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Forsyth Your "Hometown County J Paper" Since 1908 J ^ws '»*££?***« 3 -dibit Vol. 95, No. 109 Advance voting starts next week Cast ballots before July 20 From staff reports The Forsyth County Elections Office will accept votes next week July 12-16 as the state’s advance voting period begins for the July 20 primary election. It will be the second time the advance voting period has taken place in Georgia. The first was for the March 2 election when Georgians voted on the state flag, U.S. presidential primary candi¬ dates and — in Forsyth County — a bond package for a new jail and courthouse, which failed. Unlike absentee voting — where registered voters must either be absent from their precinct on election day, are 75 years old or older, or are disabled or meet other specific requirements — those who participate in the advance voting period are not required to provide accept¬ able reasons to vote early. Chief Registrar Gary Smith said 700 people participat¬ ed during the previous advance voting period. He said that number is expected to increase next week. “We’re anticipating that we will have twice as many,” said Smith. “I think the word is starting to get around [about advanced voting], A lot of people are finding it convenient.” Those who are going to vote next week should bring along some form of identification, Smith said. “The most common is a driver’s license,” he said, adding there are 27 various forms of ID including pass¬ ports, birth certificates and fishing licenses. Even if a registered voter does not have the necessary identification, the state provides an application voters can fill out. “You can sign a form that you are who you say you are, but don’t have any identification,” Smith said. There will be seven booths open in the commissioner’s meeting room upstairs in the County Administration Building in downtown Camming to take residents’ votes. See VOTING, Page 2A Woman overcomes to teach school By Nancy Smallwood Associate Editor Special education students return¬ ing to North Forsyth Middle School this fall will find a new teacher who knows what it feels like to overcome the odds. Paula Sue Halcomb was told by many she may never be able to attend college again after being involved in a serious car wreck in October 1998. “I was in a coma for two weeks and doctors did not expect me to live through the night,” said Halcomb. However, the 25-year-old was able to return to her studies at North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega one year later after receiving physical, occupational and speech therapy. Forsyth Court Appointed Special Advocates moved to local control By Nicole Green Staff Writer The abused and neglected chil¬ dren of Forsyth County now have a voice of their own. Until last week, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children represented children from Cherokee and Forsyth counties in court proceedings. As of July 1, Forsyth County CASA emerged as an independent nonprofit organiza¬ tion with its own executive director, board, funding and legion of volun¬ teers. “The work of the volunteer coor¬ dinators won’t change,” said outgo¬ ing board chair Annette Shutters. Forsyth County currently has 55 Missed paper policy: For a replacement paper, call 0 a.m. - 5:50 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9 a.m. -1 p.m. on Sunday - (770) 087-3126. Copyright O 2004 Forsyth County Ntws 90994’040 ' THURSDAY July 8,2004 Halcomb the college’s stu¬ dent disability resources with assist¬ ing her in returning to school. The office helps integrate students with disabilities into the college setting. Halcomb worked with an advisor to select a reduced course load of classes for a couple of semesters before taking on a full load. The active volunteers who champion the needs of at least 145 children. At the request of the court, the advocates visit children who have been taken from their families and placed into foster care. “No matter where they are placet!, they have the same CASA,” program manager Mary Lamond said. CASA began in the 1980s when a Seattle judge realized that the special needs of abused and neglected chil¬ dren were falling through the cracks during court proceedings. He organ¬ ized the first league of volunteers to look out for those children. There are now more than 900 CASA programs in the United States and 70,000 vol¬ unteers, according to the National INDEX Abby... Classifieds 6A 2B Deaths— 2A Horoscope. 6A Kids Page 10A Opinion 9A Sports . .............................. 8A Wreck causes road closure t I * < +- % w ’4 jOTrH •#£ »• ■'iron ■ K .. , SaLssi "* 2 ^ 9 if K v ft Photo/Tina DiFabio The driver of this 2002 Mazda Protege lost control on a curve on Chattahoochee Road and struck a power pole, causing it to ‘crack all the way through,’ near Stone Creek Circle Tuesday about 10:42 a.m., sheriff’s deputies reported. Although the driver was not seriously injured, deputies closed the road from Shady Grove to Holtzclaw Drive for several hours until power to the pole could be turned off. The car could not be removed immediately because of the instability of the pole, deputies reported. “Due to the accident, 1 had to re-learn every thing,” said Halcomb. “Prayers from all over the world went up for me and definitely had a lot to do with my recovery.” Halcomb credits CASA Association. The local organization will con¬ duct training classes for new CASAs in August. Twelve new volunteers have committed to the August train¬ ing, but 20 arc needed, Lamond said. Time is the most important require¬ ment: 10 to 15 hours monthly for at least 18 months. A CASA visits his or her assigned child at least once a month at the foster home. “We try to establish a rapport so they build a trust in us,” Lamond said. Once the CASA determines the needs of a child, he or she can ask See CASA, Page 2A Local Forsyth County Sheriff releases holiday traffic report. Page2A office also worked with Halcomb to give her preferential registration to ensure a workable schedule and allowed her to take tests at the col¬ lege’s testing center for a distraction free environment. According to Rodney Pennamore. coordinator of the college's student disability resources, it is Halcomb’s “go-getter" attitude that assisted her in accomplishing her goal of becom¬ ing a teacher. “She was very persistent in get¬ ting through her injuries and basical¬ ly did not take ‘no’ for an answer,” said Pennamore. Jacqueline Leeper, an assistant professor at the college, said Halcomb had succeeded so well in overcoming her disabilities that she V ;f t I / ; v . ' V *25 i - | Photo/Tina DiFabio Forsyth County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) staff and board members include, back row, Gene Valde and Annette Shutters: front row, Brian Adams, Mary Lamond and Dianne Boyington. Sports Hunters Chase swim team impresses in third season. Page 5A did not realize Halcomb had been in an accident. “She is very enthusiastic and very dedicated to her career,” said Leeper. Halcomb decided she wanted to work with special education students during an experience as a peer men¬ tor in elementary school. “1 really liked the self rewards — seeing the students’ faces light up when they accomplished something that was easy for me but so difficult for them," she said. The experience of her wreck has drawn her even closer to what stu¬ dents go through in learning new things, she said. “I have had to prove myself to See TEACHER, Page 2A Possible Storms ■ 1 JhVH High in the high 80s. Low in the high 60s & SINESS, 1B libk balances work, home Thunder Road sold for $5.5M Bought by local group By Charlie Auvermann FCN Regional Staff DAWSONVILLE A Dawsonville-based partnership paid $5.5 million to buy the bankrupt Thunder Road car racing museum Tuesday. Newton Cummings, attorney for the law firm of Cummings, Kelly and Bishop, offered the only bid from a group called Phoenix One during an auction of the property Tuesday on the steps of the Dawson County Courthouse. He said Phoenix One was a gen¬ eral partnership located in Dawsonville, but declined to provide any further information. “We had hoped to get more,” stat¬ ed Jordan immediately after the sale. “This is the best we got.” Lawyers representing Chestatee State Bank arrived on the Dawson County Courthouse steps Tuesday afternoon to receive offers for the facility in downtown Dawsonville. Paul Jordan, from the law firm of Lawson, Davis, Pickren and Seydel, made his way to the north side steps at 2:05 p.m. to announce that the bank was placing the property up for sale. Before a moderate crowd of local bankers and interested observers, Jordan read off the legal descriptions of the building and property, and then called out for offers. Cummings made a single offer, placing a bid on behalf of Phoenix One for the amount of $5.5 million. After calling for any further bids and getting no response. Jordan closed the sale and awarded Thunder Road to Phoenix One. The two law firms agreed to meet to review the timing of the transfer of Thunder Road to Phoenix One as the auction concluded. “The terms are cash as stated at the beginning of the sale." Jordan said. “We will discuss the method of transfer but I would expect every¬ thing will be in order.” As holder of the notes for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Chestatee has managed Thunder Road’s financial transac¬ tions since problems surfaced with the attraction and museum. The sale of Thunder Road by the bank will allow it to clear the USDA from the title. By eliminating the USDA from the original loan, a new owner has See ROAD, 2A LAKE LANIER LEVELS Date Level July 2 1071.77 ft ft July July 3 1071.80 ft 4 1071,87 July Full 5 1071.00 1071.93 ft ft