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Forsyth youngster honored by UNICEF LIFESTYLE, IB Forsyth County News J Your "Hometown Paper" Since 1908 J *»»*«*«**: VOLUME LXXXVI, NUMBER 98 Copyright © 1995 Forsyth County News SHPA postpones meeting with hospital By Laura Boggs Staff Writer A meeting scheduled for last Wednesday to review Baptist North Hospital’s plans to expand was postponed until this Thursday, Nov. 29 by the State Health Planning Agency (SHPA). Under a Georgia statute that seeks to avoid duplication of expensive health care ser vices, equipment and facili ties, SHPA must approve the healthcare facility’s plans to expand. Baptist North filed a Certificate of Need (CON) application in August. The routine 60-day review meeting, scheduled by SHPA, will happen late in the agency’s 90-day review of the hospital's CON. Baptist North had expected to receive approval or denial from SHPA for their plans to grow by the first week in December. “Since the 60-day review is meeting late in the process, they could push the December date back,” said John Herron, administrator at Baptist North. During the meeting, See CON, Page 2A WEATHER Sun. and Mon.will be mostly sunny with highs in the 60s. Showers expected on Tues. 1 INDEX Abby 118 Business 11A Births 48 School 8A Church Briefs 108 Horoscope 118 Classifieds 6C Weddings 4B Editorial 12A Sports 1C LAKE LANIER LEVELS Date Level Nov. 20 1070.20 ft Nov. 21 1070.16 ft Nov. 22 1070.11 ft Nov. 23 1070.06 ft Nov. 24 1070.06 ft Commission to meet The Forsyth County Commission will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday. Thirteen different rezomngs will be discussed among other business on the agenda. Complete details of the meeting will be in Wednesdays edi tion. Forsyth's Georgia Cheerleader Courtney Kohn, a Forsyth.County native, tells about her experience as a University of Georgia cheerleader. Missed paper policy: For replacement paper call between 8 a m. to 6 p.m. on Wed., 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sun., 887-3126. Hill 90994*0400 11 Civil service board files suit against sheriff By Jim Riley Staff Writer The Forsyth County Civil Service Board filed a Writ of Mandemus Wednesday in Superior Court against Forsyth County Sheriff Jerry Padgett to try and get Padgett to reinstate Deputies Richard Holcomb and Paul Whitfield to rT -'y- a .l.- |Tiff 81 ™ 1 * "" l .. .... IBjk. W uHEuTejM w*% JF \m pr&rj" \M SBT:SJj BS^^TwßKr. J |SS •o® r- « rfl .': ' : .' ■*/ Jf •Juil * iVc A'fn|| ■!' '■ ' ®| 5 ' i: t:l M v • * - ' _ V l . %&''&%* 'V •. f ,' .* The City of Cumming has a new light display set up on the fairgrounds on Castleberry Road. Above, city administrator Gerald Blackburn and his granddaughter, Emma Sweat, take a look as the lights were turned on on Wednesday. Shopping center on McGinnis Ferry on zoning agenda By Thomas W. Krause Staff Writer On Tuesday, the Forsyth County Planning Commission will meet for 10 public hearings requesting rezonings. Included in On the biggest shopping day of the year Cumming shoppers hit the streets By Laura Boggs Staff Writer Barbie dolls, exercise equip ment and anything with angels on it are hot items this holiday sea son, but in Cumming Friday, shoppers eagerly sought a parking space. Local store managers agreed that this year’s day-after- Thanksgiving shopping is busier than ever. “It’s much better this year,” said Kathryn Willis, owner of Parsons, which sells gifts and col lectibles. The shop carries a large selection of Christmas lighted houses. Stores like K-Mart and Wal- Mart opened their doors early in the morning Friday to a crowd. “We opened up to the highest traffic in the parking lot in a long time,” said Vince Barnett, manag er of K-Mart. “We had 500 fanny-packs with $35 of coupons to give away, and they were gone 15 minutes after we opened.” Betty Finnemore, a greeter at Wal-Mart said, “We unlocked the Raider wrestling preview SPORTS, 1C If s the season for plenty of lights the hearings is a proposed shop ping center on McGinnis Ferry Road near Old Atlanta Road. W.L.M. Knox, Inc., owner of the 44.7 acres of land, is request ing the land be zoned commercial business to build the center. It is doors at ten minutes until 6, and people just charged in. 1 stood back to avoid the stampede.” K-Mart’s Portrait Studio is snapping photos non-stop. “Pictures make great Christmas gifts,” said Amy Holden, studio manager. Gun cabinets, exercise machines and 14-karat gold are selling well, not to mention the hard-to-find Holiday Barbie, Barnett said. “It’s like the Cabbage Patch hysteria of the 80s,” Barnett said. Other popular toys are hard to keep on shelves in toy depart ments. Baby Tumbler, a doll that turns a somersault, Bat Man toys and Cool Tools, realistic metal tools for play, are big this year, said Trina Jones, toy department manager at Wal-Mart. Shoppers searched for clothes, jewelry and perfume at Belk Friday. “It has been a great day-after- Thanksgiving. It’s good to see people shopping at home,” said Bob White, manager of Belk. Linda Pritchett, who came Cumming, GA / November 26,1995 SUNDAY EDITION their former positions. The parties will appear before the court on December 12 at 9 a.m. Holcomb and Whitfield were terminated by Padgett on October 19, 1995 after his internal board had recommended they be fired for their actions in allegedly withold ing information following the fatal chase of D.U.I. suspect William Wade Wallace on : - July 27. Padgett’s termination of the employees came after Forsyth County Personnel Director Jim Masaschi had said that Padgett’s recommendation was too harsh and that Holcomb and Whitfield should be suspended for five and three days, respec tively. Padgett responded by declaring an currently zoned for agricultural use. The shopping center would include a 141,000 square foot building and would have 705 parking spaces. The zoning does not conform to the county’s mas from Gainesville with her daugh ter to shop at Parsons, said she doesn’t mind the crowds. “We always get out the day after Thanksgiving at least to look at everything,” Pritchett said. As she rolled a cart through K- Mart, Sandy Sweat said that she ventures out at 6 a.m. every year. “The crowds don’t bother me,” Sweat said. While she usu ally searches for presents alone, her husband and two sons joined her at lunchtime Friday. K-Mart will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. until Dec. 14. Starting Dec. 15, it will be open from 8 a.m. to midnight. Wal-Mart extended its hours over the weekend but will keep its regular schedule during the sea son. It’s open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Belk extended its weekend hours but will keep its regular schedule of 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. See SHOP, Page 2A New office complex to be constructed PAGE 11A ter plan. Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Clyde Leach is requesting the zoning of 30.3 acres of land to See ZONE, Page 2A H YW? ■■-'-WM 1 *** ** tJBH JEgr . .-'HRE! * Photo/Tom Brooks Hannah Bryson, daughter of Tom and Nell Bryson, shopped at Belk in Lakeland Plaza on Friday. ■r j 1 'f f-* Ft ■**lf j i■■| jj > jj; 1 j 1 j 4 4 t -»- •tr~r ~ * T j “emergency situation” under the Civil Service Rules and firing the deputies on October 19. The Civil Service Board of Forsyth County disagreed with Padgett’s interpreta tion of an emergency situation and ordered See CIVIL, Page 2A ACLU looking at Forsyth library issue By Laura Boggs Staff Writer The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Georgia is look ing into the controversy about sex ually explicit library materials in Forsyth County. This week, a meeting will be held in Atlanta to “explore” the issue, said Teresa Nelson, executive director of the ACLU of Georgia. “To be honest, we have been monitoring the situation all along,” Nelson said. For two years, the Gwinnett- Forsyth Regional Library Board has heard complaints from citizens and politicians from both counties who want to restrict children’s access to sexually explicit library materials or revamp the library’s materials selection policies. About three weeks ago, the Forsyth commissioners asked local library board members to resign because four out of five of them refused the commission’s request to put Woman’s Body by Dr. Miriam Stoppard, a health book with pictures of human sex acts, behind the check-out counter or in an adults only section. Commission Chairman Ron See LIBRARY, Page 2A Cents