METRO WEEK IN REVIEW: Feb. 15-21

1) Georgians get some good economic news

Although stocks plummeted and the number of laid-off workers receiving unemployment benefits jumped to almost 5 million, Georgians last week received some good news on the financial front. Gov. Sonny Perdue signed legislation Tuesday that says the state will fund $428 million in property tax grants that homeowners received last fall. Federal stimulus funds will free up money for the grants, Perdue said. In addition, the $75 billion federal foreclosure plan President Barack Obama announced Wednesday could help thousands of struggling Georgians keep their homes. State homelessness prevention programs also will get $31 million from the federal government.

2) Metro Atlanta third-highest for total of vacant homes

Is your neighborhood starting to look like a ghost town? Join the club. Greater Atlanta is the third-emptiest metro area in the country, according to a Forbes.com ranking and new Census Bureau data. About 16.1 percent of metro Atlanta’s rental homes and 4.3 percent of nonrental homes are vacant, the report said. Only Las Vegas and Detroit have more empty homes.

3) Delta execs get stock as employees take buyouts

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines doled out stock incentives to executives last month as it offered buyouts to employees. Delta Chief Executive Richard Anderson received 398,560 shares of company stock; President Edward Bastian got 181,160 shares; and other executives received tens of thousands of shares each. Recipients who continue working for Delta can sell or transfer half of the shares starting in February 2010 and the other half in February 2011. Delta said Wednesday that 2,100 employees have signed up for buyouts.

4) DeKalb CEO gives police chief ‘pre-termination’ notice

DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis is taking steps to fire Police Chief Terrell Bolton. Ellis gave Bolton a “pre-termination notice” Friday, just one day after Bolton asked for two weeks’ sick leave. Bolton must reply by Monday. Ellis, who placed Bolton on administrative leave earlier this month, said Bolton is being investigated but hasn’t said why.

5) Suspect charged in Midtown high-rise killing

An Atlanta man has been charged with murder in the slaying of well-known cancer researcher Eugenia Calle. Police say Shamal Thompson, 22, beat Calle, 57, to death in her luxury Midtown condo last week. Calle, who had been trying to sell her condo at the Aqua complex, showed the unit to Thompson on Tuesday afternoon, police said.

6) Food tests OK’d as peanut fears grow, promotions begin

The state Senate last week passed food-safety legislation in response to the salmonella outbreak linked to a Blakely peanut plant. The bill requires some tests for contamination but also allows food processors to create their own safety plans, which are subject to state approval. Meanwhile, peanut boosters promoted their goods Tuesday at the state Capitol as many metro Atlanta schools and stores continued to pull peanut products from their menus, vending machines and shelves. The outbreak has sickened 600 people and may have caused nine deaths.

7) Morris Brown pays part of water bill, gets extension

Financially strapped Morris Brown College will have a little more time to pay off its past-due water bills. The historically black school, faced with a deadline to settle a $214,000 debt, paid Atlanta Watershed Management $150,000 on Tuesday, Watershed Management Commissioner Robert Hunter said. School officials agreed to pay the rest of the balance within 30 days, Hunter said.

8) Suit alleges sex assaults at hospital in Marietta

Seven women filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Marietta’s WellStar Kennestone Hospital, claiming three former employees sexually assaulted them. The victims have accused Eugene Ellis, 58, of Acworth; Rafael Telles, 55, of Hiram; and Eric Robinson of harming or trying to harm patients, having improper contact with patients and violating hospital policies, the lawsuit says. WellStar said it runs background checks on employees and investigates allegations of inappropriate conduct.

9) Clayton sheriff: More deputies needed

Clayton County needs 75 more deputies to serve a backlog of warrants and provide security, Sheriff Kem Kimbrough said last week. Kimbrough, who soon faces a GBI audit, said about 20,000 warrants had not been served at the beginning of the year. County Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell said it would cost “several million dollars” to hire, equip and train the deputies.

10) Henry man gets life in daughter’s death

A Henry County man has been sentenced to life in prison for his part in the beating death of his 11-year-old daughter. Stockbridge resident Rodney Reaves, who was convicted Wednesday of murder and child cruelty in the 2003 killing, will be eligible for parole in 14 years. Reaves’ attorneys said they plan to appeal the decision.

How we compiled the list: Staff writer Michelle Ewing considered more than three dozen news items from the past week before settling on this list of top stories.