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Judges told to keep wiretaps in their areas
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ATLANTA — The Georgia Supreme Court says superior court judges can't issue warrants for wiretaps outside of their judicial circuits.

Based on information from informants and surveillance, the Gwinnett County district attorney in 2007 obtained warrants authorizing wiretaps of phones of people suspected of being involved in an ecstasy ring, including phones used by Khamone Luangkhot, Isaac Saleumsy and Santisouk Phommachanh.

Officers with a drug task force listened to the tapped communications from their headquarters in Fulton County.

The Court of Appeals said amendments to Georgia's wiretap statute intended to allow the court where crimes are prosecuted to issue such warrants.

In a unanimous opinion published Monday, the high court reversed a decision by the Georgia Court of Appeals that upheld a lower court's judgment denying a motion to suppress the communications.

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Nuclear plant's safety discussed at meeting
Plant Hatch
Plant Hatch is near Baxley and north Bryan County is in its evacuation zone. - photo by File photo
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will discuss the 2017 safety performance of the Hatch Nuclear Power Plant during an open house from 4-6 p.m. April 24 in Room 171 of the Southeastern Technical College, 3001 East First St., Vidalia. The two-unit Hatch plant is located near Baxley, about 20 miles south of Vidalia, and is operated by Southern Nuclear Operating Co. NRC employees responsible for plant inspections, including the resident inspectors based full-time at the site, will be available to discuss its performance.
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