Newspaper Page Text
Vol. 24 No. 34 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 24 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements
CRIME
CITIES
COUNTY GOV’T
Seymour
sentenced
to life for
murder
Both victim, murderer
were MCHS graduates
By Angie Gary
angie@mainstreetnews.com
A Commerce man was sentenced
to life in prison Wednesday morning
for murdering his wife.
Martin Seymour, 31, was sen
tenced by Judge Currie Mingledorf
to the life sentence with the pos
sibility of parole. He would not be
eligible for parole for 30 years.
Seymour, a 1995 Madison County
High School graduate, was arrested
in December 2008 for shooting his
sleeping wife, Jamie Seymour, mul
tiple times in the head. He then
called his parents and told them to
come pick up the couple’s 3-year-old
daughter. He then called 911 and told
the operator he’d killed his wife.
"I don't think he’ll ever under
stand why (he did this),” Seymour’s
attorney, Walter Harvey, said after
the guilty plea was entered. “He
has never ottered an excuse. He
has taken total responsibility. He has
never blamed anyone but himself...
He recognizes what he did...He feels
he deserves the punishment.”
More than 30 family members
attended the sentencing at the
Jackson County courthouse with the
victim’s mother, brother and sister
speaking. Mrs. Seymour's mother’s
shared photos of her daughter dur
ing her emotional comments to the
judge.
Mrs. Seymour’s nephew said that
the murder had "robbed him of his
best friend, his aunt.” He spoke of
the University of Georgia ballgames,
barbecues and birthday parties he
enjoyed with his aunt.
"The memories of her in her cof
fin block all the good thoughts," the
teenager said.
Mrs. Seymour’s brother spoke of
the loss the family has suffered.
"My sister is gone,” he said. "The
worst thing is that a little child lost a
loving mother...Jamie was executed
in the most cowardly way."
Jamie Bridges Seymour was a
1997 graduate of Madison County
High School.
Judge Mingledorf thanked the
family members who spoke, and
said, "I realize there are many other
sentiments that are unspoken...Thank
you all for coming here today.”
Seymour, dressed in a blue dress
shirt and khaki pants and wearing
shackles, did not speak. Five depu
ties were in the courtroom during the
sentencing.
INSIDE
Showroom for history
Grant-funded Comer museum
to pay tribute to the auto
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
A half century ago, the
best-kept secret in town
was tucked safely within
the unassuming brick walls
of the building that flanks
Comer's city hall.
There, new-year Ford
models were parked and
guarded from public view
until their grand unveiling.
Secrecy was of the utmost
importance. Leaking the
new models’ appearance
— See “Comer’ on 3A
Future Comer Museum
HELPING HANDS
Pilot Club of Madison County member Betty Sartain puts on a small water-resistant
bracelet on Madison County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Jimmy Patton. These bracelets
are used to help track those with brain injuries or illness if they leave their care
providers. Margie Richards/Staff
To save a life
Pilot Club’s ‘Project Lifesaver’ provides a
way to find injured, ill who go missing
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
P ilot Club of Madison
County members
sponsor a program
they feel could be of tremen
dous service to those who care
for someone with a brain inju
ry or illness.
“It seems like you hear week
ly on the news about an elderly
person who's missing who has
Alzheimer’s or dementia,” Pilot
Club member Linda Freeman
said. “Sometimes those stories
have a safe ending for that
person, but sometimes there’s
a tragic one.” Freeman added
that the search often turns from
hours, to days and even weeks,
before a person is found, if
ever.
And Pilot Club members
want to provide a service they
— See “Lifesaver’ on 7A
New
assessors
named
BOA reduced from
5 to 3 members
Assessment appeal deadline
is Monday, Page 2A
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
The old board is out; the new board is
in. But two chairs can be pulled away
from the table.
Madison County commissioners named
three people to the board of assessors
Thursday, while reducing the BOA from
a five-member to a three-member board.
The new members are Lynn Hix, Ralph
McCay Jr. and Janice Ellis.
The commissioners agreed to set
lengthy initial terms for two of the three
members, so that term expirations will be
staggered in the future.
— See “BOA’on 7A
TAXES
Occupation tax
refund deadline
set for Aug. 31
County will return 50%
of fee paid by businesses
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
After years of debate on whether
to have an occupation tax, Madison
County commissioners scrapped the
plan earlier this year. Now, businesses
that paid for the tax in 2009 have until
Aug. 31 to get half their money back.
“We are giving people till August
31, 2009, to bring a written request
(signed and dated) along with their
original OTC (occupation tax) to our
office to request a refund,” said build
ing inspection director Eddie Pritchett.
“All requests are then forwarded to the
— See ‘Occ. tax’ on 2A
BUSINESS
Feed mill to begin production Sept. 15
Index:
News — 1-3A, 7A
Opinions —4-5A
Crime — 6A
Schools — 8A
Churches — 9A
Obituaries — 10-11A
Socials — 14-16A
Sports— 1-2B
Legate— 3-9B
Classifieds — 10-12B
Contact:
Phone: 706-795-2567
Fax: 706-795-2765
Mail: P.O. Box 658,
Danielsville, GA, 30633
Web:
MadisonJoumalTODAY.
com
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Columbia Farms’ new Comer plant
will begin production Sept. 15, accord
ing to one company official, reaching
full output by early-to mid-October.
The company is relocating its
Lavonia plant to a 107-acre tract east
of Comer. Columbia started construc
tion over a year ago — breaking
ground in April 2008 — and is eager
to get started in Madison County.
“You’re dadgum right,” said Scott
Cochran, a production manager for
Columbia Farms said. “It’s a much-
needed addition. I just can’t say
enough about it.”
At peak production, the mill should
produce about 6,500 tons of chicken
feed per week, though the plant can
generate much more if needed.
“It could peak out at 12,000 if you
sold enough, and the poultry business
g cc ‘p ccc [ mill’on 7A The Columbia Farms feed mill off Hwy. 72 is approximately 200 feet tall. Ben Munro/Staff