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The www.MadisonJournalTODAY.com DECEMBER 17, 2009 Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006 Vol. 24 No. 51 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 28 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements STATE GOV’T Legislative battles ahead Lawmakers discuss finances, water, transportation at annual Chamber Eggs and Issues breakfast By Margie Richards margie@mainstreetnews.com State leadership fiascos, water and transportation issues and, of course, the budget were the main topics on the minds of lawmak ers and chamber members last week during the annual Eggs and Issues Breakfast held at the Ila Restaurant. State representative Alan Powell said Georgia citi zens need to open their eyes to what's really going on in the state house. He said the state budget was not bal anced, but instead shored up by stimulus funds that will be gone in 12 to 18 months. “Then our problems will be back,” Powell said. Powell added that projec tions are that state revenues may be down by another 15 percent next year. “We’re in a heck of a shape folks,” Powell. “Any financial stability that we once had is just not there.” He acknowledged that though it’s always popular to cut taxes, “when you cut taxes, you must also cut — See “Chamber” on 2A State representative Alan Powell (at the podium) addresses the audience at the Madison County Chamber of Commerce Eggs and Issues break fast, sponsored by Georgia Power and Jackson EMC. Also pictured (L-R) are state senator Ralph Hudgens, Chamber president Marvin White, and chairman of government affairs Phil Munro. Margie Richards/staff EDUCATION A winter break? Furloughs could create a weeklong break for Madison Co. schools By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com If the state mandates three more teacher furlough days next semester, it could cre ate a weeklong break for Madison County Schools. A proposed calendar amendment would close schools Feb. 17-19 should Gov. Sonny Perdue reduce funding for teacher pay by three days like he did this semester. The first two days of that week, Feb. 15 and Feb. 16, are paid holidays for teachers. “We’re going to be get ting information in January of what’s likely to happen but probably won’t official ly know until mid-to-late February,” Madison County Schools Superintendent Mitch McGhee said. “But — See “Furloughs” on 2A GIVING Madison County Probate Judge Cody Cross (L) and father Glenn Cross (R), longtime mayor of Danielsville, will undergo simultaneous surger ies Dec. 22 to remove a healthy kidney from Cody and place that kidney into the abdomen of his dad. Margie Richards/staff CHRISTMAS Booger Hill nativity, luminaries set for Sat. A Madison County Christmas tradition will continue Saturday. The annual nativity and luminaries tour will be held from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday on Booger Hill Road and Moon’s Grove Road, south of Danielsville off U.S. Hwy. 29 in Madison County. The event features a live nativity scene with live camels, sheep and don keys, and people dressed as angels, shepherds and the wise men. The nativ ity is hosted by the Tripp Strickland family. People along the route place lumi naries along the road, and many homes are decorated with lights for Christmas. WEATHER Rains taking toll on Madison Co. school roofs A gift for dad Son to give father a kidney at Christmas By Margie Richards margie@mainstreetnews.com A s they always do, Glenn Cross and his son, Cody Cross, will spend Christmas together this year, but under somewhat different circumstances than they usually do. Instead of sitting around the Christmas tree opening presents with other family members, father and son will be across the hall from each other at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta on Christmas Day. And Glenn will be experiencing the first days of learning to live with a unique and precious gift from his son — a new kidney. On Dec. 22, the pair will undergo simultaneous surgeries to remove a healthy kidney from Cody, 40, and place that kidney into the abdomen of his dad, 61. “There are no second thoughts,” Cody said this week of the upcoming surgery. “After all, if any of us needed a heart, “After all, if any of us needed a heart, he’d give us his own, without hesitation.” — Cody Cross talking about his father he’d give us his own, without hesita tion.” Cody, who’s finishing up his first year as the county’s new probate judge, sat comfortably in his office this week next to his dad, who is ending a long-time stint as mayor of Danielsville. Since March, Glenn has been travel ing to Athens three times a week for dialysis, with each session lasting about five hours. Though he is grateful for the sessions, which have allowed him to keep working and living his life, he — See “Giving” on 2A By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com Due to abnormally high levels of rain over the past few months, leaky roofs have become the Madison County School System’s most immediate facility repair issue. “We went a couple of years without hardly any rain,” superintendent Mitch McGhee told the Madison County Board of Education (BOE) last week. “Now, every week, we’re getting inches of rain, and it’s taking its toll on our roofs.” Roofs at Ila Elementary and Madison County High School present the big gest problem areas, and the school system doesn’t have the funds to replace roofs at those two spots, McGhee said. “But we have been work ing diligently to figure out what we can do to reduce — See “Rain” on 2A INSIDE Index: News —1-3A Opinions — 4-5A Crime —6A Schools — 7-8A Socials —9-1OA Churches —11A Obituaries —12-13A Classifieds —14-15A Sports — 1-3B Legals — 4-12B Contact: Phone: 706-795-2567 Fax: 706-795-2765 Mail: PO. Box 658, Danielsville, GA, 30633 Web: MadisonJoumalTODAY com The Madison County varsity boys’ basketball team improved to 8-2 Tuesday by clobbering Loganville. — See Page 1B Raiders flying high SOCIAL SERVICES The shrinking Safety Net Advantage works to help those in need as state funding dwindles By Zach Mitcham zach@mainstreetnews.com W hen his 22-year-old brother had a violent fit, 7-year-old Andrew would sit in his room wear ing a motorcycle helmet. “It’s really pitiful,” said Deana Parten of her younger son’s fear of his sibling. Parten, of Comer, had a daughter in late August and she feared that her oldest child, Matthew, might accidentally hurt the baby. Matthew is severely mentally disabled and unable to com municate, save a few words. Parten said her son is often very sweet natured, but he also has violent tantrums. “He’ll hit and kick and bite, throw furniture and then 10 “It feels like the safety net has big, gaping holes now and we don’t have any more thread to sew them up.” — Cindy Darden, CEO of Advantage Behavioral Health Services in Athens minutes later he’s hugging you,” she said. Parten said a doctor told her when she was young that she would eventually send her son away. She was angered by the suggestion. But the tantrums got worse. Her son can physi- — See “Social services” on 2A