Newspaper Page Text
the Monroe County
www.mymcr.net • VOL. 38 NO. 27 • USPS 997-i
Forsyth, Ga. 31029 • Wednesday, July 9, 2008 • 2 Sections, 28 Pages • 750
Inside
Vote Early
this week
SAMPLE BALLOT
PAGE 12A
Sports
MP softball
tourney to
feature 21
teams
SEE PAGE 2B
Deaths
Juilenne Jones
Kay Cooper Rauscher
Sadie Lee Rutherford
SEE OBITUARIES
PAGE 2A
111
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USS Patriot Pontoon
All decked out in red, white and blue, Jacob Johnson (driving), Justin Byczek, and Sean and Kellis Boland wave
their flags to the judges during the annual Fourth of July boat parade held at High Falls State Park Friday. The
event, which is sponsored by the High Falls Towaliga Watershed Alliance (HFTWA) and the state park, featured
17 pontoon boats and one kayak. Each boat was judged for decorations, enthusiasm and overall effect. Despite
oozing in patriotism, the boat pictured above, owned by Mel and Sherrill Williams, finished in second place. The
first place boat is owned by Hoyt and Debra Dobson and featured a tag-along float full of cute kids and pretty
ladies.“That’s what pushed them over the top as the winners,” said judge Jim Peters. HFTWA president Bud
Queen and High Falls State Park superintendent Bobby Wilson also served as judges. Third place went to Arthur
and Linda Jet. Tom and Sandy Williams lead the boat parade around the cove. The boats were escorted by a
Monroe County rescue boat driven by Shane Cook and Allen Redd. For more boat parade photos, see 6A.
(Photo/Gina Herring)
We’ve waited long enough. 99 - John Malone
Where’s our water?
LONG WAIT? Judy Tucker says county water service would help
her wash her fleet for her limousine business in Bolingbroke,
but she said promises of county water go unfulfilled.
BY WENDELL RAMAGE
An overflow crowd of south Monroe
County residents packed county com
missioners’ meeting room last Tuesday
to beg for long-promised county water
service. They left disappointed when
commissioners couldn’t agree what to
do about it.
South Monroe County residents,
most of them from Heritage Farms on
Hwy. 41 and Town and Country subdi
vision, packed the commission cham
ber Tuesday night to plead their case
for immediate hook up for county
water. They said they were “desper
ate” and in “dire need of’ water.
After numerous speakers from the
subdivisions listed their complaints
and reiterated their needs,
See WATER page 7A
Judge Davis files complaint
Magistrate Judge Jeff Davis
has filed a complaint with the
state Judicial Qualifications
Commission (JQC) accusing
his challenger, Mark Goolsby,
of spreading false rumors to
tarnish Davis’ reputa
tion.
Goolsby, a Democrat,
is challenging the
incumbent Davis, a
Republican, in the
November election.
Davis said he didn’t
want to comment on
the complaint, only to
say he felt like he had to file
it.
Goolsby, currently a county
building inspector, received a
copy of the complaint from
the JQC, a state commission
based in Covington. He said
Davis accuses him in the com
plaint of spreading false
rumors about Davis. The JQC
investigates complaints about
Georgia judges and
judicial candidates.
Davis called Goolsby to
talk about the rumors.
“I told him I don’t sling
mud,” said Goolsby.
Goolsby said the only
thing he has said dur
ing the campaign Is
hearsay that he had
heard in the community, and
that he hasn’t called Davis’
name.
Goolsby has submitted a
written response to Davis’
allegations. The complaint
remains confidential until the
JQC releases an opinion. The
JQC is expected to review
Davis’ complaint and
Goolsby’s response before
making a decision. Judges are
governed by a Code of
Judicial Conduct which is
used by the JQC in rendering
its decisions. The JQC is
made up of two judges, three
lawyers and two citizens
appointed by the governor. In
election years, the chairman
appoints a three-member
panel including a judge, a
lawyer and a citizen to hear
campaign complaints, accord
ing to the JQC web site.
DAVIS
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Who’s
backing
whom?
Sheriffs challenger
reports raising just
$300 in contributions
John Waldrop has raised just $300 in his
bid for Monroe County sheriff, and has
spent $6,200 of his own money to try to
unseat John Cary Bittick.
That according to campaign financial dis
closure statements filed with Election
Superintendent Karen Pitman last week.
Candidates were required to turn in cam
paign finance information for the second
quarter of the year (April-June) by 5 p.m. on
Tuesday, July 8. As of press time Monday,
most of the candidates had turned in their
paperwork.
Waldrop, a former state patrol post com
mander and investigator with the Lamar
County Sheriff’s Office, reported taking in
just $300 in contributions, all in amounts
less than $101. Candidates are required to
list any contributors who gave more than
See CAMPAIGN FUNDS page 7A
Political
forum is
Thursday
The Monroe County Reporter and
Forsyth-Monroe County Chamber of
Commerce will host a candidates forum at
6:30 p.m. this Thursday, July 10. The pub
lic is welcome.
The debate is designed to give Monroe
County voters a chance to hear the candi
dates speak and answer questions before
they cast ballots in the party primaries on
Tuesday, July 15. The session will be held
in the auditorium of the Monroe County
Board of Education on Brooklyn Avenue.
Only candidates in races that are contest
ed within a particular party will be invited.
Those include:
TAX COMMISSIONER:
• Lori Andrews (D)
• Joy Phillips (D)
COMMISSION CHAIRMAN:
• Harold Carlisle (R) inc.
• James Green (R)
SHERIFF:
• John Cary Bittick (D) inc.
• John Waldrop (D)
DISTRICT ATTORNEY:
• George Hartwig (R)
• Richard Milam (R) inc.
U.S. CONGRESS:
• Jim Marshall (D) inc.
• Robert Nowack (D)
Editor Will Davis said he hopes by having
the forum right before the primary, lots of
voters will be paying attention and be on
hand to ask questions of the candidates.
He said he hopes voters take advantage of
the opportunity to become informed about
the candidates before they head to the vot
ing booth.
The newspaper and chamber are expected
to host another forum in the fall before the
general election for local races that remain
contested.