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Forsyth County News
•/ Your "Hometown Paper" Since 1908 J
Vol. 95, No. 47
Meth labs
a danger
in county
By Nicole Green
Staff Writer
Three young children and their
babysitter died Thursday after a
methamphetamine drug lab explosion
ignited their Spalding County trailer,
police officials said.
A tragedy like this could happen in
Forsyth County. Over the last two
Polo fields
homeowner
arrested,
page 3A
years, the Forsyth
County Sheriff's
Office has busted at
least six "Nazi labs”
in the county . That is
only a fraction of
labs likely manufacturing meth in
Forsyth.
“It’s probably the most dangerous
thing we have in the drug industry. It's
so highly addictive that people go to
any means to get it," Maj. Gene Moss
with the sheriff's office said.
In the wake of last week's fatal
fire. Moss said that public awareness
of these dangerous labs must be
heightened. "It's sad that it rises to that
level to make us aware, but these Nazi
labs are very dangerous." Moss said.
Meth, crank, cry stal, ice —by any
name and in any form, methampheta
mine is a stimulant that exceeds the
addictive power of cocaine. It can be
swallowed, snorted, smoked or inject
ed. The drug interferes with nerve cell
communication in the brain and spinal
cord.
Meth labs manufacture the drug by
"cooking" a combination of over-the
counter chemicals.
According to the Koch Crime
Institute, the basic components of
meth are ephedrine and hydroiodic
acid. These are both controlled sub
stances. Pseudoephedrine, commonly
found in over-the-counter cold med
ications. can be substituted for
ephedrine. Hydroiodic acid is a com
bination of red phosphorous and
iodine, which are not controlled sub
stances.
Other common ingredients are
drain cleaner, battery acid. lye. lantern
fuel and antifreeze.
“Any one of those things, if you
See METH, Page 2A
Teenager arrested for stealing
a stroke victim’s wheelchair
By Colby Jones
Staff Writer
A Forsyth County teen faces criminal charges for
allegedly breaking into a storage shed belonging to a
disabled veteran and stealing his motorized wheel
chair. The teen then teportedly took the 78-year-old
man’s wheelchair for a spin and discarded it in a
ditch.
Micah Corey Hart, 17, of Cumming was charged
by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office on March 17
with burglary in connection with the early morning
break-in at the north Forsyth County home of retired
Army Sgt. Floyd Mclntyre between March 1 and 2.
He remained in custody at the county jail Friday on a
$25,000 bond.
Detectives initially found themselves at a dead end
in the investigation. However, an unrelated drug
investigation involving Hart helped them crack the
case. ‘Boredom" appeared to be Hart's motive,
according to authorities. “He admitted to everything,"
said Detective Mike McCarron. “He said he didn't
have anything else to do and was tired of walking.”
Hart was under the influence of drugs at the time
of the burglary. McCarron said. Mclntyre was not
amused by the teen’s story. “I’m glad I didn’t go out
there and catch him messing around in my carport. I'd
of probably shot him," Mclntyre said on Thursday. “I
highly detest anybody who takes anything from me."
The wheelchair is constructed of heavy-duty steel
and outfitted with two oversized batteries. Mclntyre
purchased the wheelchair after suffering a stroke five
years ago that left him partially paralyzed. The wheel-
Missed paper policy:
For a replacement paper, call
8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Wednesday,
Thursday and Friday, and 9 a.m. -1
p.m. on Sunday - (770) 887-3126.
CorifHght 6 2004 Fortytfi County Newt
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Gimme some lovin’
LA WHI
Photo/David McGregor
Kellie Guthrie gets a face full of dog tongue on March 18 at the
Midway United Methodist Church in south Forsyth. Forsyth
County Humane Society brought some friends to visit the We
Wonders Pre-K program at the church Thursday. See more
photos, page 12A.
INDEX
Ab by 6B
Births ........48
Classifieds
Deaths 2A
Forsyth Life IB
Horoscope »».........w»....... .68
Opinion 10A
Sports 1C
SUNDAY March 21,2004
Hart
chair serves as the veteran’s primary
source of transportation, allowing
him to zoom around the yard and go
to the mailbox. His young grandson
discovered the wheelchair missing
from a storage shed beside the car
port on March 2. Mclntyre, who
served more than five years as a mil
itary police officer, reported the
crime with little hope of catching
the crook.
McCarron said the crime scene
yielded few clues. It appeared Hart
initially attempted to steal the veteran's Yamaha golf
cart based on damage to the ignition switch, but the
perpetrator did not leave behind any tell-tale signs. A
canvass of the area turned up nothing. More than a
week after the wheelchair went AWOL, Hart was
caught up in a drug investigation. Deputies charged
Hart and two juveniles on March 12 with possession
of marijuana. Hart confessed to stealing the wheel
chair. McCarron said.
The wheelchair was found discarded in a ditch in
front of the Shannon Glen neighborhood on John
Burruss Road It was damaged but still operational. "I
had a little bit of good luck." Mclntyre said.
Following the return of his wheelchair, he began
securing it to the carport with a large metal chain.
When asked if he hopes the teen will go to prison if
convicted, Mclntyre stopped short of pushing for the
maximum, which is 20 years in prison.
"I’d like for him to get a good lesson out of it any
how.”
Commission considers
two major subdivisions
Monday night
Page 3 A
districts win ravor
Forsyth County
Seat in Senate a possibility now
By Harris Blackwood
Community Editor
An analysis of population totals
for the legislative districts proposed
by a panel of federal judges shows
that Forsyth County has a significant
advantage in voters in two districts
which include portions of Cherokee
County.
In Senate District 27, which
includes most of Forsyth and the
northern two-thirds of Cherokee,
Forsyth has a population advantage of
nearly 2 to 1.
According to figures released by
the Legislative Reapportionment
Office, there are 91,469 residents in
the Forsyth portion of the 27th com
pared with 53,387 living in Cherokee.
In the entire district, there are 105,112
persons of voting age.
A professor of political science at
the University of Georgia said that a
candidate from Forsyth would have a
chance of w inning.
“Georgia has a long tradition of
‘friends and neighbors' politics," said
Dr. Charles Bullock. “We've seen it in
contests many times."
But Bullock conceded that the
population advantage can be offset by
the political strength of the opponent.
The incumbent in the district is Sen.
Bill Stephens. (R-Canton). who senes
as majority leader in the state Senate.
Prior to being elected to the top
post by the Republican majority,
Stephens served as Gov. Sonny
Perdue's floor leader in the Senate.
"Those who are politically active
will already know who Bill Stephens
is.” said Bullock.
He said that Stephens will make
no secret of his political power.
“I think that will be part of the
message. ‘I can do more for Forsyth
County because of my position.’"
In an interview, Stephens sounded
energized by the challenge.
“I see it as an opportunity." said
Stephens. 47. who has served in the
Senate since 1998. “This is not my
first rodeo. I didn’t get to be Senate
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Photo/David McGregor
Retired Army Sgt. Floyd Mclntyre, a
stroke victim, sits in the motorized
wheelchair a 17-year-old allegedly stole
from a storage shed at his home.
South Forsyth boys golf
team swings into spring
with a win over GAC.
PagelC
SI.OO
Possible Rain
LAKE LANIER LEVELS
Date Level
March 16 1069.87 ft
March 17 1069.88 ft
Hllmlll March 18 1069.88 ft
////////// March 19 1069.89 ft
Full 1071.00 ft
High in the high 60s.
Low in the high 30s.
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Photo/Submittea
New legislative districts pro
posed statewide by a panel of
federal judges divides Forsyth
between three new House dis
tricts, top, and two new Senate
districts, bottom.
majority leader by just falling off the
truck as it was driving out Highway
20.”
A more distinct advantage belongs
to Forsyth in House District 14A.
which is the district of incumbent
Representatives Tom Knox and Jack
Murphy.
There are 40,132 persons in the
Forsy th portion of the House district,
compared with 5,278 in Cherokee.
The voting age population in 14A is
33,386, according to the
Reapportionment Office.
The dilemma for Murphy and
Knox is the same question that is
affecting 66 other lawmakers around
See DISTRICT, Page 2A
Impact of tree
law may be felt
in near future
By Todd Truelove
Staff Writer
A revised version of a tree ordi
nance adopted by the Forsyth County
Board of Commissioners last week
should help the county retain its tree
base, according to staff at the county
Planning Department.
County Arborist Greg Wallace
and Planning Department Assistant
Administrator Tom Brown reviewed
the law Friday with the newspaper
along with changes made by the
board of commissioners.
While private homeowners and
those filing residential land distur
bance permits for six or less lots are
exempted from the ordinance, other
developers filing land disturbance
permits after March 15 must comply
with the law’s new requirements.
“In two weeks, people will get the
first comments [from planning staff)
based on this new ordinance," Brown
said.
The board passed the ordinance
unanimously.
Though all of the new provisions
See TREE, Page 2A