Newspaper Page Text
50<t • Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 24 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 46 No. 21
Sports
BCHS qualifies
five athletes for
sectionals
Schools
BCHS students
travel to Europe
9A
Prom
BCHS holds prom
in Athens
4B
Rabies clinic
planned May 3
Dog and cat owners in
Banks County will be able
to get their pets protected
against rabies at six different
locations around the county
on Saturday, May 3.
The annual rabies clin
ics are conducted by
Commerce Veterinary
Hospital in conjunction with
the Banks County Health
Department.
Georgia law requires that
all dogs and cats ages 3
months or older be vaccinat
ed annually against rabies.
The shots will cost $11
apiece. All other yearly vac
cinations and testing will be
available during the clinics
at an additional charge.
The times and locations
are:
•New Salem United
Methodist Church, 1:00-l :30
• Boling Farm Supply,
2:00-2:40
•Irvin’s Store,
Hollingsworth, 3:00-3:30
•Homer Hardware, 3:45-
4:15
•Mt. Carmel Church,
4:30-5:15
•Lula City Hall, 5:30-6:00
Inoculation of pets is
viewed as the most effec
tive way of preventing the
spread of rabies to humans,
in whom once rabies is con
tracted, is fatal. Over the past
year, five animals in Banks
County were found to be pos
itive for rabies. Neighboring
Jackson County experi
enced nine positive cases
and had to euthanize 49 ani
mals because of exposure to
rabid animals. Three people
exposed to rabid animals
had to undergo post-ex
posure treatment, and 59
animals were quarantined
because of possible expo
sure to rabid animals.
For more information, call
the Banks County Health
Department at 706-677-5009
or Commerce Veterinary
Hospital, 706-335-5111.
Inside
•Tennis teams
reach state
— page 1B
•Baldwin approves
contract for consul
tants — page 2A
Other news
• Crime — 6A
• Church — 6B
• Obituaries — 11A
•Classifieds — 7B-9B
• Legals — 10B-11B
•Sports — 1B-3B
ELECTION PREPARATION UNDER WAY
Preparation for the upcoming elections is under
way. Secretary of state Brian Kemp is shown
with Banks County registrar Andra Phagan.
VOTING
Advance voting begins Mon.
Advance voting for the May 20 election
in Banks County is set for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday, April 28-May 16,
at the Banks County Registrars Office, 226
Candler Street, Homer. Saturday voting will
be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 10.
The race for the District 1 seat on the
Banks County Board of Commissioners,
between incumbent Danny Maxwell and
Gary Clark, will be voted on county wide.
The candidate running for the District 1 seat
is required to live in that district but the vote
is open to all citizens in the county.
Absentee ballots by mail are already
being mailed out. For an application for a
ADVANCE VOTING
•Monday-Friday; April 28-May 16, 8
a.m. to 5 p.m., Banks County Registrars
Office, 226 Candler Street, Homer
•Saturday voting, May 10, 9 a.m. to 4
p.m., Banks County Registrars Office
ballot, call the registrar’s office at 706-677-
6260. Absentee ballots are also available by
going to the website, www.sos.ga.gov.
Click on the elections link, where you
can request an absentee ballot, check your
voter registration status, get a sample ballot
and directions to your precinct for election
day voting.
ARTS EXHIBIT
FERGUSONS
Stanley and Jamie Ferguson are sixth and seventh generation potters. They will sell many of their pieces at the Festival of
Arts. Photos by Alex Pace
Local artists to attend Festival of Arts
BY ALEX PACE
On Saturday April 26, from 9
a.m. until 4 p.m., local artists and
vendors will exhibit and sell pieces
including fine and folk art, pottery,
photography and jewelry.
Approximately 30 artists will par
ticipate in this year’s Festival of Arts
at the Courthouse Square in down
town Homer.
Southern Highlands, from
Clayton, will perform. Stacey Hall is
a silver sponsor of the event.
Some of the artists include:
JANICE ADAMS
Janice Adams took a couple of
classes in painting then dropped the
craft for over 30 years. Two years
ago, she picked up the brush again.
Adams says that when she feels
inspired, she takes a picture and
gets it enlarged.
“I just wait for something to really
hit me,” said Adams. “Then I take
a quick picture of it, get it enlarged
them start to paint.”
While she finds her inspiration
everywhere, she admits it’s often
challenging to begin developing the
painting.
“The last thing I painted was at
the beginning of this year,” said
Adams. “When I paint, I gotta wait
until that feeling strikes me where I
know just what I want to put on the
canvas.”
Adams plans to have 12 or 13
paintings available, along with cards.
SCOTT PEPPERS
Scott Peppers has been creating
art for 20 years. This self-taught
artist’s journey began one morning
when he woke up and decided he
wanted to paint.
Now he continues to paint and
also weaves and makes chairs.
Peppers also works with recycled
goods like plywood, tin and bottle
caps.
“You should never throw any
thing away,” said Peppers.
Peppers works out of his home
art studio, which used to be his
grandfather’s shop. Inside the shop,
Peppers houses his pieces ranging
from paintings on barrel tops to gui
tars embellished with bottle caps.
He says he draws his inspiration
from everything he sees but decid
ing what to make can time.
“I’ve sat and looked at piece of tin
for a couple months before it tells
me what to make,” said Peppers.
Peppers will sell a variety of his
artwork at the festival.
STANLEY AND JAMIE
FERGUSON
Stanley Ferguson and his daugh
ter, Jamie, come from a long line of
pottery-makers.
Stanley learned pottery when he
was 14 and began to seriously focus
on the craft in 1996. He, alongside
his mother and daughter, creates
face jugs, roosters, pigs and other
pieces of pottery.
Jamie learned about pottery
when she was 11-years-old and
has been a potter ever since. She
likes to create pieces in tribute
to the people she admires and
tries to put a unique spin on her
pieces.
“I try to put my personality into
everything I make,” said Jamie.
Her father also hopes to
express his personal creativity
through his pieces and admits
one can often tell his mood by
looking at his creations.
“You can really tell how I’m
feeling when you look at what I
make,” said Stanley. “If I just make
plain stuff, it’s because I don’t feel
good. But when I feel good, the
stuff gets more creative.”
The Fergusons will have various
face jugs and pottery for sale at
the festival.
EASTER CELEBRATION
Egg hunt held on lawn of historic courthouse
BY WESLEIGH SAGON
Over 200 visitors gathered on the
Historic Homer Courthouse Saturday
afternoon to hunt Easter eggs, as well
as enjoy other festivities.
Families gathered under the pavil
ion for story time with Penny Praise.
Praise is the author of the book,
“Hoppin’ John Celebrates Easter,”
which teaches the true meaning of
Easter. This is the first in Ms. Penny’s
Celebrate! series.
Illustrator Lauren Patrick began
working with Penny’s ministry at the
age of fourteen, learning leadership
skills in the preschool classroom. She
also plans to pursue art education as
a career after college. Her twin sister,
Meaghan, assisted as her computer
graphics technician.
Hot dogs and chips were provided
by County Commerce Cafe, Becky
Taylor donated homemade lemon
ade and treats and Wildlife Wonders
brought along a petting zoo. Another
highlight of this year’s event was the
Banks Crossing Saddle Club which
offered pony rides and the Homer Fire
and Police Department letting chil
dren explore the inside of a fire truck.
Faith Today Ministry had a puppet
show, along with prizes and games.
Others who made the second
annual Easter in the Park possible
included Janice Tennent, Redemption
Outreach, Downtown Development,
Greg Lanier from the Road Department
who closed off roads and set up the
sound system, Commissioner Sammy
Reece who set up tents, and the
Homer Garden Club members who
threw out Easter eggs for the children
to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.
Victoria Kelley said this event was
a great way to give something back
to the community and stated “it’s not
about the eggs or rabbits, it’s about the
reason for the season.”
LOOKING FOR EGGS
Two and a half year old
McKenzie Blevins enjoyed
hunting Easter eggs on the
courthouse lawn Saturday
afternoon.
Photo by Wesleigh Sagon
