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o 1 4 5 4 1 O 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.