For the second time in less than a year, Madison County families and the school system played hosts to students from China’s Binzhou school district.
The first such “exchange program” event took place last summer, when 18 students and two teachers traveled to Madison County for two weeks in July. Earlier, five Madison County teachers went to the Binzhou school district, where they observed and taught classes.
This time around, 10 students — seven boys and three girls — were selected by Binzhou to travel to the county for ten days (Feb. 3 through 13) where they were hosted by Madison County families. Each of the students chose American names to use while in the United States.
Melody Christian, who was one of the teachers who traveled to China last summer, and her family hosted “Robin,” while Homeless and Migrant Program Specialist Loren Metts and her family hosted “Tom.”
Metts, who has four sons, said Tom had a blast, particularly bonding with her son Adam, who was of a similar age and who Tom shared some of his classes with. They took him to basketball games, Rush Trampoline, CiCi’s Pizza and the Dairy Queen, all in the first few days.
“We picked him up on a Friday, so we had a full weekend with him before they went to school on Monday,” she said.
Though communication was sometimes difficult, Metts said they learned to work around it with apps such as “We Chat” and Google Translate.
“He really wanted to eat steak, so we went over how to use a knife and fork,” she said. All the students brought gifts for their host families and Tom brought a tea set, some ornate boxes and chop sticks. The Metts family gave the chopsticks a try too, eating a meal of spaghetti and salad with them. She said Tom also wanted to eat a lot of sweets, apparently something students don’t get a lot of at home.
“One request he made was ‘no rice, please,’” she said laughing. “I think he gets enough of that at home.”
Metts said they really strived to give Tom lots of opportunities to experience being an American kid for a while.
[Full Story »]
Top Stories - Topics from March, 2017
Turnout sparse as voters say ‘Yes’ to E-SPLOST renewal
The Madison County penny tax for school improvements will remain.
Not many Madison County voters cared about Tuesday’s referendum on renewing the one-cent sales tax for county school improvements. But those who did vote were overwhelmingly in favor of keeping the current tax setup in place for five more years.
Just 878 out of 15,762 registered Madison County voters (5.6 percent) cast their ballots in the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (E-SPLOST) vote Tuesday. Of those who did vote, 802 went with “Yes,” while 72 voted “No” on keeping the one-cent sales tax.
The funds from the one-cent tax will be used to continue payments on the high school renovations. If shot down, the payments on the already-completed Madison County High School renovations would have been shifted to property taxpayers.
Not many Madison County voters cared about Tuesday’s referendum on renewing the one-cent sales tax for county school improvements. But those who did vote were overwhelmingly in favor of keeping the current tax setup in place for five more years.
Just 878 out of 15,762 registered Madison County voters (5.6 percent) cast their ballots in the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (E-SPLOST) vote Tuesday. Of those who did vote, 802 went with “Yes,” while 72 voted “No” on keeping the one-cent sales tax.
The funds from the one-cent tax will be used to continue payments on the high school renovations. If shot down, the payments on the already-completed Madison County High School renovations would have been shifted to property taxpayers.
MCMS student arrested with gun at school
A Madison County Middle School student was arrested Tuesday morning just before noon for carrying a loaded handgun on his person.
According to Capt. Jimmy Patton of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, School Resource Officer Brandon Moss took the student into custody after school administrators learned about the handgun from other students, who told them the student had bragged about having the firearm.
A preliminary investigation and interviews with the student by Moss and Sheriff Michael Moore indicated that the juvenile took the firearm from a vehicle belonging to his parents without their knowledge or consent. Patton stressed that there was no indication that the firearm was brandished or that any student or faculty member were threatened by the student. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate this incident.
Patton said the juvenile was charged with carrying a weapon on school property and turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice, where he remains in custody until a hearing can be scheduled. He also said there was a fully-loaded magazine in the gun, according to the report.
School superintendent Dr. Allen McCannon sent a letter out to all school system parents Tuesday afternoon informing them of the incident.
In the letter, McCannon stated that a MCMS student had been found in possession of a handgun and emphasized that the student had not threatened anyone with it.
“The student was not angry with anyone and was not having problems with any student or adult,” McCannon stated. He went on to say that the student had shown the weapon to three other students in the bathroom.
“These students told teachers; they are heroes,” McCannon stated. “The parents of these three students have been contacted by phone.”
In McCannon’s letter, he stated that the gun was “not loaded, but bullets were found.”
When asked about this, Patton said it was a semi-automatic weapon, so it was possible McCannon meant that the magazine was not loaded into the chamber of the handgun.
“As a parent of a student at MCMS, I fully understand your feelings as you read this letter,” McCannon further stated in the letter. “I can assure you that all staff members at MCMS and the entire school system have the safety of your child as our top priority.”
He said the school administrators cannot discuss the child’s name or their punishment or consequences, however he did refer parents to the student handbook.
McCannon told The Journal that the punishment, following federal guidelines, is a one calendar year expulsion if the student is found guilty.
He also said the letter, and a text telling parents to expect a letter, were sent out in an effort to remain transparent.
“Any time an incident of this nature occurs, parents will always be informed.”
According to Capt. Jimmy Patton of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, School Resource Officer Brandon Moss took the student into custody after school administrators learned about the handgun from other students, who told them the student had bragged about having the firearm.
A preliminary investigation and interviews with the student by Moss and Sheriff Michael Moore indicated that the juvenile took the firearm from a vehicle belonging to his parents without their knowledge or consent. Patton stressed that there was no indication that the firearm was brandished or that any student or faculty member were threatened by the student. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate this incident.
Patton said the juvenile was charged with carrying a weapon on school property and turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice, where he remains in custody until a hearing can be scheduled. He also said there was a fully-loaded magazine in the gun, according to the report.
School superintendent Dr. Allen McCannon sent a letter out to all school system parents Tuesday afternoon informing them of the incident.
In the letter, McCannon stated that a MCMS student had been found in possession of a handgun and emphasized that the student had not threatened anyone with it.
“The student was not angry with anyone and was not having problems with any student or adult,” McCannon stated. He went on to say that the student had shown the weapon to three other students in the bathroom.
“These students told teachers; they are heroes,” McCannon stated. “The parents of these three students have been contacted by phone.”
In McCannon’s letter, he stated that the gun was “not loaded, but bullets were found.”
When asked about this, Patton said it was a semi-automatic weapon, so it was possible McCannon meant that the magazine was not loaded into the chamber of the handgun.
“As a parent of a student at MCMS, I fully understand your feelings as you read this letter,” McCannon further stated in the letter. “I can assure you that all staff members at MCMS and the entire school system have the safety of your child as our top priority.”
He said the school administrators cannot discuss the child’s name or their punishment or consequences, however he did refer parents to the student handbook.
McCannon told The Journal that the punishment, following federal guidelines, is a one calendar year expulsion if the student is found guilty.
He also said the letter, and a text telling parents to expect a letter, were sent out in an effort to remain transparent.
“Any time an incident of this nature occurs, parents will always be informed.”
BOC approves moratorium
A Madison County moratorium on growth is in effect.
Madison County commissioners shut down growth-related decisions for 90 days March 6 to review long-term county plans and guidelines.
Commissioners Lee Allen, Tripp Strickland and Theresa Bettis voted in favor of a 90-day moratorium, while John Pethel and Jim Escoe voted against the move.
[Full Story »]
Madison County commissioners shut down growth-related decisions for 90 days March 6 to review long-term county plans and guidelines.
Commissioners Lee Allen, Tripp Strickland and Theresa Bettis voted in favor of a 90-day moratorium, while John Pethel and Jim Escoe voted against the move.
[Full Story »]
Ribbon cutting held for new field turf
Madison County athletes finally got to take the field on a brand new football/soccer field turf March 3, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the occasion.
The Red Raider girls’ soccer team then knocked off Jefferson 1-0 for the first win on the artificial surface, which is the same type of turf used by many college and professional organizations.
[Full Story »]
The Red Raider girls’ soccer team then knocked off Jefferson 1-0 for the first win on the artificial surface, which is the same type of turf used by many college and professional organizations.
[Full Story »]
Subdivision near Colbert shot down
Plans for a Diamond Hill Colbert Road subdivision were shot down for a second time in less than a year March 6.
Madison County commissioners voted 4-1 — with Tripp Strickland providing the lone dissent — to deny a request by Jay Pridgen to rezone 18.46 acres from A-2 to R-1 for an 18-lot subdivision. The proposal was for “stick-built” homes of approximately 1,500 square feet on at least .75-acre tracts.
“I feel it’s the right time and the right place for what I’m proposing,” Pridgen told the board.
[Full Story »]
Madison County commissioners voted 4-1 — with Tripp Strickland providing the lone dissent — to deny a request by Jay Pridgen to rezone 18.46 acres from A-2 to R-1 for an 18-lot subdivision. The proposal was for “stick-built” homes of approximately 1,500 square feet on at least .75-acre tracts.
“I feel it’s the right time and the right place for what I’m proposing,” Pridgen told the board.
[Full Story »]
Patrol car purchases OK’d
Madison County will soon get five new vehicles for the sheriff’s office.
County commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the purchase Feb. 15. The vehicles will cost approximately $164,000. John Pethel provided the lone “No.” Lee Allen, Tripp Strickland, Theresa Bettis and Jim Escoe voted for the purchase.
New sheriff Michael Moore asked the board to consider buying the vehicles, noting that no police cars were purchased last year. He said some of the vehicles have logged over 300,000 miles and are no longer reliable. Commissioners in favor of the purchase say that they don’t want to see people in need of emergency help unable to be assisted because a vehicle breaks down en route. At a recent meeting on the matter, Moore said he rode with a deputy and the patrol car cut off four times.
Escoe asked how much jail expansion money was left over from the 2008 special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST). The expansion project has been completed, but Chairman John Scarborough said $72,848 remains in that account. However, he said that, by law, it should return to the general funds and not be spent on other sheriff’s items. Scarborough told the board members that they need to consider the leftover jail funds and SPLOST funds as separate issues, not related to each other.
The board took no vote on the leftover SPLOST funds. But the commissioners agreed to consider moving that money to the county’s general funds at their next meeting. Meanwhile, the group agreed to pay for the car purchases out of the county’s general funds.
Pethel said he couldn’t see how the board could afford to pay for new vehicles when the group will be in dire straits come budget time. In recent years, the county has faced revenue shortfalls in the $1 million range. Expenses continue to grow, while revenues remain stagnant. And the reserve funds have dwindled, leading to talk of a potential tax rate increase.
“We’re going to be sweating bullets come budget time,” said Pethel.
[Full Story »]
County commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the purchase Feb. 15. The vehicles will cost approximately $164,000. John Pethel provided the lone “No.” Lee Allen, Tripp Strickland, Theresa Bettis and Jim Escoe voted for the purchase.
New sheriff Michael Moore asked the board to consider buying the vehicles, noting that no police cars were purchased last year. He said some of the vehicles have logged over 300,000 miles and are no longer reliable. Commissioners in favor of the purchase say that they don’t want to see people in need of emergency help unable to be assisted because a vehicle breaks down en route. At a recent meeting on the matter, Moore said he rode with a deputy and the patrol car cut off four times.
Escoe asked how much jail expansion money was left over from the 2008 special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST). The expansion project has been completed, but Chairman John Scarborough said $72,848 remains in that account. However, he said that, by law, it should return to the general funds and not be spent on other sheriff’s items. Scarborough told the board members that they need to consider the leftover jail funds and SPLOST funds as separate issues, not related to each other.
The board took no vote on the leftover SPLOST funds. But the commissioners agreed to consider moving that money to the county’s general funds at their next meeting. Meanwhile, the group agreed to pay for the car purchases out of the county’s general funds.
Pethel said he couldn’t see how the board could afford to pay for new vehicles when the group will be in dire straits come budget time. In recent years, the county has faced revenue shortfalls in the $1 million range. Expenses continue to grow, while revenues remain stagnant. And the reserve funds have dwindled, leading to talk of a potential tax rate increase.
“We’re going to be sweating bullets come budget time,” said Pethel.
[Full Story »]
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