Newspaper Page Text
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Becoming mostly
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THIS ISSUE
Copyright © 19W Forsyth County News
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Bl WlHit Wrfl-
Sawnee Elementary
participates in
Geography Bee.
Page 4A
Forsyth County News/
Coaches All-County
Football Team.
Page IB
LAKE LANIER LEVELS
Date Level
Jan. i 1062.87 ft
r ■ 466187 ft
JJ062.90 ft
Those served by
Family Haven benefit
from charity auction.
Page GA
INDEX
Abby
Business - 6A
Classifieds 6B
Deaths 2A
its
H0r05c0pe..........................9A
Legals ,4B
Opinion —IOA
Schools —4A
SpOrtS B
COMING
THURSDAY
Outdoors & Rec
Spotlight on Jim Thacker,
Dawson Forest area manager,
and turkey hunting on Thursday.
Missed paper policy:
For a replacement paper call
8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Wednesday,
• Thursday and Friday, and 9 a.m. -1
p.m. on Sunday - (770) 887*3126.
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1 «- - 1 ■
Forsyth Cour 1&
J Your "Hometown Paper” Since iyuo w
Vol. 90, No. 3
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Critical need for blood donations
By Lisa Renzi
News Intern
The month of January means
many things to many people, but to
the members of the American Red
Cross, the start of the new year means
a drastic drop in blood donations used
to save the lives of citizens nation
wide.
Dr. Chris Hillyer, American Red
Cross Assistant Medical Director and
Emory University Blood Bank direc
tor, announced Monday the Georgia
blood supply has reached the level of
“critical blood shortage.” This
announcement means that the state
supply is equivalent to half a day’s
needs.
Until Monday’s announcement the
Ad valorem
tax bills are
due on Jan. 20
By Jim Riley
Staff Writer
Forsyth County landowners have until Jan. 20 to
pay their ad valorem tax bills.
Taxes can be paid on the bottom floor of the
Forsyth County Administration Building. However,
to avoid standing in line, many residents prefer mail
ing in their payment.
Included in the tax statement is a copy of the bill
and a return envelope.
If taxes are not paid on time, a 1 percent per
month late fee is assessed and, after 90 days, a 10
See TAX BILLS, Page 2A
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 6 Z 1999
state supply was in the “emergency
blood shortage level” and special
appeal blood drives were held to keep
the problem at bay, but the need for
blood is enormous in the “critical”
level of supply.
According to Dr. Hillyer, hospitals
actually have to alter their medical
treatment methods to work around the
lack of blood in supply, and types O
and B are in especially dire need.
“Hospital blood supplies are now
averaging 45 percent to 50 percent
for O and B blood types,” stated
Hillyer. “As a rule, hospitals like to
keep their inventories above 60 per
cent for optimal patient care.” This
shortage may begin affecting lives
drastically if the supply is not
increased.
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Photo/Tom Brooks
Icy greeting to Monday morning
Despite the frigid cold temperatures which
yielded an icy scene looking off Sawnee
Mountain, Pike Electric’s John Lowman and
fellow crew members Chris Jarrett and Greg
Jones braved the single-digit wind chill.
Between New Year’s Eve and midnight
Sunday, the majority of the accidents investi
gated by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office
were weather-related. None of the mishaps
were serious in nature. Sleet was reported
over the weekend in North Forsyth, Dawson
and Barrow counties. Trees were reported
downed in Dawson Forest and workers were
busy crafting firework from Mother Nature’s
handiwork. While there was some frozen pre
cipitation, the Georgia State Patrol did not
report any traffic fatalities related to icy road
conditions in North Georgia.
Photos/T om Brooks
During the post-Christmas days,
the Red Cross combats a traditional
drop in blood donations due to vaca
tion time, school closings and holiday
confusion. To combat this year’s drop,
the Red Cross has extended current
blood drives and scheduled new dri
ves to increase supplies. Hours for the
Northeast Georgia Community Blood
Center in Gainesville have been
extended as well.
It is a little known fact that 40,000
Americans must donate blood to
maintain the nation’s supply, but only
5 percent of eligible Americans
donate despite the numerous benefits.
The procedure takes less than an hour,
is non-toxic, and could save the life of
See DONATIONS, Page 3A
Chilly return
to school for
students, staff
From staff reports
Students grabbed winter coats on their return to school
and some motorists slid on patches of ice during a frigid
start to 1999. Temperatures dipped into the low teens
Monday and were expected to drop even more by Tuesday.
According to Capt. David Waters of the Sheriff’s
Department, most of the 17 wrecks worked between 6 p.m.
on Dec. 31 and midnight Jan. 3 were weather related. None
of those accidents resulted in serious injury. The Georgia
State Patrol did not report anyone being killed in car acci
dents due to the icy road conditions in North Georgia.
Trooper Marc Coffman said four accidents happened at the
same intersection in Marietta on Monday morning. “All of
the cars hit the ice and left the roadway ... It was on a blind
spot,” Coffman said.
See CHILLY, Page 3A
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Ona/I Stolenor
■ wwCIU damaged
■ road signs
H could take
COS tly foil
■ By Jim Riley
Staff Writer
Road signs are something
that motorists take for granted.
But what would happen if
that stop sign was down in an
unfamiliar area on some foggy
night? Or if that street sign was
missing on the way to an
important business meeting?
The Forsyth County
Engineering Department is in
charge of all of the approxi
mately 12,000 road signs and
See SIGNS, Page 2A
j
Time for
tag lines
By Jim Riley
Staff Writer
Forsyth County residents with
vehicles manufactured in odd*
numbered years since 1975 will
have to have their vehicle emit*
sion teste this year in order to pur
chase their tag.
Instead of the old system, tag*
now expire on a driver's birthday,
so for people with January birth
days, their old tags will expire just
after the new year. Tags should be
renewed within the month prior to
the birthday.
In order to purchase a tag, the
vehicle owner must go to the Tax
See TAGS, Page 2A