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JULY 13, 2023
Merged with The Comer News and The Daniclsvillc Monitor, 2006 4 MadisonJoumalTODAY.com
Vol. 40 No. 23* Publication No. 1074-987* Danielsville, Madison County, Georgia 30633 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers Inc. *12 Pages, 1 Section Plus Supplements $1.00
STATE
‘Operation
Southern Slow
Down’ starts July 17
State and local law en
forcement officers in five
states are warning speeding
drivers to lift their right foot
off the gas pedal or they
could find themselves hold
ing a ticket in their hands.
The warning comes be
fore the start of “Operation
Southern Slow Down,” a
multi-state speed enforce
ment campaign that begins
Monday, July 17, and runs
through Sunday, July 23.
The campaign will kick
off Monday with news con
ferences in Augusta, Geor
gia, Chattanooga, Tennes
see, Phenix City, Alabama,
and Yulee, Florida. State
and local law enforcement
officers in Alabama, Flor
ida, Georgia, South Car
olina and Tennessee will
spend the rest of the week
conducting concentrated
enforcement on interstates
and major highways in their
respective states.
According to the Nation
al Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, 12,330
people were killed in crash
es involving speeding in
the United States in 2021,
which is a 28% increase
from 9,592 persons killed in
crashes involving speeding
in the U.S. in 2019. Speed
ing was a factor in 28% of
total fatal crashes in the U.S.
in 2021 compared to 26 per
cent in 2019.
In the five states partici
pating in Operation South
ern Slow Down, there were
1,773 persons killed in
crashes involving speeding
in 2021, which is a 17%
increase from 2019 when
1,513 persons were killed in
crashes involving speeding.
Speed was a factor in 24%
of the total fatal crashes in
Alabama, Florida, Geor
gia, South Carolina and
See Speed, page 2A
Index
News — 1-2A
Opinions — 4A
Crime — 7A
Socials — 3 and 5A, 12A
Schools — 6A
Churches — 5A
Obituaries — 9A
Sports — 8A
Classifieds — 10A
Legals —11A
Contact
Phone: 706-367-5233
Email: hannah@mainstreet
news.com
Web: MadisonJoumalTODAYcom
MAILING LABEL
BOC
County commissioners extend moratorium on
accepting conditional use applications for dog kennels
By Hannah Barron
hannah@mainstreet-
news.com
The Madison County
Board of Commissioners
voted Monday to extend
the moratorium on accept
ing conditional use applica
tions for dog kennels.
The moratorium will last
through the end of the year,
county attorney Mike Pru
ett said.
The BOC also approved
amendments to the speed
zone ordinance as recom
mended by the Georgia
Department of Transporta
tion. The ordinance allows
for the use of speed detec
tion devices on approved
roadways. Main changes to
the ordinance include the
addition of an Automated
Traffic Enforcement Safe
ty Device (ATESD) to the
Comer Elementary School
zone and the extension of
the 35-mph speed zone for
College Ave. to Hwy. 72.
OTHER ZONING
MATTERS
In other zoning matters
July 10, the BOC:
• tabled a vote on a vari
ance for 7959 Hwy. 29 N,
located in Danielsville.
Applicant Michelle Kay
requested a variance to al
low a home to be built on
the property that cannot
meet front property line
setbacks, with a deficit of 35
ft., due to septic and water
issues. The item is expected
to be discussed again next
month.
• approved a zoning
change from A2 to AR for
14.35 acres located at 0
Neese Commerce Rd. in
Commerce. Summer Puck
ett, applicant for her mother
Carol J. Spataro, requested
to rezone her 14.35 acres
from A2 to AR to allow (2)
4-acre splits to gift her chil
dren for home sites.
• approved a zoning
change from A2 to AR for
two adjoining properties
containing 3.37 and 2.78
acres The properties are lo
cated at 788 Hwy. 172 in
Colbert. Applicant Melinda
Baker requested the rezon
ing to bring the lawfully
nonconforming properties
into compliance with zoning
regulations by combining
them into one tract with 6.15
acres.
• approved a zoning
change from A2 to AR for
2.98 acres located at 544
Pine Tree Rd. in Daniels
ville. Applicants Charles
and Sandra Lankford re
quested to rezone the 2.98-
acre portion of their 12.98
acres to split off for a home
site for their nephew. The
remaining 10 acres will stay
in the A2 zone. The request
Photo submitted
Mallory Lee receives a proclamation for winning the 2023 Georgia FFA Creed Speaking Lead
ership Development State Championship.
was made prior to changes
in current zoning standards.
• approved a zoning
change from A1 to AR for
7.38 acres located at 853
Foote McClellan Road in
Colbert. Applicant David H.
Drake, Jr., requested the re
zoning to bring the lawfully
nonconforming property
into compliance with zon
ing regulations and to allow
a 2.639-acre split to gift his
grandchild, with the remain
ing 5.01-acre tract to include
his son’s existing home.
OTHER BUSINESS
• recognized Madison
County Middle School stu
dent Mallory Lee with a
proclamation. Lee won the
2023 Georgia FFA Creed
Speaking Leadership Devel
opment State Championship
and will represent MCMS
and Georgia FFA at the na
tional contest this fall in In
dianapolis.
• discussed amendments
to the travel policy for coun
ty employees.
• heard from chairman
Todd Higdon about road
projects. He said TSPLOST
paving overlay projects will
start in August on recently
patched roads. The county
has also received grants for
patching, striping and sig
nage projects. Higdon also
congratulated Colbert and
Ila’s Black Antler Tattoo
Shop on their successful
Independence Day celebra
tions.
COMMUNITY
Boys & Girls Clubs of Athens host first
organization-wide field day at Sandy Creek Park
The Boys & Girls Club
of Athens held their first
ever organization-wide
field day.
Organized by Boys &
Girls Clubs of Athens
staff member Tyrique
Dunn, kids from all
Clarke County units —
Joel E. Smilow, H.T.
Edwards, Rocksprings,
Nellie B and YouthForce
Innovation Hub; as well as
The Boys & Girls Clubs
of Jackson County and
Winder-Barrow County
gathered at Sandy Creek
Park for a whole day of
food and fun.
Dunn, who current
ly serves as the program
coordinator for Boys &
Girls Clubs of Athens’
YouthForce Program, saw
a demand for a closer con
nection amongst the clubs.
With that in mind, he put
together this event to al
low kids from different
schools, clubs and coun
ties to get to know one an
other. It also allowed club
staff from across the re
gion to meet and connect
over their shared devotion
to kids and their develop
ment.
Field Day activities in
cluded basketball, kick-
ball, tug-of-war, water
games, and dancing. The
Sheriff’s Department pro
vided hot dogs and ham
burgers for all attendees
and Big Boy Wings of
fered wings and fries from
their food truck. Attending
the event were 500+ Boys
& Girls Club members and
Club staff.
About Boys & Girls
Clubs of Athens
Since 1962, the Boys
& Girls Clubs of Athens
have given youth a safe
place to learn about life
and explore possibilities
for the future. Our youth
development programs,
See Clubs, page 2A
DANIELSVILLE
Danielsville Farmers Market to expand at
end of summer with more vendors, longer hours
By Alison Smith
Mayor Michael Wideman
reported Monday that the
Danielsville Farmers Market
has been a huge success and
the market committee plans
an expanded market for the
last one of the summer.
On Saturday, August 26,
the market will feature ex
tended hours and more invit
ed vendors than the home
made and homegrown wares,
which have been featured at
the regular markets.
According to Wideman,
organizers plan to allow
food vendors, including food
tracks, entertainment, a safe
ty seat initiative from police
chief Cleve Williams and
more.
The details for the market
are in progress, so the city will
announce specific vendors
and times for the expanded
market on the Danielsville
Farmers Market Facebook
page. Vendors wishing to join
the market may contact dan
ielsville .marketmanager@
gmail.com.The city donates
$10 to the Madison Ogletho
rpe Animal Shelter from each
vendor fee.
Until the August 26 market,
the Danielsville Farmers Mar
ket is held on Saturdays at the
Danielsville City Hall parking
lot from 8 a.m. to noon.
EXTENSION
Madison County’s UGA Extension Office
welcomes Travis Tankersley as new ANR agent
The Madison County
Extension Office recently
welcomed Travis Tankers
ley as its new Agriculture
and Natural Resources
agent.
Tankersley, a lifetime
native of Madison County,
has a bachelor’s degree in
animal science and is no
stranger to the livestock
exhibiting industry be
cause he grew up show
ing swine, dairy cattle and
goats. He looks forward
to serving in a communi
ty where he can raise his
daughters to also be ad
vocates for the agriculture
industry.
“I am excited to serve
my community as the new
UGA Extension Agricul
ture and Natural Resources
Agent for Madison Coun
ty,” Tankersley said. “I have
had the privilege to grow up
in the county and now start
my own family here. My
wife Rachel and I recently
welcomed our twin girls
Lillian and Conley Jane to
the world earlier this year.
I graduated from Madison
County High School and
have a bachelor’s degree
in animal science from
the University of Georgia.
My background is full of
livestock shows, commu
nity service and leadership
skills that I look forward to
using in this new position.”
There is a “Meet-n-
Greef ’ planned for Monday,
August 7, from 2 to 4 p.m.
If you’d like to meet Tank
ersley, stop by the Madison
County Extension Office
(97 Sunset Dr., Daniels
ville) and introduce your
self. You can also contact
him via email at tlt73907@
uga.edu.
Photo submitted
Travis Tankersley and family
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