mainstreetnews.com Named BEST WEBSITE among all Georgia weekly newspapers by the Georgia Press Association June 29, 2001

mainstreetnews Home
Search Site
Area Sports
Business Directory
Classifieds
Place A Classified Ad
Banks Legal Page
Banks Opinion Page
Banks Obituary Page
MainStreet Photoshop
Archives
Subscribe
Send A Letter
List Your Business
Banks County Stats
Directions to Area Schools
Election Information
Sex Offender Registry

Go to Jackson County
Go to Madison County

OPINIONS

Editorial
Parents must talk to youth about sex
Twenty students at Banks County High School have children of their own. That’s right, 20 teenage girls in our county are already mother.

Angela Gary
Record your own voice in new book
With a new baby in the family, I’ve found myself looking in a different section of book stores, catalogs and websites. Instead of heading straight to travel or mysteries, I first head to the children’s section to see what’s new.

SPORTS

Directions to Area Schools

Leopard sets school record for nine holes
Dale shot record setting 31 in nine
School records aren’t broken every week.

Neighboorhood News ..
JACKSON COUNTY

BOC to get proposed rec ‘master plan’ Monday
$39 million plan calls for three new complexes over 10 years
A plan for increasing recreation facilities and services in Jackson County over the next 10 years will be unveiled at the board of commissioners meeting Monday night. The BOC will meet at 7 p.m. in the Administrative Building in Jefferson.

I-85 work to begin from 7 p.m.-7 a.m.
Anyone traveling between Banks Crossing and Château Élan on Interstate 85 during evening hours for the next 10 months should expect delays.

Neighboorhood News ..
MADISON COUNTY
MCHS girls’ coach headed to Northgate
Madison County will have a new head girls’ basketball coach next season.
Tim Cook says he will step down as the Lady Raider coach after nine years to take the girls’ head coaching post at the new Northgate High School in Coweta County.

BOC considers hiring second detainee crew
Madison County may hire a second work crew from the Whitworth Detention Center.
“It’s the most economical work force we’ll ever get,” said county commission chairman Wesley Nash. “Twelve men for $3,500 a year.”

FAIN FOUND IN BANKS COUNTY Banks County Sheriff Charles Chapman is shown standing near where the body of murder victim Phillip "Bobby" Fain, 61, Cornelia, was found on a remote dirt road in the central part of the county.

UPDATED 05/07/02
Murdered Cornelia man found in Banks County
Murder charges are expected to be filed this week in the shooting death of a Cornelia man who was found in Banks County on Friday.
Phillip "Bobby" Fain, 61, Cornelia, was found in a remote, wooded area of central Banks County on Friday.
The suspect in the case, Patrick Cagle, 29, Alto, was taken into custody on Wednesday after Fain's stolen vehicle was found at Cagle's sister's residence in Madison County.
Fain was reported missing on Wednesday, May 8, by an adult daughter after he failed to show up for a business meeting. He had an On-Star tracking device in his vehicle and it was found mid-day on Wednesday in Madison County, according to Banks County Sheriff Charles Chapman.
Chapman said that a Madison County deputy went to the residence where the vehicle was located. He added that another vehicle, which was stolen from Banks County, was also at the residence.
The sheriff said the suspect ran from the home when the deputy arrived. He said additional officers and a canine unit were called in and the Cagle was on the run for four hours. He was taken into custody late Wednesday and held in Madison County on theft and drug charges.
Chapman said Cagle led authorities to where Fain's body was located on Friday, but that he did not confess to the murder. A second suspect is also being held in connection with the murder. Chapman said this man was also at the Madison County residence when authorities went there, but that he escaped undetected.
Chapman said both suspects have criminal records and are currently on parole.
Fain was found on the dirt road, off of Emory Chambers Road, Friday and taken to the crime lab in Atlanta where he was identified on Saturday through dental records. Chapman said the cause of death was gunshot wounds. The sheriff said it hasn't been determined yet if the men knew Fain before the crime was committed.

County’s first ‘Relay for Life’ coming up Fri.
Luminary ceremony at dusk to be a highlight of overnight ACS fund-raiser
Imagine…the sun begins to set… 300 candles are lit. In the early twilight, they flicker. Each one represents a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, a friend, who has lost the battle with cancer or continues to fight the disease.
Called the “Luminary Ceremony,” it is said to be one of the most moving scenes of the American Cancer Society’s “Relay For Life.”
It will be the first time such a scene will take place in Banks County. After six months of preparation, organizers are putting the final touches on the 14-hour, overnight event that has become the major fund-raising activity for the American Cancer Society. The relay will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, May 3, at the Banks County High School football field.
At Monday’s planning meeting, teams were still bringing in their donations to ACS regional director, Tina Camp.
Sandra Garrison was busy listing the nearly 300 donations requesting candles be lit during the “Luminary Ceremony.”
Jan Bertrang was compiling a list of cancer survivors who would be participating in the “Survivor’s Lap.” This is a special walk around the track for those who are in remission or have beat the disease, or are still fighting for their lives.
Penny Burgess, ACS event chairwoman, was assigning teams their campsites on the field.
But then a major hurdle was discovered. Burgess had to figure out how to get power to the high school football field to run the necessary equipment for the entertainers and the campsites and get the lights on the field working as well. By Friday, no less.
The group said that perhaps Georgia Power or Jackson EMC could run a temporary power pole for the event. Or perhaps, as Bo Garrison suggested, the Caterpillar Company would donate generators. Burgess wrote down names of people to call.
“I’m not going to panic…yet,” she said.
The schedule had been worked out early on in the planning meetings. The entertainment, however, had been secured at, literally, the last minute. jB JAMS Entertainment, DJs out of Gainesville, will handle the early part of the evening. Joe Olds and the Smokin’ Joe Band the latter.
Judges still had to be found to choose the “Best Campsite” and the “Most Incredible Edibles.” A few donors for prizes still had to be called.
In spite of all that, everyone involved felt confident all these last minute odds and ends would soon be tied up.
How will it all end? Come and see for yourselves, say organizers. The public is invited to attend the relay free of charge.
For more information on the relay, to volunteer, or to make donations call Burgess at (706) 864-3456. Luminaries can still be purchased in advance by contacting Sandra Garrison at 677-3126.

CVB raises $4,300 at golf tournament
At last week’s meeting of the Banks County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, co-chairperson Alicia Andrews announced the organization had raised $4,369 at the golf tournament held in April.
Andrews said 12 teams from the area had participated. The event was held at Scales Creek Golf Club. She thanked all the sponsors for their help.
In other business:
•Andrews gave an update on the Banks Crossing Beautification Project. She said 90 percent of the irrigation system had been installed and 85 percent of the sidewalks had been poured. Some trees and bushes had to be moved at the Department of Transportation’s request because they blocked vision of drivers in certain places. Some of the trees purchased have died, she said, because they have been unable to get them in the ground due to DOT work going on at Banks Crossing. Water meters are scheduled to be installed for the irrigation system. She said she would prefer to purchase water from Banks County, but may have to go with the city of Commerce which already supplies water to parts of Banks Crossing.
•Andrews said the department of transportation had announced a travel advisory due to resurfacing of I-85 from Exit 126 through Exit 149. The work will be done from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily.
•the group agreed to pay $300 for a tent for the chamber of commerce picnic planned for Thursday, May 9. Ed Lindorme asked if that expenditure was a legal expenditure of the CVB. CVB president Johnson said the money would come from other sources. Lindorme suggested that since an out-of-county business, Chateau Elan Winery, would be involved, it might count as a tourist expense.
•Johnson said the CVB would not be responsible for the beautification project’s utilities after Phase III is completed.
•Banks County commissioner Pat Westmoreland asked members to donate items for door prizes for the upcoming Family Connections “Teen Spring Fling.”
•Johnson asked the members present to get more businesses to join the CVB. The group wants to sign up every hotel and motel at Banks Crossing.
•agri-business chairman Lindorme reminded members of the rodeo coming up May 10 at the horse arena at the recreation park. He said the information had been added to the county’s website.
•Craig Armstrong, new manager at Atlanta Dragway, was introduced to the group. This weekend is his first national event and he said he anticipates a huge crowd. He asked Tanger manger Mark Valentine if it would be possible to use some of Tanger’s parking space if it rained. Armstrong said some of the fields where parking is allowed would be too muddy for people to get their vehicles in and out. They discussed a transportation system from Tanger to the Dragway. Armstrong also said he would like to encourage more participation from teenagers to use the track on certain weekends.
•Lindorme said the low turnout at the meetings was due to the effort made by Sherry Ward to keep the membership informed of what the organization is doing. He said “members feel confident enough not to have to attend meetings.”

Relay for Life schedule
Activities begin Friday and continue into Saturday morning as follows:
3 p.m. - teams start setting up their campsites
5 p.m. - Cancer survivors register at the American Cancer Society tent
6 p.m. - Opening ceremonies and the Survivors’ Lap
6:30 p.m. - parade of teams
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - jB JAMS Entertainment
7 p.m. - judging of campsites and “Incredible Edibles.” Team photos will also be taken.
8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. - Luminary Service
10 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. — Jason Thompson, jazz
10:30 p.m. to midnight - Joe Olds and the Smokin’ Joe Band
Midnight - The “Mrs. Relay” pageant (womanless fashion show)
1:30 a.m. - Pajama parade and judging for the wildest, most unique set of PJs
2 a.m. - scavenger hunt
2:30 a.m. — Paul Wiltsie sings Christian music
3 a.m. - Mike Brown sings
3:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. - downtime, board games, card games
6 a.m. to 7 a.m. - wake-up aerobics
7 a.m to 8 a.m. - closing ceremonies and awards
8 a.m. till… clean-up

Chamber plans picnic for May 9
The Banks County Chamber of Commerce will hold its first annual “Picnic on the Courthouse Lawn” Thursday, May 9.
“This is an opportunity for chamber members to meet the new board of directors and share in our enthusiasm as we go forward with new direction,” executive director Carole Moores said.
Members can meet and talk with business owners and community leaders in a relaxed atmosphere, she said. Entertainment will be provided by Banks Countian Dusk Weaver.
For more details, contact Moores at 677-2108.