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Mardi Gras show returns | 1C
Lawmakers learn assignments
Seven serving on various committees
By Jennifer Sami
jsami@forsythnews.com
The seven members of
Forsyth County’s state legisla
tive delegation enjoyed a busy
‘start to the 2013 Georgia
General Assembly.
Taubman
changes
require
hearing
County wants to
split payments
An agreement to split up right-of-way
payments to a developer of a large
mixed-use project will require a public
heating before the Forsyth County com
mission can ratify the measure.
Taubman Centers penned a deal with
the county in 2008 for the mall, office
space, hotels and residential units on
164 acres on the southern section of
Ronald Regan Boulevard.
The amendments made in October
2011 delayed the latest opening date of
the regional mall from 2015 to 2020, as
well as pushed back the county’s dead
line to reimburse Taubman for right-of
wa’? costs for the road.
aubman sought to make the changes
due to economic conditions and the
recent sale of a parcel of land for apart
ments.
The right-of-way payments of about
$2.5 million would be divided, with the
first half before Feb. 15 and the other by
December 2015 if the commission rati
fied the agreement before the first dead
line, said County Attorney Ken Jarrard
during a meeting Thursday.
“However, your act of ratifying that
... does trigger a clause in the [state]
statute that says-if you fund the acquisi
tion of property over multi years you’re
supposed to have a public hearing
before you do that,” Jarrard said.
The commission will hold that hear
ing at its Feb. 7 meeting, when it likely
See HEARING | 3A
Lecture series begins with analysis on Iran
Program runs into March at UNG campus
By Crystal Ledford
Cledford@forsythnews.com
A war with the Middle
Eastern country of Iran could
be more costly than the
Vietnam War, a University of
North Georgia dean told a
group of about 60 people
Thursday night at the
Volume 104, Number 12
© 2013, Forsyth County News
Cumming, Georgia
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Siblings injured in crash | 2A
For two of the Republican
lawmakers, that meant being
sworn in and appointed to their
first committees in the House of
Representatives.
District 26 state Rep. Geoff
Duncan of south Forsyth will
serve on the Banks & Banking,
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Life of girl, 11,
inspires many
By Jennifer Sami
jsami@forsythnews.com
Lily Anderson lived her life to the
fullest. The 11-year-old was a sing
er, cheerleader and a symbol of hope
for the community and families
nationwide who followed her strug
gle with a rare childhood cancer.
It’s been a month since the spirit
ed Vickery Creek Middle School
student lost her battle with
Neuroblastoma. Friends and family
are mourning her loss, as are the
many others she touched with her
smile and soul.
Nearly 18,000 followed her jour
ney on social media. To her parents,
Jennifer and Joel however, Lily was
just their little girl.
“Even before she was sick, people
would say, ‘There’s just something
University Center | GA 400.
Christopher Jespersen, dean
of the university’s college of
arts and letters, was the first of
several University of North
Georgia professors to present
during this year’s Great
Decisions Lecture Series.
The annual offering is orga
nized by the Foreign Policy
Abby 4C
Business 3B
Classifieds 5B
Deaths 2A
Forsyth Life 1c
Opinion AA
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Students put best foot forward | 3B
Interstate Cooperation and
Science & Technology commit
tees.
Fellow newcomer District 9
state Rep. Kevin Tanner of
Dawsonville will serve on the
Education, Intragovernmental
Coordination and Natural
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about her,”” Jennifer Anderson said.
“1 truly know she had a job here on
Earth and she did it well. She spread
kindness and love throughout the
world ... She was an Earth angel.”
Association as a way for com
munities to come together to
discuss current, international
issues.
The association also produc
es a book covering each of the
topics that can be purchased at
any of the lectures.
Locally, the eight-week series
is presented by the University
GA Parks and rec
honored
by Special -
Olympics.
Resources & Environment com
mittees.
District 25 state Rep. Mike
Dudgeon of south Forsyth was
reappointed to the Science &
Technology, Education and
Energy, Utilities &
Telecommunications commit
tees. He was also tapped to
serve on the Small Business
Development committee.
“It’s going to be a lot of work
Photos for the Forsyth County News
Lily Anderson, 11, is being
’ remembered as a symbol of
hope since dying of cancer in
December. Thousands of peo
ple followed her story on
social media.
Lily-was diagnosed in 2009 with a
large tumor behind her liver; the
cancer had spread to her bone mar
row. Over the next year, she went
through several rounds of chemo
therapy, a stem cell transplant, radia
tion and antibody therapy. Despite
the trying treatment plan and hair
loss, she never lost her brightness.
Anderson said one of her daugh
ter’s most memorable experiences
was performing the national anthem
before an Atlanta Braves baseball
game in 2011 representing the Rally
Foundation for Childhood Cancer
Research.
“She actually took chemo 30 min
utes before she sang,” Anderson
See LEGACY | 3A
of North Georgia. This year,
sessions will be held at 6:30
p.m. every Thursday at the
University Center | GA 400, off
Pilgrim Mill Road in Cumming
and on Mondays at the univer
sity’s Gainesville campus.
The final Cumming lecture
will be March 7, and the final
Gainesville presentation will be
March 4.
In Thursday’s opener,
Jespersen discussed the United
States’ history with Iran, begin
3B Data driving
economic
development,
chamber says.
with reducing red tape with eco
nomic development so I'm
happy to be on that,” said
Dudgeon, who's beginning his
second term.
Between his assignments,
Dudgeon will get a chance to sit
alongside Duncan and Tanner,
as well as to continue to serve
with District 24 Rep. Mark
See LEARN |3A
ning at the end of World War Il
and continuing through
President Barack Obama’s cur
rent term.
He also gave an overview of
the nation, which is the 18th
most populous in the world
with 79 million people.
Iran is about the size of the
state of Alaska and its gross
domestic product is 93rd in the
world, he said, with petroleum
See IRAN | 2A
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