On Thursday July 18th, Deputy Fire Chief Jamie Clark reported that Fire crews of the Spalding County Fire Department were on the scene of about 4:41 pm of a house fire at South Hampton Mobile Home park. The building suffered damage to the roof area and door area. However, there were no injuries reported from the incident.
About 8:22 Friday morning units of the Spalding County Fire Department and Spalding County Sheriff’s Department responded to to a two vehicle accident on 1914 and Sunset Drive. Spalding County Fire Deputy Chief Jamie Clark said several passengers were sent to Spalding Regional Hospital with what was thought to be non life threading injuries. The road was blocked until the investigation was complete and debris was cleared from the road way.
The Spalding Fire Department, Spalding Sheriff’s Department, and Spalding Regional EMS responded to Baptist Campground road where a 8 year old had been struck by a vehicle. The Child was severely injured with massive head and broken bones. The inclement weather precluded Emory Air Flight Helicopter Air Ambulance from flying on Friday. And the decision was made to airlift the child to Atlanta for treatment. The accident occurred about 3:15 Friday afternoon. The incident remains under investigation and more information is expected to be released later.
Spalding County 4-H’ers April Bama, Nathan Corley, and Scotty Cole explored Stone Mountain on Thursday, July 11, 2019. 4-H’ers rode the Skyride up Stone Mountain, enjoyed the Laser show Spectacular, balanced on the high ropes challenge course and stepped inside a habitat with more than 1,000 butterflies. In the habitat, the 4-H’ers were able to feed the butterflies and watched a caterpillar metamorphosis.
Left to right: April Bama, Nathan Corley, and Scotty Cole
For more information, contact Spalding County Extension at 770-467-4225. Email: uge2255@uga.edu Website: www.ugaextension.org/spalding
Board of Commissioners of Spalding County
Zoning Public Hearing
July 25, 2019
6:00 PM
Room 108, Spalding County Annex Building
A. Opening (Call to Order)
PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES AND ALL OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES.
B. Invocation
C. Pledge to Flag
At this time, I will recognize those citizens who have signed up to address the Board. Once your name is
called, come to the podium, state your name and address for the record and make your comments. All
speakers who are recognized will be allotted three minutes. No speaker will be permitted to speak more than
three minutes unless the Board votes to suspend this rule.
Please direct your remarks to the Board and not to individual Commissioners or to the audience. Personal
disagreements with individual Commissioners or County employees are not a matter of public concern and
personal attacks will not be tolerated. The Chairman has the right to limit your comments in the interest of
disposing of the County’s business in an efficient and respectable manner.
D. New Business
1. Application #19-01Z: Lift from the table – 3981 North Expressway, LLC, Owner – Raymond Ray,
Agent – 3981 North Expressway (.51 acre, more or less, located in Land Lot 107 of the 3rd Land
District) – requesting a rezoning from C-1, Highway Commercial, to C-1B, Heavy Commercial.
2. Application #19-01AZ: Lift from the table – 4021 Hwy 19 and 41, LLC, Owner – Raymond Ray,
Agent – 4019 Highway 19/41 (.42 acre, more or less, located in Land Lot 107 of the 3rd Land
District) – requesting a rezoning from C-1, Highway Commercial, to C-1B, Heavy Commercial.
3. Application #19-05Z: Marshall Grant Henry, Owner – Cecil Jackson Road (43.679 acres located in
Land Lot(s) 230 & 251 of the 3rd Land District) – requesting a rezoning from AR-1, Agricultural and
Residential, to A-T, Agriculture-Tourism.
4. Application #19-04Z: Fatima G. Inc., Owner – 4301 Newnan Road (2.491 acres located in land Lot
The goal of this project is to identify inefficiencies within the system and to monetize inefficiencies to make capital improvements at the Law Enforcement Center.
The Spalding County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved this contract at their Regular Meeting on June 3, 2019 and authorized NORESCO, a leading national energy services company to perform energy conservation services and installations at buildings owned by Spalding County.
This agreement calls for NORESCO to analyze a number county facilities to determine and design potential energy conservation measures. Spalding County officials will then have the opportunity to proceed with implementation of the proposed design. Energy and water consumption savings from the improvements are expected and it is hoped that the anticipated savings from these efforts will pay for the replacement of the Law Enforcement Center roof and potentially other building system and facility upgrades.
William Wilson, County Manager stated: “The contract with NORESCO is moving in a positive direction to not only access and make our current buildingsmore energy efficient. Then utilizing the savings on energy bills to fund improvements to county buildings.”
The scope and value of this project will be specified as the audit work continues.
USDA has announced the details of the relief package for farmers suffering losses from unjustified retaliatory tariffs. Georgia farmers can start signing up on Monday, July 29 at their local Farm Service Agency office for the Market Facilitation Program and the Food Purchase and Distribution Program.
“Our farmers have certainly had their fair share of challenges this past year,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black. “We are proud of Georgia’s farmers for displaying strength and resilience during this trying time and for the Administration and USDA for their efforts to assist. This substantial effort is very encouraging, and we believe that it will greatly benefit all of our Georgia producers, especially our pecan, peanut and cotton growers.”
The Market Facilitation Program will assist row crop growers based on a single county payment rate multiplied by a farm’s total plantings in 2019.
Pecans who have been profoundly affected by the retaliatory tariffs are also available for assistance through the Market Facilitation Program with a payment of $146 per acre.
Jennifer Clark (inset) tries to avoid being photographed during a pre-trial hearing. (File: Walter Geiger)
In Lamar County The Barnesville Herald Gazette an Walter Geiger reports that convicted killer Jennifer Clark has filed a motion for a new trial, and a hearing on the matter is set for Aug. 8 in Lamar superior court. Clark is currently serving life plus 60 years for the murder of her husband, Donald Clark.
Donald Clark was killed by multiple blows to the head with a metal baseball bat Nov. 19, 2008. His battered body was dumped in the Redbone community in Lamar County in a corn field where it was found on Christmas eve, 2008.At the time of Jennifer Clark’s conviction, Judge Tommy Wilson stipulated she must serve at least 30 years in prison. Judge Wilson will also hear her motion for new trial.
Clark’s lover and co-defendant Kenneth Michael Yost was also convicted of murder, concealing the death of another and tampering with evidence. He is serving a life term with the possibility of parole at Smith State Prison.
Spalding County Extension is offering ServSafe® Manager Training on:
Tuesday, August 20, ,2019& Wednesday, August 21, 2019
From 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
LOCATION:
Spalding County Extension
835Memorial Drive
Griffin, Georgia 30223
ServSafe® Manager Training is nationally recognized food safety training for food service professionals, managers in training and anyone who needs advanced food safety training. This training includes: 1.5 days of instruction and issuance of a five-year certification from National Restaurant Association Education Foundation upon successful completion of the examination.
Pre-registration with is required to attend, pre-registration deadline is August 14, 2019. Registration forms can be picked up at the Extension office or online at www.ugaextension.org/spalding.
Contact Cindee Sweda at 770/467-4225 or csweda@uga.edu for more information.
For more information or to register contact
Spalding County Extension at 770-467-4225
Email: uge2255@uga.edu or visit
www.ugaextension.org/spalding
The City of Orchard Hill and Spalding County will be upgrading from a two-way stop to a four-way stop at the intersection of Macon Road, County Line Road and Johnson Road. Funding for upgrading this intersection was made possible by the 2016 SPLOST.
Effective, July 31, 2019, messages boards were installed on Macon Road notifying motorists of the upcoming changes. These messages boards will be in place on Macon Road two weeks prior to the change and for an additional two weeks after the stop sign instillation to advise motorists of the change in traffic patterns.
Full implementation of the four-way stop intersection will be August 19, 2019. Once complete the intersection will have solar powered stop signs, stop bars and rumble strips installed at that the intersection.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Spalding County Public Works Department at 770/467-4774
KIWANIS CLUB OF GRIFFIN
On Wednesday, July 31st, at their weekly meeting and luncheon, Wayne Johnson, President of the Kiwanis Club of Griffin, presented Leah Wooddall, Spalding County 4-H Agent, with a generous donation. Half of the funds received will support the Shot Gun Club which teaches Project S.A.F.E. (Shooting, Awareness, Fun and Education). The remaining funds will go to other project clubs like Edible Clovers, the Cooking Club, the CSI Club as well as a Community Science Club.
The mission of Georgia 4-H is to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills, and forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing members of society. This mission is accomplished, through hands on learning experiences, focusing on agricultural and environmental issues, agriculture awareness, leadership, communication skills, foods and nutrition, health, energy conservation, and citizenship.
The Flint River Iris Society and the Spalding County Master Gardner Extension Volunteers will host an Iris Workshop on:
Saturday, August 24, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
At the:
Spalding County UGA Extension Office
835Memorial Drive
Griffin, Georgia 30223
Attendees will learn how to get the most from their gardens by selecting iris species, planning for companion plants, preparing garden beds, year-round care for the best blooms, and showing off their success. Door prizes and refreshments will be provided. The event is free of charge however space is limited so please reserve your spot before August 22, 2019. An Iris sale will follow the workshop.
For more information or to register contact
Spalding County Extension at 770-467-4225
Email: uge2255@uga.edu or visit
www.ugaextension.org/spalding
The Spalding County Office of Homeland Security in conjunction with the Spalding County Fire Department will be presenting a REFRESHER course for the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program participants. This refresher course is designed for those who have completed the initial program.
CERT is about readiness, people helping people, rescuer safety, and doing the greatest good for the greatest number. CERT is a positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster situations for citizens who may be on their own during the initial moments of a disaster. Knowing the right actions to take can make a difference.
The CERT Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations. Through CERT training, citizens can learn to manage utilities and put out small fires; cope with the three life-threatening injuries by opening airways, controlling bleeding and treating for shock; provide basic medical aid; search for and rescue victims safely; and organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers to be effective.
The CERT REFRESHER program will concentrate on emergency / disaster planning, safety and medical skills. This additional step is designed to reinforce the lessons learned in the CERT program and continue the coordination of efforts between emergency services and the people they serve. The REFRESHER training will assist in enhancing the importance of an ongoing training program and the need for continual planning.
CERT training classes are scheduled for 3 weeks to begin on Monday September 16, 2019 at 2 pm- 5pm., with the final class being Monday September 30, 2019, anyone interested in participating in these classes should contact:
Spalding County Office of Homeland Security
(770) 228-2129
Sheriff Darrel Dix reminds everyone that All students will be returning to school Monday. Be sure and drive with care and watch for School Buses loading and unloading our students each day throughout the school year. Watch for stopping buses and obey all posted speed zones and bus stops.
Students return to the Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) Monday, August 5, 2019 for their first day of school. School bell schedules will remain the same as last year (elementary: 8 a.m. – 2:50 p.m.; middle: 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.; High: 7:40 a.m. – 3:20 p.m.).
For student transportation needs such as school zone lookup, how to register for transportation services or to track your student’s bus live through the Griffin Spalding School System My Stop app visit the GSCS Transportation Department website at http://www.spalding.k12.ga.us/Departments/Transportation.
For more important news and information, stay social with GSCS by following Twitter: @GriffinSpalding, on Instagram @griffinspaldingschools, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GSCSS .
Griffin native and current Seattle Mariners utility player Tim Beckham has been suspended 80 games without pay by Major League Baseball after testing positive for the performance enhancing drug Stanozolol which is in violation of the league’s joint drug prevention and treatment program.
SPALDING COMMISSION MEETING
The Board of Commissioners of Spalding County will meet for its monthly extraordinary meeting Monday evening inside Meeting Room 108 of the courthouse annex, located at 109 East Solomon Street.
