About Lake Oconee news. (Greensboro, GA) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 2016)
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Special section inside! ^ LMH yj I ftp I] Your official newspaper serving Greene, Morgan and Putnam counties in Georgia’s Lake Country | www.LakeOconeeNews.us VOL. 18 NO. 41 g FRIDAY OCTOBER 14 2016 75 CENTS GREENE COUNTY COP FIRED AFTER ARREST FOR BATTERY Jackie Gutknecht jackie@lakeoconeenews.us Greensboro Police Officer Ray Charles Harris Jr. is no longer employed by the City of Greens boro after an altercation in his White Plains home last week led to his arrest. Ray Harris and his wife, Carin- thia Renee Harris, were arrested Oct. 6 after an altercation in their home. Both face battery/simple battery - family violence charges. Greene County Sheriffs Sgt. Conrad Richards, Deputy Jordan Knowles and Lt. Terry Surgick responded to the Harris resi dence to find Ray and Carinthia in the living room. When asked about the incident, Carinthia “immediately stated that she and Mr. Harris got into an alterca tion where he body slammed her and she struck him in the face,” according to the GCSO incident report. The officers separated the couple to discuss the situation further. Richards spoke with Ray, who said he was playing a game with his son when his wife reached into his back pocket and retrieved SEE FIRED » A8 Carinthia Harris Ray Harris GREENE COUNTY GCSS announces Teachers of the Year Four Greene County teachers have been selected to represent their respective schools as its Teacher of the Year. This year’s winners are Ashley Bridges, Greensboro Elementary School, Shirley (Kitty) Paten, Union Point STEAM Academy, Kenly Overton, Anita White Carson Middle School and Kati Mize, Greene County High School. Meet GCSS's Teachers of the Year Ashley Bridges received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ele mentary Education from Xavier University in Louisiana. In 2009, she graduated with a Master of Science degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Capella SEE TEACHERS » A8 Contributed Seated left-right: Ashley Bridges, Greensboro Elementary School TOTY, Shirley (Kitty) Paten, Union Point STEAM Academy TOTY, Kenly Overton, Anita White Carson Middle School TOTY and Kati Mize, Greene County High School TOTY. MORGAN COUNTY Deputy nabs ATF fugitive T. Michael Stone michael@lakeoconeenews.us A Stockbridge man failed to dim his headlights when passing a Morgan County deputy on the night of Oct. 3 and it ultimately landed him in jail. Deputy Kenneth Smith was pa trolling near Atlanta Highway and Centennial Road when a red Nissan Altima approached with its high beams on, according to an incident report obtained from the Morgan County Sheriffs Office. Smith dimmed his headlights but the Nissan did not. Smith turned around and pulled the car over. SEE DEPUTY » A10 index Calendar B4-5 Churches B8 Classifieds D2 Community B1 Obituaries A8 Opinions A4 Recipes D1 FRIDAY 83/57 Sunny WEATHER » B12 0 94922 87855 7 Published by Smith Communications Inc. MORGAN COUNTY Proposed zoning changes renew controversy Katherine Klimt katherine@lakeoconeenews.us The monthly meeting of Madi son’s Historic Planning Commis sion Tuesday night proved conten tious as a proposed amendment to the Madison zoning ordinance spurred debate. According to a letter from Madison resident and Atlan ta-based attorney Chuck Door, , the amendment to sections 650.5 and 651 of the zoning ordinance would “directly and materially affect the function of the HPC” by imposing limits on HPC’s input prior to rezoning of property within the historic district and eliminating the need for issuance of a COA (certificate of appropri ateness) or HPC letter of support as a precondition to rezoning. Opposition to the amendment, which will go before the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) on Oct. 20, arose as a response to the proposed rezoning of the Foster/Miller/Friesen property on Main Street. Some residents are opposed to such rezonings because they may potentially open up currently designated historic properties to unwanted residential or commercial de velopment. During the public comment section of Tuesday’s meeting, local residents urged the HPC to retain its influence over the city. SEE ZONING » A8 Picketers walked up and down South Main Street Tuesday afternoon to bring attention to he controversial Foster Street planned residential development that many Madisonians oppose. The matter will come before the Madison Planning and Zoning Board on Oct. 14 at 5 p.m. Contributed MORGAN COUNTY St. Paul A.M.E. launches child development program T. Michael Stone michael@lakeoconeenews.us While politicians debate the issue of subsidized childcare in the United States, Reverend Cedric Cotton of the St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Madison is offering an affordable child development alternative for parents in Lake Country. “Child care is more expensive than some folks’ house note,” Cotton said. ‘We offer affordable child care in a faith-based setting.” Cotton said he has been working toward creating a child develop ment center in Madison for several years, even though he isn’t a resident of Morgan County. “Whatever community God plants me in is mine to take owner ship of and help,” Cotton said. For low income parents strug gling to raise children, this should be an appealing alternative. According to figures compiled by the Economic Policy Institute (epi. org), child care costs for families with two children exceed rent for 80 percent of Americans. The EPI SEE ST. PAUL » A10 BEAT THE (MmS CALL TEAM 866 Harmony Rd. Eatonton, GA | Phone: 706-485-5456 | www.bryant-air.com
