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VOLUME CVII — NUMBER VII
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Andrea Hall, center, was named 1991
STAR (Student Teacher Achievement
Recognition) Student at Trion Hi%h
School during Monday’s meeting of the
Summerville-gl‘rion Rotary Club. Wanda
Blalock, right, was her STAR teacher, the
second year in a row that Mrs. Blalock
has been selected. Will Hair, Rotary
Brown Trial Off
For Term: Lawson
Case Scheduled
The trial of a Cloudland
man charged with a double
murder and arson on election
primary day at Menlo last sum
mer has been continued for this
term and possibly until the
August term of court,
Timothg Brown, 27,
Cloudland, had been scheduled
Show U.S. Colors
A full color newspaper-size United States flag is featured
in this week’s edition of The Summerville New to help Chat
tooga County businesses and residents show their support for
U. S. troops in the Mideast. .
The page features the flag and the words, ‘‘We Support
Our Troops.” It is designed to be clipped out of the paper and
taped to windows or doors of businesses, residences and
governmental offices to show solid local support for our troops,
especially those with Chattooga County ties.
The back of thi]page displays the local firms that made
the page Possible, ong with two maps of the Gulf region to
assist in following news of the war. the flag is on page 7-B.
Use it with pride.
Sheriff Kellett To Be Sworn After Tuesday Vote
Larry Kellett Emphasizes
Investigative Experience
Q. What do you view as the most important issue in the
run-off election next week between you and your opponent?
A. The fact that I have law enforcement experience, ex
tensive training and know first-hand the problems we are fac
ing in our county. My opponent does not. Also that I, when
elected, would be able to walk into the Sheriff’s Office, take
charge of operations with full certified authority by the State
of Georgia without any :ielays. Mx opponent would not.
*
Q. How do you differ from your opponent on the issues?
A. It appears that my opponent has chosen the issue of
a fresh start and a new beginning in Chattooga County law
enforcement, indicating to me that my administration might
be a repetition of the last administration. With due reslfect
where needed to the past administration, I'm Larry Kellett.
I have my own ideas and have the ex%erience, training and
knowledge of our law enforcement problems. I will continue
all positive effects of the last administration and put to work
my own ideas to increase the effectiveness in all areas of
Sheriff's Department law enforcement. T have no com
see LARRY KELLETT, page 5-A
The " ' ummeruille News
Trion High STARs
STAR chairman, fifth from left, presented
the awards. From left are Cindy Hall and
her husband, Donnie Hall, and Cindy Col
eman. Hall and Mrs. Coleman are An
drea’s parents. Andrea is considering
Shorter and Georgia Southern Colleges
and may major in communications. (Staff
Photo).
to §o on trial Tuesday morninfi
but the case was continue
Monday evening bé' Chattooga
County Superior Court Judge
Joseph Loggins.
Loggins said he couldn’t
discuss the case. But District
Attorney Ralph Van Pelt and
Kris Cook C%nnelly. one of
SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA — THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1991
Brown's defense attorneys,
both indicated that Loggins
continued the case so Brown
could be given a psychiatric
evaluation prior to trial.
RULING
The continuance apparent
ly relates to an obscure section
of Georgia law upheld on Nov.
8, 1990 by the Georgia
Su[)reme Court. In that case,
Tolbert vs. The State, the high
court ruled that a superior
court didn’t err in ordering a
second evaluation of a murder
suspect after his attorney had
fileg notice of a sanity defense.
Although John Tolbert, the
sugfect in question, had been
evaluated prior to being in
dicted by order of the superior
court, a second evaluation was
ordered by the court after the
defense o¥ insanity was filed.
Bobby Lee Cook, Brown's
lead attorney, had filed notice
of an insanity defense during
Brown’s arraignment on Feb.
see BROWN CASE, page 16-A
By TOMMY TOLES
Editor
*
Chattooga Countians will
return to the polls next Tues
day to elect a Kellett as their
next sheriff.
The only queston is
whether it will be Larry
Kellett, a former investigator
with the sheriff's office, or
Ralph Kellett Jr., service
manager at a Summerville new
car dealership for 18 years.
A moderately low turnout
of 3,500 to 4,000 votes was ex
g_ected before the Feb. 12 elec
ion, which featured seven can
didates. But the voters fooled
all pro%nosticators with a tur
nout of 4,761 votes, or more
than 51 percent of those
registered. :
TURNOUT?
It was difficult to predict
the turnout next week. Some
political observers felt that
Boot Campé Funded
--See Page 8-A
© Copyright 1991 By Espy Publishing Co., Inc. — All Rights Reserved
Referendum On Board Planned
Solons Support Vote On Commission Board In March, 1992
By BUDDY ROBERTS
Associate News FEditor
Local legislation calling for
a referendum on a five-member
board of commissioners for
Chattge(:fa County may be in
troduced in the Georgia House
of Representatives next
Monday.
If approved by the House
and Senate, a u¥)lic vote on
the issue wourd be held in
March, 1992, said Fifth
District Rep. Tim Perry.
The request for a vote on a
five-member board of commis-
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Ms. Allred; and Will Hair, Rotary STAR
chairman. Miss Parker is the daughter of
William and the late Maidell H%mphill
Parker. Jennifer plans to enroll at David
Lipscomb University and major in phar
macy and lprobably minor in music. The
Rotary Club has sponsored the local
STAR program since 1959. (Staff Photo).
Kidnap, Shooting Probed
A Summerville area woman
this week faces unrelated
charges in Floyd and Chat
tooga Counties involving the
attempted theft of two babies
from a hospital and the subse
quent shooting of her husband
a few hours later.
Sherry Bishop, 44, 10 Berry
Ridge Road, Summerville Rte.
2, was charged with two counts
of attempting kidnapping
around 1 p.m. Sunday by the
more people would turn out for
a two-man race than for seven
candidates. Others felt that
many supporters of the five
losing candidates would have
less interest in the two winners
and won't return to the polls on
Tuesday.
Chattooga Election Supt.
Jon Payne %x;edicted a turnout
equal to or better than that of
Feb. 12.
The campaign between the
two Kelletts has turned out to
be relatively low-key. Each can
didate has been careful to
describe the other as a decent,
honorable, honest person.
Larry Kellett has cited his
law enforcement background,
saying he already has the
necessary experience and
qualifications to step into the
post the day after the election
with little additional training.
He has worked in the jail divi
sion, as a road patrol officer
and as a sergeant investigator,
concentratinf on drug cases.
Ralph Kellett, who has no
law enforcement experience,
has called for *‘a new beginn-
sioners has been considered by
Perry since the beginning of
this l‘lefiislative session. The
local bill results from a petition
signed by more than 1,900
county residents asking for a
referendum on a multi
commission form of govern
ment.
PEOPLE
“I don’t ever want it to be
said that under the proper cir
cumstefince, thflt Ihwoultill not
ive the people the right to
aoose," gerxPy said. “Fam a
firm believer in the political
process, and this is, in essence,
the most basic of the
democratic processes, the right
CHS STAR Winners
Jennifer Parker, second from left, was
named STAR Student at Chattooga High
School at the Summerville-Trion Rotary
Club meeting Monday at The Tavern,
Trion. Elaine Allred, fourth from left, was
named her STAR teacher. From left are
William Parker, Jennifer's father; Jen
nifer; Ron Hill, Rotary Club president:
Rome Police Department. She
was released from the Floyd
County Jail on $22,050 bond at
5:35 p.m. Sunday.
She was charged in Chat
tooga County with aggravated
assault in connection with the
shooting of her husband,
Harold L. Bishop Jr., age
unavailable, same address, at
their home between 8 and 8:30
p.m. Sunday. She was picked
up for questioning at the scene
ing’’ and ‘‘a fresh start” in the
sheriff’s office. He has cited his
administrative experience as
service manager of the Sum
merville Ford dealership.
INDEPENDENT
Both candidates have said
they will be independent.
The two approaches are
about as strong as either can
didate had gotten by Wednes
dai'. Supporters of Larri:
Kellett have described Ralp
Kellett ‘‘a fine upstanding per
son” but expressed concern
about his lack of law enforce
ment background. Meanwhile,
Ralph Kellett’'s supporters
have said Larry Kellett is ‘‘an
honest and moral individual”
but they think “‘it's time for a
change,” apparently referring
to L ?iellett as having
work:(%r former Sheriff Gary
McConnell.
McConnell, meanwhile, has
been careful to remain neutral
in the race, saying he’ll leave
the choice of the next sheriff
solely up to the county's
voters. 'lge had resigned to
Rape Acqu‘ittal »
' --See Page 12-4
of the people to choose the type
gs government representa
ion.
A legal advertisement
about the legislation was
delivered to The Summerville
News for publication this week,
and Perry said he can introduce
the proposal on Monday,
following publication. The ad
was delivered to The News by
referendum supporter Michael
Veatch, Trion.
Veatch had delivered the
advertisement to The News
early last week, but later re
%‘xested it not be published
then at Perry’s suggestion, he
said Monday.
and charged Monday morning,
said Chattooga County Sheriff
Ron Turner. She was released
on $25,000 bond Monday. Her
Floyd County bond on the kid
napping charges was revoked
Tuesday afternoon and she was
incarcerated again in Rome.
RECOVERING
Bishop was reported in
‘‘satisfactory’’ condition
see KIDNAP, page 16-A
become executive director of
the Georgia Emergency
Management Agency (GEMA{
Atlanta, at the request of Gov.
Zell Miller.
Both candidates have been
unfailingly courteous to each
other and to voters while
campaigning.
TOO CLOSE
The election appeared to be
too close to call at mid-week.
Both candidates apFeared to
be cautiously confident of
victory.
Larry Kellett led Ralph
Kellett gy 85 votes in the first
election. Larry garnered 1,547
votes in complete but unofficial
results to 1,462 ballots for
Ralph.
Jerry Davenport, a former
lieutenant at the sheriff's of
fice, was a distant third with
709 votes in unofficial returns.
Votes received by the other
candidates included: Wilburn
Ragland, 492: David L.
Hartline, 297; Jimmy Wilker
see SHERIFF KELLETT, page 5-A
FIVE DAYS
Local legislation usually
takes about five days to pass
once it is introduced, and is ap
proved without floor discus
sion. Senator Waymond **Son
ny’' Huggins of the 53rd
District indicated that the
measure should pass easily in
both chambers of the General
Assembly.
Perry said he had been ap
proached by referendum sup
porters before the legislative
session began, and asked that
a petition of 1,000 signatures
— about 10 percent of Chat
tooga County's registered
voters — be presented to him
before the measure would be
Action Promised
On Complaints
About Oak View
By TOMMY TOLES
B e el
Officials of Oak View Nur
sing Home and Chattooga
County Hospital have promis
ed to investigate complaints
aired Monday night about the
nursing home.
Two spokesmen for a total
of five people raised the issues
during the monthly meeting of
the Chattooga Hospital
Authority in the dining room of
the facility. They ranged from
allegations about the pur
ported slapping of a patient by
a staffer to the quality of food.
They said some of the
issues {ad been raised with
some staff members but never
with Dan Sweitzer, executive
director of the hospital and
nursing home, or authority
members themselves.
INCREASE
In other matters, the
authority:
* Increased the daily
charge for private pay patients
to comply with expected
Medicaicf regulations.
* Learned that a new
emergency room had been
completed.
* Noted that the hospital
and nursing home combined
had posted a surplus of $27,949
in December, 1990.
* Found out that the state
will require a covered carport
and walkway in front of the
nursing home to be served with
a sprinkler system, dramatical-
Ralph Kellett Promises
Change, Fresh Beginning
Q. What do you view as the most important issue in the
run-off election next week between you and your opponent?
A. Probably the most important issue is our q}t‘lealifications,
and the fact is that neither of us has ever been sheriff before.
I believe that my broader experience better qualifies me to
serve the people of this ::oun&y as*sheriff.
Q. How do you differ from your opponent on the issues?
A. I certainly understand the seriousness of the drug pro
blem, and I plan to fight that ?roblan vigorously. However,
I also believe that the people of Chattooga County have other
sconcerns and othel}Problems which deserve the attention and
efforts of the sheriff's department. My intention is to provide
effective and efficient law enforcement to every citizen in every
other area of the county, whatever their individual needs may
be, : * & e .
Q. What are your qualifications to be sheriff?
A. I am experienced in supervising employees, handling
see RALPH KELLETT, page 5-A
STILL
ONLY
25¢
proposed.
“This group came to me
and asked me to call for the
referendum, and “Sonny”’ and
I could call for a referendum
without a petition, but I told
them that Ip\?vould not sign any
legislation unless I hagnfirm
and documented proof that
more than just a handful of the
county’'s voters wanted a
chance to vote on it,”” Perry
said. “That’s when the petition
got started.”
A group of county residents
presented Perry with the peti
tion slightly more than two
weeks ago, but the represen
tative returned the petition
see REFERENDUM, page 16-A
ly increasing the expected cost
of the structure.
* Agreed to seek a new at
torney for the authority. .
* [earned that the hospital
authority should receive a
SIO,OOO donation from GTE
this year, representing two
years of assistance.
COMPLAINTS
Wanda Dover and Ray
Womack, whose mother is a
resident of Oak View, appeared
with three others to complain
about conditions at the tgcili
ty. “‘This nursing home today
is in worse shape today than
it's ever been in 15 years,” Ms.
Dover asserted several times
during her lengthy presenta
tion. Among the allegations by
Ms. Dover and Womack:
— Their mother had claim
ed that a staff member had
slapped her.
— Bedridden residents are
often allowed to remain in foul
ed beds for long periods of
time.
— Their mother fell three
times but the family wasn't
notified.
— Nurses or nursing
assistants don't respond quick
ly enough, or sometimes at all,
to the room call buzzers.
INJURED
— Several people have been
injured because of the ramp
from the older part of the nur
sing home into the dining
room.
— Too few aides are
available to assist residents on
the ramp.
— Repairs are needed in
see ACTION, page 11-A