Across Georgia

MACON - A judge has issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Twiggs County school board from hiring a Macon man for superintendent.

Wednesday's order came after three Twiggs County residents filed a legal petition in court Tuesday to block the hiring of Franklin Perry, a former Sumter County schools superintendent and a former Bibb County schools assistant superintendent.

Last week, in a 3-2 vote, the school board recommended Mr. Perry to lead the county school system. The board was scheduled to vote on his hiring Tuesday.

David Sanders, the chairman-elect of the Twiggs County school board and two other county residents say that Mr. Perry is not the best qualified candidate and was chosen improperly, according to court documents.

SPRINGFIELD - Nearly 1,000 law enforcement officers across Georgia mourned the death of an Effingham County deputy.

Cpl. Dennis Wright was killed a week ago in a traffic accident in Chatham County. Cpl. Wright and other officers working on a task force were on their way to a road check when another vehicle collided with Cpl. Wright's cruiser.

He was the first Effingham County deputy to be killed in recent years.

MARIETTA - Marietta High School is offering $12 testing kits to parents who want to find out whether their child is experimenting with drugs.

The kits test for marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine and opiates such as morphine and heroin. They also will detect "club drugs" such as Ecstasy up to five days after ingestion.

If a child tests positive, a toll-free number is provided for parents to seek additional information or help.

Marietta is believed to be the first Georgia school district to participate in the Law Enforcement/Local Educators Against Drugs program. Police departments and school districts in about 20 states are offering the tests.

LAWRENCEVILLE - A single-engine airplane landed at the Gwinnett County Airport without its landing gear, skidding to a stop on the runway.

The pilot - the Beech Bonanza BE-36's only occupant - was not injured. The airplane was arriving from Gainesville on Wednesday when its landing gear failed at about 11 a.m.

Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the plane is registered to Kenneth J. Lewis of Statham. She could not confirm whether Mr. Lewis was flying the plane.

- Edited from wire reports