August 2023

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County Public Schools Public Hearing to Increase Property Taxes by 12.73% Over Rollback Rate

The Carroll County Board of Education has tentatively adopted a 2023 millage rate which will require an increase in property taxes by 12.73% over rollback rate. Millage rate not announced yet.

Citizens are invited to the Public Hearing on the tax increase to be held in the school board of education meeting room, 164 Independence Drive, Carrollton, GA, on Monday, August 21, 2023 at 5:30 p.m.

City Council of Carrollton Public Hearing to Increase Property Taxes by 10% Over Rollback Rate

Mayor and Council of the City of Carrollton have tentatively adopted a 2023 millage rate/same as 2022, which will require an increase in property taxes by 10.00% over the rollback rate to keep all of the property tax increase.

Citizens are invited to the Public Hearing on the tax increase to be held at the Public Safety Annex, 115 West Center Street, Carrollton, GA on Thursday August 17, 2023 at 8:30 a.m.

Friday, August 25th and Saturday, August 26th

- see page 4

Ongoing Continual Property Reassessments:

Law requires county and cities to decide annually whether to keep:

- all of a tax increase

- some of the tax increase

- not any of the tax increase

This decision is made through the setting of the millage rate

Setting Millage Rate at “Rollback Rate” = not keeping increase

To Appeal Your Property’s Assessment

A written appeal must be filed within 45 days of notice date

1. downloadAppeal of Assessment form at: https://qpublic.net/ga/carroll/ docs/PT311A_Appeal_of_ Assessment_Form.pdf

2. download instructions: https://qpublic.net/ga/carroll/ docs/Appeal%20Summary% 202021-10.pdf

story by Wayne J. Reynolds

In 2008, The Carroll Star News (now StarNews) published an indepth story that exposed a disturbing cluster of events that led to a Carroll County, Georgia mother of a murdered three year old girl being sentenced to life imprisonment plus 20 years for that murder. This happened without a confession, without a trial, and with a solid alibi witness that this mother was not present when her daughter was murdered on April 14, 1992. In fact, it was Boyer’s boyfriend David Herrin who had been alone with the toddler for six hours during which time the fatal blow to her head occurred.

Lake Carroll renovations: water level is now returning

Setting Millage Rate at a “Percentage Over Rollback” = keeping all or some of tax increase New

new playground, a natural area, an expanded boat ramp and a boardwalk

story by Wayne J. Reynolds

Upon request, documentation can be provided that supports the value of the assessment: assessors@carrollcountyga.com

Email appeal to: appeals@carrollcounty ga.com

November 7, 2023

General Municipal Election QUALIFYING DATES:

Mon., Aug. 21st 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

If you have driven by Lake Carroll Park at 500 North Lakeshore Drive in Carrollton you may wonder what is going on with all the construction? And many have wondered when will Lake Carroll be back at full pool? The answer is that the park is undergoing a two phase renovation, with the first phase having been completed. Carrollton Parks and Facilities Superintendent Kent Johnston spoke at length on the improvements. Johnston said, “For many years, the park has not been renovated or changed. City Councilman Brett Ledbetter had a bold vision of what the park could become, and he led the charge. I added some ideas, and the mayor and council agreed with the ideas presented to them.”

been SPLOST funded. He also said because of the proximity of these improvements so close to the lake they had to also get permits from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Phase 2 includes a larger event pavilion which will be able to host musical groups, and events such as weddings. This phase also includes a boardwalk so visitors may walk around this area of the lake. There

See LAKE CARROLL PHASE 2 page 8

“City Councilman

Brett Ledbetter had a bold vision of what the park could become, and he led the charge. . the mayor and council agreed with the ideas presented to them.”

Phase 1 was adding one large pavilion and two smaller pavilions, a playground, and a natural areaand is completed. Johnston said that Phase 1 was so successful that the city went ahead with Phase 2. Most of this project has

Tues., Aug. 22nd 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Wed., Aug. 23rd 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

This qualifying is for all city councils, mayors, and school board members with terms set to expire Dec. 31, 2023 QUALIFYINGFEESAPPLY

Carrollton City Councilman Jim Watters to host town hall meetings to gain feedback from citizens

Three term councilman for Ward 3, Watters is running for fourth

story by Wayne J. Reynolds

Recently StarNews sat down with City of Carrollton Councilman for 3rd Ward Jim Watters about his plans for reelection, as the qualifying period for his, and many other municipal seats, is fast approaching: Monday, August 21, 2023 and ending Wednesday, August 23, 2023.

Councilman Jim Watters said, “Yes, I am running for a fourth term. Qualifying is not until August 21st, but I want the voters to start hearing from me, and, more importantly, I want to listen to them.

“I will be hosting several town hall meetings in September and October that will be well publicized so they can hear directly from me and me from them.”

Watters was asked what inspired him to run initially in 2011, and has

See WATTERS RUNNING FOR REELECTION page 8

The 18th Annual Don-Rich Ford Villa Rica Frontiers Rodeo

JimWatters

Dignity. Compassion. Service.

Our funeral homes are all owned and operated by the same local family the Hightowers. Our top priority is to provide the best, most dignified, and quality service to our friends and families. Our staff is committed to providing support, compassion, information, and direction as needed to all members of our community, their families, and friends who are dealing with loss and grief.

The 18th Annual Don-Rich Ford Villa Rica Frontiers Rodeo Friday, August 25th and Saturday, 26th

story by Wayne J. Reynolds

“My dad rode bulls professionally back in the 1970s and 1980s. So, I grew up around rodeos. Dad had some friends who held rodeo events and I decided that is something I wanted to do,” explains Clint Chance, organizer of the Don Rica Ford Villa Rica Frontiers Rodeo.” I had a degree in business and marketing from the University of West Georgia. I used that along with my experience with rodeos to hold the first Don Rich Rodeo in 2006, although I had assisted in other rodeos in 2004. This will be 18th annual rodeo!”

Clint said that he feels this event is so popular for a variety of reasons. “Probably half the people who come are not die hard rodeo fans. They come because it is family friendly, local, affordable, and is something different. It is something exciting to do. And the bull riding, for example, is kind of like a train wreck - you can’t take your eyes off of it! But, I don’t want to diminish the half who come who are true rodeo fans.”

Mike Kassel of Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum shared that “The skills needed to tame the animals are on full display at the rodeo. Rooted in tradition, the sport demonstrates the work cowboys did to keep the cattle industry afloat – taming horses, steer and other large animals –for more than 500 years.”

From theexpo.com in Central Point, Oregon, describes a

CHILDREN’S

Sunday Worship

Early Morning Worship 9:00am Preschool Church 9:00am

Children Church 9:00am 11:00am (1st and 3rd Sunday’s) Nursery Only 11:00am Morning Worship 11:00am Wednesday Worship Meal 5:30pm Children Choir 6:00pm Word of Life 6:30pm (Nursery-5th grade)

rodeo as: “Two thousand pounds of angry bull, bucking horses, cowboys in chaps and a crazy clown running around...no other sport has as much drama, passion and history than The Rodeo. This American tradition has one foot deeply rooted in our country’s past and another in modern athletics. It’s a sport with charm and character, but filled with top-notch athletes - both two and four legged. It’s no wonder the Rodeo manages to draw huge crowds.

Modern Rodeo cowboys may still wear chaps and Stetsons, but these fierce competitors have hit the bigtime” competing for huge prize money at nationally televised events. The Rodeo is truly a product of our country’s history.” The website explained further:

“In the early 1800s the United States experienced huge population increases and began to push its borders further into the Western Frontier. . . Caring for the cattle and herding them toward the stockyard required plenty of work including roping, horse breaking, riding, herding, branding, and much more. As the Western United States became more

Join in the excitement of Word of Life. A ministry that allows students and families to study God’s Word together. Your child will learn to spend time with God, learn verses, and serving others. They will learn through games, hands on crafts and corporate worship. Come check us out today!

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Van CallMinistrychurch office for details 3yrs to 5th grade

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Wednesday 6:30pm A Place For All Ages

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Two separate services offer a unique setting designed to capture the attention of children to teach them love of Jesus Christ. We have lessons on their level, videos, and music that they can relate to. It also allows for them to ask questions in a more comfortable setting.

populated, rail lines were expanded. Homesteaders began to divide the land with barbed wire fencing. Soon large scale ranches could ship their product directly through rail and the long cattle drives were no longer necessary. This was the beginning of the end for professional cowboys.

“Wanting to capitalize on the imagination and spirit of the West, entrepreneurs like Buffalo Bill Cody began Wild West Shows that glamorized the dwindling American frontier. These shows were a precursor to the modern Rodeo. In these Wild West Shows, the cowboy became part entertainer. This feeling continues today, in fact, modern competitors still refer to Rodeo as a ‘show’ and they participate in ‘performances.’ Rodeo has become an American pastime that spans age groups, it can be found at the high school and college level.”

This year the Don Rich Rodeo speciality act will be Dusty Myers, who has appeared before. He does a variety of acts featuring a 3,000 pound bream bull. “In fact, a few years back Carroll County Commissioner Tommy Lee ‘rode’ that bull! He says he rode it into the ground!”

And fans will enjoy food, pony rides, a mechanical bull, rock climbing, bungee jumping, inflatables, and kids boot scramble. Specific rodeo events will include bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, ladies breakaway roping, team roping, saddleback riding ,and bare back riding. “Every year Don Rich Ford throw

See DON-RICH FORD FRONTIERS RODEO page 12

Clint Chance, the Frontiers Rodeo longtime organizer

Shown above at the 2021 Don-Rich Ford Villa Rica Frontiers Rodeo, is Carroll County District 3 Commissioner Tommy Lee who had made a promise to “ride a bull” - and he did indeed ride the (tame/pet) Great White Bull right to the ground! Fun was had by all while the bull does not appear concerned (or awake?).

Chamber asks commission to dissolve Joint Development Authority to create new, smaller one for benefit to county: (elected) Chairman Michelle Morgan questions if it could override decisions by elected officials

Also, commission board hears of request by Solid Waste Department for purchase of new excavator months after department’s employee’s misuse destroyed an excavator

story by Janice Daniel and Sue Horn

Carroll County Board of Commissioners met Thursday, July 27, 2023 for their monthly work session. All were present except Commissioner Steve Fuller.

Jacqueline Dost, Solid Waste Department director, presented a request for a proposal for the purchase of a new excavator.

StarNews reported in March 2023 that the county Public Works De aprtment had requested funds ($201,318) to purchase a new excavator that had been destroyed by engine fire due to misuse after having been loaned to another county department. Commissioner Ernie Reynolds had pushed for transparency on this issue then, stating that the departmentsince then identified as the Solid Waste Department - had been given instructions on proper use but those instructions had not followed. County then purchased a new excavator for Public Works.

Now, Solid Waste requests to have their own excavator. At this July 27th commission work session, Commissioner Reynolds asked if the funds for a new excavator were in the Solid Waste Department’s current budget? Dost did not answer that question, and instead said there was money in Solid Waste Reserves to purchase one. Commissioner Clint Chance asked Dost to check for extended warranties when sending out bids for the excavator.

Consent Agenda for regular meeting scheduled for August 1st, was compiled as follows:

1.Consideration of Resolution to dissolve Joint Development Authority, known as Greater West Georgia Joint Development Authority, consisting of Carroll, Coweta, Haralson, Heard, Paulding, Polk and Troup

counties. Brian Dill, President/CEO of Carroll County Chamber of Commerce and Carroll Tomorrow, told the board that this authority covered too wide an area with too many varied interests, and was currently not meeting.

2.Consideration of a Resolution to create and activate a Joint Development Authority to function in Carroll, Haralson and Heard counties, to be known as the 20-27 Corridor Joint Development Authority.

Chairman Michelle Morgan questioned Dill about the authority of the 20-27 Corridor Authority, as to whether if will have the ability to override decisions of elected officials of each county? Dill replied that the governing body presiding in the county where a parcel of land is located would have to make the final decision about any JDA project.

Commissioner Reynolds indicated he appreciates that the new JDA will understand the need to balance between maintaining the agricultural needs versus just ramping up industry. Dill said that anything done from a legal standpoint that would cause less transparency or jeopardize our current situation would not be considered and that there will be Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) among the three member counties stating all these goals very clearly.

Such development authorities as the one described above depend upon the Business Expansion Support Act of (revised in 1996), which provides for a statewide job tax credit for any business or headquarters of any such businesses added which engaged in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, processing, telecommunications, broadcasting, tourism or research and develop-

ment (retail is excluded). Based on census information, counties in Georgia are ranked and placed in economic tiers using these factors: a. Highest % unemployment; b. Lowest per capita income c. Highest % of residents whose incomes are below the poverty level.

According to each county’s ranking using this criteria, they may be more likely to attract such businesses to locate in their county. At this point, the Haralson County Development Authority and Carroll Tomorrow have agreed to this JDA.

3.County Attorney Avery Jackson presented a Resolution to authorize the exchange of personal property with the county school

exchanged for one Promethean Board (an interactive white board when connected to a computer projects what is on the computer screen and allows writing on the screen and interact with the images shown.)

4. Resolution for the county to participate in a National Settlement with Publix concerning the National Prescription Opioid Litigation.

5. Engagement Letter with Rushton and Company, LLC, to perform county financial audit for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023.

6.Consideration and approval of change order for Asbestos Containing Material Survey not to exceed $93,646 for Demolition Readiness for Existing Administration Building. Consent Agenda was read and approved 7-0, after which the meeting was adjourned.

County school board updated on numerous ongoing construction projects; discuss raising taxes

story by Janice Daniel and Sue Horn

Carroll County Board of Education met Monday, July 17, 2023, 5:30 p.m. for monthly work session.. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jessica Ainsworth reported that an adjustment will need to be made to the BCBI Policy (Public Participation in Board Meeting) due to a court case that has been settled. She said they will continue under the current rule until the August meeting.

Terry Jones gave numerous updates on congoing construction: Temple Middle six-classroom addition is almost finished. New VCT flooring installed.,carpet has been replaced in the media center and front office. Ithica Elementary is wrapping up their six-classroom addition. Central Middle project of the threeclassroom addition and renovation of cafeteria is complete; part of the roof has been replaced.

Some of the upcoming projects are the

School board Public Hearing to raise taxes is set for August 21st: millage tentatively set at 17.5 mils

story by Janice Daniel

On July 20, 2023, the Carroll County Board of Education met at 6:30 p.m. for Regular Meeting. Superintendent Scott Cowart reported that the 2023-24 school year had grown by 40 new teachers. On millage rate, financial director advised board must advertise a tentative millage rate, and hold three Public Hearings prior to the adoption on Monday, August 21st.

Chairman Bryant Turner expressed his opinion that setting the tentative millage rate at this meeting was too soon, considering the long list of variables of what could happen. He asked, “What if we pause tonight on setting the tentative rate?” Vice Chair Sandra Morris asked “What is the latest date we could meet?”. Boardmember Bart Cater said, “We shouldn’t feel like we’re under the gun to make one of the most important decisions we make.” Decision was made to postpone until a Special Called Meeting July 26th at 12:00 p.m.

In the July 26th Special Called Meeting, board was advised that the first Public Hearing on the tentative millage rate will be August 7, 2023 at 12:00 noon, the second will be August 7, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. The third Public Hearing

will be August 21s, 2023 at 5:30 p.m.. The tentative millage rate must be set at that hearing. Morris made a motion to set the tentative millage rate to what it is now, 17.5 mills, seconded by Board Member Kerry Miller.

Turner said, “the forecasting alarms me,” referring to the numbers that assumed no changes in enrollment or budget. Cater said that in the past several years the board had paid for some projects out of the reserve funds to give taxpayers a break, and he wants a list of the projects done with reserve funds during the last five years. Board Member Bernice Brooks stated “the growth in Villa Rica is tremendous,” but she said she gets so many calls from taxpayers who think the Board of Education does the property assessments, “and we do not.” Chairman Turner said, “My job is not just as a taxpayer, but I’m dedicated to the Board of Education, the students and employees.” And furthermore, “To educate these kids as our future workforce is putting money back into the community.” Turner called for votes to approve leaving the tentative millage rate at 17.5, and all votes were “yes” except Cater and Brooks, who voted “no”.

Operations Center on Highway 61, architects working on now. At Bay Springs Middle: sixclassroom addition and new multi-purpose building are planned. Central High and Villa Rica High are in line for four-classroom additions and additions to the cafeterias.

Keyways in four schools are completed and two more planned. Keyways is a safety system that involves keying all locks in an entire school building and then issuing the keys. The department had 7,000 work orders for the year, and have three plumbers to service 26 schools.

Carroll County Digest of Property Values increased from $2.8 billion in 2023 to $3.5 billion in 2024, 85% being from new builds or remodels, and 52% from inflation.

Carroll County Schools are considered to be in a “low wealth” district. When millage rates decrease, state funding also decreases, with a

two-year time lag in the decrease of state funding. Board member Bart Cater remarked that “some very prominent folks in the county have property taxes that have remained the same for the last five years” while his have increased every year.

Cater said that “a lot of us country folks have about had enough of paying an extreme amount of taxes.” No action was taken to set the tentative school millage rate during this meeting. If the millage rate had been set to the rollback amount of 15.524 mils, which the Digest would allow, they could not then set it higher than that amount.

Board went into Executive Session, and afterward approved all personnel actions proposed except one. Vote was approved 4-2 with Cater and Board member Dr. Bernice Brooks against. Meeting adjourned.

Dyson

On July 10, 2023, the Mayor and Council of the City of Carrollton met for their regular monthly meeting. Mayor Betty Cason led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Councilmember Jacqulene Bridges offered the Invocation.

The main item for consideration was the Annexation and Rezoning of Tax Parcels C05 0310008 and a portion of 132 0162, a total of 54.23 acres at Highway 166 Bypass/196 Folds Road, from R-20 to Multi-Family residential, for the purpose of building a 330-unit apartment complex with approximately 20 acres of commercial areas. The application was made by Culpepper Developments on behalf of the Plunkett Family LP.

One of the planning commission recommendations was that the proposed commercial buildings shall provide front facades facing the Highway 166 Bypass, and that the sidewalk requirement along the Highway 166 By-Pass shall be waived. However, internal sidewalks shall be installed within the development to promote connectivity. The plan is for 55% of the apartments to be one-bedroom, 35% to be two-bedroom, and 10% to be three-bedroom.

Brian Hatcher, engineer for the project, gave further details regarding the site plan, and stated that, at this time, no specific commercial tenants have been identified. He said this is a $73 million dollar project with housing aimed toward young professionals, such as those at Southwire and Tanner Medical Complex. Greg Power of Imperium Development gave background information about their company and various near-by developments they manage, and history on their company. He named specifically 240 units at Walker Ridge in Cartersville, 300 units at South Davis in LaGrange, as well as others in Suwanee and Chamblee.

In response to a question by Councilmember Bob Uglum, he said they have 22 years experience, and their investors are high-net-worth individuals with motivation to keep their projects updated. There will be an on-site manager at all times. The Carrollton project, Everly, will feature high-end boutique modern finishes, as well as gated parking. In response to a question from Councilmember Jim Watters, the time table for getting started is before the end of the first quarter of 2024.

Roy Ayers, an adjacent property owner, stated a concern about storm water run-off, and said he had also heard that blasting will be required due to all the rock in the building area. City Manager David Brooks assured him that water drainage provisions will be included in the civil plans. Citizen Bex Lourenco had concerns about the current housing stock for people with low incomes, the disabled and minorities, and was assured by Mayor Cason that this is an ongoing concern of the city which is continually at the forefront of council efforts. Citizen Cole Allen asked about and was told there will be 16 handicapped-accessible units. Brooks stated that the addition of this apartment development will put the city in line with where the housingstudy says that Carrollton is lacking.

A motion was made by Councilmember Uglum to approve the application with the conditions stated, seconded by Councilmem-ber Brett Ledbetter, and approved by a vote of 3-2, with Mayor Cason casting the deciding vote. Councilmembers Watters and Bridges were in opposition.

The FY23/24 Budget was adopted by coun-

cil as it was presented in prior meetings and advertised in the city’s legal organ.

In board appointments, Sally Carden was approved for the Carroll County Library Advisory Board, term ending on 6/30/26.

Jackie Pate and Beth Parsons were reappointed to the Carrollton Convention & Visitors Bureau, terms ending 6/30/26. Loy Howard was re-appointed to the Carroll County Board of Health, term ending 12/31/28.

With no further business to attend, meeting was adjourned.

J Best Hair

Edward Jones

will also be an expanded boat ramp which will be both wider and longer. Lake Carroll was lowered to allow for the construction of the boat ramp. Passersby may notice it is currently slowly rising.

Johnston said, “The lake is filling up now, and we would be at full pool with a good three or four inch rain, but we are at the mercy of Mother Nature. And I caution that September and October are typically drier months.” (Editor’s note: this interview took place July 25th.)

Johnston also stated that the projected completion of the project would be in October.

“We have a great group handling this project with JHC Construction and subcontractor, Nature Bridges doing the boardwalk. They have done this type of boardwalk projects all over the southeast. When the project is complete, we will then complete the landscaping. I estimate the project will cost a little over three million dollars for both phases.

“This is really a neat project that I think people will admire and enjoy. You can come by

WATTERS RUNNING FOR REELECTION from front page

that changed twelve years later? “As you know, I was one of the founding members of the Carroll County TEA Party back in 2009. TEA stands for ‘Taxed Enough Already’ so, at my core, I am looking out for the taxpayer to make sure they are getting a good return on their tax dollar investment,” he said.

Watters shared further on his core values and what he thinks are the most important to have as an elected official - and that he possesses these values. “Independence and competence. By independence, I mean I answer to no one except for the voters in Ward 3. By competence, I mean knowing what is required to do the job well and putting my twelve years of experience to work.

“As taxpayers, we should all be concerned about the risk of consolidation of power in local government, just as in the state and federal governments. As your ward 3 councilman, I will ensure that this doesn’t happen.”

and see how many people are already enjoying it. There have been a lot of changes, but I think all for the better.”

Mayor Betty Cason added, “Lake Carroll Park renovation has been very positive for our community - it needed a makeover very badly. The park has provided an improved area for events, such as our ‘Night Markets’ which has been a true success. The playground and the covered pavilions have provided a wonderful space for family time, the playground provides activities for all ages, my favorite is the music garden. When the boardwalk is completed, it will add even more gathering space. I hope our citizens will take advantage of the beautiful area.

“I am sorry that the lake has not been usable this summer. We started the project with the hope it would be completed by the end of April. However, we had no control over the excessive winter rains delaying the project, and now he lack of rainfall to refill the lake. But, I feel the end product will be worth the wait.”

City Councilman Brett Ledbetter was elected to the Carrollton City Council in November, 2019, to fill the remainder of former Council member Rory Wojcik’s term. Ledbetter said, “When I took over this seat in Ward 2, I surveyed the area to see what I needed to work to address. My family and I have always used Lake Carroll Park and knew it was in need of renovation and was being underutilized. The picnic tables were in bad

police and fire departments, along with thriving cultural arts and recreation departments,” he said. Watters believes government is necessary in a functioning society, but we must keep government in check. He stressed, “We must always remember who we work for - the taxpayers!”

The City of Carrollton charter dictates a city manager style of government. The city manager carries out the city council’s decisions (the mayoral seat is a non-voting seat except in instances of a tie vote) and oversees all city employees. Their duties include executing policies, budget management, and supervising personnel.

if people like what they’re getting as far as services and quality of life from the City of Carrollton now, they can expect more of the same from me. Otherwise, let’s talk! I want to hear and understand other perspectives so I can make the best decisions.”

Watters was asked to explain ‘risk of consolidation’. He said, “Unelected bureaucrats who sit on boards of organizations that are partially funded by tax dollars, and local influence peddlers who need dependable votes on the council to get their pet projects pushed through. This is known as “good ol’ boy politics 101”. I answer to one group of people - the voters of Ward 3.”

Watters reviewed what he considers the greatest accomplishments of current and previous city councils as well as the City of Carrollton during his time on the council.

“We have never voted for a millage rate increase and that we run a fiscally conservative city. Every tax dollar we bring in is used wisely. That is a testament to good city leadershipstarting with our city manager, David Brooks. He has done a great job of carrying on where [former city manager] Tim Grizzard left off.

“In addition to a strong financial position, we have the lowest utility rates (water and sewage rates) in the area, a vibrant downtown with a busy amphitheater, theGreenbelt, best in class

Looking back over his three terms, Watters said he has no regrets. “I have shown up to work every day looking out for the taxpayers and plan to continue to do so for the next four years,” he said.

Looking ahead to the next four years, Watters said that he doesn’t have any specific goals “but if people like what they’re getting as far as services and quality of life from the City of Carrollton now, they can expect more of the same from me. Otherwise, let’s talk! I want to hear and understand other perspectives so I can make the best decisions. My number is 770-851-3668 and my email is jwatters@carrollton-ga.gov.”

shape and I also knew we could provide more activities for our residents. I also learned that city government doesn’t move as quickly as I was used to in private business. It took time to get people on board and secure permits and financing.

“ I believe residents are fine with government spending money if they can see a positive return on investment. Having grown up in Carrollton, I am very proud of what Lake Carroll Park is today and will be upon final completion. A lot of people have been involved and have worked hard to make this project come to fruition - and I think residents are going to love and enjoy it!”

Kent Johnston has a staff of 21 (budgeted for 24) who have a variety of responsibilities across the city in addition to Lake Carroll Park including the city cemeteries. Over the years, Johnston has earned the recognitions as an Internationally Certified Arborist, a Nationally Certified Playground Safety Inspector, and a Georgia Certified Landscape Professional. He currently maintains all those certifications. In 2012, Johnston became Parks and Facilities Superintendent as the Facilities Maintenance Division was put under his control. You may reserve any of the pavilions by calling the Parks and Recreation Department at 770-832-1161. carrolltonga.com

Giving Hearts

Lake Carroll Lawn

Shown above enjoying a summer morning under one of the new pavilions at Lake Carroll Park, Carrollton, is Carrollton Parks and Facilities Superintendent Kent Johnston. He is also a Certified Arborist, NationallyCertified PlaygroundSafety Inspector, and a Georgia Certified Landscape Professional.

Photo by Wayne J. Reynolds

Ledbetter

. . .

Villa Rica council hear strong opposition to possible loss of properties on Darden Street to make way for new road

Residents of Darden Street pleaded with city to not take their homes and their black history Mayor Gil McDougal: “We will do everything we can to impact the least number of properties” Councilmember Shirley Marchman: who representsDarden Street residents:”I will only vote for a plan you are all in agreement with. I am only one vote, and that’s all that I can do.”

story by Janice Daniel

On Thursday, July 11, 2023 at 6:00 p.m., the Mayor and Council of the City of Villa Rica met for a regular meeting, with all present, Councilmember Leslie McPherson joining via phone. Mayor Gil McDougal announced thatthere were four pages of citizens signed up for Public Comments. Many were there to continue to voice their opposition to the city’s plan for a road that may possibly affect some properties on Darden Street. At least twelve residents of Darden Street or their family members were there to plead with the city to not take their homes and their history.

Citizen Shirley Hillsman said she does not want to sell her land, and that she can’t get a straight answer from the city on what she can do. “I don’t want no part of it,” she stated.

out to go through Darden Street, and a plan can’t be worked out to the Darden Street citizens’ satisfaction, I will not vote for the plan. I will only vote for a plan you are all in agreement with. I am only one vote, and that’s all that I can do.”

Tammy Jefferson said 392 Darden Street has been in her family for five generations, and it is the one area where black people have a heritage and “place of peace”.

Ryan Clark was there to protest the rezoning of agricultural land for multi-family developments. He said that he May mayor and council meeting the mayor said, “If the land is available for sale, we are going to develop it,” at which point Mayor McDougal immediately corrected him. “That’s not what I said. What I said was, if you don’t want the growth, stop selling the land. If people have land to sell, and a developer buys it, he will develop it. That’s what I said.”

Day Foster, also of 392 Darden, said, “It doesn’t seem like the city cares for the people already here.”

Denita Pritchett said, “You’re taking from the poor to give to the rich.”

Tammy Jefferson said 392 Darden Street has been in her family for five generations, and it is the one area where black people have a heritage and “place of peace”.

Day Foster, also of 392 Darden, said, “It doesn’t seem like the city cares for the people already here.” She said Darden Street is her comfort zone, “where we were raised, and have a connection with the older generation.”

Denita Pritchett said, “You’re taking from the poor to give to the rich,” and added “don’t let money be the only deciding factor.” Dee Thompson, Louis Powell, Emma Cosby, Tomeka Boykins, Terry Sinkfield, Tracy Evans, and Quassi Hudson all gave passionate explanations of what Darden Street means to their friends and relatives who bought there, built homes there, raised their children there, lived and died there, and always provided a safe haven, “home”.

Quassi Hudson said, “It didn’t look well for the mayor and council, bad feelings, miscommunication, bad all around,” he stated. “We need honest communication going forward.”

Other people made comments about the poor quality of Punkintown Road, the traffic coming in from new developments. Janet Hyleman asked if there could be a moratorium on new development until the Fuqua development is finished. Marshall Smith stated that this administration has been the least transparent of any of them. “They don’t listen,” he stated. He suggested that more units were only wanted for the tax increase. If this is controlled growth, “we don’t have it.” Greg Roberts talked about the water and sewer issues, and stated, “you can’t spend your way out of it.”

Cheryl Bell was there to emphasize the need for a P.A. System at the library, saying it’s a safety issue because they don’t get weather or fire alerts, and can’t effectively communicate between areas of the library. She told the council there had been 47,000 visitors to the library in the last year, and urged them to budget for a P.A. System in this year’s budget.

Villa Rica Mayor Gil McDougal said, “If you don’t want the growth, stop selling the land.

If people have land to sell, and a developer buys it, he will develop it.”

Mayor McDougal said there has been talk since 2017 about the road in question, but he said that until the engineers are completely finished, they don’t even know if the road will affect Darden Street. He said, “We will do everything we can to impact the least number of properties possible, and those who will be displaced, the city will do all they can to make sure everyone gets the compensation they deserve.”

Mayor McDougal said there has been talk since 2017 about the road in question, but . . . don’t know if the road will affectDardenStreet.

“We will do everything we can to impact the least number of properties possible, and those who will be displaced, the city will make sure everyone gets the compensation they deserve.”

Councilperson Ward 1 Shirley Marchman, where Darden Street is located, asked citizens to not leave the meeting until they heard her out. “Hear what I’m saying,” she urged them, “not what ‘they say’, ‘I heard’, or any other information from outsiders that is simply inflammatory and may not even be true. I will tell you the truth. If the plan turns

It was an hour and a half into the meeting before the first business item was addressed by council, that being the 205 S. Carroll Road formerly known as the Carroll Shopette seeking an Alcohol License Permit.

Approved: 4-1. Councilperson Marchman opposed. City Attorney David Mecklin advised new owner Sijan Adhikari, that the Villa Rica Police Deprtment does carry out sting operations in all stores that sell alcohol, and the police at any time could send someone in to purchase alcohol, and the owner and all employees must at all times check ID or have their license at risk for selling to underage customers. Adhikari acknowledged that he understood. Also, at McPherson’s request, assured council that Adhikari is remodeling the store and intends to keep the area inside and the grounds clean, as it has been an eyesore in the past.

This meeting’s zoning session began about two hours into the meeting, and will be reported on an upcoming story.

League of Women Voters: Lessons learned while interning at the changing Georgia Legislature

submitted by Dr. Anne C. Richards, League of Women Voters of Carrollton/CarrollCounty

The League of Women Voters of Carrollton/Carroll County (LWVCCC) sponsored a program providing an informative and first-hand perspective on the Georgia Legislature on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. The featured speaker was Ginny Bouchard, LWVCCC Board member and Adjunct Professor in Political Science at the University of West Georgia, who spent the last legislative session at the Capitol working with two freshman legislators in the House.

Introducing herself to the group as a “government nerd,” Bouchard explained that she is intrigued with the law-making process and learned a lot in her position at the Capitol. Georgia is “one of the most diverse and fastest growing states in the country,” and the Legislature is changing as a result. The 2023 Legislature was the most diverse in Georgia History.

Bouchard described the makeup of the House and Senate, highlighting the ways in which the election of particular representatives or senators constituted “firsts” for Georgia, e.g., the first Palestinian American legislator, first Black Republican Female Representative, and first female Muslim elected to the Georgia Senate, who is also the youngest member. In addition, the first caucus for those representing Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) was established in 2023 as well as the first Georgia Hispanic Caucus, open to legislators from both parties.

Bouchard made the point that the lawmaking that affects citizens’ lives most takes place in state legislatures and encouraged interested persons to watch any legislative committee hearing by going to the following legislative

website: legislature.ga.gov

Describing lobbyists as being “everywhere” at the Capitol, Ginny Bouchard explained that they can be utilized by legislators who often don’t have the money to pay researchers for proposed bills. As a result, lobbyists play a vital role in educating lawmakers about issues that are central to the passage or blockage of given bills, especially because they have the money to employ experts to research relevant information and provide statistical analyses that might be significant. She described a weekly online publication entitled State Affairs, as a “great resource” and “interesting read.” It provides news, commentary and opinion on state government. Each year this includes the “Golden Fork Awards” - highlighting which legislators have taken the most contributions from lobbyists in the state. Bouchard also described a variety of gifts that are commonly dropped off in legislative offices when the legislature is in session.

So far as a “day in the life of a legislator” is concerned, Bouchard talked about the actionpacked schedules that are typical for those in elected office. These include appearances at community and Capitol events and on the media that can sometimes keep people going until late in the evening. Each day there is some sort of event where legislators speak before the public or one another.

She reported that the average age of Georgia Legislators is about 50 years old and that more are over the age of 76 than under the age of 36.

The most common jobs (13%) held by legislators are in the field of law, but there are also a lot of retirees, business owners, funeral home owners, property managers, and medical personnel who serve as legislators. Legislators work Monday through Thursday during the

Chiropractic

session, and, when they are expected to be present at the Capitol, some delegate responsibilities they might have on their everyday jobs to others with whom they work. Some stop working their regular jobs altogether during the session, and then return to them when the session has ended.

In the question/answer session following her remarks, Bouchard responded to the following questions.

What is the best way to contact my legislator?: Request a personal visit or call the office. Letters to legislators do get read but the worst way is via email because legislators get 1000+ emails each day and don’t have a lot of staff to read or respond to them.

In addition, Bouchard discovered that many emails come from bots that are designed to create the impression that a lot of separate indi-

viduals are commenting on a particular piece of legislation, but the emails are actually only regurgitating one particular perspective.

How do legislators advocate for a given lobbyist’s position?: When lawmakers are a part of a caucus, they usually have to vote the way the caucus agrees to vote.

Are there some bills that don’t become law one year but automatically roll over to the next year? Or do they have to be reintroduced in the next legislative session?: When a bill crosses over from the House to the Senate or vice versa by cross-over day, but doesn’t pass when all is said and done, it will be considered the following year.

Do people rework the language of a bill if it doesn’t pass the first time around? Yes. Bouchard said she watched Representative

See

Roy’s Tires

page 12

Southwire Project GIFT’s annual Back to School Giveaway:

from press release

On July 15th, Southwire’s Project GIFT hosted its annual Back to School Giveaway at Midway Church in Villa Rica, Ga., distributing more than 2,200 bags of school supplies to community members. The event was drivethru style, allowing community members to safely receive their bags of school supplies. Over 100 volunteers came together to serve more than 500 vehicles at the event.

In addition to the bags distributed at the Villa Rica drive-thru event, 2,300 bags of school supplies will be delivered to other Southwire communities hosting Back to School events, bringing the grand total to more than 4,500 bags of school supplies given away to community members and school systems.

In partnership with the Back to School giveaway, Midway Church offered a clothes closet at Lifeline Mission on the same day of the event. According to their website, Lifeline Mission exists and is dedicated to feeding the hungry, clothing the vulnerable and ministering the soul.

“With each Back to School that passes, we

are reminded that there continues to be a need in our area,” said Wil Rainey, Giving Back specialist. “We’re grateful to our volunteers and community partners for stepping up each year to help us meet that need.”

Outside of the west Georgia area, Southwire’s Arlington, Texas; Bremen, Ind.; Denton, Texas; Douglas, Ga.; Fontana, Calif.; Florence, Ala.; Houston, Texas; Huntersville, N.C.; Kent, Wash.; Medford, N.Y.; Monroe Township, N.J.; Rancho, Calif.; Starkville, Miss.; York, Penn.; Youngsville, N.C.; and our facilities in Canada and Honduras will be holding Back to School events with the help of Project GIFT volunteers, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting the communities in which it operates.

Southwire’s Giving Back communities that will not host in-person events will be able to make a direct impact on local students by directly donating bags of school supplies to school systems in their respective communities.

“We have impacted the lives in this community for almost two decades. Thousands and

Board of commissioners discuss/approve funding for new Villa Rica Fire Station #9 building

Since original fire station opened in 1981, it has become the busiest in the county

On Tuesday, July 11, 2023 at 6:00 p.m., the Carroll County Board of Commissioners met for their Regular Meeting. District 1 Commissioner Montrell McClendon led the Invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

District 2 Commissioner Clint Chance presented information about the planned Villa Rica Fire Station No. 9, from which District 3 Commissioner Tommy Lee recused himself as he works for the Construction Company involved, Caliber One.

Commissioner Chance thanked a long list of people and organizations who helped bring this project together. He also advised the board on what has been done to save almost a half-million dollars on the station. He said the living quarters of the Firemen and the EMTs was redesigned, the floor finish changed to LVT (Lux Vinyl Plank), a product which is more durable and cost effective. The arched ceiling will provide proper acoustics, and the training compound will be on the roof top of the building. In the kitchen and laundry room the decision was made to purchase heavy-duty residential fixtures rather than commercial, partly to save money and also to avoid the long lead times on commercial appliances.

Chance presented a Resolution which states that the county wants to approve the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) Amendment for an amount not to exceed $6,443,357, and also to approve the total costs of the project for an amount not to exceed $7,494,964, which includes the GMP, architect and engineering fees previously approved by the board, work to be performed by the county’s Public Works Department, and other costs generally set forth in an exhibit attached to the Rresolution. Where work is expected to be done by public works, the amount listed on theexhibit is at fair market value should the work have to be contracted out.

Chance stressed that this fire station has room to grow; is a Certified Training Facility; is a 24/7 First Responder station with livable amenities for all that are housed there,; and since the original station was built in 1981, it has become the busiest fire station in Carroll County. He said that, assuming items with supply chain issues come in on time, the station should be completed within one year from the

4500+ bags of school supplies

thousands of school supplies have been put into hands of families in need,” said Jason Pollard, vice president of Communications and Giving Back.

“Today our reach extends to nearly all of Southwire’s work locations with a Back to

School program and over 30,000 bags have been given out annually. It has been so rewarding to watch this program grow and ultimately impact lives.”

To learn more about Southwire’s commitment to Giving Back, click here.

For more than 45 years, West Georgia Ambulance has been saving lives across Carroll County and west Georgia.

It’s our honor to be there when you need us most. Emergency medical care is a phone call away.

start date, also assuming that the site work can be done in-house.

When District 4 Commissioner Steve Fuller asked whether public works will get overly stretched in trying to do their normal work with this project added in, Chance replied that Danny Yates, Public Works Director, has been a part of the committee since the beginning and has given no indication that it might be a problem.

Chairman Michelle Morgan made a point of clarifying that extra funds needed for the fire station over-and-above what has already been allocated will come from undesignated SPLOST money.

The resolution was approved by the board unanimously, after which the meeting was adjourned.

18,700 dispatches per year

12,300 patient transports per year

Harry T’s

Affordable Care Act mandate penalties on the rise

MARCY HEATH

678-821-3508

marcy@be inoventive.com

The penalties for not offering health insurance to your employees – a violation of the Affordable Care Act if you maintain 50 or more full time or full-time equivalent workersare set to rise again next year.

The IRS has increased the fines for employers that fail to provide health insurance for their workers under the ACA’s employer mandate, as well as for failing to provide coverage that is affordable or provide “minimum value.” The penalties will apply to plans that start on or after January 1, 2024.

The way most employers find out they may have violated the employer mandate is when

DON-RICH FORD

FRONTIERS RODEO from page 4

out t-shirts into the crowd. You cannot believe how excited people get for those shirts. People tell me they collect them every year! And fans love the food from fresh squeezed lemonade, chicken on the stick, and BBQ to funnel cakes, burgers, and corn dogs!”

The event will be held Friday, August 25th and Saturday, August 26th at 8:00 p.m. each evening at 2011 Carrollton Villa Rica Highway (Hwy 61). Over 5,000 people are expected. Tickets are $15 in advance and $40 VIP reserved seating.

Tickets may be purchased up to two weeks before the event at Don Rich Ford and ET

Esther Panitch work diligently in an effort to get the antisemitism bill passed that was focused on making antisemitism a hate crime. Not all bills are that sensitive, but, in the end, the language in the bill may have been too broad. Some said the bill went too far. Others said it didn’t go far enough. So it’s hard to know at this point what revision may eventually be the best to get this bill passed.

Do some states allow employees time off to be a legislator?: Georgia doesn’t have anything like this. We are a part-time legislature. Georgia is also one of the lowest paying states when it comes to legislator pay. In California the pay is more and they have more diversity in their membership, but their sessions are also longer.

Bouchard said she did research comparing the change in pay in Alabama after they tied the state median income to legislative pay. This brought about a change in the diversity of the Alabama legislature so far as race, sex and age of legislators was concerned, but pay is not the only factor that contributes to diversity

they get a 226-J letter from the IRS, which would be prompted by one of their employees receiving a premium tax credit after purchasing coverage on a government or state-based exchange.

There are two different penalties for violations:

The A Penalty: This is levied on an applicable large employer (ALE) for failing to offer minimum essential coverage to 95% of fulltime employees and if just one of those employees receives a subsidy when they buy insurance on a government run ACA marketplace or a state-based exchange.

The new penalty amount is $2970 per employee, up $90 from 2023. This penalty can be especially damaging, while it is not assessed for the first 30 employees, it applies to all the employer’s full-time employees if triggered, meaning cost can quickly add up.

The B Penalty: This fine is levied if an ALE

Doyal Feed, both businesses located in Villa Rica as well as Wallace Farm Supply in Bowdon Junction. Tickets are $20 at the gate and children 5 and younger are free.

Each year the Don Rich Rodeo gives back to their community. Each year the Villa Rica ladies soccer team collects parking donations. In the past, monies collected has been used for the Villa Rica High baseball team as well as senior scholarships and buying wrestling mats for Bay Springs Middle School.

Clint Chance is in his second term as the Carroll County Commission representing District 2 which includes Villa Rica and runs up Highway 61 including Fairfield Plantation. He is a management and marketing consultant.

within a legislature.

How does the size of the Georgia Legislature compare with that in other states? Legislatures vary in size. At one point, the Illinois legislature voted themselves a pay raise. Following this action, the public voted to reduce the size of the Legislature.

In New Hampshire, the Legislature is made up of over 400 members. Each town has a representative, but with little to no pay. The size of the legislature in Texas is more the size of the one here in Georgia, although its population is bigger than ours.

What was your most disappointing and most memorable moment in your work with legislators?: Bouchard replied that most disappointing was observing lack of decorum during heated moments between legislators. Most memorable - and inspiring - was watching Representative Esther Panitch, the sole Jewish legislator in the Georgia General Assembly, tirelessly work as hard, diligently, and passionately as she could in support of passage of an antisemitism bill. But, it still did not pass before the session ended.

fails to offer coverage that is affordable and/or fails to provide minimum value, and just one full-time employee receives subsidized coverage through the Federal or State marketplace.

The annual penalty for a type B infraction rises to $4,460 per employee in 2024, up $140 from 2023.

Typically, this penalty is broken down into monthly increments depending on how long an employee receives subsidized coverage.

Affordability: Coverage is deemed unaffordable if an employer fails to offer at least one self-only health plan for which any employee’s share of the premium does not exceed 9.12% (the 2023 threshold) of their household income.

The affordability threshold has not yet been announced for 2024.

Minimum Value: In order to provide minimum value, an employer sponsored plan must cover at least 60% of average cost and provide

substantial coverage for impatient and physician services.

The Takeaway: While you no doubt already offer coverage to your employees if you’re an ALE, it’s important to pay attention to next year’s affordability threshold. Any downward change means you must recheck to ensure that at least one of your plans offers coverage deemed affordable to your lowest-paid employee.

Also, be especially mindful during the new employee onboarding to ensure they are properly identified and offered coverage. If the IRS suspects you are out of compliance, it will send you a 226- J letter. The 226-J letters are also sent to employers if they make mistakes on their Form 1095-C.

If you receive one of these letters, contact us for assistance. If you are unsure if your medical benefits satisfy the ACA requirements, call us today at 678-821-3508 for a FREE evaluation.

Danny’s Pressure Wash

Superior Structures

The January 2008 Carroll StarNews story on Carrollton resident Christina Boyer and her toddler daughter Amber Bennett gained international attention the following year. Star News publisher Sue Horn, who had researched and written the story, received a phone call from a woman named Amy Hoch in Bologna, Italy. Hoch had become aware of Boyer’s wrongful imprisonment and wanted to help spread publicity about it. She requested permission to reprint the Boyer story along with Horn’s accompanying editorial. Permission was given. Hoch created the Facebook page “Free Tina Resch Boyer”. Since then, the story has been posted and reposted on numerous websites; feature stories have published; a documentary short film was produced by Georgetown University law students; an internationally promoted book was published by JanBanning of The Netherlands; a support group “Team Tina” was formed to promote Boyer’s release from prison; and now, the latest, is a three part docuseries by Latchkey Films titled “Demons & Saviors” (televised on HULU) released August 3, 2023.

of Christina Boyer”. It was released July 2019 on YouTube.

InDecember 2022, Alex Waterfield, documentary producer and director, Latchkey Films, New York, contacted Banning, Horn, and many others asking for their involvement in a documentary he was making about the Boyer story. Waterfield said, “I care deeply about telling stories related to criminal justice, and especially wrongful convictions. . . I executive produced a series of four episodes at VICE called ‘Innocence Ignored’, including an episode specifically about the Alford Plea.”

The three Georgetown University law students, Sarah Jackmauh, Grace Perret, and Lizzie Porterfield, are a main part of the docuseries, as their extensive and smart research revealed some of the key disturbing points that Richard Allen had known back in 2007. (Allen died March 2, 2009.)

The CarrollStar News story by Sue Horn titled “The Real Story of Christina Resch Boyer: Did a ‘Perfect Storm’ of Events Lead to Life Imprisonment?” was published January 20, 2008 after Horn was visited by Tallapoosa, Georgia Attorney Richard Allen in December 2007, when he strongly urged her to review details of this case and write a story. Horn studied the heavy stack of documents he gave her, and she concluded, among other key points, that Boyer was serving time for a murder that took place when she wasn’t present. Allen had taken on the case pro bono after he uncovered several actions about the handling of Boyer’s case that disturbed him, in fact, so much so that he petitioned Georgia Parole Board which was not interested in his findings.

In 2017, Horn was contacted by photojournalist Jan Banning of The Netherlands, whose work has been published National Geographic, TIME, Newsweek,The New Yorker, and others. Banning was interested in publishing a book on what he referred to as ‘the tragic case of Christina Boyer”. Over the next three years, Horn, along with many others, assisted Banning in gathering of documents and other information to aid his book research. After concluding his in-depth research and finalizing the publication of his book “The Verdict: The Christina Boyer Case”, Banning stated, “presently available evidence, including modern medical insights, points to her being innocent” and that “Christina Boyer has been unquestionably wrongfully imprisoned.”

In an Alford Plea, which Boyer did, a defendant pleads guilty but continues to assert their innocence. Waterfield said, “We find Christina’s story extremely compelling.”

Richard Allen made the strong point to Horn in December of 2007 that Boyer had taken an Alford Plea under the duress of being told by her court-appointed attorney Jimmy Berry she would be facing the death penalty (electrocution at that time) if she did not sign the Alford Plea, this while she was being shown black and white autopsy photographs of her dead daughter (she was not allowed to attend her daughter’s funeral) and being told the “evidence” was overwhelmingly against her and a conviction would indeed happen. In the documentation Allen gave Horn to review, she noted a transcripted page concerning the Alford Plea in which Boyer stated that she had been told that if she signed it, she would be out of prison in less than seven years. She was sentenced to life plus 20 years.

In March of 2023, Waterfield and co-producer Rochelle Widdowson brought their crew to Carroll County, Georgia, for filming their docuseries that was eventually titled “Demons & Saviors”. Their filming also took them to The Netherlands; Hawkinsville,Georgia; Ohio; and Washington, D.C..

. . . it is shown that the police investigation established child abuse as fact. It is shown that the medical examiner’s investigation established murder as a fact (the head injury). But no fact was established as to the identity of the murderer.

Unbelievably, video shows law enforcement voicing the stand that “both” Herrin and Boyer were guilty of the one murder. In other words, their stand is that “both” struck the one blow.

“Demons & Saviors” focuses mainly on three of the multiple disturbing facets of this murder case: the character assassination of Boyer to create an unlikable defendant; the lack on the part of the police investigation in determining who actually killed Amber Bennett (which one struck her with that one blow with such force causing her brain to bleed until she died?); and the question of whether Boyer had adequate legal representation with her court-appointed attorney Jimmy Berry?

The Georgetown University law students, Sarah Jackmauh, Grace Perret, and Lizzie Porterfield, are a main part of the docuseries, as their extensive and appropriately neutral research revealed some of the key disturbing points that Richard Allen had known back in 2007. (Allen died March 2, 2009.)

In 2019, through a connection from Banning, three Georgetown University students chose the Christina Resch Boyer story as their “Making an Exoneree” project. They contacted Horn and many others during their research, and came to CarrollCounty to interview and film. Sarah Jackmauh, Grace Perret, and Lizzie Porterfield carried out numerous careful investigations and produced the short video “Making an Exoneree 2019 - TheStory

In the series, it is shown that the police investigation established child abuse as fact. It is shown that the medical examiner’s investigation established murder as a fact (the head injury). But no fact was established as to the identity of the murderer. Unbelievably, video shows law enforcement voicing the stand that “both” Herrin and Boyer were guilty of the one murder. In other words, their stand is that

See CHRISTINA BOYER page 21

American Legion Post 143 presents special awards; installs new officers

Members of American Legion Post 143 and The Sons of the American Legion-Squadron 143 held a joint officer installation ceremony Thursday, July 20, 2023. Awards were presented to several members. Commander Ronnie Pate presented the “Legionnaire of the Year” award to JVC Frank Joswick in recognition of his service thr esented to his wife, Margie Joswick, for her faithful and devoted support of her spouse. Commander Ronnie Pate also gave a medal to each officer who served the Post during the past year. The Installing Officer, Past Commander Don Levans, swore in the new officers and passed the gavel to incoming Commander Steve Fuller, who in turn, presented outgoing Commander Ronnie Pate with a “Gavel Plaque” for serving as Commander of the Post for the past three consecutive years.

Other officers sworn in for the 2023-2024 Post year include SVC Sam Pyle, and JVC’s, Bill Maddox, Jim Hill, Ralph Fenner, and Derek Warren, FO Joe Harrod and JA Bill Hearnburg. SAL Squadron 143 officers are Commander Ralph Fenner, SVC Jeffery Liggett, Adjutant Evan Fuller, FO Warren Henson, and SAA Graham Fuller.

Photo and information submitted by Donna Fuller

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P.O. Box 680 Carrollton, GA 30112 © 2023 Palindrome Enterprises dba StarNews / StarNews Online

Some backstory to “Demons & Saviors” on HULU

Appeal your property assessment: the time is now

Recently, I was shocked when I opened an envelope from the county informing me that my home had increased in value by 100% in one year. Thus, my property taxes doubled as well. I have learned that many homeowners in Carroll County received similar surprising appraisals. Property reviews for residential, agricultural, commercial, industrial, and tax exempt properties are ongoing. There are over 56,000 parcels in this county. The Carroll County Board of Tax Assessor (CCBOTA) is charged with valuing all real and personal property.

Neither the Carrollton City Mayor Cason nor the Carrollton City council is involved in this process.

SUE HORN EVANS EDITOR/

“A kingdom founded on injustice never lasts.” - Seneca, mid-first century Roman philosopher

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”- Martin Luther King, Jr.

The tragic story of the wrongful incarceration of Carroll County, Georgia resident Christina Boyer (see story front page) is being televised on HULU in a three episode docuseries “Demons & Saviors”. Producers Alex Waterfield and Rochelle Widdowson of Latchkey Films did an excellent job of drilling down to three main points, utilizing the unwavering investigation and straight forward common sense delivery of three Georgetown University law students Grace Perret, Lizzie Porterfield, and Sarah Jackmaugh. Also shown is Jan Banning of The Netherlands who has spent the last six years of his life at personal expense crisscrossing the Atlantic Ocean in search of justice for Boyer. But, there were two justice warriors involved early on who, I think, deserve remembrance and recognition, but are not mentioned in the docuseries:

Richard Allen: StarNews readers are familiar with Tallapoosa,Georgia, Attorney Richard Allen who was remembered at his March 2009 funeral as a “true fighter for justice for all people”. Allen was at fighting ground zero for Christina Resch Boyer. He convinced me to write the breaking story on what happened to her while in the hands of the law here. The story published January 2008, and on February 5, 2008, Allen sent me an email expressing disappointment that “no one has contacted me about the case; which is a surprise. I think one reason is that if someone was inclined to oppose the thrust of your article, they were dissuaded by the obvious fact that the article was so well researched, and they could not rebut anything. . . I did expect some people’s concience to be pricked by the article and your editorial . . . I will try to get this article more widespread coverage. . . And I had to fight, successfully, with one or two on our team who still wanted to talk about the paranormal. . . Thanks again for all you do, the community needs a paper like the Star.”

Amy Hoch: Great recognition also goes to Amy Hoch, Bologna, Italy, who on November 23, 2008, singlehandedly urged the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles to use “intelligence in re-examining the terms. . . of Christina Resch Boyer’s subsequent incarceration for crimes the medical examiner indicated she did not commit.” Hoch and her sister Janet worked on a radio documentary in 2009 to “raise public awareness” about Boyer’s wrongful imprisonment. From Hoch’s Feb. 17, 2009, email to Richard Allen: “It is clear that Ms. Boyer’s case is so multi-layered and complexsignificant and compelling on so many levels - it deserves more than one short radio documentary.” She created a Facebook page which greatly widened the coverage for Christina’s story, and started a support group for her. Hoch spoke to me on the phone this week and said, “It is my deepest hope that this documentary [”Demons & Saviors”] will lead to a massive outcry for justice for Christina Resch Boyer.”

Richard Allen and Amy Hoch are both, in my opinion, two more “Saviors” for Christina. Two others involved- but not as “Saviors” - are the late Dr. Phil Astin, the Carroll County jailhouse doctor who prescribed the heavy medication that Christina was under the influence of for two years including the time she was in front of her court-appointed attorney Jimmy Berry who frightened her with threats of the death penalty while showing her autopsy photos of her daughter convincing her to sign the Alford Plea. This is tragically wrong. 7.7 million people viewed the “Demons & Saviors” trailer on the day it came out. I wonder, in Richard Allen’s words, how many people’s concience was pricked enough to watch the series?

I have said a prayer that the new, young DA Herb Cranford and the previous DA Pete Skandalakis can work something out to right this wrong.

I want to be clear that the citizens who serve on the CCBOTA are honorable who freely give their time to serve the community. While I agree to disagree on these assessments, I am grateful for their service.

The assessments this year are just excessive.

Upon request, documentation can

be provided that supports the value of the assessment. The taxpayer can request this information electronically at no cost. Email address is assessors@carrollcountyga.com.

APPEAL PROCEDURES: The time to appeal is now. The more appeals that are supplemented with supporting documentation, such as an independent appraisal, to prove the market value of the property, the better negotiating position homeowners will have. Gathering comparative sales from the last four years can be helpful. I would also suggest speaking with a trusted real estate agent. We are fortunate to have a number of high quality real estate professionals

in West Georgia. I also want to be clear that the tax commissioner does not assess property nor set millage rates. The tax commissioner prepares and mails the tax bills and collects the taxes based on the values provided by the CCBOTA.

Questions regarding bill calculations, return mail, late payments, interest, etc. should be directed to the tax commissioner at 770-830-5843 or taxcomm@carrollcountyga.com

A property owner must file a written appeal within 45 days of the notice date. The appeal must state the owners election to appeal to the Board of Equalization, Hearing Officer, or Binding Arbitration. Appeals must be mailed (postmarked by USPS on or prior to the last day to appeal), emailed to appeals@carrollcoun tyga.com, or hand delivered.

By mutual written agreement, certain appeals may be sent directly to Superior Court. The property owner and the CCBOTA may mutually agree to a value and terminate an

Problem of energy replacement goals for wind, solar, and battery storage

“This “new energy economy” rests on the belief—a centerpiece of the Green New Deal and other similar proposals both here and in Europe— that the technologies of wind and solar power and battery storage are undergoing the kind of disruption experienced in computing and communications, dramatically lowering costs and increasing efficiency. But this core analogy glosses over profound differences, grounded in physics, between systems that produce energy and those that produce information.” - Mark P. Mills, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute Even though Mills’ above quote was penned in 2016, little has changed on the enormity of the problem of making energy replacement goals for wind, solar, and battery storage. For decades science has been looking to replace hydrocarbons, that make up over 84% of the world’s energy. Sixty years ago the fear was

TRAVIS PITTMAN

GEORGIATECH

Beta Theta Pi tpittman4787@comcast.net

that we would run out of oil. In 2022, it is estimated these green friendly replacements only provide 10% of the power needed. However the current claim is that we are at the beginning of a techdriven energy breakthrough that can replace hydrocarbons. For me, the basic misconception is the difference between nature’s laws of gravity, inertia, friction, mass, and thermodynamics and the results of the brilliant software/hardware that can now put thousands of elements in 1/4 square

inch in your smart phone.

Accomplishments in tech have been life chancing. Digital electronics have been a driving force in social change, productivity, and economic growth. After we were in this revolution of tech a few years (1975), The CEO of Intel Gordon Moore made an observation that eventually was coined as Moore’s Law. He predicted that the number of transistors in an integrated circuit would double every two years. He was right and this law (?) debunked predictions such as that the average citizen (1980) would never be able to afford a computer, or the 1984 cell phone (the first one was a two pound brick with a 30 minute talk time) would cost $9000 in today’s money.

Today’s smart phones are much cheaper and are more powerful than a room-size IBM mainframe from 30 years ago. The question is can we

Illegal immigration: questions for Republican Georgia lawmakers

As I write this on July 25th, the Biden Administration is suing the State of Texas to force Republican Governor Greg Abbott to remove barriers at the border that are making illegal entry into the U.S. more difficult for illegal aliens. Under orders, the U.S. Border Patrol has reportedly partnered with Mexican immigration officials to facilitate the orderly migration of hundreds of illegal aliens into the U.S. Yes, border patrol agents are communicating across the border with Mexican authorities on encrypted messaging platforms to facilitate crowds of migrants entering the U.S., according to Mexican officials.

Georgia is a favorite destination for the hordes of illegals. Georgians would be much safer if the Republicans who rule the state were more like Gov. Abbott than President Biden.

As a public service, here are a few questions to ask on pending Gold

D.A. KING PRESIDENT

The Dustin Inman Society 404-316-6712

Dome legislation related to immigration in any meeting with Republican state legislators:

- HB 131, Kasey Carpenter, RDalton, would change GA law to lower tuition rates in taxpayer-funded colleges for illegal aliens who are recipients of the illegal 2012 Obama ‘DACA’ program. The bill would create a new tier of tuition much lower than out-of-state tuition and would not be available to Americans and legal immigrants who attend public colleges in Georgia from other states.

Example: An American from Michigan would pay $9,641for tui-

tion (15 + hours) per semester at the State University of West Georgia while an illegal alien from Venezuela would pay about $3000. The determined GOP sponsor is calling it “Opportunity Tuition” and the illegal alien students are to be known as “Opportunity Students.”

Question to State Reps: If this bill goes to the floor of the House, how will you vote? Same question for senators if it were to pass the House.

- SB 112, Sen Jason Anavitarte, RDallas, “Workforce EXCELeration” creates a new “Adult Education” taxpayer-funded benefit being called the “High School Diplomas for Adult Learners” pilot program that would send applicants aged twenty-one or older to the Technical College System of Georgia for classes that result in a high school diploma. It is aimed at increasing the number of workers in the state. This bill has passed the See D.A.KING page 23

“Not just what happened, but what matters”

SUSAN M. HORN EDITOR/PUBLISHER

See ATTORNEY JASON SWINDLE page 20

Special recognition to the late Richard Allen, attorney, Tallapoosa, who was the first to uncover the great injustice committed against Christina Boyer Recognition to Amy Hoch of Italy, and Jan Banning of The Netherlands

C. ED WILSON Thoughts

While Shaving cedwilson587@yahoo.com

Are you being suckered? If your answer is “yes”, you are fortunate as you may recognize and avoid many current common scams. If your answer is “no”, you may well lack understanding and could benefit from reading the following. Let’s explore:

Biggest disappointment of the past 80 years or so? Television. TV had so much promise, but it has become a wasteland for the brain dead. Watch the mainstream news. All mainstream stations are pretty much the same. They cover traffic delays, like the drivers are watching? They cover weather forecasts, and somewhere they are correct: it is raining or it is hot or whatever, somewhere.

TV covers shootings, like the guns are killing people. Mostly, TV covers bad news. If it bleeds, it leads. Last week, or last month, on

Innovation in

any mainstream outlet, it’s pretty much the same. The only current news media that I can relate to is NEWMAX and you probably cannot get it. Even FOX is becoming WOKE. Understand how to lie with statistics. Common in most advertising. Change the scale on any chart and change the perception of the data. Look at the fuzzy unreadable print at the bottom of most TV ads. If you could read it, you probably would not like what you read. Note how often pitch men raise their voice when selling a product. Why should they yell? Can you believe celebrities who are paid to pitch a product? About the only two requests for money on TV that I can relate to is Danny Thomas’ Children’s Hospital and the Wounded Warrior program. For me, most all TV advertising is a hustle, but the suckers pay or the principal would not run the ads. Have you noticed that TV lawyers tell you the settlement they “fought for”, but not what their clients actually got?

But no denying that if you are represented by an attorney, you will likely get a better settlement. But in the end, who pays? The people who pay for insurance, you. Regulated insurance companies, over time, do not lose money. More payouts, ultimately more premiums. You

Independent Schools PATRICK

entrepreneur scholar journeys, and customized learning tracks are just a few of the studentcentered, innovative opportunities we are seeing in our schools this year.

These learning spaces and academic programs are at the center of how we prepare students for college and the workforce in our independent schools today.

buy insurance, you pay. Do you think that insurance companies that advertise Medicare advantage 24-7 want to sell you that product because they make less money or more money? They tell you what you get, but they do not tell you what you lose. Who makes money? Who gets suckered?

Next disappointment are the movies. It seems to me that in the 1930s through the 1950s we had movies that told a story or musicals that entertained. Now, we show unreal computer generated special effects, horror films, or just plain nonsense. Hollywood’s ineptness has pretty much lost a major market. China now produces films for the Chinese market. If you paid to see Hollywood’s current blockbuster, “Barbie”, would you have been better off to pay down debt or buy something that has lasting value or just save the money? At least the “Oppenheimer” movie told you something meaningful.

For me, most all TV advertising is a hustle, but the suckers pay or the principal would not run the ads. Have you noticed that TV lawyers tell you the settlement they “fought for”, but not what their clients actually got?

a pack of cigarettes? If so, you are probably a felon. You probably fudged on the value of your assets on the home loan application, (I think that Trump has been indicted for inflated asset values on a business loan application), Have you failed to provide ATF paperwork for the gift of a firearm? Hunter Biden has been charged with a misdemeanor, for you or I it would likely have been a felony for lying on an ATF form. When opening a pack of cigarettes, have you failed to destroy the tax stamp on the cigarette pack?! Felony!

With the summer months a distant memory and the start of the new academic year in full swing, it is apparent that innovation is at the center of academic programming in our independent schools. Innovation learning labs,

Prior to 2008, App Designers, Bloggers, Digital Marketing Specialists, Social Media Managers, and Cloud Service Technicians did not exist. Therefore, it is crucial for us as educators to make instructional decisions based on the knowledge that we are preparing today’s youth for many jobs that do not currently exist.

Super vitamins and minerals for our youth

vitamin C), beri-beri (too little vitamin B1), pellagra (too little vitamin B3), and rickets (too little vitamin D).

ELVIN KEITH

Millennials Christian Ministry (MCM)

kkeith@mcmempowered.org

Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients required by the body to carry out a range of normal functions. However, these micronutrients are not produced in our bodies and must be delivered from the food we eat, and by taking supplements if we’re not getting enough vitamins and minerals from our diet. Vitamins and their precise requirements have been controversial since their discovery in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It was the combined efforts of epidemiologists, physicians, chemists, and physiologists that led to our modern day understanding of vitamins and minerals.

After years of observation, experiments, and trial and error, they were able to distinguish that some diseases were not caused by infections or toxins— a common belief at the time— but by vitamin deficiencies. Biochemist Casimir Funk, in the early 1900s, identified nutritional components that were missing in diseases of deficiency: like scurvy (too little

Likewise, our youth and young adults can take hold of some powerful “character traits” with and by having a relationship with Christ, that can help them carry out a range of success in life. I call these “character traits” vitamins and minerals as a metaphor to be used for this column. And these vitamins and minerals can be found in the Bible in the book of Galatians (NKJV) 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23. gentleness, self-control...”. These “character traits” can help you excel in your future vocation and as a productive citizen in your community. The phrase “Fruit of the Spirit “ tells us that these character traits are the result of us allowing God to have great influence in our lives (living in our heart).

In order to appreciate the intake of these before mentioned good for us vitamins and minerals, let’s compare the opposite influence of some horrible micronutrients (bad attitudes) that we can intake in our heart that can make life difficult for us. These bad character traitscan be found in the same book of the Bible, Galatians. In Gal. (NKJV) 5:19-21: “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, out bursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness,

Have you ever applied for a home loan or given a firearm to a family member or opened

Innovative programming and unique instructional spaces are essential for teaching critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills necessary to meet the demands of the future.

How do you know if a school has innovative programming? It is less about the aesthetic of the school and the quantity of high-end technology. It is more about how the programming and equipment are implemented and utilized. If you are interested in an independent education for your child, I would suggest asking school personnel questions about why the programs were designed and how they are currently being implemented.

revelries....”.

The big problem with these Fruits of the Flesh traits is that they are born out of selfishness. Anyone who allows any of these traits to have influence in his/her life, are allowing the old adage of “Gratifying self at the expense of others” to rule his/her life. Simply meaning you don’t care how much it hurts the other person receiving your bad behavior just as long as you’re getting satisfaction. This action can bring negative concequences to your life.

Coming back to adopting good character traits in our lives, the person who follows this path can expect good things to happen in their future. In the book of Proverbs (NKJV) 11:27 it states: “He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, But trouble will come to him who seeks evil.”

Let’s look at Nicholas Winton as an example of someone who displayed some of the traits for the Fruit of the Spirit. In The New York Times March 28, 2022 issue, writer Sam Roberts wrote a moving article entitled “Vera Gissing, 93, writer rescued by Britain’s Schindler is dead “. Mr. Roberts describes how Mrs. Vera Gissing (Vera Diamantova then at age 10) was bundled onto a train on July 1, 1939 bound for Britain with hundreds of other Jewish children leaving Prague as Nazi troops were entering.

Mrs. Gissing would often recount the courage of her parents to send her and her sister to safety, the English couple who gave her a

One of the blessings of our country is that we are a nation of laws. Many feel that one of the curses of our system is that we are a nation of laws. More laws and regulations produced by unelected bureaucrats have the same force of law. It is difficult for most of us to go through a day or week without violating some law or regulation or ordinance. You are probably a criminal and do not even know what

See EDWILSON page 20

If those questions cannot be answered, odds are the innovative concept is in place, but the execution is missing. Therefore, the school is lacking innovation within its program.

Innovative learning spaces and customized academic programs are more critical now than ever before in preparing students for college and the workforce. With the academic year in motion, excitement abounds on independent school campuses everywhere as students embrace these new learning spaces and unique program opportunities.

Educators can hardly wait to see the wonderful student outcomes we expect from these new and engaging opportunities!

home, and Nicholas Winton, the young London stockbroker who had anonymously organized convoys, known as Kindertransport, to evacuate vulnerable children, most of them Jewish, by train from what was then Czechoslovakia before Germany invaded Poland on Sept. 1, 1939. Vera Gissing died on March 12, 2022. For decades, Mr. Winton didn’t reveal his part in organizing the rescue mission. In the 1980s, when he was in his 70s, his wife discovered his dusty scrapbook in their attic.he then begin speaking publicly about the experience. And in 1988, when he was nearly 80, he was featured on “That’s Life” where he was introduced to Mrs. Gissing and some of the other children whose lives he had saved. In 1938, he joined friends and refugee organizations in Prague to arrange eight train loads that evacuated 669 children. A ninth train with a manifest of 250 children was canceled. Mr. Winton who was often likened to Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist credited with saving 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories. He became known as “Britain’s Schindler”. He died in 2015 at 106.

Just as the lack of some vitamins can cause diseases of deficiency, a life, lacking in Super Vitamins and Minerals— the Fruit of the Spirit can cause for an unproductive Life.

(Articles from the Harvard School of Public Health by T.H. Chan and The New York Times contributed to the content of this column.)

More examples of “Are you being suckered?” or, it’s great to be a grumpy old guy

SYBIL ROSEN THOMAS

River Rambles

syllabil17@aol.com

In July’s River Ramble, I introduced a mysterious rock that was found in the roots of a fallen pine right next to the cabin. Rounded at the top in a classic gravestone shape, it has stood in our yard with its back to the Chattahoochee River for at least thirty years. On the flat side facing the lawn, three thick quarried bars tilt upward to the left with the top bar shaped into a tip pointing left. Mottled with moss and lichen, the sculpting on the rock feels very old and undeniably manmade; the preciseness of the bars feels like they were crafted for a purpose.

Over the years there’s been a lot of debate about what that purpose might have been? Who was the bars’ sculptor? Who sat and tapped away at the sandstone with some sort of tool, probably metal? While no one, not even the scientists, can answer these questions, all agree that the rock is what it is - and where it is - because of the river.

My late husband Glyn and his friend Steve discovered the rock when the 50-foot pine fell over. Somehow they got the stone pried loose of the tree’s tangled roots and set it up at the edge of the yard where it draws the eyes of visitors. As with all things arcane, we like to project our imagination onto whatever eludes designation or explanation. As a writer, balancing on the fine line between fact and fiction is often my bread-and-butter. As a teacher, Glyn was a master of that tightrope.

In pursuit of fact, it helped that he was trained as an historian. On the other hand, when he taught history at Georgia Tech, he read historical fiction in order to immerse himself in a particular era, so he could accurately convey to his students how national or local events impacted the lives of everyday people. Fiction-writers, he opined, were fine purveyors of fact; the honest ones scoured historical writings to paint a realistic, albeit fictional, portrait of a time and place.

About the rock’s time and place, Glyn had several theories. Last month’s River Ramble explored his notion that the rock was necessary to the ferry that operated upstream of the cabin from the 19th century into the 20th. Yet, how it got up to the cabin remained an unsolved conundrum.

This month I give you another of Glyn’s hypotheses, this one about the Creeks who lived along this bend in the Chattahoochee ages before ferries and fish camps. This story concerns a boulder downstream, though the word boulder is too small for this rock, too ordinary to convey the impact of this granite wonder. Older than the Creeks, here before any human presence, this boulder is a round bulging behemoth emerging from the side of a ridge by the river. It stands three stories high over a gently sloping bank where smaller boulders cluster by the water, making a natural dock for coming ashore.

How shocking to encounter this boulder for the first time, to begin to make out its astonishing contours through the trees. I could hardly take in its scale, an anomaly in these forested foothills dotted with relatively modest outcroppings (many may be the tip of the iceberg, so to speak, where enough earth has eroded away to reveal the top of a rock without revealing the bulk of a stone giant below).

One entire side is largely unseen, covered by

the rise of the hill in which it is lodged. The exposed portion is veined with narrow crevices, and its underside is swept up into a blackened stone shelter where fires have been lit on the sandy floor and mud daubers still paste their fluted mud-nests to the surface of the rock above.

The boulder’s numinous power is palpable. This could not have escaped the Creeks’ awareness - they who lived so closely with the land and water, who found meaning in the design of nature, animate and inanimate. So it didn’t take much stretch of the imagination - certainly not Glyn’s! - to picture the boulder as a gathering place for Creek ceremonies and council meetings.

Glyn painted a picture of the Creeks coming up and down the river in wooden canoes to meet at the boulder, which must have had a

name then, though it is lost to us now. I can see the people in feathered and painted finery, long boats laden with baskets of food and blankets. Those who have come from far away would find this portion of the river less familiar. As they paddled downstream from the east and the north, they might need a sign - literally - of some assurance that the place they seek is near.

“Why not the rock?” Glyn conjectured. Sitting on the same shore half-a-mile upstream, the rock could have been that sign. With its upper left-pointing bar saying, ‘Keep going! It’s close! You’re very near!’

This too feels possible, but who knows?

Glyn died before the ultimate riddle of the rock’s discovery could be solved. But in his spirit, let’s imagine that the rock stood on the riverbank in front of where the cabin would one day be. This might have been 200 years

ago - 500 years ago - before the Creeks were exiled to Oklahoma in the late 1830s. And perhaps when the Creeks were gone, someone might have dragged the rock up the hill as a curiosity, a remnant of an erased culture Maybe it sat there long enough to be forgotten, long enough for the seasons to cover it over with leaves and soil. Thick enough to allow a loblolly pine seed to take root.

I’m grateful to the rock for these riverbound stories and more, for helping me remember Glyn’s pleasure in taking up the secrets of the past. He didn’t care about being right. A true teacher, he cared about possibility, about the innumerable ways we are given to make history come alive - with a few facts, a little imagination, and the willingness to see the world through someone else’s eyes. In this, he was my rock.

The Chattahoochee River’s “Rock” resembles a Ten Commandments tablet: part 2

appeal at any point.

When you file an appeal, download https://qpublic.net/ga/carroll/docs/Appeal%20S ummary%202021-10.pdf for instructions and https://qpublic.net/ga/carroll/docs/PT311A_Appeal_of_Assessment_Form.pdf for the form. Give an estimate of value, reason why you are appealing the fair market value, phone number where you can be reached, and sign the form. When emailing, make sure that the appeal form is attached. Fill outentirely and sign. Only the owner can sign. If you are going to file an appeal for someone else, you must provide a Power of Attorney or a Letter of Authorization signed by the owner along with the appeal.

Email appeal: appeals@carrollcountyga.com

If a resident is not at home when the appraisers visit, they will conduct an outside inspection

make the same progress with the laws of nature? Because this is the kind of increase in energy technology we will need to make this move to “green” energy which turns out to not be really that green, at least in the early stages. The progressive left believes Moore’s Law can be applied to the energy sector. Mills argues that if Moore’s Law was applied to photovoltaics, a single postage stamped size solar array would power the Empire State Building in the next generation.

Money does not seem to be a problem with current government monetary strategy, so what are the major hurdles for wind, solar and battery storage? These three technologies have improved over the last 50 years by ten fold but have not kept up with the overwhelming demand for power.

Wind power technology has a physics boundary of 60% capture of kinetic energy in moving air and modern wind turbines can produce over 40% capture. So the limit of possible increase is almost 50%. Solar technologies’ physics boundary of photovoltaic(PV) cells is 34% of photons into electrons while the best solar panel exceeds 26%. Not much improvement to see here. The world’s largest battery factory is Tesla’s Gigafactory which could store three minutes’ worth of annual U.S. demand. It would require a 1000 years of production to make enough batteries for two days’ worth of U.S. demand.

Energy availability is the king of any energy infrastructure. Currently we keep roughly two months of hydrocarbons in storage. Instead of months we have barely two hours of national electricity demand that can be stored in the combined total of all batteries on the grid and in a million electric cars that exist today in America. As a matter of geophysics, both windpowered and sunlight energized structures produce barely 30% of the time and less on calm

EDWILSON from page 18 crime you committed. We have pretty much lost our Republic - a representative government, and under the guise of wokeism - which some define as a blending of Hitler’s fascism with Stalin’s communism, we have pretty much become a Democracy - which is simply put, a mob rule - what most want, they get. Protestors get recognition and they scare insecure management. Do you really think that the current political class represents you? Or is it about the power to govern to the incumbent’s economic advantage? Google the net worth of random political officials BEFORE they were elected and AFTER they have served a term or more in office. Generally, the longer politicians hold office, the more net worth they, or family or associates accumulate. President Joe Biden and his family have become very rich while he has held political office. Past President Barack Obama lives in a twelve million dollar estate. Political operatives are just lucky, I guess? Follow the money. Of course, some do very

and leave a card/door hanger. Appraisers will not go through or over a locked gate. They will leave a card/door hanger on the gate if feasible.

If the resident has a locked gate, the resident is asked to call the Carroll County Tax Assessor’s Office Dept. at 770-830-5812 to schedule an appointment to meet the appraiser on site.

Again, I respect our public servants. But, excessive taxes that cannot plausibly be justified by objective facts create a lot of problems.

Foreclosures, instability in the real estate market, less money for our generous community to create jobs, less support for non-profits, and a decline in business investment are just some of the probable consequences if we do not appeal these assessments. Residents with any question are asked to call 770-830-5812. Time is running out. Please join me in getting these appeals filed this week.

or cloudy days.

The electric grid(the way it gets to you) in America has had years of expansion and still has outages. The example of a “Green Grid” for context was built by Tesla in South Australia(2018) after a total system outage. They installed the world’s largest lithium battery farm with much media attention. You would need 80 of these farms to power South Australia with 2.5 million people for 1/2 day. A barrel of oil weighs 300 pounds and can be stored in a $20 tank. The energy equivalent in batteries would weigh 20,000 pounds and cover a much larger area. Want to estimate the cost?

There are many other factors to consider like transportation, transmission, rare earth minerals, mining, demand surges, but none come close to the massive costs associated with each factor when trying to convert to “clean energy”. For the grid to supply even 50%(currently 21.5% for all renewables, maybe 12% for wind and solar) of our energy needs that are growing is a venture into “magical thinking” by our progressive government. Reminds me of the preaching in Orwell’s 1984, when “War is Peace”, “Freedom is Slavery”, “Ignorance is Strength”. Now they tells us that Central Planning will bring Utopia and clean energy is cheap. Another good source for info is “Renewables vs. Hydrocarbons, The Energy Reality” by the Wilson Center. The breakthrough needed would be on the scale of changing from nuclear energy fission to fusion on a commercial scale. We have done it in the lab but the gigantic project only produced enough heat to boil 2.5 gallons of water. Sweden just recognized that nuclear fission is the only answer. They changed their strategy from 100% renewables to 100% fossil free by 2045. Nuclear fission reactors are the only current solution for the next generation.

(Largely adapted from the “New Energy Economy” by Mark P. Mills)

well by losing. Check the net worth of Stacy Abrams before she ran for Georiga governor: considerable debt and little cash. After losing, debt resolved and about three million net worth. Not bad for a loser.

Thanks to Lowes for rehiring an employee fired for trying to stop a thief. Companies that PERMIT theft have to pass the cost of the loss on to other paying customers.

A sign on a vending machine in Bowdon: “Out of order” “as advertised”.

Sign at a car dealership: “The best way to get back on your feet - miss our car payment”

Sign in a Funeral Home: “Drive carefully. We’ll wait.”

Sign on a curtain and window blind truck: “Blind man driving”.

Sign on the back of a septic tank truck: “Caution - this truck is full of political promises.”

Great to be a grumpy old guy. cedwilson587@yahoo.com

GA Tech BETAS

JASON SWINDLE from page 17

How will you exit your business?

If you own a business, you’ve always got a lot on your mind. But no matter how busy you are today, you need to think about tomorrow. Specifically, you’ll want to create an exit strategy for the day you want to move on from your business to a new phase in your life. To develop this strategy, you’ll need to address these key questions:

• How much do you need (or want) for your business? Ideally, you’ll want the sale of your business to meet your retirement and estate-planning goals. So, you’ll need to think carefully about these goals and what costs they may entail.

CHRISTINA BOYER from page 13

“both” struck the one blow that killed Amber.

Christina Boyer was not present when the fatal blow occurred; David Herrin was present with the child during the six hours the fatal injury occurred. Herrin told investigators it was Christina who struck Amber, while he also told them that the child was unresponsive before Christina arrived home. And despite these obviously contradictory statements, police did not pursue the investigation any further, and charged both with the murder of the toddler.

After Boyer’s Alford Plea on the murder of her daughter was entered into evidence at Herrin’s trial, the jury was informed. Thus, since someone already took a plea, Herrin was found not guilty of murder. (How could he be found guilty if she signed a plea?) Herrin was found guilty of child abuse. Herrin was sentenced to 20 years in 1995 and was paroled after serving 16 years (in 2011). Christina Boyer has now been imprisoned for 31 years, with the first two years in the CarrollCounty Jail while awaiting trial and the last 29 years in the Pulaski (women’s) State Prison, Hawkinsville, Georgia. Other disturbing and

And these issues aren’t just financial — for example, when you think about how you may want to spend your time in retirement, you might realize that you don’t really want to exit your business completely. So, you might decide to sell just part of it, or sell it entirely, but stay on to help manage it or possibly do some consulting for the new owners.

• How much is your business worth? You may want to calculate your business’ value three to five years before your planned exit. You could do this on your own, but it’s typically advantageous to use professional valuation services. If you’re gifting or selling your business to family members, selling it to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) or settling an estate, you’ll need to get a more formal qualified appraisal to meet IRS standards.

• How can you close the gap between what you need and what your business is

relevant facts about this case not included in the docuseries that warrant further investigation include: 1. Was Boyer’s right to a speedy trial violated? She spent two years in the (old) Carroll County jail before signing the Alford Plea. 2. Is an Alford Plea by a person under influence of strong antipsychotic medication while being coached by her own attorney to make that legal confession considered legal? Boyer had ingested 100 mg of doxepine (also known as sinequan) and an undisclosed amount of perphenazine (trilafon) given to her by a Carroll County prison employee. She had been on those two drugs daily during the two and half years she was imprisoned, from July 20, 1992 until October 24, 1994, at which time she pleaded. In addition, she received other kinds of medications with frequency. 3. Were expenses of a murder

Carroll County marriage licenses

worth? The amount you need from the sale of your business to support your retirement goals may be more than what your business is actually worth. To help close this gap, you could try to boost your busi-ness’s profits through the usual means, such as introducing new products, raising prices or cutting costs. But you might also try to lower the amount you need from the sale by working longer, reducing your personal spending and saving more outside the business.

• Who will take over your business? When planning for a successor for your business, you have several choices, in- cluding selling to a family member or an outside buyer. Going public or liqui- dating the business are also options. These are distinct paths, but depending on your circumstances, one might be more appropriate for you than another. To cite just one factor, if you don’t have an obvious choice for a family member

Is an Alford Plea by a person under the influence of antipsychotic medication, while being coached by her own attorney to make that confession, considered legal? Boyer had ingested 100 mg of doxepine (also known as sinequan) and an undisclosed amount of perphenazine (trilafon). . . She had been on those two drugs daily during the two and a half years she was imprisoned

trial part of the push for an Alford Plea? It was reported at that time by Times-Georgian reporter Mark Griggs “Cost of murder trials [two trials: Boyer’s and Herrin’s] could change budget.” Griggs reported “Carroll County came in under budget for 199192, but the cost of renovating an old school and trying two murder cases could force an amendment to the current year’s budget.” Griggs reported “a death penalty case in Douglas County earlier this year cost that county $244,459.” When Boyer signed that Alford Plea, her trial was no longer neccesary, thus saving Carroll County government hundreds of thousands of dollars. 4. Was Boyer’s court appointed attorney Jimmy Berry even prepared to go to trial since records show he only spent 17 and 1/2 hours on Boyer’s case? For a typical homicide case, an attorney’s average number of hours devoted to it is 100 hours.

JULY 1-31, 2023

to take over the business, you might have to consider other buyers. In any case, you’ll need to explore all the economic and personal factors involved in the choice of successor.

• Who can help you with your exit strategy? Exiting a business can be complex. To ensure you’re making the right moves for your overall financial and family situations, you may want to build an exit strategy team, possibly consisting of your financial, legal and tax advisors. You may also need to enlist the services of a commercial banker and a business evaluation expert. Each of these professionals can bring a different area of expertise to your exit decisions, and together they can help address all the issues related to your exit strategy. Exiting your business will take a lot of planning and decisions, but if it’s done right, it can be worth the effort.

Fred O’Neal, financial advisor, 410 College Street, Carrollton, GA 770-832-2141. Article was written by Edward Jones for use by local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Carroll County pistol permits

Number of Weapons Carry Permits applied for: JULY 1-31, 2023: 118

Concerning Weapons Carry Permits: Readers may have noticed that the number of pistol carry applications has dropped significantly in the past year. This is due to the fact that on April 12, 2022, Governor Brian Kemp signed into law the Georgia Constitutional Carry Senate Bill 319 and the License Reciprocity Measure House Bill 218 which now allows a lawful weapons carrier to carry a concealed weapon without a gun permit requirement. A background check is still required in order to purchase weapon - and the applicant must pass the background check - but a permit to carry is now longer required in the State of Georgia. A permit is required in numerous other states if you are traveling. Georgia is one of 24 states that now has Constitutional Carry which follows the intent of the Second Amendment of the Constitution allowing the right to bear arms.

Carroll County births

JULY 1-31, 2023:

Tanner Medical Center, Carrollton:

Female: 52 Male: 53

Tanner Medical Center, Villa Rica:�

Female: 33 Male: 34

Carroll County cattle receipts

Carroll County Sales Barn

225 Sales Barn Road, Carrollton

July 31, 2023: 452

July 24, 2023: 434

July 17, 2023: 674

July 10, 2023: 812

Carroll County jail population

Total population as of AUGUST 1, 2023: 439

Males: 3 58 Females: 81

(The Jack T. Bell Detention Center, 1000 Newnan Road,Carrollton)

Carroll County prison population

Total population as of AUGUST 2, 2023: 244

Capacity: 246 Males: 100%

The Carroll County Correctional Institute is a separate entity from the Carroll County Jail (which houses males and females on a temporary basis)

Carroll County Department of Public Health restaurant health inspections scores

To view complete inspection details: dph.georgia.gov/environmental-health

27 S Carrollton

7/31/2023: Starbucks 1355 South ParkStreet

7/11/2023: Dairy Queen 300 South

Observed expired milk. Observed fly activity in kitchen.

7/24/2023: New Evergreen Chinese Carrollton 81 previous 91

7/28/2023: Domino’s Pizza 1512 Hwy 27 North Bremen 80 previous 86

7/12/2023: Olive Tree 150 Stone Street Villa Rica 80 previous 93

7/24/2023: Southern Lady 112 Shirley Street Bowdon 78 previous 76

Violations: Observed mold build up on the Coke machine nozzle. Observed hot dogs sausage stored uncovered in freezer.

7/20/2023: Dockside Marina 10234 Lakeview Pkwy Villa RIca 76 previous 70

Violations: Observed mold build up in smaller ice machine. Observed old food debris in “clean” knife magnetic strip. Observed pre ptop cooler holding temperatures above 41 degrees. Also reach in cooler holding ambient temperature at 52 degrees.

7/06/2023: Feathers Wings & Things 883 W Bankhead Hwy Villa Rica 70 previous 98

Violations: Observed raw wings adjacent to ready to eat dessings on same shelf. Observed raw chicken uncovered on same shelf.

7/27/2023: El Mezcal Mexican 108 City Hall Bowdon 61 previous 94

Violations: Observed pork and chicken thawing in same compartment. Observed food in prep top cooler, reach -n coolers, and walk-in coolers uncovered allowing potential contamination. Observed prep top cooler and walk-on coolers holding TCS foods between 45-49F. Large pans of carnitas (pork) and carne al pastor (meat) stored overnight at 49F. Observed bottle of Fabuloso (liquid cleaning product) stored next to large bag og onions.

public swimming pool health inspections scores

7/31/2023: Bellamy Carrollton 333 Foster St eet Carrollton 85 Unsatisfactory

Violations: Gate is not self latching. Free chlorine reading at 0 ppm. Pump currently off at time of inspection.

7/31/2023: River Pointe Apartments 915 Lovvorn Rd Carrollton 79 Unsatisfactory

Violations: Open gap in fencing. Keep daily logs up to date.

7/12/2023: University Lofts 394 Brumblelow Road Carrollton 75 Unsatisfactory

Violations: Emergency phone not operable; could not connect to 911. Observed pool fencing not in compliance; severel gaps next to pump room. Free chlorine reading at 0 ppm. Hand rails not fully secured.

GOP-controlled Senate. Only one Republican senator (Colton Moore) voted “NO.” As passed the senate the bill did not exclude illegal aliens. It is a violation of federal law to knowingly hire illegal aliens. It is a violation of longstanding state law to allow illegal aliens access to taxpayer-funded Adult Education.

The bill has been cleaned up in the House Higher Education committee and is live for next year. Illegal aliens are now excluded.

Question for Senators: Why on Earth did you vote for this bill?

- SB 264/ Sen Kim Jackson (D- Stone Mountain, and three GOP cosponsors, including Sen. Mike Dugan) would remove the current 12-month residency requirement to access instate tuition in public colleges and tech schools for foreigners with refugee, “special visa immigrant” and humanitarian parolee status (all three of these categories provide legal immigration status. This bill is not about illegal immigration). But it does not affect Americans moving into Georgia.

American students (and legal immigrants with green cards) would still be required to live in the state for a year before being eligible for the same instate tuition rate the bill provides to the above foreign nationals upon arrival. That results in an American student paying about three times as much tuition in his first year as a foreign national with the above status. The companion bill in the House is HB 640. Both bills are live for next year.

Question for House & Senate members: Will you vote for this legislation if it goes to the floor?

- SB 233 “School Choice”, Sen. Greg Dolezal R- Alpharetta. It has zero safeguards against illegal alien parents beginning the application process for their - U.S. citizen or legally present -K-12 student children or from serving on the proposed parental oversight committee. This is easily fixed with a requirement that the parents (applicants) have the same status as the students - U.S. citizenship or be a green card holder (Lawful Permanent Resident). The bill passed the senate last session.

Question for state reps: Will you push to require parents of students who are eligible for the ‘Promise Scholarship,’ private school tuition benefit to be U.S. citizens or green card holders?

- Sanctuary cities (and counties) in Georgia: Since Gov. Kemp has been allowed to remain silent on it, I would also feel compelled to ask my state lawmakers about creating a law that says we must enforce the laws already in place aimed at “criminal illegals.” Example? OCGA

42-4-14 essentially requires all jailers to use reasonable effort to determine the immigration status of foreign- born prisoners. It is widely ignored. There is no penalty for violation.

As reported by the Associated Press and Atlanta TV news, an example of the open and unpunished defiance comes from Democrat Gwinnett County Sheriff Keybo Taylor. He proudly announced his own policy on illegals in his jail when he was sworn into office in 2021. “What we will not be doing is notifying ICE of anybody’s immigration status in our jails or other facilities.” I repeat: Gov Kemp is silent.

Another state law (OCGA 36-80-23) also says that policy is illegal. Ask your lawmaker to read OCGA 36-80-23 - it defines ‘sanctuary city’ policies. Better yet, read it yourself. It’s short.

Georgia is home to more illegal aliens than Arizona. Silence is consent.