About The wiregrass farmer. (Ashburn, Ga.) 1984-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 2008)
Thousands have lived without love, not one without water. W. H. Auden Time changes this weekend! THE Sample ballots - Your voting guide Inside this week Serving Turner County Since 1902 turnout may hit record SAMPLE BALLOTS - Page 3 Constitutional amendments explained - Page 3 Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008 ASHBURN, GA, 31714 VOL 106 - No. 44 • 500 /Around Town \ Subscribe to The Wiregrass Farmer Delivered in your mail every week. Call 567-3655 for information. Halloween Halloween hours for Turner County, Ashburn, Sycamore and Rebecca are 6- p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30. Turner v. Wilcox tickets on sale Pre-sale tickets to this Friday night's game in Rochelle can be purchased at Turner County High School. Tickets are $6. A reminder that the game is at 8. Trick or Treat The 2nd Annual Trick or Treat in the Street will be Oct. 30th from 6-8 pm in front of City Hall. Anyone wanting to participate please call Amanda Bridges or Lynn Hewitt at 567- 3431. You may also bring candy by the City Hall if you cannot be there. We would like for every busi ness to participate. Voter by Ben Baker, editor As of mid-morning Monday, more than 1,100 peo ple had voted in this historic 2008 election. Early voting in Georgia opened in September. Elections Superintendent Triscilla Bryan said Turner County may well set a new voter turnout in this election. by Nancy Stevenson As I walked down the hall, the sound of my steps echoed on the wood floor against the silence that surrounded me. It was 3 in the afternoon, and there were no students within the dimly lit hall. The sound wasn’t eery, nor did it seem bleak, but a certain stillness could be felt. Then the door was opened to me. No doubt, the driving force behind this year’s turnout is the presidential election. Regardless of which major party wins, it will set history for the nation. On one hand, the Republicans have a woman in the vice president slot. Sarah Palin is the governor of Alaska. The air changed instantly. It was not quiet, but self discipline kept the sound to a pleasant hum. Wall to wall computers lined three of the four sides of the room, and sit ting at most of the computers, were students in study. There were smiles on some of their faces and intense con centration on others. I would soon find out what made the On the other, the Democrats have mixed-race man, Barack Obama, leading the ticket for the presidential race. In both cases, the top spot on the ticket is occupied by a aura around me different, for within these walls, determina tion was a tangible thing. You could see it, you could feel it. These students were there for a purpose. The young people around me, had a mission. The mission is real and a part of who they are becoming. Ashburn’s, alternative school, located on the corner of College and Gilmore has a new program under way. What is this program? Mrs. Patricia Hargess, Director of the Turner County Speciality School, explained that it’s get ting young people who are out on the streets and who “have dropped out of school to get the education they are missing.” It’s for “students who are in high school that are behind. We can get them on credit recovery and help them catch up in school. At the same time, there are some students who won’t be able to get a diploma, but are seeking their GED. We can bring them in also and do the prep and help them get their GED. So, we are helping to educate these students and the current US Senator, so one state, either Arizona in the case of John McCain or Illinios in the case of Obama, will be short a senator. A replacement could be appointed or a special community.” Even before Mrs. Hargess came, Mr. Dale Hall who has worked at the school since 1989 as Community Resource Counselor said, “ It’s been one of my dreams...to actually make this a true alternative school, and at the same time to reclaim some of the kids that have dropped out, either help election could be held to get someone for the empty seat. Polls at the Board of Elections in the old American Legion Hall on Highway 41 will be open through Friday. Per Georgia Law, there will be no early voting on Monday. Polls will be open Tuesday, election Day, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. them if they’re eligible for their high school diploma to get it, or to get their GED prepared for.” When Mrs. Hargress came to the school, her leadership and initiative set the program in motion. Mr. Hall and Mrs. Hargress were talking one day when the idea was brought up. (See SCHOOL Page 7) THADEOUS YOUNG JR. Night school aims to get more graduates SHELDON LESTER Haunted House Free Haunted House, free candy, Fri. Oct. 31,6 PM at Port A Tech on Hwy 41. Call 567-9507 for more info. Food distribution Greater Saint Luke Interfaith Resource Center Inc. food distribution will be Saturday, Nov. 1, at 11 AM until supply is gone. Bring proof of income for all household members. Chickenque T. C. High School will have a Chickenque, Thursday, Nov. 20. Tickets are now on sale for $7 each. Plates will include: half grilled chicken, baked beans, chips, bread, and dessert. Pick up plates at TCHS Cafeteria from 3:30 7 pm on Nov. 20. Purchase tickets at the school or call 567-4377 for more info. We appreciate your sup port! Fruit sale Again this year Turner County 4-H will sponsor a Holiday Fruit Sale to raise money for the County pro gram. Fruit sale orders are being taken now and the fruit will be delivered in December. The fruit will be sold in whole boxes (4/5 bushel) or half boxes (2/5 bushel). The fruit selection will consist of Navel Oranges, Juice Oranges, Tangelos and Red Grapefruit. The cost for a (See BRIEFLY Page 2) Obituaries Mack Wilkerson, 72, Rebecca Complete obituary ^information is on Page 5 J Sliding economy spurring more thefts here BEN COLLINS and Investigator Steve Mauldin with guns recently recovered in Turner County following a burglary investigation in Dooly County. by Ben Baker, editor An increase in thefts and burglaries in Turner County is just another sign the economy is in bad shape. The Ashburn Police Department and the Sheriff’s Department both report a large increase in this kind of criminal activity over the past few months. “Yes. Guaranteed on that one,” said Sheriff’s Department Investigator Steve Mauldin. Both blame it on the sour economy. “That’s got a pretty good bit to do with it. It’s going to get worse. Folks are going to go to stealing so they can get by,” said APD Chief Bryant McCard. Inv. Mauldin said most of the thefts being seen right now are of items easily stolen and easily resold on the streets. “Mostly items outside the residence, in barns and such. Stuff they can sell on the street pretty quickly,” he said. The problem with these out door thefts can usually be traced back to one issue, he said. “Lock ‘em. All the thefts we have had have been open barns where they just walked right in,” he said. “We had one (a barn break-in) that had a lock and clasp on it, but it wasn’t locked. They just walked right in.” In Ashburn, the crimes are more aimed at homes. “It’s residential right now. Folks breaking into houses, that is what we are seeing,” Chief McCard said. “Business (break-ins) hasn’t started yet, but I expect to see that before it is over.” Both men urged residents to report suspicious activity to law enforcment. In a burglary case that spanned county lines, a busi ness was broken into in Dooly County and a number of guns taken. Deputies here received a tip about some men selling guns from a pickup truck. They responded to the call and found a number of guns reported stolen in the Dooly County break-in. “They got a tip from a con fidential informant about some body trying to sell some guns. Then they got a call from a family member of one of the bad guys. (The suspects were) caught with the guns in the back of a truck,” said Chief Deputy Steve Wood. School Board rejects most proposals from state review committee by Ben Baker Editor The School Board said No to most of the proposals a state committee has suggested for school boards across the state. The State Board of Education commissioned the committee to review and make suggestions for improving Georgia’s school boards. The committee came after Clayton County schools lost their accreditation and the School Board was accused of extreme mismanagement. The proposals were sent to School Boards across the state for review and input. Superintendent Ray Jordan said much of what was being proposed was already law. “This (would) put it to a higher level,” he said. Account ability was the first item on the list. Mr. Jordan said the proposal wants to make school board members more accountable to the people they represent. Like many of the proposals, Mr. Jordan said this idea was aimed at metropolitan schools where school board members often do not have the same contact with constituents as happens in small rural counties like here. “In Fulton and Clayton County where the Board is so removed from the public, that may be the case,” he said. “Here, if you do something wrong, the people tell you about it.” The board said Yes to a pro posal that would make Board of Education candidates run nonpartisan in elections. “This is one I like. Rather than declare a party affiliation, you just run for the School Board,” Mr. Jordan said. The Board also said yes to a proposal that would prevent anyone “judged mentally incompetent” from running for School Board. A proposal for drug test ing was also given a green light, with Danny Godwin objecting. “I say no, unless you do it for every body,” he said. By no, he meant anyone running for office in the state of Georgia. As an employee of the Department of Corrections, Mr. Godwin does go through periodic drug screening. Mr. Godwin also objected to a proposal to require poten tial BoE members to undergo a background check. Again, Mr. Godwin did have a background check as part of his job applica tion process with the Department of Corrections. “I say no. I am fine with everybody, County Commis sioners, the whole group,” he said. The board was unanimous in supporting a proposal that a person running for School Board must have at least a high school diploma or GED. Mr. Jordan noted this would not have affected Clayton (See BOE Page 2) Godwin
