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OCTOBER 7, 2021
Madison County Journal
Merged with The Comer News and The Danielsville Monitor, 2006
MadisonJoumaITODAY.com
Vol. 38 No. 36* Publication No. 1074-987 • Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. • 16 Pages, 2 Section Plus Supplements
$1.00
ELECTIONS
Early
voting
begins
Tuesday
Early voting for the Nov.
2 elections in Madison
County begin at 8 a.m.,
Tuesday, Oct. 12.
All early voting will
take place at the county
board of elections office
at 20 Albany Avenue in
Danielsville. For more
information, call 706-795-
6335.
The November ballot
includes several contested
local elections.
Melanie Dove, Frank
May and Marilyn Wal
ton are running to fill the
unexpired term of Theresa
Bettis, who resigned from
the position earlier this
year.
In Carlton, Roy Fomash
will face June Hawkins for
the post three seat, while
incumbents Ken Parthun
and Pete Wagenaar will
run unopposed.
In Colbert, Cynthia
Fortson is slated to face
incumbent Ray H. Thom
as for one council seat,
and Gregory S. Magrum,
Josh Tiller and Ellyn Trin-
rud will run to fill the seat
held by Evelyn Power.
In Comer, Joey Wilbon
and Jimmy Yarbrough will
seek the mayor’s post.
Michael Bradley Free and
Sherman George Mattox
will run for the District
1 council seat, while
Michael Braxton Wilder
will challenge District 4
incumbent Eddie West.
In Danielsville, Steve
Russum and Dona Miller
qualified unopposed for
seats three and four. In
See ‘Voting’ on 2A
INSIDE
Index:
News — 1-2 A
Crime — 3A
Opinions — 4-5A
Social — 5-8A
Church — 6A
Sports — 1-3B
Obituaries — 4-5B
Legals — 6-7B
Classifieds — 8B
Highway
named for
Judge Royston
— Page 8A
Red Raiders
one win from
region tide
— Page IB
ART
FACILITIES
Murals and medicine
Professor Joseph Norman and Color-the-World-Bright feature artist Meredith
Lachin look at Lachin’s progress on a mural on the side of the Medlink build
ing in Danielsville Saturday. Photos by Zach Mitcham
Color the World Bright puts
paint to Medlink building
By Zach Mitcham
zach@mainstreetnews.com
Professor Jospeh Norman toked on a
cigar, laughing and talking with enthusi
asm while watching paint applied to the
mural on the new Medlink clinic that will
open after the new year on the courthouse
square in Danielsville.
The renowned University of Georgia
artist and educator, whose work is housed
in major museums, such as the Smith
sonian Museum of American Art, took a
moment from talking murals to place his
sandwich and orange soda order Saturday
with a member of his art team, which is
tasked with giving the one-time general
store owned by RH Daniel a facelift.
He then turned his attention back to the
work of the project’s feature artist, Mere
dith Lachin, who held a brush and a pic
ture as she worked on a ladder balanced
on rocks next to the building.
“This is a homage to Norman Rockwell
to promote good medicine practices, with
children being attended by physicians
and nurses,” said Norman, noting that the
imagery shows diversity, which wasn't
evident in the old Saturday Evening Post's
Norman Rockwell art.
Medlink, which has a clinic in Colbert,
plans to open the Danielsville facility in
the former Department of Family and
Katie Eidson, Color-the-World-
Bright project manager, works on
the Medlink logo Saturday.
Children Services (DFCS) office in early
January.
Christine Blomberg, Director of Mar
keting and Outreach for Medlink Geor
gia, said the mural team, which includes
students from the Lamar Dodd School of
Art — but isn’t funded by the university
— was commissioned to bring history and
color to the clinic's new facility.
"When we purchased the building, we
felt it was important to honor the history
of Danielsville by preserving the historical
look of the general store,” said Blomberg.
“MedLink board member and Danielsville
See ‘Mural’ on 2A
Community
center proposed
By Zach Mitcham
zach @ mainstreetnews. com
Could Madison County have a multi-purpose community
center? That’s what commissioners were asked to support
Monday night.
The group took no action and offered no “Yes” or “No”
on a proposal from county senior center director Kelsey
Tyner and recreation department director Shelley Parham
for such a facility. But more discussions are ahead.
Tyner and Parham showed commissioners blueprints for
a structure that would house the senior center and recre
ation department, while offering services to people of all
ages, such as a workout facility for county residents.
“It would serve the youngest to the oldest,” said Tyner.
“.. .Everybody’s needs can be met.”
The center would also include an indoor two-court gym
nasium for basketball and volleyball with room to host
tournaments with up to 1,400 spectators, and a second-sto
ry walking track. There would also be a dining hall for
events for up to 350 people. There would be multi-purpose
rooms that could be used for meetings, conferences and
See “Facility” on 2A
COUNTY GOVEENMENT
BOC OKs
zoning requests
By Zach Mitcham
zach @ mainstreetnews. com
Madison County commissioners spoke at length on a couple
of zoning matters Monday, then voted in favor of the applicants,
going against the recommendations of the county zoning board.
Commissioners said they didn’t like voting out of line with the
zoning board, which recommends actions to the BOC, but they
said the planning commission didn’t have all of the information
on the matter's and that they would like to see more done to get
all relevant information into that board’s hands before making
recommendations.
In the first matter, commissioners approved a request by Travis
Legg for a variance on his 97.28-acre property on Transco Road.
Legg plans to have six poultry houses on the property, but a
portion of one of the houses doesn't meet the 300-foot setback
requirement from a neighboring property. Legg told the board
he met with that property owner who said he was fine with the
plan and provided a text to Legg saying so, which Legg showed
to the board.
No one spoke against the plans, but the zoning board earlier
turned down the request because it didn’t meet the setback
requirement.
See ‘Zoning’ on 2A
Contact:
Phone: 706-367-5233
Web: MadisonJournal
TODAY.com
News submissions:
zach@
mainstreetnews.com
COURT
Man sentenced to jail time for child cruelty
A man was recently sentenced to jail
time in Madison County Superior Court
for child cruelty charges, reduced from
an original charge of child molestation.
James Christopher Angelo, no address
listed, was sentenced by Judge Chris
Phelps to serve 20 years, with the first
four years to be served in confinement
and the remainder on probation and to
pay a $2,000 fine on a charge of first-de
gree cruelty to children (reduced from
child molestation). Two other charges of
child molestation were dismissed.
Other cases recently adjudicated in
Madison County Superior Court includ
ed:
•Kieron Anthony Bratcher, of Hull,
was sentenced by Judge Jeff Malcom
to serve 20 years of probation and pay
a $1,000 fine on a charge of aggravated
battery. Charges of robbery by sudden
snatch, false imprisonment, criminal
damage to property in tire second degree,
battery family violence, hindering emer
gency telephone call and criminal tres
pass were dismissed.
•Jonathan Corey Rhea, of Athens, was
sentenced by Judge Malcom to serve
three years of probation on a charge of
possession of methamphetamine.
•Benjamin Kyle Page, of Hull, was
sentenced by Judge Harvey Wasserman
to serve 24 months of probation and pay
a $1,000 fine on charges of following
too closely and driver exercise due care.
A charge of second-degree homicide by
vehicle was dismissed.
•Ashley Alberta Gilbert, of Colbert,
was sentenced by Judge Wasserman to
serve five years of probation on charges
of identity fraud and financial transaction
card theft.
•Gregory Meadow, of Danielsville,
was sentenced by Judge Phelps to serve
12 months of probation and pay a $250
fine on a charge of simple battery.
•William Hernandez, of Colbert, was
sentenced by Judge Malcom to serve
12 months of probation and pay a $250
fine on a charge of battery. A charge of
aggravated assault was dismissed.
•Austin Tylor Clark, of Danielsville,
was sentenced by Judge Malcom to
serve 180 days in the county jail on
charges of possession of dmg-related
objects and criminal trespass.
•Chase Logan Mattox, of Comer, had
his charges of possession of metham
phetamine, possession of dmg-related
objects and possession of marijuana less
titan an ounce moved to the dead dock
et by Judge Phelps because tire U.S.
Department of Justice has expressed its
intention to present tiffs case to the grand
jury, so the state will defer prosecution to
tire federal government and will dismiss
tire case upon sentencing or acquittal in
tire federal case.
•Douglas Edward Watkins, of
Conyers, had lffs charges of battery and
failure to appear moved to tire dead
docket by Judge Phelps because the
defendant is in very poor health and is
physically unable to stand trial. Should
he recover enough to be able to stand
trial, tire state will move to place tire case
back on tire active docket.
•Kimberly Morrison, of Athens, was
sentenced by Judge Malcom to serve
10 days in confinement on a charge of
obstruction of an officer.
•Blake Randall Davis, of Comer, was
sentenced by Judge Phelps to serve 12
months of probation on a charge of sim
ple battery family violence.
•Caleb Mark Evans, of Maysville, was
sentenced by Judge Malcom to serve 12
months of probation and pay a $100 fine
on a charge of theft by taking.
•Alicia Bagwell, of Danielsville, of
Judge Chris Phelps to serve 12 months
of probation and pay a $100 fine on a
charge of criminal trespass.
•Randy Lee Snyder, of Danielsville,
was sentenced by Judge Wasserman to
serve five years of probation on a charge
of felony theft by receiving stolen prop
erty. In a second hearing, he was also
sentenced by Judge Wassennan to serve
12 months of probation and pay a $300
fine on a charge of DUMess safe/drugs.
Charges of possession of marijuana less
than an ounce, failure to maintain lane,
failure to cany license and failure to
wear a safety belt were dismissed. In
a third hearing, Wassennan sentenced
See ‘Court’ on 2A