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THIS ISSUE
Copyright © 1999 Forsyth County News
Carolina dogs are
making a comeback.
Page IB
Sports extra
LAKE LANIER LEVELS
O*te Level
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Events
Joining with the
Heart Association.
Page4A
L INDEX
Abby„ SA
' BusinessßA
•• Deaths ——JIA
'•Events 4A
Kids'Page—SA
Opinion 7A
SchoofsSA
Sports extraSß
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: Entertainment Extra
• Soap Opera Updates, Critics
Comer, Jill Jackson's Hollywood,
Country Music
all in Friday's edition.
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Forsyth Count" ili-
J Your "Hometown Paper" Since 1908 *
Voi 90, No. 19 THURSDAY FEBRUARY 4, 1999 50 Cents
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Overhead for now
Crews from Georgia Power, including Jed Stringer, Nelson Elrod and Randy
Brown, reroute the last of the large power lines around the square as part of
the City of Cumming’s effort to move all its utilities underground. Assistant
city administrator Steve Bennett said the city has employed “everyone and
his brother” to complete the work, which is part of a project to beautify down
town. All the utilities are expected to be underground by April.
Helping while
learning from
Humane Society
By Laura Lavezzo
Lifestyle Editor
As part of their community service commit
ment, members of the South Forsyth Middle
School Beta Club held a food drive an unusual
sort of food drive. A pet food collection was orga
nized by the seventh and eighth grade officers to
benefit the Forsyth County Humane Society.
Students were invited to donate pet food items
to the cause, and Humane Society representative
Maureen Mahoney visited the school on Jan. 27 to
pick it up. While at the school, Mahoney was inter
viewed by Beta Club officers regarding ways peo
ple can help the Humane Society, including partic
ipation in the annual “Bark in the Park,” and by
having pets spayed and neutered.
See BETA CLUB, Page 2A
Barnes 9 homestead
exemption may get
safeguard measure
By Jam—Salzer
Morris News Service
ATLANTA - Gov. Roy
Barnes’ proposal to cut property
taxes by raising the homestead
exemption could be wiped out if
local appraisers hike assessments,
but some Southeast Georgia law
makers are trying to remedy the
situation.
They’re hoping to dramatically
limit future property reassess
ments, thereby eliminating what
legislators in both political parties
call “back-door property tax
increases.” They’ve already suc
ceeded in getting a local bill
through the House.
However, the chairman of the
S
" . WMW
Photo/Tom Brooks
Maureen Mahoney with Mary and Beta Club officer Cara O’Hern.
committee that the statewide legis
lation must pass through isn’t sure
the plan is constitutional.
“It’s not workable on its face,”
said House Ways and Means
Chairman Tom Buck, D-
Columbus.
Barnes wants to spend about
SB3 million this year to increase
the state’s homestead exemption
from $2,000 to $4,000. He has
called for the exemption to eventu
ally reach $20,000.
The problem, some lawmakers
have said, is that local appraisers
could raise a homeowner’s
assessed property value to match
See HOMESTEAD, Page 2A
Impact fees: Paying
developments price
is a challenging step
By Jim Riley
Staff Writer
Who should pay the price of develop
ment? Why aren’t the developers forced to
pay impact fees, asked several residents who
have appeared at public hearings before the
county commission.
When faced with all of the growth that the
area is facing, especially when the very
developments being erecting are putting con
siderable strain on area infrastructure, why
aren’t developers being asked to finance
some of the impact of their financial ven-
Fire alarm signals ending to
Feb. 1 financial aid seminar
By Lisa Renzi
News Intern
“Welcome to your introductory course in
Greek,” said Allen May, Senior Financial Aid
Consultant at the Georgia Student Finance
Commission.
Though interrupted by the sound of fire
alarms, Tuesday’s financial aid meeting pro
vided valuable information to both high
school seniors and their parents. The meet
ing, held at 7 p.m. at the Forsyth Central
High School cafeteria, featured May, a 14-
year veteran on the topic.
Though May was interrupted mid-sen
tence by the resounding call of fire alarms, he
was able to share wisdom on the subjects of
the FAFSA, the long and complicated form
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'Aids
tures?
While the idea of charging developers a
fee toward infrastructure seems like a great
idea, the very inflexibility and complexity of
the law that allows collection of impact fees
has caused very few of Georgia’s cities and
counties to take advantage of it.
In fact, according to Mike Gleaton with
the Georgia Department of Community
Affairs, only 14 Georgia cities and counties
are currently utilizing the fees.
See IMPACT, Page 2A
necessary to receive any type of federal aid,
the HOPE Scholarship and other types of aid
available through scholarship or other types
of loans.
According to May, students should be
able to find all of the necessary information
in the public library, the high school guidance
office, the Internet, the Georgia Student
Finance Commission and the financial aid
office of the student's school of choice.
In the public library, recommended vol
umes are The Scholarship Book and any
Peterson’s Guides to Finances and Education.
There are also other resource materials which
exists in each of the high schools.
See SEMINAR, Page 2A
See SEMINAR, Page 2A
Fire department
will have smoke
detectors for
area residents
By Colby Jones
Staff Writer
The Forsyth County fire department will be
making 272 smoke detectors available to the
public.
Public safety educator Sam Henderson said
elderly residents and low-income families are
especially encouraged to take advantage of the
offer. The department is starting a list of those
who need detectors and will give them away
when they arrive from the state Office of
Insurance and Safety later this month,
Henderson said, adding the department will
install the devices free of charge if needed.
See DETECTORS, Page 2A
Photo/Tom Brooks
A flock of Falcons
Kids Depot has Atlanta
Falcons fans of all ages -
from the tiniest of tots to the
teachers and assistants.
Regardless of the outcome
of Super Bowl XXXIII, these
young fans can look forward
to Falcons successes
ahead. The goal, according
to Falcons Coach Dan
Reeves, a native of
Americus, is to become the
first host city to also have a
team in the Super Bowl con- ‘
test. The Dome will be the
site of Super Bowl XXXIV in
2000. Will the Falcons be
there? No doubt these
youngsters, who took part in
Kids Depot’s Falcons fan day
will be waiting and watching.