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Sports: IB Community: 8A Regular season nears end FFAers earn honors at shows — www.BanksNewsTODAY.com — 5(K • Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 22 Pages, 3 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 40 No. 6 Safety Day set Mon. Banks County Emergency Services will hold a Safety Festival in front of the his toric courthouse in Homer on Monday, Sept. 29. The festival will be held from 5 p.m. to dark. “We want to invite and encourage all of our neighbors and friends in the community to attend,” said 911 director Deidra Moore. “We will have many fun and educational events.” Plans include: •Children can learn safety with house fires by visiting the Smoke House. •Adults and children can learn basic first-aid and safety tech niques (such as properly using a fire extinguisher) by visiting the fire and EMS booth. •Adults and children can learn about 911 and pick up lots of stuff by visiting the Banks County E-911 booth. •Adults and children can learn more about law enforcement safety by visiting the sheriff’s office booth. •Adults and children can learn more about emergency man agement, learn how to prepare a disaster kit and learn different ways that you can volunteer and help your community. Also planned at the meet ing: Meet Georgia Forestry Commission and Smokey the Bear, meet Sparky the Fire Dog, visit the dunking booth and soak the fire chief, eat free hot dogs, see the fire trucks, see the ambulances, see the new- ly-operational mobile support, watch the responders compete and register for door prizes and more. The event is being held because September 2008 marks the fifth annual national pre paredness month. The month was identified as National Preparedness Month to remind everyone that is the “perfect time to prepare for emergen cies.” To support this at a local level, Banks County Emergency Management in conjunction with Banks County Fire and EMS, Banks County Sheriff’s Office, Banks County E-911 and the Town of Homer are coordinating efforts to bring the citizens of Banks County together in a “fun-filled and educational day on becoming better prepared to face emer gencies and disasters.” News -2-3A •Trotter named to housing board — page 3A • ‘Arrival of fall brings needed change for the soul’ — page 4A Other news • Social News — 6-7A • School News — 8-9A • Public Safety — 5A • Legals — 4-6B •Church — 11A •Obituaries — 10A Baldwin’s new mayor, Mike Kelley, was sworn in at the city council meeting Monday night. InterimMayorRay Holcomb reported that the mayor’s elec tion results have been certified and that Kelley received the most votes with 122. The breakdown for the other candidates was: Tom Loudermilk 11; Jerry Neace, 57; and Mark Reed, 14. After Holcomb announced the certified election results, city attorney David Syfan per formed the swearing in cer emony for Kelley. Holcomb then passed the gavel to Kelley to begin his first council meet ing. “I want to thank Ray and the council for the good work they have done and will con tinue to do,” Kelley said. “We are at the nexus of some great things in the city. I’ll only PASSES THE GAVEL Baldwin’s Interim Mayor Ray Holcomb (R) is shown on Monday night as he passes the gavel to newly-elected Mayor Mike Kelley (L) to begin his first council meeting. Kelley received 122 votes for mayor in the Sept. 16 elec tion. Photos by Sharon Hogan congratulate you. Mr. Mayor, in your election and I wish you the very best and I pledge you my support and support for the city. If there’s anything I can do, I am here.” BALDWIN SWEARING-IN CEREMONY Baldwin City Attorney David Syfan (R) is shown con ducting the swearing-in ceremony for Mayor Mike Kelley (standing at right) at the council meeting on Monday. Also shown are council members Rodney King and Ray Holcomb (seated L to R). speak blessings of our citi- meeting open for citizens’ zens.” concerns, former mayor Mark During the portion of the Reed said, “I would like to Baldwin's new mayor sworn in BY SHARON HOGAN , SENIOR MEMBERS OF BCHS HOMECOMING COURT Banks County High School senior members elected to the Homecoming Court are: (Lto R) Lauren Kennedy, Samm Kennedy, Lacey Saxon and Shelby Eller. Not pictured: Tori Heu. The homecoming queen will be crowned during half-time of the football game on Friday, Sept. 26. See page 6A for more court members. Photos by Sharon Hogan Hodgkins fills seat on Development Authority BY SHARON HOGAN The Banks County Development Authority wel comed Gram Hodgkins as its newest member at the monthly meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 17. Hodgkins fills the seat vacated by Dennis Brown. Hodgkins, a retired engi neer from Georgia Power with 33 years of service, has been a Banks County resident since 1992. He has two children and five grand children. In other business at the meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 17: •chairman Wayne Abernathy said Dr. Keith Ash is working on some issues concerning his prop erty located in the indus trial park. This issue was discussed at the meeting in August and the authority approved a letter to be sent to Ash concerning the cov enants on this property and the time frame for construc tion of a building. •Carol Ciriacks, regional project manager, Georgia Department of Economic Development, reported that business has slowed down across the state. She said budget cuts have led grants to be cut out and a hiring freeze be put in place. The authority will hold its next regularly sched uled meeting at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Banks County courthouse annex. HODGKINS Banks County DFACS feels state budget cuts Early voting available for general election BY SHARON HOGAN Banks County Department of Family and Children Services Director Kenny Jarvis said at last Wednesday’s monthly meeting that the office is being impacted by state budget cuts. County directors are look ing at a two-day layoff each month and social services staff members are facing a one-day layoff each month, Jarvis said. “We anticipate cuts in some program funding,” Jarvis said. Jarvis also spoke on the funds being cut for a new DFACS building for Banks County. “All buildings have been hit by DHR (Department of Human Resources) budget cuts,” Jarvis said. OTHER BUSINESS In other business at Wednesday’s meeting: •Jarvis presented the coun ty expense report. A total of $1,715 was spent out of county funds in August. A total of $5,342 has been spent thus far, Jarvis said. This is 16 percent of the total budget. •Jarvis presented the August economic support services report. Banks County had 1,958 total active cases, 643 Food Stamp cases, 37 tem porary assistance for needy families (TANF) cases, 751 family Medicaid cases and 16 childcare cases. The depart ment handled 91 Food Stamp applications, 14 TANF appli cations, 89 family Medicaid applications, four childcare applications and 23 ABD applications for the month of August. •Jarvis presented the August social services report. Banks County received 11 continued on page 3A Georgia voters can now cast their ballots in person for the general election at their county registrar’s office without providing a reason. A new law allows voters to cast ballots 45 days prior to an election, either by mail or in person without providing a reason. “Georgia will experience large voter turnout in the November General Election,” ** * im-f * frfr* + + + + said Karen Handel, secretary of state. “This change in the law gives voters more options to cast their ballot and will ease wait times on Election Day.” Voters can request a mail-in ballot or vote early in-person through Friday, Oct. 31. All mail-in ballots must be received no later than 7 p.m. by the county registrar on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008. Photo identification is not required when voting by mail. To download a mail-in ballot request form, visit www.sos. georgia.gov/ElectionCenter. continued on page 3A Information on ballot questions now online Summaries of the three proposed amendments to the Georgia constitution are available on a website, according to secretary of state Karen Handel. The amendments will be on the general election ballot on Nov. 4. The first proposed amendment would encour age the preservation of Georgia’s forests through a conservation use property tax reduction program. The second proposed amendment would autho rize local school districts to use tax funds for com munity development purposes. The third proposed amendment would autho rize the creation of special infrastructure develop ment districts providing infrastructure to under served areas. The summaries and constitutional amendments in their entirety are available at: www.sos.ga.gov/ Elections/2008_amendments.htm. A copy of the constitutional amendments in their entirety is on file in the office of the judge of the probate court and is available for public inspection. Printed copies of the summaries are available at county elections superintendents and the sec retary of state’s offices. To obtain a printed copy of the summaries from the secretary of state, call 404-656-2871.