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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. JULY 16, 2009 — PAGE 7A
Public meetings held in the county
Public meetings held in
Madison County include:
•Madison County
Board of Commissioners
- an agenda-setting meet
ing is held on the final
Monday of the month at
6:30 p.m. in the govern
ment complex on Albany
Avenue in Danielsville. A
business meeting is then
held on the first Monday
of the month at 6:30 p.m.
at the same locale.
•Madison County
Planning and Zoning
Commission - the first
and third Tuesdays of the
month at 6:30 p.m. in the
government complex.
•Madison County
Board of Education - the
second Tuesday of the
month at 7 p.m. in the
library at Madison County
High School.
•Madison County
Board of Tax Assessors
- meets the first and third
Thursday of every month
at 6 p.m. in the confer
ence room of the Madison
County government com
plex in Danielsville. The
public is invited to attend
all meetings of the board
of assessors.
•The Madison County
Industrial Development
and Building Authority
- the third Monday of the
month at 6 p.m. in the pub
lic meeting room of the
old county courthouse in
the center of Danielsville.
•Madison County
Public Safety
Communications/ E-911
advisory board - the
Thursday prior to the
second Monday of each
month. Meetings are held
at 11:30 a.m. at the 911
center.
•The Madison County
Recreation Department
Board - the fourth Tuesday
of every month at 6:30
p.m. in the meeting room
at Sammy Haggard Park
on Hwy. 98.
•Danielsville City
Council - holds month
ly work sessions the
Monday prior to regularly
scheduled council meet
ings, beginning at 7 p.m.
Council meetings are held
the first Monday of each
month, beginning at 7
p.m.
•Colbert City Council -
the first Monday at 7 p.m.
in Colbert City Hall.
•Carlton City Council -
the first Monday at 7 p.m.
in Carlton City Hall.
•Comer City Council
- the first Monday follow
ing the first Sunday of the
month at 6 p.m. in Comer
City Hall.
•Comer Downtown
Development Authority -
meets the second Thursday
of each month at 6 p.m. in
the Comer City Hall.
•Ila City Council - the
first Monday at 7 p.m. in
Ila City Hall.
•Hull City Council - the
third Monday at 7 p.m. in
Hull City Hall.
•The Madison County
High School Council -
the second Monday of
every month at 5 p.m. in
the high school media
center.
•The Madison County
Middle School Council
- the second Thursday of
the month at 4 p.m. in the
school media center.
•The Colbert
Elementary School
Council - the second
Thursday of each month at
2:30 p.m. in the school’s
media center.
•The Comer
Elementary School
Council - the third
Thursday of each month
at 7:30 a.m. in the school
media center.
•The Danielsville
Elementary School
Council - the first
Thursday of the month at
7:30 a.m. in the school
media center.
•The Hull-Sanford
Elementary School
Council - the third
Tuesday of the month at
3:15 p.m. in the school
media center.
•The Ila Elementary
School Council - the
fourth Wednesday of the
month at 3 p.m. in the Ila
Elementary School media
center.
•The Democratic Party
of Madison County -
meets regularly to talk
with elected officials about
local, state and national
concerns. For more infor
mation, call 245-6875 or
e-mail democratsofmadi-
soncountyga@yahoo.com
•The Broad River
Watershed Association
meets at 7 p.m. on
the second Wednesday of
each month at the BRWA
office on the square in
Danielsville. Call Victor
Johnson 706-795-2184 for
more information.
•Property Owners for
Common Sense Growth
(POCSG) - meets the last
Tuesday of every month
at 7 p.m. at the Madison
County Library.
•Citizens Organized
for Pipeline Safety in
Madison County (COPS
MC) - meets the second
Thursday of every month
at 6:30 p.m. at the Colbert
Grove Baptist Church.
For more information,
call Jill McElheney
706-742-7826.
Ongoing services
ALCOHOLICS
ANONYMOUS
Alcoholics Anonymous
meets on Mondays and
Thursdays at 7 p.m. at the
Colbert Baptist Church
annex and Fridays at 7 p.m.
at the Danielsville Methodist
Church annex.
NARCOTICS
ANONYMOUS
Narcotics Anonymous
meets at 7 p.m. Monday at
the Danielsville Methodist
Church annex.
SONS OF
CONFEDERATE
VETERANS
The Madison County
Greys, Camp 1526, Sons of
Confederate Veterans now
meet on the 4th Monday of
each month at 7:30 p.m. in
the community room of First
Madison Bank in Colbert,
Ga. Contact Frank Gillispie
at 706-540-0120 for more
information.
OVER FIFTY CLUB
The Over Fifty Club meets
at 11:30 a.m. on the sec
ond Wednesday of each
month at Gordon’s Chapel
United Methodist Church.
Membership is open to peo
ple ages 50 and over.
TOUCHDOWN CLUB
The Madison County High
School Touchdown Club
meets Tuesday nights during
football season at 7:30 p.m.
The football program’s web
site can be accessed at http://
eteamz.active.com/madison-
countyfootball/
MART
The Madison Area Resource
Team (M.A.R.T)/ Family
Connection meets the fourth
Tuesday of each month at the
old Danielsville courthouse
at 8 a.m. Call 795-3565 for
more information.
TOPS MEETING
The local chapter of TOPS
(Taking Off Pounds Sensibly)
Club International meets
each Tuesday evening at 7
p.m. with weigh-in from
6:30 to 6:50 p.m. at the Ila
Community Center on Sewell
Mill Road.
MCHS BAND
BOOSTER CLUB
MCHS Band Booster Club
meets every fourth Tuesday
at 7 p.m. at the high school
band room. Band parents are
invited and encouraged to
attend.
GAMBLER’S
ANONYMOUS
Gambler’s Anonymous
meets every Monday night
at 7:30 p.m. at Living Word
Baptist Church. For more
information, call (404)
237-7281.
AMERICAN LEGION
The American Legion Post
#39 of Danielsville meets the
last Thursday of the month
at 7 p.m. All veterans are
welcome.
4-STAKES
HORSESHOES
Four-Stakes Horseshoes
pitches every Thursday at
6:30 p.m. The league is hand
icapped to give all pitchers
an equal chance. All ages and
skill levels are welcome. Call
207-9831 for more informa
tion or visit www.freewebs.
com/4stakes.
MADISON COUNTY
MASTER GARDENERS
ASSOCIATION
The Madison County Master
Gardeners Association meets
the first Tuesday of every
odd month at 7 p.m. at the
Madison County Extension
office. Meetings are open
to members and guests. For
more information about
becoming a Master Gardener
or about membership in
MCMGA visit the website
at: www.madisoncounty-
mastergardeners.org. Or,
contact the Madison County
Cooperative Extension office
at 706-795-2281 or email
gamcmga@yahoo.com.
COLLINS DISTRICT
VFD
The Collins District
Volunteer Fire Department
meets the second Saturday
night of each month from 7
to 10 p.m. Refreshments, free
bingo, games and prizes pro
vided. The youth night at the
Collins VFD is held the last
Saturday night each month
from 7 to 10 p.m.
To have an event listed
in on-going services, call
Margie Richards at (706)
795-2567.
A not so slow turtle
By Jeff Jackson
Turtles are renowned for
being slow. They also seem
slow-witted, almost brain
less — sluggish, unaware,
detached, out of touch — as
they sit there in the road.
This stereotype seems espe
cially apt for land turtles,
which tend to move more
slowly than many aquatic
species. In the Athens area
and the Georgia Piedmont, the
turtle that fits this description
is the box turtle. Of our local
turtles, they are the slowest of
the slow. If you see one in the
road, it may just sit there. If
you touch it, it may pull in its
head. After observing many,
I have decided that they are
a lot more aware than they
seem.
A box turtle taught me a
lesson on July 5, as I drove
a woods road in Oglethorpe
County. The scene was pic
turesque. The turtle, a female,
shiny from recent rain, was
resting on a patch of bright
orange clay. I coasted to a
stop beside the turtle. She just
sat there motionless. I rolled
down the window and took
a photo. She did not move.
Such a gem I thought as I
got out and took a few more
shots. I got back in, drove 40
yards to the gate, stopped,
opened it, and drove through.
As I went to close the gate
after me, I looked down the
lane and the turtle was gone!
Puzzled, I went to the spot -
no turtle! I began to search.
There she was, at the edge
of the road, peeking out from
under the shelter of a wisteria
vine about six feet from her
original location. She looked
so picturesque, peering out
from under the overhanging
cover of leaves.
It was such an appealing
pose that I decided I needed
another photo. I went back
to the car, got the camera and
returned. I was gone less than
a minute. She had disappeared
again! After a brief search, I
found her again, about six feet
away from her first hiding
place, hidden under vegeta
tion. When I had turned my
back, she had moved with
haste. And she had sense to
quit moving before I came
back. She seemed to know
that there was no point in
trying to escape while I was
watching. But, when I left she
moved quickly to hide, in case
I should come back to look for
her. She was a lot smarter, and
faster, than she seemed.
At this time of year, female
box turtles are looking for
opportunities to lay their eggs.
They wait for rain to make the
soft, moist soil they need for
their eggs. Soft soil is easier
to dig, and the eggs need to
incubate in a moist environ
ment lest they dry out and die.
Often box turtles choose open
places, such as roadsides or
paths bordering woodland.
The eggs incubate for a
couple of months before the
hatchling turtles dig out and
begin their lives. Their odds
of survival are poor. Certain
animals, especially raccoons,
also kingsnakes, find and eat
the eggs. Female box turtle
may mature at about 20 or 25
years and lay a half dozen or
so eggs in a year, she may lay
few hundred eggs in a life
time. To maintain the popula
tion only one or two need to
be as successful as the mother.
Box turtles can live as long
as people can. However, the
odds of living such a long and
productive life are very small.
Most die young. Once mature
they have a good chance of
living several more years.
Each box turtle’s markings
are unique. You can remember
a particular turtle if you see it
again. One of my neighbors
names and makes portraits of
all the box turtles on his land,
and it’s striking to see how dif
ferent these individuals are.
Box turtles are illegally
caught and sold to turtle col
lectors as far away as Europe
and Japan. Law protects them,
like most turtles. In many
areas, box turtle populations
are in decline.
If you want to see a box tur
tle, a good place is to drive the
dirt roads and walk the paths
in the Oconee National Forest
lands not far south of Athens.
Should you see one, take only
pictures, and leave the turtle to
go about its business.
Jeff Jackson is a wildlife biol
ogist who lives in Oglethorpe
County.
MCHS betters state,
area average in five
categories on EOCT
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County High School students bettered the state
and area averages in five subjects on spring end of course
tests, according to school system leaders.
Superintendent Mitch McGhee offered the same tempered
praise he has for other test results.
‘Again, we’re not where we want to be, but, again, (we
showed) marked improvement,” he said.
McGhee noted that former MCHS principal Tommy Craft
focused much attention on bettering EOCT scores in hopes
that it would carry over to graduation test gains.
‘‘We’re believing that will pay dividends down the road in
graduation tests,” McGhee said.
Madison County High School students surpassed state
and area marks in geometry, American Literature, biology,
physical science and U.S. History.
The school also performed better than the state in alge
bra.
But MCHS students faired worse than the state and area
in economics. McGhee called it “a pretty serious area of
weakness.”
Madison County High School doesn’t offer economics for
a full semester like other schools do, which likely led to the
lower scores, McGhee said.
But the system has already implemented a change to a full
semester of economics for 2009-2010.
‘‘That will be remedied next year,” McGhee said.
Industrial authority
to meet Monday
The Madison County Industrial Development and Building
Authority will meet at 6 p.m., Monday, July 20, in the historic
courthouse in the center of Danielsville.
Agenda items include:
•Financial report.
•Water request: Rodney Rogers - water quality.
•Utility director report: a. billing report; b. 2008; water
system expansion update; c. Hwy. 98 water tank update; d.
Harrison water system update.
•Other IDA-related issues: a. Hull/Sanford sewer project; b.
engineering contract and intergovernmental agreement with
city of Danielsville; c. water supply agreement with city of
Royston; d. large tap and meter fees; e. Tank Pro, Inc. con
tract, Hwy. 72 water tank.
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■ i'll
Rin 1
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Fine Jewelry
613 Hawthorne Ave. • Athens
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JEFFERSON LIONS CLUB
Meets 2nd & 4th Monday
Jefferson City Clubhouse
6:30 p.m. • (706) 387-1156
Mack Cates, President
542
A UNITY LODGE
F & A.M.
No. 36, Jefferson, GA
1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m.
Dwayne Potts • 706-367-4449
Borders St. behind Tabo’s 260
JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB
Meets Tuesdays
Jefferson City Clubhouse
12:30 p.m. -(706) 367-7696
Gina Mitsdarffer, President
547
■9 BANKS COUNTY
iyjJAMERICAN LEGION
Riders Post 215
Meets each 2nd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
Historic Highway 441 pd,o2/io
Georgia Real Estate Investors
Association, Inc. - Athens
Meets the third Thursday each month
6:30 pm at the UGA Conferen ce Center
1197 South Lumpkin Street,
Athens, GA 30601
Tom Hewlett - Chapter President
thewlettl@charter.net Pd. 12/09
BANKS COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.
meets first Monday each month
7:00 p.m. in the Banks Co. Historial
Courthouse at 105 U.S. Hwy. 441
North in Homer pd,-07/09
St. Catherine Laboure
Catholic Mission
Mass Schedule: Sat. 4:00 p.m.,
Sun. 11:00 a.m., Wed. 12:10 p.m.
Parish Council meetings:
2nd Sunday of the month after 11:00 mass
First Friday Adoration 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Website: www.stcatherinelabourega.org
706-335-2622 pd.05/09
JEFFERSON
ip AMERICAN LEGION
Albert Gordon Post 56
Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Harvie Lance, Commander
Phone (706) 654-1274 310
BANKS COUNTY
fj§ AMERICAN LEGION
Post 215
Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
Historic Highway 441 pd.06/09
HI VETERANS OF
IP FOREIGN WARS
Post 4872, Hurricane Shoals Convention Ctr.
Each 4thTuesdasy, 7:00 p.m.
Jason Mergele, Commander
Phone 706-367-7237 263
JESUS CHRIST
And His Restored Gospel!
Come Worship With Us!
4859 Mt. Olive Road, Commerce
Meeting Time: Sunday, 9:00 am
www.mormono.org
For Missionaries Call: 706-380-9927
The Church Of Jesus Christ
Of Latter-Day Saints pd.06/09