Newspaper Page Text
Forsyth CountvNeyys
J Your "Hometown Paper" Since 1908 < georgir*newsprper project
Vol. 95, No. 028
Commission shoots down gun law
By Todd Truelove
Staff Writer ——————
The Forsyth County Board of
Commissioners directed its attorney. Ken
Jarrard, to rewrite a firearm ordinance using
only regulations currently imposed by the state
government.
The board did so after hearing from protest
ers including county residents, archery buffs
and members of the National Rifle Association
who opposed new restrictions the county
was considering that would have made it illegal
Full day of firefighting
-J kXi 8 ...Bk
Above, Deputy Chief Dwight Clark,
center, talks to a firefighter and, right,
volunteer firefighter Steve Billings res
cues a pet snake after a fuel leak from
a vehicle parked inside a garage in an
Oakmont subdivision residence ignit
ed a fire Monday morning, according
to Forsyth County Fire Department
officals. The owner of the vehicle was
letting the engine warm up in the
garage before taking the car to be
repaired when it caught fire, officials
said. The flames spread to the second
story of the home, burning a room
above the garage, the attic and parts
of the roof. The rest of the house was
damaged by smoke. No one was
injured.
Photos/Audra Perry, David McGregor
HE
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Copyright © 2003 Forsyth County News
W1
WEDNESDAY February 18,2004
to shoot firearms within 100 yards of roadways
and 200 yards from neighboring houses and
governmental areas.
"We are adamantly opposed to this," said
Herb Dalton, a member of the Riverbend Gun
Club.
Dalton said many of the gun club's 331
Forsyth County members have shooting ranges
on their property.
"These restrictions, as far as yardage, are
basically going to eliminate many of these
home ranges," Dalton said. "These home
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INDEX
Abby 8A
Classifieds 9B
Deaths ............. 2A
Events 5A
Horoscope 8A
Legals 3B
Opinion 10A
Sports IB
Students get firsthand
look at workings of state
government
Page3A
ranges are safe ranges.”
He said the restrictions also would elimi
nate Boy Scout programs that involve shooting
.22-caliber rifles, high school rifle team com
petitions, and 21-gun salutes during military
burials.
While 13 people spoke against the ordi
nance, the commissioners’ auditorium was
filled with others who burst into applause at
comments to discard the new law.
Many who spoke said the state already has
laws that address safety issues relating to gun
Two-party system
healthy, entertaining
for Georgia
Page 10A
shooting; including restricting shooting on
Sundays, within 50 yards from public road
ways and prohibiting shooting south of Hwy.
20.
Some questioned why the county does not
provide a public shooting range facility.
Farmers also expressed concern that they
would be unable to protect their livestock from
coyotes under the ordinance.
Sheriff Ted Paxton said the county needs an
See LAW, Page 2A
Stockton new
publisher of
The Times
Will remain chief executive
of Forsyth County News
Morris Multimedia Inc. has assumed ownership of
The Times in Gainesville after a swap of publications
with the Gannett Co.
Swartz-Morris Media Inc., owner of the Forsyth
County News. Barrow County News, and Dawson
Community News, will oversee operation of The Times
under a management agreement with Morris Multimedia.
Dennis Stockton, publisher of the Forsyth County
News for the past 10 years, will serve as publisher of The
Times and as CEO for Swartz-Morris
Media, which is headquartered in
Forsyth County.
"This is an incredible opportunity
for all of our newspapers. Each of our
publications serves their individual
markets well, and now with the syner
gies possible with The Times, we can
provide more comprehensive news and
advertising coverage of the entire
region.
“As a result, all of our publications
will be able to better serve our readers and advertisers, as
well as the individual communities in which they are
based." Stockton said.
Stockton, a graduate of the University of North
Alabama, has 22 years of experience in the newspaper
industry. He is a native Georgian who was born in
Jackson County and grew up in Athens.
Prior to being named publisher of the Forsyth County
News in 1994. he worked at the Florence (Ala.) Times
Daily and the Sebring News in Sebring. Fla. . both of
which were owned by the New York Times during his
employment.
Stockton has been very active in the Forsyth County
community, having served as a director for the Cumming-
Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, the United Way
See STOCKTON, Page 2A
Cagle seeks halt
to ‘activist’judges,
backs amendment
From staff reports
ATLANTA One of Forsyth County's four state
Senate members says he voted for a constitutional
amendment banning same-sex marriages in Georgia
because Georgians, not "activist judges." should decide
how the state should deal with the issue.
State Sen. Casey Cagle spoke last week before the
Senate voted 40-14 for the measure Monday. He and
Forsyth senators Dan Moody. Renee Unterman and
David Shafer voted for it.
Cagle, R-Gainesville, is vice chairman of the Senate
Rules Committee which voted 11-1 Feb. 11 to have the
full Senate consider the measure.
The proposed amendment. Senate Resolution 595,
would require two-thirds approval in both the Senate and
House and approval by voters in the Nov. 2 general elec
tion before it could be added to the state constitution. The
Senate's 40 votes for the amendment was two votes more
than was needed.
Opponents, including gay rights groups like Georgia
Equality, have said it would legalize discrimination and
See CACLE, Page 2A
Sunny
LAKE LANIER LEVELS
Date Level
Feb. 13 1069.06 ft
Feb - 14 1069.07 ft
Feb. 15 1069,13 ft
Feb. 16 1069.24 ft
Full 1071. OOit
High in the low 50s. ' * .. ■
Low in the low 30s.
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SPORTS, 1B
South wrestlers win Area
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Stockton