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PAGE 2A
BARROW JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016
Winder man saved after going
into cardiac arrest at senior center
TOM GRIFFITH SAVED AFTER GOING INTO CARDIAC ARREST
Winder resident, Tom Griffith, right,went into cardiac arrest on March 22 while
he was attending the Barrow County Senior Center. Thanks to center employ
ee Pat Griffith, center, no relation to Tom; and retired nurse Brenda Duvall,
left, who was attending the center that day; Tom Griffith is alive and back at
the center. Pat Griffith and Duvall performed CPR on Tom Griffith until the
ambulance arrived to transport him to Saint Mary’s Hospital.
Photo by Sharon Hogan
By Sli aron Hog'an
Journal Reporter
To Winder resident Tom
Griffith being in the right
place at the right time saved
his life recently.
Griffith went into cardiac
arrest on March 22 while
attending the Barrow Coun
ty Senior Citizens Center.
Griffith said he was getting
ready to leave the center
when the incident occurred.
Quick thinking by center
employee Pat Griffith, who
had just two weeks prior
been re-certified in CPR
training by Captain Glen
Cain with Barrow County
Fire and EMS, went to work
quickly performing CPR on
Tom Griffith.
The two Griffiths, who
are not related, talked about
the incident recently and
Pat Griffith said, “You just
don’t know until you are put
in that position what you
will do. I knew I needed to
do something.’’
Pat Griffith, with the help
of a retired nurse, Bren
da Duvall, Bethlehem, who
was also visiting at the cen
ter that day, performed CPR
on Tom Griffith until the
Barrow County EMS ambu
lance arrived.
“I don’t remember any
thing from sitting in a chair
until I was in the ambulance
almost at the hospital,’’ Tom
Griffith said. He was trans
ported to Saint Mary’s Hos
pital in Athens.
Tom Griffith said they had
to shock him back to life
and when he arrived at the
hospital they put a defibril
lator in him. He said he
had a heart valve replaced
in September of 2009, but,
two years later he started
passing out and in February
of 2012 a pacemaker was
put in to warn him when his
heart rate gets too low.
Tom Griffith said he had
not had any problems with
his heart until March when
his heart rate went extreme
ly high and he went into
cardiac arrest. He said his
doctors told him he would
have died if “Pat and Bren
da had not performed CPR
on me.”
Griffith said the recent
cardiac arrest incident has
affected his memory.
“You have changed,” Pat
Griffith said to Tom, “You
are more humble now.”
Griffith said his neurol
ogist told him he was very
lucky that most people
suffer more lasting dam
age. Sometimes with last
ing damage to their motor
skills, he added.
Duvall said when the inci
dent first began on March
22 she thought Tom Griffith
was having a seizure.
“He was making a gur
gling sound and he had an
awful look on his face,”
Duvall said. “His lips were
blue.”
Duvall said the policy at
the senior center is for all
patrons to leave the room
when an incident of this
nature occurs.
“But I felt like I needed
to help Pat,” Duvall said. “I
would deal with the conse
quences later.”
Pat Griffith, Duvall and
Cain were each recognized
by the Barrow County
Board of Commissioners
recently for their excellence
in service during this inci
dent.
“I didn’t do this for all
this recognition,” Pat Grif
fith said.
Primary continued from 1A
School system waits
for more legal rulings
on transgender issue
By Alex Pace
Journal Reporter
Local school districts are responding to a national
directive on transgender students. The federal govern
ment issued a letter last week addressing discrimination
based on student gender identity.
Barrow County School System superintendent Chris
McMichael said that (as the district reads it) the letter
simply restates the interpretations of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964.
“This is a very controversial issue and one that will
ultimately be settled in the courts,” said McMichael.
“Courts across the country have made decisions on both
sides of this issue. The current legal cases involving
North Carolina and this very issue should help to provide
some additional clarity. We are following the North Car
olina cases closely to see how that decision will affect us.
As always we will continue to work very hard to provide
an exceptional education to every student in a safe and
positive learning environment."
ABOUT THE LETTER
The letter, issued by the U.S. Department of Justice
and U.S. Department of Education, says school districts
are required to treat transgender students according to
their gender identity, even if that is inconsistent with the
sex on their school records.
Part of that letter describes sex-segregated activities
and facilities. Schools can provide separate restrooms/
locker rooms based on sex, but they must allow trans
gender students to use the facility of their gender identity.
Schools also cannot require transgender students to
use facilities inconsistent with their gender identity, or to
use individual-user facilities when other students are not
required to do so, according to the letter.
“A school may, however, make individual-user options
available to all students who voluntarily seek additional
privacy,” according to the statement.
The letter comes amid a court case between the federal
government and state of North Carolina.
The letter doesn’t indicate any new laws, but it does
clarify obligations under Title IX. School districts receive
federal funding based on Title IX compliance.
Statham mayor to oversee
hiring of new administrator
By Cliris Bridges
Journal Editor
In the fall, Democrat Dwight Acey will challenge the win
ner of the District 2 Republican primary between Shook and
Brown while Michael Pope will be the Democratic nominee
for BOC District 3.
Brittany Mayweather will be the Democratic candidate
for BOE District 6 and will face Republican incumbent
Rickey Bailey in the fall. Neither face primary oppostion.
State senator Frank Ginn faces primary opposition from
Tyler Hollifield and state representative Tom Kirby has
drawn a primary challenger in Jonathan Melton. Those
races will also be decided in the Republican primary with
no Democratic opposition.
There are several incumbents who face no primary or gen
eral election opposition including Congressman Jody Hice,
district attorney Brad Smith, probate judge Tammy Brown,
clerk of superior court Regina Brock McIntyre, tax com
missioner Melinda Walls, coronor David Crosby, district 1
commissioner Joe Goodman, district 2 BOE member Garey
Huff and district 5 BOE member Lynn Stevens.
There are various non-partisian races for various local and
statewide judgeships, but none have the incumbents facing
opposition.
After discussing whether to hire a new city admin
istrator, Statham officials were reminded by legal
counsel Tuesday night that the city’s mayor is the one
who makes the hire.
After council members discussed the issue at last
week’s work session, mayor Robert Bridges said at
Tuesday’s May meeting he would like to see funds for
a new administrator left in the budget.
Statham attorney Ron Bennett said it was the may
or’s duties via city charter to do the hiring. The city
council has to approve funding for the position.
It has been more than a year since Statham’s origi
nal administrator, Steve Martin, resigned. Martin was
named to the position after serving as police chief.
The city is currently working on the details of its
new fiscal year budget, which will be approximately
$3 million. Some questioned whether spending the
money would be wise financially but others, including
Perry Barton, were for it, saying it actually saves the
city money.
Shooting continued from 1A
“There are no real leads on the shooting,” said Lt. Chris Cooper of the WPD. “The victim is in stable condition and
seems to be doing well. We were able to interview him but did not gain anything to help our investigation”
If anyone has information related to this incident they are asked to contact Winder Police Detective Gregg Teatino at
770-867-2156. Anonymous information may also be left on the Winder Police Department’s “Anonymous Tip Submis
sion Form” which can be found at www.cityofwinder.com under the public safety section.
PAT GRAHAM HAS DELIVERED POSITIVE
RESULTS FOR BARROW COUNTY
• Refinanced the County's long term debt
for a total savings of $6.1 million dollars.
Pat advocated to improve economic
development efforts in Barrow County.
The result: 400+ new jobs and more than^.
$40 million in new business Investment.
I IF
BARROW COUNTY
CONSERVATIVE
• Pat Graham saved Barrow County $1.8
million dollars on the West Winder Bypass
project thru negotiations with the Georgia
Department of Transportation
• Pat worked to secure $1.1 million in grant
funding to pay for essential infrastructure
in the Park 53 Industrial Park
PAT
Graham
CHAIRMAN
PROVEN
Re-Elect Pat Graham, Chairman • Republican primary May 24
678.300.5367 • patriciagraham99@aol.com
