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CARROLL COUNTY, GEORGIA'S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED LOCALLY OPERATED NEWSPAPER
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1
PART 2
NEWS REPORTING / NEWS RECAP / NEWS ANALYSIS
NOVEMBER 8, 2020 • VOLUME 26 NUMBER 11
ANNUAL SPECIAL on how we are doing as a county ana
community, including stats on our quality of life in West Georgia
PART TWO OF THREE beginning on page 9
www.starnewsgaonline.com
StarNews monthly traditional print publication/ StarNews Online daily local news
24th annual Economic Forecast
Breakfast predicts positive:
Construction industry “robust”; lowest
mortage rates “in history”; housing
market on an “upward trajectory”
submitted by Sam Gentry, UWG
The University of West Georgia’s Richards
College of Business held its 24th annual
Economic Forecast Breakfast Tuesday, Oct.
27th, with business,
government and com
munity leaders gather
ing virtually via Zoom
and Facebook Live to
hear from three speak
ers on what to expect
as the economic
recovery from the
COVID-19 pandemic
continues. Georgia
Commissioner of
Labor Mark Butler
was one of the three speakers.
Hosted by the Carroll County Chamber of
Commerce and the Richards College of
See ECONOMIC FORECAST page 19
State labor department
warns of phone hoax
from press release
The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL)
is warning Georgians of recent telephone
scammers attempting to steal personally
identifiable information (PII) while posing as
an employee of the Georgia Department of
Labor.
The GDOL received several reports of an
automated call claiming that the individual’s
social security number had been compromised
in Texas and asking for individuals to press a
button to talk with a representative about next
steps. The call appears to come from the
Georgia Department of Labor.
The GDOL is not calling claimants to
address potential fraud in another state. If
See PHONE HOAX page 4
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Mike Dugan (R) wins fifth
term; Tyler Paul Smith (R) to
go to Gold Dome for first time
Tyler Paul Smith
Mike Dugan
Smith wins with a commanding 75.17%
Dugan, also strong, has a 67.65% win
by Daniel Jackson
The Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020 General
Election proved to be a momentous night for
Georgia State District 30 incumbent Senator Mike
Dugan and newly elected Georgia State House
District 18’s Tyler Paul Smith.
Senator Dugan defeated Democratic challenger
Montenia Edwards by a large margin. Dugan
collected 67.7% of the 85,888 total votes cast,
while Edwards won just 32.3% with 27,781
votes.
Dugan thanked his supporters for his victory
stating, “I want to say how much I appreciate the
voters selecting me to continue to serve them.
I’m proud of the work we’ve done and look
forward to working with the entire Senate body,
to continue to move Georgia forward”. Dugan
will begin his fourth term in January.
Tyler Paul Smith ended the night with an
equally impressive win, collecting 75.2% of the
18,160 votes cast, to Pat Rhudy’s 24.8% and
See ELECTION RESULTS page 8
Paula Burke is Carroll County’s first female extension agent
having been hired in 2012 by then Commission Chairman Bill
Chappell. She is shown above with her most recent award The
National Association of County Agricultural Agents “2020
Distinguished Service Award”.
“NO ROCK QUARRY”
Proposed rock quarry
review now moves to
Georgia EPD
submitted by Jackie Pate
The next step has been reached in the review of a pro
posed rock quarry in southeastern Carroll County as it
now is to be considered by the Georgia Environmental
Protection Division (EPD).
The comment period expired that allowed local resi
dents, governments, and other interested parties to com
ment to the Three Rivers Commission through the
Development of Regional Impact process. The pro
posed rock quarry would encompass 360 acres border
ing Black Dirt Road in Whitesburg (near Byers
Crossroads) on one side and the Chattahoochee River
on the other side.
Almost 300 responses were received during the com
ment period, which was extended three times, ending on
See NO ROCK QUARRY page 3
Annual “Empty Stocking”
fundraiser seeking
generous donors during
this tough year of CoVID
Carrollton Evening SERTOMAClub has undertaken
goal of raising $50,000 for this Christmas' giving
photo and story by Daniel Jackson
The Carrollton Evening SERTOMA Club looks to
bring gifts and smiles to children and needy families
through their “Empty Stocking” fundraiser this
Christmas holiday.
The Carrollton Evening SERTOMA (Service to
Mankind) Club, is both an international and local civic
club, with a mission to improve the quality of life for
See EMPTY STOCKING FUND page 5
Despite CoVID challenges,
Carroll County Ag-Ed
Center continues to
strongly support county
farmers and public alike
photos and story by Daniel Jackson
In many large parts of Carroll County, agriculture
plays a central role in everyday life. Whether growing
crops or cattle on a large scale, or simply planting a
raised garden bed or raising a few chickens, the Carroll
County Agricultural Education Center is a bedrock
resource for farmers and the general public alike.
The Carroll County Agricultural Extension program
located at the Ag-Ed Center, has been operating for over
100 years, starting in 1907 with its founder and
Georgia’s first County Farm Agent, Samuel Cown.
Cown blazed the trail for the current Ag Ed Center,
recruiting leading farmers and teaching modem farming
practices with the help of government provided seeds.
Cown also taught the community’s children how to
grow com more efficiently, with those children passing
See PAULA BURKE page 26
