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June 11,2008
The Banks County News
504^ Homer, Banks County, Georgia 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • mainstreetnews.com • 22 Pages, 3 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 39 No. 44
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Candidates to
be at events
Candidates in the July 15 elec
tion have been invited to two area
events.
The Banks County Chamber of
Commerce will hold a political forum
from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, June
19, at the Banks County High School
auditorium.
A “meet and greet” with the candi
dates will be held from 10 a.m. to 1
p.m. on Saturday, June 21, at Hebron
Presbyterian Church and Schoolhouse.
This event is sponsored by the church
and the historical society. Hebron is
located between Sims Bridge Road and
Bold Springs Road on Hebron Church
Road.
Candidates on the ballot July 15
include the following:
BOC CHAIRMAN
•Gene Hart, incumbent, Republican.
•Milton Dalton, Republican.
SHERIFF
•Charles Chapman, incumbent,
Republican.
•Carlton Speed, Republican.
BOE, POST 4
•John Williams, incumbent,
Republican.
•David W. Martin, Republican.
STATE SENATE DIST. 50
•Nancy Schaefer, incumbent,
Republican.
•Jim Butterworth, Republican.
•Terry Rogers, Republican.
U.S. CONGRESS DIST. 10
•Paul Broun, incumbent,
Republican.
•Barry Fleming, Republican.
The Republican winner will face
Democrat, Bobby Saxon, in the
November election.
NOVEMBER ELECTION
Candidates who will be on the ballot
in November include the following:
TAX COMMISISIONER
•Margaret H. Ausburn, incumbent,
Democrat.
•Becky Taylor, Republican.
BOE, POST 1
•Neal Brown, incumbent,
Republican.
•John (David) Kennedy, Democrat.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
DISTRICT 28
•Jeanette Jamieson, incumbent,
Democrat.
•Michael Harden, Republican.
continued on page 3A
News - 2-3A
•Poole enters not guilty
to vehicular homicide
— page 2A
•Gillsville awards septic
system bid — page 2A
Op/Ed
• ‘Presidential election
proving to be puzzling’
— page 4A
Other news
•Social News — pages 6-8B
•School News — page 9A
•Public Safety — page 6A
•Legals — page 4-5B
• Church — page 8A
• Obituaries — page 7A
Banks chairman examining reservoir concerns
Hart says county may not be able to stop Country Charms construction
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
City of Commerce officials have
sent Banks County chairman Gene
Hart a letter requesting he assist in
enforcing the watershed protection
plan which was approved in 1998.
This plan protects the Commerce
watershed lake and Banks County’s
Mountain Creek Reservoir. Commerce
officials fear the construction of an
industrial plant in Gillsville could
cause damage down the road.
Hart said Tuesday, however, he is not sure
the county has the power to stop Country
Charms from constructing its large-scale poul
try operation in Gillsville across Hwy. 52 near
the Joe Craven Farm, which caused the request
to be made. Commerce officials, in the letter,
say the impact the operation would have on the
city’s reservoir, located on the Grove River off
Grove Level Church Road in Banks
County, could be negative.
Bryan Harbin, Commerce’s direc
tor of water and sewer operations,
told the Commerce City Council
recently that contractors working
on the Country Charm egg distribu
tors’ plant had violated the state’s
stream buffer ordinance and “plowed
through a tributary” to the Grove
River. In a story in the June 4 issue
of The Commerce News, Harbin was reported
as telling the city council that the EPD had
“‘turned its head’ on enforcement of state ero
sion and sedimentation laws.”
Hart said he had received the letter from
Commerce officials but has not responded.
“There are several questions we need to iron
out before I can respond,” Hart said.
Country Charms has attempted to construct
a processing plant on several locations, includ
ing one in Madison County. Previously, it
wanted to build a location off Hwy. 326 near
Duncan Road in Banks County but heavy
citizen opposition caused officials to withdraw
their application.
Country Charm officials bought the land
near the Craven property in 2005, Hart said,
and already had a permit for the operation
which remains valid in 2008.
“They are in compliance right now,” Hart
said. “We couldn’t close them down if we
wanted to.”
Hart said he plans to work with the EPD
officials when the final soil and erosion
inspections are done. Banks County regula
tions require these inspections be done locally
but Hart said he will request that EPD offi
cials work with county zoning official Keith
Covington on the matter.
“It is a complicated issue,” Hart said. “Right
now we have to make sure what our options
are before I respond to Commerce’s request.”
Under the watershed protection plan, Harbin
said such operations are prohibited within
seven miles of the reservoir. Parts of this proj
ect, which will include 10 chicken houses and
later a processing plant, are within that range,
Commerce officials contend.
While the chicken manure from the facility
would be self-contained, Commerce officials’
main concern is the washing of the eggs as
there is no sewer in the area.
In part the letter to Hart reads: “The poten
tial contamination from this facility above the
Grove River poses a direct threat to the city’s
drinking water reservoir. It is in the best inter
est of public health that we continue to provide
a safe and reliable drinking water system to
both your citizens as well as our customers.”
HART
Reward offered in
stolen Corvette case
Classic 1965 car stolen while owner
in Banks area for Super Chevy Show
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Paul Smith and his family sim
ply want his antique 1965 model
Corvette back and they are putting
up a reward to see if any information
can be obtained.
The Florida man arrived in Banks
County recently with the prized
antique Corvette, but someone decid
ed to help themselves to the classic
car valued at more than $100,000.
Banks County sheriff Charles
Chapman said his office received a
call early May 31 from a guest at the
Hampton Inn who went outside at
approximately 7 a.m. and noticed his
truck and the trailer which contained
the Corvette gone. Smith was driving
a 1983 Chevrolet truck and pulled
an enclosed trailer with the Corvette
inside.
Everything together was valued
at $121,000 although the Corvette
accounted for the bulk of that
amount. Smith was able to give the
license plate numbers and identi
fication numbers for the missing
vehicles.
Alerts were put out immediately
for the missing truck, trailer and
Corvette, Chapman said, although
nothing has materialized.
How much did the car mean to
Smith?
His daughter said this week family
and friends have long joked that he
would one day be buried in it.
Smith also considered the theft
of the truck he used to transport the
Corvette a big loss as he had owned
it since it was new in 1983.
Other personal items and tools
were also taken during the theft.
Anyone with information concern
ing this theft is asked to contact the
BCSO at 706-677-2248.
CORVETTE STOLEN
This 1965 Corvette, belonging to Paul Smith of Florida, was stolen while Smith was in Banks County
recently for the Chevy Super Show. A reward is being offered for its recovery. The car is valued at
more than $100,000.
Summer programs begin
MAGICIAN KICKS OFF READING PROGRAM
The Banks County summer reading program recently kicked off
its season with magician Tommy Johns at the Banks County Park
and Rec Gym. More than 300 participants enjoyed the “Catch the
Reading Bug” theme. More activities are planned throughout the
summer. For more program information, call 706-677-3164 or visit
the library.
Alto man dies in one-vehicle accident
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
An Alto man died as a result of inju
ries suffered in a one-vehicle accident
which occurred Saturday morning on
Yonah-Homer Road.
According to Banks County
sheriff Charles Chapman, deputies
responded to a call of an accident
Saturday on Yonah-Homer Road,
near Wynn Lake Road. Upon arriv
al, deputies found a Ford Ranger
had left the roadway and over
turned.
Emergency personnel also respond
ed to the scene and the Georgia State
Patrol office in Gainesville was con-
tacted to handle the investigation. Brian
Kennedy, 34, was pronounced dead at
the scene by emergency officials.
Chapman said Kennedy’s truck, a
1993 model, appeared to have left the
road and after it overturned ejected the
driver. The truck also struck several
trees near the roadway.
Banks County News wins four state awards
The Banks County News won four awards in the Georgia
Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest, including a
first place for sports section.
“Banks County wins because of the local column on the
front of the sports page,” the judge wrote about the sports
section. “Effective coverage of a range of sports.”
Chris Bridges is the sports editor.
Bridges won second place in the sports photo section for
a photograph from the Banks County High School summer
baseball camps.
“Photo immediately draws your attention,” the judge
wrote. “Good photo of a unique event.”
Bridges also won a second place award for education
coverage for articles on a new athletic complex at BCHS, a
feature on the beginning of the 2007-08 school year and a
news article on the school system making 100 percent AYP.
The Banks County News also won a third place award for
religion coverage.
Copper wiring stolen from house under construction
The Banks County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the
theft of several hundred dollars worth of copper wire from
a house under construction in the Lula area.
Banks County sheriff Charles Chapman said Monday
his office received a call last Thursday to the construction
location where approximately $1,400 worth of copper
wiring had been stolen from electrical boxes. The sheriff
said an unknown person or persons had entered the home
sometime late in the previous afternoon. Copper pipe was
also taken.
“Witnesses saw a red colored pickup truck at the house
continued on page 3A