Newspaper Page Text
28 Pages 2 Sections, Plus Preprints A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Winder, Barrow County Georgia 50$ Copy Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Barrow
Briefs
Independence
Day
celebrations
set for Winder,
Auburn
An Independence Day Cel
ebration will be held in down
town Auburn on Saturday
from 5-11 p.m.
Uncommon Kind and the
Yargo Community Band Sax
ophone Ensemble will be per
forming live music.
There will be over 50 ven
dors, food trucks, inflatables,
pony rides, free crafts for kids
in the kids zone and fire
works.
The Whistlestop Shops will
also be open.
Barrow Bright
On July 4, 12Stone Church
will be hosting its Barrow
Bright Independence Day
Celebration from 6-10 p.m.
at Apalachee High School,
940 Haymon Morris Road,
Winder.
Gates will open at 5 p.m.
and fireworks are scheduled
to begin around 9:10 p.m.
Library Boards
of Trustees
meetings
set for next
month
The Barrow County Board
of Library Trustees will be
meeting Monday, July 24, at
4 p.m. at the Auburn City
Council Chambers. The city
council chambers are locat
ed next to the Auburn Police
Department at 1361 4th Ave.,
Auburn.
The Piedmont Region
al Library System Board
of Trustees will meet Mon
day, July 24, at 5 p.m. at the
Auburn City Council Cham
bers.
All meetings are open to the
public.
Index:
Church News
14A
Classifieds
6-7 B
Legals
8-11B
Obituaries
15A
Public Safety
8-11A
Sports
1-5, 12B
Opinion
4-6A
Mailing
Label Below
'0 4879 14541
o
5 arrested in
meth lab bust
$ 1 million worth of meth, other
drugs, firearms, $250K in cash
seized from Bethlehem residence
Live men are being held in the
Barrow County Detention Center
without bond for their role in a local
methamphetamine laboratory.
Catarino Lopez, Sergio Lopez,
Arturo Lopez-Torres. Jhonnathan
Ulivi Vergara and Julio Moreno-Ni-
eto were arrested June 21 after the
Barrow County Sheriffs Office Nar
cotics Unit and Drug Enforcement
Administration Clandestine Labo
ratory Team found 19 one-gallon
containers filled with liquid amphet
amine at 1625 Sedgefield Trail in
Bethlehem.
The methamphetamine. transported
from Mexico and found in a bedroom
closet, yielded approximately 45
pounds of crystal methamphetamine
with a street value of $1 million,
according to a news release.
Investigators also seized three fire
arms, marijuana, cocaine and over
$250,000 in cash.
METH BUST
Investigators with the Barrow County Sheriff’s
Office and Drug Enforcement Administration
seized $1 million of liquid amphetamine for crystal
meth, marijuana, cocaine, three firearms and over
$250,000 in cash. Photo courtesy of BCSO
Amphitheater opens
OPEN AND READY
A ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening was held Friday for Innovation Amphitheater
behind Sims Academy of Innovation and Technology in Winder. The nearly $4 million proj
ect is a joint venture by Barrow County and the Barrow County School System. Photos by
Jessica Brown
Ribbon-cutting held
for venue, first show
set for next weekend
By Scott Thompson
News-Journal Editor
Innovation Amphitheater in Winder is open and
ready for its first show next week.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony and soft-opening
free concert were held Lriday at the 1,500-seat
amphitheater behind Sims Academy of Innova
tion and Technology.
The venue is a joint venture by Barrow County
and the Barrow County School System.
Construction, led by Carroll Daniel Construc
tion Co., began on the nearly $4 million project
in November and wrapped up earlier this month.
“I have to say I am over the moon and far more
impressed than I thought I would be with this
place,” superintendent Chris McMichael said
during Friday's ceremony.
“This is a fantastic facility. I really think it’s
going to put Barrow County firmly on the map for ‘OVER THE MOON’
Barrow County schools superintendent Chris
See Amphitheater on Page 3A McMichael speaks during Friday’s ceremony.
PUTTING ON A SHOW
Atlanta-based band Bulletproof gave a soft opening concert at the amphitheater Friday.
School
board to
decide on
millage
‘rollback’
By Ron Bridg’eman
News-Journal Reporter
Barrow County home-
owners could pay more in
property taxes for 2017-
18, if their property was
reassessed in 2017, or the
Barrow Board of Educa
tion could “roll back” the
millage rate to generate the
same amount of revenue
it was predicted to receive
this year.
The board debated
whether the rollback is
worth it at Tuesday’s work
session.
The millage rate is rec
ommended to remain the
same at 18.5 mills.
But the rollback rate
would be 17.146 mills if it
were adopted.
A tax rate of one mill
represents $1 per $1,000 of
assessed value. Property is
“assessed” at 40 percent of
the fair market value, or the
appraised value.
If a house is appraised
at $100,000, the assessed
value is $40,000.
The property tax bill is
40 times the millage rate. If
the rate remains the same,
it would be 40 times 18.5
or $740.
The school district will
hold three hearings about
the millage rate and the
board will vote on it at its
July 25 meeting.
The public hearings will
be at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
July 18 at the central school
office and 5 p.m. July 25.
The difference between
18 mills and 17.146 mills
would be nearly $2.4 mil
lion in local property taxes.
Rolando Alvarez, at-large
board member from Dis
trict 8, asked about cutting
the millage rate to 18 mills,
rolling back a portion.
He said that would be
“about a wash.” A rate of
18 mills would generate
about $32.9 million versus
the $33 million that is pro
jected for the Fiscal Year
2018 budget.
Other board members —
Lynn Stevens, Ricky Bai
ley, Garey Huff and Connie
Wehunt — said a reduc
tion in the millage rate also
See Millage on Page 2A
