Newspaper Page Text
The
www.MadisonJournalTODAY.com
APRIL 2, 2009
Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006
Vol. 24 No. 14 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 22 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements
INSIDE
1
.
MCHS
teacher has
stories to tell
The Journal pro
files accomplished
author and Madi
son County High
School teacher
Richard Hoard.
— Page 3A
Occ. tax,
animal control
on agenda
Madison County
commissioners will
again discuss the
county occupation
tax, as well as ani
mal control servic
es at their Monday
night meeting.
See the complete
agenda inside.
— Page 2A
Opinions:
Journal founder
Frank Gillispie
says Madison
County should
abolish property
taxes. Journal edi
tor Zach Mitcham
writes about the
state of the news
paper industry.
— Page 4A
Man charged
with child
molestation
A Hull man was
arrested last week
on child molesta
tion charges.
— Page 6A
Still unbeaten
in region
The Madison
County var
sity baseball team
remained unbeaten
in Region 8-AAAA
after an 8-0 win
over Apalachee
Tuesday.
— Page1B
Index:
News—1-3A5A
Opinions— 4A
Crime— 6A
Socials — 7-9A
Obituaries— 10-11A
Sports — 1-2B
Churches— 3B
Legate— 4-7B
Contact:
Phone: 706-795-2567
Fax: 706-795-2765
Mail: P.O. Box 658,
Danielsville, GA, 30633
Web:
MadisonJoumalTODAY.com
COUNTY POLITICS
BOC ousts assessors
But court battle looms
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County commission
ers voted to can all assessor board
members Monday, but the matter
apparently won’t be settled with
out a fight.
“If they (the commissioners)
will resign and walk away, I’ll
resign and I will personally ask
the rest of the assessors to resign.”
said assessor chairman David
Ragland Tuesday. “Let the county
start over anew if that’s what they
want. But I have done nothing
wrong and I will fight this.”
The BOC voted 5-0 Monday to
ask county attorney Mike Pruett to
draft a termination letter to each of
the four members of the assessor
board, informing them why they
are being removed. That letter is
expected to be before the commis
sioners at their meeting Monday.
Meanwhile, it appears the
planned termination will likely
be appealed by assessor board
members, with both sides plead
ing their case before a Superior
Court judge.
“We’ll take it to Superior Court
and let the judge decide,” said
Samantha Garland Tuesday. "If
— See ‘Assessors’ on 5A
“I WAS SIMPLY FORCED INTO A POSITION
WHERE I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO RUN
THIS COUNTY THE BEST WAY I THOUGHT.”
— BOC Chairman Anthony Dove on requesting resigna
tions from the BOA
“...I HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG AND I
WILL FIGHT THIS.”
— BOA Chairman David Ragland
LOCAL SERVICES
Harmony House
Local advocacy helps hurting children
center uncovers abuse, 1 ^
Debi Bartlett sits in Harmony House’s exam room. Photo by Charles Richards
Harmony House ‘Ride
to Survive’ set for April 11
provides comfort for
mistreated youth
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
W alking through the front
door of Harmony House
Child Advocacy Center
in Royston is like entering a peaceful,
comfortable home. And for those who
work and volunteer their time there,
that is just what they're striving for.
“When they come here we want
them to know they are coming to a safe,
comfortable place,” said Debi Bartlett,
who serves as the center's forensics
nurse.
Harmony House, which serves the
five counties in the Northern Judicial
Circuit, including Madison County, is
a place where sexual assault victims
are brought for interviews, exams and
to gain some measure of comfort. It is
also hopefully a place where victims
can begin to heal from the experiences
they've been through, she said.
Bartlett, who comes to the center on a
case-by-case basis, is sometimes called
out in middle of night by law enforce
ment officers to examine and gather
evidence from a child who may have
been abused. She now performs foren
sics exams on adult victims of abuse at
the center as well.
Children and adults alike are offered
an unhurried, calm environment, a
warm, soft blanket to wrap up in and
a handmade Teddy bear. A shower and
a change of clothing are also pro
vided during their time there, as well
as counseling services and referrals.
And for the children, there's a color-
— See “Harmony’ on 5A
Harmony House Child Advocacy
Center presents the second-annual
“Ride to Survive,” on Saturday, April
11, at the Danielsville City Hall (rain
or shine).
There will be a free Holman Autry
Band concert with bike check-in/ reg
istration at 9 a.m. The ride starts at
10 a.m. Registration fees are: $10 per
bike, $5 per passenger (fee includes
lunch). The ride starts in Madison
County (Danielsville) and goes through
Franklin, Hart, Elbert counties and then
back to Danielsville City Hall. Raffle
prizes, food and T-shirts will also be
available, organizers said.
All proceeds will be used for advo
cacy and related items in the opera
tion of Harmony House, a non-profit
agency that assists child and adult
victims of sexual assault, according to
organizers.
Call 706-247-3848 for more infor
mation.
FESTIVAL
Folklife in Georgia festival set for Saturday
Organizers urge participants to
bring contributions for food bank
Performance schedule
•1-1:40 p.m. The Myers Family and Friends
•1:50-2:30 p.m. Madison County Pastors and
Laymen Male Choir
•2:40-3:20 Marion Montgomery, Glynn Denham/
The Random Roosters
•3:30-4:10 p.m. The Corduroy Road
•4:20-5 p.m. Gabriel Kelley
Madison County will
once again celebrate tra
ditional music, dance
and handiwork of rural
Georgia Saturday.
But organizers of the
ninth-annual Folklife in
Georgia Festival hope
participants will do more
than just have a good time
Saturday. They want fes
tival goers to remember
all of those in need in the
area and bring donations
for the local food bank to
the festival.
“This festival has
many purposes,” said
festival coordinator Beth
Zorbanos. “But we hope
this will also bring the
community together to
bring food for the food
bank.”
Saturday’s festvial will
be held from 1 to 9 p.m.,
Saturday, at Madison
County Memorial Park in
Danielsville.
The day-long event,
which will be held rain
or shine.
Twenty visual art
ists will demonstrate
and sell their traditional
crafts. They include:
Mark Davis, blacksmith-
ing; Sharon Grist, spin
ning and weaving; Barney
— See “Festival’ on 2A
WRECK
Teen
killed on
Hwy. 106
A 17-year-oldMadison
County High School
junior was killed in a
one-car accident early
Monday morning.
Crystal Yamasato,
Hull, died after her
1996 Nissan Altima
ran off the road on
Hwy. 106 South at
JJ&G Drive about 4:07
a.m. According to the
Georgia State Patrol, it
appears she fell asleep
at the wheel.
Yamasato was travel
ing southbound when
her car ran off the road,
veered across the north
bound lane, went down
an embankment, then
reentered the roadway
and overturned, par
tially ejecting her.
According to the
report, Yamasato was
traveling alone and was
not wearing a seatbelt.
REC. DEPT.
County
Easter egg
hunt set
for Sat.
The 22 nd annual Easter
Egg Hunt will be held
Saturday, April 4, at
10 a.m. the Madison
County Recreation
Department. The egg
hunt is free of charge
and open to all children
ages 8 and under, offi
cials said.
Participants are asked
to bring a canned food
item to donate to the
Madison County Food
Bank.
Children will be divid
ed into four age divi
sions: 2 and under; 3-4
year olds; 5-6 year olds
and 7-8 year olds.
There will be over
4.000 eggs, 20 prizes
and plenty of fun for
everyone, organizers
said.
In case of inclement
weather, the rain date
is Saturday, April 11, at
10 a.m.
For more information,
call the recreation depart
ment at 706-795-6270.