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Vol. 24 No. 52 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 32 Pages, 4 Sections Plus Supplements SOCIAL SERVICES DFCS could face layoffs By Ben Munro ben@mainstreetnews.com It could be a long winter for the local DFCS office. Madison County Department of Family and Children's Services (DFCS) director Lisa Plank fears layoffs could be in store for her department, though she stressed that she’s received no word from the state yet to that effect. “They haven’t said that yet,” Plank said Friday at the DFCS board meeting, “but it is a distinct possibil ity.” Madison County DFCS likely won’t know anything until the state legislature reconvenes in January. Until told otherwise, Madison County DFCS staff will continue to take one furlough day a month, except for May and June — See “DFCS” on 2A COUNTY GOVT Commissioners officially approve 2010 budget By Zach Mitcham zach@mainstreetnews.com After months of talks, county commissioners offi cially gave the thumbs up to the 2010 budget Thursday. The county budget will be down 5.4 percent next year. It’s the second straight year commissioners have whittled down the budget, with operating costs at $15 million in 2008, $14.48 mil lion in 2009 and down to $13.69 million in 2010 — a nine percent drop between 2008-2010. Commissioners agreed to cut holiday pay in half for county employees in 2010, but the board avoided lay offs and kept the tax rate steady. In other business Thursday, the group approved 35 mph speed limit signs on Shoal Creek Road and Sims Kidd Road. INSIDE Index: News — 1-3A Opinions — 4-5A Crime —6A Schools —8A Socials — 3B, 6-7B Churches —7B Obituaries —7A Classifieds —4-5B Sports — 1-2B Legals — 1-8D Contact: Phone: 706-795-2567 Fax: 706-795-2765 Mail: P.O. Box 658, Danielsville, GA, 30633 Web: MadisonJoumalTODAY. com Inside: The Journal’s annual Children’s Christmas Section Christmas Angels Christmas Angels (L-R) Gabriel Doster, 12, Colbert; Emily Strickland, 3, Danielsville; and Katherine Faircloth, Moultrie; stand in the stable Saturday night during the annual Live Nativity scene on Booger Hill Road in Danielsville. (See Page 5A for more photos). Zach Mitcham/staff THE ENVIRONMENT Group opposes Elbert County incinerator Madison Co. residents speak up at Tues. night forum on trash facility By Zach Mitcham zach@mainstreetnews.com A trash incinerator may be constructed just east of Madison County, where an estimated 1,200 tons of trash a day would be burned not far from the Broad River and the county line. So what would that mean for Madison County? Several Madison County residents voiced concerns at a public forum Tuesday night in Elberton held by Citizens for Public Awareness, a group that is opposing the project. James McCay of Madison County wondered about trash trucks carrying waste through Madison County. The estimat ed traffic flow at the facility is 128 trucks per day. “Will Elbert County be liable for any truck spills in surrounding counties such as mine?” asked McCay, who pointed out that heavy trash traffic will run from 1-85 to Madison County High School science teacher and Elberton resident Andy Felt said tox ins from the proposed incin erator near the Madison County line pose a real health threat. Hwy. 98 to Hwy. 72 if the proposal is approved. Madison County High School science teacher and Elberton resident Andy Felt spoke of the potential nega tive health effects that toxins — See “Incinerator” on 5A The Christmas Spirit of Giving A most precious gift Madison County mother presents her memoir as a Christmas gift to her family By Margie Richards margie@mainstreetnews.com J oyce Jenkins gave her children a unique gift for Christmas several years ago. It is the type of gift that will be hard to ever top - not because of its material value, but because it was a gift from her heart. The small booklet, entitled “Even a Vapour” is a book she wrote about her life, where she came from, how she grew up and her reflec tions on the experiences she has had - in other words, it was the gift of herself. The book’s title comes from James 4:14 in the New Testament, which reads, “For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then van ished! away.” Bom the fourth of six children, Jenkins said she often thought of writing some thing down about her life over the years, but always had to put it on the back burner. After all, she was a mother of four, a pastor’s wife (her husband, Ray, pastored at Bluestone Baptist Church for 30 years), owner of a daycare business (The Busy Box), a daughter, sister and friend. Joyce Lowe Jenkins sits in her liv ing room with the doll carriage she received with her first baby doll Christmas 1937. Margie Richards/staff “I’ve lived a very busy and well-blessed life,” Jenkins said. Besides, she always thought there’d be plenty of family members around to help her fill in the details when the time came for her to write. — See “Jenkins” on 2A The sons and younger brother of Charles Burkhalter (right) presented him Saturday night with an exact replica of a race car he owned and raced in the 1960s. Margie Richards/staff A very special Christmas surprise Burkhalter presented with race car Sat. By Margie Richards margie@mainstreetnews.com Not many folks can say they got a race car for Christmas, but Charles Burkhalter sure can. The word “surprised” hardly covers what Burkhalter, 72, must have felt when his sons and younger brother presented him with an exact replica of a race car he owned and raced in the 1960s. His sons, Charles Jr., George, Rex and Jeff, along with his younger brother. Mack Burkhalter, presented him with an Open Wheel Sprint race car at the fam ily’s annual Christmas gath ering, which was also an anniversary celebration for he and his wife, Shirley, who have been married 54 years this month. Burkhalter has been bat- — See “Surprise” on 2A