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±zr Region Roundup No Foul Play Suspected In Deaths Of Two DANIELSVILLE - Autopsies of two people found dead off Hwy. 106 in Madison County Sunday revealed no evidence that they were murdered. 'There was nothing to indicate foul play,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Agent Jim Fullington Tuesday afternoon. Now, authorities will wait for the completion of toxicology reports, a process that may take two to three weeks, as they try to piece together how an Ila man and a south Georgia woman died along Hwy. 106 about a mile north of Hull-Sanford Elementary School. The deceased man has been identified as Timothy Lee Sorrow, 31, Pine Street, Ila. The woman was identified as Tammy Marie Denmark, 39, of Lyons in Toombs County. The two deceased were found in a pine thicket between 30 and 50 yards off Hwy. 106 Sunday af ternoon between 15 and 20 yards apart, Fullington said. A prescription bottle from a home that was burglarized in Clarke County was found with the deceased. Fullington would not say what kind of medication was in the bottle. The GBI agent said law officers have talked with someone who saw the two walking along Hwy. 106. The agents are also speak ing with family members trying to piece together the last hours of the lives of the deceased. The dead man and woman were discovered by a motorist on Hwy. 106 Sunday. According to Captain Mike Benner of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, a man in a Roto Rooter pickup truck traveling along Hwy. 106 just after 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon spotted what he thought was an orange construc tion cone in the edge of a planted pine thicket near the road. He reportedly told law enforce ment he collects the cones, so he turned around and went back. When he approached the orange object he allegedly discovered the bodies of a white male and a white female. The “orange object” he had spotted from the road was the male’s shirt. Project Completed, Hwy. 15 To Reopen Monday The busy road that most motor ists traveling from Commerce to Jefferson use is expected to be opened again to traffic Monday. Georgia Department of Trans portation crews were on the road this week putting the finish ing touches on an almost three- month realignment project. Don Clerici, Jackson County’s capital projects consultant, said the proj ect was completed in just under the three-months that had been projected. Clerici said plans are for it to be in use for a few days before school buses roll Aug. 7 for the first day of classes for the county school system. The road is used by buses and motorists going to the East Jackson schools on Hoods Mill Road. The realignment was in the works for several years and is a joint ef fort of Jackson County and the DOT. County leaders pushed for the project because of the number of accidents as motorists crossing Apple Valley Road pulled in front of others approaching the inter section from Jefferson. The vis ibility was obstructed by elevation and a curve. BOC Candidate Has Leins For Debt Non-Payment A candidate for chairman of the Jackson County Board of Com missioners has a lien against his house for nonpayment of a debt and was involved in two other fi nancial transactions that left firms attempting to collect money from him. Candidate Ron Johnson said the situations stem from disputes and that release of the informa tion was an effort to hurt his cam paign. Johnson is in a runoff next week with Hunter Bicknell for the chairman’s seat. “This appears to be an attempt to discredit me at any cost,” John son said in response to questions about the debts. Owners of two different waste disposal firms paint a different picture, saying Johnson failed to pay bills he owes them. 211 Waste Disposal of Winder placed a $600 lien against John son’s West Jackson home in June 2007 for nonpayment of a load of mulch in January 2007, and a load of topsoil in April that year. Johnson’s Jackson County home is under his wife’s name, but the lien lists Ron Johnson as the per son who placed the order for the materials. The firm’s owner, Tommy Led better, said the company had made repeated efforts to collect the debt, but Johnson never paid. Ledbetter also said the compa ny has been embroiled in another debt dispute with Johnson over two damaged waste containers Johnson used in 2007 on a demo lition job in Sugar Hill. According to Ledbetter, John son had contracted with the own ers of some commercial property to clean up condemned houses. The property owners paid for the rental of the disposal contain ers, but two were damaged in the cleanup. 211 Waste Disposal charged Johnson $1,200 for the damages since Johnson was in charge of the project. Johnson subsequently withheld $1,200 from payment to the dozi- er operator at the site — the opera tor who allegedly caused the dam age — but never turned the money over to 211 Waste Disposal. Ledbetter said the company had tried repeatedly to collect the funds, but Johnson refused to pay. By law, Ledbetter said any lien placed from the dispute would have to go against the property owners of the cleanup site, not Johnson. He said he would likely pursue other legal proceedings against Johnson and not the prop erty owners. Owners of the Sugar Hill proper ty confirmed Ledbetter’s version of events and said their dealings with Johnson had left “a sour taste in our mouth.” The owners said they had repeatedly tried to get in touch with Johnson to have him resolve the dispute so their prop erty wouldn’t get a lien, but that they never been able to contact him. Johnson said he has contacted some state agencies about the dis pute with 211 Waste Disposal and contends the liens are invalid. “There were also some proce dures that were not followed by 211 Waste Disposal that could nul lify their entire claim, but I want to do what is right and settle this equably,” he said. Johnson said the money in dispute is in an escrow account pending resolution of the matter. He said he is “confident that these things will be resolved satisfacto rily in the near future.” Another waste disposal firm, Roadrunner Disposal of Atlanta, placed a $604 lien in January 2008 against a Johnson family member, but listed Ron Johnson as the “debtor.” A spokesperson for Roadrunner said the firm had delivered a waste disposal container to an Atlanta address as ordered by Johnson. The bill for the container was sent to Johnson at his Jackson County address. The spokesperson said repeated efforts were made to col lect the debt, but Johnson hadn’t returned phone calls. The firm filed its lien against the family member’s property since the container was delivered to the Atlanta address, but it listed John son as the debtor since he ordered the container. Johnson said the lien “actually involved a family member and didn’t have anything to do with me or any property owned by me.” Johnson also said liens don’t carry much legal weight. “As I’m sure you are aware, any one can file a lien against another person’s property simply by filling out a piece of paper, no proof is necessary,” said Johnson. “Many property owners do not even know that a lien has been filed against them until they apply for credit or sell their property.” Johnson insists the effort is po litically motivated. “I would like to know who went to so much trouble to dig into my personal affairs and who would give you this partial information without telling you the whole story,” he said. “This appears to be an attempt to discredit me at any cost. “I don’t think this has anything to do with my campaign, the is sues or Jackson County and would really prefer to stay clear of personal innuendo and stick to the facts.” Gallery Seeks Work From Local Artists' Dark Sides Blue Bell Gallery, Comer, is seek ing artists for its second annual “Hauntings” exhibition, “Dark Works by Local Georgia Artists.” The exhibit will show the dark side explorations during October with a reception Saturday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. Artists should submit their work and ideas by Sept. 5. Artists may e-mail .jpeg files to bluebellgal- lery@windstream.net or mail pho tos to Blue Bell Gallery, RO. Box 246, Comer, GA, 30629. Artists should include a statement, dimensions, medium and prices. 'Turtle Trek' Set Aug. 9 At Crow's Lake, Jefferson The third annual Tree House Turbo Turtle Trek will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, at Crow’s Lake, Jefferson. The Turtle Trek and festival ben efit the Tree House, which is the advocacy center for children in the Piedmont Judicial Circuit. To adopt a turtle for the race across the lake, contact Investigator Janis Mangum, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, for more details. For more information on the family fun festival, contact Donna Butler at 706-559-4841 or via email at storyteller826@bellsouth.net. NEWS DEADLINE 4:00 MONDAYS Specializing in Spine, Neck & Joint Pain To serve you better we have extended our hours. Beginning July 29 th at our Athens location only: Open until 7pm on Tuesdays & Thursdays Our board certified pain medicine physicians have extensive experience with advanced diagnostic techniques which determine the origin of your pain. Our specialists then design a comprehensive, progressive treatment plan to help you gain your life back. Specializing in Spine & Neck Pain, Electromyography and Nerve Studies. Visit us at our newest location: 209 Mercer Place Commerce, GA 706-208-0451 Mark A. Ellis, MD Terrance L. Huges, MD Board Certified Associate • Board Certified Pain Management Specialist Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation www. ellispain. com NOW WITH 3 LOCATIONS! ATHENS COMMERCE ROYSTON 1765 Old West Broad St., BJC Specialty Suite Royston Diagnostic Center Bldg. 1, Suite 200 209 Mercer Place 928 Franklin Springs St. 706.208.0451 706.208.0451 706.245.7502 Who do you want protecting your family from criminals? 11 Years Experience as Assistant DA • Numerous trials successfully prosecuting rapists, murderers, child molesters and drug traffickers • Assisted on every death penalty case in past 12 years • Presented thousands of cases before grand jury • Endorsed by District Attorneys • Endorsed by Police Benevolent Association of GA Donna Sikes NO Experience in DA's Office • NO experience prosecuting criminals • ZERO criminal jury trials in past 10 years • NEVER presented a case before the grand jury • Not endorsed by ANY District Attorney Brad Smith Is the ONLY Candidate With a Proven Record of Protecting Our Community from Criminals. Brad Smith The Obvious Choice for District Attorney www.BradSmithforDA.com VOTE AUGUST 5 IN THE RUN-OFF Paid for by The Committee to Elect Brad Smith District Attorney