Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 24 No. 22 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 24 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements
Pastor walks
across Ga.
Pastor Douglas
Lee of Freedom
Chruch of God
has completed a
201-mile trek to
raise money to
feed needy fami
lies and support
youth programs.
— Page 3A
Carlton High
School grads
hold reunion
Former students of
the old Carlton High
School gathered for
the first time since
1984 last month to
reminisce about the
town and school
that shaped their
lives.
— Page 7A
Two killed in
accidents
A Comer man was
killed in Hall County
last week when his
car collided with a
horse. In a separate
accident, an Athens
man died in a sin
gle-vehicle accident
on Hwy. 29 south of
Danielsville.
— Page 6A
Baseball
facility to open
Sat. in D’ville
The Diamond Club,
an indoor baseball
and softball facility,
will open Saturday in
Danielsville.
— Page 1B
Attempted
robbery
reported
An attempted robbery
was reported Tuesday
at the Food Mart off
Hwy. 98
— Page 6A
Index:
News—1-3A
Opinions—4-5A
Crime— 6A
Socials — 8-9A
Obituaries— 3-4B
Churches— 10A
Schools— 9A.11A2B
Sports— 1-2B
Legals— 5B
Contact:
Phone: 706-795-2567
Fax: 706-795-2765
Mail: P.O. Box 658,
Danielsville, GA, 30633
Web:
MadisonJoumalTODAY.com
COUNTY GOV’T
HEALTH
Occupation tax axed
BOC votes 4-1 Monday to eliminate
business fee after years of debate
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
M adison County
commission
ers said “enough
is enough” Monday with the
nearly three-year debate on the
county occupation tax, agree
ing to scrap the plan com
pletely.
“I THINK WE’VE
WASTED TIME BICK
ERING BACK AND
FORTH TRYING TO
GET THIS THING
IRONED OUT.”
— Commissioner
Mike Youngblood
“I think we need to trash
the whole ordinance,”
said Commissioner Mike
Youngblood, before making a
motion to do away with the
occupation tax. “I think we've
wasted time bickering back and
forth trying to get this thing
ironed out... We’re not getting
anything accomplished.”
The commissioners voted
4-1 Monday to trash the plan,
with District 1 board member
Stanley Thomas providing the
lone vote against the measure.
The original occupation tax
ordinance was drafted at the
end of 2006 and implemented
in 2007, but the plan has been
amended on numerous occa
sions. The most recent version
of the plan included a $35 flat
fee on all businesses in unin
corporated areas of the county.
The fee would not have applied
to agricultural operations.
— See Tax’ on 2A
On Hamburger Hill
40 years later, memories of
Vietnam battle still vivid
for Madison Co. native
By Mark Beardsley
mark@mainstreetnews.com
T he 40th anniversary of one of the
deciding battles of the Vietnam
Conflict slipped quietly by during
May, but Bill Wood didn't need a reminder.
The long-time Commerce barber and
Madison County
“God told
ME TO PUT
MY HAND UP
THERE AND
TELL YOU YOU
ARE GOING
HOME TO SEE
YOUR MOM
AND DAD.”
— Vietnam Army
Medic Bill Wood
native is constantly
reminded of the
10-day battle and
other horrendous
experiences of a
14-month deploy
ment by night
mares and health
issues from front
line action as a U.S.
Army medic.
The battle for
jungle-clad Hill
937 got its name
from its grizzly
aftermath, the body
parts and wounds that “looked like ground-up
hamburger meat,” said Wood, who was 21 at
the time and serving with the 82nd Airborne
Division.
The official toll from the battle was 56
American dead and 421 wounded, not to men
tion 630 known enemy deaths. Wood disputes
that number, saying hundreds of American
soldiers died, but the battle marked the end
of major combat operations as the toll further
intensified anti-war sentiment in America.
One of 14 children of the late Esco and Leila
Wood (and the first of those to be bom in a
hospital - the old Commerce Hospital), Wood
grew up on Jot-em-Down Road and graduated
A
The former Army medic operates a bar
ber shop on the Ila Road. He returned
from Vietnam with six medals and some
permanent medical problems, but with
his faith intact. Mark Beardsley/Mainstreet
News
from Madison County High School.
Drafted in 1967, Wood followed two broth
ers in claiming conscientious objector status.
“Really and truly, 95 to 99 percent were
conscientious objectors,” he said. “They didn't
believe in killing, but they had no choice. I
went one step further and stood up for consci
entious objector.”
— See Wood’ on 5A
EDUCATION
GHSGT results mixed among local schools
Area High Schools GHSGT Results
First Time Test Takers Percent Failing
System
E/LA
Math
Sci
SS
State
10
7
12
13
Commerce
7
6
7
5
Barrow
10
7
11
15
Banks
11
8
13
12
Jackson
12
4
11
14
Madison
13
5
16
17
Jefferson
12
3
8
10
77% of Madison Co.
juniors fail social
studies test on first try
Local high school juniors who
took the Georgia High School
Graduation Test for the first time
this year passed at about the same
rates as their peers across the state,
but results were mixed locally.
While students are allowed to
take the tests several times before
graduation, the first-time GHSGT
results are used as a barometer to
see where students stand as they
prepare to enter their senior year of
high school.
In the four counties covered by
Mainstreet Newspapers — Banks,
Barrow, Jackson and Madison
— the variation between school
results was narrow and closely fol
lowed the overall state results.
The strongest course showing
among local school systems was
Jefferson High School in Math
where only three percent of juniors
failed the GHSGT, compared to
seven percent statewide. The weak
est results were in Madison County
where 17 percent of students failed
the Social Studies section com
pared to 13 percent statewide.
Overall, the City of Commerce
School System had the strongest
results with all its failure rates in
single digits.
CITY NEWS
Colbert
water
upgrades
possible
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Colbert could bar
gain for a series of
water system upgrades
when it renegotiates its
contract with Piedmont
Water.
The city’s 15-year
agreement doesn’t
expire until 2012, but
the company wants to
move forth with sign
ing Colbert to another
long-term deal.
Colbert’s share of the
revenue would increase
from 20 percent to 40
percent upon signing
a contract extension.
However, the city could
opt to maintain the 20
percent share and sub
stitute half a million
dollars worth of water
system upgrades for
the other 20 percent.
“We’re going to fig
ure it both ways and
— See “Colbert’ on 2A
CO. HISTORY
Ayers estate
auction set
for Saturday
An auction will be held
Saturday to raise funds
for the construction and
maintenance of Jere
Ayers Memorial Park in
Comer.
Ayers, the long-time
owner and editor of The
ComerNews/Danielsville
Monitor, passed away in
2005. The Jere Ayers
Family Foundation is
planning a community
park in his name on the
Ayers farm in Comer.
The auction will
begin at 10 a.m. at 1567
Madison Street, Comer.
And all proceeds will be
used for the park.
Local auctioneer Phil
Piche’ of Piche’ Realty
and Auction Inc. will be
in charge of the event.
“If you want a piece of
history, plan to attend this
sale," organizers said.
For a list of auction
items to be sold, visit
www.picherealtyauc-
tion.com or call Piche’
Realty and Auction Inc.
at 706-795-5111.
Ten rabies
cases
reported
in county
Residents urged
to vaccinate pets
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
The Madison County
Health Department
reports that 10 wild ani
mals have tested positive
for rabies in the county so
far this year.
And in an ironic twist,
environmental health offi
cial Kathy Kelly, whose
office is responsible for
monitoring and reporting
rabies cases in Madison
County, was attacked this
past January by a skunk
likely infected with the
disease.
— See “Rabies’ on 2A
PET SOUNDS
Shelter to
hold benefit
concert Sat.
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
The Madison-Oglethorpe
Animal Shelter is singing
the economic blues right
now.
But MOAS hopes a day
of country, bluegrass and
gospel will rally the finan
cially-strapped facility.
The shelter hosts a
music festival Saturday at
Madison County Memorial
Park in Danielsville, start
ing at 10 a.m., in hopes
of generating much-needed
funds for the two-county
shelter.
“It’s pretty important,
because our donations have
been down,” MOAS direc
tor Susan Fomash said.
“Things like this fundrais
ing event, they're critical.”
The festival includes con-
— See “Shelter’ on 2A
COUNTY SEAT
Danielsville
agrees to
pay back line
of credit
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
Danielsville’s city council
agreed Monday night to pay
off the city’s $200,000 line
of credit with Madison First
Bank and Trust.
The money will be repaid
from the $248,103 insurance
payment received last month
to cover funds allegedly
stolen by fomier city clerk
Michelle Dills.
The council agreed to leave
a $1 balance in the line of
credit, at the suggestion of
First Madison VP David
Hancock, who told them the
line could be left open at no
cost to the city unless they
boirow from it again.
"(That way) if you need it,
we’ve got it and you won’t
— See “D’ville’on 2A