Franklin County: 2008 Year in Review

The year 2008 brought change to Franklin County. The Highway 17 project in Lavonia was completed, giving the city a new avenue of growth toward Stephens County. Folks were also glad to see the bridge on Highway 145 between Carnesville and Royston reach its completion date, saving them detour time. Gas prices reached highs of almost $5 per gallon, then finally gave motorists some welcome relief, going below the $2 mark.

Land of Spirit, the new Franklin County folklife play put on by community members, was a hit, and so was the newly renovated Lavonia Cultural Center, home of Land of Spirit.

Carnesville residents are enjoying a new city hall and public safety building, along with the convenience and comfort of a fourth ambulance station.

The drought continued, leaving many homeowners along Lake Hartwell “dry docked.” The Mardi Gras Train made tracks and left, two new county leaders were given the nod by the people, some Lavonia police officers made the arrest of a lifetime, and in the nation, Barack Obama was elected the first black American President of the United States.

It was a year to remember in Franklin County.

January

Water was a top priority in Lavonia in January and District Attorney Robert Lavender pleaded with Franklin County Commissioners for help in the assistant district attorney's office.

Mary Madeline Pittman, daughter of Jason and Robin Pittman of Hartwell, was the first baby born at Ty Cobb Hospital in the New Year.

A good samaritan saved Lavonia landmark Southern Oaks from being decimated by an early morning fire and the drive for the much-sought-after mega ramp was finally approved for Tugaloo State Park.

Franklin County High School Coach Danny Durham resigned and Coach Tommy Welch became the new king of the FCHS jungle.

The Lavonia Chamber of Commerce awarded the late Calvin Andrews the Good Citizens Award.

February

Super Tuesday saw Mike Huckabee (R) and Hillary Clinton (D) carry the vote in Franklin, while Amanda Brown was voted the Franklin County Idol for 2008.

Tony Simpson was commemorated for his years of service with the Carnesville Fire Department and Lavonia teachers Tina Vickery and Brenda Harris, two of the school's math teachers, became model teachers.

Four men were arrested on charges of kidnapping and drugs and construction began on the new Carnesville Fire Department expansion.

Gabe Eschedor was named Star Student of Franklin County High School.

Franklin County Commissioners broached the idea of a five member election board instead of a one-man election superintendent.

March

Franklin County Commissioners sought to derail the Mardi Gras train before it got on track and Franklin County deputies seized over 130 pounds of pot at the Interstate 85 Lavonia exit.

Longtime county educator, community leader and avid supporter of school athletics, Lillard Gibbs, died at 78.

March winds came in like a lion and some Franklin Countians suffered a blow as storm damages exceeded $350,000.

Sara Whitworth remembered son, Cpl. Sammy Whitworth, who was killed in action in Vietnam.

Springview Gym in Lavonia got a new lease on life, as Linda Barnes agreed to take on the responsibility and offer the community some new educational and Christian programs.

Franklin County Middle School Technology Student Association members brought home the gold - again. For the 16th time in 18 years of competition, the FCMS TSA students won Outstanding Chapter Award.

April

Carnesville said bye, bye buzzards in April as town leaders sought to give relief to residents from the buzzard infestation and Franklin County school administrators said job applicants for the school system had better be ready to pass a thorough and rigorous process before signing on the dotted line.

Lavonia administrators tackled the problem of local eyesores while Franklin County BOC members slowed progress on the Mardi Gras Train.

Rumors swirled over whether popular Franklin County High School girls' basketball coach, Holly Wilk, would leave FCHS and Franklin County Board of Education members set new rules for graduates.

Lavonia Police Chief Randy Shirley was also rumored to be leaving his job of nine years, possibly to run for sheriff of Stephens County.

County BOC members sought a temporary restraining order against the Mardi Gras Train.

The end of April brought gas prices to a new high, some stations reaching $3.54 for regular - with no end in sight.

And the city of Lavonia came through in an emergency, the city donated an old firetruck to another city in need.

May

The month of May brought spring flowers, but saw the city of Lavonia big farewell to longtime Police Chief Randy Shirley.

Local restaurant, Backwoods BBQ, staff members showed their support for the troops overseas by sending out “gifts of love” in the form of boxes of goodies for the boys.

A total of 17 local candidates put their name in the box to compete for a seat in the upcoming election and the Mardi Gras Train prevailed over attempts by BOC members to gain a restraining order to stop it.

The city of Lavonia gave the nod to officer Bruce Carlisle as interim chief.

And the Lady Lion golf team won the title of State Champs, taking the 2008 AAA title.

Budget woes plagued county commissioners as they sought to keep the budget the same as in 2007, but with $2.5 million more in expenditures.

Franklin students brought more to the table, proving they could make the grade and improve graduation test results.

R.J. (Dick) Zarwell surprised county leaders with his resignation from the Franklin County Planning Commission and a list of complaints about the job.

Mary Elizabeth Hicks celebrated 100 years young, and remembered when life was a lot simpler.

An Interstate 85 traffic stop led Franklin County Sheriff's deputies to a cocaine bust and BOC members considered potential alternatives for saving money.

Friends, family and community members remembered fallen heros, and had a memorial for Ryen King, who was killed in action last year.

Franklin County geared up for the annual Relay for Life while an alleged misappropriation of funds from the checking accounts of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and Industrial Building Authority, initiated an investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

June

Land of Spirit: The Last Hard Times made it debut and Franklin County High School valedictorian Ellen Hearn and Sarai Tompkins, salutatorian, made preparations for graduation.

Senior walked the field at Franklin County Ed Bryant's stadium one last time even as Franklin County Board of Education members considered more ways to cut costs.

Lavonia policemen Sgt. Matt London and Patrolman Casey Brouwer were honored as “life savers.”

The Franklin County Sheriff's Department searched for missing teen Rebecca Danielle Pulliam while Northeast Georgia Animal Shelters tried to cool off some dogs suffering from heat stroke.

The Ayers-Little House, home of Carnesville icon, the late Martha Little, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Christopher Harrison, suspect for burglary and vandalism to a place of worship, was arrested and Lavonia Interim Police Chief Bruce Carlisle got the nod for police chief.

Lee Powell had an unwelcome visitor, a black bear, at her house.

And Franklin County Citizen Publisher, Tom Ten Broeck, said goodbye after eight years on the job and 20 years with Community News Incorporated.

July

In July, former county leader Herbert R. Adams, Sr. died at the age of 74. A veteran of the trucking industry for more than 50 years, Adams was the former owner and president of Bulldog Trucking and was the founder and president of Adams Motor Express in Carnesville at the time of his death. In addition to being a leader in business, Adams was also a former Franklin County Commissioner, a member of the Franklin County Water Authority and a past president of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce.

The Franklin County Sheriff's Department arrested Momodou Gaye, 29, of College Park for forgery and a concealed weapon. After a routine traffic stop, Gaye was arrested when law enforcement officers discovered a large quantity of conunterfeit currency and a concealed firearm.

Bruce Carlisle was named the new chief of the Lavonia Police Department.

Franklin County Sheriff Steve Thomas won his reelection bid during the election primary.

Former Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Executive Secretary Cindy Smith was arrested and charged with one count of theft by taking and four counts of forgery.

Ricky Brown, Wanda Brown, William Hilliard, Shelia Jones and Thomas Wright were arrested by the Franklin County Sheriff's Department and charged with felony commercial gambling and misdemeanor keeping a place of gambling.

All six Franklin County Schools made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for the 2007-2008 school year.

The city of Lavonia purchased Cafe Risque and the establishment closed its doors. The city plans to eventually sell the property to a company that will build either a family restaurant or a hotel.

The owners of the proposed SportsTech facility contacted Franklin County Attorney Bubba Samuels to inform him they were ready to move forward with their plans. According to Samuels, the project hit snags with real estate problems which kept them from meeting deadlines, but they were ready to close on the property.

August

August saw the possibility of Franklin County tax payers having to dig in their wallets for an estimated $200 above what their current tax bill totals due to Gov. Sonny perdue freezing the Homestead Tax Relief Grant.

The news of the city of Lavonia purchasing Cafe Risque made national headlines. The city had to field calls from CNN, the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times and the Associated Press who all wanted to do stories on the event.

Raymond Daniel Thurmond, 36, of Lavonia was accused of imprisoning his family since August of 2005. After a two week investigation by the Lavonia Police Department, Thurmond was charged with rape, five counts of false imprisonment and four counts of cruelty to children in the first degree. According to Lavonia Police Chief Bruce Carlisle, the children were not allowed to leave the residence and the investigation revealed that they had not been attending school, nor was there evidence of home schooling. The children had reportedly not received adequate medical attention and three of the children were underweight for their age and height. Carlisle added that the residence was in a deplorable state with filth and insect infestation.

Lavonia resident Rush Moncrief died when the home he shared with his sister, Corrie, caught on fire around 3:30 p.m on Aug. 9. Lavonia firefighters were able to located Moncrief, who was trapped in the house, but it was obvious to them he was already dead. According to relatives, Moncrief had been bedridden for some time and was watching television in his room with a fan propped up on a chair. The fan fell over on the bed and caught fire. Corrie was able to get out of the house safely and go to a neighbor's house for help.

The arrest of Raymond Daniel Thurmond led to more questions as the investigation continued.

The Northeast Georgia Animal Shelter closed for a 14-day quarantine after three puppies from three different litters were found dead. The tests on the puppies came back positive for parvovirus also known as parvo.

Franklin Springs Police/Fire Chief Mark Jerome was terminated. Prior to the council's meeting, Jerome had been relieved of all his duties and placed on suspension with pay as a private investigation was conducted.

The owner of Beaver Creek Community mobile home park was given 90 days by the city of Lavonia to make improvements.

September

The body of Jerry Anderson Cleveland was found in a field off Dawkins Road. A resident of nearby apartment building called 911 after noticing something laying in the field.

Royston resident Jeff Edmonds was stabbed in his home during a robbery attempt. The attacker knocked Edmonds down and he found himself on his back trying to fend off the attack. The attacker's knife went into Edmonds' chest just two inches about his heart. Edmonds said he then decided he had only one more chance to break free. He kicked his attacker in the groin area. The attacker rolled off Edmonds and ran off.

Area residents Larry Philpot and Gale Jones won $500,000 in the lottery.

Franklin County Commissioners gave their support to a plan for the county to take over the much anticipated mega ramp project.

October

Folks in Franklin County hadn't been sitting in long lines, waiting for hours at gas station as many in Atlanta have, but they did check the pump handles for those plastic bags. Around the county, locals saw many plastic bags on pump handles whipping in the breeze, which was a sure sign that the station was either low on gas, or at times, totally out.

Former Gov. S. Ernest Vandiver, Jr., Franklin County native and noted politician, was honored once again, this time by his alma mater, the University of Georgia. The university named one of its student residence halls on East Campus after the former governor.

Firefighters in the Northeast Georgia area were in mourning for one of their own fallen comrades. Capt. Tim Norris died Sept. 29 at Athens Regional Medical Center after an illness of several weeks. Tim was a member of New Franklin Christian Church, Franklin County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, Franklin County Cattlemen's Association and Franklin County young Farmers. He was one of the charter members with the Five Area Volunteer Fire Department where he served as captain for 19 years.

Bruce Murray of Lavonia was found guilty of felony murder and aggravated assault. Murray was charged with one count of felony murder and multiple counts of aggravated assault in the death of Edward Anthony Ewing, 49, of Demorest on April 15, 2007. He was sentenced to life without parole and 20 years to be served concurrent.

Emmanuel College students joined Emmanuel “Manny” Ohonme on his barefoot 300-mile walk from the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. to Atlanta's Motor Speedway. Manny was walking the 300 miles barefoot to raise awareness for his organization, Samaritan's Feet, and its mission to provide shoes for impoverished children all around the world.

Johnny Mack Brown escaped from Hays Georgia Correctional Institution in Trion. Brown was serving a life prison term for shooting an armored car guard in Athens in 1997 when he escaped and allegedly kidnapped a 20-year-old woman from her home in Chattooga County at knife point. Brown made the woman drive him to Franklin County, where she managed to escape unharmed. He was last seen in the Fairview Community on Highway 59 in Lavonia.

The Lavonia Police Department ended up with a major piece of a North Carolina double homicide investigation when Christopher Sean Bowman, 25, of Mount Airy, N.C. committed suicide in the parking lot of Hill's Exxon. According to law enforcement, Bowman was the sole suspect in the double homicide of Mark Edward Hall, Jr. and Melissa Lynn Weaver that took place earlier that day.

Odis David Ayers was released from prison per court order. In May 2004, Ayers was charged with two counts of kidnapping, two counts of aggravated child molestation, two counts of aggravated sodomy, eight counts of child molestation, two counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes, six counts of false imprisonment and one count of furnishing harmful material to a minor by eight different victims. Ayers will not face retrial due to a plea bargain with Northern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Robert Lavender. Ayers was placed on probation and released for time served.

Former Franklin County Chamber Executive Secretary Cindy Smith was indicted on multiple counts of theft by taking and forgery by a grand jury.

November

During the November election, Franklin County residents reelected Franklin County Commission Chairman Sam Elrod and Probate Judge Eddy Fowler. Also elected were Angela Whidby as District 1 commissioner, Charles Cawthon as District 2 commissioner and Michael Harden as representative from the 28th District. Unopposed candidates were Missy Holbrook, Bobby Martin, David Pressley, Steve Thomas, Joe Greene, Pam Stone, Bob Lavender, David Buffington and Rep. Alan Powell.

With reluctance, due to the economic crisis, the Carnesville City Council approved a water rate increase.

Escaped state prisoner Johnny Mack Brown was captured in Lavonia by Officer Scott Stowe, Lt. Michael Shulman and Officer Casey Brouwer from the Lavonia Police Department. In order to get Brown into custody, officers had to flush him out of the woods behind Trinity Custom Homes and struggle with him. During the struggle, he managed to unbuckle Stowe's duty firearm and tried to get it out of the holster. He was struck with a flashlight twice, pepper sprayed and was dry-stunned with a taser before he would finally stop fighting the officers.

Peggy Cobb Brown of Wildcat Bridge Road in Royston, allegedly attempted to run over another person at a bar in Canon and then fled the scene leading Royston Police Department officers and Elbert County Sheriff's Department officers on a chase that at times exceeded 120 miles per hour. The chase ended in Elbert County between Dewey Rose and Elberton. Brown is charged in Royston with fleeing and attempting to elude, two counts of felony obstruction, reckless driving, driving on the wrong side of the road, speeding, passing on a hill or curve, terroristic threats and actions, passing in no-passing zone, failure to maintain lane and DUI/Drugs. Brown also faces felony fleeing and attempting to elude, reckless driving, failure to stop at a stop sign and disorderly conduct in Elbert County.

December

An accident left Columbia Farms chicken truck stretched across both lanes of Highway 59 totally blocking traffic while the cab sat in the Franklin County Citizen's editor's front yard. Several chickens from the truck were scattered about, sitting quietly. Jeffrey Emmons, the truck driver, was shaken by the accident, but physically OK. A few feet down the road emergency personnel were working to get the second driver, a woman in a blue van, out of her vehicle and into a waiting ambulance.

Officer Scott Stowe, Lt. Michael Shulman and Officer Casey Brouwer were honored by the Lavonia Police Department and United States Marshal's Office for their parts in the captured of escapee Johnny Mack Brown, who was on the Marshal's most wanted list.

The Mayors' Motorcade, which was started by Betty Vandiver during her husband's, former Gov. Ernest Vandiver, first term in office, celebrated 50 years.

Longtime educator, coach and community leader Boyd Outz died at the age of 76. For 50 years, Boyd infused his love of learning, his passion for sports and his joy of life into the minds and hearts of his students. He taught and coached at Talullah Falls High School, Stephens County High School, Lavonia High School and Elbert County High School. He was the last Franklin County elected superintendent of the school system from 1993-1997 and was the principal of Lavonia Elementary School for 20 years.