News from BarrowJournal

News from BarrowJournal - Topics from July, 2009

COLUMN: Bank failure tough for entire area

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Thursday, July 30. 2009

The news which I had been dreading finally happened recently as Winder-based First Piedmont Bank was taken over by the FDIC. Rumors had been floating around for months about the inevitable demise of the locally owned financial institution. I had hoped perhaps the bank would somehow manage to survive (and not just because I had an account ... [Full Story »]

Sheriff suspends jailer in drug case

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BarrowJournal

Wednesday, July 29. 2009

A detention officer at the Barrow County Detention Center has been suspended without pay after drug investigators found him inside a Hoschton residence during a search. The officer’s name has not been released, but Sheriff Jud Smith said the sheriff’s office is conducting an internal investigation as well as a criminal investigation. ... [Full Story »]

Yearwood looking to close new county jail?

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BarrowJournal

Wednesday, July 29. 2009

Are Barrow County leaders considering farming out prisoners to other counties in a bid to cut costs associated with the recent opening of the new county jail? The Barrow Journal has confirmed that BOC chairman Danny Yearwood has inquired with Oconee County about possibly housing Barrow inmates. Oconee BOC chairman Melvin Davis said late Tuesday ... [Full Story »]

Top administrator, CFO to be hired

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BarrowJournal

Wednesday, July 29. 2009

Chairman Danny Yearwood on Tuesday night agreed to allow the Barrow County Board of Commissioners to begin looking for a top administrator to help him run the day-to-day operations of the county government. The position of “chief of operations” has been vacant since Keith Lee’s resignation in early February, but Yearwood has resisted ... [Full Story »]

Superintendent recommends November furlough days for teachers

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BarrowJournal

Monday, July 27. 2009

Teachers in the Barrow County School System are looking at three furlough days in the fall as a result of a mandate from the Governor’s office. With Barrow County school officials having to deal with the Governor’s mandated three-day furloughs, superintendent Ron Saunders recommended last Thursday during a called meeting that the three days ... [Full Story »]

EDITORIAL: Property owners facing tax hikes

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BarrowJournal

Sunday, July 26. 2009

So the county lowered your property tax assessment? Don’t get too excited; you probably won’t see your taxes go down. While it’s still too early to know exactly how the massive tax reevaluations will affect Barrow County, it’s safe to say that if the county’s overall tax digest decreases as expected, local government tax rates will go ... [Full Story »]

Commissioners to discuss hiring new top administrator

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BarrowJournal

Friday, July 24. 2009

Four members of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners are on the agenda of Tuesday's upcoming BOC meeting to discuss hiring a new top administrator to help manage the county. Commissioners Ben Hendrix, Isaiah Berry, Billy Parks and Steve Worley are on the agenda to discuss “chief administrator/county manager or chief of staff position.” ... [Full Story »]

Two arrests following DUI hit-and-run

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BarrowJournal

Wednesday, July 22. 2009

The Georgia State Patrol last week arrested two Barrow County residents following a hit-and-run accident involving a pedestrian. The driver, Tammy Ann Hockman, was charged with numerous offenses. According to the state trooper called to the scene, Hockman was driving a 2001 Ford Focus south on County Line Auburn Road at Fox Run Road and, while ... [Full Story »]

Statham finalist for Army Center

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BarrowJournal

Wednesday, July 22. 2009

The City of Statham appears to have emerged as the frontrunner for a new Army Reserve Center. Statham planner and code enforcer Randy Gordon told council members at the July work session last Thursday other towns are still being looked at, but Statham has a good chance of being selected. “I was told once the surveying and engineering is done, ... [Full Story »]

Did you get a property reevaluation notice?

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BarrowJournal

Monday, July 20. 2009

Some 29,000 property reevaluation notices were sent out last week by the Barrow County Tax Assessors Office. If you received a notice, the Barrow Journal would like to hear from you. By posting the following information as a comment to this story, you can share with your fellow taxpayers how the reevaluations affected you. Simply add a comment ... [Full Story »]

Entries from July 2009