Williams leads White to victory in Murray spring game Raider Bowl II: Offense wins Page 1B Page 1B THE DAILY CITIZEN Saturday,May 23, 2009 •Dalton, Georgia • www.daltondailycitizen.com • 50 Cents THINGS Obama signs credit card curbs TO BY PHILIP ELLIOTT bill designed to protect debt-ridden broad support. by not using their heads,”the pres- CHECK Associated Press Writer consumers from surprise charges. Obama made clear that he did- ident said. “I want to be clear: We OUT The White House staged a sign- n’t champion the changes with the do not excuse or condone folks WASHINGTON — President ing ceremony in the Rose Garden, intention of helping those who buy who’ve acted irresponsibly.” ON THE Barack Obama warned overeager an indication of the legislation’s more than they can afford through And yet, he said, for many of 3 INSIDE shoppers and greedy credit card importance to Obama. Though “reckless spending or wishful opposed by many financial compa- thinking.” companies alike on Friday to act ➣ responsibly as he signed into law a nies, the bill cleared Congress with “Some get in over their heads Please see CREDIT,9A Columnist Ron Hart writes that free market competition is the answer Victim to affordable health care in America. See page 4A drinking Larry Flanagan, music minister at First Baptist Church of Dalton for 30 before years, will be honored at a retirement reception. See page 9A drowning There are penalties to BY MARK MILLICAN pay if you’re drinking [email protected] while boating. See page 5A Dana Massey said her son was a “good kid” who was doing a lot of things right, but one mistake cost him his life. FROM TODAY’S A toxicology report from the Georgia Bureau of FORUM Investigation state crime lab found MISTY WATSON/The Daily Citizen “It's really sad that you that 19-year-old can't even raise a chickeN Brett Thomason — in your owN back yard in found drowned in a small Georgia town like Field Day Fun the Conasauga River March 21 — Dalton!” Thomason had a blood alcohol “I just looked at my check level of .133, above stub and realized who is WIth the end of the school the legal limit of .10 for operating a paying for the economic year approaching, area stu- boat. stimulus package.” dents are finding the time “I’m not a toxicologist, but it to get outdoors for their would be my understanding that (the See page 2A school’s field day or carni- reading) would be on the low end since he was in the water so long,” val activities. Above,Kaleb said Jerry Scott, GBI special agent in Sprinkle,asixth-grader at charge at the Calhoun office. Valley Point Middle School, WEATHER tries to catch a Frisbee Forecast: Chance of rain during field day at the ➣ Please see VICTIM, 5A Today’s High: 83 school Friday. At left, Dara Tonight’s Low: 58 Dople tries to hit a shuttle- Details, Page 12A cock during a game of bad- minton at Bagley Middle School’s eighth-grade car- Pye trying NSIDE I nival on Friday. More pho- Classified..............6B tos on page 3A. Comics..................5BCr for Kia, ossword...............4B Dear Abby...................5B Horoscope...............4B Mazda Lottery..................2A Movies.....................4B Obituaries.............9A franchises Opinion................4A Sports.................1-3,10B BY JAMIE JONES [email protected] Officials with the Dalton Pye car Company changes plans, will dealerships are moving along with plans to acquire several automobile franchises made available by bankrupt 7 69847 00001 6 stay in Dalton and expand Prebul Motors. Sean Pye, Pye dealership vice pres- ident, said the company is “fairly far FROM STAFF REPORTS appealing place to do business and grow,”Bevis along” in securing the Kia franchise, said. “Gov. Sonny Perdue’s support of our “about 50 percent of the way on Pliant Corp., which makes film and flexible expansion plans and the favorable manufactur- Mazda” and the General Motors fran- packaging products, will not close the compa- ing environment were instrumental in our deci- chise “remains fluid at best.”The Pyes ny’s Dalton facility as planned but will upgrade sion. We envision the Dalton facility becoming a already owN Pye Honda, Pye Nissan and expand it. second Medical Center of Excellence to comple- and Pye Motorsports in Dalton and Pliant CEO Harold Bevis said “stabilized ment the Medical Center of Excellence under also an Acura dealership in markets, strong customer preference and local construction in Danville, Ky. Since the closure Chattanooga. and state incentives” led to the decision to announcement in April 2008, Dalton personnel Sean and his father,Johnny Pye, remain open. In April 2008, company officials have continued to operate safely,efficiently and bid $100,000 for Prebul Motors — said the plant would close. Company officials professionally. We are very pleased to express which includes the Cadillac, Buick, did not say how many people are employed at our appreciation of that commitment, and we are GMC, Kia, Mazda and Pontiac fran- the Dalton plant. Company officials did not say now able to secure their future with Pliant.” chises here — during an auction in if the expansion would create more jobs. Pliant operates two other facilities in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in “The city of Dalton, Dalton Utilities, Georgia, including a plant in Calhoun, and is expanding its Washington facility in Wilkes Whitfield County and the Georgia Department ➣ of Economic Development have created a very County. Please see PYE, 2A Hours: Great Steaks & Mon.-Thur.11am-9pm Fri. - Sun. 11 am-10pm “All You Can North Cleveland Hwy. Dalton Moo Eat Buffet” www.daltonwesternsizzlin.com The Daily Citizen lOTTERY WINNING NUMBERS – FOR MAY 22 ATYOUR Georgia: Midday Cash 3: 5-0-6, Cash 4: 4-8-4-1, Evening Cash 3: 1-9-3, PAGE 2 Mega Millionsresults are on page 3B. SERVICE Tennessee: Midday Cash 3: 8-2-8 Lucky Sum: 18; Cash 4: 7-3-5-7, Lucky Sum: 22; Evening Cash 3: 9-1-6, Lucky Sum 16; Cash 4: 4-7-0-7 Lucky Our mailing address: Sum: 18 2A Saturday, May 23, 2009 P.O. Box 1167 Dalton, Ga. 30722-1167 Our shipping address: TODAY’S FORUM Pye: Getting franchises 308 S. Thornton Ave. Dalton, Ga. 30720 Editor’s note: Please ➣ Continued from page 1A terized it as a “lengthy number of dealerships in the keep your comments as “A lot of old people will Our Web site: process.”He submitted same city. Edd Kirby brief as possible. Get to the remember that way back Chattanooga last month. The paperwork to Kia last week Adventure Chevrolet sells www.daltondailycitizen.com point! Longer comments when we had a banner you bid was $15,000 more than and the initial review takes General Motors cars in To visit us: should be submitted as let- hung in your window when another Dalton car dealer, 10 to 14 working days. Dalton and will not lose its ters to the editor. If you you had a family member in Our offices are located on the Edd Kirby Adventure If the Pyes are able to franchise. include a name, please spell the service. Iremember my west side of the intersection of Chevrolet. The bid only secure the franchises, the The Pye dealership has it. Call (706) 272-7748 to mom holding one up in a Thornton Avenue and Morris reach Today’s Forum. includes the franchise rights, dealerships will be on the been hiring “quite a bit” the family picture to remember Street in downtowN Dalton. not the inventory or property. company’s current locations past week, Sean Pye said. my brother.” We’re open 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. “I am so glad Nathan The companies must also on East Walnut Avenue. The The exact number that will Monday through Friday. Deal is running for governor. OK the bid. Pyes have not bought any be hired is hard to predict Maybe now we can get a real “The terror plot in New Joe Prebul, a Signal facilities and “have no plans because of overall business How to call us: congressman.” York was foiled by an Mountain, Tenn., resident to do that at this time,”Sean conditions and how many of agency that had the men and president of Pye said. the franchises they decide to MaiN number: 706-217- “I miss the old days in under surveillance for more Chattanooga-based Prebul He’s less optimistic about go with. NEWS than a year. I guess that’s Auto Group, was arrested securing the General Motors “As our business (That’s 706-217-6397) school when a student got into trouble he’d get pun- more of that sorry Bush and earlier this year and charged franchises. Last week, improves, we’ve hired peo- WheN you’re not sure with whom Cheney.” with 11 counts of federal General Motors officials said ple at our existing stores and you need to speak, our operator ished at school and didn’t end up with a criminal record wire fraud. He later filed for the company will not renew we’ve also hired a new gen- will make sure you’re transferred to “Does anyone know if bankruptcy. franchise agreements with eral manager for the Kia the person who can best help you. because he went running through the halls or got in a Jackie Fargo is wrestling Sean Pye said he has sub- 1,100 “underperforming dealership,”Sean Pye said. Delivery: 706-272-7705 fight. It was kids doing kids’ anywhere in Whitfield mitted paperwork to most of dealers.”Company officials “He’s begun to assemble the County?” the dealerships.