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VOLUME XCVII Ҥ UMBER X
Nati:nal Forest Sale Proposal
Gets Mixed Reaction Locally
By JAMES BUDD
News Editor
U. 8, Rep. Larry
McDonald is studying a Ero
posal announced last week to
sell off 130,150 acres in the
Chattahoochee-Oconee Na
tional Forest, including the
entire ' Armuchee District of
northwest Georgia.
McDonald's press liaison,
Tommy Toles, said the con
gressman %enerally favors the
proposal, but has developed
no firm stance on the issue
pending further talks with
state and local officials.
“Congressman McDonald
favors the federal government
divesting itself of property
because it owns one-third of
the prgperty in the nation,”
said Toles. ‘‘Divestiture
would assist state and local
property digests. We're ?oing
to examine the proposal fur
ther before responding to the
Forest Service proposal.”
Toles said g’resident
Reagan’s proposal
Mrs. Neelley Receives Life Sentence;
August Trial Likely For Her Husband
An Aiabama jury Tuesday
afternoon recommended life in
prison without parole for a
‘\;oung Tennessee woman it
ad earlier in the day con
victed of the torture-murder of
a 13-year-old girl last year.
Judith Ann Neelley was
found guilty of kidnapping,
torturing and fatally shooting
State Prison Commitment
Makes Site Likely Here
(Editor’'s Note: The 1983 General
Assembly is history now, and though
much of the controversy of previous ses
sions did not hold over to this year, most
legislators feel the session was one of the
more productive ones in recent years. It
certainly was one of the shortest sessions.
The 137th Assembly came and went with
adjournment sine die coming on the
earliest date since 1970. Fifth District
Rep. John Crawford of Lyerly reviewed
just some of the legislative issues faced by
the 1983 General Assembly in this week's
interview).
By JAMES BUDD
News Editor
THE NEWS: Now that the 1983
General Assembly is over, what is the
outlook for Chattooga County to get a
state correctional facility?
CRAWFORD: We've already made a
commitment with the $50,000 planning
money. It will take more than that to com
plete the planning, but once they’'ve made
the commitment, we will %let it.
THE NEWS: How much money does it
usually take for the planning?
CRAWFORD: Around $350,000. .
THE NEWS: What do you think about
putting the state prison issue before the
voters in the May 3 special election? Why
not let the county voters decide if they
want a state prison here?
CRAWFORD: Of course, the commit
ment has already been made for the
prison. There was a lot of discussion
about it, even back before the primary
election, and if anybody had anf' strong
feelinis about it they should have
brought it up then. I heard from some
eopfiz who were not in favor of the prison,
gut by far, the majority of the people I
heard from were very much in favor of
getting jobs — getting people to work
around here.
THE NEWS: Do you think the prison
would benefit Chattooga County?
CRAWFORD: Yes I do. There are over
20 prisons in the state — I think 23 or 25.
When most people think of prisons they
think of Reidsville. There are only two
maximum security prisons — Reidsville
and Jackson. All tfie rest are like the
Walker .County Correctional Facility.
Practically every major city in the state
has a correctional facility — that’s what
we're talking about here. Basically it
takes the place of the old county camp.
When we started doing away with the
work camps, the state had to take more of
the prisoners. These new state prisons are
taking the slack from what used to go to
the old county work camps.
THE NEWS: How much of a pay raise
did teachers get this year? ;
CRAWFORD: They got what
amounts to 7.5 percent. They got a 5 J)er
cent raise, plus a 2.5 percent stepped-up
increase. That would normally just apgly
to teachers who were on for 14 years, but
we put a stepped-up increase so everyone
would get an increase.
THE NEWS: What does the Farm Tax
Exemption Bill that passed this year do?
CRAWFORD: Basically what it does
is it says the farm land will be valued at
Che Summerville News
establishing a Property
Review Boars to study lands
for the sale in 1982 was just
the first step, and so far, the
process is just in the study
phase. Legislation on the pro
posal is expected to be in
troduced within the next few
weeks. .
Chattooga County Com
missioner Wayne Denson said
he favors the proposal to sell
off the county's nearly 18,000
acres of Forest Service lands.
“I think it would give us some
more tax base,”’ he said. “‘I
don't see any problems with
it. It certainly would broaden
the tax base.” i
The National Forest Ser
vice currently returns 25 per
cent of its receipt money to
every county in which it is
located, but tax revenue from
grivate ownership will pro
ably be more than the 25 [}))er
cent return, according to Pat
Thomas, Chattahoochee
Oconee National Forest
Supervisor.
Lisa Ann Millican last
September. The trial, held in
Fort Payne, concluded Tues
day after being in session for
over two weeks.
Judge Randall Cole, who
Eresided over the trial, will
old a pre-sentencing hearing
April 18 to determine if the
jury’'s recommendation is a
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REP. JOHNNY CRAWFORD
30 percent of fair market value rather
than 40 percent. I personally think there
are some problems with the %ill. I offered
some amendments to it. First, it doesn’t
define what farm land is. I'm afraid we're
going to have some abuse from
speculative people. The other thing it has
in there that may hurt the farmers are the
penalties.
THE NEWS: Isn’t there a limit on the
amount of land you can claim?
CRAWFORD: 2,000 acres.
THE NEWS: Do you think the gover
nor will sign this bill?
CRAWFORD: Yes.
THE NEWS: What do you think about
the tough, new DUI law developed this
year?
CRAWFORD: It's basically a good
law. You don't really know what you've
done until it goes into effect. I don’t think
we went over%oard on it. We may have to
come back and change some things on it
— some things may ie too rough, others
may not be tough enough. ]
THE NEWS: The Legislature passed a
bill upßing their per diem rate from $44 to
$59 while they are in session. They also
upped their expense allowances from
$3,600 annually to $4,800. How did you
vote on the bills? Was it necessary? Wien
will the law go into effect?
CRAWFORD: It will go into effect Ju
ly 1. [ voted for the bill. I think . .. first of
all, let me say we've had the $3,600 for
four years. Last year, I think I drew S2OO
out of the $3,600. It's not automatic.
You've got to show some cause for draw
ing that money. If you take a represen
tative from south Georgia that represents
five or six rcounties, they have a pretty
good expense. If I go to Dade County,
see STATE PRISON, page 17-A
The drawback to the plan
would be to hunters,
fishermen and people who like
primitive recreation ex
periences. Some of the areas
considered are heavily used by
deer and turke{ hunters.
Counties would also have to
assume the upkeep of roads
which the service now ‘main
tains.
According to David Jones,
the past president of the Chat
tooga County Wildlife Club,
the organization strongly op
poses the proposal. “A éreat
portion of the land in Chat
tooga County is used for deer
hunting — I would say a vast
portion is used,” saiX Jones.
“The area also supports
populations of wild fiogs,
turkey and deer. We have real
negative feelings about the
whole thing and hope it never
gets to the point where its
even considered.”
Jones said the ‘‘domino
theory’’ might also Flay a
part, whereby if the land is
fair sentence.
Miss Millican’s body was
found in Little River Canyon
near Fort Payne several days
after she disappeared on Sept.
95 from Riverbend Mall in
Rome while on a shopping
trip. Miss Millican, a resident
of LaFayette, was living at a
facility in Cedartown for abus
SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA 30747 — THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1983
sold, then even more land
could be sold at a later date.
He said private ownership of
land limits hunting and other
recreational opportunities.
Georgia’'s 130,150 acres
are included in the total of six
million acres nationally that
would be up for sale.
Ohio stands to lose 36 per
¢ent of its U. S. Forest Service
lands to be the leader in
losses. Other states include,
Georgia, 15 Percent; Alabama,
R&percent; Florida, .05 percent;
ississippi, 24 percent; Ten
nessee, 1 percent; North
Carolina, 6 percent; South
Carolina, 9 percent; and Loui
siana, 11 percent.
Others include, Illinois, 27
Bercent; Maine, zero; North
akota, 22 percent; and
Oklahoma, 21 percent.
Alaska, which has 23
million acres of U.S. Forest
Lands to lead the nation,
would not be affected by the
sale because the state is ex
cluded until the state and
ed and deprived children at
the time of her murder.
Testimony throughout the
trial showed that during the
four days Miss Millican was
held captive by the Neelleys,
she was sexually assaulted,
handcuffed and injected with
several syringes of drain
cleaner before being shot in
the back and pushed into the
canyon. ; s
Mrs. Neelley, represented
by Robert French, had plead
not guilty and not guilty by
reason of insanity in the case.
Mrs. Neelley underwent
evaluation test in January at
Brice State Mental Hospital
in Tuscaloosa, where she was
fourlld competent to stand
trial.
Throughout the trial the
defense had tried to show that
the 18-year-old Mrs. Neelley
was a ‘‘battered”” wife. They
contended that she was a
“robot’’ with her 29-year-old
husband, Alvin Howard
Neelley Jr., controlling her
every move. They claimed
High Court Rules
In Church Dispute
The Georgia Supreme
Court upheld a decision by
Chattooga County Superior
Court Judge Paul Painter last
fall prohibiting the Summer
ville Independent
Presbyterian Church from
divesting the church property
of the Presbyterian C?mrch of
the United States.
In a ruling Friday, the high
court. upheld Judge Painter's
decision invalidating the vote
by a majority of members in
Car Tag Deadline
Closing In Soon
There are only eight days
left in which Chattooga Coun
ty residents may purchase
their new motor vehicle
license plates before the
deadline.
The deadline for obtaining
the new 1983 tags without
penalty is by the tag office
closing time at 5 p.m. Friday,
April 1. The penafly for being
late to buy a tag is 10 percent
of the ad valorem tax (ftfe and
25 percent of the cost of the
tag.
The tag office will be open
all day Saturday and Wednes
day for those area residents
that have not yet purchased
their tags. After the April 1
deadline the tag office will be
closed on Saturdays.
Tax Commissioner Hugh
Don Hall said Monday that
tag sales are still running a lit
tle ahead of last year’s sales.
He estimated that it occa
sionally takes 20 to 30
minutes to purchase a tag this
week. The nearer the deadline
draws, the longer it takes to
purchase a t,a%.
The tag office is located in
the old Farmers & Merchants
native claim selections are
resolved.
A %eat bulk of the land is
in the East because the land is
composed of more smaller
“chunks’’ of land, isolated
from greater consolidated
amounts. In the West, great
consolidated tracts of land
make management easier.
When authorizing legisla
tion is enacted, studies will be
done to determine which lands
meet the criteria for disposal
as set for in the legislation.
Selection of the six million
acres for further study does
not mean all those acres will
be sold. Upon enactment of
legislation, more studies will
bel gonducted before they are
sold.
Maps depicting the lands
are available at regional and
national offices of the U.S.
Forest Service, with the
closest one to Chattooga
County being in LaFayette.
that Neelley not only controll
ed his wife's mind and beat
her, but forced her to recruit
-women for sexual purposes
and then kill them.
Mrs. Neelley, the mother
of three, talked with reporters
Tuesday about her husband,
“T couldn’t leave him. No mat
ter where I went he’d got me
back. I had no choice.”
3% Mrs. Neelley said life with
her husband was “‘a living
hell.”
Neelley is not charged with
Miss Millican’s murder in
Fort Payne. However, he and
his wife are both charged in
Chattooga County wigx the
murder of 23-year-old Janice
Kay Chapman of Rome last
October.
A spokesman for the Chat
tooga County district at
torney’s office said Wednes
day morning that Neelley will
not go to trial here in April, as
that week of court will be used
to try misdemeanor cases.
Neelley's case in Chattooga
County is tentatively set for
the August term of court.
the Summerville Presbyterian
Church to dissolve affiliation
with the Cherokee Presbytery
of the Presbyterian Church of
the United States.
The congregation voted
91-58 last April to withdraw
from the church and form an
independent organization, but
withdrawal from the Cherokee
Presbytery requires a two
thirds majority vote for any
leeal congregation to pull out.
Bank building on Commerce
Street in dowtown Summer
ville. Through tag and tax
season the o%fice will be open
from 8:30 am. until 5 p.m.
Monday through Saturday.
The office is closed all day on
Sundays.
“Residents should bring
their last year's tag slip or the
title of their vehicle, along
with proof of insurance on the
vehicfe to the tag office when
purchasing a tag,”” Hall said.
Ga. Boy’s Ranch
Donations Sought
A mail-drive is underway
locally by Sheriff Gary Mc-
Connell and the Georgia
Sheriff’'s Association to raise
funds for the association's
two {louth homes.
Sheriff McConnell said the
requests are for donations to
support the Boy’s Ranch in
Hahira and the Cherokee
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Cancer Drive Gets Underway
April is ‘“Cancer Month.” The local
cancer unit is gearing up for the event.
Annelle Dellen%ack (feft), üblic educa
tion chairman of the locaPcancer unit,
and Juanita Ham (right), service and
Cancer Patient Information
Available In County Area
Cancer patients and their
families face a variety of pro
blems and the Chattooga
County American Cancer
Society Unit's Service and
Rehabilitation Program is
designed to offer a variety of
services.
The local Service and
Rehabilitation (S&R) chair
man, Juanita Ham, recently
attended a special workshop
on the program in Atlanta,
held by the American Cancer
Society.
It was a most informative
meeting,”’ said Mrs. Ham.
The unit, for example,
maintains a ‘‘loan closet’” of
sickroom supplies and equip
ment, including hospital beds,
Murder Trial, Hearings
Could Total $70,000
By JAMES BUDD
News Editor
The investigation of the
“‘devil-worshiper slayings’’
and the subse(fixent trials and
hearings of the killers will
most %ikely end up costing
Chattooga County aroun
$70,000.
The cost to the county so
far has amounted to approx
imately $56,000, but another
bill to the county of $12,000 to
$14,000 from Lookout Moun
tain Judicial Circuit court
reporter Joe D. Randles is ex
pected to boost the total.
Randles has already receiv
ed $6,302 for his reporting of
reliminary hearings for
lS)amuel Tony West and Ken
neth Avery Lowrance Brock,
the two men convicted of kill
ing Charles L. Scudder and
Joseph Odom last Dec. 12.
Ringgold attorney Clifton
M. Patt{ received $4,541 and
Ben Ballenger received $4,135
for defending West in his
hearings and trial.
The county's jury account
Estate in Dalton. There is
presently one youngster from
Chattooga County at the
estate and two others are
scheduled to be sent there at a
later date.
All donations so directly
to the homes to help with the
yoxlmgsters and are tax deduc
tible.
| rehabilitation chairman, hope to inform
. the residents of Chattooga é)oeunty of the
- various services the local unit offers to
i cancer patients and their families.
which are available free of
charge. Donations to this por
tion of th(;srogram are always
appreciated.
“For the patient in need of
transportation to a
physician’s office or outpa
tient clinic, the unit is looking
for volunteer drivers,” ex
plained Mrs. Ham. ‘‘These
volunteers must know how to
make their passengers comfor
table in a friendly way."”
For cancer patients — and
anyone in the community with
a question —the unit main
tains an information and refer
ral service which has facts
about resources in this area. A
Eractical matter, such as
omemaker care to supervise
was reported at an even
SB,OOO, which was doled out to
the traverse and final jurors.
The sequestration of the
jurors led to a $2,760 bill from
the Seqll)xo ah Motel and a
$2,581 ilf' for feeding the
jurors and out-of-town
witnesses during West's trial
at The Round Table
Restaurant.
The Sheraton Presidential
Inn in Rome received $2,122
for housing eyewitnesses
Teresa Lynn Hudgins and
Joey WelP; while Brock and
West were still on the run, and
to house out-of-town
witnesses during the West
trial.
Other expenses included
approximately $4,500 in over
Local Wire Plant
Expands Operation
The Chattooga County Chamber of Commerce an
nounced this week that a ground-breaking ceremony will
be held this morning, March 24, at the Wire Assembles,
Inc. plant on the Menlo Highway beginning at 10 o’clock.
Tfie ceremony will be in honor of an expansion at the
plant. The company, which moved here in February of
1982, will bégin construction of an additional 12,000
square feet — one-and-a-half times the size of the present
building. The expansion will result in an estimated 80 new
jobs in the county.
Area and state officials will be among the estimated 50
to 60 J)eople on hand for the ceremony. Followingl the
oun -breakinfi a program and luncheon will be held at
fie Round Table in Pennville.
The company manufactures wire harnesses for elec
trical appliances. The plant is located in the old J. E.
Messenger building between Summerville and Menlo.
PRICE 20¢
children when a parent is
recovering from cancer treat
ment can be discussed with
the American Cancer Society.
Employment problems can
also be freely discussed.
Mrs. Ham concluded, ‘‘The
cancer society has so many
programs available for cancer
patients and their families.
Our Chattooga County unit
could offer help with cancer
patients who have had various
types of surgery — breast,
larynx (voice box), colon, etc.,
if we only could have enough
people to volunteer help. For
more information or to
volunteer, call me at 857-3487,
Annelle Dellenback at
857-2681 or Maxine Palmer at
857-2120." :
time for Chattooga County
deputies, who worked their
regular shifts in addition to
security during the hearings
and trial. Chattooga County
Sheriff Gary McConnell billed
the county approximately
S7OO for out-ogpocket ex
penses.
Witness fees amounted to
SIOO to Chattanooga
Patrolman Gene Haas; $25 to
Lloyd Precise, Rick Ellison
andy Tom Williams of the
Rossville Police Department;
S3OO to Mississippi Sheriff’s
investigator Larry Ashley;
$276 to Mississippi Crime Lab
officer Julia James; Mississip-
Ei officer, Billy Higgins, $300;
ouisiana Crime Lab officer
see MURDER, page 3-A