Newspaper Page Text
504 • Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 16 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 45 No. 4
Government
Margaret Ausburn
honored
Community
Canned food drive
helps many
Sports
Lady Leopards 1-2
in recent action...
3B x
LW
THE BEST STORIES: Newsmakers of 20 12
■ ECONOMIC STORY
OF THE YEAR
Plan to redevelop
Banks Crossing
moves to next step
BY ANGELA GARY
A kick off meeting was held
early during 2012 for an effort
to redevelop Banks Crossing.
Meetings were held through
out the year with citizens
giving input and consultants
revealing proposals for the
area. At the end of the year,
the board of commissioners
had approved a resolution
paving the way for the rede
velopment of the area.
While nothing changed at
Banks Crossing during the
year, as far as redevelopment
goes, county leaders did
pave the way for change for
some of the run-down areas
of the retail center, including
the former location of The
Pottery. For that reason, the
effort to move forward on
revitalizing Banks Crossing
has been selected as the
“Economic Story of the Year
for 2012.”
At the kick off meeting in
March, around 40 people
attended and Woody Giles
of Tunnell Spangler & Walsh
Associates presented infor
mation on what the Banks
Crossing Redevelopment
Plan is, the planning process,
an overview of the initial find
ings and show several suc
cess stories from other com
munities.
The re-development plan
goals are to encourage a
more vibrant Banks Crossing
area, focus growth where it
makes sense, promote a mix
of activities and employment,
enhance the local image and
expand the transportation
options.
The re-development plan
includes around 2,300 acres
exclusively in Banks County.
The property is along both
sides of U.S. Highway 441
near 1-85, Walmart, Atlanta
Dragway, the former Pottery
property and some vacant
land northeast of Highway
441.
In May, an all-day com
munity meeting on the
proposed Banks Crossing
Re-development Plan was
held with community mem
bers able to take a look at
three draft development alter
natives presented by Tunnell-
Spangler-Walsh & Associates,
Atlanta.
ALTERNATIVE A
Alternative A shows how
development would occur
based on the current county
zoning. The development
continued on page 2A
LOOKING AT DRAFT PLANS
Approximately 35 people attended the public open
house for the Banks Crossing Redevelopment Plan
on July 17 at the Banks County Annex. Mark Adams
(from left), Banks County Planner Brad Day, Robert
Armstrong of Atlanta Land Group and Woody Giles
of Tunnell Spangler Walsh & Associates’ community
design and architecture division look over the draft
plans for the Dodd Road Connector Business Park
and the former Pottery location. The next step in the
process is for the plan to be submitted to the Banks
County Board of Commissioners for consideration,
Giles said. Photo by Sharon Hogan
■ NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR
PROUD OF THEIR ROOTS
Todd Boring (center), along with his father Butch (right) and his uncle Jim
are proud of their family roots and the farm that has been in their family
for over 150 years. The farm on Silver Shoals Road in Lula was origi
nally owned by Todd Boring’s great-great-great-grandfather Junius Hillyer
Brooks. Jim Boring now lives on the family farm. Photos by Sharon Hogan
Newsmakers of past years
2011, Deidra Moore, 911 director
2010 Jerry Neace, Baldwin mayor
2009 Milton Turner, Lula mayor
2008 Jim McLendon, Homer UMC
pastor
2007 Robin Trotter, Family
Connections/Generous Hearts
2006 Gene Hart, BOC chairman
2005 Doug Cheek, Homer mayor
2004 Rep. Jeanette Jamieson
2003 Chris Erwin, superintendent
2002 Jack Banks, Development
Authority
2001 Bonnie Johnson, CVB
2000 Charles Chapman, sheriff
1999 Mark Reed, Baldwin mayor
1998 Gary Freeman and Danny
Maxwell, BOC
1997 Bo Garrison and Dock Sisk,
BOE chairman and superintendent
1996 Milton Patterson, BOC
SIGN IS UP
The sign is up at the Boring &
Brooks Estate, a family farm that
has been in the same family for
over 150 years, designating the
farm as a Georgia Centennial
Family Farm.
Inside
•Dan Gasaway looks
ahead to new session
—
page 2A
Other news
• Features
— 8A
• Church
— 6A
• Obituaries
- 7 A
• Public Safety
— 4A
• Legals
— 6B
• Sports
- 3B-5B
Pet contest
winners na
med
The winners of the second annual pet con
test sponsored by The Banks County News
have been named.
In the cat category, the winners were:
Katie Langford of Homer, first place; Cynthia
Dockery of Maysville, second place; and
Glenda Smith, third place.
Honorable mention recognition went to:
Cheryl Cremeans of Commerce; Margaret
and Willard Ausburn of Homer; Megan
Zanone of Lula; Martha and Pam Yarbrough
of Maysville; and Brenda Williams of
Commerce.
In the dog category, the winners were:
Willene Coker, first place; Misty Jackson
of Alto, second place; and Vicky McCall of
Farming
remains
strong
in county
Bonks form receives
Centennial Award
BY ANGELA GARY
AND SHARON HOGAN
Farming continues to be strong in Banks
County with poultry and cattle farms dotting
the landscape. The county continues to be
at the top of state agriculture lists each year
and a Banks County farm was recognized
this year for more than 100 years of continu
ous farming.
The J.H. Brooks Home Place on Silver
Shoals Road in Banks County was awarded
the Georgia Centennial Farm Award at the
Georgia State Fair in Perry. Since this shined
a light on farming in the county, the family
has been selected as the “Newsmaker of
the Year.”
The family farm, Boring & Brooks Estate, is
currently owned by Todd Brian Boring, who
is the great-great-great-grandson of James
Brooks. Boring accepted the award in Perry,
along with his father Butch Boring and his
uncle who lives on the farm, Jim Boring. The
farm was one of only three in Banks County
to receive this honor.
Boring is in the process of applying for the
National Historic Register for the home place
that has been remained in the same family
for six generations.
The Boring & Brooks estate has been
farmed by the same family for over 150 years.
The first known date of the J.H. Brooks
(Junius Hillyer) Home Place property for
tax records in Banks County was in 1873.
From 1873 to Aug. 1937, the farm was oper
ated with a working cotton gin and sawmill.
Cotton was one of the primary crops grown
on the farm. Corn was also a major crop
produced on the farm. A general store, con
structed around 1886, was located on the
property and was considered a focal point
for commerce trade and a United States Mail
Distribution Center.
The original barn on the property was built
on or about 1886 and was torn down in 1951
and replaced with the barn that is currently
standing on the farm. The lumber used to
construct the current barn was from the
original barn erected in 1886.
On Aug. 23, 1937, after the death of J.H.
Brooks, his widow granted ownership of the
farm to their three daughters, Louella Boring,
Emma C. Barden and Queen Victoria Waters.
The three sisters basically maintained and
operated the farm in the same manner as
their father did with cotton, corn, cattle and
continued on page 2A
Lula, third place.
Honorable mention recognition went to:
Jenni Gailey; Leslie George; Donna Clark of
Homer; and Danelle Griffin of Maysville.
The Banks County News received more
than 200 entries and they were judged by
someone who lives outside the county and is
not employed with MainStreet Newspapers.
“We received so many cute pets that our
judges had a very difficult time,” editor
Angela Gary said. “In addition to featuring
the winners and honorable mention pets
in this week’s issue, we will print photos of
some of our favorites throughout January.”
PHOTOS, 1B-2B