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Forsyth CountvNews •/ Your "Hometown Paper" Since 1908 Vol. 95, No. 49 Senate leader to request $5 million for new libraiy Also $155,500 to plan an addition to Lanier Tech By Harris Blackwood Community Editor State Sen. Bill Stephens, R- Canton. wasted no time in flexing his political muscle on behalf of his new potential constituents in Forsyth County. The veteran lawmaker, who also serves as Senate Majority Leader, presently represents Cherokee and a number of counties in the mountains. Last week a three-judge federal panel placed Stephens into a district made up of Forsyth and Cherokee counties with the largest population base in Forsyth. He announced Tuesday that he had secured inclusion of $5 million in state I IX I sJ J IJSk. W MMw*yr gM SSfllv *•*' U _ mMmI \t k t I fl •»; i I 11 • I lif SUffliTL j jA** jb Photo/Harris Blackwood Deputies check a 1994 Ford Tempo after it collided with Forsyth County school bus 932 Tuesday about 4 p.m. at the intersection of Chattahoochee and Shady Grove roads. The car turned onto Shady Grove Road in front of the southbound bus, officials said. The bus was full of students from North Forsyth High and North Forsyth Middle schools when it collided with the car’s driver's side. The driver of the car, Amanda Flowers, 22, of Dawsonville was taken to North Fulton Regional Hospital by ambulance. She was in surgery Wednesday morning, sheriff's officials said. Only one student on the bus was taken to the hospital by her parent and was treated and released. Roche to seek another term in District 5 seat on county school board By Nancy Smallwood Staff Writer Nancy Roche has announced she will he running for re-election to the Forsyth County School Board. Roche, a Republican, will be seek ing the District 5 seat that she has held since 2000. Roche’s experience in the field of technology has benefited the school district. Prior to her decision to leave work in 1980. Roche was employed by IBM as a systems ana lyst. She has a degree in computer science and math from Moorhead State University in Moorhead. Minnesota. During her first term on the school board. Roche has initiated the technology improvements of the school board meetings. She has 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 Copyright C 2004 Fortyth County Now* nßr funds for a new Forsyth County Public Library and $155,500 to begin design work on a major addition to the Forsyth campus of Lanier Technical College. "The people of Forsyth County deserve a quality technical college opportunity within driving distance," said Stephens in a statement released from his office. "This funding will allow the Forsyth campus of Lanier Tech to expand to meet the needs of this growing community. I'm glad this step can be taken." The version of the budget approved by the House contained the funds. Stephens' action will likely ensure that the funds will remain intact when the Senate Appropriations Committee Bus, car collide Roche be informed while on business trips or if they are out of town for a few days before the meetings." said Roche. During the first year of her term, Roche served as the Georgia School Board Association Legislative See ROCHE, Page 2A INDEX Abby 5B Classifieds 2B Deaths 2A Government .... 7A Kids Page GA Opinion 9A Sports 8A THURSDAY March 25,2004 been able to con vince other board members of the importance of gaining access to information about upcoming agendas through the Internet. “Now board members can research issues and County’s first optometrist remembered by community. Page 3A votes on the budget. The surprise action by Stephens was his placement of the library funds in the Senate version. “This new library is needed as well and I'm excited about this possibility," said Stephens. “I will need Representatives Tom Knox and Jack Murphy to make sure the House main tains the funding for these two key projects.” State Sen. Casey Cagle. R- Gainesville, who has represented por tions of Forsyth during his 10-year Senate career, was clearly surprised when told of his colleague's action on the library. See LIBRARY, Page 2A wSHI tAF wSLHHML S . ■>i ■ g i .- ag: Photo/Audra Perry Helping a friend Students at Sawnee Elementary School on Tuesday rehearse the play "The Little Prince" to benefit schoolmate and friend Josh Wallace, who is battling leukemia. See story, page 3A. Coach’s future m question K I i i M i MMi I 1 Photo/file Coach Norris Vaughan talks to his South Forsyth football players during a recent season. Vaughan, who has led the team to the state playoffs six times, including in 2003, was informed last week he would have to reapply for his job. See Sports, page BA. Friday anniversary of deputy’s death Woman charged in March 2003 incident By Nicole Green Staff Writer Friday marks the one-year anniversary of the motorcycle acci dent that killed Forsyth County Sheriff's Sgt. David P. Land, and the woman charged in his death waived her right to arraignment earlier this week. Land. 32. died on March 26. 2003. after his motorcycle collided with two cars on westbound Hwy. 20. Land was responding to a call with his siren and emergency lights flashing. He attempted to pass a Chrysler mini van driven by Wanda Ann Sells when the van turned left into a furniture store parking lot. Land collided with the left side of the van. causing his motorcycle to leave the roadway. He struck a parked Mercury Mountaineer and was killed instantly. A five-mile motorcade followed the family to Arlington Memorial Park in Atlanta where Land was laid to rest. Sells, who faces two counts of second degree vehicular homicide for Land's death, waived her right to arraignment on Tuesday, according to the Forsyth solicitor general's Hostility towaid drug makers detrimental to Americans’ health? Page9A Partly Cloudy ' LAKE LAMER LBIELS a Date Level i March 20 1069.88 ft r March 21 1069.90 ft March 22 ’0W.91 ft March 23 1069.91 ft Full 1071.00-ft High in the high 70s. Low in the mid-40s. icral home hosts Chamber office. Her case was put on the jury trial calendar to be tried in late August. Solicitor Leslie Abernathy antici pates putting more than 50 witnesses on the stand. Second-degree * ~ Land homicide is a mis demeanor punishable by a fine of up to SI,OOO and/or imprisonment for up to 12 months. Also. Sells was for mally charged with failure to yield for an emergency vehicle and improper left turn. Land left behind a wife, Paula F. Land, and a daughter. Taylor Rene Land. Paula, like her husband, was a sergeant in the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office. Now she works for a local attorney. Taylor will be 7 years old on Sunday. Paula said. “In some ways it seems like this year has just flown by. and in other ways it seems like it's been forever." Paula said Tuesday. According to Paula's religious faith, the one-year mark ends the for mal mourning period and symbolizes See LAND, Page 2A New statewide defense similar to Forsyth’s County hopes to opt out By Todd Truelove Staff Writer The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners is asking the state government not to include (he county in a new statewide public defense system. Commissioners unanimously approved the resolution to opt out of the program after listening to reports from Superior Court Chief Judge Jeff Bagley and Pre-Trial Services Administrator Connie Brooker Monday during a called meeting. "Basically, it comes down to money," Bagley told the board, explaining that while the state would provide some funding for a public defense office, additional costs the See SAFETY, Page 2A