Fran Jeffries

Breaking news specialist

Fran Jeffries is a writer and editor for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Latest from Fran Jeffries

Atlanta woman says she is voice of Siri

Siri has outed herself. Apple’s voice-activated virtual “assistant” known virtually all over the globe after being introduced with the iPhone 4S on Oct. 4, 2011 is a real woman who lives in suburban Atlanta, according to CNN. While Apple has never identified her, the voice of Siri in the United ...

Kenneth Tyner, 33, was arrested for beating his 11-year-old son with an extension cord after the boy was suspended from school over a knife incident, according to a report on KOCO 5 News.

Okla. man faces felony charges for beating son with extension cord

Authorities say an Oklahoma City man took disciplining his son way too far. Kenneth Tyner, 33, was arrested for beating his 11-year-old son with an extension cord after the boy was suspended from school over a knife incident, according to a report on KOCO 5 News. The child’s mother reported ...

Ga. man arrested in road rage incident in Michigan

How should you respond when someone ‘flips you the bird’ on the interstate? One thing you shouldn’t do is flash a gun. A Georgia man was arrested recently by Michigan State Police for allegedly pulling a gun on a Romulus, Mich. husband and wife after one of them gave him ...

Report: Ky. woman eaten by wolfdogs she hoarded

A group of pet wolfdogs apparently ate the body of a missing western Kentucky woman who had been hoarding the dogs for years. Police said they believe Patricia Ritz, a woman in her 60s, lived on the property in Fordsville, Ky. with more than 50 wolfdogs, according to a report ...

Teen returns money to widow his dad allegedly mugged

This apple apparently did fall far from the tree. A 78-year-old widow was mugged of $700 while visiting the grave of her recently deceased husband in Bethany, Okla. A 15-year-old boy recognized the alleged mugger on TV. It was his father. The teen, Christian Lunsford, sought out Tona Herndon to ...

Suwanee man wins $1 million Powerball prize; Mega Millions jackpot at $173M

A Suwanee computer analyst has a $1 million win to analyze. Carlton Davis, 49, matched the first five winning numbers from the Sept. 14 Powerball drawing to win his prize. Davis bought the winning ticket at Kroger, 3651 Peachtree Parkway in Suwanee. Winning numbers from the drawing were: 1-17-25-37-44 and ...

Is 25 the new 18? Brits push for new age for adulthood

Is 25 the new 18? Child psychologists in Britain are now being told to acknowledge 25 — not 18 —as the cut-off age for adolescence for the purposes of treating young people, according to a story in the BBC News magazine. The guideline is being introduced because new research suggests ...

Atlanta man a real super hero as ‘Batdad’

Need a good chuckle? Then meet ‘Batdad’ aka Blake Wilson. This masked crusader from Atlanta answers the question: What if a Caped Crusader gave up crime fighting for a wife, four kids and a Honda Odyssey? Wilson has gained his 15 minutes of fame by recording endearing and downright silly ...

Ga. 316 in Lawrenceville re-opens after gas leak

All east bound lanes of Ga. 316 near Collins Hill Road and Walther Boulevard in Lawrenceville were re-opened Friday afternoon after a gas leak was stopped. But the lanes were closed more than two hours, meaning delays could linger in the area into the evening rush hour. A road crew ...

Boy asks Santa to end twin sister’s bullying

A child’s touching request in a letter to Santa has gone viral. Eight-year-old Ryan Suffern decided against toys and treats. He wanted one thing for Christmas, he wrote: Stop the kids at school from bullying his twin sister. “Dear Santa … Kid at school are still picking on Amber and ...