Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 132 NO. 45 36 PAGES 5 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 50« COPY
: lmide - Glenn sues 7 Jefferson officials
•Whole Foods opens
page 2A
FORMER JEFFERSON Police
Chief Darren Glenn filed suit
against seven of his former boss
es Tuesday in Jackson County
Superior Court. In the lawsuit,
Glenn claims that he was unjustly
fired in 2006 and was subsequent
ly denied a name-clearing hearing
by the officials.
Named in the lawsuit are Mayor
Jim Joiner, councilmembers Steve
Kinney, David Varnadoe, C.D.
Kidd, and Bosie Griffeth, city manager John
Ward and former city manager David Clabo.
The seven are being sued as individuals and
the city itself isn’t named in the lawsuit.
Former city councilman Philip Thompson
is not named in the suit. Thompson opposed
Glenn's firing in 2006.
The lawsuit asks for $100,000 in lost
wages, $5,540 in attorney fees and punitive
damages of $1 million. The suit asks for a
jury trial to decide the matter.
Glenn is being represented by former
Georgia Attorney General Michael Bowers
in the suit.
BACKGROUND
When Jefferson officials fired Glenn in 2006,
they said it was because he had mishandled a
2005 demotion involving JPD officer Lee New.
According to this week’s lawsuit, city attorney
Ronnie Hopkins recommended in 2006 that
Clabo and Ward fire Glenn because it would
be cheaper for the city to do that than fight a
lawsuit being threatened by the policeman’s
lawyer.
Glenn was fired later that same day and New
agreed not to sue the city. But Glenn was denied
a subsequent name-clearing hearing, according
to the suit. The denial of that hearing forms
the crux of Glenn’s action against the officials
named in the suit.
STRING OF LITIGATION
Glenn has been the subject of multiple legal
actions since 2005. Two months after he was
fired, Glenn won an unemployment hearing
against the city. That decision outlined the fail
ure by city officials to prove Glenn violated any
city policies and procedures.
Glenn was also the subject of a lengthy state
criminal investigation starting in 2005. Glenn
was cleared of any wrongdoing in that probe by
a grand jury in December 2007.
Glenn also won a federal court ruling in 2007
that threw out a civil rights suit filed by JPD
officer New.
Op/Ed:
•'Do research before speak
ing out' page 4A
Sports:
I
•JHS undefeated in region
play page 1B
Features:
•E-recycling event held
Saturday by Keep Jakson
County Beautiful
page 1C
Other News:
•School News
.... pages 5A, 11 A, 9-11B
•Public Safety
pages 8-9A
•Legals
pages 7-14C
•Church News
pages 7-8B
•Obituaries
page 10A
MULTIPLE INJURIES IN WED. WRECK
Multiple people were injured Wednesday afternoon around 2 p.m.
in a single car wreck on Hwy. 15 in front of Apple Valley Church.
Law enforcement officials were reportedly chasing a vehicle
when it wrecked, ejecting several passengers. Four ambuances
and two helicopters were dispatched to the scene, along with
a number of rescue and fire units. One person from the vehicle
reportedly fled the scene and was being sought by law officers.
One child was reportedly airlifted to Egleston Hospital and a
second helicopter also transported a patient. No details on the
extent of injuries was available at press time.
Photo by Justin Poole
Noise complaint aired at
Jefferson council meeting
Neighbors complain about bar noise
Group wants new Civil War
monument in downtown
BY ANGELA GARY
A GROUP OF Jefferson area citizens are
interested in seeing a new Civil War monument
located downtown.
Michael Bowen presented a proposal to the
Jefferson City Council Monday night to replace
the current monument with a replica to the
original, which was damaged in 1940 resulting
in the top of the monument being broken off.
“The beautification of the square and the
monument move has created a resurgence of
interest in the broken original statue and for a
continued on page 6A
Hearing set Fri. for Linn Jones
BY ANGELA GARY
TWO MEN who live near Mike’s
Down Under bar in Jefferson say
the noise on Saturday nights is too
loud and that it is causing prob
lems for them. But bar owner Mike
Carron said he checks the noise
level to make sure it is under the
city’s 60 decimal maximum.
Len Sturkie, who lives one block
from the bar, said the noise from
Mike’s has caused a “negative qual
ity of life in my residence.’’ He said
it has caused the “windows of his
home to rattle.” He added that the
noise is “impossible to ignore.”
“We can’t go to sleep,” he said.
“We can’t rest when this is going
on. We can’t open our windows
and enjoy fresh air. We can’t sit on
our screened porch and we can’t
have friends over to sit on our patio.
This goes on until at least one and
sometimes two on Sunday morn
ings. .. our home has been a private
residence for 120 years. We are
being treated as commercial prop
erty because the city has included
several residences in the C-2 high
way commercial district.”
Sturkie asked that the decimal
level maximum be lowered to 45
db from 60 db. He also asked that
the music end at midnight instead
of 1 a.m.
continued on page 6A
A PLEA hearing related to theft charges
filed against, Linn Jones, the wife of for
mer district attorney Tim Madison, will be
held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Banks County
courthouse in Homer.
Jones worked in the DA’s office and
faces theft charges related to having falsi
fied payroll documents.
Madison earlier pled guilty to theft
charges and is serving time in prison.
Thurs. hearing
set for ‘puppy
mill’ case
A HEARING ON whether or not
some 300 dogs from a Nicholson puppy
mill will be confiscated and released for
adoption will be held Thursday.
The forfeiture hearing has been set
for 2 p.m. Thursday, April 17, before
Judge David Motes in courtroom 3 at
the Jackson County courthouse.
In February, more than 300 puppies
were removed from a Nicholson kennel
following the arrests of its owners after
allegations of abuse and neglect. The
kennel license has been revoked by the
Georgia Department of Agriculture and
state officials said the owners would
likely never be allowed to operate a
kennel again because of the condition
of the dogs.
Kennel owners and operators, Marie,
Jennifer and Ronnie Hughes and
Brandy Stone, were all charged with
misdemeanor and federal animal cru
elty charges.
Jefferson to
vote on hotel,
shops April 28
BY ANGELA GARY
A VARIANCE request needed for
a hotel to locate at 1-85 and Hwy. 129
in Jefferson was heard by the Jefferson
City Council Monday night.
The city council will take action on
the request from Jefferson Hospitality
Inc. when it meets at 6 p.m. on Monday,
April 28, at the civic center. The Quad
Cities Planning Commission earlier
recommended approval of the request.
Jefferson Hospitality Inc. proposes
locating a Country Inn and Suites hotel
and retail shops at 5221 Hwy. 129.
The variances being asked for are to
reduce the side and rear setbacks and
continued on page 6A
: : -7 ■ •' >’’ V- -• • G
CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH OBSERVED
Pinwheels were placed in Marlow Park in downtown Jefferson Tuesday to represent the 255 substan
tiated cases of child abuse in Jackson County in the past year. Among those putting the pinwheels
in the park were: (L-R) Rick Bridgeman, Jackson County district attorney, Annette Raymond, CASA
director; and Sharon Newton, Peace Place. Shown in the back is Cathy Bitterman, director of the
Jackson County Department of Family and Children Services. Photo by Angela Gary
Arcade police chief expresses
concerns about rising gas prices
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
CITY OF Arcade Police Chief
Randy Williams expressed concern
to the city council about the ongoing
increase in the cost of fuel during
Monday night’s meeting.
Williams said gas prices are pro
jected to reach $4 per gallon by
this summer. During the first three
months of 2008, the chief said his
department has used approximately
1,120 gallons per month.
“I am planning to meet with my
sergeants with ways to save on gas
consumption,” Williams said.
The chief also told council mem
bers since the city remains under a
watering ban that he plans to use rain
barrels to collect runoff water from
the roof of the police department.
He noted it is possible to harvest
“hundreds of gallons” of water using
this method because of the way the
police department is designed.
Also during March, Williams said
his officers answered 60 calls and
for the first time since June 2007
there was not an accident within the
city.
In other business during Monday’s
40-minute meeting, the council:
•heard a presentation from James
Scott, president of Jackson County
Community Outreach Program.
Scott outlined the history and goals
of the program which helps supports
needy students with financial funds
to attend college. The group’s 10th
anniversary banquet is planned for
Nov. 22 and Scott asked Arcade
officials to consider sponsoring the
event.
•nominated, appointed and swore
in Deborah Mockus as city admin
istrator.
•voted to surplus and sale used
office furniture from the former city
hall and public safety buildings.