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Today’s News Headlines from Alabama 810 News

• Ohatchee woman killed in New Years Day accident
• Polk County, Ga. Deaths under investigation
• Georgia murder suspect headed to court
• College tuition savings program extended

Ohatchee woman killed in New Years Day accident 

Alabama State Troopers report that a 33-year-old Ohatchee woman was killed Monday afternoon when her car was struck by an oncoming vehicle at the intersection of U.S. 431 and Alabama 204 8 miles west of Jacksonville. According to troopers, Jana Katherine Harrell was traveling west on 204, was turning right onto 431 when her Pontiac Grand-Am was struck by a Ford F-150 pickup going north on 431 driven by 52 year old Bobby Lankford of Gadsden.

 

Polk County, Ga. Deaths under investigation 

Polk County, Georgia authorities are investigating three weekend deaths in the west Georgia county.  Polk County authorities say that A Polk County couple found dead late Sunday apparently died of carbon monoxide poisoning. 42 year old Robert Jeffery Collins,  and 38 year old Lisa Ann Patterson,  were pronounced dead on the scene at their Grogan Road home in Cedartown, Sunday evening. Investigators say that A portable generator had been brought inside the mobile home to provide electricity. The bodies were taken to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab for autopsies to confirm the initial findings. An autopsy also is pending for a Polk County woman who apparently bled to death early Sunday at a vacant home off Ga. 100 South between Cedartown and Tallapoosa. 50 year old Teresa C. Atkins, of a Culps Lake Road address was pronounced dead at 2:33 a.m. Sunday morning. Polk County police are investigating the circumstances of her death. Investigators said there are indications Atkins attempted to enter the house through a first floor window and accidentally cut her arm on the broken glass.  

Georgia murder suspect headed to court 

The 19 year old suspect in the 2004 murder of an 8 year old west Georgia girl is expected to be back in a Carrollton, Georgia courtroom Wednesday.  A case review hearing is scheduled for tomorrow for the 19 year old Carroll County, Georgia resident Christopher Gossett who indicted on a charge of involuntary mansluaghter in connection with the April, 2004 killing of 8 year old Amy Yates.  Gossett has been scheduled to appear before  Superior Court Judge Aubrey Duffey. In two previous hearings late last fall,  Duffey has postponed ruling on the defense motion for reasonable bond to be set for Gossett, pending the completion of a psychologial evaluation. The request for bond and other defense or state motions related to the case could be considered in Wednesday’s court session.

 

College tuition savings program extended 

State Treasurer Kay Ivey has extended the deadline for enrolling in Alabama's Prepaid Affordable College Tuition program until Jan. 12.  The enrollment period was due to expire Sunday, but Ivey said she pushed it back to encourage more Alabamians to save.  The PACT program has a specific period each year when participants can enroll. It allow the participants to prepay for 128 hours of tuition and eight semesters of mandatory fees at any Alabama public college or university for students who are in the ninth grade or below. PACT plans can also be used at private and out-of-state colleges.  The state treasurer's office operates another college savings plan called the Alabama Higher Education 529 Fund. Ivey, in a news release said It is an investment plan that can be started at any point in the year, and the proceeds can be used for all types of college-related expenses, including room, board and books.
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