About The Madison County journal. (Hull, Ga.) 1989-current | View Entire Issue (March 12, 2025)
THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2025 - PAGE 5A News Madison County Republican Party to hold caucus and county convention On March 20, at 7 p.m., the Madison County Republican Party will convene pre cinct caucuses to elect delegates and alter nate delegates to the Madison County Re publican Party Convention. The precinct caucuses will be held at the Madison County Senior Center, located at 1265 Hwy 98 West, Danielsville. The county convention will convene at 8 p.m. on March 20, at the same location, for the purpose of electing county party del egates and alternates to the congressional district convention and the state convention. Additionally, the convention will conduct all other business as necessary. “All Madison County residents who are legally registered to vote and believe in the principles of the Republican Party are urged to participate in this process,” party leaders said. Delegates and alternates will not be re quired to pay a fee to cover the cost of the county convention. The 10th Congressional District Con vention will convene at 10 a.m. on Satur day, April 26, at the Oconee County Civic Center, located at 2661 Hog Mountain Rd, Watkinsville. The district convention will be electing the district and state committee members for the next biennial. Delegates and alternates will be required to pay a fee of $35 for prepaid and $40 at the door, which is to cover the cost of the convention. The Georgia Republican Party State Con vention will convene at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 6, in Dalton, and will elect the state party officers for the next biennial, in ad dition to conducting all other business as necessary. Delegates and alternates will be required to pay a fee, which is to cover the cost of the convention. For further information, contact Madison County Republican Party Chairman Bruce Azevedo at 706-296-3834 or Azevedo@ negia.net Sicklefin redhorse Wanted: Public comment on conserving Georgia’s wildlife If you value Georgia’s wild life and wild places, the Geor gia Department of Natural Re sources wants to know what you think about a newly up dated strategy aimed at making sure our state stays wild. From Feb. 19 to April 11, a draft of Georgia’s revised State Wildlife Action Plan can be reviewed at https://georgiaw- ildlife.com/WildGeorgiaSWAP. Created 20 years ago and updat ed each decade since, the plan guides work statewide to keep native animal and plant species from becoming more rare and costly to conserve. That lineup varies from gopher tortoises and bald eagles to tangerine darters and Chapman’s fringed orchids. The revised plan will prove critical to restoring, managing and protecting Georgia’s wild life, said Dr. Brett Albanese, plan coordinator and an assis tant chief with DNR’s Wildlife Conservation Section. Changes include identifying more than 1,000 “species of greatest con servation need” and their hab itats, laying out what can be done to conserve these creatures and plants, and providing an online map to help streamline wildlife work on public land and encourage voluntary efforts on private lands. Over 100 organizations took part in creating the draft. But more feedback is needed, Alba nese said. “This is Georgia’s plan, not DNR’s. Experts and other part ners helped develop a robust plan to address the threats to wildlife across the state. Now we need the full conservation community - and especially everyday citizens who enjoy and appreciate the outdoors - to help us refine and implement it.” Albanese said that https:// georgiawildlife.com/Wild- GeorgiaSWAP features a link to a digital version of the plan, a short presentation orienting viewers and a survey for pro viding comments. After the April 11 deadline, DNR will use the comments to make final revisions. The plan will be sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in June for approval. States update their wildlife action plans every 10 years to remain eligible for federal State Wildlife Grants. Even more important, the plans are crucial to what State Wildlife Grants firnding is focused on: power ing targeted, voluntary conser vation to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered. Georgia’s Wildlife Action Plan has been key to conserva tion since 2005. Projects such as the creation of Ceylon Wild life Management Area near St. Marys and the expansion of Paulding Forest WMA in north- west Georgia were firnded in part because they provided es sential habitat for wildlife con sidered conservation priorities. Partnerships in which stake holders pooled resources and collaborated on plan-centered goals helped keep the gopher tortoise and sicklefin redhorse off the U.S. endangered species list. Education and outreach events have spread the word about species and habitats in the action plan, informing gen erations of Georgians about the state’s wildlife and the impor tance of conserving it. For more on work done through the State Wildlife Ac tion Plan, explore the story maps at https://georgiawildlife. com/WildGeorgiaSWAP and the Wildlife Conservation Sec tion’s annual report at https:// georgiawildlife.com/conserva- tion/annualreport. The Wildlife Conservation Section is charged with conserving the more than 95 percent of native species in Georgia that are not fished for or hunted, plus rare plants and natural habitats. WILDLIFE PLAN COMMENTS •Feb. 19-April 11: Public comment period for the draft 2025 Georgia State Wildlife Action Plan. • Submit comments at https:// georgiawildlife.com/WildGeor- giaSWAP. • The website includes a brief presentation about the plan, a survey for providing comments and a link to a digital version of the draft. • Questions? Email WCScomments@dnr.ga.gov. THE PLAN/AT A GLANCE • Georgia’s State Wildlife Ac tion Plan is a statewide strategy to conserve populations of na tive wildlife species and the nat ural habitats they need before these animals, plants and places become rarer and more costly to conserve or restore. • Congress requires an ap proved plan for states to receive State Wildlife Grants, the main federal firnding source for states to conserve nongame - animals not legally fished for or hunted. • Plans must be updated ev ery 10 years. Georgia DNR’s Wildlife Conservation Section coordinates updates. But the process involves more than 100 partners and stakeholders, from conservation groups and agen cies to universities and private landowners. • Created in 2005, Georgia’s Wildlife Action Plan was re vised in 2015 and 2025. The lat est revision includes an online tool to track conservation proj ects and a digital hub to explore plan data. • The revised plan also iden tifies more than 1,000 “species of greatest conservation need” and the habitats essential for conserving them. • For more, including how to comment on the draft 2025 plan, visit https://georgiawild- life.com/WildGeorgiaSWAP. Gopher tortoise #. School Comer Elem. announces February students of the month; Young ia Author winners 039-0-82 —ill Comer Elementary School Students of the Month Comer Elementary’s Young Georgia Author winners: Braxton Welch, Blaine Knight, Brooks Youngblood, Amelia Sheinfeld, Aveigha Smith and Maris Beard. Submitted photos Comer Elementary’s February students of the month (above): Travis Casper, Noah Mosley, Elli Mae Vaughn, Jameson Murray, Lydia Kincaid, Blaine Knight, Harper Smith, Van- sui Hnem, Sofiabella Hodg es, Daphne Parham, Michael Prather, Sam Dybdahl, Amelia Sheinfeld, Johannah Vander- wark, Steven Reh, Amelia Paul, Bella Haley, Amber Paw, Na talie Talaske, Ava Elsey, Hun- ner Smith and Jacob Gokey. Character Stars of the Month The following Comer Elementary students received character star awards for empathy in February: Raygon Dockery, Thangbik Lian, Kieran Eisler, Alyson Newsome, Everett Long, Emma Fortson, Dawson Youngblood, Hutson Gravitt, Naomi Brubaker, Cheyenne Harbert, Autry Murphy, Trayson Daniel, Braxton Wood, Steven Htoo, Emma Elrod, Brooks Haley, Keyshun Fleming, Terrell Meadows, Dalton Yearwood, Blakely Shelton, Kaiden Wells, Charleigh Bell, Sarah Prys, Jaylee Collinsworth and Haelyn Strehler. Comer Elementary’s readers of the month for February: Elowen Nelson, Ellie Igna cio, Lennox Griffiths, Dawson Youngblood, Naomi Brubaker, Charlie Epps, Candice Ta laske, August Bracewell, Zoe Tun, Caroline Smith and Maris Beard. Comer Elementary bus riders of the month award winners for February: Lennon Vaughn, Ailin Miralrio-Zarco, Lizzie Clegg, Dylan Castro-Suarez, Makiah Caro, Selena Boe, Juan Guevara Balber and Iris Duffell. New Georgia Promise Scholarship applications open now As of March 1, eligible kindergarten through 12tli grade students may apply for up to $6,500 in annual funding for private school tuition, tutoring services and other qualified education expenses through the new Georgia Promise Scholarship Program. Students may check their eligibility and apply online at mygeor- giapromise.org. “Today is a great day for Georgia students and families as this next step in the launcli of the Promise Scholarship further empowers par ents to make the best decision for their child’s education,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “We know a quality education is critical to eacli child’s development and future prosperity. I’m grateful for the various state agencies that have worked so hard in the lead up to this launch, as well as our partners in the General Assembly who made this possible witli last year’s pas sage of Senate Bill 233.” The Georgia Promise Scholarship Program is open to students who reside in a Georgia public school attendance zone that is on the Georgia Promise Scholarship School List pro duced by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, and who have been enrolled in a Georgia public school for two consecutive full-time equivalent (FTE) counts (typically one academic year), or are a rising kindergar ten student. Parents must have been Georgia residents for at least a year, with exceptions for active-duty military. Families may check their initial eligibility before the application opens by answering a few simple questions through the prescreen tool at mygeorgiapromise.org. “We know that students have different learn ing styles. The Georgia Promise Scholarship Program empowers families to utilize private schools, tutors, and occupational, behavior ¬ al, physical, or speech-language therapists to best meet their unique educational needs,” said Georgia Student Finance Commission Presi dent Lynne Riley. “We are thankful for the sup port and vision of Governor Brian P. Kemp, Lt. Governor Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, and the Georgia General Assembly in creating ed ucational opportunities for Georgia families.” Georgia Promise Scholarship funds may be used for private school tuition, fees, and tutor ing services provided by an educator certified by the Georgia Professional Standards Com mission. Over 250 private schools in Geor gia have been approved to participate in the program. The next private school application window will be open from April 1 - April 30, 2025. The scholarship may also be used for text- books and supplemental materials, services from a physician or licensed therapist for occu pational, behavioral, physical, or speech-lan guage therapies, curriculum, and transportation to a service provider (up to $500 per year). Up to 50% of unused Promise Scholarship funds in an academic year may carry forward to the following academic year. Students may apply to participate in the Promise Scholarship Program eacli calendar quarter. The application portal is open now. Parents should be prepared to provide proof of residency and income verification when ap plying. The full list of required documentation to apply is available in the Family Handbook. Applicants will be notified if they have been accepted to the program after the first appli cation window closes on April 15, . To learn more about this program, please visit my- georgiapromise.org or email help@mygeor- giapromise.org.
