StarNews
www.starnewsga.com
Chris
East:
hea.
4^2** < ***^+******' t ALL FOR ADC 300
MAlfo LIBRARY-UGA
GEORGIA ^WSPAPtR PROJECT
3io 3 JACKSON ST
ATHENS |3A 30302-5002
1W
beginning on Page 9
'lih'lii
770-214-9900 • P.O. Box 680 30112/961 Maple Street, Carrollton, GA 30117
DECEMBER 2013
500 StarNews monthly publication/StarNews Online www.starnewsga.com
VOLUME 19 NUMBER 12
New regulations under Obama adminstration
causing electricity usage costs to go up
Regulation requires technology that currently does not exist
Gash reserves for City of
Villa Rica: $9.1 million
by Carole Scott
In a 2008 interview with the San Francisco
Chronicle before he was elected president, Barack
Obama promised that if he was elected, “if
somebody wants to build a coal
power plant they can, it’s just that
it will bankrupt them because
they are going to be charged a
huge sum for all that greenhouse
gas that’s being emitted.”
Through his administration’s
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), this is one of his promises he had
kept.
Chip Jakins, President/CEO of Carroll EMC
said that “As a distribution cooperative, we are
Today Americans
pay 42% more
for electricity
than they did
a decade ago.
directly affected by regulations placed on generat
ing companies like Oglethorpe Power and
Southern Company. The more recent EPA regula
tions on coal ash, wastewater and carbon capture
will equate to more than a billion
dollar cost increase for Oglethorpe
alone. Being a not-for-profit com
pany, this translates into direct cost
increases for our members.”
The cooperative industry is a fan
of clean energy, but it can’t be suc
cessfully achieved overnight
through the blanketed approach of a government
agency. Shutting down generation plants because
they don’t meet technology standards that don’t
See ELECTRICITY page 24
Meeting the big guy in person!
On Saturday, November 30th, Wallace Farm and Pet Supply was visited by Santa! Cate
“Cookie” Booth, age 2, was a little too shy and a bit overwhelmed to sit on the lap of ol’
Saint Nick, so he settled for a high five and a hand shake. (See more Santa photos page 38.)
Photo by Sunny Kirby
by Prissi Sullivan
Cash accounts for the city of
Villa Rica total $9.1 million
according to the November 2013
Financial Update. General Fund
Revenues were $334,005, while
Expenditures were $419,587.
Water/Sewer Revenues were
$403,970 and Expenditures were
See VILLA RICA page 42
Cash reserves for Carroll
County: $7.2 million
by Prissi Sullivan
Carroll County Comptroller Don
Johnson presented the Financial
Report to the board of commis
sioners during the Tuesday, Dec. 5
meeting. SPLOST receipts, which
average $800,000 per month, were
See COMMISSION page 41
Williams wins runoff
for city school seat
by Sam Gentry
Katie Doyle Williams won the
runoff election against her oppo
nent, April Brewer Harris, for the
See CITY SCHOOL BOARD page 42
Villa Rica Council approves graduated tax
abatement with company with promise of jobs
by Prissi Sullivan
Villa Rica City Council held a
called meeting for the purpose of
reaching an agreement with UPC
Southeast LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company. Council
Members Verland Best, Rusty
Dean, -Patrick Henrickson, and
Shirley Marchman were present.
Southeast was requesting a re
structuring of the ad valorem tax
exemptions in order to purchase
innovative equipment to use in the
See TAX ABATEMENT page 34
Southwire recognized for 12 for Life program
with HIRE award by US News and World Report
from press release
Highlighting the company’s
efforts through its 12 for Life pro
gram to encourage students to com
plete high school, Innovate Educate
and U.S. News and World Report
with a HIRE Award.
In their first year, the HIRE
Awards recognize employers across
the country that use innovative hir
ing and training process to clq^e th<
skills gap. Chosen by a panel o:
See SOUTHWIRE page 34
will present Southwire Company
John Tanner Park’s “A Very Carroll Christmas”
Saturdays Dec. 7th and 14th: 5 pm - 9 pm
by Kirby Sprewell
Christmas is just around the cor
ner, and John Tanner State Park has
a fan and family-oriented event to
get you in the spirit.
The Third Annual “A Very
Carroll Christmas” will be held
Saturdays December 7 and 14 from
5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Activities
include a hayride around the lake
into Storybook Wonderland.
See CHRISTMAS page 34
VIVA ITALIA!
Two for $25 Meal
Choose two entrees and
an appetizer to share!
No subsitutions. May not be used In
combination with any other discounts
It's NOT too late to book your
On the Square, downtown Carrollton. Chris LlliaS Party in OUr
770 834-9252 Private Room! (No room fee!)
Fine Italian
Dining
Family Friendly
Pricing
