Newspaper Page Text
VOLUME CXIV — NUMBER
3 Holland, 2 Piedmont Residents
Arrested On Drug Counts By Feds
By JASON ESPY
Staff Writer
Federal drug agents have
arrested three Hofiand residents
and a Piedmont, Ala. couple on
drug charges. o
A%ents quietly served sealed
federal Grand Jury indictments
this gast Thursday, Jan. 13 that
had been handed down on Dec.
8,1999.
Indicted were Robert Hol
land Strawn, Marcus Dewitt
Strawn, Dana Strawn, Regina
Strawn Otwell and Douglas Clay
Otwell.
Chattooga County’s 911
records indicated that a Holland
and Dana Strawn reside at 1026
Holland-Chattoogaville Road,
Lverly.
A Marcus Strawn was listed
Lyerly Water Deal Is
Brewing Controversy
By D. J. LAAN
Staff Writer
Lyerly Mayor Jeff Coley said
a controversy brewing around
the proposed water %ine that
might transport 1.5-million gal
lons of water daily from Alabama
to Lverly is “ridiculous.”
Questions have been raised
about Lyerly’s purchase of water
from Northeast Alabama Water
Authority, including whether
Committee To Grand Jury:
No New County Jail Needed
By JASON ESPY
Staff Writer
A new Chattooga County
Jail is not needed.
That was the unanimous
view Monday morning of a
seven-member board proposed
by the August, 1999 term Grand
Jury.
When that Grand Jury pre
sentments were issued, jurors
wanted Coun?f Commissioner
Jim Parker to form a committee
to study the feasibility of build
ing a new jail.
o feeflike this jail (current)
will serve our needs as it is for a
few more years,” said Chattooga
County Sheriff Ralph Kellett. “I
won'’t say indefinitely but I be
lieve we can get by with it like it
Ralph Cook, the committee
member appointed l‘? the L{erly
City Council, moved to tell the
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The Chattooga County Democratic Association installed their
new officers for 2000 Monday night at the Chattooga Civic
Center. From left, in front are John Drennan, president; Dee
Matlock, treasurer; Debbie Hawkins, recor(fing secretary;
Educators React To Budget l
: --See Page 6-A
Che Summeruille Neu
by 911 records as living at 929
Holland-Chattoogaville Road,
Lyerly.
U.S. District Court docu
ments at Rome listed the Otwells’
address as 4095 County Road 59,
Piedmont, Ala.
No ages were available by
late Wednesday.
Their initial hearing was
held in Rome federal court on the
same day they were arrested.
Patrick Crosby, a public re
lations officer with the U.S. Jus
tice Department, Atlanta, said all
five appeared at a bail-bond
hearing in Rome’s federal court
this past Friday.
Each of the Strawns and the
Otwells was released on $25,000
bail apiece, he added.
Mohawk Industries Inc. or the
City of Summerville would buy
water from Lyerly if the proposed
line is completed.
STATE MONEY?
A conflict also exists be
tween Coley and a state repre
sentative over how much money
Lyerly said it wanted from the
state for the project.
“I heard about an article in
February term Grand Jury there
was no need to build a new jail.
It was seconded by Police Capt.
Harold Tucker Jr., who had been
appointed by the Summerville
City Council.
UNANIMOUS
Committee members
Parker, Kellett, District Attorney
Herbert “Buzz” Franklin, Hoyt
Williams, the Trion Town Coun
cil appointee and Sid Swords, the
Menlo City Council appointee,
supported the motion.
Swords asked the commis
sioner and sheriff why the Grand
Jury made its recommendation
to study the jail. The members
indicated that they were unsure
about the matter.
“What was their motivation
for their recommendation?”
Swords asked. “Did they happen
to go into the jail at a time wgen
New Democratic Association Officers
© Copyright 2000 By Espy Publishing Co., Inc. — All Rights Reserved
SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA — THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2000
TIGHT-LIPPED
Federal officials have been
tight-lip?ed about the case. A
press release, which is fairly
common in many federal cases,
was never issued.
Lisa Tarvin, a U.S. attorney,
called Chattooga County Sheriff
Ralph Kellett and told him not to
reveal any information about the
im;iestigation or case, Kellett
said.
She referred all questions
from The Summerville News to
Crosby. He had given The News
copies of the indictments, which
provided basic information.
SHERIFF GAGGED
As for Ms. Tarvin telling
Sheriff Kellett not to speak to the
news media or others about the
“The Chattooga Press’ and [ won
dered where they got their infor
mation,” Mayor Coley said. “For
one thing, Larry Boulding, who
was listed (in the Press) as
Northeast Alabama Water
District’s manager, is retired.”
MANAGER
He said Max Hunter is ac
tually manager of the Alabama
company.
That shopper article stated
it was crowded?”
NOA/C
“They toured the jail at a
regular Grand Jury tour,” replied
Sheriff Kellett. “It was just rec
ommended . . . I think what re
ally brought it up was one of the
Grand Jury members asked if the
cell blocks were air conditioned.
I said ‘no tht;y were not. They
have ceilinfieans.' I think that
mi%ht have been what got it kind
of focused. Now that jail is not
air conditioned at all.”
“Good,” replied Swords.
“That jail was designed and
built b ({J.S. District Court)
Judg: gHarold) Murplg"s stan
dards,” the sheriff said. “ That
was all cleared and OK’ed. I don’t
have any intentions of air condi
tioning the jail.”
Another factor that may
see COMMITTEE, page 14-A
Doug Hawkins, parliamentarian and Merle Matlock, first vice
gresxdent; back row, Michael Blevins, sergeant-at-arms and
eff Floyd, second vice president. (Staff Photo By Gene Espy).
Strawn cases, that is not unusual,
Crosby said.
Sheriff Kellett said he had
told Ms. Tarvin that Chattooga
Countians would be interested in
the Strawn-Otwell case and
would want the details of what
happened. Ms. Tarvin then told
him that her office would issue a
press release, Kellett said. None
was issued.
“SPEAK FEDERALLY”
“It’s not unusual for them
(local law enforcement), because
they no longer have jurisdiction,
they know about cases and ele
ments of cases, but they are not
always in a position to ‘speak fed
erally’ about what is Eoing to
happen or what could happen,”
Crosby said. “It would be fair to
that one environmental §roup is
opposin% the Lyerl{'-A abama
pipeline, based on pollution con
cerns.
The Alabama Department
of Environmental Management
has already approved the Lyerly-
Alabama water project, Mayor
Coley said.
“It would be ignorant on the
part of Alabama environmental
-Ists if they attempt to destroy this
project,” he added.
“Northeast Alabama Water
Authority and the Town of Lyerly
are continuinF contractual nego
tiations,” Coley said. The con
tract would provide a minimum
of 12-million gallons of water a
month to the town, officials said.
COUNCIL MEET
He said the Lyerly Council
unanimously approved issues
surroundin% the proposed Ala
bama water line in its December
meeting.
The mayor said then that
the cost of laying the line and
materials wouFd be about
$400,000 and the city has al
readi been given loan ?jpproval
for the project. He said in De
cember S\at the loan would come
from Farmers and Merchants
Bank of Chattooga County.
“OUTSIDE MONEY”
An estimated $240,000 in
“outside money” also is available
for the project, Mayor Coley said
then. About $112,000 of the
“outside money” would come
from the town's S;l)ecial Purpose
Local Option Sales Tax fund.
Several thousand more dollars
would come from the City of
Summerville in a “cost-share”
see LYERLY WATER, page 7-A
Trion To Hire Security Consultant
--See Page 3-A
say that federal authorities have
certain guidelines as far as what
is said to the (news) media.
“We don’t want to sort of
gzomote an image of them as
ing bad people,” Crosby said.
INDICTMENTS
“I believe there was a crimi
nal indictment in that case that
was sealed but is no longer
sealed,” Crosby said Tuesday af
sternoon. “It’s sort of a nuts and
ibolts, times and dates type of a
ithing. I believe it (was) mainly
i(for) distribution of marijuana.
* “This thing is just in its be
lginninf, so to speak, and I'm
sorry if I don’t have a lot of de
tails,” he said.
Neither additional hearings
nor a trial date for the Strawns
and Otwells has been scheduled,
he said Wednesday afternoon.
AUGUST, 1983
The FBI investiFation of the
Strawns and Otwells turned u
alleged drug crimes dating bacfi
to August, 1983, the federal
Grand Jury in Atlanta stated.
That investigation yielded
eight different indictments
against various Strawn family
members and apparent relatives,
records showe(!).
“Beginning on a date un
known to the Grand Jury, but at
least by August, 1983, and con
tinuing up to and including
January, 1997, in the Northern
District of Georgia, the Middle
District of Georgia and else
where, the defendants . . . did
knowingly combine, conspire,
confederate, agree and have a
tacit understanding with each
other and others known and un
Legislators: Gov. Barnes To
Get Most Of Education Bill
Local Schools Allotted More Money In 2000-2001 Term
Governor Roy Barnes likely
will get most if not all of what he
has asked for in his 125-page
education reform bill, Chattooga
County’s legislators said.
Debate was to have started
in committees this week on the
complex groposal.
“Evidently, he's (Gov. Bar
nes) on the rigKt track,” said Sen.
Wz;‘ymond “Sonny” Huggins, D-
LaFayette.
“ON TARGET”
“Nothing else has worked so
far. The teachers I have talked to
have no problem with it except
for ‘tenure,’ except it’s not ten
ure,” Sen. Hugfiins said. “I think
he’ll see some changes in his edu
cation bill and other bills but a
majority of the education bill will
go through. We've gotten the
salaries up for teachers.”
“I think generally that his
recommendations are on t:;%et
so far on some changes we need,”
said Regl. Barbara Reece, D-
Menlo. “How many chanFes will
be made in his original bill, I
don’t know, but ‘he’s (Barnes)
still rolling’ so it will be tough to
make any changes.
MORE MONEY
She said Tuesday that the
Chattooga County School system
would receive $12,200,009 in
Quality Basic Education funds
from the state in fiscal year
2000-2001, $258,117 more than
the originally planned
Sioaises @ 0"
The Trion City School Sys
tem would receive $5,679.625
under the governor’s education
budget for 2000-2001, up
$304,632 more than the origi
nally fi}anned $5,374,993.
e figures came from Rep.
Charlie Smith Jr., D-St. Marys,
Gov. Barnes floor leader, Rep.
Reece indicated.
REASONS?
She had not been given an
explanation on how the
governor’s office arrived at the
amount of increases for the two
l(:lc:ledsystems, the representative
a :
~ Onlythree Geor&'a gfisltems,
Carrollton City and the Thomas
and Early counties systems will
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RO O T R e N s oel T
LY U R L S R T b p e
Citfl of Summerville Investigator Terry
Williamson looks at ashes of an flleged arson
attempt at a local laundromat owned by
Wayne “Pete” Denson. Someone started a fire
receive less from the governor’s
proposed budget than had been
anticipated in the original fig
ures, Barnes’ tabulations indi
cated.
“TENURE”
The governor’s plan to get
rid of teacher “tenure’ is going
to get a lot of public reaction
from both sides,” Rep. Reece
Sen. Huggins’ Defeat Said
GOP’s ‘Top Priority’ In Fall
Sen. Waymond “Sonny”
Huggins, D-LaFayette, is the pri
mary incumbent targeted for de
feat by the Georgia Republican
Party in this fall's general elec
tion, its chairman said this week.
Chuck Clay, former Georgia
Senate minority leader, said t%-ne
GOP hopes to unseat several
Democratic Senate and House
members but Hug§ins is the
party’s “top priority.
NOT NEW
“I wonder what else is new?”
Huggins asked with a lau%h. “We
already knew that. Well, bless
them, gless them. We'll see how
it comes out.
“They’re going to play up the
election thing in Chattooga
ngnty, I guess,” the senator
said.
Hugfins, inthe Nov. 3, 1998
general election, appeared to re
ceive 11,417 votes to 11,440 bal
lots for Jeff Mullis, Huggins' Re
fiublican challenger, causing
uggins to apparently lose the
district by 23 votes.
Kathy Cox, secretary of state
ordered a district recount, after
beir# requested by Sen. Huggins
on Nov. 17.
That Nov. 19 recount re
sulted in Huggins winning with
11,560 ballots districtwide to
11,444 for Mullis. ;
The additional votes that
gave Huggins the 116-vote mar
gin of victoz turned up prima
rily in the Alpine (Menlo area)
Arson Investigated
in a dryer that caused little damage. The
investigation is ongoing. See story on page
7-A. (Staff Photo By Jason Espy). ;
said.
Teachers are thought to ob
tain “tenure,” or a lifetime posi
tion, after their third J'ear on the
job if they are offered a contract
for a fourth year but that isn’t the
case, she and Sen. Huggins
agreed.
“New teachers have to have
three years experience and after
they get a fourth year contract,
precinct.
AGREEMENT
The State Elections Board
met Jan. 26, 1999 to consider
that and other statewide election
issues.
John Sowrs, a Sandy
Springs lawyer, moved then to
forward the Huggins-Mullis is
sue to an administrative law
judge. Dr. Loch Johnson offered
a second. Board member David
Balser, who said he had repre
sented Huggins in some matters,
didn’t vote.
Sowrs, Johnson, Ms. Cox
and board member Frances
Duncan, a former state elections
division chief, voted for the pro
posal, minutes of the meeting
showed. :
Dr. Johnson, a University of
Georgia professor, Athens, was
appointed to the board by the
state Senate. Ms. Duncan was
%%pointed by the state House.
e Democratic Party had ap
gointed Balser. The Republican
arty appointed Sowrs.
DISMISSED
Administrative Law Judge
Lois Oakley’s decision to dismiss
the Payne case was filed on July
23, 1999.
Chris Corbin, Summerville,
Chattooga County’s attorney
who represented Padvne, Luther
and Strickland, had reached a
mutual afireement on stipula
tions of the facts and law with
o 5 ¢
they have to have in writing why
they are being terminated,” said
Rep. Reece, a retired teacher.
They also have a right to
hearings in front of the board of
education and if displeased with
the board’s decision, they can
then have a trial-like hearing be
fore a special master.
“I personally feel like the
see LEGISLATORS, page 6-A
Kathryn Allen, senior assistant
attorney general and counsel for
the State Elections Board. That
gact apparently played a role in
ismissal of the case by Judge
Oald%.
e agreement stated that
Jon Payne, elections sx]oerinten
dent; Tommy Luther, Alpine pre
cinct chairman and Denny
Strickland, who pro§rammed the
county’s optical ballot scanners,
had not intentionally violated
any state law. The three also
agreed in the document that
some ballots had been hand
counted imgr(éperly and that the
scanners had not been pro
grammed in accordance with
state law.
LAW CHANGED
The law about recounting
ballots fed into an optical scan
ner had been changed and nei
ther Payne nor about 50 other
Georgia counties using the scan
nersrgad been made aware of the
change, he said.
In effect, the new law stated
ballots that were not counted by
the scanner could not then be
counted by hand. That practice
had been the norm in all elec
tions since Chattooga County
obtained the scanners in the
mid- to late-1980s, as well as in
the other counties that used the
scanners.
The State Elections Board is
not investigating any other coun
see SEN. HUGGINS, page 14-A