Friday, September 21,
2001
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It's back to business in South Fulton, but not as usual By JOHN THOMPSON
South Fulton residents got back to business this week, but the terrible tragedy that gripped the nation last week had a ripple affect throughout the region. Flags and signs backing the nation sprouted up like mushrooms and patriotism was in vogue again. In addition to displaying flags, Fulton residents jumped to help the troubled citizens in New York City and Washington, D.C. Fulton County employees collected more than $4,500 last Friday in a fund drive for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. At noon, approximately 1,000 employees from the Fulton County Government Center and Courthouse facilities lined Pryor Street in an 11-minute period of silent meditation, followed by a saxophone rendition of "God Bless America." This weekend, Fulton County firefighters will conduct a boot drive at intersections throughout the county to collect money for the families of the fallen New York City firefighters. The department estimates that collections so far exceed $10,000. Citizens who want to donate can contact any Fulton County fire station. But the region also suffered some aftershocks from the terrorist attack. The Atlanta Police Department Airport Precinct announced Tuesday night the arrest of 22-year-old Turhan Lamons in connection with a bomb threat that was called in to AirTran Airways at Hartsfield Airport earlier Tuesday. The threat indicated that a bomb was onboard AirTran Flight 278 to Boston. Police officials charged Lamons, who was employed as a flight attendant with AirTran, with two felony charges. Subpoenaed phone records indicated that he called in a false bomb threat from a cellular phone. Lamons was charged with making a false public alarm and making false statements to the police. Airport officials stress that this incident was an isolated case and making aviation-related threats of any kind is a federal offense that can result in jail time. According to AirTran Airways officials, the employee was terminated. In Fairburn, city officials struggled with an Internet virus that shut down the city's computer system. The virus started attacking computer systems Tuesday, but Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said the worm was not related to the terror that occurred Sept. 11. Airline employees in the region also are looking nervously over their shoulders. Continental and United Airlines announced major layoffs this week, but so far Delta has not had to resort to any drastic measures. Airtran's pilots and mechanics unions both agreed to a pay cut this week to ensure the viability of their employer.
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