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AUGUST 11, 2016
Madison County Journal
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Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006
MadisonJoumalTODAY.com
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Vol. 31 No. 31 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. *20 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements
TAXES
Tax sale
set for
Sept. 6
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
A delinquent property
tax sale will held at the
Madison County govern
ment complex at 10 a.m.,
Tuesday, Sept. 6.
Madison County tax com
missioner Lamar Dalton
said Monday that the coun
ty is advertising 66 parcels
at $81,000 in delinquent
taxes.
Dalton said there are 39
parcels with delinquencies
for 2014-2015, 17 delin
quent for 2013-2015, and
10 properties at that are
four years or more behind
on taxes.
“Several of those 10 have
came up numerous times
and never sold but I have to
keep trying,’’ said Dalton.
“Fifteen of the 66 are par
cels that made previous
arrangements and did not
follow through.”
Dalton said 96 percent
of taxes for 2015 have been
collected, while 99 percent
of property taxes for 2013
and 2014 have been col
lected.
“We began Magistrate
prosecutions for delinquent
pre-bill mobile homes this
morning and have begun
filing visits for both delin
quent pre-bills and busi
ness accounts,” said Dalton
Monday.
INSIDE
Index:
News — 1-3 A
Opinions — 4-6A
Crime — 7A
Classifieds — 8-9A
Socials — 10A, 12A
Obituaries — 11A
Sports — 1-2B
School — 3B
Churches — 6B
Legals — 7-9B
Contact:
Phone: 800-795-2581
Mail: P.O. Box 658,
Danielsville, Ga. 30633
Web:
MadisonJournalTODAY.
com
Mailing
Label Below
Raiders
dominant
in pre-season
scrimmage
— Page IB
Man faces
charge over
stolen sawmill
— Page 7A
First Day Storytime
Hull-Sanford Elementary School kindergarten teacher Diana Gaillard reads
“This School Year Will Be the Best” to her students on the first day of school
Friday. Zach Mitcham/staff
FATALITY
Man killed in motorcycle accident
A Danielsville man was killed in a
motorcycle accident on Nowhere Road
Aug. 1.
Robert Maddox, 62, died in a single-ve
hicle wreck at approximately 11:26 p.m.
about .2 miles north of Neese-Commerce
Road.
According to a spokesperson with the
Athens Post of the Georgia State Patrol,
Maddox lost control of his northbound
Harley Davidson and overturned onto the
vehicle’s left side as it continued north.
“Mr. Maddox separated from his motor
cycle and they both came to uncontrolled
rests in the northbound lane,” wrote
the patrolman. “Mr. Maddox sustained
severe head trauma and later (approxi
mately 0315 hours) died from that injury.
Mr. Maddox was wearing a non-DOT
approved helmet.”
According to Madison County coroner
Julie Phillips, there were skid marks at
the scene and it’s possible that an animal
crossed Maddox’s path.
THEFT
This road sign for former sheriff Jack Darrell
Fortson was stolen from the road leading from
Hwy. 98 to the county sheriff’s office shortly after
it was installed.
Former
sheriff’s
sign swiped
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
Who stole the former
sheriff’s sign?
A sign honoring for
mer Sheriff Jack Darrell
Fortson was stolen from
its post shortly after it was
unveiled.
The road from Hwy.
98 to the sheriff's office
was recently renamed for
Fortson. And the sheriff
stood with his sons and
grandson, along with
newly elected sheriff
Michael Moore and coun
ty commission chairman
Anthony Dove for a photo
on July 29.
Sometime shortly after,
the sign was swiped.
Dove said he received a
call from one of Fortson's
sons notifying him of the
theft.
"You got to be kidding,”
he said.
Dove said stolen road
signs are not unusual. And
no report was filed with
the sheriff's office. Road
signs cost about $30 or
$40 apiece.
"Hopefully, whoev
er has it will return it,”
said Dove, who added
that another road sign has
been ordered.
Fortson posted a request
on his Facebook page
seeking help in catching
whoever stole the sign.
— See “Sign” on 2A
EDUCATION
From China to Madison Co.
School system, local families welcome summer exchange students
Students from China chose “American” names to use during their visit. Pictured sitting on a trac
tor during a trip to Moon Farms are “Peter” (Yichao Su) and “Michael” (Xingyu Xia).
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
Eighteen students and two teach
ers from China spent two weeks
this summer in Madison County as
part of a first of its kind exchange
program.
Superintendent Dr. Allen
McCannon has worked on this
project for several years, according
to Brittan Ayers, Madison County
School System's secondary curric
ulum director, and McCannon went
to China himself to establish the
agreements and details of the pro
gram.
While there, he was approached
by ACEP (American Cultural
Exchange Programs) about building
an exchange program between a
Chinese school district and Madison
County.
Following Dr. McCannon’s visit, a
delegation of Chinese education and
finance officials from the Binzhou
Economic and Technological
Development Zone in China came to
Madison County in the spring. They
toured Madison County’s schools
and met with leaders and teachers
about the possibility of becoming
a “sister school district.” During
this visit. Dr. McCannon and the
superintendent in Binzhou reached a
“friendly agreement” about a short
term summer exchange program,
Ayers said.
In early June, five Madison
County teachers; Andy Felt, Melody
Christian, Joe Moore, Lori Ober
and Quowanna Mattox, traveled to
China to visit the Binzhou School
District.
Ayers pointed out that the trip was
financed entirely by the Binzhou
Economic and Technological
Development Zone and the teachers
stayed with host families in China.
During the two weeks they were
in China, they observed and taught
classes, interacted with teachers and
leaders and learned more about the
culture. They also met some of the
students who would be traveling
to Madison County in July for the
summer exchange program.
"The five teachers who traveled
to China, along with Sonia Code,
played an integral role in planning
the camp activities for the exchange
program.” Ayers noted.
The Binzhou school district
implemented an application process
and from that selected 18 students
and two teachers to travel to the U.S.
Though the trip was financed by
the school system in China, the
Madison County Board of Education
did set aside a small amount of
money to fund the teacher stipends
and camp supplies and incidentals
for the summer exchange program.
In addition, both Chinese and
Madison County students were able
to participate in the School Nutrition
Department’s Summer Feeding
Program for breakfast and lunch,
which provided free meals.
Fifteen host families also volun
teered to provide the Chinese stu-
— See “Exchange” on 2A