This week’s top stories from the Ledger-Enquirer | April 22 -- April 28
1. U.S. News & World Report 2017 rankings put Columbus High No. 1 in Georgia
Columbus High School is the No. 1 public high school in Georgia, according to the 2017 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings released Tuesday. The national magazine, according to its news release, analyzed more than 22,000 schools based on published data and honored 6,041. The only other local Georgia school in the rankings is Early College Academy of Columbus at No. 77 in the state but without a national ranking.
2. New Krystal in Phenix City has something all others in area do not
When it opens in little more than a week, the new Krystal in Phenix City will have something that all of the others in the area do not. That would be a flashier design that is the fast-food chain’s brand new prototype, along with frozen treat items ranging from new shakes to Slushies to iced coffee. The first outlet with the new design — which is the company’s first new prototype in more than a decade — opened earlier this month in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta. Like that one, the Phenix City location will have more vibrant colors, LED lighting, a digital menu and “artwork that is modern, yet maintains the brand’s heritage.”
3. Ralston Towers declared unsafe by Columbus Inspections and Code director
The Inspections and Code director for the Columbus Consolidated Government has declared The Ralston Towers unsafe after several fire code violations at the 102-year-old building. The announcement was made in a March 15 letter by John C. Hudgison, director of Inspections and Code, to the owner of the building, Ralston LLC. The Flemington, N.J.-based owner was given up to 90 days to fix all the fire code violations and to provide Inspections and Code Department and the Department of Fire & Emergency Medical Services with an extensive schedule to remove all fire code violations.
4. ‘They are not average criminals’: Jury deciding fate of 3 charged in mall slaying
A jury now must decide the fate of three alleged Crips gang associates charged in last year’s shockingly public slaying of Anthony Meredith outside Columbus’ Peachtree Mall. Prosecutors and defense attorneys spent hours Wednesday making their closing arguments in the case against Xzavaien Trevon Jones, 19; his sister Tekoa Chantrell Young, 24; and Terell Raquez McFarland, 26. Prosecutors allege that Jones, aided by Young and McFarland, shot Meredith 10 times outside the entrance to the mall’s food court around 7:30 p.m. on March 26, 2016, the Saturday before Easter. Meredith was pronounced dead at the hospital about 30 minutes later.
5. Motorcyclist found with 100 doses of LSD after Columbus crash, police say
A motorcyclist was allegedly found with $1,000 worth of LSD after being involved in a wreck in front of the St. Francis Hospital, authorities said. Frank Sealy III, who was identified as the 27-year-old driver, faces one count each of possession of LSD with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime following the incident. One of the nurses at St. Francis Hospital allegedly found 100 doses of LSD (street value of $1,000) wrapped tin foil located in Sealy’s pants. Authorities said they also found .22 caliber pistol in his waist band.
This story was originally published April 28, 2017 at 5:38 PM with the headline "This week’s top stories from the Ledger-Enquirer | April 22 -- April 28."