(GA. NEWS NETWORK)
*Eight more people have been charged in connection with a deadly mass shooting at a homecoming block party in Vienna, that left two people dead and 44 others injured. Six suspects were arrested Thursday following searches across Crisp, Dooly and Houston counties, while two additional suspects remain wanted and are considered armed and dangerous. The charges include felony murder, aggravated assault and participation in street gang activity. Investigators say multiple automatic weapons, including rifles and handguns, were used in the October 4th shooting, and several guns were recovered during Thursday’s searches.
*Rabies is turning up in dogs and cats in southeast Georgia, with four confirmed cases including a kitten. County leaders this week report infections in Bulloch and Evans counties. Rabies infections in pets are rare but dangerous: The Southeast Health District is now urging pet owners to check vaccination records immediately.
*Georgia is among the states leading the nation in data center projects. Georgia has the third highest number of projects in the country at just over 270. Texas is number one with 454 data center projets in the pipeline, and Virginia is number two with 443 pending projects. Pennsylvania and Arizona round out the top 5.
*A judge has denied efforts to dismiss charges against two people accused in the death of an 8-year-old Colquitt County boy. Authorities say Dalton Johnson and Julie Hurst both face second-degree murder and cruelty to children charges. Defense attorneys had asked the court to dismiss the murder count, and Johnson’s attorneys also sought dismissal of one cruelty charge. WALB reports the judge denied those motions, allowing the case to move forward. Prosecutors allege the pair left the child unattended in a bathtub, leading to a lack of oxygen to his brain. Hurst is also accused of previous acts of abuse involving the child.