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PAGE 2B THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2008 Outdoors With Skipper Round two goes to wife just as round one did I f you recall, a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned a lady named Jean Lively, who with her husband, Conrad, spent some time hunting in Alabama, with their son Dale, from Brandon, Florida. Jean, who is over 70, took a nice seven-pointer along with a big doe. Her husband, Conrad, claimed he saw some but didn’t want to have to clean them. The Great Outdoors By Skipper Smith 706-677-1520 Some excuse. His wife just plain beat him on that trip. REELING IN A BIG ONE Jean Lively shows off a 9.5-pound trout caught in a family pond in Hiawassee. Well, Jean did it again. Fishing in their pond in Hiawassee for some trout that they had put in as stockers a year or so ago, Jean tied into a big one. She had wanted a couple of fish to eat, as her son was coming up to visit. With her Zebco reel screaming, this one put up a fight. Conrad hollered for her to bring it in and she replied, “I can’t!” So Conrad, being the gentle man that he is, got out the net, went over to the bank and landed it for her. I asked him where his fish was and got no answer. Just plain silence. They had been feeding around 40 small trout for a year, with high protein fish food. A bear had attacked their automatic feeder, so they had to put in the feed by hand. Well, it sure paid off. If this fish grew that big, from 10 to 22 inches, it sure had to eat a lot in a short period of time. I bet it will eat good baked on the grill. Add some coleslaw and hushpuppies. Maybe they will invite me over. At least Jean might, after this story. Conrad will probably ignore me completely. If you have an outdoors story give me a call. Skipper Smith is an outdoors columnist for The Banks County News. His column appears weekly. Let him know about your hunting or fishing adventure at 706-677-1520. Grove Level Outdoors offers hunter's safety class Grove Level Outdoors will spon sor a Hunter’s Safety Education class March 11 and March 13 at Grove Level Baptist Church. Classes will be from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. each night. Those wishing to take the hunt er’s safety course may preregiser at www.georgiawildlife.com or register on the first night of the course. On the second night of the course, a CD rom test will be given for those who are taking the class on line. Request for Bids Bid Number 208-0312 Sealed bids will be received by Banks County, Georgia at the commissioner’s office, Banks County Courthouse, 144 Yonah-Homer Road, Suite 1, Homer, GA 30547, until 10:00 A.M. March 12, 2008, at which time they will be opened for the following: LP GAS CONTRACT The following tanks are owned by the county and will require service under this contract: 1-100 Gallon Tank: Banks County Fire Stations 1-250 Gallon Tank: Historic Jail Facility 1-250 Gallon Tank: Eternal Flame at Homer Park 8-250 Gallon Tank: Banks County Fire Stations 3-500 Gallon Tank: Banks County Fire Stations 1-500 Gallon Tank: Historic Courthouse/Chamber of Commerce 1-500 Gallon Tank: Banks County Road Department 1-500 Gallon Tank: Banks County 911 Center 1-500 Gallon Tank: Banks County Recycling 1-2000 Gallon Tank: Banks County Courthouse 1 -2000 Gallon Tank: Banks County Jail Tank capacity, number and size may vary. This contract is for a fixed price per gallon delivered to the tanks. Gas company is to schedule regular readings to insure that tanks do not run out. The bid price must be submitted on a formal bid sheet available at Banks County Commissioners’ office, 144 Yonah-Homer Road, Suite One, Homer GA 30547. Phone 706-677-6200. All bids must be submitted with a certificate of insurance coverage. The contract period will be April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009. All bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope and marked with the words, Bid Number 208-0312, LP Gas contract, opening 10:00 A.M. March 12, 2008. Any bid received after 10:00 A.M. will be rejected. The Banks County Board of Commissioners reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids and to waive irregularities, informalities and technicalities in the bid process. High School Soccer Leopards bounce back to defeat Hebron BY CHRIS BRIDGES After seeing his team lose to Stephens County last Monday, Banks County High School boys soccer coach Chris Cooley decided it was time for a heart-to-heart talk with his players. As a result, the talk worked as the Leopards returned to the field three days later and recorded a 4-1 victory against Hebron. Three goals from Luis Contreras and one from Alex Vang helped put BCHS back on track. “After the loss to Stephens County we knucked down at practice,” Cooley said. “We came out and had a great match against Hebron.” The team’s strong play continued the following night when they faced No. 7 Aquinas. Despite falling 3-1, Up Next: •Friday hosts Ogletho rpe County, 7 p.m. •Monday hosts East Jackson, 7 p.m. BATTLING FOR POSITION Banks County's Marco Monreal works upfield during a recent match. Photo by Lyn Sengupta Cooley said his team competed in a very close match and was in posi tion to earn the upset. “That’s the closest we’ve ever played them,” the coach said. Vang scored the Leopards’ goal on an assit from Contreras. “Our defense is improving,” Cooley said. “We have been scrappy the last couple of games. We are winning the battle at midfield.” BCHS is scheduled to host Oglethorpe County Friday in the region opener for 2008. The Leopards will then host East Jackson Monday. Matches begin at 7 p.m. High School Track Increased numbers should benefit BCHS teams BY CHRIS BRIDGES Success in sports such as track often times depends on the overall number of participants. If that is any indicator, then the Banks County High School track program could continue to make positive strides in 2008. The overall number of athletes in the program is now close to 50, the most in some time. Several athletes return from last spring as coach Rob Moffett looks to qualify for athletes for their respec tive state meets. “I am expecting a much better showing in all phases of the meets due to the increased number of ath letes this year,” the coach said. “We will be able to field athletes in almost all events and that will go a long way in improving our team scores.” Returning for the boys will be Jay Harn, Jamail Jennings, Clint Caudell, Justin Simpson, Adam Garcia, Nick Sosebee, Alex Shirley, Branson Simmons, Chris Parks, Jorge Diaz and Thomas Baker. Newcomers to the program include Justin Beasley, Jared Gregory, Shawn Ivester, Derek Arnold, Marvin Castaneda, Cody Evens, Vishal Patel, An Pham, Ivan Diaz, Eli Simmons, Lyn Hester and Avery Tench. Moffett said he expects Harn to excel in the wheel chair 200 and 800-meter events and to repeat as state champion in the shot put. Jennings should also stand out in the 100 and 200-meter dashes and the long jump. Sosebee returns in the 400 and 800-meter while Caudell is back to compete in the 200, 400 and long jump. Baker will be competing once again in the shot put and discus and Parks should be in the running for the top spots in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs. Jorge Diaz will also run the 1,600 and 3,200-meter events. Moffett said the team’s 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams should be improved this spring. Returning for the Lady Leopards will be Jessica Wagoner (100 and 200-meter and relays), Gabrielle Foster (200 and 400-meter and long jump), Kim Pass (400-meter and relays), Jessica Denton (discus and relays), Katrina Morris (800-meter run), Tiffany Sims (1,600 and 3,200-meter runs) and Jessica Marconi (200-meter and relays.) Amber Garrison, Shelby Forrester and Kathy Davidson will once again compete in the field events. Top newcomers for the BCHS Lady Leopards will be Dee Dee Cannon, Barbara Johnson, Vanessa Hurtado, Dee Wiley, Charledra Jennings, Kelly Grisham, Jessica Newell and Jayda Richey. “All of the athletes are working very hard to prepare for the upcom ing season and as coaches we are looking forward to seeing them improve as the year progresses,” Moffett said. NEW PLANS AT SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICING Save Up To $10,000* By Combining Our Spring Promo With These New Homes! Also Add Up to 250 S.F. Of Heated Space For Only S44/S.F. And Complete Your Own Floor Coverings & Save Thousands More! Quality Custom Homes Built on your land for less! Guaranteed Build-Out Times! The Magnolia 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths w/2 car garage 2609 sq. ft. under roof The Piedmont 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths w/2 car garage c6 2335 sq. ft. under roof ev 6 ' Rates have dropped again making our homes even more affordable. This is the best time in years to build your dream home! Limited Time Only! 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