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OPINIONS
Frank Gillispie
Georgia needs improved ballot access
It is outrageous that Georgia is the most restrictive state in
the nation when it comes to ballot access. Unless you are a Republican
or Democrat, you have almost no chance of getting on the ballot.
Margie Richards
Animal shelter plans still a reality
A dream dear to my heart is still very much alive and will hopefully
become a reality for Madison County in the near future. Elections
are now over and it's time to get back to the business of moving
this county forward.
SPORTS
SEE THIS WEEK'S PIGSKIN PICKERS!
Raiders whip Athens Christian 43-0, cap off undefeated
season
Smiles, hugs, pictures, confetti, tears of joy, memories - these
words used to describe a single win for the Madison County Raider
football team.
But Friday, these words summed up the 2000 Raider season. Madison
County ran the table this year, thumping Athens Christian 43-0
to finish the season 10-0, the first perfect season in school
history.
Neighborhood News...
BANKS COUNTY
Brady edges out incument Dumas; Chapman to stay
Beginning in January 2001, the Banks County Board of Commissioners
will be under new leadership. Political newcomer Kenneth Brady
narrowly defeated incumbent BOC chairman James Dumas by just
over 300 votes.
Council member concerned about hazards at pumping station
At a recent visit to the pumping station along the Chattahoochee
River, Baldwin council member Mitchell Gailey was dismayed at
Demorest's failure to provide safety measures at the plant's
site.
News from...
JACKSON COUNTY
Bell tops Tolbert by 54
What a finish! After eight long hours of
ballot counting which saw the lead change hands several times,
challenger Pat Bell has apparently defeated incumbent Scott Tolbert
for the House District 25 seat with a razor thin margin of just
54 votes. Nearly 13,000 votes were cast in that race.
Rec staff sacked
Gambling, porno sites found on county
computer; no charges expected
Allegations of gambling at the Jackson County recreation department
has led to three employees resigning this week.
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mainstreetnews.com
The Madison County Journal
Danielsville, Georgia
Telephone: (706) 367-5233
Fax: (706) 367-8056
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OUT TO VOTE
Levie Cook of Hull puts an "I Voted" sticker on her
husband, Bobby. Madison county experienced a 65 percent turnout.
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Chairman keeps
seat, barely
Wesley Nash will serve as chairman of Madison County's Board
of Commissioners for four more years after edging Nelson Nash
in Tuesday's general election.
The Republican incumbent defeated the Democratic challenger 3,811
to 3,666 (51 percent to 49 percent).
"I appreciate all the support I received," chairman
Nash said Wednesday morning. "And I'll continue to carry
on as I have for the last four years - to provide the best services
possible for the least amount of money. I appreciate all the
help the people gave me. It means a lot to me the support that's
out there in the county."
Though the race was very tight, Nelson Nash did not seek a recount.
"I'm satisfied with the results," he said.
The challenger added: "I worked hard and I enjoyed meeting
the people around the county...I don't have nothing to be ashamed
of. I've enjoyed my eight years as district commissioner and
feel like I've got a good bit accomplished."
Madison County's election stretched into the wee hours Wednesday
morning, with absentee ballots not tallied until after 1:30 a.m.
Chairman Nash, who trailed as the first precincts were called,
held a slim 84-vote lead before the absentee votes were counted
- with the chairman beating the challenger 251 to 190 in absentee
votes. The incumbent won five of 12 precincts, with his most
convincing wins in Colbert, 505 to 399; Danielsville, 574 to
483; and Pittman, 508 to 379. Nelson Nash was strongest in Collins,
159 to 89; Ila, 349 to 276; and Poca, 220 to 189.
Sixty-five percent of Madison County voters (8,254 of 12,768)
hit the polls Tuesday.
Incumbent Patton
toppled
In the Madison County school board District 5 race, Republican
challenger Ric Power defeated incumbent Democrat Patton with
56.5 percent of the vote (803 to 617).
In the heated race for the District 24 State House of Representatives
seat, Republican Ralph Hudgens held off challenger Doug McKillip,
downing the Democrat with 52.5 percent of the vote.
Hudgens said he appreciated the voters' support and was ashamed
of how the campaign turned ugly.
"I'm delighted that the voters decided to send me back and
that they didn't believe the negative campaign my opponent ran,"
said Hudgens. "I've apologized to the voters for the campaign
my opponent ran and I think he ought to apologize."
Four Madison County commissioners posts were up for grabs Tuesday.
In District 1, incumbent Democrat Bill Taylor defeated John Brueshaber
with 61.7 percent of the votes. Democrat Johnny Fitzpatrick claimed
the District 2 seat with 65.7 percent of the vote. In District
3, Democrat Mike Youngblood downed Danny Andrews, tallying 67.5
percent. And Republican incumbent Bruce Scogin was re-elected
in District 5 over Marion Baker with 66.8 percent of the vote.
Democrat Michelle Strickland, the incumbent clerk of court, kept
her post Tuesday, defeating Republican challenger Mike Sales
with 71.9 percent of the vote.
Donald "Hoppy" Royston, a Democrat, retained his position
as probate judge, tallying 70.1 percent against Republican challenger
Lynn Smith.
Democrat Michelle Cleveland won the coroner's job over Republican
Phyllis Dickinson with 53.2 percent of the vote.
In the Presidential race, Madison Countians clearly favored George
Bush. The Republican garnered 70.8 percent of the votes in the
county.
Results of the amendments and referendums on Tuesday's ballot
were not available as of press time.
'A purple
heart'
Wounded, starving, frostbitten, and unable to walk, William Moncus
spent 11 days on a jeep with his weapon set to fire on anything
on his side of the road.
The Danielsville resident was an infantryman in the bitter cold
of the Chosin Reservoir, fighting the Chinese and North Koreans
along with his comrades.
Moncus says there were only six or so of the 120 men in his company
still able to walk when the fighting ended. The rest were either
wounded or dead.
"I saw a lot of bravery in those young men," he said.
"They were everywhere, dragging their dead or wounded comrades.
We were taught you don't leave your friend behind."
Moncus said the dead, frozen by the cold, were loaded onto trucks
as they marched. Artillery and equipment that had to be left
behind were blown up to render them useless to the enemy.
Wounds that he and his fellow servicemen had suffered had remained
frozen, but began to thaw and bleed once they were loaded onto
planes for transport. He remembers that it was up to one nurse
to stop the bleeding until they arrived in a Navy hospital in
Japan.
Moncus spent months in hospitals in Japan, Texas and later New
York.
Shrapnel from a grenade that bounced off his helmet and embedded
in his skin and in one leg, along with his boots, had to be cut
from his body. He remembers that his feet were dark blue and
numb, as were his hands.
Moncus says he wondered if he would lose one or both of his feet.
Luckily, this was not the case, but he spent months in a wheelchair
learning to walk again.
A TIME TO REMEMBER
Saturday, Nov. 11, is a day set aside to honor Moncus and all
American veterans of any division of the Armed Services for the
sacrifices they made for their country.
Moncus and his wife, Virginia, will be just two of those present
at a special 50-year anniversary remembrance of the Korean War
on Nov. 9 at the Navy School in Athens.
For the rest of this story, see this week's Madison County
Journal.
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Comer mayor calls
for change in how council vacancies are filled
Future vacancies in Comer's mayor and council posts will be filled
by special elections, if new mayor Chris NeSmith has his way.
The council approved his plan Tuesday night to seek a change
in the city charter specifying that future vacancies with one
year or more remaining in the term of office be filled by special
election.
The Georgia legislature will have to approve the change, but
such approval is usually routine. The request will be filed by
the opening of the legislature, and if approved, go into effect
on July 1, 2001.
Noting that the current mayor and two of four council members
have been appointed, NeSmith said, "These offices ought
to be put back in the hands of the voters." The council
and most of the overflow audience agreed.
In other business, the council agreed that Chris Coulter can
place a mobile office on the site of his special woods business
without a special use permit, according to city attorney Victor
Johnson. The city zoning code allows auxiliary buildings in industrial
areas as long as they are not converted mobile homes. Coulter's
business, located near North Georgia Sports, specializes in rare
and unusual woods.
The council voted to change the method of pricing water and sewer
taps from fixed rates to actual cost. City law originally provided
for case-by-case pricing, but the council had set fixed rates
when the city clerk was given the duty of collecting the fees.
Recent tap fees have yielded only a fraction of the cost of the
connections. Public works supervisor Jere Kemp proposed that
the city adopt a timber harvest, loading and hauling activities
ordinance similar to the one used by Madison County. He pointed
out that a number of timber tracts are located within the city
limits and city streets had been damaged by logging operations.
Kemp issued an update of plans to extend the city sewage system
along Clover and Laurel Avenues. The proposed line will provide
service to Shannon Place subdivision and other future developments
on the north side of Comer. Mayor NeSmith noted that two of the
city's primary wells are located in that area and development
could add hundreds of septic tanks unless the sewage system is
extended. The extension will be financed jointly by the city
and subdivision developers. The city's cost is estimated at $93,000.
Kemp reported that repairs and painting of the trim and boxing
of city hall will cost between $1,200 and $1,500. The council
asked him to get a quote on additional repairs to include doors
before making a decision.
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