truant.
All parents would have to sign a form at the beginning of a school year saying that they understand the truancy law.
Educators have long said that Georgia's high truancy rate is a major problem. The absenteeism became even more pressing last summer when the state released a list of failing schools. Many of the schools on the list had adequate test scores but fell into the failing category because fewer than 95 percent of students were present to take the test, as required by the federal No Child Left Behind law.
State Superintendent Kathy Cox told a legislative study committee in August that truancy is a huge problem across this state and would have to be improved for Georgia to meet federal requirements. Governor Perdue has also called for a fresh look at school truancy.
The Republican governor said yesterday that teens ought to be banned from getting a driver's license if they've had too many school absences.
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