Newspaper Page Text
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SEPTEMBER 16, 2021
Madison County Journal
Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006
MadisonJoumaITODAY.com
Vol. 38 No. 33 • Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 16 Pages, 2 Section Plus Supplements
$1.00
CORONAVIRUS
15 more
hospitalized
with covid
Fifteen Madison County res
idents were hospitalized with
covid over the past week, accord
ing to the Georgia Department of
Public Health (DPH).
The DPH Sept. 7 report
showed a total of 192 county
residents hospitalized since the
pandemic began. That number
increased to 207 on Sept. 14.
Another 196 covid cases were
reported in the county in that
time, along with the 52" d con
firmed covid death, the county’s
youngest to date, a 32-year-old
Asian female with pre-existing
conditions.
Fifteen Madison County res
idents were hospitalized with
covid over the past week, accord
ing to the Georgia Department of
Public Health (DPH).
The DPH Sept. 7 report
showed a total of 192 county
residents hospitalized since the
pandemic began. That number
increased to 207 on Sept. 14.
Another 196 covid cases were
reported in the county in that
time, along with the 52nd con
firmed covid death, the county’s
youngest to date, a 32-year-old
Asian female with pre-existing
conditions.
Madison County School
Superintendent reported at the
Sept. 14 meeting that as of 1
p.m. Tuesday, there were the
following covid-positive num
bers in the county school sys
tem: Colbert Elementary, two
students, two staff; Comer Ele
mentary, four students, no staff;
Danielsville Elementary, one
student, one staff; Hull Elemen
tary, seven students, six staff;
Ea Elementary, one student, no
staff; Madison County Middle
School, 10 students, no staff;
Madison County High School,
13 students, three staff; and the
Early Learning Center, one stu
dent and no staff. The schools
MCHS cross
country teams
win Athens event
— Page IB
Fun on the field
Taylor Doster of the Madison County Color Guard smiles during the
halftime performance during the Red Raiders’ game against Stephens
County. Photo by Zach Mitcham
ZONING
Subdivision
approved
...but BOC sets lot size restrictions
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
A major subdivision
approved for Old Kincaid
Road in 2004 never hap
pened. But now, a differ
ent developer plans to cut
the original number of lots
nearly in half and construct
an upscale subdivision on
the property. He got the go
ahead from county com
missioners Monday, but it
came with required chang
es to some lot sizes.
A request by Abe Abou-
hamdan of ABE Consult
ing to rezone 214.8 acres
on Old Kincaid Road from
A-l to R-l/A-2 for a major
subdivision was approved
4-0 by the county com
missioners Monday. But
after considerable dis
cussion, the board agreed
to require that all lots
adjacent to Old Kincaid
Road, which totaled 15 on
Abouhamdan’s site plan,
must have a three-acre
minimum. Commissioner
Terry Chandler made the
motion for the minimum
lot requirement, voicing
concerns about the small
lot sizes and traffic safety.
Though Abouhamdan
now has approval for the
project, which includes 61
lots, down from 111 homes
previously proposed for
the property in 2004, he'll
have to redraw his plans to
account for the larger lots
required next to Old Kin
caid Road. The developer
won't have to have roads
constructed for the subdi
vision, since roads were
created in the planned sub
division years ago, but no
homes were developed.
The developer told com
missioners that he plans to
have three large “estate”
tracts in the development
that will be on the A-2
property and allow for
some farming on those
tracts. But he may have
to reduce the size of those
A-2 tracts — he can't go
below five acres in an A-2
See ‘BOC’ on 2A
update the numbers each Friday
at madison.kl2.ga.us.
Madison County trails the state
in its vaccination rate, with 39
percent of residents fully vacci
nated, compared to 45 statewide.
Madison County trails the state
in its vaccination rate, with 39
percent of residents fully vacci
nated, compared to 45 statewide.
Index:
News — 1-3A
Opinions — 4-5A
School — 5 A
Crime — 6A
Social — 6A
Church — 3B
Sports — 1-3B, 8B
Classifieds — 7A
Obituaries — 4-5B
Legals — 6-7B
Contact:
Phone: 706-367-5233
Web: MadisonJournal
TODAY.com
News submissions:
zach@
mainstreetnews.com
FESTIVALS
EDUCATION
Fair set for Sept. 21-25
The 73rd Madison County Agricultural
Fair will be held at the Comer Fair
grounds Sept. 21-25.
The annual event, which is sponsored
by the Comer Lions Club, includes live
stock shows, music, rides, exhibits, night
ly drawings, a variety of food and more.
The 2021 Madison County Agricultural
Fair Entertainment Schedule is: Ramblin'
Country, 7 p.m., Sept. 21; Bluegrass Con
fidential 7 p.m., Sept. 22; Country River
Band 7 p.m., Sept. 23; Ronnie Pittman
and Big Daddy’s Band 7:30, Sept. 24;
Grains of Sand Band 7:30 p.m., Sept. 25.
All shows are included in gate entrance
fee of $5.
“Be sure to keep your ticket stub and
deposit half in the barrel at the prize tent
for nightly drawings,” organizers said.
“You must be 18 or older and you must
be present to win.”
The Saturday matinee will open at noon
and close at 4 p.m. Gate admission is $1
for ages 15 and under.
The livestock show schedule nightly
at 6 p.m. is as follows: Tuesday, swine
show; Wednesday goat and lamb show;
Thursday, dairy cow show; Friday, beef
show. The open beef show will be at noon
Saturday.
The Madison County Fair Association
is currently accepting applications for
vendors for this year's fair.
“Please come out and support your
local vendor,” fair officials said.
For more information, call Angie
McGinnis at 706-540-0404 or email her
at Angie.McGinnis@piedmont.org.
COUNTY SEAT
Danielsville agrees to
purchase used police car
County schools fare
well on Milestones
— See Georgia Milestones scores on Page 8A
By Zach Mitcham
zach @ mainstreetnews. com
The standardized tests of the spring weren’t emphasized
like usual this past school year, given all the upheaval of
a pandemic year.
Still, Madison County school leaders were pleased with
the recently received results from the Georgia Milestones.
Madison County schools were above the state average in
all but one area. (See Page 8A for a chart.)
“To judge a system on a single day of testing in a pan
demic year is unfortunate,” said superintendent Michael
Williams. “But to have some of the some of the success
were able to achieve shines a bright light on our students
and staff.”
Williams also spoke at the school board’s Tuesday
night meeting about Advanced Placement (AP) accom
plishments of students in 2020-21, noting that 31 more
students received AP college credit in 2020-21 than the
previous year, which he said was remarkable considering
the pandemic, adding that this was the biggest increase in
seven years. He reported that the high school AP students
tested higher than the global average in 13 of 15 subject
areas.
By Margie Richards
margie @ mainstreetnews.com
Danielsville’s police department will
soon have another police car.
The city council voted Monday night
to purchase a 2014 police car at a price
not exceeding $16,000, including ship
ping and other incidental charges.
Police Chief Cleve Williams presented
the council with two police cars he had
found that had been sold at auction that
need only minor modifications for use
as police cars. The council chose one
of those and Mayor Michael Wideman
asked Williams to check on the condi
tion of the tires, brakes and maintenance
before they finalize the purchase.
Also Monday night, Williams said he
held a meeting for businesses interest
ed in participating in the Christmas in
Danielsville event but only one business,
Dollar General, showed up. He said the
store was generous in providing candy
for the event and also for the traditional
Halloween Trunk or Treat, to be held in
the city hall parking lot.
Williams asked that everyone get the
word out to other businesses that more
participation is needed for the annual
Christmas event, which includes a deco
rating contest with the winner receiving
a free business license.
There will also be a residential deco
rating contest, with the winner receiving
a $100 credit on their water bill.
See “Danielsville” on 2A
COVID CONCERNS VOICED
Cynthia Fortson addressed school board members Tues
day asking them to consider instituting mask requirements
for students for protection against covid. She noted that
masks are required in hospitals and added that they do
protect people from the vims.
“This is a disease where we don’t know who has it and
who doesn't,” she said. “It’s invading our schools.”
On a related note, Williams shared covid numbers,
reporting that there were 39 students and 12 staff mem
bers positive as of 1 p.m. Tuesday. He gave a breakdown
of the number by school (see separate covid story).
CHAMBER DIRECTOR SPEAKS
Madison County Chamber of Commerce Director Anna
Strickland addressed the school board Tuesday, speaking
about the variety of ways the Chamber, local businesses
and schools are working together to help educate, train and
encourage youth through job shadowing days, workforce
See “BOE” on 2A
