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Forsyth County News a/ Vnur "Hnmutnwn Pnnor" Vol. 95, No. 55 ■ ffW w ® th KMM W ” IM| .’ft - * ; HPll Photo/Submitted Physical education teacher Melody Mizer had the support of stu dents and colleagues during a five-year battle with ovarian cancer. Molester sentenced Receives 15 years in prison By Nicole Green Staff Writer A Cumming man convicted of molesting a 5-year old girl was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in prison. Ismael Lopez-Trejo. 30. of Bald Ridge View Circle, on Feb. 27 was convicted by a Forsyth County jury of aggravated child molestation, child molestation and sexual battery. Each charge carries a minimum 10-year jail sentence with a maximum of 20 years. Forsyth County Superior Court Judge David L. Dickinson accepted Assistant District Attorney Sandra Partridge’s recommendation for sen tencing. Dickinson based his decision on the facts of the case and the credi bility of the young victim who testi fied during the five day trial, he said. The incident occurred sometime between January and March 2003. Lopez- Trejo "My hope is she [the victim] will not have long term effects, but it is doubtful," Dickinson said. “I’m very afraid that her innocence has been taken from her.” Lopez has prior convictions for felony burglary, criminal trespass and is classified as a habitual violator. Lopez also was sentenced to serve five years proba tion as a sex offender. However, he is being held on detainer by the Immigration and Naturalization Service subject to deportation after his jail sentence is com plete. A native of Mexico, Lopez was living in the United States as a legal permanent resident with his See LOPEZ, Page 2A Knox and Amerson to seek third term in their new House districts By Harris Blackwood Community Editor A current member and a possible future member of the Forsyth County state House delegation have announced their intentions to run for re-election. State Reps. Tom Knox, who cur rently represents District 14, and Amos Amerson, who represents District 9, issued statements on Friday that they would be on the ballot as candidates from new dis tricts that include part of Forsyth. “I have been privileged to repre sent the people of Forsyth County for the last four years." said Knox in a statement released from his office. “I look forward to going back to Atlanta next year.” Knox, a Cumming attorney, was elected in 2000 and succeeded for mer Rep. Mike Evans who now 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) 007-3126. Copyright 6 Ufa rinfti County ■n o« 909941'04000' ? Your "Hometown Paper" Since 1908 serves on the State Transportation Board. Knox was re-elected without opposition in 2002 to District 14. a two-member post he held along with Rep. Jack Murphy. (R- Cumming). A three-judge federal panel struck down the use of multi-mem ber districts. A court-ordered redrawing of legislative maps placed Knox in a new District 24. which covers the heavily populated southern portion of Forsyth County. Knox serves on the Regulated Industries, Special Judiciary, and Insurance committees in the House. Amerson, like Knox, is complet ing his second term in the House. He picks up a portion of north Forsyth in the redrawn District 9. The newly reconfigured district consists of most of Lumpkin and Dawson counties and a portion of INDEX Abby 14A Births 4B Classifieds •MMMMMMMMMMM „..4C Deaths 2A Forsyth Life IB Horoscope 14A Opinion 16A Sports 1C SUNDAY April 4, 2004 Baby needs a new pair of shoes Am . A i Km"* 4 I M M Photo/Audra Perry Thirty-year horseshoeing veteran, Steve Ruiz, places a new pair of horseshoes on Spot in preparation for Friday’s opening night of the World Championship Rodeo at the Cumming Fairgrounds. Spot has made more than 3 000 grand entrances with his owner and rider, Pam Treadway, who carries the American flag. Forsyth east of Highway 9 in the northeast corner of the county. Amerson. (R Dahlonega), sits on the Education. Health and Human Services, and Natural Resources and Environment committees. For the past two years, he has represented a district which consists of the eastern half of Lumpkin County, the northern third of Hall County, and one precinct in Habersham County. The previous two years he represented House District 7 consisting of all of Lumpkin and Gilmer counties and half of Fannin County. Amerson is a 1956 graduate of North Georgia College in Dahlonega. He spent 23 years as an Army officer, retiring with the rank See DISTRICT, Page 2A Local Off-duty fire chief County rivals Central becomes a hero to and South battle local family. on the diamond. PageGA PagelC Teacher loses ’ - *' >r By Harris Blackwood Community Editor In the late 19705, Melody Mizer was the lead twirler for the Forsyth County High Schixil band. “This was in the days when they would still twirl flaming batons,” said Genise Tworek, a Forsyth County School System administrator who was Mizer’s classmate in 1978. “They would turn off the stadium lights and she would twirl three flaming batons and when she fin ished, her arms would be singed from the heat.” Melody Mizer eventually put down the twirling torches, but her friends say that a fire of courage did not go out until last week. Mizer, 44, who had fought a lengthy battle with ovarian cancer. Amerson Knox 66 It died on April Fools Day because she was such a jokester. died Thursday. “It is so ironic that she died on April Fools Day because she was such a jokester," said Tworek. Mizer is survived by her mother. Mary Ann Mizer of Cumming. Other survivors include her father, Glen Mizer of Palmetto, Fla., brothers Mountie Mizer of Swan Pointe, Md., and Glen Mizer of Reno, Nev. She was a physical education teacher in the Forsyth County School District for the past 15 years and had Busse to campaign for south Commission seat By Todd Truelove Staff Writer Mike Busse will seek voters’ endorsement this summer in the Republican race for the District 2 Commission seat representing south Forsyth County. The 39-year-old is a resident of the Common Wealth subdivision who moved from Gwinnett County to Forsyth in 199 X. Forsyth| just reminded me of where I grew up.” Busse said, adding that he spent his childhood in Midland. N.C. Busse said he is running for the seat, currently held by A.J. Pritchett, so he will have an oppor tunity to make a difference in the community and help the county grow. The county government is build ing infrastructure in reaction to growth that has already occurred. Busse said, rather than being proac tive in building infrastructure before the growth arrives. New Sports SI.OO Sunny LAKE LANIER LEVELS Date Level March 30 1069.89 ft March 31 1069.93 ft April 1 1069.94 ft April 2 1069.96 ft Full 1071.00 ft High in the mid-60s. Low in the high 30s. Creek, lentary Even when Mizer’s sickness was at its height, she worked diligently to hide her suffering. “Last year, sometimes Melody would come to Daves Creek on Monday after having been through chemo, and she would be so sick,” remembered close friend and fellow physical education teacher Joey Gamer "The students wouldn’t be at school yet. and I could see how terri ble she felt and I would tell her to go home, but she would hide it all and always act so positive and upbeat for the kids.” Last year, the South Forsyth Rotary Club honored Mizer for her See MIZER, Page 2A developments are being approved before the county’s infrastructure has been upgraded to handle them. The local government has a plan for the county’s growth and should use it to improve the *** ■ * v**® If ' 1 I y Busse county s infra structure, especially roads, before large scale developments are approved, he said. "With the land use plan, we know what’s going there." Busse said. The land use plan indicates pre ferred developmental improve ments; planning staff consult the map when considering rezoning requests. In addition. Busse said he would like to attract high quality business- See BUSSE, Page 2A