DIAMOND DOGS IN TOURNAMENT The Morgan County High School baseball team has made it to the third round of their summer league tournament, beating Commerce. PAGE B1
BEWARE A PIRATE INVASION With two casts, Madison Community Theater presented the play, “How I Became a Pirate” last weekend at the middle school. PAGE C1
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Elderly Bostwick man beaten and left 70-year-old victim recovering in Athens hospital By Patrick Yost
“It appears to be an aborted or interrupted robbery attempt.”
EDITOR
Morgan County Sheriff’s Office investigators have –Capt. Chris Bish, identified suspects in Morgan County Sheriff’s Office a brutal attack that left a 70-year-old Bostwick man According to reports, Etris had been lying in a pool of blood. Thomas Gary Etris was found by a badly beaten and was unresponsive business partner on the floor of the when authorities arrived. He was carport at his Bostwick Highway home last Sunday at approximately 5 p.m. >> See ATTACK Page A7
After 59 years, Madison’s Ye Olde Colonial Restaurant, a local institution, at the corner of Washington and Main streets, will close its doors Saturday. PHOTO BY STEPHANIE JOHNS
Ye Olde Colonial closes Saturday By Stephanie Johns STAFF WRITER
A downtown Madison staple, Ye Olde Colonial Restaurant will close its doors after 59 years this Saturday. Looking around the building, the smell of breakfast in the air, Manager Jimmy Cunningham, son of the restaurant’s founder, Joe, said the restaurant holds many more good
memories than bad ones. Asked why the restaurant is closing now, Jimmy replied, “It’s just that time.” Jimmy said Joe had an Economy Auto store at the site where the restaurant now sits. Joe added a sandwich counter around 1953 or 1954.
>> See COLONIAL Page A7
Joe Cunningham
City mixed-residential development to be vetted by Planning Commission By Kathryn Schiliro MANAGING EDITOR
PUBLIC MEETINGS
To receive the go-ahead for a new development, made of mixed residential units, in the Madison area known as Town Walk Circle and in the city’s West Washington Street Gateway, a change to the Planned Residential District (PRD) must be vetted by the county Planning
W. Washington Gateway rezone hearings for Sandy Sanford’s property and the Madison’s train depot Planning Commission Thursday, June 27, 7 p.m. County Administration Building Madison City Council Monday, July 8, 5:30 p.m. Madison Municipal Complex
>> See PRD Page A7
Woman not driving in crash that killed her baby, boyfriend By Patrick Yost EDITOR
A Morgan County woman whose 19year-old boyfriend and 6-month-old son were killed in a May 10 I-20 crash was not driving the 1994 Honda at the time of the incident, Georgia State Patrol reports state.
According to the results of a Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT) report, Edi Rodriquez was driving the Honda at the time of the fatal crash. Despite various media reports to the contrary at the time of the crash, the SCRT investigation found no evidence of racing during the crash.
Rodriquez and Hunter Anderson, the 6month-old son of Kyrie Alassen Anderson, 22, Madison, were both killed in the 12:21 wreck that occurred on I-20 near the Salem Road exit in Rockdale County. Kyrie Anderson suffered serious injuries in the crash and was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital at the time for treatment.
The SCRT investigation states that authorities located video from a nearby gas station that showed the Honda pulling to the pumps and Rodriquez exiting the vehicle from the driver’s seat position. The video also, reports state, showed Rodriquez enter-
>> See DRIVER Page A7
HAVING A BALL AT CAMP
PLANNING COMMISSION
Zoo in Morgan County? By Kathryn Schiliro MANAGING EDITOR
You heard right: a zoo is being proposed for Morgan County. The county Planning Commission, this Thursday, will hear a proposal for both a text amendment allowing zoo facilities in the county as well as a proposal, submitted by Michael Vaden, 1021 River Farm Run, Madison, on Highway 83, south of the Williams Dairy, for a conditional use request allowing him to put a zoo on his 33.5acre property, which currently houses his private aviary and taxidermy business for exotic animals as well as his residence. If the county Board of Commissioners OKs the conditional use, the first
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phase of the zoo “I think we could open in can make it late spring or early summer work.” 2014, Vaden said, in an inter–Michael Vaden, view. who’s proposing a If successful, zoo on his property a zoo could be an economic boon to the county, as Morgan County Planning & Development staff, in their report, stated that of zoos researched, the average was 1 million visitors annually, about 2,800 visitors per day, with the average ticket price being about $20, not including ancillary purchases. The draw could be significant
>> See ZOO Page A7
The hometown newspaper of Jim Foskey
The Morgan County basketball team held their annual summer camp for kids last week. Here, Tyreese Nelson, Trevin Peters and Anaury Warren smile as their team scores another point. For more, see Page B6. PHOTO BY JESSE WALKER
EVENT OF THE WEEK FOURTH OF JULY IN MADISON The Madison-Morgan Cultural Center will host their annual, free concert and picnic on the lawn, followed by the city’s fireworks at Heritage Park, starting at dusk.
RIDIN’ AT THE RODEO The rodeo in Shady Dale was held earlier this month, and all the events drew quite a crowd. Check out our coverage, in photos. PAGE D1
Wednesday, July 3, concert at 7 p.m.
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