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Forsyth J Your "Hometown County Paper" Since 1908 J New s 3©6
Vol. 96, No. 099 THURSDAY June 23,2005
Athens
Testimony: Man glad he killed dog with arrow
By Stephen Gurr
Staff Writer
A man accused of killing his
neighbor’s pet Labrador by shooting
an arrow into it went on trial this
week, claiming he was justified in
protecting his chickens from the dog.
Ted Williams, 45, of 8140
Nicholson Road in northern Forsyth
County, faces one felony count of
aggravated cruelty to animals.
In opening statements to a
Forsyth County Superior Court jury
Tuesday, Williams’ defense attorney
said there would be no dispute that
New park rule bans
smoking in bleachers
Originally proposed for all park space
ByToddTruelove
Staff Writer
On July 1, a new state law will
go into effect that basically makes it
illegal to smoke inside buildings.
But there’s nothing that prevents
smoking outside.
On June 16, the Forsyth County
Board of Commissioners approved
a park rule banning smoking in
bleachers at county parks after
considering an ordinance that
would have made it illegal to smoke
anywhere in county parks except
parking areas. Parks and Recreation
Department Director Jerry Kinsey
said Tuesday that “no smoking”
signs have been ordered as a result
of his department receiving com¬
plaints regarding bleacher smoking.
“We’re going to have no smok¬
ing between the dugouts in the
bleacher areas and behind the back¬
stops,” said Kinsey.
“It’s a health issue,” he said,
“and I think it’s a courtesy issue.”
“Usually people are courteous
enough to step somewhere out of
the way of the crowd,” said Kinsey.
“This way, we’ll make sure every
one does.”
The bleachers no-smoking rule
should reduce the amount of sec
ond-hand smoke as the parks and
recreation department continues to
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Photo/Ron Logan
Kids of all ages enjoy Bible school
Sara Turner, 13, servant leader in the "littlest cubs" class, helps
Cale Bissell, 19 months, make a hat during vacation Bible school at
First Christian Church recently.
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his client killed the 3-year-old dog
named Molly.
“There was no maliciousness in
this act,” appointed defense lawyer
Jeffrey Cox told the jury. “Was it
tragic that Molly was killed? Yes.
But that doesn’t make it a crime. His
only intent was to protect his chick¬
ens, his livelihood.”
According to court testimony, on
the morning of Nov. 12 the wounded
dog showed up on the doorstep of its
owners, Christopher and Kim
McBrayer, siblings in their 20’s who
lived with their mother and stepfather
at 8080 Nicholson d.
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Ledbetter
more than 4,000 participants. He
said about 3,500 people played in
soccer leagues.
The original proposal for a parks
smoking ban was submitted by
District 5 Commissioner Linda
Ledbetter. She said she was asked to
investigate implementing such a poli
cy.
“I’ve had so many people ask me
to bring it to you,” Ledbetter told fel¬
low commissioners at the board’s
work session last week.
Kinsey said the county govern¬
ment addressed the issue about 10
yea rs ago to totally ban smoking in
the parks, but it did not pass,
The department continues to
expand capital projects, Kinsey said,
with the second phase of the Sawnee
Mountain Preserve being planned
and the opening of the Coal
Mountain community building set
for July 16.
grow in the num¬
ber of participants
in its programs, he
said.
Kinsey said
there were about
350 youth softball
and baseball teams
this spring which,
with an average of
12 people per
team, resulted in
Their mother, Sandra Baker, testi¬
fied she heard a loud yelp and
opened the kitchen door to see the
family pet with an arrow sticking out
of its right side.
“I screamed, and my daughter
came running,” Baker testified.
“Then we called 911.”
Animal control officers helped
the family load the dog onto a pickup
truck and it was taken to Orr Animal
Hospital, where veterinarians per¬
formed surgery.
Dr. Erin Orr testified that the dog
had a 2- or 3-inch wound where the
arrow had penetrated its side just
Local inventor to appear on QVC
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Photo/Ron Logan
From left, 6-year-olds Olivia Wilcock, Shellby Young, Mary, Amy and Michael Bergin Jr. sit outside
the Bergins’ home and show the evolution of Amy’s "The Couponizer,” from the first homemade
product on the left to the newest edition on the right.
Award winning
product can help
families save money
By Nancy Smallwood
Associate Editor
Many people may wonder
where their money goes after a trip
to the grocery store but one local
mother put her creativity to work
and has a solution.
Amy Bergin said her spending
frustrations led her to develop the
tools to help her stay on top of the
family budget.
“After the birth of my first child
I wanted to stay home and it was a
challenge to watch after the family
budget. So I put together the tools
to help me with spending at the
Forsyth County News wins five awards
in Press Association contest
From Staff Reports
The Forsyth County News won
five awards, including first place for
Lifestyle Coverage, in the 2005
Better Newspaper Contest sponsored
by the Georgia Press Association.
Association officials announced
the winners of the awards at their
annual convention last weekend at
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
In addition to its first place
award, the Forsyth newspaper won
two second place awards in the cate¬
gories of Business Coverage by its
staff and Humorous Column by
Community Editor Harris Black-
behind the rib cage. The arrow
entered at an angle toward the dog’s
abdomen, where it lacerated three
areas of the intestine and the pan¬
creas, she said.
The dog died about five hours
after being taken to the hospital from
a suspected blood clot, Orr said.
Christopher McBrayer testified
that Molly “was a well-trained dog,
real smart and loving. She was
always real good to us. When I heard
(she was shot), I was upset. She was
one of my favorite dogs, and I was
just hoping she was going to be OK.”
The dog’s owners testified that
grocery, clothing stores and enter¬
tainment places.”
Now, the Windermere resident
and her winning product, The
Couponizer, will be featured on
QVC cable TV shopping channel
during its Product Discover Tour
which will be broadcast to 87 mil¬
lion households July 8.
Bergin’s invention has won both
the Parenting Media Award in the
gift category and the National
Parenting Seal of Approval.
The Couponizer is a portable
system for organizing, storing, and
accessing coupons while shopping,
according to Bergin. The system
includes a‘booklet with 22 pockets
for storing grocery and other
coupons, a guide to using the
Couponizer system, a presorting
coupon mat, a list pad for tracking
finances, a shopping list, scissors
\\
Blackwood
wood.
It also won two third place
awards for Investigative Reporting
by Staff Writer Todd Truelove and
Thielove
Molly occasionally escaped from her
holding pen outside, but denied that
she had ever attacked or even threat¬
ened their neighbor’s chickens.
Baker said her neighbor often
exhibited odd behavior, including
“chanting and yelling” as he paced
along the driveway.
“Did the defendant ever say any¬
thing to you about Molly and his
chickens?” Assistant District
Attorney David Lyles asked.
“No, all he did was yell,” Baker
said.
See DOC, Page 2A
and a durable plastic bag.
The Couponizer began as a way
for Bergin to keep track of mis¬
placed coupons but soon developed
into a method of reining in her
spending to focus on deals and
pricing.
“I learned more about disciplin¬
ing my finances and learned that
other moms also struggle with
spending,” said Bergin.
Bergin said she began market¬
ing her Couponizer at a metro
Atlanta home show.
“I just stuck it on the market
and people bought it,” said Bergin.
“I didn’t lose money and people
were connecting with me and the
concept.”
However, Bergin said she soon
realized that trade shows wore her
See COUPON, Page 2A
Editorial Writing by the staff.
Forsyth County News Publisher
John Hall said he was “proud of our
newsroom and the recognition they
received in these awards.”
“They’ve done an excellent job
covering our community’s govern¬
ment and business, and with local
editorials in our Sunday editions,”
Hall said. “The staff also received
recognition for a well-produced
Sunday lifestyle section and Harris
Blackwood’s humor column.
“All summed it represents a
See AWARDS, Page 2A