The
Vol. 3 No. 49
Your only locally-owned community newspaper
Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Mill Creek, West Jackson and Barrow County
Wednesday, March 26,2008
A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. BraseltonNews.com BarrowJournal.com
Member of the
Georgia Press Association
250 copy
28 pages, 3 sections
Inside
•Featured artist named
for Hoschton’s ArtTrax
page 9 A
MILL CREEK
•Principal addresses
security concerns at
school after fight
page 2A
BARROW COUNTY
•Lack of sewer holding
up new middle school
page 3A
Sports:
•Road Atlanta prepares
for Tour de Georgia
page 1B
Opinion:
• ‘MCHS fight raises
larger issues’
page 4A
Public safety:
•Brothers arrested for
racing on 1-85
page 6A
•Church events
page 9B
•Obituaries
page 7A
Jackson, Barrow top nation’s growth list
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
Jackson and Barrow are among the top
fastest-growing counties in the nation, accord
ing to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Jackson was named the 10th fastest-growing
in the U.S., from 2006-2007, while Barrow
ranked 12th in the nation.
Jackson County grew from an estimated
55.542 residents in 2006 to 59,254 in 2007
— which is a 6.7 percent increase in population,
according to the Census.
“That means a lot,” said Shane Short, presi
dent of the Jackson County Area Chamber of
Commerce. “That means we are definitely a
fast-growing county and we've got to get ready
for the growth.”
Short said with the growing population, new
services will come to Jackson County, such as
retail opportunities.
“I think that gives us a positive outlook for
more retail growth,” he said.
The 2006-2007 Census population estimates,
however, were announced amid a slower econ
omy.
“Although the economy nationwide has slowed
down — and we have too in Jackson County
— but we haven't slowed as much as the other
areas in the nation,” Short said.
Jackson County is among the Atlanta-area
communities slated to continue to grow, he
added. Atlanta is still expected to grow by mil
lions over the next 10-15 years. Short said.
And while the real estate market has recently
slowed in Jackson County, the market hasn't
stopped, Short said.
“It’s still active, it’s just not as active as it used
to be,” he said.
Barrow County grew from an estimated 63,173
residents in 2006 to 67,139 in 2007 — which is a
6.3 percent increase, according to the Census.
“Barrow County has consistendy grown in
population since 2000. This growth reflects
that Barrow has many attributes that residents
desire and strengthens our workforce numbers
— allowing us to attract desirable commercial
and industrial companies,” said Linda Moore,
vice president of economic development for the
Barrow County Chamber of Commerce.
Neighboring Hall County ranked 50th in the
nation, while Gwinnett ranked 95th among the
fastest-growing counties in the nation, according
to the Census.
Courtroom appearance
TALKING WITH ATTORNEY
Henry Lee Stringer (far right) talks to his attorney, Joseph W. Vigneri (center), as his other attorney,
Christian G. Lamar (left) prepares for Tuesday’s hearing. Photo by Kerri Testement
Murder-arson defendant appears for first hearing
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
Henry Lee Stringer — the Auburn man accused of kill
ing four people and setting their Hoschton home on fire
in 2006 — spoke few words during his first public court
hearing on Tuesday.
The hearing was the first in what could potentially
be many court appearances before his trial. The hearing
was held to make sure the defendant’s attorneys were
qualified to handle a death penalty case. Stringer's court-
appointed attorneys are Christian G. Lamar and Joseph
W. Vigneri, both of the Office of the Georgia Capital
Defender.
During the hearing, Superior Court Judge Joe Booth
questioned the qualifications of Lamar and Vigneri.
Stringer is facing the death penalty for allegedly kill
ing his girlfriend, Marvelette Strickland, 29, their chil
dren J’Majuan Stringer, 4, and J’Lasia Stringer, 2, and
Marvelette’s mother, Evelyn Strickland, 68. Their bodies
were found inside their burning Pendergrass Road (Ga.
Hwy. 332) house in Jackson County on May 30, 2006.
Stringer was arrested in Barrow County a year after
the murder-arson. A Jackson County grand jury indicted
him in December 2007 on 16 counts related to the case.
Stringer has plead not guilty to the charges.
For Tuesday's brief hearing, Stringer was brought into
the courtroom in a orange and white prison jump suit. He
spoke to his attorneys before the proceeding started, and
waved to several loved ones in the courtroom at the end
of the hearing.
Judge Booth set an arraignment date for Stringer on
Thursday, April 17, at 1 p.m. During the arraignment, the
formal charges against Stringer will be presented, Lamar
said. Following the arraignment, the judge will determine
the motions filing schedule, he added.
Officials working on WJ overlay districts
WORKING ON PLANS
A group of officials from Jackson County, Braselton and Hoschton
met on Tuesday to discuss proposed overlay districts for Ga.
Hwy. 124 and Ga. Hwy. 53 in West Jackson. The meeting also wel
comed several developers, citizens, planning department officials
and a representative from the Jackson County Area Chamber of
Commerce.
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
Jackson County, Braselton and
Hoschton officials are teaming
together to establish overlay dis
tricts for two area state highways —
and they want the public’s opinion.
A public meeting on the proposed
overlay districts will be held on
Tuesday, April 15, at 7 p.m., at the
Hoschton Depot.
On Tuesday, officials from
the county and cities, and a few
developers, citizens and planning
department representatives met in
Braselton to discuss their ideas for
the proposed overlay districts.
Jackson County commission
er Bruce Yates recently proposed
overlay districts for Ga. Hwy. 124
and Ga. Hwy. 53 in West Jackson.
Braselton and Hoschton already
have overlay districts in portions of
their city limits.
An overlay district is another zon
ing requirement designed to supple
ment the existing standards in a
specified area.
Overlay districts often promote
similar building standards, architec
tural design, improved traffic design
and an overall consistent concept in
a specified area.
An overlay district on Hwy. 124
may extend from the Braselton town
limits east towards Jefferson, end
ing at Doster Road.
On Hwy. 53, an overlay district
may extend north to the Hall County
line and south to the Barrow County
See OVERLAY on page 5A
Former assistant DA
gets probation, fine
Charged with misdemeanor, not felony
BY ANGELA GARY
The assistant district attorney
pulled into a scheme to take money
from Banks County pled guilty
Tuesday to misdemeanor charges of
being party to a crime.
Former ADA Brett Williams was
fined $500 and given 12 months
probation and ordered to complete
50 hours of community service on
a misdemeanor charge. The action
stems from the theft case made
against former Piedmont Judicial
Circuit District Attorney Tim
Madison. Williams was originally
arrested on felony charges of theft
in connection with the case against
Madison. On Tuesday, the felony
charges against Williams were dis
missed.
Meanwhile, a hearing with
Madison's wife, Linn Jones, on
related theft
charges has
been resched
uled to April
18. Jones
worked in the
DA's office
as well and
faces charg
es related to
having falsi
fied payroll
documents. She was on both the
Banks County and Jackson County
payrolls.
BRETT WILLIAMS
The scheme with Madison and
Williams involved having Banks
County pay a full-time salary for
Williams, who was already being
See WILLIAMS on page 5A
Barrow hospital files lawsuit
against Braselton hospital
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
Barrow Regional Medical Center
has filed a lawsuit against Northeast
Georgia Health System’s plans to
open a new hospital in Braselton.
The Winder-based medical cen
ter filed the lawsuit on Monday in
Barrow County, according to Linda
Easterly, chief nursing officer for
Barrow Regional Medical Center.
The Northeast Georgia Health
System, Gainesville, is planning to
open a 100-bed hospital in South
Hall off Thompson Mill Road, near
Ga. Hwy. 211 in Braselton. The
hospital will provide emergency ser
vices, medical and surgical care, and
some specialty services.
Barrow Regional Medical Center
had filed two appeals with the
Georgia Department of Community
Health against the Northeast Georgia
Health System's proposed hospital
in Braselton.
The state agency is responsible
for reviewing proposals for new
or expanded healthcare services in
Georgia through a “certificate of
need” (CON) process. During that
process, other area healthcare pro
viders can appeal the application.
Northeast Georgia received state
approval for its Braselton hospital in
April 2007. Barrow Regional filed
an appeal with the state in May
2007.
A hearing officer and a review
board later backed the state’s origi-
By the Numbers
•119: Number of acres that
Northeast Georgia Health
System plans to open its
“River Place” medical com
plex near Chateau Elan.
•100: Number of beds
proposed for the Northeast
Georgia Medical Center in
Braselton.
•2012: Year the hospital is
slated to open.
•2008: Year the first build
ing, Medical Plaza 1, is slat
ed to open this fall.
nal approval for the Braselton hos
pital.
Barrow Regional had 30 days
from the review board’s hearing on
Feb. 22 to file a final option — a
lawsuit. That lawsuit was filed on
Monday, according to Easterly.
Barrow Regional isn't against the
proposed facility in Braselton, but
rather the state CON process used to
approve the hospital.
Easterly said Northeast Georgia
initially claimed the Braselton hos
pital would provide “replacement
beds,” but later changed the status
See HOSPITAL on page 5A
