Barrow Journal

Bus driver arrested after gun found in purse

stevecromer@mac.com (Administrator) — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 13:09:51 -0500

A Barrow County School System bus driver was arrested Tuesday, Sept. 17, after a gun was found in her purse.
Mary Jo Hall, 59, of Statham, was taken into custody and was charged with possession of a firearm on school grounds, according to a Barrow County Sheriff’s Office news release. A Sims Academy student found a purse on the bus and was trying to locate its owner when they noticed a gun “accompanied by” bullets in it. The student immediately took the purse to the front office.
“At no time were the students or faculty in any danger,” the release said. “This is an isolated incident that was handled immediately upon the front office being notified of the weapon.”

Winder man charged with hit and run

stevecromer@mac.com (Administrator) — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 12:12:28 -0500

A Winder man was arrested for hit and run Monday, Sept. 16, following a vehicle accident on Highway 316 that left the driver of the other vehicle seriously injured.
Zantravious Shields, 22, turned himself in to the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office around 3:30 p.m. Monday after a half-day search for his vehicle. The sheriff’s office posted an image of a vehicle similar to Shields’ to social media and shared it with news outlets.
The sheriff’s office was notified of the accident on Highway 316 just west of Barber Creek Road around 4:30 a.m. Upon arriving, deputies determined that a black Jeep Cherokee had been struck in the rear, left the roadway and struck a tree. Shields fled the scene in his red Ford Escape, traveling westbound. Deputies recovered pieces of his vehicle at the scene to help them identify it.
The victim’s family posted on social media that he had suffered multiple broken bones as a result of the crash.
Shields was charged with felony hit and run, felony serious injury by vehicle, failure to report a crash with damage/injuries, following too closely and improper lane change.

FOOTBALL: Apalachee regroups, downs Jackson Co. in game resumed from Friday

http://www.mainstreetnewssports.com/ (MainStreetNewsSports) — Sat, 14 Sep 2019 22:20:44 -0500

Apalachee got a do-over of sorts and took advantage of it.
Trailing 7-0 Friday night to Jackson County before a weather suspension, the Wildcats outscored the visiting Panthers 21-7 when the game was resumed Saturday to rally for a 21-14 homecoming win.
The final three quarters were played Saturday in hot, muggy conditions in ...

Cooking with Joyce: Getting creative with chicken recipes

stevecromer@mac.com (Administrator) — Sat, 14 Sep 2019 09:41:00 -0500

Saturday’s University of Georgia home football game resulted in another win but what I thought was the best part of the day was the dedication of the field to Coach Vince Dooley.
Coach Dooley was the coach when I was in college. I spent many days not only at the athletic department volunteering but I also spent many days at the Dooley house. Coach Dooley was a father figure in my life back then. His oldest daughter happened to be one of my best friends. Coach Dooley and Barbara’s door was always open to young people back then. They always had plenty of time and food to share with others. My time there also allowed me to do things and meet people (such as Prince Charles) that I would have never experienced otherwise.
Running into the Dooleys around town these days is always a pleasure. This dedication to Dooley was a well-deserved award. I look forward to seeing many games in the future at Dooley Field. The only thing that caused a down note is apparently someone made a duplicate copy of my season ticket and used it to get into the game before me. I wasn’t allowed to use my ticket but had to buy another one. I know of a couple other season ticket holders that this happened to. We plan on visiting the ticket office about this.
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I can come up with a ton of recipes for chicken just about any day. I love chicken and love creating new dishes with it. I believe it’s one of the easiest meats to be creative with. Most days I had rather eat chicken than other meats. Working with chicken and their diseases never changed my mind. As long as you remember to cook chicken done and clean up your work area while working with raw chicken, then you should be safe with chicken.
One of the local restaurants serves Parmesan crusted chicken and I decided to try my luck at it. After changing the recipe a couple of times, I finally came up with one that I think is actually better than the restaurant version.
Parmesan
Crusted Chicken
Ingredients
4 skinless/boneless chicken breasts, pounded to ¾-inch thickness
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsps. vegetable oil
Marinade:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup ranch dressing
3 Tbsps. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. pepper
Parmesan crust:
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, chopped into bits
3/4 cup Provolone cheese, chopped into bits
6 Tbsps. buttermilk ranch salad dressing
1 cup Panko crumbs
2 tsps. garlic powder
5 Tbsps. melted butter
Directions
Whisk all marinade ingredients together until well-combined and uniformed in consistency. Place chicken in a gallon freezer bag. Remove the air and seal. Use a meat mallet to pound to ¾-inch thickness. Sprinkle each side of chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a new freezer bag along with the marinade. Seal out the air and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes or overnight. Heat 2 Tbsps. of vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet or skillet of choice over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in the hot skillet on each side. Refrain from moving the chicken around as if sizzles, it will hinder the nice golden sear color. If the pan gets too hot, reduce the heat to medium. Each side will take 3-5 minutes. Once each side is a nice golden brown and the middle is cooked set the chicken aside.
Parmesan Crust: Preheat the oven to a low broil. Combine the chopped parmesan, provolone and buttermilk ranch dressing in a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Use the back of a fork to mash and stir the cheese around until they’re about the consistency of lumpy mashed potatoes. Microwave for additional 15 seconds. Stir and spread on top of the chicken. Bake until the cheese is hot and melted, about 3 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes.
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Any dish that you add bacon to these days seems to be a winner. A combination of both chicken and bacon can result in a rather tasty dish.
Bacon Ranch
Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups precooked chicken, shredded
16-ounce bag frozen cauliflower florets (or riced cauliflower)
1/4 cup bacon cooked and chopped into small pieces or 1/2 cup if you really like bacon
16-ounce jar of Alfredo sauce
1/2 tsp. Xantham Gum
1/2 cup sour cream
1 packet of ranch seasoning mix
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Colby or Mexican blend cheese, shredded
2 tsps. green onion or parsley, chopped (garnish)
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the Alfredo sauce, ranch seasoning pack, sour cream and Xantham gum. Mix it together until all the ingredients fully combine. Add the frozen cauliflower and shredded chicken. Mix it until all the chicken and cauliflower is fully coated with the cream mixture. Pour the mixture into a 9x11 casserole dish. Top with both types of shredded cheese and bacon crumbles. Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes (25-30 if using fresh cauliflower).
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Always a good combo with chicken and sour cream. Found this simple recipe with hash browns that is really yummy.
Lazy Day Chicken Hashbrown Casserole
Ingredients
1 (20-ounce) bag frozen hashbrowns
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 cups sour cream
1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1 pound cooked chicken, shredded
2 cups Cornflakes, crushed
4 Tbsps. melted butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl combine together cheddar cheese, hashbrowns, salt, pepper, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, milk and chicken. Place into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the crushed Cornflakes with the melted butter. Sprinkle over the hash brown chicken casserole. Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown.
This simple Mexican chicken casserole is another rather simple recipe to keep handy for unexpected company. The cheese sauce seals in the juices of the chicken resulting in a tender, juicy and flavorful dish.
Mexican Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
2 pounds chicken breasts (4 small or 3 medium)
1 tsp. salt or to taste
1/4 tsp. black pepper or to taste
8 ounces shredded Mexican cheese (3 cups) divided
1 cup sour cream
14 ounces diced green chilies (two 7-ounce cans with their juice)
To Serve:
1 small avocado, diced
1 Roma tomato, diced
2 Tbsps. cilantro, chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and butter a 9 x13 casserole dish.
Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise and season both sides with salt and pepper. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 Tbsps. oil on stove. Once oil is hot, add chicken in a single layer and cook about 3 minutes per side or until golden and just cooked through with an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Cook chicken in two batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan and add more oil as needed. Arrange sautéed chicken in buttered casserole dish so they are flat and not overlapping too much. In a medium bowl, mix together 2 cups Mexican cheese, 1 cup sour cream, and 2 cans of green chilies with their juices. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle the top with 1 cup remaining cheese and bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling at the edges. Serve garnished with diced avocado, tomatoes, and chopped cilantro.
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Grilled lemon herb Mediterranean chicken salad is a complete meal in a bowl. Full of Mediterranean flavors, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocados and chicken is a perfect combo.
Lemon Herb
Mediterranean
Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Marinade/Dressing:
2 Tbsps. olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon (1/4 cup fresh squeeze lemon juice)
2 Tbsps. water
2 Tbsps. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsps. fresh chopped parsley
2 tsps, dried basil
2 tsps. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
Cracked pepper to taste
1 pound skinless boneless chicken thigh fillets or chicken breast
Salad:
4 cups Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried
1 large cucumber, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 red onion, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives (or black olives), sliced
Lemon wedges to serve
Directions
Whisk together all of the marinade/dressing ingredients in a large jug. Pour out half of the marinade into a large, shallow dish. Refrigerate the remaining marinade to use as dressing later.
Add the chicken to the marinade in the bowl; marinate chicken for 15-30 minutes (or up to two hours in the refrigerator if time allows). While waiting for the chicken, prepare all of the salad ingredients and mix in a large salad bowl. Once chicken is ready, heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a grill pan or a grill plate over medium-high heat. Grill chicken on both sides until browned and completely cooked through. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes; slice and arrange over salad. Drizzle salad with the remaining untouched dressing. Serve with lemon wedges.
Note: all of these recipes are keto-friendly.
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Joyce Jacks is a native of Barrow County and a graduate of Winder-Barrow High School, Athens Technical College and the University of Georgia. She can be reached at georgiagirl2424@yahoo.com.

Bennett: Dog Days 2019

stevecromer@mac.com (Administrator) — Sat, 14 Sep 2019 09:33:00 -0500

Y’all, it’s a real thing! I remember my daddy and my granddaddy always talking about “dog days,” but I figured it was just another one of their sayings.
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Dog Days of summer are traditionally the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending Aug. 11, which coincide with the dawn rising of Sirius, the Dog Star. This is soon after the Summer Solstice, which of course also indicates that the worst summer heat will soon set in.
Wikipedia states: “The dog days or dog days of summer are the hot, sultry days of summer. They were historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius, which Greek and Roman astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs and bad luck.”
Now, I’m not sure what’s going on this year. Mother Nature must have seen her shadow or something, because it’s almost the middle of September, and it’s still hot! Too hot!
I’m not so sure about this global warming stuff, but I do believe that it’s hotter in the summer now than back in the olden days when I was a kid. We didn’t have central air conditioning until I was probably a young teenager.
Our family enjoyed the feel of the open windows, and even on the hottest summer nights the attic fan could pull in enough cool night air to sometimes require using the covers! I loved sleeping right next to the open window with the fan pulling in the fresh air to wash over me. At some point, the timer would go off, the fan would stop, and the night air would be filled with frogs and crickets, an occasional hoot-owl, or the cows in the pasture next to our house. How I would love to spend another night like that!
I remember the days being pretty hot, and the attic fan didn’t help so much. My brother and I would spend as many hot afternoons as possible up at the Statham Legion pool, where we’d frolic in the water with our friends until the afternoon shadows grew long, and Nick would make us get out of the pool so he could shut it down. Our moms would come to pick us up amidst promises to gather again the next day.
Like most kids, one of my favorite pastimes was riding my bike. Most of us kids on Broad Street had bikes, and we would ride together almost every day. Back in those days there were no cell phones, but there were moms at home up and down the street so we didn’t get into much mischief. We knew better. I guarantee you, there were more nosy mamas on Broad Street than you could shake a stick at. Some of them weren’t even mamas…but they all watched over us anyway.
As an adult, I realize and appreciate that they weren’t being nosy, they were just keeping us safe, and for that I’m grateful. We always felt safe, and knew that if we needed anything, or had troubles, we could knock on most any door in town, and someone would help us and get our mamas, if needed.
There’s a little pond on Lakewood Drive in Statham, better known as J.S.’s Pond. We fished there sometimes, and one time a classmate had a spend-the-night birthday party over there in a little pavilion. Nowadays, the pond is much smaller than it seemed as a child, and a dead tree has fallen in, and the water looks icky. But we sure had a ball down there.
Five or six of us girls would gather every Sunday afternoon after church, pool our pennies, and have a picnic.
We weren’t allowed to cross The Highway (Atlanta Highway). However, one of us would sneak across the highway on foot and go into Seagraves’ Store to buy a small loaf of bread, and a can of Underwood deviled ham. Off we’d go down to the pond, and feast on our delicious sandwiches. Such wonderful memories!
When my friends weren’t available to ride with me, I’d entertain myself on my bike. My end of Broad Street wasn’t paved with asphalt, and was still the rough gravel pavement. I can’t even remember how many times I ripped off the tips of my toes on a protruding stone while riding barefoot. The little irregularities and potholes in the street were “fixed” by filling them with melted tar.
This provided much entertainment during the sweltering days of summer, when the tar would get soft, and bubble up. My toes and feet were much tougher in those days, and I loved to pop the little bubbles with my toes, and step in the soft spots of tar to make footprints.
So I know it got pretty darn hot in those days.
What are your favorite childhood summer memories? Close your eyes for just a minute, reflect back on how things were when you were a kid, and remember the fun ways you spent your summer days. I hope you can recall many happy times.
And, while I detest the cold winter days, I will be very happy to see these Dog Days of 2019 fade into what I hope will be an extended, pleasant autumn.
I don’t have an attic fan in my home now, but I’d sure love to have a couple of weeks with my windows up!
—
Cathy Watkins Bennett is a Barrow County native and a graduate of Winder-Barrow High School. Send comments about this column to bencath@aol.com.

Football: BCA, Frederica game called due to lightning, rain

http://www.mainstreetnewssports.com/ (MainStreetNewsSports) — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 21:39:59 -0500

Ongoing lightning and heavy rain prevented Bethlehem Christian Academy and visiting Frederica Academy from getting their game in Friday night.
BCA trailed 21-0 with 5:13 left in the second quarter when a lightning delay was called, and the weather conditions deteriorated further from there. The game was called and was not considered ...

Football: BCA falls to Frederica in lightning-shortened contest

http://www.mainstreetnewssports.com/ (MainStreetNewsSports) — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 21:39:59 -0500

Ongoing lightning and heavy rain brought an early end to Friday night's contest at Bethlehem Christian Academy and gave visiting Frederica Academy a 21-0 victory over the Knights after both teams' coaches agreed to let the score stand.
A 30-minute lightning delay was called with 5:13 remaining in the second quarter, and the weather ...

Football: Winder-Barrow, Flowery Branch weathered out

http://www.mainstreetnewssports.com/ (MainStreetNewsSports) — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 21:16:35 -0500

Weather played the role of the villain Friday at W. Clair Harris Stadium.
Winder-Barrow and visiting Flowery Branch were able to play almost a quarter before the game was called due to ongoing lightning in the area. Flowery Branch led 7-0 with 53 seconds remaining in the opening quarter when the game was called for the night.
...

Terrell: The left throws integrity overboard

stevecromer@mac.com (Administrator) — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 19:48:00 -0500

Why in the world would an American citizen who enjoys the benefits of living in America support voter fraud?
We live in one of the few countries in the world where a citizen has the right to vote for the person they wish to elect or to vote for critical issues that affect our daily lives.
How quick we forget that it was less than 100 years ago the Democratic left was trying to prevent American citizens from exercising the right to vote as authored by the the United States Constitution.
Now, we see that same left working hard by fighting voter identification laws and fighting jurisdictions that try to clean up their voter rolls.
If the left had their way, they would dismantle our election system, giving illegal aliens, non-citizens and criminals the right to vote.
The Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) says, “The left is playing for keeps. The prize is the 2020 elections.
“If the left gets the chance after 2020, they’ll rewrite election laws to make voter fraud even easier and make it all but impossible for conservatives to ever govern again.”
The PILF is working hard to maintain election integrity in America.
They say they have found and documented voter rolls filled with ineligible aliens, felons and dead people.
In Broward County, Fla., researchers say they conducted an audit and found voters on the rolls that were born during Grover Cleveland’s presidency that ended in 1897.
An audit of elections held in 2012 found that more than 35,000 people voted in North Carolina, as well as another state in the same election!
According to a report released by the Pew Center, approximately 24 million voter registrations in the United States are no longer valid or have “significant inaccuracies” that should be a concern.
The fact of the matter is we have been experiencing voter fraud here in the United States for years.
In 2016, The Washington Times (TWT) supported presidential candidate Trump’s complaint that our election system was rife with fraud.
Kelly Riddell, writing for TWT, was quoted as saying, “This is where the left is wrong. The argument isn’t whether voter fraud is real, but how wide-spread it is.” She then supported her argument with several examples.
First was an exposure by a CBS affiliate in Denver where they found dead people had been voting for years.
A deceased World War II veteran voted in 2006 and a lady who passed away in 2009 cast ballots in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
The lady’s husband died in 2008 but records show he voted in 2009.
The PILF reviewed voting records in eight Virginia counties and found 1,046 illegal aliens on the voter’s registration list. The FBI later investigated applications of 20 dead people that were turned in to vote.
Pennsylvania discovered that more than 700 voters cast two ballots in recent elections and nearly 43,000 voters were registered in the state or other states with duplicate applications.
In the past Texas opened an investigation into a vote-harvesting scheme where political operatives completed and returned ballots without the consent of the people named on the ballot.
Indiana opened an investigation into possible voter fraud that included 56 counties and Brown County, WI discovered under-aged voters that had registered and voted.
In January 2019, 95,000 non-citizens were found registered on voter rolls in Texas. In the same year, in Los Angeles County, Calif. the voter registration list included 112 percent of the county’s adult population.
There seems to be little doubt as to the objectives of the left when they announce they want open borders and amnesty for 20 million-plus illegal aliens in the United States.
The left is fighting back accusing conservatives of voter intimidation and voter suppression. They are doing all they can to defeat “…common sense laws designed to keep only eligible citizens casting ballots.”
The crisis at the border is more than a “border crisis,” it is a crisis that will determine the existence of the United States as we know it today.
The PILF sums it up very well saying, “The left is a clear and present danger to free and fair elections.”
Integrity should count for something!
—
Jimmy Terrell is retired from a career in law enforcement and is a Winder city councilman. He can be reached at ejterrell65@gmail.com.

Bridges: Students of today compared to decades ago

cbridges@barrowjournal.com (Chris Bridges) — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 19:46:00 -0500

It’s been a long time since I was a high school student. While I realize that in the grand scheme of things 30 years is not the longest amount of time in the world, it has been more than three decades now since I was roaming the halls of my high school as a student.
Thirty years. In some ways it seems longer, yet in others it seems like just yesterday I was that carefree student finishing my high school years as the greatest decade wrapped up.
One of the reasons it doesn’t seem that long is because my job as a journalist requires me to be at current high school events, primarily sporting ones now. When you constantly see high school students going about their business, you sometimes lose track of what year it is. (I also tend to lose track of what day of the week it is but that’s another matter.)
The students, and especially the student-athletes, I cover each week keep me young at heart. Believe me, I know my body is no longer young. The aches I feel after a day of work or after a couple of hours working in my yard are painful reminders.
It’s interesting to note how things have changed since 1989. When I was a senior in high school, I didn’t have a home computer or a laptop. In fact, we didn’t even have access to the television channels other than the basic ones you received through a now extinct device on the roof until after I was out of high school. This, of course, caused me to miss out on one of the greatest inventions of the 1980s in MTV.
During my high school years, I didn’t know what an email was. I didn’t call my friends on a phone small enough to carry around in my pocket. I didn’t use that same small phone to text friends a message about after school activities or what we would do during the weekend.
In 1989, the vehicle I drove had a cassette player in it, not a place for a CD.
Back then, no one read a newspaper on a computer screen. People still enjoyed their paper the way it was meant to be enjoyed — by holding it in their hands, turning the pages and going through it section by section. (The sports section was and always will be first for me.)
Candidates for statewide and national office didn’t rely on websites to help get the word out about their campaigns. Door-to-door campaigning, at least by candidates on the local level, was still a common practice.
During summer breaks when I was in high school, I actually remember getting letters in the mail from some friends who lived out of our free calling area. Can you imagine that happening now? What student today would dare put a letter in an envelope, put a stamp on it and mail it? It would be completely unheard of.
I’m not one who is going to try and convince you that everything was better in 1989 for that is simply not the case. I don’t think I could get by without email or texting today and certainly not my laptop.
Yet, I admit to still longing for the final days of the decade of big hair, Izod shirts, Pacman, Magnum, P.I. episodes and moonwalking. Why? Because that was my time and my decade and it will always hold a special place for me.
Yes, many things are better today, but nothing will take the place of yesteryear, at least not in my mind and in my heart.

Another anniversary
September 11 is a date that remains etched on the minds of most Americans.
Simply say “September 11” and people know what you are referencing. It took a tragic event of horrendous magnitude to have Americans put outside petty differences and truly appreciate being part of the greatest country on the planet.
While many still reflect on 9/11 and what it means, our unity has certainly evaporated. The political process in a free country such as ours should be a great thing. However, politics in the year 2019 have become very divisive and better.
It’s a shame because our country is strong enough to have views from all sides and angles.
While the victims of 9/11 should always be our first thoughts of that day from almost two decades ago, perhaps we should all think about how united we were then.
Unfortunately, unless we have another event like that it likely won’t happen. There is no middle ground anymore. Every issue, no matter how seemingly small, has become political. Frankly there are some things which shouldn’t be political.
—
Winder resident Chris Bridges is a former editor of the Barrow News-Journal. He has earned awards for his columns from the National Newspaper Association, the Georgia Press Association and the Georgia Sports Writers Association. He welcomes feedback from readers about this column at pchrisbridges@gmail.com.

No injuries in car, train collision in Winder

stevecromer@mac.com (Administrator) — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 10:44:44 -0500

The CSX railroad is back to normal functioning after a car and train collided at the Broad Street crossing near McDonald's on Thursday morning.
The crash did not result in any injuries, according to the Winder Police Department, but the driver of the car, who stopped on the track, was charged with a traffic violation.
The collision happened around 10 a.m. Thursday, shutting down all but one of the crossings in Winder, at Horton Street. Traffic was also re-routed to the Center Street underpass.
By 11:15 a.m., CSX began moving the train again. Police said it would take about 20 minutes for "normal traffic conditions" to resume.

Four qualify for Statham special election

stevecromer@mac.com (Administrator) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 20:10:00 -0500

Four candidates qualified Sept. 3-5 for the special city council election in Statham. The election, to fill the seat vacated by Eddie Jackson, who is running for mayor, will be held Tuesday, Nov. 5, at the same time as the city’s general election.
Qualifying for the race were Steve Boughton, a retired banker; Tammy Crawley, who attended nearly every council meeting before going back to work; Scott Penn, a paramedic in Jackson County; and Timothy Baldwin Terilli.
See more in the Sept. 11 edition of the Barrow News-Journal.

Winder DDA moves toward new DFCS building

stevecromer@mac.com (Administrator) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 19:05:00 -0500

The Winder Downtown Development Authority, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, took the first step toward a new Division of Family and Children Services building near the current Social Security Administration facility.
The DDA, meeting in a called session, unanimously agreed to start a process that would allow the agency to own the building in 15 years.
Paperwork will involve creating a second non-profit corporation, which will have the same membership and officers as the DDA, to hold title to the building.
The new facility will be managed by the Forum Group, which has constructed similar facilities all over the state, John Stell, Winder’s city attorney, said.
The building will be leased to the state. All the indebtedness of the new facility will be the responsibility of the Forum Group, DDA members were told.
About $7 million in bonds are expected to be sold to pay for the structure and that debt will be paid through the lease payments.
The DDA has discussed the financing of the building for the past few months.
Chris Maddox, the chairman of the DDA, said the agency has wanted its own money for some time.
Acting as the bond seller and creating the separate board will provide that money — but 15 years in the future.
Stell told the agency the new facility would replace the “conglomeration” of space now occupied by DFCS in Winder.
The new board will be the Winder Lay’s Drive Corporation.
The DDA is expected to approve several documents to set up that corporation and to approve the construction of a new facility at its October meeting.
Stell told the DDA that the arrangement is “a pretty safe project” because every county in the state has a DFCS office.

BOC supports applying for federal funds for transportation-related projects

stevecromer@mac.com (Administrator) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 18:00:00 -0500

Barrow County plans to seek federal funding for a State Route 316/U.S. 29 corridor study and preliminary engineering for a project to widen a 7.2-mile stretch of Highway 211.
The county board of commissioners voted 6-0 — commissioner Billy Parks was absent — at its Tuesday, Sept. 10 meeting to apply for grant funding from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), which is currently soliciting project proposals for its 2019 Transportation Improvement Plan program. The federally-designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO) will distribute funds for approved projects across the 20-county region, which includes Barrow.
The application window opened Aug. 12 and closes Oct. 11. Entities applying for grant money must also provide a funding-match commitment and the resolutions passed by commissioners Tuesday pledged a 20-percent match for each project. Commissioners previously discussed the proposed projects at an Aug. 27 work session. The corridor study resolution was passed as part of the board’s consent agenda, and the board also approved the resolution for Highway 211 widening pre-engineering after a brief discussion.
The corridor study would identify future access issues that will be brought about by the construction of graded interchanges along Highway 316 at its intersections with highways 81, 11 and 53 and explore possible solutions to those issues. County public works director Autron Hayes told the board at its work session that the study would likely cost about $250,000 to complete.
The preliminary engineering would be for a project to widen 7.2 miles of Highway 211 between the future West Winder Bypass terminus and Highway 124, near Interstate 85. The highway widening is listed in the Georgia Department of Transportation’s long-term plan to be completed by Fiscal Year 2051. But county officials want to try to expedite that, particularly because the bypass is expected to be completed in 2021 or 2022, which Hayes said would create a “bottleneck” with the bypass emptying onto a two-lane road.
See more in the Sept. 11 edition of the Barrow News-Journal.

Winder council passes resolution supporting local design standards for residences

stevecromer@mac.com (Administrator) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 17:58:00 -0500

The Winder City Council, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, unanimously passed a resolution signaling its support for locally-established building design standards for residential dwellings, a topic that has been a hot-button issue among the state legislature.
Two bills were introduced in Georgia’s General Assembly earlier this year that aimed to prevent local governments from regulating “building design elements.” The bills, House Bill 302 and Senate Bill 172, didn’t pass, but will come back up when the legislature convenes its 2020 session in January.
The state’s homebuilders’ association supported the legislation, calling home design regulations “burdensome.”
“Both bills remove a local government’s ability to enact burdensome design restrictions on new homes,” the association said. “Both bills respect a local government’s ability to shape the look and feel of their community through all other zoning conditions and local amendments to the state building code.”
But the Georgia Municipal Association, which lobbies for the state’s towns and cities, strongly opposed taking away local government powers to regulate residential design codes. The association encouraged its members to adopt resolutions to oppose the legislation and to lobby their local representatives and senators against it.
See more in the Sept. 11 edition of the Barrow News-Journal.

Football: Doggs return to action against high-powered Flowery Branch

http://www.mainstreetnewssports.com/ (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 10:54:01 -0500

With the first of two bye weeks now behind it, the Winder-Barrow High School football team is back to its normal routine.
The Bulldoggs (0-2) welcome a tough Flowery Branch High School team into W. Clair Harris Stadium on Friday, Sept. 13, for a contest against another quality non-region opponent. The Falcons are 2-0 and have outscored ...

Football: After stunning loss, Wildcats set to move forward against Jackson Co.

http://www.mainstreetnewssports.com/ (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 10:48:14 -0500

With the memory of a gut-wrenching loss to Madison County still fresh on their minds, the Apalachee High School Wildcats went back to work this week and will welcome Jackson County Comprehensive High School on Friday, Sept. 13.
AHS (0-3) saw its first victory of the season taken away in the final seconds on a Hail Mary touchdown pass by ...

Football: Knights search for answers, host Frederica on Friday

http://www.mainstreetnewssports.com/ (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 10:47:02 -0500

The 2019 season has gotten off to a rocky start for the Bethlehem Christian Academy football team and the Knights may be going from the proverbial frying pan into the fire on Friday, Sept. 13.
BCA (0-3) is continuing to find its footing during the first year of the Gus Felder era. The Knights were defeated 42-0 by visiting Community ...

Volleyball: Volley Doggs go undefeated at Grayson event

http://www.mainstreetnewssports.com/ (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 10:46:12 -0500

It was 5-for-5 for the Winder-Barrow High School volleyball team Sept. 7 at Grayson.
The Volley Doggs posted wins against George Walton Academy (2-0), Collins Hill (2-1) and Archer (2-0) in pool play before blanking Athens Academy and Tallulah Falls in the Gold Bracket. The win at the Grayson Rams Rally Tournament improved the team’s ...

Volleyball: Even with 19-3 start, Volley Cats’ coach sees room for improvement

http://www.mainstreetnewssports.com/ (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 10:36:59 -0500

The Apalachee High School volleyball team is still ironing out a few wrinkles in 2019, but the Volley Cats coach said the team continues to play well overall.
With wins on Sept. 7 against McEachern, Hill Grove, Wheeler and Woodstock, the AHS team upped its season record to 19-3 overall. The Volley Cats were 1-1 in GHSA Area 8-AAAAAA play ...

Prep Roundup: BCA softball wins region opener, snaps three-game skid

http://www.mainstreetnewssports.com/ (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 10:33:50 -0500

The Bethlehem Christian Academy softball team snapped a three-game losing streak Tuesday, Sept. 10, shutting out The Heritage School 8-0 in six innings at home in its GISA Region 1-AAA opener.
The Knights got a strong outing in the circle from Clancy Bourbeau, who pitched six shutout innings and allowed just two hits and three walks while ...

One hurt in fight at Winder-Barrow High School; injured student determined to be aggressor

stevecromer@mac.com (Administrator) — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 10:04:08 -0500

Two female students fought in a hallway at Winder-Barrow High School Thursday, Sept. 5, and one suffered a fractured skull, setting off a social media frenzy over the incidents.
Both of the girls were suspended, according to the Barrow County School System. Suspension for fighting is automatic under the system's code of conduct, superintendent Chris McMichael said.
The girl who was injured, identified by her mother as Iris Narens, was taken to an Atlanta hospital and later released. She is recovering at home. The other student's name was not made available.
The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident. Sheriff Jud Smith told an Atlanta television station Tuesday night that investigators had determined that Narens was the aggressor. He said by email that 15 to 20 students may have seen the incident.
The incident began about 11 a.m. Sept. 5 after Narens corrected the other student’s math work. The two argued about the work after the class and the fight started.
In a news release about 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9, the sheriff’s office said it wanted to “correct inaccurate information given on some news media outlets and social media sites.”
The release said the fight started at 11:12 a.m. and the “school resource officer was on scene within minutes.” It said Narens “was treated by trained medical professionals" at the school at about 11:15 a.m.
Smith said Tuesday that "professionals" were the school RN and the "head football trainer who is an EMT." He added the heat trainer has had "extensive" training with head injuries and "is recognized as one of the best trainers" in the state "based on the numerous certifications he has received for dealing with young people with trauma of any kind."
Chrisalena Pringle, Narens' mother, took her to a hospital and then to another hospital about 2:20 p.m.
Pringle told Atlanta TV stations she was not satisfied with the way the incident was treated.
“She couldn’t walk, she couldn’t really talk, her eyes were fluttering,” Pringle said.
“Sheriff’s office personnel were not aware of a partial video of the incident until hours after the incident actually occurred,” the release said.
The sheriff said Tuesday that “there is no evidence” that the incident involved bullying.
McMichael said the incident became “more than a fight” because of posts on social media.
As of Tuesday, no charges had been filed, but by Tuesday night, Smith had told the Atlanta station that investigators had determined Narens was the aggressor and the other student was defending herself during the altercation.
"This is a very unfortunate incident. We do not condone fighting or any type of violence in our schools or the recording of incidents, and we work actively to prevent it," school system officials said in a separate news release. "We were glad to learn that our student is now home recovering. Violence, in whatever form it takes, has significant consequences and is never the answer to interpersonal conflict."

FOOTBALL: Knights blanked in home opener

http://www.mainstreetnewssports.com/ (MainStreetNewsSports) — Sat, 07 Sep 2019 21:47:22 -0500

The Bethlehem Christian Academy football team hoped familiar territory would help give it a boost on Sept. 6.

The BCA Knights hosted Community Christian School of Stockbridge in their home opener for 2019 but the result was similar to the previous two road games. BCA (0-3) fell 42-0 to the CCS Knights (3-0) and continue to be a work ...

Jacks: Homemade candy bars can last you longer

stevecromer@mac.com (Administrator) — Sat, 07 Sep 2019 08:36:00 -0500

Well, football season is officially started and Georgia is out on a winning note. It may have been a road game but you couldn’t tell that by the stands. The entire stadium at Vanderbilt was a sea of red.
Georgia fans definitely back their team no matter where they play. I look forward to watching the combo of Jake Fromm and DeAndre Swift play this year.
Would like to send special birthday wishes to my grandson, Tucker Jacks, who turned 17 on Sept. 1, and also to Cheryl Mangum. And special wishes to my long-time friend since first grade, Kay Young Fish.
—
When you go into a store, have you ever wondered how hard or how easy it would be to make your favorite candy bar instead of buying them? Making them homemade makes them so much better and you can make enough to last for a while and even freeze them for later. Most of them are rather simple to make, I have found out.
When I ate candy, one of my favorites was the peanut butter cup. Looking at the recipe you will see just how easy they are to make.
Peanut
Butter Cups
Ingredients
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
24 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped (or substitute milk chocolate chips)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
Directions
Line a mini muffin tin with paper liners, set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the peanut butter, butter, and brown sugar over medium heat. Heat until completely melted and starting to bubble a little, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Add the powdered sugar half a cup at a time, stirring until completely combined with the peanut butter mixture after each addition. Set aside and let cool. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips and shortening in the microwave on 50-percent power in 30-second increments, until completely melted, stirring after each burst. Using a small cookie scoop or a couple of teaspoons, spoon melted chocolate into the bottom of each lined muffin cup. Use a heaping teaspoon to scoop out the peanut butter mixture. Roll it into a ball, and then flatten it slightly into a disk. Place on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once finished with all of the peanut butter mixture, refrigerate both the muffin tins and the peanut butter patties for about 30 minutes. Place a peanut butter patty on top of each chocolate-lined muffin tin. Then use a scoop or spoon to add more melted chocolate on top and around each peanut butter patty. (If the melted chocolate firmed up, just pop it back into the microwave at 50-percent power for 30 seconds or so to re-melt.)
Refrigerate again for 30 minutes, then they’re ready to serve! Store at room temperature for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can keep at room temperature in an airtight container if you’re going to serve them the same day, but they’ll start to get soft if not at cool room temperature.
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My son’s all-time favorite candy bar was always the Kit Kat bar. He was surprised when he came home to find I had made him a batch of homemade ones. He told me they weren’t going to be as good. He soon changed his mind and began asking for more homemade ones.
Kit Kat bars
Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
25 regular-size marshmallows
12-ounce milk chocolate chips
1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
11-ounce butterscotch chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, add marshmallows, milk chocolate chips and baking chocolate. Set aside.
In a large pot, bring to a boil the sugar, cream and butter over medium high heat. Once boiling, continue to boil for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Pour hot mixture over marshmallows and chocolate. Using an electric mixer, beat until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth (about two minutes). Melt butterscotch and peanut butter chips together in microwave bowl for one minute. Stir and heat at 30-second intervals until fully melted. In a large bowl, combine rice cereal, melted butterscotch and about 1/3 of the chocolate mixture. Mix completely. In a parchment paper, lined 13x9 baking dish, pour 1/3 of chocolate Mixture over cereal, spreading with a knife. Allow to set up in refrigerator, about 1-2 hours. Remove and cut into bite sized pieces.
—
The most requested homemade candy bar that I make is the Almond Joy/Mounds candy bar. If you like coconut and like either of these candy bars, then you will love these candy bars. They are so much better than anything you can buy in a store.
Almond Joy or
Mounds Candy Bar
Ingredients
1 (14-ounce bag) sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 Tbsps. butter, softened
2 Tbsps. corn syrup (Karo syrup-white)
20-24 almonds (you can use raw, toasted, whatever you have)
16-ounce chocolate coating (I personally use milk chocolate chips and gulf wax)
Directions
Combine coconut, powdered sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a mixer bowl. Beat on low speed until thoroughly combine. (Can mix all ingredients together and mix in a nitro blender, this is how I make mine).
Line a large baking sheet with wax paper. Scoop small mounds of the coconut mixture onto the lined baking sheet and form into bars. (Wet your fingers if necessary to keep the mixture from sticking to you.) Press one almond into the top of each bar, refrigerate 30-60 minutes to allow the bars to harden slightly. (You can use candy mold if you wish to.) Line another baking sheet with wax paper. Melt candy coating according to package directions. Using a fork, dip the candy bars into the melted chocolate and tap gently to remove excess chocolate. Place on lined baking sheet to harden.
—
Another popular candy bar I enjoy making and sharing with friends is the Snickers candy bar. This is a big hit with my son and his buddies. They always want to know when I’m going to make more.
Snickers candy bar
Ingredients
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
3 Tbsps., plus 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
7 ounces marshmallow fluff
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s powdered sugar
1 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts
11 ounces caramels
1/4 cup heavy cream
Directions
Line the bottom of an 11x7-inch baking pan with parchment wax paper.
To make the first layer, in a small bowl, combine 1 cup chocolate chips and 3 Tbsps. peanut butter. Microwave on high for 60 seconds at full power and stir to combine.
Microwave a few more seconds if needed, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Pour chocolate mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly. Place baking pan in the freezer until the layer is hard, about 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile in a medium-sized bowl combine marshmallow fluff, 1/4 cup peanut butter and powdered sugar. Using a wooden spoon or strong spatula, stir until a soft dough ball forms. Remove nougat from the bowl and press on top of hardened chocolate layer. Sprinkle peanuts on top of nougat and gently press them down. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine caramels and heavy cream. Stir constantly until caramels have melted and cream is incorporated.
Pour immediately over the peanut layer and use the back of a spoon to spread evenly.
Refrigerate until caramels have set about five minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, melt the remaining chocolate and peanut butter by microwaving for a few seconds. Pour over caramel layer and spread evenly. Place in fridge for 10 minutes or until chocolate layer has hardened.
—
Another rather simple candy to make are chocolate turtles.
Homemade Turtles
(caramel pecan
and chocolate clusters)
Ingredients
24 store-bought caramels
100 pecan halves, toasted
1 to 2 bags dark chocolate chips (10.5-ounce bags)
2-4 Tbsps. heavy cream
Directions
Melt caramels in heavy cream in the microwave. Cool until you can roll into balls.
Place the tips of four toasted pecans together so they make a square with their inner tips, creating the legs. Squish a 2-tsp.-sized caramel ball on top to connect all four pecans.
Place pecans/caramel clusters in freezer for about 15 minutes. Melt chocolate in microwave at 50-percent power or 3 minutes. Beat until smooth.
Pick up caramel/pecan cluster, drizzle chocolate on bottom and flip back over onto frozen pan. Drizzle chocolate on top to cover the other side of the caramel.
Repeat until the other clusters have chocolate on top and bottom. Let sit until chocolate sets.
—
Joyce Jacks is a native of Barrow County and a graduate of Winder-Barrow High School, Athens Technical College and the University of Georgia. She can be reached at georgiagirl2424@yahoo.com.