Newspaper Page Text
36 Pages, 4 Sections, Plus Preprints A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Winder, Barrow County Georgia 50« Copy Wednesday, December 21, 2016
State agency: Statham police officer
needs more training on DUI cases
Barrow
Briefs
Offices
closed Friday
The offices of the Barrow
News-Journal and Mainstreet
Newspapers will be closed Fri
day, Dec. 23 and will re-open
Monday, Dec. 26.
The offices will also close
Friday, Dec. 30, and will
re-open Monday, Jan. 2.
Adult
beginning
computer
class
An adult beginning comput
er class will be held at the
Statham Public Library from
5:30-6:30 p.m. on Thursday,
Dec. 29. For more details or to
reserve a spot, call the library
at 770-725-4785.
Auburn
Library
events and
news
The following events are
coming up at the Auburn
Library:
•Worldwide Webnesdays
Adult Computer Lessons. Call
the library for appointment
times.
The library will be closed on
Saturday, Dec. 24, and Mon
day, Dec. 26, in observance
of Christmas; and Saturday,
Dec. 31, in observance of New
Year's Eve.
The library is located at 24
5th Street. Library hours are:
Monday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.;
Tuesday through Thursday, 11
a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Sat
urday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and
closed on Sundays.
For more information contact
the library at 770-513-2925 or
www.auburn.prlib.org
Index:
Church News
10A
Classifieds
4-5B
Legals
1-8C
Obituaries
11A
Pets of the Week
3D
Public Safety
7-9A
Sports 1-3,
6, 8B
Mailing
Label Below
By Ron Bridg'eman
News-Journal Reporter
A state legal office for attor
neys issued a letter Tuesday that
does not “find any cause to sup
port criminal charges” against a
Statham police officer.
However, the letter from the
Prosecuting Attorneys Coun
cil of Georgia also says, “It is
important that Officer (Marc)
Lofton receive additional train
ing if he intends to continue
making DUI cases, especially
By Scott Tkompson
Editor
Winder native Shane Whelchel
realizes he has a blessed and for
tunate life today, but that was
not always the case.
He battled the demons of drug
addiction that he says drove
him to virtual homelessness,
conquered them through his
new-found Christian faith, got
ordained and became a success
ful businessman as owner of
Agape Ink Tattoos on Atlanta
Highway.
“God really takes care of us,
and I live a really good life
now,” said Whelchel, who is
engaged and has a son. “People
where prescription drugs are
involved.”
The PAC was asked to review
DUI - less safe cases brought by
Lofton. District Attorney Brad
Smith referred the cases to the
legal agency.
He said a group of citizens
had brought him a set of cases
that he reviewed. The same peo
ple, he said, brought another
half dozen cases to him Dec. 8.
He referred the cases to the
PAC on Dec. 12.
Charles Spahos, executive
can see material wealth there,
but the experiences I’ve been
through are priceless. One of the
things that makes me a rich man
is God has changed my heart.
There's nothing I have materi
alistically that I wouldn't walk
away from today if it could help
save a life.”
With that in mind, Whelchel
will be opening up his shop at
669 Atlanta Highway Southeast
in Winder to the community on
Sunday — Christmas Day — to
provide meals to the less fortu
nate.
The store will open at 5 p.m.
and Whelchel is hoping that
people who aren't able to afford
a Christmas dinner, those who
director of the PAC of Geor
gia, said his office reviewed the
cases and the letter was to be
sent to Smith on Tuesday.
Smith forwarded the letter to
the Barrow News-Journal.
Lofton has been the target of
complaints by a group of citi
zens for months. He has been
accused of making up charges,
lying on incident reports and
lying when he testifies.
Statham Police Chief Allan
Johnston prepared a report,
which shows Lofton brought
are sick, those recovering from
addiction and single mothers or
families with children who can’t
afford gifts will be able to attend
and share fellowship.
Whelchel, his family and staff
will also be providing Christmas
gifts to children who come.
As of last week, about 50
people had signed up on Face-
book to attend the dinner, which
Whelchel said he gained the
inspiration for while attending
church recently.
“The preacher's message was
what to do when your cup run
neth over,” Whelchel said. “And
it hit me when we were having
lunch that day. I need to give it
See Christmas on Page 3A
Inside:
Chief talks about city’s
increased revenue from
fines, use of tag readers
-Page 2A
DUI - less safe charges in more
than 50 cases.
DUI - less safe is a charge that
See Officer on Page 2A
Statham
transfer
station
opposed
By Ron Bridg'eman
News-Journal Reporter
A proposal for a solid
waste transfer station in
Statham apparently won’t
be getting a permit any
time soon from the city.
The transfer station,
which would sit on about
eight acres of land in the
Statham Industrial Park,
generated opposition from
Robert Wall, owner of
CableEast, a fiber optic
company in the park, and
a number of area residents.
The group attended the
City Council work session
last week.
Wall and some support
ers also were at the council
meeting Tuesday.
Mayor Robert Bridges
told Wall after his presen
tation Thursday, “the city
will not be giving a permit
(for the transfer station)
until a judge or lawyer tells
us to.”
Wall said he appreciates
the city’s work with him
and emphasized his com
pany and he support the
city. But he also said he has
retained a Winder lawyer.
Wall argued that the
city’s zoning of M-l for the
property does not allow for
a transfer station.
He said it would require
a “conditional use” permit,
which could be approved
only after a specific hear
ing, and advertising, about
it.
Wall also said the indus
trial park has protective
covenants which would
not allow for the transfer
station in the park. Those
covenants require property
owners to get permission
See Station on Page 2A
Sharing blessings
GIVING BACK
Shane Whelchel, middle, owner of Agape Ink Tattoos, his family and staff will be hosting a
Christmas dinner from 5-8 p.m. Sunday, Christmas Day, at his shop at 669 Atlanta Highway
Southeast in Winder. The dinner will be open to the community, but particularly individuals
and families in need. There will be a gift for every child who attends.
Winder tattoo shop owner to provide meals
to families, toys to children on Christmas Day
'0 4879 14541
o
Man dies after being punched in face at Braselton restaurant
By Alex Pace
News-Journal Reporter
A local man died after being
punched in a Braselton restau
rant last week. Authorities are
ruling the incident a homicide.
Clint Roshan Ali, 34, died
after being struck by a man in
Jack's Bar and Grill on Hwy.
211. Ali is a storeowner of the
Shell station located within
walking distance of the restau
rant.
Shortly after the Dec. 15
incident, the Braselton Police
Department arrested the suspect,
David Allen Digiacomo, 40, of
Flowery Branch, on charges of
murder, aggravated assault and
obstruction.
Authorities were called to the
restaurant around 10 p.m. for
reports of a man who had fallen
at the bar and was unresponsive.
The incident was seeming
ly unprovoked as Digiacomo
approached Ali at the jukebox
and “sucker punched” him in the
head. Surveillance video inside
the restaurant clearly shows the
incident, and Braselton Police
Chief Terry Esco noted it’s
“pretty cut and dry.”
An online version of this story
said that Ali and a friend of
Digiacomo had an altercation
at the bar, but that incident is
believed to have taken place
earlier.
The punch apparently
stemmed from a months-old
altercation involving Ali and
Digiacomo’s friend. When his
friend told him about the inci
dent, Digiacomo reportedly
approached Ali and punched
him in the head.
The blow knocked him to the
ground.
“After he fell, he stopped
breathing,” said BPD chief Terry
Esco.
Two nurses tried to perform
CPR on Ali. He was transported
to Northeast Georgia Medical
Center Braselton where he died.
Digiacomo told officers he
got upset that Ali threatened his
See Braselton on Page 3A