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OPINIONS
Frank Gillispie
Miller not a good choice
I am not sure that naming Former Governor
Zell Miller to the U.S. Senate is good for Georgia, or for Miller.
His expressed reluctance to accept the appointment was for good
reason.
Zach Mitcham
County should support Martin's proposal
Unfortunately, Hwy. 29, like other roads
in the county, holds stories of heartbreak for many.
And there's a bend across from Happy Kids Daycare where motorists
are reminded every day of one . . .
SPORTS
Southern Amateur belongs to Hybl
After piling up a trophy case worth of wins
during his junior golf days, Madison County's Ryan Hybl has now
made a splash in the amateur ranks.
Neighborhood News...
BANKS COUNTY
Tornado hits southwestern Banks County
A tornado touched down in southwestern Banks
County Sunday afternoon with trees being uprooted and a chicken
house flattened.
Sunday School celebration set this weekend
The 123rd annual Banks County Sunday School
celebration will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 29, in Veteran's
Park in downtown Homer.
News
from...
JACKSON COUNTY
BOC sued over WJ landfill denial
It looks like Jackson County officials will be going to court
again over zoning decisions made by the board of commissioners.
Two lawsuits have been filed against the county over denials
by the BOC to rezone property for an inert landfill and a day
care center.
Planning Commission OKs Wilson Subdivision
What a difference a month makes. In June,
the Commerce Planning Commission pushed developer Daniel Wilson
to rearrange the "green space" in a proposed 15-acre
subdivision, threatening to reject his plat if he didn't. But
Monday night the same panel approved virtually the same plat
with a shrug of resignation.
Committee asked to plan social building for Jefferson
The first business of the newly-formed Jefferson
civic center committee will be to make a recommendation on providing
a small building for the city for social functions.
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The Madison County Journal
Danielsville, Georgia
Telephone: (706) 367-5233
Fax: (706) 367-8056
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ASSESSING THE DAMAGE
Longtime Madison County chicken farmer Jessie Daniels
had the terrible task Monday morning of assessing the damage
to his chicken houses after Sunday's storm. He stands next to
one of his chicken houses that collapsed in the high winds. |
Sunday winds destroy
chicken houses, cause power outages
A storm ravaged parts of Madison County
Sunday afternoon, causing power outages for about 2,500 residents,
with wind damage putting at least one county chicken farmer out
of business. There were no reports of injuries.
The storm entered the county around 4 p.m., with the first calls
related to damage coming in to the county 911 center around 4:11
p.m., according to 911 director David Camp. The first call was
about a tree and electrical wires down on Hwy. 174 in the Shiloh
Community.
Steve Young of the Madison County Farm Bureau said Monday that
the agency received 26 claims of damage from the storm. Three
chicken houses were reportedly destroyed, with 10 more sustaining
damage. The other half of the claims were mostly reports of houses
being damaged by falling trees.
Perhaps the hardest hit was Jessie Daniels of Jones Chapel Shiloh
Road. Five of his chicken houses were severely damaged and one
was flattened. Daniels, who said he had been a chicken farmer
for about 40 years, said the storm marked the end of his career.
"I've been looking for a reason to retire," said Daniels
after surveying his chicken houses. "I guess this is it."
Daniels said he thinks it was a tornado that caused the destruction.
A tornado was reportedly spotted in Banks County.
Young, who said Jones Chapel Shiloh Road was in the "center"
of the storm's path, said the fury of the storm was eye-opening.
"That was the longest burst of straight line wind I've ever
experienced." said Young, who lives in the path of the storm,
adding that he timed the high wind from the storm at 15 minutes.
Randy Bridges, who lives off Holloway Road - located off Jones
Chapel Shiloh Road, also said high storm winds lasted for about
15 minutes. He said he wanted to take cover in a creek by his
home but didn't have time to get out of the house before the
winds began snapping limbs out of trees. The downpour soon flooded
the creek.
"I kept waiting to hear that train coming, but I never did,"
said Bridges, referring to the common comparison of the sounds
of tornadoes and trains.
A few miles away from Bridges, winds blew over a large tree at
the home of Louise and Ford Carey on Carey Ford Road.
"We were fortunate," said Mrs. Carey, noting how the
downed tree could have caused injuries.
Bonnie Jones, director of public relations for Jackson EMC, said
there were approximately 2,500 power outages in Madison County
on Sunday due to downed power lines.
Most of the outages occurred in the Poca community, along Hwys.
98 and 106, Wesley Chapel Road, Ft. Lamar Road and Young Harris
Road. All were back on line Monday, Jones said.
She said that although most of the damage resulted from trees
knocking down power lines. There were a number of snapped power
poles and other problems, most likely caused by "down bursts"
of wind, all of which made repair work by power crews more difficult.
But the worst problems were experienced by JEMC customers in
the Gainesville area, Jones said.
Most of the calls that came in to the Madison County 911 concerned
trees falling on power lines and homes.
Diamond Hill Grocery was reportedly struck by lightning and firemen
were called to the scene after the owner saw smoke on top of
the building, but no damage was discovered.
Camp also reported that there were many residential, burglar
and fire alarm activations reported to 911 during the storm.
"Several calls were received asking why the weather sirens
in Danielsville, Ila and Colbert were sounding," Camp said.
"Residents should be aware that these sirens are activated
whenever a tornado warning is issued for Madison County or a
tornado is spotted in or near Madison County. A caller reported
a possible tornado near the Bowman area in Elbert County. This
siting was not confirmed, but the sirens were activated in the
interest of safety."
Camp added that except for activation for these reasons, the
sirens are only tested on the first Wednesday of each month at
noon, unless inclement weather is occurring at the time.
"Rather than calling the 911 Center when the sirens are
heard, we ask that residents immediately take the necessary precautions
to protect themselves from possible severe weather and tornadoes,"
Camp said.
Counseling program
proposed for Madison County
Madison County's Jess Martin wants county
commissioners to put $70,000 into a program he believes could
change many lives in a positive way.
But the board made no decision on the matter during its Monday
meeting.
Martin, who counsels drug and alcohol addicts through his Beyond
the Edge Ministry, Inc., appeared before the commissioners to
outline his plans for Madison County Alcohol/Drug Addiction Prevention
and Aftercare Services (ADAPP). The program would provide counseling
to those struggling with addictions as well as counseling for
their families. A state-certified, 20-hour course for drug and
alcohol offenders would be offered. The program would also oversee
the renovation of vacant county-owned buildings, using labor
from those ordered by the courts to perform community service.
The commissioners agreed to look at the old health department
office off Crawford W. Long Street to see if it's feasible for
ADAPP to begin renovations on the building.
The county could start the program for about $70,000, Martin
said. After the initial start up cost, he believes the program
would pay for itself through court fees, fines and government
grants.
The program would prove beneficial, he said, by keeping those
facing court-ordered counseling in the county, where their families
could also receive counseling. Those facing such counseling are
currently ordered to other counties. Martin said Madison County
is one of only three northeast Georgia counties - along with
Oconee and Oglethorpe - without a drug and alcohol counseling
program.
Martin, who has been an addiction counselor for about five years,
presented statistics to the board about alcohol and drug problems
in the county. He said there were 525 DUIs in the county from
June of 1999 to June of this year and 16 deaths attributed to
alcohol or drug consumption since June of 1998, including seven
motor vehicle fatalities.
Martin and his wife, Anna, had a son, Jeremy, who was killed
by a drunk driver in October of 1998 on Hwy. 29 in Madison County
- Jeremy, who was 19, had no alcohol in his system.
See this week's Madison County Journal
for the remainder of this story.
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Madison County
woman recalls life in small town community
When Mrs. Helen Fortson opened her little grocery store in 1949
at the corner of Hwy. 29 and what is now known as Fortson Store
Road in the Dogsboro community, some folks still came for their
groceries and supplies by horse and buggy. Others drove up in
their automobiles to get gas from the hand cranked pumps out
front. And while Hwy. 29 had not been long paved, Fortson's Store
Road was only a narrow dirt track.
Fortson's Grocery was the only store for miles around and soon
became the center of a community - a place where people stopped
to visit with one another and with the genial storekeeper.
All that remains of Fortson's Grocery nowadays is an old sign
- a nod to the old days - standing beside the modern convenience
store that eventually took its place.
Mrs. Fortson still lives on Fortson Store Road, in a home she
and her husband Stewart built after moving from the upstairs
For the rest of this story, see this week's Madison County
Journal.
Jake Westbrook traded
to Indians
Madison County's Jake Westbrook is now
a Cleveland Indian.
The former Raider standout, who has been on the disabled list
for the past three weeks with a strained oblique muscle, has
been traded to the Indians in the deal that sent former Brave
David Justice to the Yankees.
Westbrook, who found out he was traded Monday, said the transaction
came as no surprise, adding that baseball players must be ready
for change.
"I kind of knew it was coming," said Westbrook. "I
think it will be good."
Westbrook was traveling back to Madison County Tuesday from Florida,
where he had been in rehabilitation for the Yankees. He said
he would wait at home for word from the Indians on when he should
report.
The 22-year-old pitcher said he doesn't know when he will be
back to 100 percent.
"It's holding steady now," said Westbrook of his injury.
"It's not getting better, but it's not getting worse."
The former Raider star pitched three games for the Yankees this
season, making brief starts against the White Sox and Red Sox,
as well as a strong relief appearance against the powerful Chicago
club.
Westbrook was 5-7 with a 4.87 ERA this year at Columbus, the
Yankees' top farm club.
Prior to this season, Westbrook was 41-25 with a 3.67 ERA in
four minor league seasons.
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