Newspaper Page Text
The
www.MadisonJournalTODAY.com
JANUARY 7, 2009
Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006
Vol. 25 No. 1 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 22 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements
CITY GOVT
Danielsville
considers new
election security
measures
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
New Danielsville mayor
Philip Croya wants to pro
vide no fodder for conspiracy
theorists out there.
Croya suggested changes in
election protocol at Monday
night's council meeting,
which included employing a
person outside the city gov
ernment to oversee elections
and replacing the ballot box
with a safe to protect votes
from any potential tamper
ing.
“I would like to see a more
secure election around here,”
he said.
Croya said several cities
use an election superinten
dent that’s independent from
the municipal government.
Otherwise, there might be
the assumption of preferen
tial treatment if city officials
— See“DVille”on2A
DISTRICT 47
Ginn pulls
out of state
senate race
Another candidate for the
District 47 State Senate race
has withdrawn.
Frank Ginn, Madison
County, announced Saturday
that he is no longer run
ning for the District 47 State
Senate seat, currently held by
Ralph Hudgens — who is
running for state insurance
commissioner.
Ginn, who announced his
candidacy on July 26, was
vying for the seat with Pat
Graham, Braselton; Shane
Coley, Winder; and Kelley
Gary, Hoschton. Kenny
Weaver, Hull, withdrew from
the race in November.
Ginn’s 10-year-old son,
Stephen, was killed in an
accident with a Kubota Mule
in August at the family’s
Madison County home.
“I’ve had the honor of
spending most of my adult
life in public service and was
— See “Ginn” on 2A
EJECTIONS
Elections set for 2010
Several local, state posts up for grabs this year
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Madison County voters
will have plenty on their
political plates in 2010
between county, state and
national elections.
The primaries are July 20.
All general and non-partisan
elections are Nov. 2.
Qualifying for the July pri
maries runs from April 26 at
9 a.m. to April 30 at noon.
Qualifying for the
November general elections
and non-partisan elections
runs from June 28 at 9 a.m.
to July 2 at noon.
The voter registration
deadline for the July prima
ries is June 21. The deadline
for the November elections
is Oct. 4.
Here’s a rundown of what’s
on the ballot this election
year:
•The magistrate judge’s
post, currently held by Harry
Rice, is up for election. The
qualifying fee for this non
partisan race is $1,491.95.
•Three commission spots
are up for grabs — those cur
rently held by John Pethel,
District 2; Mike Youngblood,
District 3; and Bruce Scogin,
District 5. The qualifying
fees for these partisan races
are $216.
•Two board of education
seats are up for election —
those currently held by Dr.
Robert Hooper, District 1;
and Arlen Johnson, District
2. The qualifying fees for
these non-partisan elections
are $80.22.
•Both of Madison County’s
state legislative representa
tive seats are up for elec
tion: District 29, currently
held by Alan Powell (D); and
District 30, currently held by
Tom McCall (R). The state
District 47 seat is also up
for grabs. Incumbent Ralph
Hudgens is running for state
insurance commissioner.
•At the state level, voters
will decide elections for both
governor and Lt. governor
this year. Other state elec
tions include secretary of
state, attorney general, state
school superintendent, state
agriculture commissioner,
state insurance commission
er and state labor commis
sioner.
•Nationally, U.S. senator
Johnny Isakson is up for re-
election as is District 10 U.S.
— See “Elections” on 2A
ACTIVITIES
‘Dancing the night away 5
First Saturday barn dances
sponsor a sense of community,
fun and of helping others
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
It may have been below freezing Saturday night, but inside
the old Colbert Elementary gym, folks were fired up, kicking
up their heels for the first of at least three old-time community
bam dances planned for the winter months. About 60 folks
sashayed, waltzed, or promenaded to the music, provided for
this dance by the Garnet River Gang (aka the Garnet River
Gals)
Project manager Beth Zorbanos said she was thrilled at the
turnout despite the cold weather.
Zorbanos is spearheading the three bam dances with funds
provided by a Georgia Council for the Arts Grassroots Arts
Program and also sponsored by Madison County Habitat for
Humanity.
“I'd love to see them go on beyond these three - I'd like to see
them as regular events in our community,” Zorbanos said.
And the dances are not just for the experienced - beginners
are welcome. A workshop is held at 6:30 p.m. before each
dance, and instructions are also given throughout the dance to
help newcomers learn the steps.
“The point is to have fun,” Zorbanos said.
Zorbanos first helped bring community bam dances to
Madison County 10 years ago in conjunction with the Folklife
Festivals held each spring in Danielsville.
She sees the dances as not just a way to have fun, but to
foster a sense of community. Dances have also been done as
fundraisers for a particular need of an individual or group in
the community.
“It's just a fun way to do something good for the community
Mani Ridgway and Charlie Jameson dance to the
music at the Old Time Bam Dance held Saturday
in the old Colbert gym. The dance was the first of
three planned “first Saturday” dances to be held at
the gym. Photo by Charles Richards
or someone in the community,” Zorbanos stressed. “And if you
don’t dance - it's still a lot of fun to come and watch the danc
ing. . .we have a good time.”
The next two dances, called First Saturday Old Time Bam
Dances, will be held Feb. 6 and March 6, also at the old Colbert
gym. Musicians for the February dance will be The Georgia
Mudcats and the Hogslop Springband will perform in March.
The dances are being called by Janet Shepherd. Admission is
$5 each for adults and $3 for those under 17. Nonperishable
donations to the Madison County Food Bank are encouraged
and appreciated.
For more information call 706-795-3223.
COMER
Comer
agrees to do
Tull audit’
of finances
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
Comer city council got
down to business Monday
evening with new Mayor
David McMickle and
council member Jimmy
Yarbrough on board for their
first meeting.
The council voted to con
duct a “full-audit” of the
city's finances, instead of
a less-detailed “cash audit,”
and to have it done by an
independent auditor, instead
of the city’s regular auditors
(Hawkins and McNair) at the
recommendation of council
man Howard Threlkeld.
City attorney James
Roberts recommended
Washington resident Steve
Albertson, who he said
does audits for a number
of municipalities. McMickle
agreed to contact Albertson
— See “Comer” on 2A
HISTORY
Crawford
Long Museum
to re-open Sat.
in Jefferson
Madison Go. native
remembered for
contribution to medicne
By Jana Mitcham
jana@mainstreetnews.com
There’s a pair of wire
framed glasses, along with
a case well worn from being
slipped in and out of a pock
et.
There’s a wedding day tie,
a black silk scarf that was a
present to his wife.
There’s a book of
Shakespeare, “The
Gentlemen of Verona,” with
Dr. Long’s name written on
the cover page.
A medical case with the
handle worn rough from
being gripped over and over
is opened to display cork-
— See “Long” on 2A
INSIDE
Index:
News —1-3A
Opinions — 4-5A
Crime —6A
Schools — 3B, 10B
Churches —7A
Socials — 12A
Classifieds — 10-11A
Sports — 1-2B
Obituaries —4B
Legals — 5-9B
Contact:
Phone: 706-795-2567
Fax: 706-795-2765
Mail: PO. Box 658,
Danielsville, GA, 30633
Web:
MadisonJoumalTODAY
com
COMMUNITY
‘A morning of fellowship’
Local men from various denominations
enjoy monthly gathering in Ila
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
Denominational differences may
exist among Methodists and Baptists,
Presbyterians and Holiness, but
you can't tell it by the comfortable
atmosphere that exists during the Ila
Men’s Fellowship breakfast, held on
the third Sunday of every month at
the Ila Restaurant.
At their Christmas breakfast held
Dec. 20, 44 men (including eight
pastors) from 14 different churches
around the county attended the meet
ing. The morning’s scheduled spe
cial speaker and musician, Rev. Tim
Peek, of Ila Baptist, was sick and
couldn’t attend, but the venerable
Rev. Calvin Ward, of Danielsville
Methodist, stepped up to fill in as
speaker, while vocalists Wesley and
Josh Chandler, with Danny Lord at
the piano, provided musical enter
tainment in Peek's absence.
“I love all the busyness of the sea
son, all the Merry Christmases said
to one another, the music, the TV
shows, and all the preparation for
what we’ll celebrate this Thursday
evening (Christmas Eve) - the birth
of Jesus Christ,” Rev. Ward told the
— See “Ila men” on 2A
Rev. Calvin Ward (L), speaker for the December Ila Men’s Fellowship
meeting, talks with the group’s founder, James Wofford. Forty-four
men from 14 different churches attended the Christmas meeting,
held Sunday morning at Ila Restaurant. Margie Richards /staff
