Man shot while demanding debt payment

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Monday, March 10th, 2014, 10:13am

CANTON, Ga. -- A 23-year-old Cartersville man was shot while trying to collect a debt in Cherokee County.

PHOTOS | Mug Shots: See 'em to Believe 'em

Ryan Jones was shot at around 4:30 p.m. Sunday outside a house in the 9900 block of Bells Ferry Road near Holly Street in Canton.

Witnesses told Cherokee County Sheriff's investigators that Jones arrived at the house with a BB gun and demanded to be paid for a debt he claimed he was owed.

A person inside the house, 43-year-old Brian Turner of Woodstock, shot Jones with a shotgun. Turner was a guest at the house, according to Cherokee County Sheriff's Lt. Jay Baker.

Jones was taken to Northside Hospital Cherokee with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Submitted by 11Alive News Staff

Tuesday, March 4th, 2014, 6:13pm

(USA TODAY) -- After reporting dismal fourth-quarter earnings, RadioShack said Tuesday that it would close about 1,100 poorly performing stores, roughly 20% of the electronic retailer's locations.

The store closings will leave about 4,000 locations in the U.S. The company has been struggling to revamp its stores for the past year.

Total net sales and operating revenues were $935.4 million in the fourth quarter, vs. $1,171.4 million last year, a 20% decline. Comparable store sales were down 19%, which the company blames on poor performance in its mobile phone business.

RadioShack stock was down more than 20% in premarket trading.

"Even in this environment, we're continuing to make progress on the five pillars of our turnaround plan: repositioning the brand, revamping the product assortment, reinvigorating the stores, operational efficiency and financial flexibility," CEO Joseph C. Magnacca said in a statement.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Tuesday, March 4th, 2014, 8:23am

Ga. Connections Academy accepting students for 2014-15 school year

(WXIA) -- A few seats are still available at Georgia Connections Academy for the 2014-15 school year.

Georgia Connections Academy is a virtual K-12 public school that allows students to learn at their own pace. It is fully accredited and open to all school-age Georgia children.

"We are enrolling 1,000 additional students across all grade levels for the coming academic year," lead principal Heather Robinson said in a release. "We have a waiting list as we open enrollment, so we encourage parents to get their applications in now."

Georgia Connections Academy will hold a number of information sessions across the state for parents who want to know more. Additional enrollment information is available at connectionsacademy.com/georgia-virtual-school.

Upcoming information sessions in the Atlanta area include:

View Comments | Post a Comment

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer

Friday, February 28th, 2014, 2:41pm

Weekend roadwork planned for I-85, Ga. 400, Connector

(WXIA) -- With a warm weekend on the horizon, the Georgia Department of Transportation plans to perform some much-needed roadwork throughout north Georgia.

Closures and delays can be expected on a number of major roads and highways.

"Plan ahead -- I can't say it enough," GDOT District Construction Engineer Shun Pringle said in a release. "If you plan ahead, you can avoid some potentially heavy delays."

Some notable roadwork includes:

Downtown Connector
Two right lanes of I-75/85 north near University Avenue will be closed for pavement work Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

I-285
Three lanes will be closed in both directions between West Paces Ferry and Roswell roads for sign replacements. All work will take place overnight -- from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Community Sponsors

North Metro Gymnastics Center

Watch video

An atmosphere of team work, dedication and self-discipline.

50% Off Second Month!

Help Desk adds to wounded warrior support

Submitted by Bill Liss, 11Alive Reporter

Thursday, February 27th, 2014, 12:06am

WOODSTOCK, Ga. -- Sgt. Eli Patterson, Georgia Army National Guard, wounded in Afghanistan, reunited with his wife and one-year old son in late January, after spending nine months undergoing surgeries and rehabilitation at Fort Gordon, Ga.

He says the support he has received from the community has been overwhelming. But there was one more thing he really needed and 11Alive's Help Desk set out to get it.

This one was not inside the house, it was outside.

"A backyard cleanup. We have downed trees and limbs and underbrush that would be a huge blessing to our family and especially our son if they could be removed. It's the labor side. I can do minor lifting right around the crutches, but I have only a three foot wingspan," Patterson said.

But Patterson was for a surprise.

As he stood on his porch, along came U.S. Army Airborne Veteran Ron Childs and his crew from the Thunder Tree Service in Norcross.

View Comments | Post a Comment

Submitted by Paul Crawley, 11Alive Reporter

Saturday, February 22nd, 2014, 1:53am

ATLANTA - There used to be an unwritten rule in Georgia's legislature that freshmen lawmakers should wait at least a year before introducing a bill, so they can learn the ropes first.

Now a brand new Cherokee County lawmaker may have proved the wisdom of that former practice.

Only one week after being sworn in following a special election, State Representative Sam Moore (R-Macedonia) was publicly humiliated by the House leadership Friday.

One by one, a line of powerful fellow Republicans spoke out against one of Moore's first bills.

"I can't imagine something this bad not only going to committee, but getting out of committee," said an angry House Rules Chairman, Rep. John Meadows (R-Lawrenceville).

"The most irresponsible, callous, ill-conceived effort and an affront to the safety of this state that I've ever seen," said Rep. Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City).

View Comments | Post a Comment

Submitted by Jon Shirek, 11Alive Reporter

Friday, February 21st, 2014, 4:10pm

WOODSTOCK, Ga. - How many ways are there to say thank you to a wounded soldier?

A soldier wounded in battle last year, who just came back home to Woodstock, who has a young family to support, is finding out.

And he is calling it a "humbling, wonderful experience."

Sgt. Eli Jordan Patterson of the Georgia Army National Guard, A Battery 1/214th Field Artillery Battalion, came home in January after undergoing nine months of surgeries and rehab at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center, at Fort Gordon, Georgia.

"In May of 2013, I was wounded during an attack in Afghanistan," Sgt. Patterson said. The worst of his wounds are to his left leg, centered on the knee.

Recovery is slow. But he can now walk short distances using crutches.

View Comments | Post a Comment