Newspaper Page Text
Forsyth County News
Vol. 95, No. 040
Photo/Audra Perry
Political actvist George Anderson shows Forsyth County commis
sioners guides to Georgia open records laws during Monday night's
meeting.
Ethics activists
accuse county
of corrupt acts
By Todd Truelove
Staff Writer
Political activists George
Anderson of Rome and county resi
dent David Milum addressed the
Forsyth County Board of
Commissioners Monday during the
public comment period of the meet
ing and accused the county govern
ment of corrupt practices.
Anderson said he should have
been notified of costs associated with
copying county records, and Milum
called for the dismissal of current
appointees of the county Board of
Ethics.
“I have the right as an interested
member of the public to inspect ... or
make copies from any public
records,” Anderson said, handing out
guides to Georgia's open records
laws to the commissioners.
He was protesting a $220 charge
from the county government for
copying records, and said he should
have been informed of what the cost
would be before being charged for
a ■L*Ci
EH
- ■ ■ "■
Jr \jmM
Kc jyHMinT IF I
Atf&gk *■ ’ ' <. A. ' jH
r 20 '
# 1# /ilgjip
at,
Photo/Michael Shuering
Fire Department officials suspect arson in this Sunday morning mobile tiome fire
near the intersection of Post and Kelly Mill roads. It is the second arson case in
Forsyth in the past week. They do not appear to be related, fire officials say.
Missed paper policy:
For a replacement paper, call
0 a m. - 5:30 p.m. Wednesday,
Thursday and Friday, and 9 a.m. -1
p.m. on Sunday - (770) 887-3126
Copyright C 2004 Fortyth County News
<C Hl 0400
Your "Hometown Paper" Since 19(
the documents.
“Your hired law firm has charged
me for documents sight unseen,”
Anderson said, referring to Jarrard
and Davis, a local law firm under
contract with the county for legal
counsel and representation.
"This is not only unethical, but
illegal," he said, adding he has filed a
complaint with the attorney general's
office as a result.
He advised the board to
"demean" themselves for the county
residents.
"I encourage you to remember
that you answer to the people not
just campaign contributors and spe
cial interest [groups]," he said.
Georgia law allows governments
to charge a "reasonable" fee for pro
viding information under the state's
open records law. The fee can
include the hourly cost of the lowest
paid employee capable of compiling
the requested information, though
there is no charge for the first 15
See MEETING, Page 2A
INDEX
Abby 8A
Classifieds 148
Deaths ~..2A
Events 4A
Horoscope 8A
Legals 2B
Opinion 10A
Sports IB
WEDNESDAY March 10, 200'
Dear Abby:
Fantasy fulfilled
became a nightmare.
Page 8A
Sunday wreck kills mu on 141
Speed blamed in early morning, one-vehicle incident
By Nicole Green
Staff Writer
Two people died 3 a.m. Sunday in
south Forsyth County after the driver
lost control of his sports car on Hwy.
141, according to the Forsyth County
Sheriff's Office.
Seth L. Abrahams, 32, of
Alpharetta was traveling southbound
in a 2000 Porsche Carrera on Hwy.
141 at about 3 a.m. after an event in
the county. Abrahams passed some
friends at a high rate of speed, but
Casino night benefits county youth
Photo/David McGregor
Chris Lukyx waits for a card from dealer Marshall Dragg during a hand of blackjack at the 11th
Annual South Forsyth Rotary Club Casino Night at the Polo Golf and Country Club Saturday. In
addition to casino games using play money, the event included a silent auction for sports memo
rabilia, jewelry and trips. Proceeds benefit local youth in the community and help fund an educa
tional scholarship.
Arson suspected in fire
Brush fires also problem in windy conditions
By Nicole Green
Staff Writer
Forsyth County Fire Department officials
say they suspect an arsonist set a fire which
destroyed a mobile home near Kelly Mill and
Post roads in Forsyth County Sunday morn
ing.
The trailer was not occupied at the time of
the 7:30 a.m. fire. Apparently, the inhabitants
had been evicted the previous day. Chief
Steve Anderson said.
By the time firefighters arrived, the trailer
was consumed with flames. Anderson said.
He said he suspects an arsonist started the
fire.
This is the second case of arson in the past
week. On March 3, someone set fire to an
abandoned house off Hwy. 306 which spread
to the surrounding field. That fire is still
under investigation. Anderson said he does
not suspect a relationship between the two
fires.
Low humidity and high winds on Sunday
and Monday kept the Forsyth County Fire
Department busy with at least three large
brush fires.
Two children who set a dead frog on fire
Sunday afternoon unwittingly started a blaze
that covered 3 acres around Creekstone subdi
vision in south Forsyth.
Roger Simon:
Kerry doesn't need
Ed wards as VP.
Page 10A
lost control of the convertible when
he re-entered his lane, county coro
ner Lauren McDonald 111 said.
The vehicle veered off the road,
struck a culvert and went airborne.
The Porsche rolled several times and
before landing upright 6(X) feet down
the roadway near the intersection of
Hwy. 141 and Bagley Road,
McDonald said.
Abrahams and his passenger,
Jennifer Kuznitz, 34, of Kennesaw,
were pronounced dead at the scene, a
sheriff’s office report stated.
Sunny
High in the mid-50s.
Low in the low 30s.
They died of massive head and
chest trauma, the coroner said.
Kuznitz was partially ejected from
the vehicle.
Both occupants of the vehicle
were wearing a seat belt. The car was
traveling in excess of 70 miles per
hour, McDonald said.
No other vehicles were involved
in the crash. The Sheriff’s Office
Traffic Specialist Unit is still investi
gating the collision. Results of a toxi
cology test on the driver will not
return for about two months.
Firefighters saved a church, a cemetery
and several homes from a 5-acre wildfire off
Beaver Ruin Road and Pilgrim Mill Road
Sunday evening.
The county forestry department dug a
trench around the area, which was still smol
dering Monday afternoon around Beaver Ruin
Baptist Church. The cause of the fire is unde
termined. fire officials said.
Simmering ash from a pile of leaves
burned at noon Sunday reignited on Monday
at 1 p.m.. sejting 3 acres of trees on fire.
David Casey of Post Gate Court, near the
intersection of Post Road and Canton
Highway, said the ashes were not smoking
when he left for work that morning. When he
arrived home at lunchtime, the woods behind
his house were on fire.
“It's 100 windy. People don't realize what
the wind will do.” Battalion Chief Tommy
Coleman said on the scene of Monday's fire.
For wild land fires, the fire department
calls out a special division of firefighters.
Capt. David McWhorter's 20-man crew spe
cializes in fighting fire with hand tools
instead of hoses. Instead of dousing the
flames, they remove the fuel from the fire.
The wild land fire division was formed in
September 2003.
“This is the first time these guys have had
a good, hot fire to rake." McWhorter said.
LAKE LANIER LEVELS
Date Level
March 5 1069.76 ft
March 6 1069.78 ft
March 7 1069.84 ft
March 8 1069.85 ft
Full 1071.00 ft
SPORTS, 1B
SHIS golfers win tournament