Newspaper Page Text
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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS - Frld«y, April 30,2004
DOGS from 1A
The dogs are doing better
under the care of local veteri
narian Dr. Lanier Orr, who is
under contract with the county
government to provide med
ical care to impounded ani
mals. Orr could not be reached
Wednesday for comment
about the case.
It is the second time in as
many weeks that animal con
trol officers in the north metro
area have impounded a large
TURNER from 1A
poisoning murder of Forsyth
County firefighter Randy
Thompson in 2001, though
Turner has not been formally
charged.
While most of the jury
pool knew little or nothing
about the murder trial, two
potential jurors said they saw
footage of the alleged vic
tim’s body as it was exhumed
from a Cobb County cemetery
in 2001 for toxicology test
ing. One of those potential
jurors was excused. The other
juror said he could set aside
anything he heard or read in
the media and reach an impar
tial verdict based on evidence
presented in court. "I’m a
firm believer in letting the
evidence speak for itself." the
juror said.
Final selection of the 12
jurors and three alternates
was scheduled for 4 p.m.
Thursday. The court needs 42
jurors to begin the final selec
tion. Bodiford planned to
have 49 in his pool. "We're
going to have a lot more
jurors than we need,"
Bodiford said Wednesday.
If opening arguments
begin Friday, evidence could
CABLE from 1A
Samaritan Drive for studio
space.
Owner Marty Byars agreed
to let the county use his facili
ty after becoming involved
with local programming
through working with the
county’s environmental Keep
Forsyth County Beautiful
(KFCB) program.
“It was a pleasure for me
to lend the space," Byars
said.
The KFCB program was
the first program the county
government produced at the
beginning of the year. The
county subsequently added
six others.
"I believe we've given
Adelphia enough program
ming to where we're going to
be on six nights a week,”
Johnson said. "All of our pro
grams are going to be about
our departments and the serv
ices they offer."
The county currently pro
duces seven shows. Johnson
said, ranging from the
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number of dogs due to neg
lect. In neighboring Gwinnett
County earlier this week, ani
mal control officers discov
ered 11 dead and more than
50 malnourished dogs at a
Duluth kennel. The woman in
charge of the kennel was
issued citations and the saved
dogs were transported to the
Gwinnett County Animal
Shelter and Atlanta Humane
Society.
be heard as early as Monday
morning. Several Forsyth
County officials may testify
during the case, including
Solicitor General Leslie
Abernathy, Superior Court
Judge David L. Dickinson,
Deputy Fire Chief Steve
Anderson, former E-911
Communications Director
Miles Butler, fire department
Battalion Chief Tommy
Coleman, Capt. Frank Goss
of the Cumming Police
Department, former sheriff
Denny Hendrix, City
Councilman Rupert Sexton
and county Coroner Lauren
McDonald 111.
Turner formerly was
employed by the sheriff's
office, district attorney's
office and state court in
Forsyth County.
The families of Glenn
Turner and Randy Thompson
are on the witness list, as
well. Perry and Nita
Thompson live in nearby
Warner Robins where their
son is buried. The Thompson
and Turner families shared a
bench in the courtroom during
jury selection in Houston
County.
Sheriff's Office series
"Behind the Badge” to
"County Magazine" host
ed by Johnson.
To help produce the
shows, commissioners in
March approved spending
5143.000 to purchase equip
ment such as cameras. In
addition, the county may
begin advertising soon for a
video production staff posi
tion. The position was
approved during last year's
budgeting process.
Jim Dean, who worked
locally at Adelphia for about
eight years before the compa
ny quit producing local
broadcasts, could be in line
for the position.
Dean currently films,
edits and hands the shows
over to Adelphia to be broad
cast; the county pays him
S3OO a show that includes
meetings of the board of
commissioners and planning
commission.
Dean said the county's
QUALIFYING from 1A
ning outside groups from
using the auditorium.
Commissioners Charlie
Laughinghouse and A.J.
Pritchett were against closing
the room.
The county and city sales
tax split of 85 percent to 15
percent also has been con
tentious.
In 2002, each of the gov
ernmental entities entered into
negotiations that resulted in
the split remaining at the same
rate as it had been previously.
In 2003, voters approved
extending the county’s 1-per
cent sales tax of which most
of the proceeds —about SIOO
million is to fund road
projects.
In addition, commissioners
in September questioned
whether the city was appropri
ately spending its share of the
Special Purpose Local Option
Sales Tax and requested
invoices and receipts from the
city as proof.
Jim Harrell, chairman of
the Forsyth County
Republican Party, said the
qualifying questions were
approved by the executive
committee of the party.
"They are basically what
we've done before,” said
McClelland qualifies for judicial election
From staff reports
State Court Judge T.
Russell McClelland has quali
fied for election to a four-year
term on the Forsyth County
bench.
McClelland was appointed
in December by Gov. Sonny
Perdue to fill the vacancy cre
ated by the appointment of
equipment, once received,
will be some of the best
available.
“It will service for quite a
while," Dean said.
The county government
departmental shows each last
a half hour. Johnson said the
schedule for Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays will
be as follows:
• 7 p.m. “Senior
Sense." Senior Center.
• 7:30 p.m. "Park
Place,” Parks and Recreation
Department.
• 8 p.m. "Behind the
Badge." Sheriff's Office.
All of the television pro
grams will be filmed on a
monthly basis, Johnson said.
The schedule for Tuesdays
and Thursdays is as follows:
• 6:30 p.m.
"Purchasing Points,”
Procurement Department.
• 7 p.m. "Keep For-
Forsyth County News
J Your Hometown Paper" Since 1908 J
L’SPS 205-540
Veterans Memorial Blvd., Cumming. Georgia 30040
Phone: 770-887-3126 Fax: 770-889-6017
Internet Address: www.forsythnews.com
e Publisher DENNIS STOCKTON
General Manager NORMAN BAGGS
Editor TOM SPIGOLON
Advertising Director MARTI BARNES
Circulation Director PHIL JONES
MEMBER
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Harrell. “We got bounced
from the meeting room. We'd
just like to know how candi
dates feel about that.”
Harrell said the county
Republican Party cannot offi
cially endorse one of its candi
dates; the questions help
members determine which
campaigns they will support
individually.
“What’s their [candidates’]
real party affiliation? We all
know some Democrats run as
Republicans,” said Harrell.
“Since we cannot endorse, our
obligation is to inform.”
Marty Klein, the communi
cations director of the state
Republican Party, said that
though the organization does
not have a questionnaire,
there’s nothing unusual about
it being administered at the
local party level.
"Most counties have some
form of questionnaire or
pledge form in the qualifying
process,” Klein said. “It’s not
a requirement; a candidate can
qualify and not fill that out.”
Harrell said it’s the county
party’s responsibility to
inform voters about the candi
dates on whom they will be
choosing.
“This is strictly to give the
Judge David Dickinson to the
Superior Court.
The new judge began prac
ticing law in Forsyth County in
1984 as an assistant district
attorney. In 1992. he entered
private practice and at the time
of his appointment was a part
ner in the firm of Dreger,
Coyle. McClelland. Bergman
syth County Beautiful,” co
hosted by KFCB members
Byars and Resource
Coordinator Jennifer Szabo.
• 7:30 p.m. “Fireline,”
Fire Department.
• 8 p.m. "County
Magazine.”
Johnson said Adelphia
will continue to broadcast
meetings of the board of
commissioners and planning
commission at no cost.
He said the county is grate
ful for the support from
Northside Hospital’s donation
and Marty Byars for letting
the county utilize rooms at his
business. In addition, Johnson
also thanked Chairman Jack
Conway for spurring the
development of the county's
programming capabilities.
"This is just one more
chance for us to get informa
tion out to the public,” he
said.
voting public information to
make a decision,” Harrell said.
However, Tam said
Wednesday he continued to
have reservations about the
questions and remained unde
cided whether he would com
plete the survey.
“I don’t know if it is
appropriate for a political
party to be questioning candi
dates at the taxpayer’s build
ing during qualifying,” Tam
said.
He was not the only one
who had not completed the
survey. Chief Magistrate can
didate and incumbent Barbara
Cole also did not complete it,
and magistrate candidate John
Adams Jr. did not answer the
question about the meeting
room.
The following people had
qualified to run as
Republicans for local posi
tions as of Wednesday:
• Sheriff - Gary Beebe,
Ted Paxton (incumbent);
• Board of Commissioners
District 2 - Michael Busse,
Brian Tam;
• Board of
Commissioners District 4 -
Jim Custer, David Richard;
• Board of Education
District 3 - Sharon Kasica;
and Pieschel. “It was an honor
and a privilege to be selected
by Governor Perdue to serve,”
said McClelland. “It will be an
even greater honor and privi
lege to be elected by the citi
zens of Forsyth County to
serve in this position "
McClelland has been active
in a number of community
GI Bill pays more than
just a college education
ATLANTA Most veter
ans know they can use their GI
Bill to pay for the costs of a
college education. “However,
many veterans are not aware
that they can use their GI Bill
benefits in on-the-job training
and apprenticeship programs
with most businesses,” points
out Georgia Commissioner of
Veterans Affairs Pete Wheeler.
"These programs are excellent
ways to enable a veteran to
acquire a skill under the super
vision of a experience worker in
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Seethemovies.com M
678-513-4400 or 770-844-1101, #llOB g
Forsvth County News
J Your "Hometown Paper" Since 1908 J
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
The Forsyth County News is currently seeking a
goal oriented Account Executive to join our
growing Advertising Department. Individual
must have excellent organizational skills and
possess prior outside sales experience, prefer
ably in advertising or related field. Must have
ability to service existing accounts while focus
ing on new business development and work in a
deadline oriented environment.
FCN offers a pleasant work environment,
excellent growth opportunity, competitive com
pensation and benefits.
For consideration on this position, please fax
resume to:
Marti Barnes, Advertising Director,
770-844-9779
Or Mail To:
302 Veteran Memorial Blvd.
Cumming, GA. 30040
or email to: marti@forsythnews.com
No phone calls, please.
EOE
• Board of Education
District 4 - Ronnie Pinson,
Michael Schlabra;
• Board of Education
District 5 - Steve Carter,
Nancy Roche (incumbent);
• Tax Commissioner -
Matthew Ledbetter, Bill
Jenkins, Wayne Plummer,
Matt Maiorano;
• Coroner - Lauren
McDonald 111 (incumbent);'
• Solicitor General -
Leslie Abernathy (incum
bent);
• Probate Judge - Woody
Jordan;
• State Court Judge -
Philip Smith (incumbent);
• State Court Judge -
Russell McClelland (incum
bent);
• Clerk of Court - Doug
Sorrells (incumbent).
Those wishing to run as a
Republican can qualify at the
County Administration
Building on the ground floor
in the lobby.
Those who would like to
run as a Democrat should con
tact Gary Smith at the
Elections Office, (770) 781-
2118.
The qualifying period for
the 2004 elections ends at
noon today.
activities including the South
Forsyth Rotary Club,
Cumming-Forsyth County
Optimist Club. Cumming-
Forsyth County Chamber of
Commerce and Leadership
Forsyth. He and his wife,
Janice, have one son, Matthew'.
They attend The Episcopal
Church of the Holy Spirit.
a practical 'hands-on' way.”
And during job training, a
newly hired veteran employee,
if eligible, can receive up to
$12,988 as tax-free supplemen
tal income from his GI Bill dur
ing a two-year, experience
based training program.
National Guardsmen and
reservists currently under a six
year contract may also be eligi
ble. For additional information,
contact James Jackson at 404-
656-2306 or e-mail him at
saaga@mindspring.com.