Newspaper Page Text
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H Wednesday, June 8, 2011
ERALD
www.JacksonHeraldTODAY.com
VOL. 136 NO. 52 44 PACES 4 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 75« COPY
— Inside —
Area news:
•Animal control ap
proved in Nicholson
page 2A
Op/Ed:
•'In school perfor
mance, we get what
we ask for'
page 4 A
Sports:
• New assistant coach
brings NFL experience to
JCCHS page IB
Murder shatters quiet neighborhood
First murder in Jefferson in 12 years
IT HAD BEEN 12 years since the City of Jefferson
last saw a murder, but Monday morning, in a usually
quiet, middle-class neighborhood, neighbors awoke
to sirens as law enforcement officials responded to a
shooting on Monte Lane off of Holder Siding Road.
A 40-year-old woman, Carlotta Shields, lay dead
in her home, the victim of domestic violence.
Shields was shot and killed at around 6:30 a.m.
Monday with a handgun by her estranged husband,
Anthony Tyrone Appling, 42. Appling later in the
day shot himself while on the run in Athens. He was
talking with a lawyer and law enforcement officials
at the time of his suicide.
The murder-suicide ended years of domestic vio
lence between the two as Shields had filed multiple
police reports and court actions against Appling since
their marriage in April 2008.
In May 2009, Shields filed for a temporary protec
tive order against Appling. She reported that he had
been violent in the past with her and that he threat
ened to kill “somebody.”
In March 2010. Shields filed for another TPO, say
ing Appling had a “major” alcohol and drug problem.
He had again threatened violence against Shields.
In July, she sought a third TPO in which she said
she was “scared” of Appling.
“Due to my past experiences with him, I’m scared,”
she wrote in the court filing. “I’ve had two TPOs in
the last year. Police officers have advised me to get
out of this ASAP.”
In August 2010, Shields filed for divorce from
Appling.
AREA ROOTS
Appling had roots in Madison County and the
Athens area. He was a 1987 graduate of Madison
County High School and served in the military.
Shields was a 1989 graduate of Jackson County
Comprehensive High School and the daughter of
Mary Shields, Jefferson, and the late Mr. Auther
Atkism, Winder and the granddaughter of the late
Mr. and Mrs. Theo (Lizzie) Shields and the late
Ms. Willie Mae Atkism.
She worked at Mayfield Dairy in Braselton and
leaves behind two children, a son and a daugh
ter.
Shields was a member of St. Paul First Baptist
Church in Jefferson and was recorded singing and
giving testimony at the church on Woman’s Day
in November 2009 in a program ironically called
“Bruised but not Broken.”
LAST MURDER
Most Jefferson area murders have been domes
CARLOTTA SHIELDS
tic-related, but Jefferson had not seen a killing
since Sept. 29, 1999 when Rufus Moon shot Ellis
Harper of Commerce during a domestic dispute
on Magnolia Drive in Jefferson. Moon suspected
Harper was having an affair with his girlfriend.
Features:
•Summer Reading
gets started... page 7 C
•Bird sanctuary holds
open house . .page 12A
Other News:
•Public Safety
pages 6-8A
•Legals
pages 7-20C
•Church News
page 6B
•Obituaries
page 7B
•School News
pages 5&8B
HIGHEST DONOR
The highest donor of the Relay for Life event, Kadie Edwards admires her trophy
while in her mother’s, Kimberly Edwards, arms. Edwards raised $1,078. See page
9A for more photos. Photo by Andrea Briscoe
BOC may stop gun
fire in neighborhoods
BYANGELA GARY
AN ORDINANCE that would stop the firing of guns in
residential areas of the county is being considered by the
Jackson County Board of Commissioners.
The BOC reviewed the proposed ordi
nance Monday night and commissioner
Tom Crow pointed out several issues,
including prohibiting property owners of
larger tracts from firing a gun just because
their property is not zoned agriculture.
“This is not only a subdivision, but any
residential home in the county, whether
that home is located on a half acre or 50
acres,” Crow said.
Crow said he “could go along” with an
ordinance regarding firing a gun in subdivisions, but not
from just any single-family dwelling.
County attorney Julius Hulsey was asked to present other
options to the ordinance, including acreage exemptions, at
the BOC’s next meeting, set for 6 p.m. on Monday. June
20. at the courthouse.
Hulsey said the ordinance was created following com
plaints about guns being fired in residential areas. He
added that it does not stop people’s rights of “bearing
arms.”
“It’s not intended in any way to restrict lawful use of
arms,” he said. “It defines residential development and
prohibits the discharge of firearms in those residential
development areas...We have researched this. Of course,
we walked a fine line to avoid in any way infringing on the
rights of the public to bear arms.”
continued on page 5A
CROW
Maysville business owner
asked to take down sign
BY ANDREA BRISCOE
MAYSVILLE business
owner Debbie Akins appeared
before the Maysville City
Council Monday night to com
plain about being asked to take
down the sign on her down
town restaurant.
Akins had months ago
requested the city council
allow the sale of beer in town.
The council denied her request
after several heated town hall
meetings were held with large
crowds of citizens speaking in
opposition to the action.
Akins went on to open a res
taurant in downtown that has a
sign out front with “Maysville
Saloon” on it.
At an earlier planning and
zoning meeting, chairman Guy
Baker suggested that police
chief Clarence Sullens go to
the Maysville Saloon and ask
the owner to take down the
banner.
Akins said that this was done
unprofessionally since Sullens
came into her business during
dinner time and embarrassed
her in front of customers.
Akins also said that the city
officials had something against
her and read a list detailing the
number of times her employ
ees have been pulled over for
“childish” things.
Akins also spoke on how she
gives back to the community,
stating that she has five local
employees.
Council member Lynn
Villyard agreed that the situa
tion was handled incorrectly.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the meet
ing Monday, the city council:
•discussed the new voting
wards. The population size of
the new wards is as follows:
ward 1 — 443; ward 2 — 444;
ward 3 — 466; and ward 4 —
445. The new wards leave each
council member in their same
voting district. The new dis
tricts are available for review
at the city clerk’s office or with
the superior court clerk. Under
the voting rights act, the depart-
continued on page 5A
Vacation Bible School days
VBS UNDER WAY ACROSS COUNTY
With school out, Vacation Bible School is under way across the county. A camper
at St. Catherine Laboure Vacation Bible School near Jefferson is shown making a
Hebrew scroll under the instruction of an older camper. Photo by Monica Flamini