Across Georgia

City ordered to restore plants along Chattahoochee

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. - The city of Sandy Springs, which discovered after stripping what it considered invasive plants from along the Chattahoochee River that it was violating state environmental rules, will replace the vegetation.

The state Environmental Protection Division, concerned about erosion, sent the city a notice of violation in March for removing wisteria and bamboo from a 5-acre stretch. City officials say they removed only invasive plants as part of a plan to create a municipal park.

When construction begins in July, the park will include river birch, tulip poplar, black willows, wax myrtle and several other types of native trees, shrubs and grasses.

Sandy Springs originally planned a dog park for the parcel, which officials describe as having been so overrun with invasive plants that it choked all of the trees.

Coast Guard gets new escort for nuke subs

ST. MARYS, Ga. - The Coast Guard is getting a new cutter for its mission of escorting Trident nuclear submarines as they arrive and depart the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base.

The 87-foot CGC Sea Dog is scheduled to arrive Monday afternoon to join the Sea Dragon, which arrived at Kings Bay in January 2008. Both are assigned to the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Force Protection Unit.

The Sea Dog, with a crew of 10, is the 73rd Marine Protector Class patrol boat built by Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, La. Two identical ships are assigned to protect Trident subs assigned to Bangor Naval Submarine Base in Washington.

Base officials plan no ceremony when the Sea Dog arrives. A formal commissioning ceremony will be July 2.

Man wanted on molestation charge surrenders

DALLAS, Ga. - A man wanted on child molestation and sexual battery charges has surrendered at the Paulding County sheriff's office.

The man, 30-year-old Jerry Fagen of Paulding County, surrendered on Sunday. Authorities accuse Fagen of abusing his 8-year-old stepdaughter. The 8-year-old and her 1-year-old brother were located on Saturday in Arizona with their mother.

No charges have been filed against the mother, Casey Fagen.

In Arizona, Maricopa County sheriff's spokesman Doug Matteson said Saturday that the girl was found in Youngtown, about 15 miles northwest of Phoenix, on Friday night with her head shaved, possibly to hide her identity.

2 charged after explosion at carnival

GAINESVILLE, Ga. - Two men are charged with reckless conduct in Hall County after an explosion at a carnival.

Gainesville police Lt. Nina Harkins says the explosion took place early Monday. She says 19-year-old Brett Davis and 24-year-old Andrew Leslie, both of Gainesville, are each charged in the case.

Harkins says officers arriving at the scene found a plastic bottle that contained what appeared to be a homemade chemical explosive that had already detonated. She says a carnival employee complained of burning to his throat and eyes, but did not require medical attention.

The carnival was closed at the time of the explosion.