(GA. NEWS NETWORK)
*State agriculture crews have now found more than 60 nests of yellow-legged hornets across Georgia. That was in August alone. The invasive pests prey on honeybees, putting local pollination and fruit crops at risk. A single nest can hold up to six thousand workers. Teams are now tracking and destroying the pests to stop them from spreading into new areas.
*A 10-year-old boy is recovering after being shot in the face by a nine-year-old who was playing with a gun. The shooting happened Monday at an apartment complex in Valdosta.
*A police chief in Columbia County says Georgia is making it harder than necessary to recruit and keep law enforcement officers. Grovetown Police Chief Jamey Kitchens is pushing for a statewide retirement plan that would allow officers to keep their pension credit when moving between agencies, similar to the state’s teacher pension system.
*Police across Georgia are still making thousands of marijuana possession arrests each year. A new analysis of FBI data released by the advocacy group NORML finds Georgia ranks fourth in the nation for marijuana possession arrests, making up about 46 percent of the state’s reported drug arrests. Recreational possession remains illegal, and holding one ounce or less can still bring up to a year behind bars.