Tuesday, September 14, 2010

BUSTED! Half A Million Dollars In Cocaine Seized In Richmond County Traffic Stop



Half a million dollars worth of cocaine is off the streets after a traffic stop on I-20, Tuesday afternoon.

Richmond County investigators pulled Barry Cook and James Cox over along I-20.

They became suspicious and called a K-9 unit to the scene.

That's when they found 10 kilograms of cocaine in a cooler inside the car.

26 News was the only station there as the two were arrested and the cocaine processed as evidence.

Investigators believe the suspects bought the cocaine from Atlanta and were taking it to South Carolina. 

Columbia County Firefighter Doesn't Let Disability Get In The Way Of His Dream

He lost his leg in a train accident nearly 14 years ago but that hasn't stopped one Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue firefighter from fulfilling his dreams.

"I thank God almost every day that I'm still here and I'm able to do what I do today," said Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue and EMT David Pouler.

It's something that runs in Pouler's family.

"Growing up I knew my uncle was a firefighter, my grandfather was a firefighter," said Pouler.

Now he's carrying on the family tradition.

But getting here hasn't been easy.

It was at the railroad tracks that run through Grovetown where David's life was changed. In April of 1996, David was rushing to get to school when he tripped and fell on the tracks. Unfortunately a train came, hitting David and taking part of his leg."

"In a blink of an eye I was just laying on the ground and didn't even know what happened until I couldn't move and I looked back and it was completely severed," said Pouler.

In an interview right after his accident, his parents talked about David's strength.

"He's like more stronger than we are dealing with what's going on. I think a lot hasn't sunken in yet but he hasn't gotten angry," said his parents in 1996.

Not angry...but determined to do whatever he sets his mind to.

"You got to keep the mindset that if you want to do something, it's going to take a lot but you can do it," said Pouler.

David's been through all the training with no special treatment, just the support from his fellow firefighters.

He says his only concern during training was climbing a ladder, which he showed 26 News is not a problem.

With the help of Augusta Prosthetics, he has a special prosthetic limb built into his boot which allows him to suit up just as fast as any other firefighter.

"If we get a call, I just hit this button here, it clicks out and I have a pin here that locks on this leg. You hear a click and ready to go," demonstrated Pouler.

Ready to go and do what he loves; fighting fires and saving lives.

There's another hero to this story.

David gives credit to former Grovetown police officer Jason Little who found him that day in 1996 and put his first aid skills to use in order to stop the bleeding from David's leg.

Public Safety Charges Freshman With Felony For Bringing Pellet Gun To School

North Augusta, South Carolina - A teenager is charged with a felony for bringing a gun to school. The North Augusta High School student is awaiting a court appearance. He was arrested early today when public safety officers got an anonymous tip that he brought a gun to school. Investigators found an unloaded CO-2 Pellet gun in this students backpack. While most say bringing that gun to school was a bad idea, many we spoke with today question whether a felony charge is to steep for a High School freshman.

"One, because it looks just like a real gun," says student Temeka Mealing. "Why would you bring something that looks like a gun and scare all the kids in school?" she added.

North Augusta Public Safety officers arrested the freshman at North Augusta High School, charging him with possession of a weapon on school property -- a felony. But some question whether that charge is too severe for this offense.


"I definitely understand why they would want to take some action...I'm not sure about an arrest,” said Karen Clark.

“I don't think he should have been arrested. Suspended, not arrested,” said another parent.

Officers say this case serves as an example to both parents and students."
A spokesman for the department said, “We have a Zero Tolerance policy for this as does the school system.” We want to send a clear message to anyone who brings a weapon on school grounds."

It’s a message that’s getting the attention of this community parents and students alike. Investigators say they don't know why the student brought the gun to school. We expect to hear more from North Augusta High School Tuesday.

Superintendent Roberson's Plan For Richmond County Schools

AUGUSTA, Ga. New Richmond County schools Superintendent Frank Roberson, has had a chance to visit every school in his district. But leaving his "footprint" is going to take many more visits. Roberson sat and talked about what he saw and where he feels the schools are headed.

“I was encouraged with the level of instruction that I saw, the level of effective instruction that I saw in all of the schools that's not to suggest that there isn't any room for improvement,” said Roberson.

Roberson says the capacity is there to move the school system to a level of what he calls, "world class education." But to get there, more needs to take place.

"We're looking very seriously right now at how well the mathematics curriculum lines up to the Georgia performance standards and how much time teachers are pending at the moment filling in places where the curriculum may not necessary address a set of skills or knowledge the students would need to master,” said Roberson.

Roberson also wants to the graduation rates to increase and believes that starts by making school relevant.

“High interest curriculum, lessons that seem to be irrelevant to students, and academics engagement of students and the presentations of the lesson in a way that seem to relevant,” said Roberson.

Roberson says he can't do it alone. He insists it's up to parents to step in and get involved with their student.

“Parents can assure that students have a place to do homework to ask questions of their children what did you learn today in school, show me what you learned,” said Roberson.

In order to help students become successful, Doctor Roberson will be calling on parents, teachers and staff to each play a part.

Monday, September 13, 2010