About The Banks County news. (Homer, Banks County, Ga.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (June 28, 2017)
504* Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 16 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 49 No. 30 Index Crime — 5A Obituaries — 7A Classifieds - 5B-6B Legals - 7B Sports - IB-3B Farmers market held in Baldwin BY SHARON HOGAN The Baldwin City Council is making plans for the grand opening of the downtown Farmers’ Market. At Monday’s council meet ing, the council discussed the ribbon cutting set for 3:30 p.m. on Friday, July 14, with the market opening at 4 p.m., at the location on Airport Road, across from the site of the old city hall. Hours for the farmers’ market will be 4-8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays through October. There will not be a charge to for vendors to participate in 2017, but the fee will be $10 monthly or $50 for the season, beginning in 2018. Vendor applications and operating policies are available at city hall during normal busi ness hours. Items that are not charac teristic of a wholesome family environment are not allowed. Items must be home grown or hand made. Vendors using box trucks or trailers must be approved in advance. Set up for the event must be prior to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays. The sale of firearms, ammu nition and pornography are strictly prohibited. Homer FD to host dinner A hot dog supper bene fiting the Homer Volunteer Fire Department will be held on Saturday, July 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. Plates are $6 each. Plates include two hot dogs, slaw, baked beans, and chips, with onions and chili available. The Homer Fire Depart ment is located at 243 Syca more Street, Homer. The Ladies Auxiliary will also host a bake sale. The homemade items will be $1/ slice or 6 for $5. Get your tickets from a Homer volunteer fireman. Homer hosting fireworks The City of Homer and the Homer Volunteer Fire Depart ment will host its annual fire works show at Banks Coun ty High School on July 4 at approximately 9:30 p.m. The rain date is July 5. ANIMALS IN TOWN PETTING ZOO IN MAYSVILLE Sam’s Path Petting Zoo was at the Maysville Public Library on June 20 for a special program featuring a camel, mini horse, baby skunk, rabbit, monkey, two kangaroos, goat, tortoise and capybara. Three arrested in burglary at golf course Three people have been arrested in a burglary at Chimney Oaks Golf Course. On Monday morning, the Banks County Sher iff’s Office received a report of a burglary that had already occurred on the property of Chim ney Oaks Golf Club located on Hammer’s Glen Drive in Homer. According to the complainant, there were a number of items stolen from inside a building which included lawn equipment, electronics and gasoline. The complainant estimated the value of the stolen items to be approximately $61,850. While on patrol in the area of Grove Level Road, a Banks County deputy observed an older model blue Jeep Cherokee travelling reckless and at a high rate of speed in the opposite direc tion. As the deputy maneuvered to pursue the vehicle in order to initiate a traffic stop, the vehi cle was out of the deputy’s direct sight. While still travelling the area in search of the vehicle, a citizen alerted the deputy towards the direction of Carson Segars Road where the vehicle was last seen travelling erratically. The deputy did locate the vehicle in a driveway on Carson Segars Road and found it to be occupied by several individuals. As the deputy exited the patrol unit, a male subject standing outside the vehicle sprinted in the opposite direction and fled from the area. Four other individuals stayed inside the vehi cle as additional deputies arrived to the scene. While speaking with all occupants, items that were observed from plain sight inside the vehi cle were noticeably identifiable. After further investigation, deputies were able to determine the equipment observed from within the vehicle was actually stolen from Chimney Oaks Golf Course on the prior evening. Additional items were located at the residence that were also confirmed to be linked to Chimney Oaks Golf Course. “We can confirm that we have located 90 per cent of the reported stolen items,” sheriff’s office spokesman Carissa McFadden stated. We are still investigating leads to locating the final item that was stolen from the local business.” Initially, the four individuals within the vehicle were detained but then after interviews were conducted, two females were released and two males were arrested. The two males arrested from the scene were identified as Wade Bolton, 17, of Homer, and Adrian Scranton, 19, of Eaton- ton. The fleeing subject was later identified as Louis Stiles, 17, of Homer and was located the same evening on Highway 98. Bolton is currently charged with theft by receiv ing. Stiles and Scranton are both charged with felony burglary along with Scranton facing an additional charge of theft by taking. All men are being housed at Banks County Detention Center. Work begins at Banks Co. Business Park BY SHARON HOGAN Banks County Business Park work is under way. At the Banks County Development Authority Meeting on June 20, Brad Day reported work was being moved in the business park and work was also underway on the pond site for Diana Foods. Day advised there would be a draw coming in at the end of the month for the road project. OTHER BUSINESS In other business at the monthly meeting: • Day gave a report on grants to be used for the business park development. Two grants have already been received - $150,000 Georgia Edge grant for site preparation, and a special Georgia Department of Transportation Local Maintenance Improvement Grant (LMIG) for $305,000 to help with the road. The Georgia Mountain Regional Commission (GMRC) is currently working on the application for a $1 million United States Depart ment of Commerce Economic Development Administration grant for the development. • Day reported that at the Banks, Habersham and Rabun Joint Development Authority meeting a couple of weeks ago, the group discussed com piling a Georgia Grown Trail Brochure to be used at the trade shows to promote the three counties. Day said there was some grant funds available to the JDA for this project. • the group met in closed session for approx imately 35 minutes to discuss real estate. No action was taken. •Day announced that development authority chairman Scott Ledford and JDA member Todd Hubbard were serving as co-chairmen of the county’s 2018 Comprehensive Land Use Plan committee. The group will be working on the county’s five-year update to the comp plan. Led ford and Hubbard will also be putting together an advisory group to work on the project. FOUND AMONG REMAINS This jewelry was found with the remains of a human body on Feb. 5 near New Salem United Methodist Church. GBI seeks help to ID body The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is seeking the public’s help in identifying human remains found near Interstate 85 in Banks County. On Sunday, February 5, 2017, a skeleton was discovered in a wooded area near New Salem United Methodist Church, at 2170 Highway 59, in Commerce. The body’s location was one mile south of 1-85, Exit 154 for Toccoa/SR 63/Martin Bridge Road. The Banks County Sheriffs Office requested the GBIs assistance with the investigation. A forensic anthropological examination estimates the remains to be of an African American/Hispanic female, approximately 3044 years of age, and approximately 4’9’ to 5’6” in height. The date of death is esti mated to be up to 4 years prior to the time of discovery. Found among the remains, was a metal ring and a butterfly necklace charm. Blue, purple, and gray in color fabrics were also collected from the scene. Anyone with information concerning the case is asked to call the GBI Athens office at 706-552-2309 or the Banks County Sheriff’s Office at 706-677-2248. Information may also be submitted on-line at https://gbi.georgia. gov/webform/submit-tips-online. Brooks Benton named warden at state prison Georgia Department of Corrections Com missioner Gregory C. Dozier has announced the reassignment of Brooks L. Benton to warden of Lee Arrendale State Prison, effec tive July 1. As warden, Benton will be responsible for overseeing 345 staff mem bers and 1,703 special mission female offend ers. “Brooks has displayed an exception al work ethic during his career with the department,” said Commis sioner Dozier. “We look forward to the experience he will bring to his new role as warden of Lee Arren dale State Prison.” Benton began his career with the depart ment in 1993 as a correctional officer at Hart Detention Center. Benton was promoted, in 1995, to counselor at Whitworth Parole Revocation Center and then was promoted to senior counselor in 1997. In 1998, Brooks was promoted to assistant superintendent at Alcovy Diversion Center, and was trans ferred to I.W. Davis Probation Detention Center. Benton has a bachelor’s degree in psy chology earned from the University of West Georgia and a minor in sociology. He has completed the following departmental training: Basic Correctional Officer Train ing (BCOT), Basic Management Training (BMT), Professional Management Program (PMP), Warden’s Pre-Command, Correc tions Leadership Institute (CLI) and Deputy Warden of Care and Treatment Academy. The GDC has one of the largest prison systems in the U.S. and is responsible for supervising nearly 52,000 state prisoners. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 10,500 employees.
