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NOVEMBER 24, 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. 33 No. 44 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 20 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements
EDUCATION
Schools
receive
high marks
The Madison County School
System recently ranked eighth
in Georgia in “safest school
districts” in the state and ninth
in “best places to teach in
Georgia.”
The system ranked 21 st out of
170 systems in “districts with
the best teachers in Georgia.”
The Madison County system
was ranked 29 th in “best school
districts in Georgia.”
The rankings were given by
Niche, which ranks over 8,000
public school districts based on
statistics and millions of opin
ions from students and parents.
Niche gave Madison County
an overall “B+” grade, with a
B+ in academics. A- in teach
ers, C in clubs and activities, B
in diversity, B in college readi
ness and A in health and safety.
For more about Niche, visit
kl2.niche.com/rankings/
PLANNING
Land use
map meeting
set for Dec. 6
Madison County plan
ning officials are work
ing on an update to the
county’s land use map,
which gives commission
ers direction on how the
county should grow.
The Madison County
Planning Commission
met Nov. 1 on the map. A
second meeting is sched-
— See “Map” on 2A
INSIDE
Index:
News — 1-3A
Opinions — 4-5A
Crime — 6A
Socials — 7-9A
Churches — 10A
Obituaries — 11A
Schools — 12A, 8B
Sports — 1-2B
Classifieds — 3-4B
Legals — 5-7B
Contact:
Phone: 800-795-2581
Mail: P.O. Box 658,
Danielsville, Ga. 30633
Web:
MadisonJournalTODAY.
com
Mailing
Label Below
Red Raiders
win season
opener
— Page IB
Smith named
grand marshal
of Comer parade
— Page 3A
HEALTH
‘Forever grateful’
Madison County EMS crew saves life of a 2-day old infant in cardiac arrest
Pictured (L-R) are E-911 dispatcher Kay C Wilson, Banks County EMT Lucas Vendrillo, Madison
County paramedics Lori Hope and Danny Scarborough, dad Ronnie Steed and mom Natalee
Steed (seated) holding six-week old Rylee. The emergency professionals worked in tandem to
save the life of the infant when she went into cardiac arrest at just two-days old. Not pictured:
paramedic Frankie Crane (who drove the back up ambulance) and ambulance driver and para
medic Lane Vandiver. Margie Richards/staff
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
There was an early celebra
tion of Thanksgiving last week at
Madison County EMS Station 1
in Danielsville.
The occasion?
They were celebrating the life
of now 6-week-old Rylee Steed,
who has gained two pounds and
grown two inches since her birth
on Oct. 4.
It was just two days after that
birth when such a celebration
didn’t seem in the cards for lit
tle Rylee, who went into cardiac
arrest just after her parents arrived
home with her from the hospital.
She’d been bom a healthy full-
term infant at St. Mary’s Hospital,
weighing in at 7 pounds two
ounces and like all new parents.
Ronnie and Natalee Steed were
thrilled with their beautiful little
girl.
Mrs. Steed said she noticed
Rylee seemed a little weak before
they brought her home, but was
assured it was just because she
was a little jaundiced, as many
newborns are.
“I let her sleep for a while (after
they got home) and then I tried to
wake her up to breastfeed her and
couldn’t get her to wake up.” Mrs.
Steed said. She said little Rylee’s
eyes rolled back in her head when
she lifted her up and she looked
as if she might be seizing.
The Steeds live north of Ila
in an area with poor cell phone
reception, so they both jumped
in their truck with their baby and
began to head toward Athens.
“I just drove.” Mr. Steed
remembers, panicked and all
the while searching for a signal.
When he did get through to 9-1-
1, it was to Jackson County 9-1-1
who transferred them to Madison
County E-911.
Dispatcher Kay C Wilson
answered the call, instructing
them to pull into the nearby EMS
station in Ila.
“It was startling to hear that it
was a newborn baby in distress.”
Wilson said. “I just tried to keep
them as calm as possible and tell
them where to go for help.”
Mrs. Steed said she just held her
daughter to her chest and prayed
for her not to die until they could
— See “Baby” on 2A
THANKSGIVING
DROUGHT
Students offer thanks
Ila third graders share Thanksgiving thoughts
Third-grade students at Ila Elementary
School offered their thoughts last week
on why they’re thankful.
Here’s what a few had to say:
COPELAND CAREY
I’m thankful for my friends that greet
me everyday. I’m thankful for my
family that takes care of me and that
buys my every need. I am thankful for
my school and my teachers that teach
me five days a week. I am thankful
for Saturday and Sunday where I get a
two-day break. I am thankful for planet
Earth or I wouldn’t be here writing on
this piece of paper. I am also thankful
for the three meals I get every day.
KYLEE TREADWAY
I am thankful for my Bible because
my grandpa and grandma gave it to
me. I am thankful for my family and
my friends, because they are sweet. I
am thankful for my church, because
it is the best and it is fun there. One
last thing I am thankful for is God and
Jesus, because he took my sins away.
CORBIN WOOD
I am thankful for us to have equal
rights. And I am thankful for us to
have a family. Next. I am thankful for
us to have freedom in our lives. Third,
that we come to school, because I love
to learn.
Ila Elementary third graders
write down why they’re thankful.
ELIZABETH COOK
I am thankful for my family and
when they laugh with me, it makes my
heart all happy. I am thankful when
we have a bonfire and we roast marsh
mallows and hot dogs. We laugh and
sometimes we sing songs. I am thank
ful we have a Thanksgiving and we
celebrate at my Nana and Papa’s. One
thing I am thankful for is the tradition
that we do eat turkey, rolls, ham and all
kinds of stuff. One more thing to add is
I love my family so, so much.
RYLEIGH BOOTH
I am thankful for my mom. dad
and my two brothers. I am thankful
for jobs. I am thankful because if we
did not have jobs, we would not have
money. I am thankful for friends. They
— See “Thanksgiving” on 2A
Open fire ban in
effect in Madison Co.
An emergency declara
tion banning open fires in
Madison County is now
in effect.
Madison County
Chairman Anthony Dove
and the Madison County
Emergency Management
Agency have imposed a
ban on all outdoor fires
to include, without limita
tion. cooking fires, recre
ational fires, outdoor fire
pits, bonfires and other
similar outdoor burning.
This ban is effective
immediately and will con
tinue until rescinded by
further order. County law
enforcement and code
enforcement officers are
authorized to take actions
necessary to enforce this
ban. The ban is deemed
necessary due to locally
extremely dry and windy
conditions.
In addition, Governor
Deal has declared a level
1 drought condition for
Madison and 57 other
north Georgia counties.
— See “Fire” on 2A
RECREATION
Canoe launch site ribbon
cutting set for Nov. 30
Madison County will soon have its first public
access point to the Broad River.
The Broad River Watershed Association is spon
soring the first public canoe launch in the northern
section of the Broad River. A Briar’s Landing Canoe
Launch dedication and ribbon cutting will be held at
11 a.m„ Wednesday, Nov. 30.
Briar’s Landing, at the Hwy. 72 bridge in Madison
County, will be part of a 70-mile long Broad River
Water Trail, the water equivalent of a hiking trail from
Franklin County to Lincoln County.
— See “Canoe” on 2A