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36 Pages 3 Sections, Plus Preprints A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Winder, Barrow County Georgia 50« Copy Wednesday, February 15, 2017 State contract to upgrade 8 traffic signal intersections around county Barrow Briefs SPLOST committee meeting Monday The Barrow County SPLOST Citizens Committee will hold its next meeting Monday, Feb. 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the Barrow County Senior Center, 80 Lee St., Winder. Topics to be discussed will include hearing a presentation from both Barrow County Lei sure Services as well as the county public works/roads and bridges department concern ing capital project needs in those areas. The committee is tasked with vetting a list of projects to rec ommend to the Board of Com missioners to put on a 1-cent special-purpose local-option sales tax that would go before voters on the November ballot. If passed, the tax would in effect be a continuation of the current SPLOST once it expires June 30, 2018. The meeting is open to the public. Piedmont CASA fundraiser The fifth annual Piedmont Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Heart for Children - Heart for Chocolate fundraiser will be held Satur day, Feb. 18. The “Black & White Gala” is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Jeffer son Civic Center. The event will include a full dinner buffet, silent/live auc tions, chocolates from local bakers, open bar (tips appreci ated) and the Fly Betty Band. For more information, call Michelle Black at 678-777- 5630 or www.PiedmontCasa. org. All proceeds will bene fit Piedmont CASA, serving advocates to local foster chil dren to ensure they have a safe and stable permanent home. Index: Church News 10A Classifieds 3-4C Legals 5-11C Obituaries 11A Pets of the Week 12A Public Safety 8-9 A Sports 1 - ■10, 12B Mailing Label Below A $1.67 million Georgia Department of Transporta tion contract will be used for upgrades to eight traffic signal intersections around Barrow County. Announced by DOT officials last week, the work is part of nine projects statewide totaling more than $89 million that will be aimed at relieving traffic con gestion and improving pedestri an safety. The Barrow work will be completed by Fort Mill, S.C.- based American Lighting and Signalization. Inc. It will include new various flashing yellow left turn signals to help unclog busy intersections and the installation of countdown timers and signs instructing vehicles to yield to pedestrians. The intersections to receive upgrades include: •Ga. 211/Jefferson Highway at Carl-Cedar Hill Road/Rockwell Church Road. •Ga. 53/Gainesville Highway at Rockwell Church Road. •Atlanta Highway at Wal- Mart. •Ga. 8/Loganville Highway at Matthews School Road. •Ga. 316 at Ga. 211/Bethle hem Road/Statham Road. •Ga. 316 at Kilcrease Road. •Ga. 316 at Carl Bethlehem Road. •May Street and Williams Street/Athens Street. The work is expected to be fully completed by Jan. 31.2019. Information on schedules, lane closures and detours associated with the projects will be made available in advance of construc tion, according to a DOT news release. BOC votes to renew, expand Ft. Yargo lease The Barrow County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved the renewal and expansion of the recreational ground lease with the State Prop erties Commission for Fort Yargo State Park. The new 25.5-year lease allows the county to use its lease area at the park, which includes recreational facilities, plus an addition al 37 acres adjacent from those facilities that com missioners voted last year to acquire the use of. Under the new agree ment, the county has five years to construct any pro posed improvements on the 37 acres or the parcel would likely revert back to the control of the state, county economic and community Chamber hands out top awards at annual dinner AWARD WINNERS The Barrow County Chamber of Commerce handed out its top awards of the year at its 70th annual awards dinner Saturday night at Chateau Elan. Pictured, from left to right, are Steven Canup, Sunita Singh, Ellen Petree, Beth Caldwell, Michelle Walker, Jason Britt and Mike Muse. Photos courtesy of Nelson Sanders Caldwell named ‘Shining Star’ at banquet The Barrow County Chamber of Com merce held its 70th annual awards dinner Saturday at the Chateau Elan Winery & Resort. The chamber named Beth Caldwell its Shining Star for the year. Caldwell, a former teacher, also served terms on the Barrow County Board of Education, Barrow County Board of Com missioners and Winder City Council. She has also been instrumental in efforts around the county to combat illiteracy. In 1991, she helped establish the Wind er-Barrow Certified Literate Community Coalition. Other award winners Saturday night included: •Sunita Singh, Northeast Georgia Medi cal College, Ambassador of the Year. •Michelle Walker, Community Service Award. •Bethlehem Church, Distinguished Ser vice Award. •Bentley’s Butcher Shop, Small Busi ness of the Year. •Oak Grove Landfill, Large Business of the Year. •Ellen Petree, Citizen of the Year. SHINING STAR Beth Caldwell speaks after receiving her award during the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards dinner Saturday. development director Guy Herring said. No definitive plans for the site have been announced by the county at this point. Also, any lighting pro posed for the site would have to be approved by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources parks operation staff and Georgia State Parks would retain the proceeds from the timber prior to the construction. In other business, com missioners: •approved the Fiscal Year 2016 financial report and budget amendments for various departments. The amendments were to move around money from departments that under spent their budget to those that overspent theirs. While no new funds were added, the county had to make the amendments because coun ties are required by the state to have a balanced budget. •Approved a $150,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission for the extension of the Park 53 Industrial & Technology Complex road. The grant requires a 50-percent See BOC on Page 2A o School system announces Pre-K lottery dates Applications for the Barrow County School System’s 2017- 2018 Georgia Pre-K Program Lottery will be accepted March 1-31 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mon day through Friday at the BCSS Professional Development Cen ter (PDC), located at 179 West Athens St. in Winder. Children must be 4 years of age on or before Sept. 1, 2017, in order to apply for the Pre-K program. Children who are 5 years of age on or before Sept. 1, 2017 and have not attend ed Georgia’s Pre-K Program as a 4-year-old may enroll in the BCSS Pre-K program. Families should come to the PDC to pick up and complete a lottery application. This information will also be available online at www.barrow. kl2.ga.us/pre-k.html starting March 1, 2017. Parents will be required to show current proof of residen cy to verify their elementary school attendance zone. Proof of residency is a utility bill (elec tric, gas, water, cable/satellite, garbage or house phone), set tlement statement, or a rental/ lease agreement. Parents will also need to bring a copy of their child’s birth certificate or other acceptable proof of age and identity to verify the child’s birthday/age. A lottery number will be issued to each applicant. The Pre-K Lottery application information must be turned in See Lottery on Page 3A