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16 Pages, 2 Sections
A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. Winder, Barrow County, Georgia $1.00 Copy Wednesday, August 2, 2023
Barrow prepares to
pay tribute to fallen hero
After over 70years,
one of Barrow’s fallen
heroes will receive the
burial he deserves
By Morgan Ervin
More than 70 years after he died fight
ing in the Korean War, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st
Class James Levon Wilkinson’s remains
have been identified.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting
Agency (DPAA) made the long-awaited
announcement on Wednesday, confirming
that Sgt. Wilkinson, a Barrow native, will
finally receive a proper burial.
Wilkinson, just 19 years old at the time
of his death, vanished during intense
fighting along the Naktong River near
Yongson, South Korea, on Sept. 8, 1950.
The U.S. and broader U.N. coalition were
fighting back North Korean forces, who
had unexpectedly invaded the South ear
lier that summer and almost taken con
trol of the entire Korean Peninsula. As
American, U.N. and South Korean forces
fiercely defended the southern tip of Ko
rea near Busan, they managed to launch a
crucial amphibious landing farther north
at Incheon, which temporarily altered the
course of the war.
DPAA revealed that Sgt. Wilkinson was
a member of G Company, 2nd Battalion,
9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Di
vision—the first U.S. division to rally in
defense of the South.
In December 1953, the Army had issued
a presumptive finding of death for Wilkin
son, marking more than three years since
he had gone missing in action.
After years of uncertainty, the search
for Wilkinson’s remains saw a break
through in March 2019. DPAA conducted
anthropological analysis, chest radio
graph comparison and mitochondrial
DNA (mtDNA) analysis, which eventual-
Credit: DPAA
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class James Levon
Wilkinson died fighting in the Korean War.
Over seven decades later, his remains have
been identified and his body will be laid to
rest in Barrow County on Sept. 16.
ly led to the identification of Sgt. Wilkin
son’s remains.
His name, once recorded on the Courts
of the Missing at the Punchbowl in Hono
lulu, where unidentified remains from Ko
rea were buried, will now bear a rosette,
signifying that he has been accounted for.
With the identification complete,
Wilkinson’s body will be laid to rest in
Barrow County on Sept. 16, bringing
solace and closure to his family while
honoring his sacrifice in service to the
nation.
His journey home serves as a poi
gnant reminder of the sacrifices made by
countless soldiers dining the Korean War,
a conflict that has left an indelible mark
on history and the hearts of the nation.
County commissioners
divided over rental caps
By Morgan Ervin
morgan@barrownews-
journal.com
Rental caps continue to
emerge as a central issue
at the heart of the ongoing
affordable housing debate
within the Barrow County
Board of Commissioners.
As new housing devel
opments continue to sprout
across the county, leaders
find themselves grappling
with the delicate balance
between ensuring quality
developments and protect
ing tenants from skyrock
eting rents.
On one side of the is-
MAILING LABEL
sue, advocates argue that
implementing rental caps
would safeguard tenants
by curbing excessive rent
increases and maintaining
upkeep standards. Com
missioner Alex Ward, a
proponent of rental caps,
asserts that while they
can’t halt growth, they can
pave the way for improved
housing quality. He em
phasizes the need to meet
the community’s expec
tations and keep up with
Barrow County’s evolving
landscape.
Conversely, the other
side contends that rent
al caps would discourage
landlords from investing
in their properties or de
veloping new rental units,
potentially decreasing the
overall housing supply.
These opponents fear that
imposing restrictions on
rent may stifle investment
in the rental market and
hinder the county’s prog
ress in addressing housing
needs.
The board has not been
able to find a unanimous
stance on the matter, with
some members position
ing themselves somewhere
in the middle. Chairman
Pat Graham advocates for
homeownership, as she be
lieves it fosters community
stability. She suggests that
rental caps could be con
sidered on a case-by-case
basis, with zoning condi
tions limiting the number
County commissioners
narrowly agreed to remove
the rental caps imposed on
two townhome developments
approved in June.
of rental units in certain
developments.
Commissioner Deborah
Lynn also takes a case-
by-case approach and
supports rental caps when
managed properly. Her
priority remains on pro
viding affordable housing
options, particularly for
first-time homebuyers.
A recent meeting wit
nessed a division among
board members when an
applicant from two previ
ously approved townhome
developments sought to
have a condition removed
that imposed a 10-15%
cap on rental properties.
The first vote resulted in
a tight 4-3 split in favor of
removing the condition,
with Commissioners Bill
Brown, Rolando Alvarez
and Alex Ward opposed.
The second vote, which
See BOC, page 2A
A BIG first day in Barrow
Credit: BCSS
Austin Road Elementary School (ARES) officially opened its doors Tuesday as students
returned to school across the county. ARES is the county’s tenth elementary school and
is located on the Innovation Campus alongside Barrow Arts and Sciences Academy. The
new elementary school was built to accomodate growth in the Apalachee cluster and
is expected to help to alleviate the student populations at Bethlehem, Kennedy, Yargo
and Auburn elementary schools. Also at the Innovation Campus, Phase II of the Bar-
row Arts and Sciences Academy is currently underway and will add a second academic
building on the Innovation Campus, which will complete construction for BASA with a
capacity of 1,800 students. What’s more, grading for a new middle school at the Inno
vation Campus is near completion, but timing for building construction will depend on
available state and local funding.
First day student enrollment up 15%
By Carole Townsend more accurate count will be available
During the Barrow County Board of on the 11th day of school, as all students
Education meeting Aug. 1, it was an- enrolled but considered “no-shows” will
nounced that a preliminary head count be dropped from enrollment on Day 10.
of students on the first day of the 2023- School officials said Tuesday that new
2024 school year, indicates an increase registrations are still coming in, even
in enrollment of about 15 percent. A
See Enrollment, page 2A
c It takes a village 5
1,900 filled backpacks given to Barrow
students at 2023 Backpack Drive
Over the weekend, the Barrow County community demonstrated its immense support
for the children of the county by coming together in a remarkable way. Through the com
bined efforts of 31 churches, four civic clubs, a dozen businesses and numerous volun
teers, a total of 1,900 backpacks filled with school supplies were given away, ensuring
students start the new school year with a gesture of kindness and caring. The event
took place at Bethlehem Church’s 316 Campus on Saturday, July 29, where Barrow
County families could drive through and pick up backpacks completely free of charge.
Community relations specialist at Barrow County School System, Ellen Petree, played a
significant role in coordinating the event and expressed her delight at the overwhelm
ing outpouring of love for the children and the positive impact this support would have
on the upcoming school year. Joseph Brown, a community pastor at Bethlehem Church,
expressed gratitude to all the volunteers and emphasized the importance of collabora
tion within the community. “It takes a village,” he said in regards to organizing such a
significant community-wide event.
Single lane closures
scheduled for SR 316
The Georgia Depart
ment of Transportation
(Georgia DOT) and con
tractor GP Inc. will close
one lane of traffic both east
and westbound on State
Route 316 from Monday,
July 31 to Thursday, Aug.
31. The closure will facil
itate concrete pours to tie
in all ramps along the cor
ridor and to all the work
of moving concrete bar
riers and protect workers
and equipment.
Right lanes and shoul
ders on SR 316 will be
closed to traffic begin
ning at the intersection of
Harry McCarty Road and
ending at Harrison Mill
Road. Delays are antici
pated. Consider alternate
routes. Remember to slow
down in work zones.
Exact dates may change
due to weather or oth
er factors. Motorists are
cautioned to reduce their
speed while traveling
through work zones, stay
alert and watch for work
ers. Before heading out,
get real-time information
on work status and traf
fic conditions by calling
511, visiting 51 lga.org, or
downloading the Georgia
511 app.
