Newspaper Page Text
MAY 4, 2017
Madison County Journal
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Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006
MadisonJoumalTODAY.com
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Vol. 34 No. 15 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 20 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements
ARRESTS
\
JOSHUA ERIC
RIDGEWAY
Man faces
molestation,
cruelty charges
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetnews.com
A Comer man was
arrested for child
molestation and cruelty
charges last week.
Joshua Eric Ridgeway.
33. was booked into
the Madison County
Detention Center on one
count of child molesta
tion and three counts of
cruelty to children.
According to Chief
Deputy Jeff Vaughn, the
Department of Family
and Children's Services
contacted sheriffs office
Investigator Pat Holl in
February concerning
a report of child abuse
involving two children,
ages 8 and 11.
Holl arranged for
forensic interviews of the
children who explained
what happened. Vaughn
said the case involved
“touching” and other
alleged abuse.
Ridgeway was
released on a $7,500
bond.
INSIDE
Index:
News — 1-3A
Opinions — 4-6A
Crime — 7A
Socials — 8A, 12A
Churches — 10A
Obituaries — 11A
Legals — 7B
Sports — 1-3B
Classifieds — 4-5B
Schools — 6B, 8B
Contact:
Phone: 800-795-2581
Mail: P.O. Box 658,
Danielsville, Ga. 30633
Web:
MadisonJournalTODAY.
com
Mailing
Label Below
Raider batters blast
Gilmer County; MCHS
advances to round 2
— Page IB
Caleb Brown, Jacob Sartain, Adrin Free, Tate Venable and Matthew
Brantley (on ground) are pictured during rehearsals.
MCHS productions
Madison County High School’s drama department will present “How
to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” May 4-6. Photos by Zach
Mitcham
MCHS to present
musical this week
Madison County High School’s
drama department will present “How
to Succeed in Business Without
Really Trying” May 4-6.
MCHS drama director Brian Jones
describes the show as a satire of big
business and all it holds sacred. The
play follows the rise of J. Pierrepont
Finch, who uses a little handbook
called “How to Succeed in Business
without Really Trying” to climb the
corporate ladder from lowly window
washer to high-powered executive,
tackling such familiar but potent
dangers as the aggressively compli
ant “company man,” the office party,
backstabbing coworkers, caffeine
addiction and, of course, true love.
“I saw this show on Broadway back
in 2011 with Daniel Radcliffe as the
lead,” said Jones. “After seeing the
show, I knew that I wanted to direct
it one day. I also wanted to expose
my students to a classic musical that
wasn't written in the 90s or later.
Most of the shows that we have done
recently have been more modem
shows written in the 90s and 2000s. I
wanted to challenge my actors with a
show that is considered a classic from
the 60s. I also love that the show is a
satire of big business in the 60s. So
— See “Play” on 2A
Mary-Michael Chasteen is pic
tured during rehearsals.
The performances are May 4 at 8
p.m., May 5 at 8 p.m., and May 6 at
2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are $10,
and can be purchased in advance
or at the door. Advance tickets are
available until Friday, May 5, from 4
p.m. to 6 p.m. in the hallway outside
of the MCHS theater. Tickets are
cash only. Anyone with questions
can email bjones@madison.k12.
ga.us.
CRIME
Couple arrested for
abusing, exploiting
grandmother
By Margie Richards
margie@mainstreetiiews.com
A Danielsville couple
was arrested last week
on charges they abused
and exploited their
elderly grandmother,
who they shared a
mobile home with on
Sherwood Circle.
Adam Brian Fleeman,
32, was charged by
the Danielsville Police
Department with finan
cial identity fraud, first
degree forgery, abuse,
exploitation and intim
idation of elderly per
sons, financial transac
tion card fraud, neglect
to a disabled adult/elder
person, deposit account
fraud, fourth degree
forgery and theft by
taking.
His wife, Tara Jean
Fleeman, 31, was
charged with deposit
account fraud, abuse,
exploitation and intimi
dation of elder persons,
first degree forgery,
financial identity fraud,
financial transaction
card fraud and neglect
to a disabled adult/elder
person.
According to
Danielsville police
chief Brenan Baird,
the investigation began
after two witnesses
came to city hall in early
April to report that an
elderly friend of theirs
ADAM BRIAN
FLEEMAN
TARA JEAN
FLEEMAN
was living in deplor
able conditions in her
own home. One of the
women, who oversees
the victim’s checking
account, also reported
that the Fleemans’ had
been making out multi
ple checks to “cash” for
months and depleting
the victim’s checking
account.
The next day, Baird
and Captain Jonathan
Burnette went to the
— See “Abuse” on 3A
COURT
Man gets jail time, big
fine for trafficking meth
An Anderson, S.C..
man was sentenced to
jail time and a hefty
fine for trafficking in
methamphetamine
in Madison County
Superior Court recent
ly-
Roger Lee Powell
was sentenced by
Judge Chris Phelps to
serve 13 years of con
finement, seven years
of probation and pay
a $200,000 fine on the
drug trafficking charge.
Additional charges of
giving false informa
tion to a law enforce
ment officer and two
counts of possession of
a controlled substance
were dismissed.
Other recent actions
in superior court
included:
•Leon Dwayne
McKenzie, of Elberton,
was sentenced by Judge
Phelps to serve 12 years
of confinement, eight
years of probation and
pay $1,000 in fines on
charges of three counts
of second degree crimi
nal damage to property
and three counts of sec
ond degree burglary.
•Ashley Renne
Wright, of Danielsville,
was sentenced by Judge
Phelps to serve four
years of confinement,
six years of probation
and pay a $1,000 fine
on a charge of posses
sion of methamphet
amine with intent to
distribute. Charges of
possession of drug-re
lated objects, posses
sion of marijuana less
than an ounce, driv
ing with a suspended
license and failure to
stop at a stop sign were
dismissed.
•Chasity Leigh
Gearing, of Colbert,
was sentenced by
— See “Court” on 2A
o