About StarNews. (Carrollton, GA) 20??-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 2023)
StarNews CARROLL COUNTY, GEORGIA'S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED / LOCALLY OPERATED NEWSPAPER The first “Annual Blues is Alright Rhythm and Blues Festival” Sept. 16th - see page 8 A FREE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER IS VITAL TO A FREE COUNTRY StarNews monthly traditional print/StarNews Online daily local news I SEPTEMBER 10, 2023 • VOLUME 29 NUMBER 9 www.starnewsgaonline.com Subscription Drive StarNews Your locally owned newspaper Get in the KNOW! Do you know how your local governments are spending your money or voting on zoning issues? Do you know the inspection score of your favorite local restaurant? Do you know who your elected representatives are? Now during our SUBSCRIPTION DRIVE you can stay in the KNOW for just $20 for a one year subscription or $35 for two years See subscription form on Page 24 Carroll County school board member Clayton Kierbow died August 27 after battle with cancer Clayton Kierbow, age 47, Carroll County School System Board of Education member, died August 27, 2023. Kierbow, Whitesburg resident, represented District 4 since 2017. “We are so grateful for the wonderful work Mr. Clayton Kierbow did in his six years on the school Kieibow board,” said board chair Bryant Turner. See CLAYTON KIERBOW page 27 County school board votes to lower millage rate aware that state funds will decrease accordingly State automatically decreases monies to schools when local property values increase Dr. Bernice Brooks: “ inflation is driving citizens out of their homes - if SPLOST were to go away, what would we do? story by Janice Daniel and Sue Horn The Carroll County School System’s Board of Education voted to lower the 2023- 2024 millage rate to 17.0 mils from 17.5 mils at its August 21, 2023 board meeting. This millage rate decrease is the fifth millage rate decrease for Carroll County taxpayers since 2011 when the rate was 19.6 mils. Board Chairman Bryant Turner put this millage reduction into a financial perspective explaining what that means for the board as they face expenses going forward: the state decreases its monies to schools systems as local property values increase. Chairman Turner said, “It is impor tant for taxpayers to know that the state reduces the funding to Carroll County Schools when the tax digest increases [which occurred the past two years in Carroll County with the steep across-the-board property appraisal increases], so we will be seeing a decrease in state funding over the next two years. The state See REDUCED TAX page 13 Tanner Medical Foundation appoints new members to Board of Trustees ‘The property tax increase will be devastating for low to modest income families, ” Jennifer Shunn, Director of Habitat for Humanity “Protect Student Health Georgia”: protecting the innocence of children in public schools and keeping them free from harmful indoctrination Noelle Kahaian, president/co-founder of Protect Student Health Georgia, and paralegal for the Child & Parental Rights Campaign was featured speaker at the recent Guardians of Liberty meeting. PROTECT STUDENT HEALTH GEORGIA We inform & mobilize parents and community members We advocate for transparency for parents, students & teachers We promote child protective & parental rights legislation We educate on issues like CSE, CRT, SEL, SOGI and obscene materials Statewide coalition of concerned parents and citizens formed to protect the fundamental rights of parents to direct the education of their children story and photos by Wayne J. Reynolds On Tuesday evening, August 22, 2023, The Guardians of Liberty held their monthly meeting with approximately 35 in attendance at Uncorked on Main, downtown Villa Rica. This non-politically aligned and informal group has the goal to educate the public on local government through a variety of speakers, includ ing elected offi cials, candidates, attorneys, and spe cial groups of all kinds. Talks are informal and usu ally involve ques tion and answer periods. Tuesday’s agenda included several points of interest: candidates for the upcoming November 7th General/Special Election, and the featured speaker Noelle Kahaian, presi- See GUARDIANS of LIBERTY page 4 Noelle Kahaian opened her talk with the clear and straightforward statement, “I do not support transgenderism.” from press release The Tanner Medical Foundation has appointed three new members to its Board of Tmstees: Anil A. Dhople, MD, board-certi fied radiation oncologist at Tanner Radiation Oncology; Mandy Baeumel, senior vice president of people and culture, for the Southwire Company; and Julie Parrish, real tor with Metro West Realty. The Tanner Medical Foundation Board of Tmstees is made up of community and busi ness leaders across the region who are work together at enhancing healthcare access and services. The Tanner Medical Foundation is a non-profit organization supporting the serv ices of Tanner Health System through the community’s philanthropic efforts. “Each of our tmstees brings with them their own unique skills and areas of exper tise, I am excited to see how our new mem bers will leverage their strengths and passion to help forward our mission and goals,” said Nichole Fannin, executive director for Tanner Medical Foundation. Dhople earned his medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, completed his internship in internal medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore and worked residencies in See TANNER NEW TRUSTEES page 17 Julie Parrish Anil Dhople MD Mandy Baeumel StarNews Your locally owned newspaper This issue is also posted on more than 110 Facebook Community Pages, Twitter, Linkedln, & starnewsgaonline. com contact us at: suehorn.starnews @gmail.com waynereynolds.starnews @ gmail.com 770-722-7227 Public support sought to build first “All Ages & Abilities Accessible Park” in Carrollton’s Hobbs Farm Park When completed, this will be the only park in the State of Georgia that is fully and completely accessible to all persons of all ages and abilities “AAA Park” will meet seven principles of “Inclusive Playground” design qualifying as national demonstration site and will be listed on National Registry of Parks story by Wayne J. Reynolds Connie McNiel had a vision, and more importantly, a fierce unwavering deter mination to see that Carroll County citizens could have a recreational park that was completely accessible for people of all ages with all disabihties. “I moved to this area just before the pandemic and found there were no parks that were completely accessible,” Connie said. “Safari Park in Carrollton, for example, had only one access ramp in the entire playground. So, once you enter the playground structure, there is no exit for someone in a wheelchair if another mobility device is entering via that ramp. “I worked with Make a Wish for over 20 years plus I have a grandchild with a disability, so I know what a stmggle it can be tor them. So I decided to explore See CONNIE MCNIEL page 10 Connie McNiel
