The Atlanta Business Chronicle writer Phil Hudson reports that Mortgage lender and servicer HSBC reached a $470 million joint state-federal settlement to address abuses in mortgage origination, servicing, and foreclosures. Attorney General Sam Olens said the settlement provides direct payments to Georgia borrowers for past foreclosure abuses and loan modifications, and provides other relief for borrowers in need of assistance. It imposes rigorous mortgage servicing standards, and grants oversight authority to an independent monitor.
Governor Nathan Deal says that the lifetime ban on food stamps for persons convicted on felony drug offenses is costing Georgia money. Deal plans to ask members of the legislature to make some changes in the way that the state penalizes criminals in his effort to promote criminal justice reform. According to the council working on the reform package some 6,700 Georgians who are eligible to receive the food stamps are denied and over 1,800 children are negatively impacted. If the proposal is approved federal dollars connected to the nutrition program benefit the state and help past offenders.
Agents with the GBI were called in to aid in the investigation of a Grocery Store robbery in Cordele that ended tragically. Suspect Marquerious Carter was wounded and transported to a hospital but store owner Safaraz Khan was killed.
A new report from troopers with the Georgia State patrol states that though the investigation into the death of Albany car salesman Trace Everson continues they believe that the incident that caused his death was accidental and not malicious. There were no witnesses at the scene in late January when Kathy Everson ran over her husband. She was charged with DUI and other violations.
Jacari Vareen was stopped for speeding on Interstate 75 by a deputy with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department. Vareen of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida was found to be driving without a license and a search of his vehicle turned up multiple illegal drugs including nearly 200 tablets of a schedule IV drug, a pound of marijuana and Oxycodone. His passenger Nathan Hillmon of Dania, Florida claimed ownership of the drugs and was arrested on narcotics charges. Vareen was also taken into custody.
Valdosta Police officers were called to the 3100 block of Inner Perimeter Road in response to a vehicular accident. A truck had crashed into the wall of a business due to a confused driver that accidentally went into reverse instead of going forward. Three of the employees of Cura care were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
The Atlanta Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a warning to college students who are the primary targets of scam artists. According to the alert the scammers have the technical ability to make their phone number appear that the call is coming from the FBI in the caller ID of their target. The students are threatened with various penalties if specified fees are not paid by MoneyGram including arrest. In their attempt to obtain the personal information of the student the caller claims to have information on the student.
Valdosta Police Department officials have arrested 32 year old Walter Hallman in connection with an incident at a local hotel. According to the report he went into a room in the 1500 block of North Ashley Street armed with a knife and demanded the occupant’s cash and left with an undisclosed amount of money. Hallman was arrested by officers in Brooks County and transferred to the Lowndes County Jail.
