(Oct 12)-- A traffic accident about 6:30 a.m. Thursday killed 61-year-old Carrie Switzer of Lyons and seriously injured her 44-year-old son, Raymond Fritts, also of Lyons. The State Patrol says Mrs. Switzer's car hit a vehicle on U.S. 1 in Santa Claus and was disabled on the road when it was hit from the rear by a car driven by Natalie Franklin of Baxley. The vehicle involved in the first crash left the scene and is being sought by police.

Metter High School football coach John Glanton has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into what's being called "personnel related matters" by the Candler County school board. Assistant Coach Felix Johnston has been named acting head coach.

For the second year in a row, a Vidalia student in on the homecoming court at the University of Georgia. Tiffanie Smith, a 1997 graduate of Vidalia High School, is among five students in the running to succeed Cassie Durden of Vidalia as homecoming queen. The new queen will be crowned during halftime of Saturday's game between Georgia and Vanderbilt. Tiffanie is also among 30 finalists nationwide for a Fulbright Fellowship to study in France for a year, and has received national recognition for her efforts organizing last year's first-ever Relay for Life at the University of Georgia. The relay raised $120,000 for cancer research.

(Oct 11)-- The Vidalia Board of Education complied with the state's new Taxpayer Bill of Rights Tuesday night by reducing the school property tax rate slightly. The new law requires taxing authorities to roll back tax rates when the value of the tax base increases. The city of Vidalia tax digest grew in value by some $12 million in the past year. The school board reduced its rate by nearly two-thirds of a mil from 15 mils to 14.936 mils. Similarily, the city of Vidalia is expected to reduce its millage rate by nearly a quarter of a mil when its approves its budget for the new year. City manager Bill Torrance says the council will consider a reduction from 5.25 mils to 5.228 mils.

(Oct 2)-- The Georgia Supreme Court Monday upheld the conviction and death sentence of Jerry Scott Heidler for the December, 1997 murder of four members of the Danny Daniels family of Santa Claus. District Attorney Rick Malone says the next step in the appeal process will be the U.S. Supreme Court, however, he does not expect the court to hear the case. Malone says Heidler could remain on Georgia's death row in the state prison at Jackson, GA for up to ten years while various appeals are processed.