Newspaper Page Text
Childhood
sweethearts
get married
Page 3A
VOLUME LXXXII —NUMBER 87
Child dies
in traffic
mishap
By Kara Sproles
Staff Writer
A five-year old boy was killed
Wednesday evening when he ran into
the path of an oncoming vehicle trav
eling in the northern part of Forsyth
County.
According to the Forsyth County
Sheriff Department, Derek Paul Cath
er, a student at Coal Mountain Ele
mentary, was struck on Elmo Road
around 6:40 p.m.
Dawsonville resident Terry McCal
lister, who was driving home, was one
of the first on the scene after the acci
dent occurred.
“The little boy was laying on the
side of the road,” he stated in a shaky
voice. “I started giving him CPR,
mouth-to-mouth.”
No charges were filed against the
driver of the vehicle, according to the
sheriffs department
“It was dark,” McCallister said. “He
had on blue jeans. The way he was
dressed, she probably never did see
him.”
McCallister said a man who
claimed to be the boy’s uncle joined
him and a volunteer fireman who had
arrived at the scene.
“He (the uncle) said ‘we were just at
the house carving a pumpkin for Hal
loween,’ ” the witness stated.
McCallister said the uncle lived
“right up the hill” from the accident
scene.
“He was so small,” McCallister stat
ed. “I just don’t see why he was by
himself.”
The child who lived on Nicholson
Road was transported to Lakeside
Community Hospital where he was
pronounced dead on arrival.
Funeral services were held yester
day at 2 p.m. at the Ingram Funeral
Home Chapel.
Derek loved baseball and the Atlan
ta Braves, his parents said.
The family asked that donations, in
lieu of flowers, be made to the Coal
Mountain Elementary Kindergarden
Department at 3455 Coal Mt. Dr., Cum
ming, Ga. 30130.
Weather:
Cooler
A cozy fire would be nice
tonight in Forsyth County. The
overnight low is expected to be
in the 40s dropping to the low
40s through Tuesday night The
highs will be in the low 60s through
Tuesday. Sunny skies should be
back tomorrow.
INSIDE
Abby 9A
Business 7A
Church Briefs 9A
Classified 6-9 B
Editorial 6A
Events 7A
Horoscope 9A
Obituaries 4A
Sports 1B
TV Listings....3C
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Firs* time deer hunter bags a 10-pointer See Page IB
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Tax appeal cases hit the courts
By Kristin Jeffries
Staff Writer
Six cases appealing tax appraisals
from the recent county-wide revalua
tion in Forsyth County have hit the
court system.
Cases can be appealed to the coun
ty’s Superior Court if the tax payer
has seen the case through the office of
Lake water
test funds
are sought
By Kara Sproles
Staff Writer
When Georgia’s budget was cut dur
ing the special legislative session in
August, one ofthe programs to feel the
weight of the axe was the one that
funded the lakewater at Lanier to be
routinely tested for quality.
Unless funds are obtained from al
ternative sources, next year’s lake lov
ers may not be able to know whether
or not the water is safe.
“It’s the reality of new governmen
tal economics,” said Dr. Sam Dayton
ofthe Georgia Mountain Regional De
velopment Center. “We can’t look to
the federal or state government for
programs such as water quality test
ing.”
Dayton said the in the past the state
paid for an assistant at the North
Georgia College Department of Biolo
gy to test the lakewater twice each
month. In 1991, the amount covered
was $24,000, which included the biolo
gists’ salary and other expenses.
Mac Callaham, age 55, is the NGC
professor who has probed into the
lake’s water to test it the past four
years. He has served as the backbone
of the water testing program, oversee
ing the lab assistants who have aided
him in the process.
“This past year, the Board of Re
gents took a major cut like everyone
else,” Dayton said. “When the board
passed that cut along, the research
assistant positions were cut out”
According to State Representative
Bill Barnett, the chances of the state
reinstating the funds anytime soon
look dim. In fact, he said, the state
may call for an additional SSO to SIOO
million to be cut from the budget
when legislators reconvene in Janu
ary, Barnett said.
Please see WATER, Page 2A
Grand Jury announces recommendations
The largest portion of the present
ments of the July 1991 term Grand
Jury in Forsyth County is dedicated to
education.
The presentments were released
last Wednesday and will be printed in
their entirety in the Wednesday legal
section of the Forsyth County News.
The jury recommended that the
each grand jury appoint an education
committee to look into issues dealing
with the public school system.
As the result of the grand jury’s on
going look at school system salaries
the July 1991 term jury recommended
the superintendent and Board of Edu
cation form salary schedules for non
certified positions such as secretaries
and custodians so salaries will be eq
uitable. Certified positions are al
ready governed by a salary schedule.
The jury made the same recommen
dation for the supplements paid to
coaches and stressed these be ad
hered to in the negotiating and hiring
process.
“The Value judgment’ method cur
rently being used in the hiring of
coaches and the determination or
their salaries is unclear, confusing,
and may not be int he best interests of
the local taxpayer,” the presentments
Man faces rape charge
By Kara Sproles
Staff Writer
A man accused of raping a Cum
ming woman is scheduled to enter
court tommorrow for a motion hear
ing related to the case, according to
attorney Russell Jackson.
Records show that Steven Tony
Hornsby, 27, of Alpharetta was arrest
ed Oct 8 and charged with rape, ag
gravated assault, probation violation,
burglary and aggravated sodomy. He
is still being held in the Forsyth Coun
ty Detention Center.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1991-CUMMING, GA 30130-XX PAGES X SECTIONS^
the Board of Tax Assessors and also
appealed to the Board of
Equalization.
The properties which have gone to
court are all agricultural, said Terry
McCormick, office manager for the
Board of Tax Assessors.
One case has been filed by county
Commissioner Michael Bennett, a
poultry and cattle farmer. The case
Staff photo - Porflrlo Sotorzano
Sparks fly
Cutting the thick steel beams which will support the span of the 800-seat auditorium in the new Sawnee Center
is no easy task, but “Van” Aller is up to it. The Sawnee Center, now under the supervision of Wareham
Construction, should be ready to host all types of performances and meetings this spring.
stated.
Supplements given to principals
used for department heads and extra
curricular activities should be spread
among as many certified personnel as
possible, the jury also recommended.
"... we emphasize that all classroom
teachers spend extra hours in the per
formance of their duties, and deserve
compensation for that time,” the ju
ry’s report stated.
The jury made three additional
findings and a number of correspond
ing recommendations.
• In reviewing the financial affairs
of the School Board we found that the
year end financial report audited by
the State of Georgia is not being time
ly completed or timely submitted to
Forsyth County. In most cases there is
a time lapse of one to two years before
the report is completed and submit
ted to the county.
The jury recommended:
The School Board be required to
have audited financial statements
completed and ready for review with
in three months after every end of
their fiscal year, and have the audit
ing firm present their findings to the
July term of the Grand Jury at their
October session.
His alleged victim is a 47-year-old
woman who lives in Cumming.
Jackson, who is Hornsby’s appoint
ed attorney, said the “state is seeking
to draw hair and other bodily fluids
for comparison at the State Crime
Lab.” However, Jackson said he is not
sure how he will respond to the mo
tion hearing request
“I may ask that it be continued, tc
ask for a few more days to find out a
little bit more about the purpose,’
Jackson stated.
Please see RAPE, Page 2A
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includes his family and the Bagley
family, also in farming.
The case has been left open so oth
ers who qualify may join it, said Ben
nett, who is a past member of the BOE
and the Board of Tax Assessors.
The commissioner has long been
concerned about how farmers are
taxed in the county. He and his family
are appealing more than 750 acres
• The audit reports for the fiscal
years ending June, 1989 and June,
1990 were given by the State of Geor
gia with an unclean, qualified opin
ion. When giving an unclean opinion
the State Auditors explained that they
were unable to express an opinion on
whether the assets of the Forsyth
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Staff photo - Porfirio Solorzano
Historic Halloween
Students in Kelly Fulbright’s and Alice Holland's sixth grade classes at North Forsyth Middle School took advantage of
Halloween to culminate their study of world history by dressing as one of the characters they had studied. Costumes
were judged with winners being the three pictured above, from left, Elizabeth I - Abby Johnson, third place; Robin
Hood - Jody Randon, first place; and Christopher Columbus - Russell Pinson, second place. Georgia Protein
provided money for prizes which included a camera, Walkman, and S2O, while B&B Awards donated the trophies.
zoned Agriculture 11.
The suit states the properties are
not “uniformly, equally, and equitably
assessed with other properties of like
kind and character.”
“The Board has refused, neglected
and otherwise not properly based val
uation upon the existing zoning ofthe
Please see TAX, Page 2A
County Board of Education were be
ing stated without any material
discrepancies.
The jury recommended:
The Board of Education maintain
their accounting records in accor-
Please see GRAND, Page 2A
soks
history
e back
Below
Investigator
loses his job
after arrest
By Kara Sproles
Staff Writer
A Forsyth County investigator wa;
dismissed from his job this week afte;
he was arrested in Dawson Count},
and charged with driving under the
influence, driving too fast for condi
tions, and failing to stop and render
aid. As the result of the accident,
three people were hospitalized with
injuries at North Fulton Thursday
evening.
Investigator Doug Perry, age 50. was
dismissed by the sheriffs office “im
mediately after the incident,” Sheriff
Walraven said.
According to the Georgia State Pa
trol, the accident, which happened at
about 7:40 p.m. on Oct. 28, was “hit and
run” in nature.
Dahlonega residents Ruby McKin
zey, 44, Merion McKinzey, 17 and Mo
ses McKinzey, 4, received “visible in
juries.” They arrived at North Fulton
Hospital where they were treated for
injuries around 8:30 p.m.
A nurse at the hospital said they
Please see DISMISS. Page 2A
2 wounded
in shooting
Halloween
By Kara Sproles
Staff Writer
A jealous husband’s rage may have
been the reason behind a Halloween
domestic shooting that left two in
jured and the gunman in custody.
According to the Forsyth County
Sheriff Department, Mary Ann Mc-
Henry, 27, and Dennis Craig Bell, 37,
both of Cumming were allegedly shot
by Mrs. McHenry’s estranged hus
band around 5:50 p.m. Thursday.
“They were driving by,” said Inves
tigator Frank Frazier. “He was on foot
and he fired several rounds.”
Both were treated for injuries at
Lakeside Community Hospital and
released Thursday night.
Howard Donald McHenry, 47, was
arrested at the scene and charged
with four counts of aggravated as
sault He remained in the Forsyth
County Detention Center pending a
bond hearing Friday.
According to Frazier, the three in
volved lived in Holly Mobile Home
Park offofHwy. 9 in the south part of
the county.
A large handgun was used to fire the
shots.
McHenry could face a bond of up to
$40,000, Frazier said.
The incident is still being investi
gated, said Sheriff Wesley Walraven.
25 CENTS