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Serving the communities of Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Mill Creek, West Jackson and South Hall Member of the Georgia Press Association 250 copy Wednesday, December 12,2007 Vol. 3 No. 34 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. BraseltonNews.com 22 pages, 3 sections Inside •Community collects toys for needy children page 5A DROUGHT •Are local governments also cutting water use? page 2A Sports: •Hawks lose game in squeaker, 54-52 page 1B •Solider in Iraq gives students special message page 8A Opinion: •‘Would state action hurt industrial develop ment?’ page 4A Public safety: •Retired trooper follows reckless driver page 6A •Church events page 4B •Obituaries page 7A DA to seek death penalty in murder-arson case BY KERRI TESTEMENT Piedmont Judicial Circuit District Attorney Rick Bridgeman has announced that he will seek the death penalty against Henry Lee Stringer — who is accused of killing four people in a murder-arson case in Hoschton. The bodies of Stringer’s girlfriend Marvelette, their children J’Majuan and J’Lasia and Marvelette’s mother, Evelyn, were discovered on May 30, 2006, inside their burning home on Pendergrass Road in Hoschton. Stringer was arrested on June 1, 2007, after a year-long investigation by authorities. Stringer was indicted by a Jackson County grand jury on Dec. 3 with 16 counts related to the deaths of Evelyn Strickland, 68; Marvelette Strickland, 29; J’Majuan Stringer, 4; and J’Lasia Stringer, 2. The indictment charges Stringer with four counts of malice murder, six counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault; one count of aggravated battery; two counts of cruelty to children in the first degree; and one count of arson in the first degree. Earlier, authorities claimed Stringer stabbed the two adults to death before setting fire to their Pendergrass Road (Ga. Hwy. 332) house, leaving the two children to die. Stringer, 34, later pled not guilty to the charges. Hoschton Police Chief Dave Hill said in a statement on Tuesday that his department presented evi dence of the crime to the Jackson County grand jury. The presen tation included evidence from the year-long investigation, and included work from Hoschton police, the Athens office of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, the state Fire Marshall’s Office and other law enforce ment agencies. “The Hoschton Police Department fully supports the decision of Piedmont Judicial Circuit District Attorney Richard K. Bridgeman to seek the death penalty in this case and appreciates the partnership his office has provided,” Hill’s statement read. District attorney Bridgeman filed the notice to seek the death penalty against Stringer with the clerk of superior court of Jackson County on Monday, according to court records. The case will now progress according to the unified appeals procedures that governs pretrial and trial proceedings for death pen alty cases in Georgia. The next court appear ance for Stringer will be a first proceeding hearing, which has not been scheduled by the superior court. Both Bridgeman and Hill said in their statements that their departments will make no further comments on the case at this time. STRINGER Council member marks final Braselton meeting BY KERRI TESTEMENT Monday’s Braselton council meeting marked the last for Phil Spivey, who has served on the council for four years. Spivey — who serves the District 3 post that largely includes Chateau Elan — opted not to seek another term. Tony Funari was named to the council seat after an uncontested election in November. Spivey has lived in Braselton since 1998, accord ing to the town’s website. He served on the board of directors for Barrow County Habitat for Humanity and the mission board at Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church. Spivey earned a civil engineering degree from the Virginia Military Institute and served in Vietnam. He was a pilot for Delta Air Lines for 30 years, according to the town’s website. Funari will be sworn into office next month, along with District 1 council member Richard Mayberry, who won another term after an uncontested election. See BRASELTON on page 3A flW Gum Springs Elementary NEW SCHOOL ZONES A map provided by the Jackson County School System shows how the new Gum Springs Elementary School will affect student attendance zones for West Jackson Primary School, West Jackson Intermediate School and North Jackson Elementary School. BOE approves elementary school attendance changes BY BRANDON REED The Jackson County Board of Education voted unanimously Monday night to approve changes in attendance zones for several of the county’s elementary schools. School Superintendent Shannon Adams said the majority of changes came about to accom modate the opening of the new Gum Springs Elementary School. That school will dramatically decrease student enrollment at West Jackson Intermediate School and West Jackson Primary School. Adams also said about 70 students will move from South Jackson Elementary School to Benton Elementary School. With the new attendance lines, enrollment at West Jackson Primary will drop from 733 students to 397. West Jackson Intermediate will drop from 643 to 339. South Jackson Elementary will drop from 588 to 520. Benton Elementary will see an increase from 306 to 414. “We have available classroom space at Benton right now,” Adams said. “South Jackson, even with the new classroom wing, is already full and over-crowded.” Upon opening, Gum Springs Elementary School will have 654 students with a capacity of 875. Approximately 25 students in two subdivisions, Stonecreek and Summerhill, will be rezoned from North Jackson Elementary to Gum Springs. Gum Springs Elementary will be located next to West Jackson Middle School and Traditions of Braselton on Gum Springs Church Road. Alisa Hanley, currently the principal of West Jackson Intermediate School, was recently named principal of Gum Springs Elementary. In other business, Adams announced that the Georgia Council for Administrators of Special Education had recognized the Jackson County School System as being a leader in the state for providing good opportunities for students with disabilities. Special education director Melanie Brittan was presented with the award. EVALUATION The BOE also went into a closed meeting for 45 minutes to discuss the superintendent’s annual evalu ation. After the closed meeting, board Chairman Kathy Wilbanks announced that Adams had a sat isfactory evaluation and that his contract would be extended for one year. Wilbanks also announced that Adams would receive a $7,500 sal ary increase, as well as an increase in his in-county travel allowance See BOE on page 5A