March 2005 News Stories

STEPHENS COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD HIRES NEW HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH
March 31, 2005

Travis Noland

Stephens County High School has a new football coach. After a called meeting last night, School Superintendent Gary Steppe recommended Travis Noland for the position. Noland is currently the head football coach at Tuscola High School in Waynesville, NC. Noland has a 8-4 record this year at Tuscola. The Board then approved Steppe’s recommendation.

Over 30 candidates applied for the position, which was vacated earlier this year by Charles Winslette. That number was eventually narrowed down to five finalists by Steppe. Winslette announced his resignation in January. He has since moved back to his hometown of Eatonton, Georgia where his coaching football at a private academy.

The City of Toccoa is working on coming up with a separate set of municipal codes that specifically governs historic districts. At this week’s regular meeting, city commissioners approved an ordinance that would ban future storefront churches from the downtown area. “A business district is for businesses,” commented commissioner Bob Troup.

After the vote, mayor Ken Davis asked commissioners to make the new law the foundation of a new municipal code for the future downtown area, which will soon be designated a historic district. Davis said there are three areas in the city currently being proposed as historic districts. They include the downtown area once the canopies come down and the mall is re-opened, West Doyle Street where the old Coats and Clark buildings are, and E. Tugalo Street. “Toccoa doesn’t have any guidelines or codes that specifically apply to historic districts,” Davis explained. “We need an administrative structure to govern these areas,” he concluded. The new municipal codes would be written in conjunction with guidelines set forth by the National Historic Preservation Act.

A Toccoa man is recovering from injuries he received trying to escape from a house fire.

Carnes Creek and Shiloh Volunteer Fire Departments responded to the blaze on County Farm Road off Prather Bridge Road about 10:30 PM Tuesday night. When they arrived, firefighters say the blaze was primarily in the front of the house.

Neighbors called 9-1-1 when they could not wake the homeowner. The unidentified man suffered cuts on his arms and body when he jumped through a glass window to escape the flames. He is being treated at Stephens County Hospital. His name has not yet been released.

It is not known what caused the fire and there is currently no investigation being conducted since the homeowner reportedly did not have insurance.

Stephens County homeowners will get an additional property tax break in fiscal 2006, along with home owners in the rest of the state. Yesterday, the State Legislature agreed to more than $432 million dollars in state tax relief for Georgia homeowners. The Homeowner Tax Relief Credit provides homeowners with a tax break on their county, school, and state property taxes.

Under the plan, the homeowner’s tax relief credit will be increased by $2,000 a year until the total credit reaches $18,000 – assuming funds are available. The money will come from the state general fund each year according to State Senator Jack Hill (R), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. In Stephens County, the estimated payout in fiscal 2006 is $1.5-million – up from $1.3 million in 2003.

There are literally hundreds of young Stephens County students involved in the 4-H program in the school system.

Last night, their hard work paid off with the annual Awards Banquet, with many of the students receiving recognition.

Lisa Thomas is the Stephens County 4-H Program Assistant. She said many of the students are recognized for the respective projects that they complete each year.

The 4-H program is losing a valuable supporter in County Extension Agent Bob Waldorf, who will be leaving for another assignment in neighboring Banks County. Lisa said that the organization will really miss him.

Not only students but some teachers in the schools and outside organizations also received awards last night…

City and county officials met this (Tuesday) morning for a discussion of the e-911 mapping system as it concerns citizens in the city of Toccoa.

The mapping will affect about 10,000 utility customers in the city. The county will put the utilities department in touch with the computer software officials to make the match-up between the county’s information and how it will affect the city’s system already in place.

Mayor Ken Davis wants to know if the cost of changing street names and numbers will be worth it to residents in Toccoa.

E-911 Communications Director Paige Crocker said that very few streets in the city of Toccoa will be affected by the re-mapping.

Ms.Crocker said that the emergency personnel will have electronic maps when the system is enacted. Those maps will enable to give the EMTs, police or firemen an exact location of an emergency.

It was also revealed that a 911 advisory board will be formed to take care of any future problems, either in the city or in the county.

The Toccoa Stephens County YMCA held a Community wellness Screening this week. The information provided during the screening was designed to give those who took advantage of the screening information that hopefully will help them develop a healthy lifestyle.

Brad Wilkinson is the Director of the Toccoa YMCA. He said that the YMCA wanted to be a part of the community and this was a way to perform a community service.

Debbie Yates is the Chief Volunteer Officer and Physical Specialists, who said that there are a number of health issues involved and the screening was a way to define those issues.

According to Dr. Mark Cohen a doctor of internal medicine at the Toccoa Clinic, said that there are certain risk factors for persons who live in this area.

The Toccoa branch of the YMCA hopes to schedule more screenings every other month.

Republican Congressman Charlie Norwood was in Toccoa yesterday afternoon for a brief visit.

The stop-over was part of a two-week tour of his 9^th district and his first trip back to Georgia since having lung transplant surgery last fall. Norwood says he’s feeling great. “I’m doing really well and the doctors tell me I just have to work on getting my diaphragm healed up, which should be by this summer,” Norwood said. “Then I’ll be able to get rid of this last bit of air I have to be on,” he said.

When asked by AM630 WNEG News Director MJ Kneiser, Norwood says he’s happy that Stephens County will be getting a part of $16-million dollars in federal highway funding next year. “Remember that’s money that belongs to the people of Stephens County,” he said. “That’s money they paid out in gasoline taxes so I’m glad it’s coming back to the people,” Norwood said. The County will receive $2.9 million next year. The money will be used to extend the 17 Bypass.

Today, Norwood will have lunch with House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R) IL in Athens before returning to Washington, DC tonight.

A Stephens County man pled guilty to first-degree arson and insurance fraud. Last summer, Matthew Mcelwaney reported his classic Ford Mustang had been stolen and he collected thousands of dollars in compensation from his insurance company.

However, several weeks later, workers with the U.S. Forest Service found the burned out vehicle under some brush and debris in some woods near Lake Louise. Mcelwaney received probation and was ordered to pay fines and court costs.

The unemployment rate in Georgia for February rose to 5.3 percent from 5 % in January. State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond attributes the rise to an increase of nearly 12,000 unemployed workers, despite an increase in the number of jobs. Thurmond says job growth in the state has not kept pace with the growth in the labor force, which is causing a weak job market. Last month, Georgia added 18,000 new jobs, mostly in the service-related industries.

One of two suspects accused of mugging a Dominos Pizza deliveryman last fall is now serving time in the state prison system. The trial of 18-year old Jarvis Montgomery of Kyte Street was to have gotten underway Monday, but according to Stephens County assistant district attorney Richard Bridgeman, Montgomery pled guilty last week. “Montgomery was sentenced to 5 years in state prison and five years probation,” Richards said. “He was also ordered to pay restitution, fines and court costs,” he said.

Montgomery’s alleged accomplice, 19-year old Laforest Shirley, maintains his innocence. Bridgeman said his trial, which was to have also taken place Monday, was continued until the June 6^th trial week.

Police say last October, Shirley and Montgomery lured Dominos Pizza deliveryman 52-year old David Matthews to the corner of Morgan Place and Skyview Lane, then beat and robbed him of the pizzas and about $40 in cash. Matthews suffered a broken nose and multiple injuries to the head. Montgomery and Shirley were arrested last December after witnesses told police where to find them.

A popular over-the-counter cold remedy will soon be behind the counter. Last week, the State Senate voted unanimously in favor of House Bill 216, a proposal that would take drugs whose main ingredient is pseudo ephedrine off the store shelves. The move is an effort by the State Legislature to fight spiraling methamphetamine abuse rates. One ingredient of the illegal drug is pseudo ephedrine, which is commonly found in cold remedies, such as Sudafed. The bill now goes before Governor Sonny Perdue to be signed into law.

Once signed, the law will go into effect July first, except in counties where the sale of pseudo ephedrine is already regulated, such as in Douglas County where the local ordinance is tougher than the new state law.

Those counties have until January 1, 2006 to change their ordinance to meet the statewide standard.

Next weekend we will once again spring forward into daylight savings time. And when setting your clocks Saturday night, it’s also a good time to check the batteries in your smoke detector. State insurance and safety fire commissioner John Oxendine is urging Georgians to remember to do the check.

Oxendine says every year Georgia experiences numerous fires in homes that didn’t have working smoke detectors. Daylight savings time begins Sunday, April 3^rd at 2 a.m.

SEVEN DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES RECEIVE SPECIAL RECOGNITION FROM CITY
March 25, 2005

Main Street Award Winners

The City of Toccoa’s Main Street program and the Downtown Development Authority paid tribute to downtown business and property owners last night at a special awards reception. Seven downtown businesses were recognized for their contribution to the growth of the downtown area.

They included, Whistlestop owner James Vanderwoude, who received the Best Historic Preservation Project award for his Whistlestop caboose. Royal Cleaners owner Wally Jordan received the Best Exterior Renovation award.

A Special Recognition award went to Stephens Federal Bank for their sponsorship of the mural painted on the RC Cola distribution building on W. Currahee St. Girl Scout Troup 218 received the Outstanding Community Service award for their work on the 2004 Harvest Festival. The Downtown Awareness award went to Georgia Power for painting the downtown streetlights along Foreacre Road. Diane Lawson, owner of Dream Givers Art Gallery received the Most Original Newcomer award, and the Best Adaptive Re-use award went to Terry Graham – who tore down his Terry’s Car Wash…and built a new office complex in its place on the corner of Broad and Tugalo Streets.

TRAIN DEPOT GROUND BREAKING SHATTERS THE PAST, BUILDS FOR THE FUTURE
March 25, 2005

Main Street Director Connie Tabor wielded the first blow to old train depot Thursday with a gold sledgehammer – smashing out one of the old windows, officially beginning the start of construction. Dozens of City and County officials joined business and community leaders for the official groundbreaking, or rather, window breaking of the depot.

Tabor recalled the many years of hard work it took to bring the City to this point, beginning with the City Commissions of the late 70’s early 80s. Then in the 90’s, the City began working in earnest to purchase the depot and was finally successful after years of negotiations. “It is fitting that the City owns the train depot because our town was founded and based on the railroad, and it is fitting that we should be here today to begin renovations on this historic site,” she said.

Once complete, the depot will house the new offices of the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce. Chamber Director Cynthia Brown said they’re looking forward to moving to the depot later this year.

The depot will also house the new Stephens County Historical Society Museum and offices. Society President Brenda Owens says the Society has big plans for the new space. “ We came in at the tail end of this project, but we have a lot of plans for our part of the depot and we are very grateful to be here,” Owens said. Owens said they hope to be in their new space at the depot by this year’s Camp Toccoa reunion. A dedication service is planned for that weekend.

The City of Martin has been attempting to upgrade its water system for the last year. One of the major projects is the construction of a new water tower.

With all of the paperwork now in place, Mayor Don Foster said the city is now ready to apply for a loan to help pay for the tank.

The city is hoping to get an interest rate of about 4.2 per cent on the loan. Bids will be advertised in the local paper and the bids will be opened on April 28^th at 10am. At Martin City Hall.

The water tank is expected to cost about $350,000. The city had been thinking about building a tower of concrete instead of steel because of the price, but Mayor Foster said that wasn’t possible.

The price of steel has been dropping over the last couple of months, and the city hopes to be able to save a little money by the time the bids are opened.

HOSPITAL AUTHORITY SPENDING ON NEW EQUIPMENT INCREASES NUMBER OF PATIENTS
March 25, 2005

The Stephens County Hospital Authority spent over one million dollars last year purchasing new radiology equipment.

Hospital Administrator Ed Gambrell said that the hospital has had an increase in the number of patients and procedures since the new equipment is in place.

At this week’s authority meeting, Gambrell told authority members that the hospital has seen a steadily rising figure in the number of admissions, births and various procedures offered by the hospital.

MYSTERY INTO MAN’S SUICIDE CONTINUES IN OCONEE COUNTY, SC
March 24, 2005

The mystery into a shooting death at a Seneca motel this week continues to unfold. Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis has ruled the death of 34-year old Ronnie Lavern Wilson a suicide. Wilson was pronounced dead Wednesday morning at Oconee County Hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Officers say Wilson confessed to killing someone shortly before taking his own life.

Then Wednesday afternoon, officers found the body of a man in a remote part of northern Oconee County.

Authorities say the body had been at the bottom of a 75-foot ravine off a scenic overlook for about two weeks. So far, investigators will not speculate on a motive for the killing, but have confirmed that Wilson knew the victim they discovered yesterday. Coroner Addis is conducting an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Seneca police were at the Town and Country motel late Tuesday night looking for a stolen vehicle out of Easley when an altercation between officers and Wilson occurred. Wilson was shot twice, once by an officer, but Addis determined that gunshot wound was not severe enough to have killed him. The officer is on administrative leave with pay until the investigation is concluded.

A new report says Toccoa Falls College and Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs have contributed millions of dollars to their local communities and to the Northeast Georgia economy. A study by the Georgia Foundation for Independent Colleges, shows Toccoa Falls College pumped approximately $25.8 million dollars into the region’s economy in fiscal 2003. Additionally, the college accounted for an area employment impact of 593 jobs.

The study also showed that Emmanuel College contributed about $18.4 million dollars into the Northeast Georgia economy in fiscal 2003 and accounted for an area employment impact of 460 jobs.

The total economic impact of 27 of Georgia’s independent colleges and universities is estimated to be at more than $5.5 billion dollars, according to the foundation’s study.

The Toccoa Symphony Chorus is looking for new voices to be part of their upcoming season finale in May.

Director Bob Snead says you don’t have to be virtuoso to sing with the chorus. For their May 15^th performance, the chorus portion of the concert will include music from the classics to country. That portion of the show is called, “From Grand Opera to Grand Ol’ Opry,” and will feature music from Bizet’s opera Carmen, and several country standards from Nashville’s Grand Old Opry.

Snead says the arrangements are coming from a friend of his in Nashville who is the conductor for the orchestra that provides music for the country music award shows. An audition to participate in the chorus is not required. You just need to show up to rehearsals April 5^th at 7 p.m. at Toccoa First United Methodist church.

The County wasted no time in finding a new County Marshall. Marshall Rocky Harding announced his retirement earlier this month. His last day is March 31^st.

County administrator Darrell Hampton says they have hired Stephens County Sheriff’s deputy Dan Merck. Merck, an investigator with the Sheriff’s Department, was the only internal candidate who applied. He begins his new duties as marshal on April first.

Toccoa’s Main Street program has a busy day scheduled for Thursday. According to Director Connie Tabor, groundbreaking ceremonies at the train depot will be held Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. “We’re inviting the public to attend this historic event, which officially launches the renovation work,” she said.

Local leaders from the City, County, and State will be on hand, along with members of the Stephens County Historic Society and the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce.

Then Thursday evening, Main Street will pay tribute to some downtown property and business owners at a reception in their honor. “We will be honoring seven downtown businesses who have been instrumental in helping with the canopy removal and renovations,” Tabor explained. Main Street is currently working on securing state, federal and private grants to take down the downtown canopies and re-open Doyle Street.

The City is also working with a group from the University of Georgia to come up with a design for the downtown area once the mall is removed. Thursday’s reception begins at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall commission meeting room.

It’s a case of too little, too late. Local arborists work to save some historic trees on the old Stephens County courthouse grounds. John Durant, owner of Arbor Works began pruning the trees Monday morning. Durant says most of the trees are in very bad shape due to years of drought and neglect. “Right now all we’re doing is crown cleaning – cutting off dead branches and limbs,” he said.

People passing by the courthouse grounds may have noticed that many of the old oaks are covered in mistletoe. Durant says it’s another sign the trees are stressed, but he says their condition is so fragile they cannot remove it all. “We will try to get as much off as we can, but with trees this fragile, you don’t want to cut too much on the green branches because the trees can’t handle the stress,” he said. “Plus you don’t want to prune a lot this time of year between bud and full leaf because it inhibits growth,” Durant said.

The worst problems, according to Durant are with the trees on the Alexander Street side of the courthouse where four of the old oaks are dying. One water oak along Tugalo Street is in such bad shape, according to Durant, it represents a liability for the county and should be removed. “They really should cut it down because dead limbs could fall off and hit a pedestrian walking on the sidewalk,” he said.

He says had the county paid to have the trees tended over the years, they could have lasted for centuries.

Durant recommends the county consider having either an arborist or volunteer group regularly tend the trees to try and preserve what they can.

In a massive turnaround from last year’s failed attempt at renewing federal highway funding, Georgia not only won back its 90% return guarantee on federal highway taxes, but increased the ratio to 93%. Recently, the House of Representatives passed the Transportation Equity Act (HB3) by an overwhelming 417-9.

House bill 3 includes $16-million dollars for new highway funding for Georgia’s 9^th district. Out of that, Toccoa-Stephens County will receive $2.9 million dollars to extend the Toccoa Bypass to County Road 311. “The days of sticking it to Georgia in Washington are over,” Republican Congressman Charlie Norwood said. The bill now goes to the Senate where it is on track for passage later this year.

U.S. Congressman Charlie Norwood is back in his home state of Georgia after undergoing lung transplant surgery last fall. This is his first visit back home since the surgery. Next week, Norwood will be in Toccoa to meet with constituents and take a tour of the downtown area. He will also be stopping by AM630 WNEG studios in the afternoon.

Norwood returned to Augusta over the weekend and will be touring all of his 9^th district over the next couple of weeks.

Last summer, the 63-year old Congressman announced he had idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which causes scarring in the lungs and interferes with breathing. In November, he underwent a three and a half hour lung transplant in a Virginia hospital. Since then, he has been recovering at his home outside Washington, DC. In January he returned to light duty on Capitol Hill.

Stephens County Hospital Administrator Ed Gambrell informed the Hospital Authority members of the increasing admissions to the hospital in the last three years. In the year 2004,there were 3514 admissions to the hospital. The hospital also recorded 500 births for the first time in it’s history.

In a power point demonstration Monday, Gambrell indicated that 37 per cent of admissions to the emergency room last year were not actual emergencies.

Gambrell feels that the service that Med-Link provides would be a great help, not only to the emergency room personnel but to the citizens of the county, who would have their medical needs served and at the same time, save some money.

The administrator has been invited to a meeting with Med Link this week and at that time he will enter into discussions with the firm about possibly establishing a location in Stephens County.

Gambrell revealed that 12 per cent of visits to the emergency room last year involved patients who had either life threatening illness or injury or who needed immediate attention.

City of Martin Wants Cell Tower Approval Within City Limits
March 22, 2005

The City of Martin has been trying to get approval for the location of a cell tower in the city limits since late last year.

Mayor Don Foster reported to the city council Monday night that the city still does not have the approval yet of the Georgia State Historical Society.

The main sticking point is the fact that the tower is located on property in Martin that is listed on the Register of Historical Sites in the state. The owner of the property, Diane Cole, has told the mayor she’ll take some drastic measures with the group if the site is not approved soon.

Meanwhile, the city has had two more offers from companies that want to lease space on the cell tower, if the approval is given.

The Terry Schiavo case in the state of Florida has raised questions about who has authority over someone who is in a strategic health situation where the person cannot provide for himself. Mrs. Schiavo has had a feeding tube removed after 15 years, but the case is now going to court to determine if that feeding tube will be put back in.

Perhaps the case never would have been in the limelight had a “Living Will” been drawn up. The “Living Will” gives the person in question the right to determine how they wish to die if they find themselves in that type of situation.

Toccoa attorney Alan Ramsey said here in Georgia, there are two methods of protecting the right of the patient.

Ramsey said that a “Living Will” can only be challenged by a family member in court, but it is very difficult to overturn.

Work began last week on the train depot renovation. Construction supervisor Philip Howell was on the job Friday doing some final inspections prior to this week’s construction work. Howell spent the day going through the old building looking for any trouble spots that may have gone unnoticed, and he says he has found a few. So far, Howell says he’s discovered some leaks in the roof and some deterioration behind walls, but nothing he thinks will be a major concern.

Meantime, demolition and grading of the lot next to the loading dock was completed over the weekend.

That area is where the Stephens County Historical Society plans to construct another building, which will house a stable recently brought over from Great Britain. Members of the 506th paratroopers used the stable during World War Two. Main Street director Connie Tabor says a formal groundbreaking ceremony is planned for later this month.

The Currahee Arts Council is the recipient of a challenge grant from First Citizens Bank. A check in the amount of $10,000 was given last Friday to Alton Adams, the Arts Council’s building committee chairman.

According to Adams, the money will be used to continue renovating the Schaefer Center.

Adams recalled the long relationship the Arts Council has had with the Bank of Toccoa, now First Citizens – a relationship begun by the bank’s founders. “Bill Clary was very active along with many other leaders in our community in the formation of the Arts Council and the acquisition of the then Ritz Theater, as well as the renaming of that facility as the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts,” Adams explained. “The Bank of Toccoa, now First Citizens, cumulatively has made the largest contribution to the total cost of renovating the Schaefer Center,” he said.

Georgia division executive for First Citizens Toby Goodlett made the presentation. “The Bank of Toccoa has had a long tradition of supporting the arts in Stephens County,” Goodlett said. “We wanted to offer a challenge grant to the Arts Council in honor of the Bank of Toccoa’s legacy and also in memory of Mr. Telford and Mr. Clary, who were very instrumental in supporting the Arts Council for many, many years,” he concluded.

Renovations have been ongoing for the past 20 years at a total cost of about $300,000. Adams says the theater has undergone a complete overhaul, including new stage, lighting, seats, and electrical wiring. This grant, along with another $10,000 raised by the Arts Council will help complete the work.

History continues to put Toccoa on the map and attract international attention. Over the weekend, Toccoa played host to a movie crew from Russia. The crew was in town interviewing local middle school children and shooting various locations, for a documentary they are putting together about Joseph Byerle.

Byerle was part of the 506^th paratroopers who was captured by the Nazis during World War Two after jumping into Normandy, France. He later escaped and eventually fought with the Russians against the Nazis before returning to his regiment.

Beyrle wrote a book about his exploits entitled, “A Simple Sound of Freedom,” and regularly visited Toccoa to speak to school children about his experiences. He was also instrumental in putting together the annual Camp Toccoa reunion, which will be held again this year in October. Ironically, Byerle died in his sleep in Toccoa late last year after coming to town with his son to speak to students.

Toccoa city planning department is considering imposing tighter guidelines on local storefront churches – particularly in the downtown area. The group met Thursday night to go over guidelines followed by other cities in Georgia. According to Planning Department director Connie Tabor, the City is looking at guidelines from Griffin and Duluth, georgia.

The guidelines in those cities are used to prevent churches from occupying storefronts that might be located in a central business district. As Toccoa continues its plan to remove the canopies and renovate the downtown area, the stricter guidelines would be used for the area along Doyle Street from Alexander Street to Pond Street and from Tugalo Street to Foreacre. Currently, Toccoa allows churches in any zoning area.

Tabor says the guidelines would likely require storefront churches to have off-street parking behind the building and to adhere to certain building codes. The only storefront church currently located downtown is a Church of God. Tabor says existing churches will be grandfathered in.

U.S. Congressman Charlie Norwood is asking for help from citizens in Stephens County. Norwood is researching whether the government should reform social security and if so, which plan offered so far, is the best. Norwood spokesman John Stone says people can take a survey on the Congressman’s Web site, which will help them get an idea of what Norwood’s constituents think.

There are five plans on the Congressman’s Web site that Norwood is asking people to read about first before taking the survey. In the survey box, on the Congressman’s main page, click on, “March 1 Weekly Column” to be taken to the page that explains all five plans. Stone says so far, the feedback they’re getting runs pretty much across the board. The survey will be on the Web site for about another week. Norwood’s Web site is www.house.gov/norwood.

The Stephens County Historical Society held another planning meeting for the Stephens County Centennial Friday morning at the museum on Pond Street. Society president Brenda Owens says so far, the planning committee has several events in mind for the four-day event, beginning with a banquet at the Georgia Baptist Conference Center. “The banquet will also include entertainment,” she said. “Then on Friday, we’re planning to have several dances around town that night, but the real festivities will begin on Saturday with a parade that morning,” Owens said. The parade will have a centennial theme with participants dressing up or building a float that depicts a specific decade or event in Stephens County’s history.

Owens says the parade will be followed by a day of various fun events, including more entertainment, old-time business displays, and contests. The tentative dates for the centennial celebration are August 18^th through the 21st.

So far, two architects have been contacted by the county to survey the old middle school buildings in Eastanollee and come up with a cost figure for turning the buildings into the new e-911 dispatch center. On Monday, County Commissioners asked County administrator Darrell Hampton and County attorney Rusty Smith to contact architects and have them look at the properties. Hampton says so far, a local architect, Buddy Lawson has looked at the properties and on Thursday, Tom Mays – an architect from Demorest also looked at the property. Once the architects have submitted their reports, Hampton and Smith will make their recommendations to Commissioners. Hampton says they expect to turn in their recommendation sometime before April 15^th.

Work on the e-911 mapping system is behind schedule but should be done within the next couple of months. Dan Richards, president of Flagship GIS, the company responsible for the mapping, says all the requests for changes to private drives and other streets has delayed the project. “We’re going as fast as we can,” Richards said. “But it takes time to go back and process requests for changes,” he said.

Right now, Richards literally has over 300 requests for road and street name changes on his desk. But Richards says he understands how people can become emotionally attached to a road or street name and is willing to work with citizens to make the changes required. However, requests cannot be taken forever.

As the changes are made, copies are being sent to the post office where they are being keyed into their data base. Once over 80% of the changes are in, the post office will send out letters to all residents telling them to begin using their new addresses. At that point, no new name changes will be taken, according to Richards. However, Richards says it will be some months before that happens.

Meantime, another date has been pushed back – the date to begin posting new addresses on mailboxes and houses. Richards says the April 15^th start date will likely be moved to May or June because of all the requests for changes.

After literally years of planning, construction is expected to begin within days on the train depot renovation. That’s the word from Mainstreet director Connie Tabor, who says a final pre-construction meeting was held Wednesday. “We met with the architects, Carter Watkins, Bowen & Watson Construction, and the representatives with the State Department of Transportation to go over initial costs and what they need to begin work,” Tabor said.

Tabor says demolition should begin sometime before the end of the month. Work had been stalled for months while the City worked out construction costs with Bowen & Watson and the architects. Original bids on the project came in last fall at twice the amount of the grant awarded by the DOT. Since then, the City has worked with the architects and the construction company to cut costs and come up with a workable budget. The City is planning a formal groundbreaking ceremony the last week of March.

If there was ever a question regarding the energy efficiency of the new Stephens county middle school, those questions were answered last night. Tony Pressley is in charge of energy management for the school system, and has been monitoring the financial aspect of energy for the last 6 years.

Speaking before the board of education last night, Pressley said that in the months of August of 2004 through January of this year, the new middle school, which has just under twice the space of the current high school, spent $69,000 in energy bills. The high school, in comparison, with its design and older heating and cooling systems, spent $106,000.

Pressley has recommended to the board that teachers and administrators shut off their computers at the end of each working day and for the weekend. He said the board would be amazed at the cost savings.

Pressley said.” We did some calculations using a figure of 2000 computers which is far less than we have in the system. If everyone turns off their computers at the end of each day, instead of leaving them on constantly, the system would save about $175,000.”

Another issue that Pressley says is very important is the fact that when school is called off or there is a holiday, often teacher’s work or custodian’s work and the lights are on and the building has to be heated. Pressley said that should stop.

“Once the schools are closed, they should be shut down completely for the day, not heated or cooled just for a few individuals who show up that day.”

The Stephens County School System has been taking part in the energy management program for the past six years and now has saved one point four million dollars in energy costs over that period.

A seven-man team from the southern association of colleges and schools has inspected Stephens county high school for it's 5-year evaluation.

Stephens county school superintendent Gary Steppe said” the team was impressed with many areas of the high school. They spoke with teachers, administrators and students and had a lot of good things to say about the activities at the high school.”

The committee did recommend that some lab equipment in the science lab be replaced because it didn't work, there should be more communications between the school, the parents and the community and the system should invest in more mobile labs and have more support personnel.

Steppe said, “The SACS committee at the high school has been working on a 5-year plan for the last 18 months and are already working on many of the recommendations of the panel.”

In other action from the board of education meeting, the board approved a measure, which would have the community, and the board approves the official school logo. The logo will be published in area newspapers. The approval would prevent any future coach from changing the arrowhead with "sc" on it for different uniforms.

All current personnel were re-hired by the board with the exception of those retirees and those personnel who have resigned to take other jobs.

Gary steppe has announced that Friday May 6th will be a make-up day for a day that the schools were closed back in September because of an impending hurricane that was coming through the area.

AT MONDAY NIGHT’S TOCCOA CITY COMMISSION MEETING, THE COMMISSIONERS GAVE THEIR BLESSING ON A PROJECT THAT MAY BRING A SENIORS APARTMENT COMPLEX TO THE AREA. THE COMPLEX WOULD BE LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF ROSE LANE AND ROTHELL ROAD.

THE BRADEN GROUP, A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY THAT DEALS WITH SENIOR INDEPENDENT HOUSING, BASED IN SUMMERVILLE, GEORGIA, RECENTLY CONTRACTED AN EIGHT-ACRE SITE ON WHICH TO BUILD 60 APARTMENT UNITS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS. JERRY BRADEN OF THE BRADEN GROUP SAID TOCCOA IS THE PERFECT SPOT FOR THE APARTMENT COMPLEX BECAUSE THERE ARE VERY FEW APARTMENTS FOR SENIORS IN THE AREA AND IS BEHIND OTHER COMMUNITIES.

THE SIGHT IS ALREADY ZONED PROPERLY AND REALLY DOESN’T NEED THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY. HOWEVER WITHOUT IT, THE GROUP CANNOT RECEIVE TAX CREDITS FROM THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS. WITH THE FUNDS, THE COMPLEX COULD NOT BE BUILT SO THAT SENIORS COULD AFFORD THE RENT.

THE COMPLEX WOULD HAVE 28 ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENTS AND 32 TWO-BEDROOM APARTMENTS, PLUS A DANCE HALL AND A FULLY EQUIPPED EXERCISE ROOM.

BRADEN SAYS HE IS GRATEFUL FOR THE CITY’S SUPPORT. IF ALL GOES AS PLANNED HE SPECULATES THAT THE APARTMENTS COULD BE READY FOR OCCUPANCY BY DECEMBER OF 2006.

AT MONDAY NIGHT’S CALLED STEPHENS COUNTY COMMISSIONER’S MEETING, THE BOARD VOTED TO CEASE ANY FURTHER CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH SAUNDERS AND DISIMONE. THAT’S THE COMPANY THAT HAD ALREADY PLANNED THE E-911 CENTER FOR THE HILLTOP LOCATION BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS VOTED TO CHANGE THE LOCATION.

THE VOTE MONDAY NIGHT WAS TO FREE THE BOARD TO HIRE AN ARCHITECT WHO WILL DESIGN A NEW E-911 CENTER AROUND THE CURRENT LOCATION, WHICH IS AT THE OLD STEPHENS COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL IN EASTANOLLEE.

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DARRELL HAMPTON SAID THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN ARCHITECT HIRED WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS.

ANOTHER MEASURE THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WANT TO RESOLVE IS A VACANCY FOR THE COUNTY ROAD SUPERINTENDENT. THE BOARD WANTS TO INTERVIEW THE FIVE APPLICANTS AND HAVE SOMEONE IN PLACE BEFORE THE PAVING SEASON GETS HERE.

A LAVONIA MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH THEFT BY DECEPTION AFTER PAWNING A GUITAR THAT WAS STOLEN IN HART COUNTY.

THE GUITAR WAS PAWNED AT THE TOCCOA PAWN SHOP FOR $100. A HART COUNTY INVESTIGATOR OBTAINED A CONFESSION FROM THE SUSPECT, IDENTIFIED AS 30 YEAR OLD WAYLON PEARSON OF THE GUMLOG SECTION OF LAVONIA. THE GUITAR AND CASE WERE RECOVERED AND THE INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN TURNED OVER TO HART COUNTY AUTHORITIES.

SHERIFF’S OFFICERS RESPONDED TO A REPORT OF A STOLEN 4-WHEELER.THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FROM A RESIDENCE ON SKYVIEW LANE. HOWEVER THE SUSPECTS REPORTEDLY ARE FROM BANKS COUNTY. THE TOCCOA POLICE AND THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT ARE BOTH COOPERATING IN THE INVESTIGATION. SO FAR THERE ARE NO ARRESTS.

SEVERAL WEAPONS WERE TAKEN FROM A RESIDENCE ON BROOKHAVEN CIRCLE. RICHARD HENRY TOLD OFFICERS THAT WHEN HE RETURNED HOME FROM VACATION, HE FOUND A MOSSBERG 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN AND A MARLIN .22 CALIBER RIFLE MISSING. THE VALUE OF THE WEAPONS HAS BEEN PLACED AT ABOUT $2700.

A QUANTITY OF STEEL PIPE WAS TAKEN FROM A LOCATION ON THE CLARY CONNECTOR. SOME $500 WORTH OF 2-INCH ROUND STEEL PIPE AND HEAVY DUTY WALL TUBING WAS TAKEN FROM THE LOCATION.

ACCORDING TO THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN JANUARY WAS 6.2% - UP FROM 5.8% IN JANUARY.

FOR THE MOUNTAINS REGION, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE ROSE TO 4.1% IN JANUARY – TWO-TENTHS OF A PERCENT HIGHER THAN REVISED 3.9% IN DECEMBER.

AN ATLANTA DEVELOPER MAY BE LOOKING AT TOCCOA AS THE SITE OF A NEW APARTMENT COMPLEX FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.

THE BRADEN-FELLMAN GROUP IS BASED IN BUCKHEAD IN ATLANTA WHERE THEY SPECIALIZE IN RENOVATING OLDER PROPERTIES AND TURNING THEM INTO LOFT APARTMENTS AND CONDOMINIUMS.

HERE IN TOCCOA, THEY ARE LOOKING AT BUILDING THE SENIOR CITIZEN APARTMENT COMPLEX ON THE CORNER OF ROSE LANE AND ROTHELL ROAD. TONIGHT, CITY COMMISSIONERS WILL CONSIDER A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR THE BRADEN GROUP TO BUILD THE COMPLEX. NO WORD ON WHEN CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN.

THAT’S THE LATEST CHARGE TO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FROM COUNTY ATTORNEY RUSTY SMITH AND STEPHENS COUNTY SHERIFF GENE SORRELLS.

LAST WEEK, SMITH ADMONISHED COMMISSIONERS TO BEGIN WORKING ON A SITE FOR THE NEW JAIL NOW.

SMITH TOLD COMMISSIONERS THE NEW JAIL, WHICH WILL BE BUILT WITH SPLOSH FOUR MONEY, WILL BE A MUCH BIGGER PROJECT THAN E-911, SO THEY NEED TO BEGIN WORK ON IT NOW. SHERIFF GENE SORRELLS AGREES. FEARING A REPEAT OF THE FOOT-DRAGGING GOING ON WITH REGARD TO E-911, EVEN THE STEPHENS COUNTY GRAND JURY IS PUSHING FOR THE COUNTY TO START WORK ON THE PROJECT NOW.

THE NEW JAIL WILL COST ABOUT $7-MILLION DOLLARS TO BUILD. SHERIFF SORRELLS SAYS HE’D LIKE TO SEE IT BUILT ON THE SAME PROPERTY THE OLD JAIL NOW SITS ON. THE CURRENT JAIL IS OVER 40YEARS OLD AND DOES NOT MEET CURRENT STATE PRISON STANDARDS.

TOCCOA POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A MAN WHO CARJACKED A COMMERCE WOMAN IN TOCCOA LAST WEEK. IT HAPPENED ON WOODS STREET IN THE NORTHEAST HOUSING AUTHORITY COMPLEX. THE VICTIM IS IDENTIFIED AS 25-YEAR OLD STEPHANIE SPARKS OF COMMERCE.

SPARKS TOLD POLICE SHE WAS GETTING INTO HER CAR IN THE PARKING AREA OF THE HOUSING COMPLEX LAST THURSDAY NIGHT WHEN THE SUSPECT FORCED HIS WAY INTO HER VEHICLE.

THERE, HE SNATCHED HER PURSE AND FLED ON FOOT. THE CASE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION AND SO FAR, POLICE HAVE NO SUSPECTS.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WILL TAKE UP THE ISSUE OF IMPLEMENTING E-911 AGAIN TONIGHT IN A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.

LAST WEEK, COMMISSIONERS REFUSED TO HIRE THE ENGINEERING FIRM OF SAUNDERS AND DISIMONE TO BEGIN WORK ON A PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE NEW SITE.

THE COMPANY HAD PREVIOUSLY DONE THE PLAN FOR THE HILLTOP TRAINING CENTER SITE, AND HERB SAUNDERS TOLD COMMISSIONERS AT THEIR MEETING TUESDAY NIGHT THAT HE WAS READY AND WILLING TO BEGIN WORK ON THE PLAN AND TO BEGIN PUTTING OUT THE BIDS FOR ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS.

HOWEVER, COMMISSION CHAIRMAN STEVE CHITWOOD ASKED WHAT THE MANAGEMENT PLAN WOULD INVOLVE.

AS SAUNDERS BEGAN TO EXPLAIN, HE WAS INTERRUPTED REPEATEDLY BY A REPRESENTATIVE FROM JOHN SMITH, OWNER OF GUMBY COMMUNICATIONS, THE COMPANY WHO WANTS THE CONTRACT FOR THE EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION.

A DEBATE BETWEEN THE TWO WENT ON FOR SOME TIME BEFORE COUNTY ATTORNEY RUSTY SMITH STOPPED IT. COMMISSIONER KEN PEEPLES THEN SAID THE COMMISSION NEEDED MORE TIME TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO AND THE MATTER WAS LEFT AT THAT.

TONIGHT’S MEETING WILL LIKELY DISCUSS WHEN TO BEGIN WORK ON RENOVATING THE OLD MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

TOCCOA POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING AN ASSAULT LAST WEEK ON ALMOND STREET. THE VICTIM, JAMES ELLIS, TOLD POLICE THREE MEN JUMPED HIM ON THE CORNER OF FRANKLIN AND CURRAHEE STREET LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AND BEAT HIM. POLICE SAY ELLIS HAD BLOOD ON HIS MOUTH.

ELLIS TOLD POLICE HE KNOWS WHO THE SUSPECTS ARE. POLICE ADVISED HIM TO SEE THE MAGISTRATE JUDGE.

It’s not clear what step County Commissioners will take next regarding the renovation of the old middle school, which will house the e-911 dispatch center. This week, Commissioners refused to hire the engineering firm of Saunders and DiSimone to begin work on a project management plan for the new site.

Herb Saunders told Commissioners at their meeting Tuesday night that he was ready and willing to begin work on the plan and to begin putting out the bids for engineers and architects. Commission chairman Steve Chitwood asked what the management plan would involve, but as Saunders began to explain, he was interrupted repeatedly by a representative from John Smith, owner of Gunby Communications, the company who wants the contract for the equipment installation. A debate between the two went on for some time before County attorney Rusty Smith stopped it. Commissioner Ken Peeples then said the Commission needed more time to find out exactly what they needed to do and the matter was left at that.

SAFETY IN THE COURTROOM A CONCERNS FOR STEPHENS COUNTY JUDGES
March 11, 2005

Friday morning’s murder of a Fulton County Superior Court judge in Atlanta has judges across the state concerned for their own safety. Here in Stephens County, which is part of the Mountain Judicial District, Judge James Cornwell, Jr. says he and other judges constantly live with the fear of retaliation from suspects and their families. “Every time we walk into a courtroom, the threat of violence is there,” he said.

Cornwell says he recently sentenced the wife of a Habersham County man to prison. “After the sentencing, her husband threatened to kill me,” he said. “Ironically, I met a man this week who told me he was in the courtroom and heard Alan Parham’s threat. ‘I took it very seriously,’ the man said and he contacted the District Attorney’s office,” Cornwell continued. “However, the DA refused to press charges and Parham is out on bond after serving 10 days for making terrorist threats,” he concluded.

In another instance in Habersham County, an alert bailiff spotted a large knife in the back pocket of a suspect during an arraignment hearing. Courtroom is security is a problem, especially in rural judicial districts, according to Cornwell. Despite that, Cornwell says he will not live his life in fear.

Judge Cornwell will preside over two upcoming trials here in Stephens County. The first is the case of Misty Miele, who is accused of trying to murder her husband by poisoning his food. Miele’s trial comes up in May. She is currently out on bond.

The second is that of Javaris Montgomery and Laforest Shirley. The pair is accused of mugging a Dominos Pizza deliveryman last fall. Their trials are set for the end of March.

PIKE COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT HAS TIES TO STEPHENS COUNTY
March 11, 2005

The Pike County school superintendent accused of enticing a 15-year old girl for sex over the Internet is from Stephens County. Records show 43-year old Earnest Darryl Dean of Zebulon, Georgia graduated from Stephens County High School in the late seventies. Sources tell WNEG News Dean was in Stephens County visiting relatives as early as last week.

Dean is charged with engaging in computer pornography and felony child exploitation. Authorities in Peachtree City say Dean used his office computer to entice what he thought was a teenage girl for sex.

It turned out that the girl was really an undercover officer with the Peachtree City Police Department.

Dean has been school superintendent in Pike County for two years. Before that, he taught high school.

The location of the new Wal-mart will soon be inside Toccoa city limits. County commissioners this week approved a request from the city to extend the city limits from White Pine Road to the 17 Bypass. Toccoa requested the move as part of a deal worked out with Wal-mart to provide Toccoa City fire and police protection, as well as City sewer and water service. City manager Billy Morse praised the County for the prompt decision. Morse said State Representive Jeanette Jamieson will be submitting local legislation this week. Once that is done and the corporate limits extension is approved, the City Commission will then formally approve the Wal-mart location.

Stephens County Hospital’s blood supply is extremely low and the low turnout Wednesday at the Blood Connection’s blood drive in Toccoa only made matters worse. The blood mobile was parked behind the Toccoa police station until 3 p.m. but according to donor resources manager David Moody, hardly anyone showed up. That was bad news for the Blood Connection, which supplies blood to Stephens County Hospital. Moody says they are not looking for any particular blood type. “Right now we just need blood of all types,” he said. If you missed this week’s opportunity to donate, you can still do so, according to Moody. “We will be holding several more donor drives around Stephens County this month,” he explained. “You can also call our toll-free number to find out where and when you can donate,” Moody said. The number for the Blood Connection is 1-800-392-6551.
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Now that the mapping of streets and roads for e-911 is well underway, many street names will be changed and some roads with no names will get them. That means the County has to make about 3,300 new street signs according to e-911 communications director Paige Crocker.

Commissioners this week approved Crocker’s request to purchase a street sign-making machine rather than have inmates with the Georgia Department of Corrections make them. The price to have the Department of Corrections make the signs is $29,535. At a cost of $23,642, the machine would save the county about $6,000 and take less time. “It takes about three to six months to get street signs from the Department of Corrections,” Crocker told Commissioners. “With the machine, we can have them done in a matter of days,” she said.

Dispatchers will learn how to use the machine, which will be housed at the new Dispatch Center. The machine also includes fiberglass signs, computer software, and reflective lettering. The sign-making machine will be paid for with SPLOST IV funds as part of the e-911 funding.

A Toccoa woman will likely be spending some time in a Pennsylvania prison for cutting the feeding tubes of patients in a Philadelphia nursing home. 53-year old Joan Wood Barnes was found guilty in a Philadelphia court yesterday of six counts of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, and possession of an instrument of crime.

Prosecutors say last September, Barnes cut the feeding tubes of patients in her care when she learned the nursing home was not renewing her contract. Afterwards, Barnes fled to Toccoa with her husband and hid out at her in-laws. Toccoa police found Barnes several days later hiding in a storage shed.

The patients, three women and three men ranging in age from their 40’s to their 80’se not seriously injured, but required surgery to replace their feeding tubes. Barnes will be sentenced may 31^st.

State representative Jeanette Jamieson is praising the State House Ways and Means Committee for endorsing a bill that will return tax money to Georgia servicemen and their families. House Bill 167, also known as the “Hero Legislative Package” passed in committee last week after Jamieson issued a “Do Pass” motion. Jamieson says the bill is part of an overall group of benefits designed to help our servicemen.

“This legislation provides for an exemption form state income tax of all income, military and otherwise, when a member of the Georgia National Guard or any reserve component of th Eu.s. Armed Services is called into active duty for at least 90 days,” she explained.

Men and women in the military covered under the legislation will be allowed to amend their 2002 and 2003 returns to claim the exemption. “We often forget about our National Guard servicemen and the sacrifices they and their families make when they leave their civilian careers to serve their country,” Jamieson said. “We feel like this package of legislation is a way to say ‘thank you,’” she concluded.

House Bill 167 now goes to the House Rules Committee and then to the full House, which Jamieson says will likely happen later this week.

Stephens County is looking for a new County Marshal. Marshal Rocky Harding submitted his resignation this week. Harding says it was just time to call it quits. “I’m retiring,” he said in a recent interview. “I’m not angry with the Commissioners, it’s nothing like that. I’ve been thinking seriously about this for some months now. I have some health issues that I need to address, and it’s just time to retire,” he explained.

Harding has been County Marshall for the past seven years. Before that, he served as a Stephens County Sheriff’s deputy for eight years. Harding’s last day is march 31^st. County Administrator Darrell Hampton says the County will be advertising for a new marshal in the coming weeks.

Students in Stephens County will start school in mid August again this year. Legislation that would have forced all Georgia school systems to move the school start date to late August or early September died in the house late last week. School officials from across the state were on hand for the three-hour house sub-committee hearing last Thursday to offer their views both pro and con. Afterwards, the committee voted 10 – 3 to reject a measure that would have required all schools to begin the school year sometime between August 29 and September 7^th.

School Superintendent Gary Steppe says he’s pleased with the outcome and believes it’s another attempt by the State to control Georgia schools. “We believe local school systems should be in charge of deciding when children go to school,” Steppe says. “It is our contention that local school systems know what is best for their children, not the State,” Steppe concluded. Many parents, however, are for a later start date because, they say, it gives them more time to plan vacations with their children.

Another step in canopy removal process. City officials and downtown business owners are studying designs of what Doyle Street might look like once the canopies come down. Graduate students from the University of Georgia’s Center for Community Development were in Toccoa this weekend studying the downtown area and helping the City design how it will look in the future.

On Friday, the group held an informal lunch meeting with business, property owners and citizens to get their input. Julia Reed is a landscape design graduate student at UGA and is part of the team studying downtown Toccoa. “We want to get input from downtown business owners and others in the City as to what they would like to see here,” she explained. “We also want to get input on issues such as, parking, landscaping, and other areas,” Reed said. The group presented their designs to the Downtown Development Authority on Saturday. Those designs will now be sent out to business and property owners to select the one they like best.

Lavonia police are looking for a suspect in connection with an attempted armed robbery last week. It happened last Thursday at the Dollar General store on Highway 17. Police Chief Randy Shirley tells WNEG a white male entered the store and picked up a candy bar to pay for it. “While the register was open, the suspect demanded money,” Shirley said. The suspect fled when a customer entered the store.

“That customer tried to chase the suspect, but lost him behind the strip mall,” Shirley continued. “Witnesses told my officers that they saw a black SUV speed away at a high rate of speed from behind the store and we think the suspect was in that vehicle,” he said.

Bloodhounds from Alto were called in to assist in the search. The suspect is described as a white male, in his early 20s. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a dark royal blue windbreaker and blue jeans.

No word on the future of Sandies’ Pets, now that storeowner Evelyn Nelson is behind bars in South Carolina for ill treatment of animals. Nelson was sentenced Thursday to 30 days in the Oconee County Detention Center and must pay over $5,000 in fines and vet bills on charges she abused and neglected 210 dogs, cats, and birds at her Westminster, SC home.

On February 11^th , an inspector with the State Department of Agriculture visited her Toccoa store on Collins Road. In his report, Ray Deluca said his department would not get involved in the South Carolina charges unless nelson was charged. Nelson was charged February 17^th with three counts of ill treatment of animals. Nelson is thought to have been breeding dogs at her home and selling the puppies at the store. However, Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Jackie Sosby says they don’t know where nelson got her animals.

Over the years, Department of Agriculture records show that Nelson was repeatedly cited for lack of proper record keeping. When asked to see her records during a routine inspection in November, 2004, Nelson told them she had accidently thrown her books in the trash. In the February 11^th report, inspector Deluca gave Nelson until the 15^th of February to submit copies of her intake and outgoing records to the department or face a hearing. When asked by WNEG News yesterday whether they had received those records, Sosby says she didn’t know if Nelson had ever submitted any records.

WNEG News has obtained copies of a handful of outgoing records from Sandies Pets dating from December 4^th, 2005 to February 5^th, 2005. None of those records show where the animals Nelson sold came from and none of the forms have all the information as to who purchased the animals. Since February 17^th, WNEG has repeatedly requested an interview with Commissioner Tommy Irvin to get an answer to these questions, but so far, the Commissioner has not returned our phone calls.

Another step in canopy removal process. Graduate students from the University of Georgia's Center for Community Development are in Toccoa this weekend helping the city design the future look of the downtown mall. Julia Reed is a landscape design graduate student at UGA and is part of the team studying downtown Toccoa. "We're looking at things such as, parking, through traffic, trees, and we want to get ideas from people here as to how they want the downtown to look," she explained.

On Friday, the group held an informal lunch meeting with business, property owners and citizens. They will spend Saturday drawing several artists concepts of possible downtown designs. On Saturday, the group will present their designs to the Downtown Development Authority. Those designs will then be sent out to business and property owners to select the one they like best.

Staples in Toccoa is closing its doors. Store manager Jeff Crunkleton says the store's 15 employees were told about the closing Wednesday. No official word from the office supply chain as to why the store is closing, but WNEG has learned it could be due to a low profit margin.

Meantime, there has been speculation about where discount clothier "Goody's" will be located. Goody's announced in January that it plans to put a store in Toccoa and it had been speculated the retail chain would rent space next to Staples in the Towne Plaza. The answer to the mystery came yesterday. Goody's has leased the Staples building and will move in sometime in the spring.

CITY RESTRICTS SINGLE-WIDES
March 4, 2005

People wanting to move a singlewide mobile home into the city of Toccoa must now follow tighter restrictions. Yesterday, the City Planning Commission voted to limit the age of a singlewide to no more than seven years. According to Director Connie Tabor, the moves comes in response to similar measures taken by Stephens County and surrounding communities. However, Tabor says anyone wanting to move a singlewide into a trailer park inside the City limits may apply for a variance. Tabor says those currently living in an older trailer in a City trailer park have been grandfathered in and are exempt from the new ordinance.

SANDIES' PETS STORE OWNER JAILED
March 4, 2005

Sandies' pet storeowner Evelyn Nelson is behind bars in the Oconee County jail in Oconee County, South Carolina. Thursday morning, Nelson plead guilty to three counts of ill treatment of animals in Oconee County Magistrate Court. Nelson first asked for a continuance so she could get an attorney, but could not answer Judge Will Derrick when he asked why she had not secured an attorney. He then proceeded with the hearing.

Nelson sat alone at a table in the small courtroom as the Judge watched a video tape of her Westminster home presented as evidence by Oconee County attorney Bradley Norton and Oconee County animal control officer Dan Gerrard. The tape was made the day animal control officers confiscated 103 dogs, 15 cats and 93 birds from Nelson's home. The video showed garbage and dog feces piled high on the floor of each room, the kitchen sink and counters covered with piles of garbage, old food, empty dog dishes and dirty dishes. Large cobwebs hung from the ceilin

ceilings covering even family pictures on the walls. In between the filth and chaos in each room were tiny dog crates and carriers each containing one or more dogs, some with puppies. Birdcages were scattered around the house. All of them with inches of bird dung and old seed on the bottom and bowls filled with feces-contaminated water. One room contained birds and open cages. The floor of the room was inches-thick with birdseed and bird dung. Every room had holes in the walls.

Outside Nelson's house the front and back porches were covered with garbage and more birdcages and dog cages. In the back yard, more cages; stacked one on top of the other - each with multiple dogs - covered only by the thinnest of blue tarps. In the middle of the back yard, a huge pile of garbage containing hundreds of rusty tin cans. In between the garbage pile and yet another stack of crated dogs, the worm-infested carcass of a small black dog. Beyond that, in a crate, the carcass of a small brown dog. In all, Gerrard told the judge they found nine dead dogs in various stages of decomposition.

In another cage under the porch, six Persian-looking cats clawing at the chicken wire to get out. An old empty singlewide trailer shown in the video housed more birds. In all, 210 dogs, cats and birds were found living in inhumane conditions at Nelson's home.

After the video Nelson told the judge she had gotten sick in September and "couldn't even dig," referring to the dog carcasses left strewn on the property. Judge Derrick told Nelson the video showed the conditions had existed long before then and asked her why she had not contacted animal control for help. Nelson said she didn't know. "Domesticated dogs and cats and birds depend on us to care for them, and you Miss Nelson did not do that," Derrick said.

Judge Derrick sentenced Nelson to 30 days in the Oconee County Detention Center on the charge of ill treatment of animals - dogs. He gave her the choice of 30 days in jail or a fine of $1,087.50 on the second and third counts. Derrick also ordered Nelson to pay over $3,500 to the Seneca Animal Hospital where the dogs were treated after being confiscated. Nelson said she did not have any money to pay the fines and the vet bill. Judge Derrick gave her until June first to pay the fines or ask for a Restitution hearing and ordered her to pay $100 a month to Seneca Animal Hospital beginning May 1st.

After the sentencing, Nelson asked, "Do I have to go to jail?" to which the judge replied, "Yes, Miss Nelson you do." Judge Derrick did not bar Nelson from owning any more animals, but Norton said animal control officers would be monitoring her home. Norton said he was satisfied with the sentence and hoped it sent a message to others that the County will prosecute animal cruelty.

County commissioners will meet Thursday for another called session to look over a prepared offer to the Stephens County School Board for two old middle school buildings in Eastanollee that will become the new e-911 dispatch center. On Tuesday, Commissioners voted to abandon the original Hilltop Training Center site voted on last summer by the previous Commission, and instead selected the Eastanollee property. County administrator Darrell Hampton says after Tuesday’s meeting he spoke with the School System about the property and has drawn up a proposal for the Commissioners to review.

Meantime, the School Board will meet in executive session Friday morning to discuss the proposal which is expected to be accepted. County commission chairman Steve Chitwood says they hope to only pay about $100,000 for the two buildings and the six acres they sit on. That’s the amount the West Doyle Street property was going for. Thursday’s meeting will be held at 11:30 a.m. in the courthouse annex building.

A group from the University of Georgia’s Center for Community Development will be in Toccoa Friday and Saturday to help the City plan how they want the downtown area to look once the canopies are removed. A visioning session on Friday will focus on the design of Doyle Street in relation to the two blocks surrounding the mall itself. Toccoa City mayor Ken Davis says he wants the public to attend and provide input. “ We want to not only hear from downtown business owners, but also other citizens in Toccoa regarding issues such as parking, circulation, street trees, traffic, that sort of thing,” he said.

Nurses from Stephens County joined others in their profession from around the State this week for a rally on the steps of the State Capitol. The nurses want lawmakers to amend a state law that bans them from writing prescriptions. Currently, Georgia is the only state in the Union that does not allow the practice.

Director of Nursing for Stephens County Hospital, Faye Taylor there are times when a patient must wait on a physician for care, which can delay the recovery process. “Right now, we depend a lot on nurse practitioners to assist doctors,” she said. “However, it would be easier if nurses were allowed to write some prescriptions,” she said.

Currently, there is no bill in either the State Senate or the House which would give nurses in Georgia that right.

Visitors to the lower fields at Doyle Street Park can now enjoy a picnic lunch while watching a Little League game, or simply get out of the hot sun or pouring rain, thanks to the Toccoa chapter of the Rotary Club, which recently built a pavilion there.

In honor of the Rotary’s 100^th anniversary this year, the Toccoa chapter decided to build the pavilion with some volunteer help from the community. Chapter president Tim Ashe said the pavilion has been in the planning stages for about a year and took about two months to build.

COUNTY CHOOSES OLD MIDDLE SCHOOL PROPERTY AS E-911 DISPATCH SITE
March 1, 2005

Two buildings on the old middle school property will house the e-911 Dispatch Center. Comissioners heard from a structural engineer hired by the county last week to look at the four properties. Guy Ritter reported on each property and ranked them with one to five stars.

Of the hilltop property, the site originally selected last summer by the previous Commission, Ritter said it would cost more to renovate the existing building than to just build another one, But he said if they did that, Hilltop would be the best site in terms of elevation, accessibility and clear access to transmitter sites. E-911 Communications Director Paige Crocker also advocated the Hilltop site because of its accessibility.

As for the West Doyle Street location, Ritter cited numerous problems with the building, including rotting floors, leaky roof, a basement that floods, a continually wet crawl space , damp and rotting back walls, and inadequate parking. He gave it two stars.

Ritter liked the old hospital building on Tugalo Street because it’s been renovated and gave it five stars, but it was decided against because it’s too close to the County Health Department and DFACS. In the event of an emergency, the area would likely be clogged with citizens trying to evacuate or needing medical attention, making it difficult for E-911 personnel to access the building.

Commissioner Rex Anderson motioned for the Hilltop site, but it died for lack of a second. Commissioners Steve Chitwood and Kenneth Peeples then voted for the old middle school property with Anderson voting against it. Prior to the vote, Anderson apologized to the public and said he saw no reason to change the site from Hilltop. “ The only reason I could see for a change would be a factual reason and I see no factual reason to change the site,” he said. Anderson also said he was concerned about litigation. “This is unnecessary and I apologize to the people of Stephens County for having been put through this controversy,” he continued. “All of this has been discussed before. If we’re having this much trouble putting in e-911, how much trouble will we have when it’s time to put in the new jail? I’m also conserned this controversy will leave people angry and they will be less likely in the future to vote in any more SPLOST funding,” Anderson said.

Once chosen, commissioners also voted to put the construction job out for bid. The construction firm of Saunders and Disimone has a contract with the County for the Hilltop site, but Commission Chairman Steve Chitwood says he wants the construction and the equipment to be up for bid. Chitwood said they would discuss that further at their regular meeting next week.

And the middle school property is not County-owned like the Hilltop site. Once voted on, County attorney Rusty Smith told Commissioners they also needed to vote to allow the County staff to begin negotiating with the Stephens County School Board on a sales price. Commissioners hope to pay around $100,000 for the two buildings and the six acres they sit on. Chitwood says everyone is invited to go out and look at the site.

With work on the dispatch center site now a month behind, Herb Saunders said it will likely be at least January 2006 before the new e-911 center is up and running whoever the contractor is.