Newspaper Page Text
The
www.MadisonJournalTODAY.com
OCTOBER 8, 2009
Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006
Vol. 24 No. 41 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 28 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements
COUNTY GOVT
BOC turns
down noise
restriction
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
What's more important,
the freedom to make noise
or the freedom not to hear
it?
Madison County commis
sioners voted 4-1 to turn
down a proposed amend
ment to the county noise
ordinance that would have
prohibited amplified sound
audible 300 feet or more
from the noisemaker’s
property line.
They said such a restric
tion is too broad and
infringes too much on an
individual’s right to hold
outdoor activities.
Commissioner Pete Bond,
who proposed the amend
ment, provided the lone
vote in favor of the action.
Commissioners Stanley
Thomas, John Pethel and
Mike Youngblood all spoke
against the restriction
Monday, along with county
resident Scott Williamson,
who took the podium to say
the measure is an example
of government “trying to
control people too much.”
He said he wasn't clear
about why the amendment
was proposed.
“How about having a con
versation about finding a
give and take where it does
work for the community
and everybody's happy?”
said Williamson before
the BOC voted. “But pass
ing an ordinance which, in
turn, affects where I live
and what I do, when it has
nothing to do with the situ
ation at hand. I think there's
better things we can do with
our time.”
Pethel said he agreed with
— See “BOC” on 2A
HEALTH
Health department
receives small batch
Farming, fun and the fair
Brandy Chandler, Danielsville, holds her 2-year-old niece, Story Drake, outside the cattle show at the
Madison County Agricultural Fair in Comer Thursday. See pages 7A and 16A for more fair photos.
Zach Mitcham/staff
of swine flu vaccine
ROADS
The Madison County
Health Department began
offering the swine flu vac
cine Tuesday.
Officials say quantities are
limited in this first shipment
of vaccine, so they have only
been sent to public health
clinics. The county health
department received approxi
mately 100 doses this week.
The first shipment is a live
vims nasal spray and is being
targeted for healthy children
age 2-4 years old, accord
ing to health department offi
cials. Children in this age
range will require two doses
of the vaccine at least four
weeks apart.
— For the latest
information regard
ing local flu vaccine
availability, contact
the Madison Coun
ty Health Dept, at
706-795-2131.
Officials say more vaccine
is expected to arrive in the
next few weeks, including the
inactivated injectable form.
The health department
will provide the vaccine at
no charge to patients, though
Medicare or Medicaid will
be billed for an administra-
— See “Vaccine” on 2A
No quick answers on Hwy 29 proposal
DOT years away from decision, designs; funding
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
It’s been a few months since Madison
County residents submitted comments at
a department of transportation open house
regarding a proposed Hwy. 29 bypass of
Danielsville. But don't expect answers any
time soon.
This is a long, laborious process, state
DOT spokesperson Teri Pope explained.
“Typically, it takes us several months to
respond to those comments and even as
long as a year to determine which ones can
be enveloped into the design,” Pope said.
The DOT proposes a widening of Hwy.
29 with four bypass options. The pos
sibilities include one route that goes west
of Danielsville, another that goes east, and
two that start out east of town and cut back
across Hwy. 29 and swing west.
The DOT displayed these routes on three
expansive 5 x 26 satellite image maps at
the MCHS cafeteria July 30 and sent 10
officials to field questions and accept writ
ten comments.
The goal, Pope said, is to define which of
the four routes is best based on lots of cri-
— See “Hwy. 29” on 2A
ONLINE POLL
If the Department of
Transportation ever
does move toward
with a Danielsville by
pass, would you prefer
it on the east or west
of town?
East 189 (88%)
West 26 (12%)
— MadisonJournal
TODAY.com
INSIDE
Index:
News — 1-3A 7A
Opinions — 4-5A
Crime — 6A
Schools — 8-9A
Churches — 12A
Obituaries — 13A
Socials — 14-15A
Sports— 1-3B
Legate— 4-9B
Classifieds —10-12B
Contact:
Phone: 706-795-2567
Fax: 706-795-2765
Mail: P.O. Box 658,
Danielsville, GA, 30633
Web:
MadisonJoumalTODAY.
com
Madison Co.
hammers
Hab. Central
Madison County im
proved to 5-1 Friday
night, hammering
Habersham Central
35-6 in Mt. Airy.
— Page 3B
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Rotary reaches ramp milestone
Madison County civic ebb to construct 40O h ramp for disabled local residents
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
T here were a couple of hard hats
Monday night, but no drills, no ham
mering.
Instead, there was a proclamation.
Madison County commissioners opened
Monday’s meeting by honoring the county
Rotary Club, which will construct its 400 th
ramp for disabled local residents Oct. 17.
“This is one of the best things we’ve got
going in this county,” said BOC chairman
Anthony Dove of the Rotary’s ramp-building
program. “I certainly appreciate these men.”
The Rotary Club, which was chartered in the
county in 1990, began constructing ramps in
1996 after members serving in the local “meals
— See “Rotary” on 2A
Madison County BOC chairman Anthony Dove (second from
right) presents Roy Gandy of the Madison County Rotary Club
with a proclamation Monday, honoring the club for its 400 th
handicapped ramp. Also pictured are Rotary members (L-R)
commissioner Stanley Thomas, Alton Rowe, Ed Brown and com
missioner Pete Bond.