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o o JULY 7, 2016 Madison County Journal ■t r v < -—-w v » ■ « w—■. « ^ v i r « /\ ^ ^ A T r» /41 nrvvi T i i'r\ n 1 r I '{~\ I A A n Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006 MadisonJoumalTODAY.com 50< Vol. 31 No. 25 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 20 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements EDUCATION School employees get 3% raise By Zach Mitcham zach@mainstreetnews.com For the first time in nearly a decade, Madison County school system employees will get a three-percent salary increase. The system hasn’t awarded an across-the- board pay increase since the 2007-2008 fiscal year. The state government has not funded schools at its own established formula in 13 years, with Madison County falling $30 million short in state funding during that time. This shortfall is recog nized as “austerity cuts.” This year, Gov. Nathan Deal reduced the “aus terity cuts.” That means Madison County is getting a $1.2 million increase over last year in state funding. Assistant superintendent Bonnie Knight noted that Deal suggested systems grant three-percent pay increases for employees with the additional funds. The increases totaled roughly $1.3 million in Madison County. “We’ve done that,” she said. “We’ve given all of our employees a three-percent raise across the board on everything. Anything you make in Madison County (schools) is increasing by three per- — See “Pay” on 2A INSIDE Index: News — 1-3 A Opinions —4-5A Crime — 6A Socials — 7-1OA, 12A Schools — 10A Obituaries — 11A Sports — 2-3B Churches — 4B Classifieds — 5-6B Legals — 7B Contact: Phone: 800-795-2581 Mail: P.O. Box 658, Danielsville, Ga. 30633 Web: MadisonJournalTODAY. com Senior League All Stars capture district title — Page IB Early voting now underway: Early voting for the July 26 runoff elections is now availabe at the Mad ison County Board of Elections and Registration Monday through Friday during business hours. Oh say can you seeP Avery large crowd showed up behind Master Basters Barbecue Saturday evening for a Fourth-of-July Fireworks show. See Pages IB and 8B for more photos. Zach Mitcham/staff Kids wave from atop a Colbert Volunteer Fire Department truck during the annual Colbert Fourth of July Parade Saturday morning. SCHOOLS Madison County will replace its regular grass turf with synthetic turf between the upcom ing football and soccer seasons. Turf decision Raider Field to get artificial grass; change is part of larger energy efficiency plan By Zach Mitcham zach@mainstreetnews.com Madison County’s football and soccer field is going the way of the New England Patriots, the Ohio State Buckeyes and FIFA soccer. It’s getting synthetic turf. School leaders say it will actually be cheaper over the long haul to pay for the always-green turf than to maintain grass at Raider Field. The new turf will be installed in the winter between the football and soccer seasons. This means no more re-sodding, fertil izer treatments, water ing. grass cutting, paint costs and maintenance of mowers for the field. “This will also make the field far more acces sible,” said superinten dent Allen McCannon, noting that many more activities can take place on a synthetic field, since grass maintenance won’t be an issue. The new synthetic field will be “cool turf,” which keeps the playing surface 30 degrees cool er in hot weather than normal. The turf won’t be in place for this foot ball season but will be installed between foot ball and soccer seasons. — See “Turf” on 2A Mailing Label Below HEALTH Danielsville boy to be featured on upcoming Atlanta radio fundraiser for childhood cancers By Margie Richards margie@mainstreetnews.com Trenton Spann, of Danielsville, will be featured in the upcoming WSB Radio’s Care-a-Thon, a 37-hour radio event bene- fitting research and programs at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, beginning on July 11 at 5 a.m. and running through 6 p.m. on July 12. Trenton and his family are new to Madison County and he will attend Madison County Middle School starting next month. The Spann family lived in Villa Rica prior to moving to Madison County, where Trenton and his younger siblings, sister Kambree, 9. and brother Gavin, 7, attend ed Sand Hill Elementary. “On Sunday, June 14, 2015, our lives were turned upside down,” Trenton’s mom. Kristy Spann, said of Trenton’s illness. She took Trenton to Tanner Medical Center’s emergency room in Villa Rica after he complained of a severe headache and back pain. Following a CT scan the ER doctor told — See “Spann” on 2A Trenton Spann is pictured with his siblings, Kambree, 9, and Gavin, 7. They are the children of Kristy and Jeremy Spann. The family recently moved to Danielsville from Villa Rica. Trenton will be featured on the upcoming WSB radio Care-a-Thon to raise money and awareness for childhood cancers. Photo courtesy of Kristy Spann