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Gas Rebate Policy Changed I
-- See Page 3-A
VOLUME CXIV — NUMBER VIX
School Merger Report Is -
Discussed At Board Meet
Plan Would Join Pennville And North Summerville
By GENE ESPY
Editor
The Chattooga School
Board held a long discussion
Monday night at their regular
meeting about the possibility of
merging North Summerville and
Pennvifie Elementary Schools.
The board had heard a report
from a committee formed to Fook
into the possibility of merging
the two schools into one with a
new school facility being built.
Kevin Lee, a spokesman for
the gé'oup. presented a survey to
the board about the possible
school merger.
“We'd like to get some par
ticiration from the school board
and get some opinions to move
forward and do what is best for
our kids,” Lee said.
The committee had re
[.)orted to the school board at the
ast two meetings.
SURVEY
Teresa Pewitt, a teacher at
Hogue Convicted By Jurors
Of Sodomizing 11-Year-Old
Child Testifies, Runs From Annex Courtroom Screaming
A 53-year-old Summerville
man is awaiting sentencing after
being convicted Wednesday
morning on four counts of sexu
ally abusing two youngsters in
mid-1999.
A nine-man, three-woman
jury convicted John Harvey
Hogue of 101 Gordon St., of ag
gravated sodomy, aggravated
child molestation in connection
with the sodomK, another count
of agiravated child molestation
and child molestation.
Ron Shedd, Hogue's attor
ney, asked Judge Jon Wood of
Chattooga County Superior
Court for a pre-sentence investi
gation by a probation officer. The
judge éranted the request and
ordered that Hogue be held in
the county jail bet%re sentencing.
CONVICTIONS
Hogue was convicted of
forcing an 11-year-old boy to per
form oral sex on him, of all%ew
ing a 14-year-old boy to be
present while that act was being
performed and for showing por
nographic videotapes to the two
boys. The incidents were re
ported to have happened be
tween May 29, 1999 and July 12,
1999.
He was acquitted of five
counts of child molestation.
Marie Hogue, the estranged
wife of Hogue, put her hand over
her mouth andplooked at Hogue
across the Annex courtroom aisle
when Judge Wood read the ver
dicts. Hogue remained expres
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Staff Photo By Jason Espy
WORLD CHAMPION FIGHTER, CHRIS WOODALL (R)
With Grandfather, Lyerly Resident Hill Caidwell
The Summeruille Net
Pennville Elementary School and
a member of the committee ex
plained the survey to the board.
The survey said that 48 per
cent of parents at North Sum
merville returned the survey
forms. At Pennville, 62 percent
of the parents returned the
forms. A form was sent home
with every child at the two
schools.
Amajority, 73 percent of the
parents fi)referred a new school
to be built, “instead of using the
SPLOST money to do limited
renovations” to the two schools.
Both schools showed 73 percent
of the parents approved the
move.
The parents were evenly di
vided as to the location of the
new facility. Pennville parents
wanted it closer to Pennville and
North Summerville parents
wanted it closer to Summerville.
A total of 266 parents re
turned the surveys.
“This response indicates a
great deal of interest and concern
sionless but his face turned red.
“I can’t believe it,” Hogue
said later in the jail's booking of
fice. He was dressed in a green
and blue plaid shirt and a%lack
Castrol 01l jacket and pants.
Closing arguments were
presented Tuesday afternoon.
Grover Hudgins, the assis
tant district attorney who pros
ecuted Hogue, said then that the
evidence sfiowed that Hogue had
committed sexual abuse against
the children.
Shedd said in his closing ar
gument that the children %wd
told at least three conflicting sto
ries about what they claimeg had
happened.
DELIBERATIONS
The jury began deliberating
the case at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Judge Wood dismissed its mem
bers at 5:15 p.m. for the night.
They returned at 9 a.m. and con
tinued deliberations. At 10 a.m.,
they asked Judge Wood if they
could have the transcripts of
what the children had to[% Inv.
Nelda Campbell of the Chattooga
County Sheriff’s Office in inter
views she conducted in 1999.
Judge Wood said state law
did not permit that because it
might make juries tend to give
more credence to one piece of
evidence over other evidence
presented in a trial.
The jury reached its verdict
before 10:30 a.m. Wednesday
and it was announced in the
courtroom by Judge Wood until
© Copyright 2000 By Espy Publishing Co., Inc. — All Rights Reserved
SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA — THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2000
about the direction of education
in %hattooga County,” the survey
said.
“Does the school board have
anything to say or add any opin
ions?” Lee as{ed, “This is our
third time to the school board.
We presented numbers the first
time and we would really like to
get your input and guidance and
what you think. We want to move
forward and do what’s right.”
He continued, “We have a
75-vear-old school at Pennville
and close to a 50-year-old school
here at North Summerville.
North Summerville school can
not be handicapped-accessible.”
LOCATION
Responding to a question
from Board Member Tommy
Pledger about the location of the
new school, Lee said, “If [ under
stood the new school committee,
our job was not to determine a
location or configuration. We lis
tened to some things but our job
really was not to determine the
10:43 a.m.
The most dramatic events of
the trial took place when the 11-
year-old victim of sodomy testi
fied. He steadfastly maintained
during questioning and cross
examination that Hogue had
made him perform oral sex.
When his testimony had ended,
the youngster walked down the
center courtroom aisle. As he got
about halfway to the dOOl‘,%l€
began crying and screaming
loudly. His outburst continue
outside the courtroom.
MONDAY
Hogue's trial ended its Mon
day phase with dramatic testi
mony against him by Mrs.
Hogue.
Hudiins earlier in the trial
had sought to have the jury re
view a taped interview with her
but Shedd objected, saying that
Mrs. Hogue would be subject to
direct questioning and cross-ex
amination during the trial.
Judge Wood agreed and up
held the defense lawyer’s objec
tion.
The trial started with Inv.
Campbell of the Chattooga
County Sheriff’s Office testifying
and showing audio and video
tapes of interviews she had con
ducted with the victims.
The nine-man, three
woman jury listened intently as
the tapes were played while they
also t{;llowed the conversation
with transcripts of the inter
see HOGUE CONVICTED, page 16-A
Woodall Is World Fight Champion
Former Lyerly Resident Wins Title Last Week In Athens, Greece
By JASON ESPY
Staff Writer
Christopher “Cappi”
Woodall started fighting 20 years
ago with small town Lyerly kids
and today he is the World and
International Champion of fight
ing.
Woodall, 27, won the inter
national title belt in Pankration
fi%-ting last Wednesday ni%ht in
Athens Greece. Pankration fight
ing is hand to hand combat us
ing any style of fighting one
chooses - karate, wrestling, kick
boxinfi or Eragplin%.
“I'm the big daddy now,’ the
6-foot plus, 195-pound Chat
tooga native said.
“In order for them to get my
belt away from me, they are go
ing to have to come to Atlanta.
Or better yet, I think there is
enough room out there in that
field (a field at his gx;andpa's
house on Ga. 114 just before the
Lyerly Town limits) where we
can put a ring in that field.”
actual location of the school.”
Mrs. Pewitt said, “When the
new school committee met, one
of the locations we looked at was
if the by-pass was built we
thought t{lat would be awonder
ful location for a school. It has
worked well in Walker County
and worked well in Rome. That
might not be feasible. We
thought our first job was to %et a
yeaor nay. If it is nay then there
1s no sense in worrying about a
location. If it is a yes, then the
committee or group of parents or
someone else could get together
and find a location Lf’or the new
school.”
“There is another issue of
money. From what [ understand
there would not be an increase
in taxes. The money that is avail
able from the state is $2.25-mil
lion and the other money would
have to be funded by a bond ref
erendum. I don’t know what that
takes from an election stand
point,” Lee continued, “We want
to make a valiant effort to make
this thing work.”
MONEY
A member of the audience
asked how the rest of the school
money be paid.
Superintendent Tom
McCullough answered, “With
the SPLOST right now such as
Lyerly, any kind of building we
build, renovate is actually Sone
through selling bonds. The
money coming in from our
SPLOST will pay for those
bonds.”
The calculations that were
see SCHOOL MERGER, page 18-A
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Workmen Repair Fire Hydrant Leak
City of Summerville workmen are shown re
pairing a leaking fire hydrant on East Wash
ington Street last week. The hydrant had
been leaking thousands of gallons of water
Woodall, who calls Chat
tooga County his homeland,
foué:t six opponents last week to
capture the international fight
ing title. The final matchup was
between Olga Pestarian, usin%
Russian Sambo style martia
arts. Woodall says he was a little
worried because this Sambo style
fighter had already “snapped”
one opponent’s knee.
‘WORRIED’
“Iwent into that fight a little
bit worried. When we toed up to
each other when the referee was
giving us instructions, he looked
at my leg because I have a knee
brace that I wear. He pointed at
it so I knew he was iomg to aim
for it. He tried to shoot in and
take me down,” Woodall said.
The fight was intense and
the best ever, Woodall claims.
The Sambo stylist launched kick
after kick trying to knock
Woodall off balance.
Finally, Woodall caught
Man Arrested On Drug Charge
. —SeePage7A
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Staff Photo By Jason Espy
PROJECT SIMILAR TO THIS ONE IN SUMMERVILLE IS GOAL OF DEVELOPER
Controversy Brewing Over Possibility Of Complex At Corner Of East Washington And College Streets
Zoning Issue Evokes
Ire Of Local Residents
Developer Wants To Build 41-Unit Complex
By JASON ESPY
Staff Writer
A political battle between
residents of a historic residential
section of Summerville and a
over a long period of time before repairs were
made. The City had to purchase a new piece
of equipment to fix the leak. (Staff Photo By
Jason Espy).
Pestarian off guard. Woodall
?ickly raised his leg and kicked
the back of Pestarian’s neck. The
blow hit Pestarian’s cirrhotic
nerve and knocked him out.
“I believe what happened
next was probabg' the scariest
part,” Woodall said. “When I was
walking out of the cafie they (a
crowd of 25,000 peo‘i) e watch
ing the event) started throwing
frapes and olive branches at me.
didn’tknow if I was going to die
or what.”
Traditionally in Greece and
other parts of the world, tossing
grapes, olive and palm branches
in front or at a person is a sign of
victory. The event dates back to
Alexander the Great when he re
turned home from conquering
territories the people would toss
these items in front of his path.
“In (St.) Matthew it talks
about it. I'm nothing compared
to Jesus, so don’t take it that way.
But when Jesus was coming
down before His crucifixion, they
were waving palm branches -
land developer is exlpected to
continue during a public hearing
at 5 p.m. on April 6.
Ben Jackson, a developer
from Cave Spring, wants to re
zone a four acre tract of property
victory to the King,” Woodall
said.
Before reaching the final
match, Woodall had to fight five
opponents. The first fight lasted
32 seconds when he caught his
300-pound opfionent in an arm
triangle choke hold.
The second fight witha 270-
Found Russian Sambo stylist
asted 48 seconds. Again a con
trolled choke hold was used.
The third fight took him one
minute and 10 seconds. Al
though it lasted longer than the
first two, this was not an impres
sive fight. He won by gettinihis
opgonent ina Fainful “arm bar”
submission hold.
The fourth fight was against
a kick boxer. This kick boxer
landed several blows to
Woodall’s le%s. However,
Woodall caught his opponent in
a standing heel hook and forced
the kick boxer to submit with
another Jl:{;litsu hold.
The fifth fight against a 200-
pound man was won when
on the corner of East Washing
ton Street and College Street.
Jackson wants to turn that area
into a multi-housing project for
senior citizens age 62 years and
over.
“I've been so warmly re
ceived in the senior adult com
munity and it’s been an encour
agement to see the peogle com
ir:ig together over something that
addresses needs over something
that is very obvious,” Jackson
told the City Council last Thurs
day night during a work session.
Despite his warm welcome
by the senior citizens of the com
munity, pl;:{)erty owners near
the proposed development plan
to fight. Numerous reasons were
fiiven by residents against the
evelopment including the
developer’s secrecy about the
property.
“We weren’t included. It’s
obvious that we are considered
an adversary. So if that is the way
they want it, we will be an adver
sary, because our homes are
worth fighting for,” said James
“Bud” Jackson, a local drug store
owner and resident of East
Washington Street. “I see this
project as taking away the value
of my home.”
BEST PLACE
At least one City Council
man, Milford Morgan, wants the
issue to remain whether the
Washington and College Street
property is the best place for the
proposed 41-unit senior citizens’
retirement home.
“Mayor, may I ask a ques
Woodall used the sle::fer hold.
The sleeper hold proved effective
as the 200-pound fighter was
knocked out.
ALWAYS FIGHTING
“I hate to say this, but we
(Woodall and Lyerly friends)
werk always fighting . . . We all
grew up watching Mr. Wrestlin&
Number One and Ric Flair,
Woodall said. “I've always
dabbled with it. When we were
little, we always wanted to be
Bruce Lee or Ningas. I guess I
started training when I was five
years old (in Rome, Georgia).”
Woodall, born in Rome,
lived near Lyerly until the sixth
grade. His dad was an insurance
salesman for Farm Bureau, Sum
merville, and received a promo
tion and the family relocated to
Dade County.
“I think everybodg that I'm
related to are here ( hattooaa
County) somewhere. My grand
parents are here. All my great
STILL
ONLY
25¢
tion, because I'm a little bit wor
ried about the direction this is
going. It appears that it looks like
it is to support senior citizens,
rather than looking at a zonin
change and a location. I woulg
hate for it to be pictured as if
whatever decision we make is
that we are aiainst senior citi
zens. | thoufi t what we were
here to decide was whether a
Farticular site should be rezoned
or multi-family usage,” Morgan
said.
“It’s not just multi-family.
It’s senior citizens,” resident
Faye Bagley adamantly said.
“I've got 390 feet along the
side of that and it’s not Eeen
mentioned to me at all,” said one
unidentified gentleman.
“That is what I was doing. I
didn’t want us to think that we
were here discussing whether we
are for senior citizens or against
senior citizens,” Morfian said.
“That is what it boils down
to because the apartments are
going to be for senior citizens,”
Bagley said.
OTHER SITES
Morgan, trying to push the
discussion away from an issue
about senior citizens to an issue
about rezoning a certain piece of
property, asked the develo%er
whether he had other sites if this
one was not arproved.
The developer said another
site in Trion was a possibility.
“It’s been probably 20 years
since money was spent specifi
cally for the senior adult popula
see ZONING ISSUE, page 6-A
aunts and uncles are here,”
Woodall said.
Whether it was fighting be
hind his %rrandparents' house
with local friends and cousins or
actir:& as if he was some profes
sional wrestler, Woodall's fight
ing days began locally.
At age five, Woodall began
takin% karate classes in Rome
with former instructor Siato
Sensei, who died in 1995.
“I've trained in the martial
arts I guess all my life. You are
always looking for a new chal
lenge. You are alwag: looking for
a fresh avenue to be the best. I
was always pushed to be the best
possible,” Woodall said.
Now Woodall is a registered
sixth degree black belt in Ju
jitsu. Although he is re%iflered as
a sixth deixe'ee black belt, he oan
claims to be a fifth degree blac
belt. “Actually I tested two ci;em‘z’.
ago for my sixth degree black belt
and I passed the test. But I re
see WOODALL, page 16-A