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36 Pages 3 Sections, Plus Preprints A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Winder, Barrow County Georgia 50$ Copy Wednesday, November 2, 2016
BOE split on naming of new school
By Alex Pace
News-Journal Reporter
A new school requires a name,
but the process of deciding it
isn't always simple. The Bar-
row County BOE had a lengthy
discussion on the naming of its
new elementary school at its
Nov. 1 meeting.
The district has completed
most of its school naming pro
cess, including seeking nomi
nations from the entire county
and various surveys among the
nominations and top choices.
The top three were announced
last week: Berry, Cedar Creek
and Winder elementary.
A survey was sent out to
349 households in the school’s
zone last week, with 88 replies.
Cedar Creek Elementary had
over twice as many votes as the
other two choices, coming in at
52.17 percent.
But some BOE members
want some time to get addition
al input from the community.
“I don’t think there’s any
harm in giving it more time
to get some more feedback,”
said Rolando Alvarez. “I prefer
‘Winder’ myself.”
Winder Elementary School
received the lowest number of
votes, coming in at approx
imately 22.7 percent. (Berry
Elementary fell in the middle at
25 percent.)
Other BOE members, includ
ing Connie Wehunt and Lynn
Stevens, say “majority rules.”
Stevens said that the district
received input from households
that would have children attend
ing that school and stressed,
“they should determine what
the name of that school is.”
“I know some folks may want
See Naming on Page 2A
Election time
FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME
Winder resident, Betty Graf, 87, left, took advantage of the early voting in Barrow County
on Monday. Graf, voting for the first time in 64 years, said she last remembered voting
for Dwight D. Eisenhower for president. When asked why she decided to vote again after
more than 60 years, she said, “I am sick and tired of the politicians. Maybe it’s time to let a
businessman try being president.” She said she might not be around to see the outcome,
but her grandkids and great-grandkids would be. Volunteer Sandra Savage, helped Graf
get signed in to vote at the Barrow County Voter Registration Office. Photo by Sharon Hogan
Early voting ends Friday ahead of Tuesday contest
Barrow County is seeing a
higher number of early voters
for the 2016 presidential elec
tion than it did four years ago,
county elections director Mon
ica Franklin said this week.
As of Monday afternoon,
more than 9,900 registered vot
ers in the county had already
cast their ballots ahead of
the general election, which is
Tuesday.
Friday saw the highest turn
out so far with more than 1,100
voters casting ballots, and 965
more voted on Saturday.
Registered voters may cast
their ballots 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
through Friday at 5 p.m. at the
board of elections office, 233
East Broad St., Winder.
For more information, go to
barrowga.org and go to the
elections board page.
Candidates discuss issues
In addition to voting for
president and other federal and
statewide offices, Barrow Coun
ty voters will also see three
locally-contested races on their
ballot.
Two county commission seats
are up for grabs, as is a Board of
Education seat.
In the Board of Commis
sioners District 2 race, former
Republican commissioner Bill
Brown is seeking a return to
office and will face Democrat
Dwight Acey, who chairs the
county Democratic party.
In the District 3 race, Repub
lican incumbent Roger Wehunt
faces a challenge from Demo
crat Michael Pope.
In the District 6 school board
race, Republican incumbent
Rickey Bailey faces challenger
Brittany Mayweather.
See our candidate question
naire on page 10A to learn more
about the candidates and their
views on key issues in the elec
tion.
Wehunt and Bailey did not
submit responses to the Bar-
row News-Journal's questions
by presstime.
Suspect sought in Braselton shooting
Barrow
Briefs
Ronda Rich will head
line businesswoman
award luncheon Nov. 16
Well-known Southern
author Ronda Rich will be
the guest speaker at the Bar-
row County Chamber of
Commerce Businesswoman of
the Year luncheon on Nov. 16.
The event begins at 11:30
a.m. at the Georgia Club, 1050
Chancellors Drive, Statham.
Nomination forms are avail
able at the chamber office,
online at barrowchamber.com
or from any Women in Busi
ness member.
JROTC plans car show
The Winder-Barrow High
School JROTC Bulldogg Bat
talion will be hosting a car
show on Nov. 12. This event
will take place in the high
school’s lower field parking
lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
All entry fees, donations,
and concession proceeds will
be given to The Peace Place,
Inc. and The Tree House, Inc.
A minimum $10 registration
fee will be collected for all
vehicles entered in the show
and there is also a $2 mini
mum spectator fee. This is a
donation benefit for victims of
domestic violence and child
abuse.
There will be prize draw
ings every half hour.
The show will feature cars,
trucks, jeeps, motorcycles,
etc. It is a family friendly
event with food, raffles, music
and fun.
WBHS Class of
1962 mini-reunion
The Winder-Barrow High
School Class of 1962 mini-re
union will be held at the Gold
en Corral at 1 p.m. Monday.
Those interested in attend
ing are asked to respond to
Dianne Fleeman at 678-425-
2531 or dfleeman@wind-
stream.net.
Statham Library to
host herpetology pro
gram
The Statham Public Library
is hosting the UGA Herpetol
ogy Outreach Program for a
special “show and tell” about
the reptiles and amphibians
native to Georgia.
The animals on display will
be snakes, terrapins, turtles,
salamanders, and a pond slid
er.
The program is free to the
public and will take place at
the Statham Public Library on
Saturday from 1-2 p.m.
For more information,
please call the library at 770-
725-4785.
Mailing
Label Below
8 "0 4879 14541 7
By Alex Pace
News-Journal Reporter
Authorities are con
tinuing to search for
the person who shot
and killed a man at a
Braselton gas station
early Saturday morning.
James Harold Walls, a
56-year-old Flowery
Branch man, was killed
after being shot while
pumping gas at the Cir
cle K on Hwy. 211 at
Hwy. 124.
Officers with the Bra
selton Police Depart
ment were called to the
scene around 1 a.m. on
Saturday, Oct. 29. Walls
and Angela Nicole
Baker, of Oakwood, had
been next door at the
Waffle House before
driving over to the gas
station.
A small car (possibly
a white or silver Honda
Civic with black rims),
which had been parked
beside Walls’ vehicle
at the Waffle House,
pulled up beside him at
the gas pump. An argu
ment started and the
suspect shot Walls once
in the chest.
Witnesses said they
heard people argu
ing before the shoot
ing. They then saw the
Honda Civic rapidly
driving away from the
scene.
Bystanders reportedly
attempted to keep Walls
alive, but he died short
ly before police arrived.
Baker, who was
inside the gas station
at the time, reported
ly walked out and saw
Walls had been shot.
Officers say she got into
Walls’ vehicle, grabbed
her purse and Walls’
phone, then called
someone to pick her up
and left the scene.
BAKER, BRADY
ARRESTED
Baker turned herself
into the BPD on Sat
urday after her mother
See Shooting on Page 2A
Barrow
grad rate
tops state
average
By At ex Pace
News-Journal Reporter
Barrow County saw its
highest graduation rate
last year and topped the
state average. The Barrow
County Board of Education
received an update on its
2016 four-year cohort grad
uation rate at its Tuesday
meeting.
The Barrow County
School System graduation
rate increased to 83.9 per
cent for the 2016 school
year, up from 79.1 percent
from the 2015 school year.
The district was also almost
5 percent higher than the
state average (79.2 per
cent).
Apalachee High School
had a 2 percent dip in its
graduation rate, down to
84.6 percent. Winder-Bar
row High School saw a 3.3
percent increase, up to 87.9
percent.
WBHS saw an increase
among all subgroups
(Asian, black, Hispanic,
white, economically disad
vantaged and special edu
cation). AHS had a slight
dip in its graduation rate for
Asian and black students.
BOE member Garey
H. Huff noted the large
improvements in spe
cial education grad rates
throughout the district.
AHS has doubled its spe
cial education graduation
rate since 2011. WBHS’s
rate is more than four times
higher than in 2011.
The district is also work
ing to lower the “achieve
ment gap” between the
different subgroups. Asian
students had the highest
average at both schools,
while black students had
the lowest rate of the sub
groups (excluding special
education).
OTHER BUSINESS
Also at its meeting, the
BOE:
•recognized WBHS as
clean school of the month.
•recognized schools with
the highest attendance for
October including: stu
dents, Statham and Hay-
mon-Morris; staff, Statham
and Alternative Education
See Meeting on Page 2A
Index:
Church News
5C
Classifieds
7-8C
Legals
9-11C
Obituaries
11A
Pets of the Week 3C
Public Safety
7-9 A
Sports
1 -1 OB
O