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Sports: IB BCHS track continues to gain momentum Features: I2A & 8B Franklin Co., Fla.: A natural escape April 2,2008 The Banks County News 504^ Homer, Banks County, Georgia 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • mainstreetnews.com • 24 Pages, 3 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 39 No. 34 Developer gives proposal for mud-bogging facility BY SHARON HOGAN A developer wants to locate a mud-bogging facility in Banks County near the recreation facility. Micheal Cline presented the request when the Banks County Board of Commissioners met on March 25. The property is zoned CAD and a special use permit would be need ed before the business could locate there. Cline said the business would operate on Saturdays and Sundays and there would be a mandatory wash off for vehicles before they leave the facility. Cline was asked to follow up with county marshal Keith Covington on any necessary zoning changes. The BOC also agreed to discuss the request further at its April 8 meet ing. OTHER BUSINESS In other business at the March 25 meeting, the BOC: •heard from Richard Crowder regarding an open records request dealing with the recent controversy surrounding the fire department. He submitted the request to the BOC at the meeting. •agreed to spend $1,000 toward an ad in Georgia Trend magazine on Banks County. •heard from Chuck and Don Ansley with Ansley Communications on a phone system for the courthouse annex. The company was approved in August as the provider for the new phone system. Several options and costs for providing the service were offered, but no action was taken. •agreed to spend $3,000 to continue the contract with Tates Creek for fire services. •approved a $43,772 annual equipment maintenance contract for the 911 depart ment. •approved a bid from Amerigas of $1.779 per gallon for propane gas. •approved a change order for the Yonah- Homer Road water line project. The addi tional cost is $63,688. — In the Community — Event to mark ‘Prevent Child Abuse Month' Family Connection has teamed up with other partners to have an event in the park in down town Homer in recognition of April being Prevent Child Abuse month in the State of Georgia. The event will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8. There will be free hot dogs and drinks for everyone. There will also be a pinwheel ceremony to represent the num ber of substantiated cases of abuse/neglect in Banks. Other plans include face painting and fire trucks. News •AARP awards given — page 2A Op/Ed • ‘Enjoyment of nature helps life’s hectic pace’ — page 4A School — 10-11A •Elementary students create ‘wax museum’ - page 10A Other news •Social News — pages 7-8B •Public Safety — page 6A • Legals — page 7A • Church — page 9A • Obituaries — page 8A LET THE SEASON BEGIN Banks County Parks and Recreation Director Philip Cronic was only able to introduce a few of the teams Saturday before rain moved in. The annual parade was able to be held, however. See today’s sports section for more photos from the recreation department’s opening day festivities. Photo by Chris Bridges Qualifying set April 28-May 2 County seats to be on July ballot Banks County voters will go to their respective voting polls this summer for another primary election with 11 county posts up for vote. Candidate qualifying for the General Primary Election will begin Monday, April 28, at 9 a.m. and continues through Friday, May 2, at noon. Offices which can be contested in the primary election and the qualifying fee for each is as fol lows: •sheriff, $1,616.40 •tax commissioner, $1,392.24 •clerk of superior court, $1,392.24 •probate judge, $1,392.24 •magistrate judge, $1,392.24 •coroner, $72 •county chairman, $1,080 •county surveyor, $25 •board of education, post 1, $64.50 •board of education, post 2, $60 •board of education, post 4, $60. The qualifying fee for each office is based on three percent of that office’s base salary. Chamber plans April 10 breakfast The Banks County Chamber of Commerce will hold its breakfast meet ing at 8 a.m. on Thursday, April 10, at First Georgia Bank in Homer. A presentation will be given on the entrepreneur friendly initiative program. Alto's clean up day ahead April 26 Clean up day will be held in Alto on April 26, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Volunteers are needed to tidy up the streets inside the city limits. All supplies will be furnished. Free lunch and tee shirts will be pro vided for participants. “Contact city hall to sign up or just show up,” leaders state. Comprehensive plan meeting held Another meeting planned April 15 The second meeting on a com prehensive plan update was held Tuesday in Homer and the third and final session is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, at the Banks County Senior Citizen’s Center on Thompson Street. Lee Walton of Mactec Engineering and Consulting, Inc., Atlanta, is overseeing Banks County’s comprehensive plan update. Walton said the compre- hensive plan will serve to design places for people, protect natural resources, preserve rural landscape, protect historical landmarks, pro vide access to green space, provide housing choices, provide trans portation choices, create walkable streets, connect the street network, redesign corridors for mixed use, focus new growth in existing com munities and build a legacy in our communities. After the third public meeting is held on April 15, an open house will be scheduled and then public hearings will be held on the plan. Shredding services to be offered Sat. at courthouse Keep Our Mountains Beautiful is working with Document Destruction Service to provide free document destruction as part of The Great American Cleanup. Document Destruction Service will have a mobile shredder parked in front of the Banks County courthouse from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday, April 5. Citizens are invited to bring their documents to the courthouse parking lot and watch their documents be destroyed. Document Destruction Service is the only AAA Certified plant based in Northeast Georgia. They are certified by the National Association of Information Destruction. After the material is shred ded on the truck, it will then be taken to their plant in Banks County. There, the shredded paper will then be re-shredded in their large shredder with the resulting material about the size of confetti. Anyone requesting it will be provided with a notarized certificate of destruction which will be mailed to them. For more information, call or e-mail Keep Our Mountains Beautiful at 706-677-2344 or komb@alltel.net. — Education — CRCT tests coming up Banks County students in grades 1-8 will participate in the statewide testing, Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT), beginning April 21. The testing will last for the entire week as the students in grades 3-8 will test in all sub ject areas including reading, English/Language arts, math, science, and social students. Those students in the primary grades will only test the core subjects of reading, English/ language arts, and math. Students in grades 3, 5 and 8 must meet state standards in reading and math in order to advance to the next grade level. Assistant superintendent Donna Reed provided some test ing tips for parents and students. Parents are encouraged to make sure students are present dur ing testing days and arrive on time. Students should also pre cede testing with a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast. Additionally, students should wear comfortable clothing. The following outlines the testing schedule for Banks County students: Banks County Primary School: •Monday, April 21, reading •Wednesday, April 23, English/language arts •Friday, April 25, math Banks County Elementary School and Banks County Middle School: •Monday, April 21, reading •Tuesday, April 22, English/ language arts •Wednesday, April 23, math •Thursday, April 24, science •Friday, April 25, social stud ies “Students are encouraged to do their best, but students should not be overly anxious regarding the testing,” said superintendent Chris Erwin. “Our teachers and students have worked hard all year. They are prepared for the testing and should view the testing as an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.” Testing results for students in grades 3, 5, and 8 should be provided within three weeks of the testing. Results for those testing in other grade levels are to follow shortly after the first shipment.