Newspaper Page Text
36 Pages 3 Sections, Plus Preprints A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Winder, Barrow County Georgia 50« Copy Wednesday, September 14, 2016
BOE joins OSD opposition
By Alex Pace
Neivs-Journa! Reporter
Barrow County has joined a grow
ing force of Georgia school boards
opposing a proposed state constitu
tion amendment creating Opportunity
School Districts.
The Barrow County Board of
Education approved an opposition
resolution at its Sept. 13 meeting.
Connie Wehunt was not present for
the vote.
Rickey Bailey abstained from the
vote since the resolution didn’t say it
was based on the BOE’s interpretation
of the amendment. But after the vote,
he said he would support the BOE’s
decision.
Georgia voters will consider the
amendment in the Nov. 8 General
Election.
The proposed amendment would
allow the state to take over “failing”
schools.
Some BOE members were critical
of how Governor Nathan Deal, a pro
ponent of the amendment, is present
ing the OSD.
“My big concern is that the position
that the Governor is taking is that
all the systems that are against OSD
are ones that do not have very good
schools,” said Michael Shelley. “...
And he’s saying that all the systems
don’t want students — children —
advancing and getting better.”
See BOE on Page 5A
Sunflower Festival
scheduled Saturday
The annual Statham Sunflower Festival will be held
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17. Craft ven
dors, food vendors and information booths will be set
up in the downtown area.
There will also be pony rides, inflatables, train rides
and other activities. The entertainment acts are from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m., with different performances all during
the day. The street dance is from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.,
with Heavy Rain performing.
A sunflower quilt will be given away from a drawing
of tickets purchased between now and the afternoon of
the festival.
Barrow
Briefs
Low-cost spay,
neutering offered
Leftover Pets offers low cost
spay/neuter surgeries at its
clinic in Winder at 610 Barrow
Park Drive.
September clinic days are
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Fridays. Prices-are $85 for
a female dog over 25 lbs., $65
for a female dog up to 25 lbs.,
$55 for a male dog, $55 for a
female cat and $35 for a male
cat.
A $5 discount is available
for any surgery patient no older
than five months (as deter
mined by Leftover Pets vet
erinarian). All surgery prices
include a free rabies vaccina
tion. The group does not add
fees for in-heat or pregnant
animals. Financial assistance
is available for any low-income
Barrow County resident.
For more information on
clinic services, visit http://
www.leftoverpets.org.
Appointments are required
and must be made by calling
770-307-3499.
Classes of 1948,
‘49 to hold reunion
The Winder High School
classes of 1948 and 1949 will
host a combined reunion at
noon on Saturday, Oct. 1, at the
Golden Corral in Winder.
All class members and their
guests are encouraged to attend.
For more information, contact
Enoch Smith at 770-867-2061
or Martha Jean Barnette at
770-867-6786.
Inside
Today
Church News
10A
Classifieds
5-6C
Legals
7-12C
Obituaries
11A
Pets of the Week
4C
Public Safety
8-10A
Sports
1-8BB
Mailing
Label Below
\
PAYING TRIBUTE
Early Sunday morning, the
Winder Fire Department
hosted its annual memo
rial service to honor the
victims of 9-11. The ringing
of the bell (left) honors the
victims. Gary Mathews (mid
dle) holds his 17-month-old
grandson, John. (Bottom
left) Winder mayor David
Maynard and Winder Fire
Chief Matt Whiting present a
memorial wreath. See more
coverage on page 1C.
Photos by Jessica Brown
Two die in
Hwy. 316
accident
Two drivers were killed in an
early-morning accident Saturday
on Hwy. 316 between Hwy. 81 and
Carl-Bethlehem Road.
Anthony Hawkins, 21, of
Bethlehem, and Aileen Fisk, 39,
of Monroe, were both pronounced
dead at the scene. Fisk was driving
a Dodge Charger westbound in the
eastbound lane when she struck
a Nissan Rogue being driven by
Hawkins, Barrow County Sheriff’s
Office officials said. Both vehicles
were occupied only by the drivers.
Hawkins is a 2013 graduate of
Apalachee High School and was
a member of the school's cross
country, soccer and track teams.
His funeral is Saturday, Sept. 17,
at River Hills Church in Winder
at 3 p.m.
The visitation for Fisk, who
taught at Atha Road Elementary
in Monroe, is from 4-7 p.m.
Wednesday at Smith Memorial
Chapel in Winder. The funeral will
follow.
Hwy. 316 was closed for approx
imately two and a half hours. The
BCSO is continuing to investigate
the accident, officials said.
Former YMCA
location to
be special-
events venue
By Scott Tliompson
News-Journal Reporter
After more than half a decade of
abandonment, the former YMCA
site in the River Walk subdivision
in Bethlehem is poised to become
a special-events venue.
The Barrow County Board
of Commissioners on Tuesday
approved a change to the spe
cial-use permit for the 3.3-acre
site at 1947 Waterside Circle that
previously only allowed a YMCA
as part of a master planned devel
opment.
According to county documents,
the property owner, FTH & SRT
Properties & Investment, plans to
operate an upscale event facility
for weddings, corporate functions
and other similar events.
See BOC on Page 5A
Classroom standouts: BCSS honors Teachers of the Year
TEACHER SALUTE
The Barrow County School System recognized its teachers
of the year at the Sept. 6 board meeting.
Photo courtesy of BCSS
By Al ex Pace
News-Journal Reporter
Several Barrow County
School System teachers received
some special recognition last
week.
The Barrow County Board
of Education recognized its
Teachers of the Year at its Sept.
6 meeting. TOTY included:
ANN MARIE MILLER
Auburn Elementary School
Ann Marie Miller, the Auburn
Elementary School Teacher
of the Year, was described as
dependable and a team player.
AES principal Shawn Wilson
also noted Miller’s humility.
“While she is probably the
most passionate teacher I've
ever come across, she is also the
most humble.” said Wilson.
This is Miller’s second career,
but Wilson said she has “found
what she loves and what she
was put on earth to do.”
Her colleagues recognize her
for working late, coming in
early and working during lunch.
They say she is determined and
dedicated to helping students
succeed.
Wilson also noted that Miller
attends many of her students'
extracurricular events and said,
“The smiles on the children’s
faces make you know that this
is a moment they’ll always
remember.”
Her students said she always
treats them fairly and “makes
science feel cool to learn.”
See Teachers on Page 2A
