Newspaper Page Text
504*
Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 28 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 48 No. 20
Index
•Crime
— 6A
•Obrtuaries
— 6B
•Classifieds
— 8B-9B
•Legals
- I0B-IIB
•Sports
- IB-5B
Early voting
begins
Monday
It’s time to vote again in
Banks County.
Early in-person voting for
the May 24 general primary
and nonpartisan elections
starts Monday May 2, in
Homer, at the Banks Coun
ty Board of Elections and
Registration Office.
Early voting continues
there through May 20.
Hours will be 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. every Monday
through Friday and 9-4 on
Saturday May 14.
Absentee ballots will be
available through Friday,
May 20.
The Board of Elections
and Registration Office
is located at 226 Candler
Street in Homer.
Tea Party
forum set
for May 5
The Tea Party of North
east Georgia will host a polit
ical forum at 6:30 p.m. on
Thursday, May 5, at Grove
Level Church in Maysville
where each candidate will
be given the opportunity
to give a short speech and
answer specific questions.
For more information,
call 706-654-8292 or 770-540-
4150.
High school
graduations
coming up
High school graduations
are just around the corner.
The schedule for Banks
County and Commerce
high schools is as follows:
BCHS
Banks County High
School’s graduation is set
for 8 p.m. on Friday, May
20, at Leopard stadium.
There is no reserved seat
ing permitted in the stadi
um and the gates open at
6 p.m.
In the event of rain, the
graduation ceremony will
be held at 11 a.m. on Satur
day May 21, at the stadium.
CHS
Graduating seniors at
Commerce High School
will hold their graduation
ceremony at 8 p.m. on Fri
day May 20, at Tiger Field
at Ray Lamb Stadium.
Space below reserved
for mailing label
Sports
Boys’ track teams
takes 7-AAA title
IB
/ 'J
Community
Banks County
Rotary Club
recognized I3A
BCHS Prom 2016
Dancing the night away
Gabby Kennedy and Hannah Baker are shown on the dance floor at the Banks
County High School prom Saturday night. See more prom photos on page 16A.
Photo by Wesleigh Sagon
Mt. Olivet restored
The historic Mount Olivet Church
in Banks County, built in 1868, has
undergone a recent rehab project to
replace the decayed sills.
Photo by Anetia Chambers
Historic Mt. Olivet
Church rehabilitated
A rehabilitation project at the Mount Olivet
church is nearing completion.
The foundation sills of the historic church
built in 1868 were decayed and in need of being
replaced.
Jim Cantrell, a retired University of Georgia
mathematics department professor and former
owner of the historic church, said he had a lot
of interest in Banks County and he also had
worked on a number of restoration projects
since his retirement from UGA in 1993.
He said he grew up in a lumber village so
he has always had a love for old wood. Up
until three years ago when it was sold, Cantrell
owned a vintage lumber business.
He bought the Ragsdale Mill in 1967 as a
weekend place for his family and he, with the
help of Wilton Brown, did some restoration
work on the mill. Later, Cantrell sold the mill to
the current owners, Doc and Nan Sisk.
“And in 19691 purchased the church,” Cantrell
said. “The local membership had declined.”
Cantrell added he had a desire to see the
church, which was purchased by the local Meth
odist churches in 1974, restored using similar
vintage materials.
The sills being used on the restoration project
come from the old Armour plantation house
that was located on the James Otis ftylee proper
ty. Cantrell said the plantation house, on Wilson
Bridge Road, was built about the same time as
the church.
“We were able to acquire the sills from the
plantation house and they were moved to the
church,” Cantrell said. “They were similar to the
size and material used in the church.”
Cantrell also was instrumental in the resto
ration of the Fort Hollingsworth White House.
The local Methodist churches hold an Old
Timers Day at Mount Olivet on the last Sunday
in May each year.
Cantrell said in the 1800s the Mount Olivet
community in Banks County included a school,
post office, church and an agricultural organi
zation.
Political forum held in county
BOC candidates speak on experience, qualifications
Harper speaks
Banks County clerk of court Tim Harper is shown speaking
at the Banks County Chamber CVB political forum held last
week. Some of the candidates who spoke are shown in the
background. Harper is not facing opposition in the election.
Photo by Angela Gary
BY ANGELA GARY
Candidates in the May 24 election
seeking a seat on the Banks Coun
ty Board of Commissioners spoke
at a political forum last week, giving
details on their background and their
platform.
The event, hosted by the Banks
County Chamber CVB, began with
time for the public to meet with the
candidates one on one and ask ques
tions and get campaign materials.
After the “meet and greet,” a forum
was held with candidates each being
asked two questions and given time
to make a brief statement. Todd Hub
bard served as the moderator.
Candidates running for BOC speak
ing included:
• Banks County Board of Commis
sioners chairman: incumbent Jimmy
Hooper and Will Ramsey.
•BOC Post 2: incumbent David
Duckett, Freddie Dalton and David
Jones (represented by Jim David).
• BOC Post 4: incumbent Charles
Turk and Jerry Baker.
Comments from the candidates
included the following:
HOOPER
Why are you the best candi
date for this position?
“I have spent all of my adult life
trying to make Banks County a better
place to live. What makes me the best
candidate is my qualifications and my
experience. I sit on a lot of boards. I
have handled a lot of people’s money.
I have made the tough decisions.”
How would you unite govern-
To see what the candidates in
the sheriff, probate judge and
coroner races had to say at
the forum, see page 11A.
ment leadership and businesses
leadership, including agribusi
ness and civic leadership?
“No business sits alone. It has to
work in conjunction with every other
business in the county. The average
person in Banks County drives 40
minutes every day, one way to work.
We’ve got to fix that. We’ve got to get
jobs in Banks County where people
can take a decent wage.”
Closing statement “I am going
to highlight a few things from the past.
Since I came into office, we built a
new DFACS building. Windmill Sports
Complex is being built, 30 miles of
road have been paved. Road have
been widened and paved. The indus
trial park has been developed. I didn’t
do it by myself but it hadn’t started
until I got here. My plans for the future:
We are going to finish Windmill Park—
from the senior citizens center to the
tennis courts to the ball fields. We are
going to spend $600,000 for expan
sion and renovation of our senior
citizen’s center. We are going to get
that drive around Cracker Barrel. We
are going to get some industry. We are
going to give people a chance to work
in our county. We are going to expand
our water system. We are also going to
build new fire stations. We are going to
put a free-standing grocery store some
where in Banks County. We are going
to continue to do things for our valued
employees. We’ve given them an eight
person across the board raise and
increased their salary schedule. All
of this done with no increase in your
property taxes.”
RAMSEY
Why are you the best candi
date for this position?
“I am very personable. I am a
people person. I respect people. I’ve
always been one that you can come to
and talk to. I worked for the county for
five years. When I was here, you could
always talk to me. You can talk to me
about any issue, at any time.”
How would you unite govern
ment leadership and businesses
leadership, including agribusi
ness and civic leadership?
“I anticipate tremendous success
in the county in all areas. I would run a
transparent campaign and a transpar
ent administration, therefore, every
body will be on the same page, from
top to bottom. It would all be an open
book and open communication.”
Closing statement: “I was born
and raised here in Banks County. I
graduated from Banks County and
went to technical school. My wife is
Continued on Page 5A