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Highs in the mid-50s.
Lows in the high 20s.
THIS ISSUE
ClJjrigM C 1999 karayth Canty Newt
Special section features
top stories of past year,
including opening of
new hospital.
Page 1C
Kl/S-
SKdLw—LJ
A record-setting
performance
at South Forsyth.
Page IB
LAKE LANIER LEVELS
J- Date - Level
♦> Jan. 9 1062.64 ft
1062.77 ft
an. 11 1063.25 ft
I-"" 1 m
L
: Special programs
and events at local
churches.
PageSA
INDEX
Abby BA
Best stories 1C
Classifieds 3B
Community 7A
Deaths 2A
Opinion- .9A t
Horoscope BA
Sports -IB
t COMING
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YMCA ON ITS WAY
The YMCA is looking to
start some athletic programs
in the county and may expand
in tne future.
For a neplacemertpaper call
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Thursday and Fnday, and 9 a.m. -1
p.m. on Sunday - (770) 887-3128.
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Forsvth (’oiint - • " l<
J A AV Georgia newspaper project
•/ Your "Hometown Paper" Since 1908 « “ C,RGI *
Vol 91, N FRIDAY JANUARY 14, 2000 5 • Cents .
Teenage Drivers
Determining age to issue driving licenses is again a major legislative topic
By Cheryl Rhodes
Staff Writer
Her grip is tight on the steering
wheel, perfectly positioned in a 10 and
2 o’clock clench. Still weeks away
from full, privileged driving status, 15-
year-old Ashley Himes’ movements
are somewhat mechanical and deliber
ate, as if mentally tallying an internal
checklist. As the intersection nears,
her clasp tightens and her focus is
intent.
Merging onto the highway requires
an over-the-shoulder glance and her
brow knits in concentration. Her
demeanor visibly relaxes, though, once
she eases into the cruising flow of traf
fic and she begins to lose her preoccu
pation. Joking with a friend, she
argues amicably over which radio sta
tion to choose, all the while sliding her
hands down to drape at the base of the
wheel.
It is that moment state Sen. Phil
Gingrey most fears.
“Most accident statistics show that
teen fatalities involve poor judgment,
lack of driving skills or both,” he said.
Gingrey, a Cobb County legislator,
introduced a bill this week in the
Georgia General Assembly seeking to
change that trend.
Designed to increase Georgia’s
legal driving age from 16 to 17 and
require “at least 50 hours of driving a
motor vehicle under instruction,
including at least 10 hours at night,”
Gingrey’s bill is being hailed by some
as sensible and by others as unfair.
Not surprisingly, many of the crit
icsare teens who, without the bill’s
passage, will soon be licensed to drive.
“I would be very, very, very upset,”
said 15-year-old Courtney Eason,
“because I’ve waited a whole year
now. I drive all the time with my learn
er’s and 1 have an officer who rides
with me, since my dad is an officer. I
drive everywhere we go and feel pretty
confident about getting out by myself."
Her angst is slight compared to
most since, in a mere 30 days, she will
celebrate her 16th birthday and beat
the bill’s proposed July effective date.
Gingrey said those worries may be
for naught because Speaker of the
House Tom Murphy and Majority
Leader Larry Walker, citing rural
opposition, are against the bill's pas
sage. Still, he has received tentative
support from Gov. Roy Barnes and at
least the promise from Lt. Gov. Mark
Taylor of a fair hearing.in the Senate
chamber
“Getting this done is going to be a
little tough, especially on the House
side,” Gingrey conceded. “Unless I can
do something in the way of a compro
mise and then hope they can be per
suaded, I realize it’s not going to sur
vive.
"But I’m not a member of the
See ACE, Page 2A
Suspect in
Hall murder
also wanted
for burglaries
By Colby Jones
Staff Writer
Hall County investigators
remain tight-lipped about a murder
suspect who authorities believe
committed several burglaries in
north Georgia, including Forsyth
County.
Brandon Dwayne Smith, 18, of
Gainesville is being held on mur
der charges in the Hall County jail
in connection with last month’s
slaying of Gary Dale, 45, of
.Gainesville.
No bond has been set.
Officials said Dale died at his
home at 2 Elite Drive in
Gainesville from a single gunshot
wound. Two other people
Nathan Seabolt, 18, of
Murrayville, and a juvenile also
have been charged with first
degree murder in the case.
See SUSPECZ Page 2A
Photo/Scott Rogers
Forsyth Central High School students Jason Cook and Ivy Lindsey, both
17 and eligible to drive no matter what happens with proposed legislation,
prepare to leave a crowded school parking lot for home.
Some teenagers favor
increasing driving age
By Cheryl Rhodes
Staff Writer
Ashley Himes is 15 and, eager to
retire her learner’s permit in
exchange for the real McCoy, feels
certain increasing the minimum dri
ving age would instead be an incon
venience to families,
“Right now, it’s just me, my mom
and my younger brother,” she
explained. “So she needs help with
taking him to school and stuff."
Much to her surprise and chagrin.
Himes’ mother, Patty, disagrees.
“I kind of would like to see the
driving age go up to 17," she said,
despite any inconvenience, “because
there’s a lot more people on the road
these days and there’s too many peo
ple getting hurt and killed. The prob
lem is escalating instead of getting
better, so maybe that would help.”
Her allies on the issue may sur
prise some.
“I think he should be successful,”
said April Lynn of state Sen. Phil
Gingrey’s recent bid to change the
effective driving age from 16 to 17.
Though she in on the cusp of full
driving privileges and the bill’s suc
cess would delay that for another
year, Lynn is certain the benefit out
weighs the disappointment.
“Some people at 16 are still irre
sponsible,” she suggested.
. , ~ ‘ Photo/Tom Brooks
Winter siding
With temperatures climbing toward the 70s Wednesday, it was easy to forget we are in the middle
of winter. Skier Rob Hawk took advantage of the exceptionally mild January weather to practice
his form on the lake, under the watchful eye of spotter Bruce Newton and boat driver Chuck
Teasley.
“They’re not responsible enough
to drive. It’s just one more year. If
you’ve waited 16 years already, you
can wait one more year.”
Amber Dodd, already a licensed
driver at 16, feels the same.
“I'm not saying that I’m a bad
driver, but I think people should have
more than a year before they drive
alone because that’s why accidents
happen. 1 even have a car of my own
and I stjll say the delay would not be
a big deal. That's what buses are
for.”
Grinning, she shrugged when her
friends gathered nearby scoff at her
comments. Still, they don’t disagree
with her position on the proposed
bill.
“When I’d had my license two
weeks, my car was rear-ended in
front of the school,” said Taylor
England, also licensed at 16. “He
was 16 and had gotten his license the
week before.
“You don't have enough experi
ence and it seems teens are the ones
in accidents,” she said.
“There are certain things you’re
not ready for. To be honest, we’re
more into looking cool and having
fun than paying attention And, no, 1
don’t think it would be any different
at 17, because I’m almost there and
I’m still that way. But. yes, by 18 I
think it’s time and teens are ready.”
Barnes’ budget
heavy on funds
for reforming
state’s schools
Rep. Evans says time has come
for major changes in education
By Jonathan Hamilton
Staff Writer
Education reform and finding away to pay for it is
apparently paramount in the mind of Gov. Roy Barnes
At least that was the case during his lengthy budget
address to members of the Georgia General Assembly
earlier this week
Funding for his education reform plan dominated the
Tuesday morning speech, one of the longest by a
Georgia governor in recent history.
Barnes told legislators that no investment the state
can make will pay higher dividends than in funding a
massive education reform project.
Local reaction was positive in terms of the Barnes’
spending plan foreducation.
“I am most excited about the opportunities that the
governor has pinpointed to shake up the educational sys
tem.” said state Rep Mike Evans. “I feel the time has
come for education reform and I don’t want to squander
what will be a gcxxl opportunity to fix some things.”
Main points of the governor’s education program
include:
• Reducing class sizes Presently, Barnes said, the
state’s current average class size has a student/teacher
ratio of 25-1. For students performing below the stan
dards in their grade level in K-3, the ratio would be
reduced to 11-1. All other K-3 classes would have a
maximum class size of 20 students The ratio for English
for Speakers of Other Uinguages classes would be set at
7-1.
• Increasing the number of necessary nonteaching
personnel in schools Counselors would be placed in
all elementary schools. The student-counselor ratio
would be reduced from the current 624-1 in the
middle/high school grades to 4(H)-1 in every grade,
including kindergarten. The number of social workers
and school psychologists would also be increased by
more a third for all grades and each school would have a
nurse.
• Changing the approach to alternative schools
Barnes proposes taking a two-tiered approach First, the
state would double funding for alternative schools,
increasing the average funding from $1,694 to $3,375
per alternative school student. Barnes also called on the
legislature to approve combining the current In-School
Suspension and Alternative School programs using sl3
million in slate funds. The plan calls for a “beefing up"
of the alternative schools for students in grades 6-12.
• Increase technology efforts Double the number
of technology specialists. The proposal would also give
kx4il school systems an additional $25 million.
• Increase funding for an additional 20 days The
budget proposal would fund an additional 20 days for 10
percent of the school population.
• Continuing education for teachers The proposal
would set aside 1.5 percent of teachers' and administra
tors’ salaries for continuing education.
The governor also proposed several cuts:
• Decreasing funding for administration The state
will fund a superintendent, an accountant and secretary
for every school .system. For systems up to S,(XX) stu
dents, two assistant superintendents will be funded For
school systems with S,(XX)- 10,(XX) students, four assistant
superintendents would be funded. For systems with more
See BARNES, Page 2A
Injured man
abandoned
by friends
after wreck
By Colby Jones
Staff Writer
He remained alone in his
pickup with a broken back and
pelvis.
His chin had been severely
injured, leaving him disfigured.
He remained alone and
unable to escape, bleeding pro
fusely in the cold in the middle
of the night.
He waited alone for so long,
in fact, that when hospital nurs
es first saw the caked blood on
his face they thought he had
been the victim of a severe burn.
When rescuers finally found
Him. it had been more than four
hours since his truck rolled into
a ditch off Hwy. 369. Two of his
alleged drinking buddies one,
See WRECK, Page 2A
Staff Writer