Newspaper Page Text
30 PAGES
TWO SECTIONS
'VOLUME 87 — NUMBER 31
Sloppy Floyd Decides Against Race
q 2
p a.
For Office of Lieutenant Governor
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For the second time in as many weeks, two auto
mobiles were severely damaged at the Mountain View
intersection on U. S. Highway 27 north of Summer
ville. The Georgia State Patrol listed the driver of the
1965 Buick (left) as R. R. Watson, 32, Route 3,
Enrollment Figures
List 3,782 Students
Total enrollment for the
Chattooga County school
system this year is 3,782 stu
dents, a decrease of 32 from
last year’s enrollment of 3,814,
according to figures supplied
by John Hayes, visiting teacher
for the county system.
Chattooga High School has
the largest enrollment-971
students-of any other school
in the system. The next largest
enrollment is at Summerville
Elementary School, which has
916 students this year.
These figures reflect the en
rollment at the end of the first
month of school, Hayes said.
All schools should show a
slight increase except the high
school, which is now on the
FORMEK CHATTOOGANS
Three in Family
Drown in Creek
A former Chattooga County
couple and their 14-month-old
daughter drowned Friday night
or early Saturday morning
after being trapped in their
Volkswagen which apparently
plunged from a narrow rural
bridge in Catoosa County.
Dead on arrival at Hutche
son Memorial Hospital in Fort
Oglethorpe were Barry Fay
Watson, 24; Mrs. Patricia Ann
Watson, 22; and Holly Cheree
Watson, 14 months, all of
Route 3, LaFayette.
Georgia State Patrol Officers
said it had not been deter
mined at what time the acci
dent took place, but the small
automobile with the three
victims inside was not dis
covered until about 10 a.m.
Saturday.
The wooden bridge, without
guardrails, is situated in south
Catoosa County, not far from
the couple’s home. The Satur
day tragedy was the second
multiple drowning at the
bridge site in recent weeks.
Two youths also died in a sub
merged car in the creek on
Aug. 18.
State Patrol officers said the
Watson car apparently ran off
the bridge and overturned in
the unnamed creek it spans.
Officers said the vehicle was
on its top, which was partially
Computer Working
Farmers & Merchants Bank
announced this week that its
new computer system is now in
operation.
All customers of the bank
are urged to use their personal
ized checks and deposit slips.
MOUNTAIN VIEW INTERSECTION ACCIDENTS MOUNT
quarter system and will grad
uate some students at the end
of each quarter.
A breakdown of the enroll
ment at Chattooga High
School, of which Jack Herring
is principal and Billy Hayes is
assistant principal, shows:
Ninth grade, 300; 10th
grade, 260; 11th grade, 229;
12th grade, 168; and special
students, 168.
Summerville Junior High
School, of which Mrs. Eliza
beth Martin is principal, has a
total enrollment of 444 stu
dents. The breakdown shows
212 in the seventh grade; 215
eighth grade students; and 17
special students.
North Summerville Elemen
tary School, of which Don
crumpled. The young father.it
is believed, attempted to kick
out a window glass so his
family could escape from the
submerged car, but was unsuc
cessful.
Funeral services for the
three accident victims were
held at 2 p.m. Tuesday from
the chapel of Erwin-Petitt
Funeral Home.
A representative group of interested citizens is expected to
attend the West Georgia Tollway public information meeting
scheduled here today.
The meeting, one of 20 such meetings being held throughout
the state, is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. in the grand jury room of the
Chattooga County Courthouse.
“Because of the importance of citizens being prepared for the
location public hearings through the public information meet
ings,” Downing Musgrove, commissioner of the state Department
of Transportation and chairman of the State Tollway Authority,
said, "that we want everyone to know they will be welcomed at
any of the meetings.”
Musgrove pointed out that it was obvious that not everyone
could attend the 1:30 p.m. sessions, but that 7:30 meetings were
scheduled in nearby locales. “This should make it possible for all
to come to at least one of the meetings,” he added.
A great deal of local interest has been shown in the proposed
limited access highway since plans to build the tollway were first
made known.
The tollway would extend from Chattanooga to Tallahassee,
Fla. It is almost a certainty that if the toll road is built, it will
pass through Chattooga County. , .
The proposed West Georgia Toilway is a system of limited
access expressways that will be paid for through the toll method
of financing. .
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Tollway Meeting Scheduled Today
SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA 30747, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1973
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Chickamauga. The 1967 Dodge (right) was reportedly
driven by Mrs. Thelma Tripp, 52, Trion. The accident
occurred about 9:25 p.m. Monday night. No other
details of the accident were available. Investigating
officers were Troopers Meek and Gossett.
Hayes is principal, has an en
rollment of 408 students 195
in the fifth grade and 213 in
the sixth grade.
The breakdown at Summer
ville Elementary School, where
Mrs. Virginia Boney is
principal, shows 245 students
in the first glide; 236 in the
second grade; 206 in the third
grade; and 229 in the fourth
grade.
Pennville Elementary
School, Tom Hogg, principal,
has a total enrollment of 420
students. The breakdown
shows: first grade, 57; second
grade, 52; third grade, 54;
fourth grade, 48; fifth grade,
54; sixth grade, 50; seventh
grade, 53; and eighth grade, 52.
A breakdown of the 367
student enrollment at Menlo
Elementary School, of which
Ed Thompson is principal,
shows: first grade, 50; second
grade, 48; third grade, 46;
fourth grade, 41; fifth grade,
42; sixth grade, 41; seventh
grade, 52; and eighth grade, 47.
Lyerly Elementary School,
Jim White, principal, has 256
students-48 in the first grade;
28 in the second grade; 23 in
the third grade; 35 in the
fourth grade; 26 in the fifth
grade; 29 in the sixth grade; 27
in the seventh grade; and 40 in
the eighth grade.
Summerville Elementary
and the Junior High School
have shown the largest in
creases over last year’s enroll
ment, with Pennville and
Lyerly showing slight de
creases. This is attributed by
Hayes to a population shift.
Three Burglaries
Listed By Police
During Week
At least three burglaries
were reported to the Sum
merville Police Depart
ment within the past few
days.
J. O. Smith reported to
local police at 7:10 p.m.
Sept 28 that a 1971
model television set had
been stolen from his home
on Alexander Street.
The police received a
call at 6:25 p.m. Sept 30
that the Summerville Ele
mentary School had been
burglarized. Some three or
four dollars was reported
missing.
A bicycle was reported
stolen from the house of
Mrs. Shirley Willingham on
Sept. 26.
F&M to Open
Branch Bank
Farmers & Merchants Bank
this week announced that the
grand opening of its Lyerly
branch will be held from 9 a.m.
to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10.
Five hundred dollars in sav
ings accounts will be awarded
to three lucky persons during
the opening day celebration.
Refreshments and favors will
be free to everyone.
James King will be vice pres
ident-manager of the new
branch facility. Fredda Mc-
Crickard and Jennie Mitchell
will be tellers and Diane Ward
will be receptionist-secretary.
The bank is situated at
Alabama and Alpine streets in
Lyerly.
AT CHATTOOGA COUNTY COURTHOUSE
Initial feasibility studies for the tollway began in June, 1972,
and were presented to the State Transportation Board in January,
1973, at which time the board voted to meet in joint session with
Tollway Opposition Seen
That all Georgians are not pleased with the proposal to build a
limited access highway through northwest Georgia was evidenced
this week by a statement of the head of a group which call itself
the Citizens for Food & Progress, Inc.
In a signed statement, E. D. Dunn Jr., the group’s president,
said: “There’s a veritable Second Civil War being fomented in
West Georgia today, whose outcome will affect all Georgians
tax^ise. The name of the battlefield is the West Georgia Toll
way.”
He said the contestants are the farmer property owners whose
business and way of life is to be ruined by the toll road and some
citizens in a few towns along the corridor who have been incited
by the Georgia Department of Transportation to demand this toll
road, regardless of who it ruins.
Dunn urged every Georgia taxpayer “who does not want his
taxes escalated,” to immediately notify his state representative to
“kill this toll road monstrosity” at the next legislative session.
Prefers
Present
Position
A decision eagerly awaited
throughout Georgia was an
nounced this week by one of
Georgia’s most powerful politi
ml figures
Rep. James (Sloppy) Floyd
revealed in a special interview
with Woodrow Espy of The
Summerville News staff that he
“would not be a candidate for
the office of lieutenant gover
nor” in 1974.
Floyd admitted the decision
was not an easy one, but had
decided that he would remain
in his present position.
“All along, I have been try
ing to justify in my own mind
how I could best be of service
to the people of Georgia and to
the people of my district,” the
veteran state legislator said. “I
feel that I can be more effec
tive as chairman of the House
Appropriations Committee
than I would be if I could be
elected to the lieutenant gover
norship.”
Floyd said he deeply appre
ciated the encouragement he
had re eived to make the race
for lieutenant governor from
all sections of the state and
/ . m people in all walks of life.
‘1 am grateful to these
people,” he added, “and am
flattered by the confidence and
trust they have placed in me by
offering their support for the
statewide race.’
Floyd, who is a 21-year vet
eran of the House of Repre
sentatives, has received encour
agement from all over the state
to make the race for the
number two spot, and pressure
has been mounting during the
past few weeks.
However, other close friends
and supporters have urged the
appropriations committee
chairman to remain in that
position. “The people of Geor
gia feel just a little bit more
comfortable with Sloppy
Floyd in the appropriations
chair,” several supporters told
Floyd.
He has also been urged if
he decides to make a change
to wait until 1978 and run for
the governor’s office.
Floyd has served on the
Police Blotter
Seventeen arrests were made
by the Summerville Police De
partment during the past week.
Total cases for the year were
listed at 1,044.
Fines and forfeits for the
past week totalled $1,076.
Cases were listed as follows:
reckless conduct with an auto
mobile, 8; public drunkenness,
3; driving under the influence,
1; driving with a revoked
license, 1; disorderly conduct,
1; improper tag, 1; failing to
yield right-of-way, 2.
House Appropriations Com
mittee for 11 years, and has
been chairman of that panel
for seven years. As chairman,
he has become one of the most
politically powerful men in
state government.
“After giving very serious
thought to this matter,” Floyd
said, “this is my decision: I
believe I can best serve Georgia
in my present position by help
ing to continue the ‘hold-the-
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REP. FLOYD DISCLOSES IMPORTANT DECISION
Rep. James (Sloppy) Floyd discusses
with News Editor Woodrow Espy his
decision not to make the race for the
office of lieutenant governor in 1974.
Floyd had received offers of support
from all sections of the state to make a
bid for the number two spot in state
SUBCOMMITTEE NAMED
House Panel Eyes
Medicaid ‘Cutback’
A special legislative panel
headed by House majority
leader George Busbee of
A bany Wednesday began to in
vestigate the state Department
of Human Resources.
Rep. James (Sloppy) Floyd
of Trion, chairman of the
House Appropriations Com
mittee, said he had asked
Busbee to head the sub
committee, which will deal
mainly with a controversial
proposed rollback in Medicaid
payments to nursing homes.
The Department of Human
Resources, already under fire
from a Senate panel, an
nounced that it would begin
Oct. 1 to cut nursing home
payments by 6.5 percent.
This decision caused great
the State Tollway Authority to consider accepting the tollway as
an official authorized project. The joint meeting of the board and
the authority was held on Feb. 15, and the West Georgia Tollway
was officially adopted as a toll project.
The exact location for the tMlway has not been determined,
and will only be selected after a series of location public hearings
are conducted in the general area for the proposed project.
The general location of the tollway is west of Atlanta, east of
the Georgia-Alabama border, north of the Florida border near
Tallahassee, and south of the Tennessee border near Chattanooga.
While the tollway will run north and south in the general area
described, the exact location and description of the project will
only be determined after a series of hearings such as the one
scheduled here today. In this manner, the public input and
involvement is assured.
The timetable for construction of the tollway will be estab
lished after the specific route is determined and further project
development is achieved. The cost of the project is estimated
within a range of between $426 million and $526 million,
depending upon which northerly corridor is selected.
DOT personnel will be available at today’s meeting to explain
the environmental, socio-economic, and location engineering
study processes, the decision-making processes, and the milestone
achieved to date.
Officials urge that all interested residents of the Chattooga
County area attend the meeting this afternoon at the courthouse.
line’ policy initiated by the
General Assembly several years
ago, by seeing that we get
every mile out of every tax
dollar, by insisting that the
state continue on a businesslike
basis, by helping to foster legis
lative independence, and by
insisting that we continue to
live within our financial
means.”
Rep. Floyd’s decision is
scheduled to be released to the
government. Floyd, who as chairman of
the House Appropriations Committee
has become one of the most politically
powerful men in Georgia, said he pre
ferred to remain in his present position.
Floyd’s decision will be released state
wide later today.
concern m nursing homes
throughout the state. Labe B.
Mell, president of the Georgia
Nursing Homes Association,
labeled the decision “catas
trophic,” and said it could deal
a resounding blow to patient
care and the nursing home
program in Georgia, He added
that “implementation of this
reduction, following on the
heels of a rate freeze imposed
April I, would force some
(nursing) homes to close ”
Administrator Steve Snapp
said the cut in payments would
reduce income at Oak View
Nursing Home by some $2,000
a month. “If they cut us,” he
added, “we may have to curtail
our patient load, or reduce
personnel.”
BULLETIN
Trion voters voted Wednes
day to approve a bond issue
for a recreation center. The
vote was 367 yes, 38 no with
3 void ballots.
PRICE 15c
state’s news media later today.
Apparently serving notice to
any potential opposition that
might develop on a local level,
the Chattooga legislator ended
the interview with this positive
statement: “I will definitely be
a candidate for Legislative Dis
trict No. 5 to the Georgia
House of Representatives in
1974.”
The Human Resources
Department said the move is
necessary to protect its budget
until a new formula for pay
ments can be worked out. An
agency spokesman said the
program is costing too much at
the present time.
Floyd said the appropria
tions committee put additional
funds into the department’s
budget for medical benefits.
“We want to find out why
they’ve got a shortage now,”
he declared.
The appropriations chair
man said the department got
$27.7 million more in Medicaid
funds than was requested by
Gov. Jimmy Carter. The
money became available in the
new budget, which went into
effect July 1
The subcommittee will also
look into the department’s
bookkeeping system, Floyd
added.
Serving with Busbee on the
subcommittee are Rep. Tom
Murphy of Bremen, speaker
pro tern of the House; Rep.
Marcus Collins, Pelham; and
Rep. Clarence Vaughn,
Conyers. Floyd is sitting with
the panel as an ex officio
member.
One Fire Reported
One fire call was reported
by the Summerville Fire
Department during the past
week.
Extensive damage was sus
tained by the house of Ossie
Bell Farmer, 102 Second St.,
on Sept. 29.
The truck went out at
10.30 pm. and returned at
1135 p.m.
Stolen Car Found
Records in the Summerville
Police Department show that a
Chevrolet station wagon re
portedly stolen from Elmer
Smith was found on Marble
Springs Road.