The Monroe County reporter. (Forsyth, Ga.) 1972-current, March 26, 2008, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextHouse OKs $1&6 million more for DOC move; but some No. Ga. lawmakers call it a ‘boondoggle Our View: The train has already left the station, and Atlanta as we might be,” said Staton. Staton said he and Chance will certainly carry their load on the senate side. “I’m confident about our abil ity to hold it,” said Staton. Staton said the final budget vote likely won’t come until next week. Over the past two years, law-:- See TIFT page 7A or perhaps add to the $15.65 million to finish the move to Tift College. Staton said he believes they’ll be able to keep the Tift funds in the budget but said there may be a fight. “I think we’re in a battle with some metro Atlanta forces who may not be as sup portive of moving things out of happy the House budget includes as much as it does. “Very seldom do you get all the money,” said Cole. “But it’s more than we’ve ever gotten.” Now it’ll be up to Monroe County’s delegation in the sen ate, Sen. Cecil Staton (R- Monroe County) and Sen. Ronnie Chance (R-Peachtree City), to see if they can keep I refuse to let metro Atlanta continue to gobble everything up while middle and south Georgia die on the vine. - State Rep. Jim Cole (R-Forsyth) .Jysyfev-i ■ ....v; : Inside See special edition, inside Deaths W. D. “Shorty” Brasher See obituary page 2A <D ? ^ & <C O co CD O Q_ S5 « 3 I a s 5 « o ^ ^ 2 > ~ u If) CO W !t « CM M co o 2 </* </* Give that kid a gold “I won!” shouts Niryair Evans after receiving his blue ribbon for the softball throw during the Monroe County Special Olympics Friday. Niryair was one of over 100 athletes who participated in the annual event. This year, the Monroe County games were renamed the Billy Winslow games, in honor of a fel low athlete who remains hospitalized following an accidnt in Feb. For details and more Special Olympic photos see page 10A. (Photo/Gina Herring) Vehicular homicide in fatal wreck charge A Warner Robins man faces vehicular homicide and DUI charges for causing a head-on wreck that killed a Culloden woman last Wednesday. Stephen Bell, 47, of Warner Robins, was head ing west on Hwy. 74 when he steered his 2007 Toyota Tundra into the opposite lane and plowed nearly head-on into a 2002 Ford Taurus driven by Shiela Graupp, 45, of 150 Pine Grove Church Road, Culloden. Graupp died instantly, said the sheriff’s office. She was traveling east on Hwy. 74 near mile marker 18 when Bell entered her lane. Her son, 23-year-old David Heath, also of Culloden, told deputies she tried to move away from him to avoid the wreck but couldn’t. Witnesses corrob orated the story. It hap pened around 3:01 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19. The impact sent Graupp’s car spinning onto the shoulder. Bell appeared to be intox icated at the scene, and said he couldn’t remember anything that happened in the wreck before his airbag deployed. Heath was taken to the Medical Center in Macon by Monroe County EMS for injuries not considered life- threatening. Bell is free on bond. County shuts down High Falls Supercross You cannot peacefully lie down in bed at a decent hour. > jH - June Eaves, who lives next door . J \ to the Supercross Motor track wanted later hours BY WILL DAVIS Monroe County shut down the High Falls Supercross last Wednesday after neighbors com plained that the dirt track keeps them awake at night. County zoning officer John Kutscher said the Supercross can re-open once it corrects three envi ronmental violations he found during an inspection of the site last week. The shut down came one day after commissioners heard complaints from area residents that the track was expanding, getting louder and creating a grow ing nuisance in the Blount Road neighborhood in northern Monroe County. The residents went to commissioners’ March 18 meeting to object to Supercross owner Clifford J. Bunzendahl’s request that the county let him stay open until midnight on April 18, May 2 and May 30. Area resident Chris Jackson said the roaring engines that circle the track create big headaches for neighbors. “It’s already too loud to sleep,” said Jackson. Jackson suggested the county require the Supercross to erect sound barriers like those along interstates in populated areas. Jackson said dirt moved by the Supercross has done “amazing” dam age to a nearby creek and that dust kicked up by See SUPERCROSS page 7A The county has shut down the High Falls Supercross until the owner complies with environmental regulations. (Photo/Gina Herring)

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The Monroe County reporter. (Forsyth, Ga.) 1972-current, March 26, 2008, Image 1