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AUGUST 4, 2004 |
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Run-off elections ahead Aug. 10 Schaefer, Caudell in Aug. 10 run-off Nancy Schaefer and Chan Caudell are headed for a run-off race for the District 50 Senate seat that covers Banks County. Last week’s story incorrectly stated that Schaefer had won the Republican primary. She did have the most votes, but she didn’t have more than 50 percent, which is required when there are more than two candidates in a race. Schaefer had 6,690 votes, or 47 percent, while Caudell had 5,625 votes or 39.5 percent. Stanley “Butch” Darnell had 1,916 votes. The run-off election will be held Tuesday, Aug. 10. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those who voted a Democrat ballot in the primary will not be allowed to vote in this Republican run-off. If a person did not vote in the primary or voted Republican on a non-partisan ballot, they can vote in this run-off. Advance voting is also under way and will be held through Friday at the courthouse. The winner in the run-off will face Democrat Bob Stowe in the November election. Popphan, Mote face off Winford Popphan and Ivan Mote will be facing each other in a run-off for the magistrate judge’s seat on Tuesday, Aug. 10. Popphan came away with 912 votes in the recent primary election, while Mote had 750. Popphan is a retired conservation ranger for Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources and served in the Army for 20 years. He and his wife, Elaine, live in Lula. Mote was employed in the retail and wholesale pottery business for a combined 13 years. He is currently employed as a design drafter with Patterson Pump Company. He and his wife, Tonya, live in the Mt. Carmel community. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Advance voting is under way through Friday at the courthouse in Homer. Those who voted a Democrat ballot in the primary will not be allowed to vote in this Republican run-off. If a person did not vote in the primary, they can vote in the run-off. STATE RACES Two state races will be on the ballot in the Aug. 10 run-off election. On the Democrat ballot, voters will be asked to choose from Denise L. Majette and W. Cliff Oxford for the U.S. Senate seat. In a non-partisan race for the state court of appeals, Debra Berns will face Mike Sheffield. If a person voted in the Democratic primary, they can only vote in the democratic/non-partisan run-off. Those who voted in the Republican primary, cannot vote for the Democratic race, however, they can vote for the non-partisan race. Those who didn’t vote in the primary, can vote in either run-off. Schools to hold open house The Banks County School System has announced its open house schedule for Thursday, Aug. 12. •Banks County Primary School will hold its open house from 3-6 p.m. •Banks County Elementary School will hold its open house from 4-6 p.m. •Banks County Middle School will hold its open house from 3-7 p.m. •Banks County High School will hold its open house from 5-7 p.m. School starts on Friday, Aug. 13. County school transportation routes to change this year School bus routes and parent pick-up and drop-off routes will change for the new school year. With the opening of the new middle school, expansion at the primary school, moving the second grade from the elementary to the primary school and concerns about safety and efficiency, new bus routes and parent drop-off lanes have been developed. Bus traffic changes Dennis Marlow, Banks County director of transportation, said the changes will be safer, faster and will eliminate the current shuttle buses. “It’s going to work,” he said. “We have cut the route time by 10 minutes and we have a plan devised to take care of the traffic.” The new routes split the number of buses at each school to eliminate the traffic from one school to the next. Drivers will take a count of how many students get on the buses in the afternoon so they can line up in the most efficient order. Lining up efficiently will limit the amount of time students are sitting on the buses in the heat, Marlow said. A trial run of the new routes was conducted on Thursday, April 29. Marlow said everything went according to plan. “One area for improvement will be the elementary school,” he said. “Double stacking of buses at that location is no longer an option. In order to load safely and quickly, buses must line up in single file.” Buses at the elementary school will line up behind the gymnasium at an awning. After loading, the buses will circle around and exit right onto Evans Street. Buses will then turn onto Athens Street and end up on Historic Homer Highway. A total of 34 buses will be used in the new plan. Each bus will stop at all four schools in the morning and in the afternoon. Stops are split so that at most stops only seven or eight buses will line up at one school. Currently, most buses stop at the primary school first creating traffic that carries through to the other schools. The new routes also eliminate the 16 shuttle buses currently used to transport kindergarten, first and second grade students to their afternoon buses. “It is too dramatic for a small child to get on one bus and then get on another when several are lined up,” Marlow said. “With this plan, a child will only have to load one bus.” Afternoon routes are subject to change. Marlow said drivers will travel in one direction and buses won’t have to double back through town. For example, if a driver is heading north they will start at the school farthest south, the high school, and end at the school farthest north, the primary school, before starting their north-bound route. Most drivers have been reassigned to put the driver closest to their house after the route is complete. Marlow said buses traveling to the middle school will not use Thompson Street. The school system recieved permission from the Department of Transportation for school buses to use the new Hwy. 441 bypass for school bus traffic. Buses will be permitted to use one north-bound and one south-bound lane. “The first six days are going to be long days and a lot of decisions will be made once we determine how many kids are getting on the buses at the different stops,” he said. “We will put the shortest stops at the front to create a smooth transition and cut the time even more. Be patient during those first few days of school and give it a chance, I know this will be better for everyone; parents, students, drivers and teachers.” Parent drop-off and pick-up changes Marlow said the plan also separates parent and bus traffic at the schools, an issue that causes traffic at the schools now. However, Marlow said, “no plan will work without the fullest cooperation of all people involved.” Several changes have been made at schools in Banks County to provide faster and easier transportation of students. Parents driving their children to the primary school will now turn onto Hill Street to drop off children. Once on Hill Street, cars will turn right onto a one-way road that leads to the gymnasium where a newly installed awning covers the sidewalk. After children are dropped-off or picked up, cars will circle around the new play ground and exit on Hill Street. A parent parking lot is being added where the playground used to sit next to the road. Third grade students at the elementary school will be dropped off by parents in the front of the school, where buses used to park. All trailers have been moved out of the parking lot. Parents driving children to the new middle and upper elementary school, located on Thompson Street, will turn in the second entrance to the school. There will be no change in the parent traffic at the high school. |
  Northeast Georgia 257 acres annexed into Gillsville Planners cancel Tues. meeting |
