ATLANTA
Man swipes ambulance while friend gets treated
Atlanta police say a friend of an intoxicated man hopped behind the wheel of a Grady Memorial Hospital ambulance early Saturday and drove away while the emergency medical technicians tended to the other man in the back of the vehicle.
The EMT crew persuaded the driver to pull over, and the man was arrested with the assistance of the Georgia State Patrol, Atlanta police spokesman Officer John Chafee said.
The driver allegedly struck a pedestrian on a sidewalk as he left the roadway while turning onto Roswell Road. The pedestrian, whose identity was not available, was in stable condition. CHRISTOPHER SEWARD
DEKALB
Family offers reward for Christmas tree
A Decatur-area family is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the thief who stole their live Christmas tree out of their front yard — lights, decorations and all, Channel 2 Action News reports.
A hole in the ground is all that’s left of the Smith family’s 7-foot-tall Norway spruce they planted last weekend in front of their Riverwood Court home.
“The kind of person who would do this, you know, Santa’s not bringing any presents to them,” Tracy Smith told Channel 2. He’s so angry, he posted a sign advertising the reward in front his home where the tree once stood.
DAVID IBATA
COBB
Retired Marine colonel to run for chairmanship
East Cobb resident and retired Marine Col. Mike Boyce announced his candidacy last week for chairman of the County Commission.
Boyce said he began considering running for office about three months ago when the commission approved a millage rate increase.
Boyce would have found other ways to balance the budget without raising taxes, he said.
He joins former commission chairman Bill Byrne in trying to unseat incumbent Tim Lee next year. Janel Davis
Guard headquarters to be dedicated in Marietta
The Georgia Department of Defense will dedicate the Clay National Guard Headquarters building Wednesday in Marietta.
The dedication will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the three-story, 220,000-square-foot building that will allow the state defense department to consolidate at one location.
About 1,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen will occupy in the new headquarters building.
Gov. Nathan Deal is scheduled to attend the dedication. Tours of the facility, located at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, will be provided. Janel Davis
