Newspaper Page Text
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JUNE 15, 2023
Merged with The Comer News and The Daniclsvillc Monitor, 2006
MadisonJoumalTODAY.com
Vol. 40 No. 19* Publication No. 1074-987* Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. *12 Pages, 1 Section Plus Supplements
$1.00
Hull special
election
coming up
June 20
The City of Hull will hold
a special election on Tues
day, June 20, to fill three
council seats and the may
or’s post.
Polls will be open at the
Hull precinct on election
day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The precinct is located at
the Hull Civic Center on
Old Elberton Rd.
John Barber and Paul
Walton will square off in the
mayor’s race. Kathy Connell
will face Jerry Willoughby
for the Post 3 council seat,
while Cindy Bozeman will
ran against Marilyn Walton
in Post 4. Shawn Bozeman
is running unopposed for
the Post 2 seat.
HEAR FROM THE
CANDIDATES
The Journal asked can
didates to provide a few
sentences about why they
would be a good fit for their
positions and what they
would like to do if elected.
Here’s their responses.
Paul Walton, Mayor: “As
your former mayor, I have
the experience and leader
ship to enhance the qual
ity of life for the citizens
of Hull and I’m asking for
your vote.”
John Barber, Mayor: “I
have worked in a govern
ment agency for 29 years
in Athens Clarke County. I
served in the public service
for over 30 years in Fire and
in Madison County Rescue.
I have served on the Hull
City Council for numerous
years back in 1980. The
meetings and concerns of
See Election, page 2A
Index
News — 1-3A
Opinions — 4A
Crime — 6A
Socials — 3 and 5A
Churches — 5A
Obituaries — 8A
Sports — 12A
Classifieds — 9A
Legals —10-11A
Contact
Phone: 706-367-5233
Web: MadisonJcxjmalTODAYcom.
Email: hannah@mainstreetnews.com
MAILING LABEL
COUNTY, DANIELSVILLE
PROJECT: Danielsville talks about restoring
American Legion building for community center
By Hannah Barron
hannah@mainstreetnews. com
The City of Danielsville wants to turn the
old American Legion building into a commu
nity center.
Police chief Cleve Williams presented the
city’s plan for the Crawford Long St. building
to the Madison County Board of Commission
ers last week.
“There’s no civic center, at least in Daniels
ville, and we’d like to give them one and open
it up for the county residents as well,” Williams
said about the project. “This building is perfect
for that — it’s got roots in the community. It’s
been here forever. I’d like to keep it here and
keep it useful.”
He also noted that the city intends to main
tain the building’s historic elements as much as
possible but would like to incorporate hidden
modernization.
Plans include a fully equipped kitchen,
HVAC, AV equipment, tables, chairs, upgrad
ed restrooms and necessary repairs. A pavilion,
green space and walking trail are also planned
See Legion, page 2A
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Photo submitted
Five Madison County baseball players played last week in Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ 2023 Georgia/South Carolina Classic held at Emmanuel Col
lege’s Tommy Carey Baseball Field in Franklin Springs. Players from Elbert, Franklin, Hart, Lincoln, Madison and Oglethorpe counties represented the
Georgia team. Madison players included Cooper McFarlin, Conner Smith, Cole Hillsman, Shane Little and Lane Nix. Madison County High School’s head
baseball coach Chad Gillespie also participated. See more photos on 12A.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Carlton resident convicted of
distributing child sexual abuse material
A Madison County resident was convicted by
a federal jury on June 7 of distributing and pos
sessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM),
days after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation
discovered evidence that he was continuing to
distribute CSAM on a social media app and
had concurrently cut off his ankle monitor to
escape custody.
Christopher Snow, 35, of Carlton, was con
victed of one count of distribution of child
sexual abuse material and one count of posses
sion of child sexual abuse material following a
two-day trial that began on June 6 before U.S.
District Judge Tilman E. Self, III. Snow fac
es a mandatory minimum of five years up to a
maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a
$250,000 fine for each count, for a maximum
of 40 years in prison. In addition, he is facing
up to a lifetime of supervised release and will
have to register as a sex offender upon release
from federal prison. Snow will remain in fed
eral custody awaiting sentencing on Oct. 3 in
Athens.
“By cutting his ankle monitor prior to trial,
Snow attempted to evade justice for actively
distributing and possessing child sexual abuse
material involving young children; he’s lost his
freedom and will no longer be able to hint in
nocent and vulnerable kids in this way,” said
U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “It often takes
many different groups to stop a child predator,
as demonstrated in this case. I am thankful for
the excellent collaboration at every level to
protect children.”
“This conviction serves as a strong reminder
of our commitment to protecting children from
the atrocities of child sexual abuse. The GBI
remains resolute in its pursuit of justice and
will not tolerate those who exploit the inno
cence of our most vulnerable population,” said
GBI Director Mike Register.
“Snow not only distributed the disturbing
material for years but didn’t stop even after he
was under arrest and facing trial,” said Keri
Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlan
ta. “We will continue to work with our law en
forcement partners to ensure that people like
this receive their full measure of justice.”
According to court documents and evidence
presented at trial, GBI received a Cybertip
from the National Center for Missing and Ex
ploited Children (NCMEC) in Aug. 2018 that
a Facebook user distributed suspected CSAM
via Facebook Messenger. As a part of their in
vestigation, GBI was able to determine that the
user of that Facebook account resided in Carl
ton. A search warrant was executed at Snow’s
residence in Carlton; law enforcement seized
several electronic devices that Snow kept in a
padlocked room. A digital forensic examiner
later determined that those electronic devices,
including the phone that was found on Snow
the day of the search warrant, contained at least
45 images and 17 videos of CSAM. The ma
terial contained images of children under the
age of 12.
As a condition of Snow’s pretrial release, he
was required to wear an ankle monitor and not
have access to electronic devices. On June 1,
2023, GBI received an additional Cybertip in
dicating that Snow may have been continuing
to distribute CSAM on the Kik messenger
See Conviction, page 2A
COLBERT
Colbert library nearing completion; Pou resigns
By Alison Smith
Colbert may be known for its parade and food
on the Fourth of July, but the city is hoping for a
different kind of celebration this year.
It has been working on a new city library for
months and the room is near completion.
At last week’s city council meeting, the coun
cil approved the ordinance to establish the li
brary, which is required by state statute.
Flo Hix, Colbert resident who has been help
ing to plan the library, reported the new library
is 98% complete, with lighting, furniture and
placing books on shelves as the final tasks to
complete before its opening.
The hope is to have the library open during
the July 4 festivities.
Hix has high hopes for the future of the li
brary space, listing computers, tutoring and
other community services that could be good
additions for uses within it.
Currently, no hours are set for the library.
However, the tentative hours are the same as
City Hall. According to Hix, more hours could
be added with volunteer workers. Citizens
wishing to volunteer at the new library may
contact the Colbert City Hall.
Also during the city council meeting, coun-
cilmember Jonathan Pou submitted his letter of
resignation. Pou stepped in to serve as acting
mayor last year when long-time mayor Chis
Peck resigned. He has also served the county as
a member of the Madison County Recreation
Board.
In other business, it was reported that the
construction of the new fire station requires the
reconfiguring of the small street along the back
side of the building. To avoid confusion, Old
Pickard Avenue has been renamed “Cannery
Avenue.” The new street name celebrates the
history and use of the old building on the short
street.
The Colbert City Council meets at the City
Hall Auditorium on the first Monday of the
month at 7 p.m. July’s meeting is canceled due
to the July 4 holiday.
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