Newspaper Page Text
Barrow County’s Legal Organ Newspaper
B * Wednesday, January 27, 2016
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www.barrowjournal. com
Barrow County’s Only Mid-Week Newspaper
VOL. 8 NO. 14 28 PAGES 2 SECTIONS, PLUS INSERTS A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, [nc. WINDER, BARROW COUNTY GEORGIA 30680 50? COPY
Barrow
Briefs
Food drive event
held through Feb. 26
The Barrow County
Cooperative Benevolence
Ministry’s Food Pantry is
holding a “SOUPer BOWL”
through Friday, Feb. 26.
The event is an annu
al fundraiser to support
the food pantry on Candler
Street where people can
donate canned goods. SOUP
(Schools Objecting to
Unneccessary Poverty) is a
district-wide food drive com
petition between all grade lev
els. The top elementary, mid
dle and high school will be
recognized. Last year's win
ners were Yargo Elementary
School. Bear Creek Middle
School and Sims Academy.
THE BCCBM also spon
sors a monthly program
called Feeding Families in
which Barrow County School
System families in need
receive special vouchers from
their school counselor to visit
the food pantry on designated
days to receive 30-50 pounds
of free food.
The BCSS social workers
and counselors identify the
families and students and
work with volunteers of the
food pantry to coordinate,
pack and distribute the food.
The BCCBM is a 100 per
cent volunteer organization
with all monetary and food
items going to local residents
in need.
Inside:
Index:
Church News
7B
Classifieds
8-9B
Legals
9-15A
Letters
5A
Obituaries
11 B
Op-Ed
5A
Opinion
4A
Pets of the Week
7B
Public Safety
6A
Sports
1-5B
Contact Info:
Phone: 770-867-6397
Mail: 77 E. May Street,
Winder, Ga. 30680
Fax: 706-621-4115
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Mailing
Label Below
BCSS anticipates busy 2016
By Al ex Pace
Journal Reporter
Barrow County School System
superintendent Chris McMichael
is planning for a busy 2016.
The district will open a new
school next year, the replace
ment Russell Middle School,
and a new elementary school is
being constructed on the same
site. The district held a ground
breaking ceremony for the new
elementary school last week. It
is scheduled to open in 2017.
SCHOOL-LEVEL UPDATES
At the school level, students
and teachers are propping for
end of the year testing, includ
ing the Georgia Milestones.
McMichael said the teachers and
individual schools are working
to balance test preparation with
their normal instruction.
“I am confident everyone is
focusing on doing their best
while not losing focus on all the
important pieces of the curricu
lum and teaching and learning,”
he said.
And local high schools are
beginning to meet with seniors
to discuss graduation.
OTHER TOPICS
The district will also begin
working on next year’s budget in
the upcoming months.
“This is of course a very
important piece for the second
half of the year timeframe each
year as we look at our needs and
set priorities for the next school
year,” said McMichael.
See BCSS on Page 3A
Supporting the cause: Annual Adult Literacy Ball
SATURDAY NIGHT EVENT
Shown are Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith and his wife
Stephanie at Saturday’s fundraiser.
MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT
The Back in Time Band entertained a large crowd during the 23rd annual Literacy Ball at the Winder
Community Center Saturday night. See more coverage on page 2A in today’s edition.
Photos by Wesleigh Sagon
WELCOME
Ron Saunders, executive director
of the Barrow County Adult Literacy
program and retired Barrow County
Superintendent of Schools, address
es those in attendance at the Winder
Community Center.
Statham officials approve
low bid despite warnings
By Chris Bridges
Journal Editor
City of Statham officials approved the low bid for water plant upgrades
over the concern of its public works director.
During the Jan. 19 meeting, Randy Gordon told the council that
approving the low bid of $77,700 from McDaniel Utilities was ques
tionable on two fronts. First, that bid was so much lower than the bid of
$197,124 received from Lanier Contracting Company that Gordon said
he is concerned how there was such a difference.
“Whenever you have such a big difference in amounts then something
is not right,” Gordon said. “I would urge caution with two different bids
with such a large gap between them.”
In addition, Gordon said McDaniel Utilities did not have experience
with the type of work that would be required for the water plant upgrades.
See Statham on Page 3A
WORKING ON ENGINE
Mike Poteete, automotive advisory committee mem
ber, works with students in the Future Hot Rodders
of Tomorrow club at the Sims Academy of Innovation
and Technology. Students pictured working on the
Chevy 350 engine are Hunter Poteete, Brandon White
and Tyler Hall. See story on page 3A in today’s edition.
Photo by Alex Pace
