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VOLUME Xcvil — NUM » XXX
Jail Suit Trial Expected In
Federal Court Next Month
By JAMES BUDD
A:J'ear-old class action suit
aim at improving condi
tions at the Chattooga County
Jail has been placed on the
Rome division of the U.S.
District Court trial calendar
for Sept. 7.
The suit, filed in July 1981
on behalf of inmates Joe
Moore and Gregory Shrop
shire, both convicted of armed
robbery, is exßected to come
before U.S. District Judge
Harold Murphy in a non-jury
%rial during the week of Sept.
Pressing the suit is a bat
tery of attorneys from the
Georgia Legal Services pro
gram, a federally-subsidized
service that provides legal aid
to indigents in civil matters.
The 30-page suit names
Chattooga County Commis
Jenkins To Oppose McDonald
For Seventh District Seat
A =
-
SADIE JENKINS
Ledbetter, King Announce
James E., Ledbetter and
Leon King have announced
their candidacy for the
Pennville-Trion Post of the
Chattooga County School
Board.
Ledbetter and King are the
first candidates to qualify for
the write-in election sched‘:xled
for Nov. 2. Under Georgia law,
the write-in candidates must
gualiffi before Oct. 13 — 20
afls efore the election and
publish a legal ad in The Sum
merville News.
Ledbetter has been a resi
dent of the Pennville Com
muni:.iy since 1945 and has
served as a trustee of the Pen
nville School. A former
grocery businessman, he is
currently employed by
Georgia Rug Company.
. Kin%'l is a retired worker
from the Singer Company,
where he worked for 23 years.
Chamber Supporting Block
Grants For City And County
By PAM PURCELL
The Chattooga County
Chamber of Commerce is con
tinuing in its effort to help ob
tain the block grants the coun
ty and City of Summerville
applied for in June.
Chamber Executive Direc
tor Rita Duke said last week
that several members of the
chamber, as well as numerous
local officials, are making
everg effort to talk to
members of the block grant
awarding committee in hopes
of helping the local govern
ments receive the funds they
have requested.
In a recent memorandum
the chamber received, it was
noted that the block grant
funds available in Georgia for
fiscal year 1982 and 1983 have
been combined due to a delay
in appropriations from Con
gress. This means there is ap
roximately s4l million in
?unds available through the
block grant program this year
for cities and counties to bid
for instead of S2O million as
orifimlly scheduled.
rs. Duke said according
to information she has receiv
ed, it is estimated that 80 to
100 governments will pro
bablg receive funding from
the block grant program this
The Summerville News
sioner Wayne ‘‘Pete’’ Denson
and Sheriff Gary McConnell
as defendants in the suit, both
individually and in their of
ficial capacities as county of
ficials.
Sheriff McConnell called
several of the alleged pro
blems charged in the suit
“hogwash.”’
“We've done everythinlf
we can do,” said McConnell.
“We're just not that big to
have outdoor recreational
facilities.”
Among other charges, the
suit alleges a lack of recrea
tional facilities at the jail. ‘‘ln
mates often spend months in
jail awaiting trial without
physical exercise...'’ the
suit charges.
Other problems alleged in
the suit are:
* Overcrowding
Rome librarian Sadie
Jenkins has announced her
candidacy for the 7th District
congressional race, opgosing
incumbent Rep. arry
McDonald in the primary
Au%)l 31.
s. Jenkins, 38, says her
platform will be aimed at serv
ing the people of the 7th
District, especially the elder
lyédchildren and the handicap
ped.
“My platform is the J)eople
of the district,”” said Ms.
Jenkins. ‘T want to make sure
ge?le are not left out of the
udget.”’
A lifelong Democrat, Ms.
Jenkins accused the
Republican party of ‘‘going
backwards’’ on programs for
e e
i o .
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LEON KING
year. In addition, she said, in
June of next year application
can be made for 1984 block
grant appropriations.
From the last information
she received, Mrs. Duke noted
that some 308 applications
have been submitted re-
T’xesting grant funds. Of
those applications, Mrs. Duke
said, 31 are for funds pertain
in% to housing, 168 are for
public facilities (such as the ci
ty’s request for funds to ex
pand its sewage system), 91
are for multipurposes, and 18
are for economical develop
ment (such as what the county
applied for). Only three of the
re%xests out of the Coosa
Valley area are for economical
devek}pment, Mrs. Duke add
ed. Of those three, she said,
two (Chattooga and Dade
County) have an industry will
ing to locate —the other re
quest is for funding to exiand
an existing industrial park.
At this time the local
chamber has an industry that
is willing to locate in the coun
ty that would create some
40-plus jobs, said Mrs. Duke.
However, the industry wishes
to remain unknown to the
general public for the present
time until further ,x::fotia
tions have been worked out.
SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA 30747, THURSDAY,’ AUGUST 19, 1982
*Lack of adequate
lighting
* “An ongoing failure to
provide protection against
disease-carrying agents, in
cluding insects and
roaches ..."”
* Denial of access to ‘‘cer
tain of the supplies necessary
for proper hygiene, including
fireproof mattresses, mattress
covers, blankets, pillows..."”
* Fire hazards posed
because of a lack of a sprinkler
system.
In addition to alleged in
adequacies of the facilities,
the suit alleged prisoners’
rights ‘are routinely violated
by jail personnel:
* “Inmates are often not
given the opportunity to make
any telephone calls upon their
arrest in Chattooga County.
Some inmates are denied anvy
the handicapped and the
elderly. “I want to fight for
everyone’s rights,”” she said.
Ms. Jenkins is a member of
the Floyd County Democratic
Committee, 2nd vice president
of the Floyd. County
Democratic Association, and
newsletter editor for the
Floyd County League of
Democratic Women.
She is former president of
the Floyd County Young
Democrats and in 1979-80 was
national committeewoman for
the Young Democrats of
Georgia. Last year she was
named 1981 Democrat of the
Year by the Floyd County
Democrat Association.
She has an undergraduate
see JENKINS, page 3-A
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We i B
JAMES E. LEDBETTER
Mrs. Duke added.
Mrs. Duke said, ‘‘Accor
ding to peo&)lle in the know
that we've talked with, we (the
county) stand an excellent
chance of getting the block
.grants. We have had word
that House Speaker Tom Mur
phy will support the county
receivin tgle grant. Also,
Nathan gean, chairman of the
Senate committee considering
the grant requests, notified us
that he will support both local
governments 1n their efforts
to obtain the grants.
see CHAM BER, page 3-A
MM Degree
Saturday At
Summerville
The Master Mason digree
will be conferred Saturday,
Aug. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at Chat
tooga Masonic Lodge on Mar
vin Street in Summerville.
The degree team from
Dalton Lodge will dramatize
the second section.
A covered-dish supper will
be held at intermission, and all
qualified Masons are invited
to attend.
telephone calls durin%ltheir in
carceration in the Chattooga
County Jail.”
* No regular sick call pro
cedure exists and there is ‘‘no
doctor or ’public health nurse
available for regular visits to
Inmates Charged In
Prescription Forgery
Two Chattooga County
Jail inmates haveieen charg
ed in connection with an
unusual forgery case last
week involved a prescription
allegedly stolen from a local
doctor’s office.
Authorities identified the
two as Don Uptain, 20, of
Lyerly, and Charles ‘“‘Cary”’
Farrar Jr., 23, of Summerville.
Uptain is lodged in jail on
drug violation charges and
Farrar has been sentenced on
forgery charges involving
checks and prescriptions.
Both have now been c%arged
with forging a prescription.
According to Investigator
Tony Gilleland, one of the in
mates was taken to a local
Burglary Arrests Made
Two young county men
and a juvenile have been ar
rested and charged in connec
tion with the burglary of a
church in Trion earlier this
month. The items taken in the
burglary have been recovered.
: Autgorities identified the
men as Carl Carter, 39, of
Route 2, Summerville; and
Johnny Padgett, 20, of
Vaughn’'s Trailer Park in
Trion. The 16-year-old
juvenile can not be identified
under Georgia law. Carter has
been charged with theft by
receiving. Padgett and the
juvenile have fieen charged
with burglary.
According to Investigator
Tony Gilleland, the trio%mve
been arrested in connection
with the Aug. 6 and 10
Board Talks Insurance
Only routine matters were
discussed at the regular mon
thly meeting of the Trion City
School Board Tuesday after
noon.
Trion Superintendent Bill
Kinzy discussed briefly with
the board its liability in
surance coverage, which ex
pires in Septem%er. He noted
that the board and the school
employees are covered under
the Town of Trion’s insurance,
but recommended obtaining
errors and admissions in
surance.
The board agreed to take
out liability insurance that in
cluded errors and admissions
coverage through the Waco
Insurance Company with
Shropshire and Guffin as the
agency. The premium was ap
proved at SBSO.
In other action the board:
Study Shows Court Time
A study conducted by the
Judicial Cyouncil of Georgia
and the Administrative Office
of the Courts indicates that
felony cases take an average
of 554 judicial days from indict
ment to disposition, almost
e?ualling the 52 judicial days
of the national standard.
Report findings are based
on an analysis og 5,481 cases
handled by six of the state's
42 judicitfi, circuits during a
12-month period from July
1979 to June 1980.
Jury trials were processed
within the 52-day national
standard, with domestic rela
tions cases rerflllliring 109 days
compared with the national
average of 127 days, the
report said.
The average number of
judicial days required for civil
cases was approximately 223,
corrx:rared to the nationa{stan
dard of 127, Some circuits
handled the civil cases in 65,
while others took up to 319
days.
The circuits included in the
study were guaranteed
anonymity and are identified
in the report by code letters.
Researchers for the report
noted the scope of the study
was restricted due to the
limitations of the available
data.
the J'ail.
“Some outgoing mail,
when fiven to the deputies, is
not delivered to the postal ser
vice and some incoming mail
is never delivered to &e in
see JAIL SUIT, page 3-A
doctor’s office after complain
ing of sickness. While at the
doctor’s office the inmate
allegedly stole a Birescfiption
blank, noted Gilleland.
When back at the jail, the
two allegedly forged the
prescription and mailed it out,
along with the money, to two
juvenile girls with the instruc
tions for them to have the
prescription filled, Gilleland
said.
The juveniles attempted to
have the prescription filled at
a local pharmacfy. but the
pharmacist refused and
notified authorities. The
quescription was for
epe:fian Fortis, a narcotic
painkiller, said Gilleland.
burglary of Central Avenue
Baptist Church in Trion.
Carter is charged with the
Aug. 10 burglary, noted
Gilleland, and the other two
are charged with the Aug. 6
incidila;lt.h i
, All the items reportedly
€2 . from the chug&and
fellowship hall, valued at over
$3,700, have been recovered.
Gilleland noted that the
items, including sound equip
ment, was recovered around
5:30 p.m. Saturday and
returned to the church in time
for the congregation’s
homecoming service Sunday.
Those deputies involved in
the investigation, in addition
to Gillelang. were Greg Latta
and Jerry Davenport.
* Accepted the resignation
of William MacDowefinas a
teacher and coach with the
Trion school system. Mac-
Dowell was hired during the
last board meeting. but since
then had accepted a job out
side the education field in
Alabama.
. Awroved the hiring of
Mark W. Pickle to re %ace
William MacDowell. P?ckle
will be teaching physical
education at the Trion
Elementary School, in addi
tion to assisting with the
{)unior varsity football and
asketball teams.
*Toured the newly
renovated vocational wing at
the high school. The renova
tion work is completed with
the exception of a few minor
details.
Results of the study show
that statewide average
lengths of time required to
process criminal felony cases
and domestic relations cases
general met nationally
established standards for case
disposition.
Uncle
Ned
Dear Mr. Editor:
I heered where they are
finely going to let us
Georgeans have a congress
election. After it being on and
off again several times, I think
we are finely set, maybe.
Anyhows my ole pappy us
ed to say that their was too
many democratic con
gressmen, too many
republican congressmen and
not enuff U. S. congressmen.
P. S. I shore do injoy yore
pl;{)er, it keeps me informed of
whats going on.
Yores Truly,
Uncle Ned
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S e e e~ R PSO o A ~
Deputies Bobby Gilliland (left) and Steve
Qifieath of the Chattooga County
Sheriff’'s Office aren’t holding up pre
season Christmas trees, but rather some
locally grown mari{’uana plants. Gilreath
is holding up a healthy 14-foot specimen,
Summerville Council Adopts
$1.7 Million 1982-83 Budget
By JAMES BUDD
The Summerville City
Council adopted a $1.7 million
budget for 1982-83 Thursday,
including $266,000 in an
ticipated revenues over ex
penses in the gas and water
department.
Meeting in regular session
Thursday, the council approv
ed a $14,143 expenditure for
the city dog pound, which will
include the salary of a com
bination janitor and dog cat
cher.
The 1982-83 budget totals
County Jobless Rate Falls
The jobless rate in Chat
tooga County dropped by 5
and 7/10 percent in June, from
a revised 19.2 percent in May
to a preliminary 13.5, Com
missioner of Labor Sam
Caldwell said today.
In June of last year, the
unemployment rate in the
countir was 10.7 percent. This
past June 8,392 residents of
the county were employed,
but 1,315 others were ]obféss.
In May 8,401 were working in
the county and 1,996 others
were unemployed.
School Starts Monday
As summer begins to fade
into fall, youngsters in Chat
tooia County pregare to go
back to school as both school
sl\;stems in the county resume
classes next week.
Classes in the county
system begin Monday morn
ing at 8 o’clock, excefit those
entering first grade who come
in Tuesday morning at 8
o’clock. Meanwhile, both
schools in the Trion system
begin classes Tuesday morn
ing at 8 o’clock.
Parents of students plann
ing to enroll in either school
system, as well as an{‘ other
Georgia public school this fall,
are reminded the students
must prove they have been im
munized against seven
diseases. A new Georgia law
states that befiinning Sept. 1
of this year all students who
enter a public school, from
kindergarten through 12th
grade, must be immunized
lllegal Crop Seized
the largest of the 20 plants confiscated in
a wooded area near tge Teloga Communi
ty Aug. 12. No atrrests have been made,
but an investigation is underway. State
law officers say that marijuana is by far
Georgia's leading cash crop.
$1,755,927 and includes a
general fund shortfall of
$244,272. However, the deficit
will be made up by transfers
from the $266,000 windfall in
the gas and water depart
ments.
Expenditures listed in the
General Fund are: ad
ministrative and general ex
penses, $67,800; fire depart
ment, $72,035; streets,
$147,727; sanitation, $47,353;
police, $241,925; dog pound,
$14,143; and recreation,
$152,814 for total expen
Georgia’'s jobless rate
climbed to a preliminary 8.1
Fercent for June, latest of
icial month for which
statistics are available. This
matched the year’s high of a
preliminary 8.1 percent
recorded in January, later
revised to 8.4 percent.
Caldwell said that since
Georgia’s rate is not seasonal
ly adjusted like the nation’s
jobless rate, the state rate of
8.1 is “far better’” than the
U.S. rate of 9.8 percent,
highest in 41 years.
against diphtheria, whooping
cough, measles, mumps, polio,
rubella and tetanus.
Health officials note it can
take from 60 to 90 days to
complete all of the shots. Due
to the amount of time required
to take all of the shots, local
superintendents are allowing
a 30-day grace period to any
student who has not com
pleted all shots at the time he
or she enrolls in school. If a
student fails to have all shots
completed before starting to
school or (?X the end of the
Frace period, the child must
eave school. School officials
or parents allowinfi a student
to remain in public school
after the 30-day extension are
guilty of a misdemeanor, ac
cording to the state law.
The only accepted proof of
immunization is a Certificate
of Immunization which must
be. approved by a ‘su'ivat.e
physician licensed in Georgia
PRICE 20c
~ ditures of $743,797. The an
| ticilfated revenues for the
’ General Fund are $499,525.
City Clerk Bert Self ex
plained the city did not want
to raise taxes and will transfer
funds from the gas and water
department. The council
adopted a 4.7 mill tax levy for
1982-83 in June.
The council is expected to
hire a dog catcher at next
month’s meeting, pending
purchase of dog tags and
repairing a truck in the streets
{\ see COUNCIL, page 3-A
“We have, as we've said
before, bottomed out,"
Caldwell said. ‘““The trouble is
that we are staying around
the bottom, am{ apparently
will be bouncing around near
the bottom, at least for a cou
ple of more months.”
‘““At first glance, you would
think that we have rejoined
the recession,” Caldweli said.
“But the fact is that this is a
seasonal situation. Tradi
tionall{. January and June are
our bleakest months in a
see JOBLESS, page 3-A
or an appropriate official of a
local board of health.
Students attending the
Trion system and residents of
the area are reminded that the
parking lot between the high
school and the Trion Com
munity Center is reserved for
school and community center
parking only. Anfi' cars found
in this area, with the excep
tion of those with school and
community center business,
will be towed away at the
owner'’s exfiense.
Trion Mayor Jake Woods
said, ‘“We ask that garking on
Dalton and Pine Streets be
reserved for the school use.
We need all of the above park
ing for our school and recrea
tion program participants.
The semi-circle in front of the
elementar{ school is also
reserved for school parking
only. The above agphes only
Monday through Friday, 24
hours a day.”