Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Barrow Journal
www.barrowjournal.com Rarrnw’c I anal Oman Mawcnanar
Barrow’s Legal Organ Newspaper
VOL. 8 NO. 25 24 PACES 2 SECTIONS, PLUS INSERTS A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. WINDER, BARROW COUNTY GEORGIA S0680 50« COPY
Absentee voting begins for May 24 primary
Barrow has several contested races for 2016
By Cliris B ridg'es
Journal Editor
The May 24 primary election is
just around the corner and the Barrow
County Elections Office began mail
ing absentee ballots last week.
In-person early voting will begin
Monday, May 2, and continue
through Friday, May 20, Elections
Supervisor Monica Franklin said.
Early voting will be from 8 a.m. until
5 p.m. each weekday.
There will be in-person early vot
ing held on Saturday, May 14, from
9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The deadline to register to vote
in order to take part in the May 24
primary is April 26.
There will be several contested
races in the upcoming primary, all
on the Republican side of the bal
lot. Incumbent sheriff Jud Smith
faces primary opposition from Tim
Walker.
County chairman Pat Graham will
face challenger Billy Parks, a former
member of the board of commis
sioners who resigned his seat to
run for chairman. This is the first
time Graham will face opposition for
county chairman as she was unop
posed four years ago.
Another race which has garnered
attention has been for state represen
tative. Terry England is facing chal
lenger Lucretia Hughes of Winder
in a race which has turned rather
ugly with the challenger being tied
to Joe Newton, a Norcross resident
who is distributing flyers concerning
England’s supposed stance on vari
ous issues.
The flyers include England’s home
address printed on them and encour
ages citizens to go to England’s pri
vate residence and voice their opin
ions directly to him.
The state patrol has had to step
in concerning the issue although
Newton claims that move is just
political intimidation.
See Primary on Page 2A
Barrow GOP schedules
candidate forum May 2
By Chris Bridges
Journal Editor
Barrow County vot
ers will have a chance
to hear from the candi
dates during an upcom
ing forum organized
by the Barrow County
Republican Party.
A candidate forum
will be held on Monday,
May 2, at the Colleen
Williams Theater at the
Winder Cultural Arts
Center.
The forum will be for
18 candidates in nine con
tested GOP races for the
May 24 primary, Barrow
County Republican Party
chairman Ken Young
said. Each candidate will
have three or four min
utes to speak.
Supporters of candi
dates will also be able
to obtain signs and other
campaign materials at the
forum.
Barrow
Briefs
City of Statham plans
annual Spring Fest
The City of Statham will
host its third annual Spring
Fest on Saturday, May 7,
from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
For those interested in
being a vendor at the event,
applications can be picked
up at City Hall.
Food vendor spaces are
$55 or $65 with electrici
ty. Craft vendor spaces are
available for $30 or $40
with electricity.
For more information
on reserving vendor space
or about this year’s City
of Statham Spring Fest,
contact Randy Gordon
at randygordon@cityof-
statham.com.
Inside:
Index:
Church News
10A
Classifieds
8-9 A
Legals
5-10B
Obituaries
11A
Opinion
4A
Op-Ed
5A
Pets of the Week
10A
Public Safety
6-7A
School News
11 B
Sports 1-4B.12B
Contact Info:
Phone: 770-867-6397
Mail: 77 E. May Street,
Winder, Ga. 30680
Fax: 706-621-4115
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www.barrowjournal.com
Shm to Skwl in Mm
Saturday outing
The 7th annual Sheep to Shawl drew a
crowd of vistors to Robert Bridges Park in
Statham Saturday. (Top, left) Mark Davis,
Blacksmith, made crosses for children
while (top, right) Lucy Ramirez, 5,held a
week old La Mancha goat. (Bottom, left)
Abel Hernandez, 2, was all smiles on a
rocking horse. Various items (bottom
center, right) were also available for pur
chase. See page 2A for more coverage.
Photos by Wesleigh Sagon
JI
Mailing
Label Below
Former Auburn policeman charged
with extortion after sting operation
Winder woman’s body
found in Lake Lanier
Former Auburn Police Department
Cpl. Charles Hubbard was arrested last
week by the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Hubbard, 51, who resides in
Loganville, is facing charges of conspir
acy to commit extortion. He was arrest
ed earlier April 4 during a sting opera
tion in DeKalb County. Hubbard alled-
gely pulled over a confidential source
posing as a drug dealer in a bogus traffic
stop and then took $40,000.
Hubbard is accused of seizing drugs
and cash for an Atlanta-based drug traf
ficking and robbery operation.
Investigators said Hubbard illegally
took $40,000 from a confidential infor
mant who was posing as a drug dealer.
Agents from the High Intensity Drug
Trafficking Area Task Force Group 2
out of the DEA’s Atlanta Field Division
arrested Hubbard April 4 at a shopping
complex off Chamblee Tucker Road.
"We are disappointed and, frankly,
heartbroken to learn that someone who
had sworn to serve and protect our com
munity — and who had gained our trust
and appreciation — now stands accused
of being involved in this alleged crime.
We will cooperate fully with the fed
eral investigation,’’ said Auburn mayor
Linda Blechinger in a released state
ment.
The Auburn mayor said she could not
offer additional comment. Hubbard has
been with the APD for six years and
was terminated soon after his arrest.
"I want to assure our citizens that
the City of Auburn and the Auburn
Police Department are committed to
serving our community with integrity,
honesty, fairness and compassion,’’ the
mayor said. "We ask our community
to continue to stand with us during this
trying time,”
A Winder woman’s body was found in Lake Lanier on
April 3.
The Hall County Sheriff's Office announced Friday that
the body recovered from the lake was missing 18-year-old
Estelle Kouassi, from Winder.
Kouassi was an Apalachee High School student, but trans
ferred out of the Barrow County School System in October.
She had been missing since March 3.
Investigators say the description of Kouassi matched the
recovered body and later confirmed her identity through
medical and dental records. No trauma was found on the
body. The medical examiner has not determined the cause of
death. Investigators say foul play is not suspected.
Barrow’s
Basketball Best...
2015-2016 All-Area boys
basketball team is
featured on page 4B
