Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2A —THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. OCTOBER 15. 2009
Man charged with
vehicular homicide
A 21-year-old Madison County man faces a vehicular
homicide charge for the Oct. 2 accident that claimed the life
of Stephen Briggs of Royston.
Gary Mathew Roberts, Danielsville, was also charged with
driving under the influence, driving too fast for conditions,
reckless driving, and open container, seatbelt and tire viola
tions.
According to the Athens post of the Georgia State Patrol,
Roberts was driving east on Rock Quarry Road in Madison
County around 10:30 p.m. Oct. 2 when he lost control of
his 1997 Chevy Tahoe on a curve. The vehicle overturned
and struck a tree. Roberts was also seriously injured in the
accident.
SPLOST
cont’d from 1A
major debt right now.”
Collections have varied in
2009, with a low in April
of $122,706 and a high of
$206,488 last month. At this
point in 2007, collections
were $1.55 million, compared
to $1.54 million in 2008 and
$1.46 million through the first
nine months of this year.
To date, the county has spent
$246,623 in 2008 SPLOST
money. Those funds have
gone to an enhanced 911 sys
tem, soccer fields, ambulance
equipment and road paving.
Dove said his primary
concern about SPLOST is
a shortage of funding for
roads. In 2003, county vot
ers renewed SPLOST, with
over $8 million going for road
projects over five years —
all 2003 SPLOST funds have
been spent. However, county
commissioners tried to spread
the SPLOST funding around
to a number of departments,
as well as cities, when they
approved the most recent sales
tax allocations in late 2007.
There were plans to double
the capacity of the county jail,
expand the library, upgrade
the 911 system, renovate the
old courthouse, as well as pay
for EMS and transfer station
improvements. Meanwhile,
sales tax funding for roads
was cut in half, with $3.95
million allocated for roads
over six years.
As local road funding was
cut back, so was the money
from the state for road
improvements as Georgia fell
on hard economic times. The
state government sent word
to counties and municipalities
that they would get less assis
tance from Atlanta.
While the funding cut
backs from the state are a
concern, Dove noted that the
Department of Transportation
has worked with the county
recently on a couple of local
road issues. He pointed out
that the county has gotten
technical help for turn lanes
at the intersections of Fortson
Store Road, Hwy. 29 and
Glenn Carrie Road. He also
noted that the state plans to
install a new sensor at the traf
fic light at Hwys. 29 and 98
to help the traffic flow more
smoothly.
Screening
A SPLOST breakdown
• •• cont’d from 1A
impressed that the preschool special needs staff doesn't just
focus on the child, but involves everyone in the family.
Erin was subsequently diagnosed with “developmental aprax
ia of speech” or DAS, which is difficulty with carrying out
purposeful, voluntary movements for speech.
Beth Andrews, lead speech pathologist for the special needs
preschool program, says finding developmental problems such
as Erin’s early is essential to helping them prepare for the class
room.
Once Erin's problem was identified, an “individual education
plan” or IEP was developed specifically for her.
Erin's speech pathologist, Russ Tacket, works with her 30
minutes per day since Erin and her sister, Amber, began pre
school classes at Head Start in August. In addition, special needs
teacher Beth Anfmson works with Erin each day as part of her
regular preschool classes.
Helmly said she can already see a big difference in her daughter.
She is learning to make “sounds on demand” and is also learning
sign language, which Tacket says helps cut down on her frustra
tions by giving her an additional way to express herself when
words are difficult. Eventually, Erin will not need to sign as she
continues to progress in her language skills.
All of this effort gives Erin the extra support she needs so that
she will not fall behind when she enters kindergarten, Andrews
stressed.
Children are not only served at Head Start, but at a number of
lottery-funded pre-k programs throughout the county, including
those at Ila, Danielsville and Hull-Sanford Elementary schools.
Children with IEPs receive most of their services in the class
room with their classmates.
“Research has shown that children with special needs gain
knowledge more quickly when they are with their peers,”
Standard said. “They learn social skills and their language devel
ops by interactions with typically-developing peers.”
Standard said 65 students have been referred to the preschool
program since August and 47 students are currently being served
by the special needs preschool staff.
“Each of the preschoolers being served has an IEP that tar
gets his/her area of need,” Standard said. “Children can receive
speech/language services, educational services for developmen
tal delays, or a combination of the two. If it is determined that
a child needs an evaluation he/she is assessed in the following
areas: motor, cognition, communication, social/emotional and
adaptive development.”
If the child has significant scores, he or she meets eligibility
criteria for the preschool special needs program. Standard said.
All parents of children ages six weeks to 5 years old are
encouraged to bring their child(ren) in for the next countywide
preschool screening, which is set for Tuesday, Oct. 20. (See box
on the front page for details.)
“The screening is free and children will be signed up for the
Ferst Foundation’s Literacy Program,” Andrews said, which
provides free books to pre-schoolers. Parents and siblings will
also get a free pizza meal while children are screened, which
usually takes 30-40 minutes.
“We’ve got a great team here,” Andrews said. “There is not
this level of (special needs assistance) in any of our surrounding
counties.”
The Madison County
Journal is your source
for local news. Call
706-795-2567 to subscribe.
Founder’s
Corner
by
Buhl Cummings
FOOTBALL...Football is
such a great game for boys.
With the right coaching, they
can develop character traits
that will last them a lifetime.
We thank the Lord for our
football coaching staff at ACS.
They all love the Lord and,
while coaching, they work
with our players, not only on
the physical part of the game,
but teaching Christian
character traits as well.
We trust that when these
young men go forth to face an
ever-declining society, that
they will stand forthright for
the Lord, using principles that
they learned in the great game
of football.
ATHENS
CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
“Affordable Quality Education Since 1970”
K3-12TH CALL (706) 549-7586
www.athenschristian.com
The county government is
on pace to collect $12.14
million in SPLOST funds
over six years, which is over
$400,000 less than initially
projected. Here is the break
down on how $12.6 million
in projected sales tax money
was to be divided over six
years:
•Roads: $3.95 million
•Jail expansion: $3.3 mil
lion
•IDA (sewage/water sourc
es): $1.19 million
•Recreation department
projects: $1 million
•Library expansion:
$750,000
•911 upgrades: $424,000
•EMS upgrades: $270,000
•Transfer station upgrades:
$124,000
•Historic courthouse
renovations: $90,000
•Comer: $580,000
•Colbert: $269,000
•Danielsville: $252,000
•Ila: $181,000
•Carlton: $128,000
•Hull: $88,000
Here is the current SPLOST
receipt distribution:
Roads: $687,281
Jail: $574,050
IDA: $207,000
Recreation: $173,968
Library: $130,460
911: $73,822
EMS: $46,972
Transfer station: $21,699
Old courthouse: $15,650
Comer: $101,001
Colbert: $46,840
Danielsville: $43,881
Ila: $31,497
Carlton: $22,379
Hull: $15,365
— Source: Madison County
finance office.
Hwy. 29 ...
through the comments.”
Of those who left com
ments at the open house, 47
oppose the project regard
less of which route is chosen,
while 47 support it in some
form. Nine others are uncom
mitted.
Of those 47 who favor a
bypass option in some fash
ion, 26 support of it fully,
while 21 support it with con
ditions.
The DOT, however, has no
data over which of the four
bypass options is most popu
lar with those leaving com
ments.
The bypass possibilities
include one route that goes
west of Danielsville, another
that goes east, and two that
start east of town and cut back
across Hwy. 29 and swing
west. Each of the four bypass
options spans at least 11
miles, tying back into Hwy.
29 north of Danielsville near
the intersection of Hwy. 281.
An online poll conducted
by The Madison County
Journal last week revealed
continued from
that 89 percent of those who
voted favored an east option
opposed to west bypass.
Those commenting to the
DOT raised several questions
about the project, including
traffic concerns, cost feasibil
ity, the impact on property
value, the effect on homes
and businesses, increased
development in the area,
school traffic, impacts to the
environment and whether the
project is actually needed.
Sixty-seven people also
signed a petition requesting
1A
another open house.
Pope said the DOT would
hold at least one more pub
lic meeting should there ever
be a “buildable route” and
funding to move forward with
the project. That meeting is
actually required by federal
law. Any meetings so far have
been public information open
houses.
Pope said last week that
the DOT is “years away”
from any funding or deci
sion regarding the Hwy. 29
project.
Rain.. • cont’d from 1A
"We would have had Reggie Ingram and McGinnis Chandler
roads primed and ready to asphalt without the rains,” he said.
ROADS AFFECTED BY RAINS
County 911 director David Camp reported flooding on
the following roads Monday: Helican Springs, Piedmont
Park, Snowfarm, Colbert-Danielsville, Roy Woods, Fowler
Freeman, Osley Mill, Aderhold Rogers, Sunray Hatchery,
Wagoners Grove, J Davis and Noble roads. Trees were also
reported down on Hwy. 172 and Pinetree Drive.
Festival... cont’d from 1A
whole family, including a variety of food, such as barbecue,
stew, boiled and roasted peanuts and funnel cakes. There will
be a moon walk, train rides, duck pond and other games. The
festival will have pony rides a large array of crafts.
The Boy Scout Troop #377 will conduct opening ceremonies
at 9 a.m. The Madison County Cruisers will host a special
“cruise-in” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For Cruise-in information,
call 706-795-2645.
For more information about the festival, call 706-795-0772 or
email danielsvillefallfestival@yahoo.com.
For the best buys, read The Journal classifieds
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706-283-7326
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