MURRAY COUNTY, Ga.
Man, dog die in house fire
Smoke from a house fire in Murray County killed the homeowner and his dog over the weekend.
Firefighters rescued Wayne Chambers from his home on 642 Old Sawmill Road but when he reached the hospital, he was pronounced dead, Murray County Fire Chief Dwayne Bain said.
The fire department responded to the fire about 5:30 p.m. Saturday and found Chambers lying on his bedroom floor, Bain said. Medical workers tried to revive him and then took him to Murray Medical Center.
He was pronounced dead at the hospital from smoke inhalation, Bain said.
Chambers’ dog was found dead underneath the bed.
Officials believe the fire started in the kitchen, where food being cooked on the stove was left unattended. No smoke alarms were inside the home, Bain said.
ATLANTA
Gas prices up, still rising
Filling up at the pump costs more in Georgia this week.
The average price of regular unleaded gas in the state has risen 11 cents in the past week to $2.83 per gallon. The national average is up 7 cents to $2.93.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that a weak dollar is pushing gas prices up, and experts say the increases likely will continue.
The AAA Auto Club said lower job growth than expected last month weakened the dollar and made crude oil a more appealing commodity to foreign investors.
A month ago, regular unleaded cost an average of $2.69 in Georgia. A year ago, it was at $2.52, which is 31 cents below the current price.
MARION COUNTY, Tenn.
I-24 welcome centers reopen
The welcome centers in Marion County on Interstate 24 have reopened after a sewage problem was fixed.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation shut the welcome center and rest areas on both sides over the Thanksgiving holiday, officials said.
GORDON COUNTY, Ga.
International fugitive arrested
During a traffic stop on Interstate 75, a Gordon County Sheriff’s Office deputy arrested a fugitive wanted in Romania.
Vasile Ionel Tomescu, 28, is wanted in Romania in connection with a human trafficking case, Gordon County Sheriff Mitch Ralston said in a news release.
When the deputy pulled Tomescu over for speeding Saturday morning, he became suspicious and ran a computer check, Ralston said. Notification for Tomescu included that he was a fugitive and could be armed and dangerous, he said.
Tomescu then was arrested and was being held in the Gordon County Jail as of Monday.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation will handle the case, Chief Deputy Robert Paris said.