Tools, lawn equipment stolen from vehicle

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

An Auburn man called police after discovering multiple items had been stolen from his truck and his trailer.
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WPD investigating rash of car break-ins

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Winder Police continue to investigate an “overwhelming” number of car break-ins within the city limits according to Det. Sgt. Rachel Love.
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Friday Night Lights for November 6, 2009

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0500

Find out all of the local scores from your favorite teams as the 2009 football season continues.

Check back each week after the games for the final scores from Apalachee, Banks County, Commerce, East Jackson, Jackson County, Jefferson, Madison County and Winder-Barrow. Scroll to bottom for the scoreboard.

Woman arrested after threatening child

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

An Auburn woman was arrested Sunday after allegedly threatening to kill her 14-year-old daughter.

A concerned neighbor notified police after receiving a letter in which the girl stated that she had been locked in her room and was afraid her mother was going to kill her. The girl had asked in the letter that the neighbor notify police.

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Man attacked over $5 debt

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

A Winder man was attacked by two men last week after he was unable to repay a debt.
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Teenager arrested after violent tantrum

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

An Auburn woman called police when her 17-year-old son became enraged during a disagreement.
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Racist comment sparked actions

nospam@example.com (Mike Buffington) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:53:02 -0500

Is there a climate of racism inside Barrow County’s government?

Two months ago, Human Resources Director Norma Jean Brown didn’t think so. But in the last three weeks, Brown has come to a different conclusion on the matter. Two weeks ago, she became so concerned that she took serious allegations of race, gender and wage-hour violations to the Barrow County Board of Commissioners and personally hired an Atlanta attorney specializing in employment law to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Critics say Brown is merely retaliating against perceived threats to her own job on unrelated matters. In a Nov. 1 memo to the board, Commissioner Larry Joe Wilburn raised questions about the timing of Brown’s complaint. Wilburn believes Brown’s actions came as a result of some commissioners looking at her own personnel file and noticing a rebuttal memo about an incident from earlier in the year.

But Brown said her discrimination allegations actually had to do with another Oct. 20 incident and had nothing to do with her file.

“The reason I did it that week is because it came to my attention, on that Tuesday, the most hideous and heinous remarks made that violate Title VII,” she said. “It was brought to my attention… statements and orders to HR that were illegal and violated federal and state laws.”

Brown said the offensive comments by someone in county management followed weeks of “constant unethical remarks, unethical behavior, illegal remarks and illegal behavior.”
She said she was so sickened by the blatantly racist comment that she threw up in her office trashcan.

“That’s not the first time,” she said.

Asked flatly if there is a climate of racism in Barrow County’s government, she said: “It’s only a couple of people, but you’ve got to look at the positions those people hold. Because of the level of authority of the people who the allegations are about, the answer to that would have to be ‘yes’.”

For the complete story, see the November 4 issue of the Barrow Journal.

Wildcats go for perfection

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:14:50 -0500

For the Apalachee High School football team, it’s nine regular season opponents down and one to go.

The Wildcats will look to complete a perfect regular season this week when they host Salem High School for Senior Night. After defeating Madison County on the road last Friday, AHS returns home hoping to continue building momentum ...

WBHS seeks memorable conclusion

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:13:00 -0500

This Friday’s game at Loganville is important for several reasons for the Winder-Barrow High School football team.

First, coach Ben Corley wants his team to finish the 2009 season on a positive note and defeating last season’s region champs would definitely be a way to do that.

Second, Corley wants his team to do ...

AHS plays better in win against Madison Co.

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:06:55 -0500

Some would say Apalachee High School football coach Shane Davis has it pretty good.

Davis and his Wildcats were undefeated going into last Friday’s road game against Madison County. Entering the contest at 8-0, the Wildcats were looking to build some momentum after two close one-point victories.

Davis and the AHS team ...

Turnovers costly for Doggs in final home game

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:05:30 -0500

Turnovers are something football coaches, at all levels, talk about as being key to the outcome of a game.

It’s not just coach talk. All one has to do is look at last Friday’s game between Winder-Barrow and Clarke Central to see how turnovers can affect the outcome of a contest.

The Bulldoggs were hampered by ...

Sentences issued in Superior Court

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

The Barrow County Superior Court sentenced 22 people during the past week. Those charged and their sentences are listed below. Charges listed as nolle prosequi are those in which the prosecutor or plaintiff indicated they would not proceed with the case. In criminal cases, a disposition of nolle prosequi may be entered when evidence proves innocence or charges cannot otherwise be proved.
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Service delivery strategy nearing completion

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Barrow County chairman Danny Yearwood met last Friday with representatives from Auburn, Winder, Braselton and Statham to continue work on the state mandated Service and Delivery Strategy (SDS).
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Quiet week for Statham PD

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

The Statham Police Department investigated five incidents during the past week. The incidents under investigation include two instances of criminal trespass and two reports of mailbox damage. The fifth incident reported was the theft of a MP3 player from an automobile parked at a Greenfield Drive residence.
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Long-time councilman ousted in Winder election

nospam@example.com (Susan Norman) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:52:21 -0500

Former school board member and Winder-Barrow High School coach Bob Dixon trounced long-time incumbent Mike Mingus in today’s city elections.

In what may have been an unprecedented turnout for a council election, Dixon received 513 votes (72.77%) and Mingus 192 (27.23%), according to unofficial results.

However, Ward 1 Councilman Sonny Morris held onto the seat he has held for 23 years. He beat challenger Don Graden by a vote of 138 to 22.

Ward 3 incumbent Ridley Parrish, who was not opposed, received 290 votes. There was one write-in ballot cast in that contest.

A total of 711 people voted in the Winder elections.

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Firefighter fundraiser set for this weekend

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0500

Firefighters with Barrow County Emergency Services will be holding a boot drive fundraiser this weekend.
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Voting under way in three cities

nospam@example.com (Susan Norman) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:34:47 -0500

Today is Election Day in Carl, Statham and Winder.

Election officials in all three municipalities say voting is going well.

Statham’s council races, with eight candidates vying for three seats, seem to be drawing stronger voter interest than usual. Thirty voters cast had cast ballots by 8:30 a.m. at Statham City Hall, and 38 people voted during the early voting period leading up to today's elections.

Barrow County Elections Superintendent Kristi Royston said that as of 9:15 a.m., 63 Winder residents had voted at the Winder Community Center. She said 213 people cast early ballots, which is more than were cast early in the last election.

In the Town of Carl, four voters had cast ballots as of 9 a.m. at town hall. Because no candidates qualified for the open council seats, the only item on the ballot is a liquor-by-the-drink referendum.

The polls in all three municipalities are open today until 7 p.m.

Winder’s election results tonight will be presented both at the Barrow County Board of Commissioners meeting room in the county annex and online at www.barrowga.org/vote09 .

Auburn men killed in separate wrecks

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:13:45 -0500

Two local men died in separate vehicle accidents on Auburn Road (Ga. Hwy. 324) in the past week, according to Gwinnett police.
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Dog, televisions stolen from residence

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

A Winder woman called police last week to report several items missing from her Amherst Drive residence.
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COLUMN: Waging war against the press

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:44:00 -0500

"And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed - if all records told the same tale - then the lie passed into history and became truth." - George Orwell, 1984, Book 1, Chapter 3.

Like countless other students, I had to read 1984 in high school. Never did I imagine how frighteningly relevant the book could be.

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City elections coming Tuesday

nospam@example.com (Mike Buffington) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:56:00 -0500

Tuesday is Election Day in three of Barrow County’s municipalities. Voters in Winder and Statham will choose members of their city councils. Voters in the Town of Carl will decide whether they want, for the first time, to allow restaurants to serve alcohol by the drink.

While municipal elections typically don’t generate a lot of excitement among voters, Tuesday’s elections will be historic in a couple of ways. Winder voters for the first time will cast their ballots on electronic voting machines.

And with eight candidates vying for three council seats, Statham voters will have an unprecedented number of candidates from which to choose.

Although the county elections office is running Winder’s elections this year, voting on Nov. 3 will be at the same place it always is, the Winder Community Center at 113 E. Athens St. Inside the council’s chambers from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday will be electronic voting machines and county elections personnel.

With only two council races on the ballot — Ward 1 incumbent Sonny Morris versus challenger Don Graden and at-large incumbent Mike Mingus versus challenger Bob Dixon — voting should be a snap.

Polls at Statham City Hall on Jefferson Street will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Although incumbents Betty Lyle and Gayle Steed, who have both been on the council since the early 1980s, are running for re-election, the outcome Tuesday is anybody’s guess.

With eight candidates splitting the votes, turnout will be the key for the three winners.

The challengers are Jeremiah Bennett, Johnnie Ellington, David Huth, Betty Kinney, Susan Martin and Terry Tripp.

Man forgets English during field sobriety tests

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

A Chamblee man was arrested on multiple charges including driving while intoxicated after a traffic stop on North Broad Street.
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Man seeks refuge from demons

nospam@example.com (Kristi Reed) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0400

A Statham woman called the sheriff’s office after receiving a disturbing visit from a neighbor.
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Friday Night Lights for October 30, 2009

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:30:00 -0400

Find out all of the local scores from your favorite teams as the 2009 football season continues.