Newspaper Page Text
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Highs in the high 70s.
Lows in the high 50s.
THIS ISSUE
Copyright C 2001 Forsyth County News
George Strait to bring
stars to Turner Field.
Page 4A
Girls soccer team wins
big in indoor season.
Page IB
LANIER LEVELS
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April 1- 1060.92 ft
April 2 1060.97 ft
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See what’s happening
in local churches. ”
Page6A
INDEX
;Abby 3B
Church directory 6A
Classifieds .68
Community 4A
Crossword 4A
'Events.... .3A
Opinion 7A
Horoscope 3B
Sports IB
COMING
SUNDAY
Commentary Galore
Bill Shipp offers his opinion
about politics and government
on the editorial page.
Missed paper policy:
* For a replacement paper call
8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Wednesday,
Thursday and Fnday, and 9 a.m. -1
p.m. on Sunday - (770) 807-3126.
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Forsyth
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Vol. 92, No. 55
Agency gears up to keep Forsyth beautiful
Community’s participation encouraged for
the ‘Great American Cleanup,’ April 16-21
By Cheryl Rhodes
Features Writer
It’s disgusting.
Look at any roadside and, without
exception, there are remnants of trash, trash
and more trash. The litter is pervasive and
oh so unsightly.
Keep Forsyth Beautiful, a county-fund
ed agency that enlists the community’s help
in controlling litter, improving beautifica
tion and encouraging recycling, is gearing
up, once again, to do something about it.
From April 16-21, the agency will host
the “Great American Cleanup,” an annual
program designed to encourage members of
the community and area businesses to pitch
in and pick up refuse others
out.
“Litter is everybody’s responsibility,”
says Diana Dean, director of Keep Forsyth
Beautiful. “A little prevention goes a long
Building stuck in the mud
Rain forces
delays in
area school
projects
By Linda Irvine
Staff Writer
Rain, rain go away, come
again next fall.
That’s the attitude adopted'by
the Forsyth County school sys
tem’s facilities department in the
continuing effort to complete nine
school capital projects before the
beginning of the 2001-2002
school year.
The new Otwell Middle and
Matt Elementary schools are just
two of the nine concerns for
Facilities Director Jake Grant,
who is striving to play catch-up
after December’s cold tempera
tures made laying masonry pro
hibitive and March following with
more days than expected of hard
rain.
Classroom additions and modi
fications to Daves Creek, Settles
Bridge, Coal Mountain, Midway,
Mashburn elementary schools and
two high schools, North Forsyth
and Forsyth Central, round out the
list of facilities affected by weath-
See DELAYS, Page 2A
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Tyson Foods parent company faces legal battle
By Phillip Hermann
News Editor
South Dakota-based IBP Inc. is taking
Tyson Foods Inc. to court in the wake of the
failed acquisition agreement between two of
the nation’s largest food production companies.
In turn, Tyson is pursuing litigation that
would force IBP to compensate it for the
money it spent to prepare for the merger.
IBP officials filed suit last week in
Delaware asking Delaware’s Chancery Court to
force Tyson to honor its plan to acquire IBP for
way. People can help in many ways. First of
all, don’t become a part of the problem.
Many people don’t realize that some of the
things they do every day lead to litter.
“Transporting debris in the back of a
truck without a tarp is the most common,”
she says. “Also, placing unsecured waste at
the curb where animals or wind can scatter
it. Common violations that occur in Georgia
are throwing litter out of a car or boat,
abandoning old cars or used tires on public
property, improperly hauling trash and
pouring antifreeze or motor oil or other pol
lutants down storm drains.”
To remedy some of the mess already
made, the agency and local sponsors are
encouraging everyone to sign up to clean an
area during the annual cleanup campaign.
Participants will each receive a complimen
tary sandwich from Chick-fil-A for their
See CLEANUP, Page 2A
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Photos/Tammy Garrison
The new Otwell Middle
and Matt Elementary
schools, classroom addi
tions and modifications to
Daves Creek, Settles
Bridge, Coal Mountain,
Midway, Mashburn ele
mentary schools and two
high schools, North
Forsyth and Forsyth
Central, round out the list
of facilities affected by
weather delays.
$3.2 billion. Tyson Foods is based in
Springdale, Arie., and has a major production
facility in Cumming.
The merger plan was announced Jan. 1.
“Tyson’s actions are completely unjustified
by anything that has transpired and we will do
what is necessary to protect our shareholders
and our company,” said IBP Chairman/CEO
Robert L. Peterson in a press release issued
March 30. “We can only speculate that this is a
classic case of ’buyer’s remorse’ because there
is clearly no basis for Tyson’s claim that it was
fraudulently induced and does not have to pro-
FRIDAY APRIL 6, 2001 ‘
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Photo Tammy Garrison
Displaying the new Earth Day T-shirts that will be given to everyone participat
ing in the annual “Great American Cleanup” are, from left, Diana Dean, Sandy
Beaver and Pat Plant.
ceed with this transaction.”
He continued, “We also want to emphasize
to shareholders and others following this sur
prising turn of events that IBP remains a very
strong and vibrant part of the food industry.”
Officials at Tyson’s main office in
Springdale declined comment on the lawsuit
and referred media to an earlier statement
issued by the company spelling out its reasons
for voiding the acquisition agreement.
“While we continue to believe that the com-
See TYSON, Page 2A
50 Cents
Hospital’s
CON held
up by care
records
By Mary Pitman
Lifestyles Editor
According to Russ Toal, state
commissioner of community
health, the fate of Baptist Medici
Center’s Certificate of Need to add
33 medical-surgical beds lies
largely in its own hands.
“Much of the fate of that appli
cation is really in the hands of this
facility and parent company,” said
Toal in an address Tuesday to the
Lanier 400 Rotary Club at .the
medical center in Cumming.
“They know what I’m talking
about. If we can get one or two
issues resolved, the odds of a
favorable outcome go up dramati
cally. If they don’t, it doesn’t look
good.”
At issue is the state’s con
tention the 41-bed nonprofit hospi
tal has not provided its share of
indigent care.
“If a hospital fails to meet that
commitment, they are required to
pay a sum equal to the difference,”
Toal said.
Baptist Medical officials say it
all comes down to the paperwork.
“It’s really very simple,” said
Kathryn Platt, a principal with
Sullivan Consulting Group who is
helping the hospital with the CON
application. “The way a state
looks at indigent and charity care
is, patients have to be identified up
front that they are indigent. Many
people don’t want to admit that.
Some lie about having insurance
coverage. Some say they will pay
See CON, Page 2A
Hand-carved
pig targeted
by thieves
By Colby Jones
Staff Writer
KB’s BBQ & Rib Company is
missing its prize pig.
The hand-carved wooden
swine, 36-inches tall and 24-inch
es wide, guarded the front door at
the Cumming barbecue restaurant.
A slot carved into its belly held a
poster containing the restaurant’s
name.
It disappeared about two
months ago without so much as an
“oink.” Regular customers missed
the pig and asked what became of
the silent sentinel.
“We didn’t know what to tell
them at first,” said restaurant
See PIC, Page 2A
