Two killed in head-on crash in Heard County
A head-on collision on Ga. Hwy. 34 between Franklin and Powers’ Crossroads claimed the lives of two motorists on Tuesday, April 22, and shut down the highway for nearly three hours.
Leon Woods, 60, of Newnan, and Marty Short, 19, of Heard County's Corinth community, died when their subcompact cars crashed head on going at least 55 miles per hour.
It was 4:10 p.m. when Sheriff’s deputies and Heard EMS were dispatched to the wreck on Hwy. 34 just east of Heard Wesley Chapel.
They found a 2008 Ford Focus sitting in the westbound lane of Hwy. 34 with all three occupants standing on the side of the road. A 1995 Toyota Corolla was sitting in a shallow ditch on the eastbound side of Hwy. 34 with its driver, Woods, trapped inside. EMTs worked feverishly to extricate and treat Woods, who The Beacon has learned was a construction worker on his way home from working on the new Heard County High School.
Short was driving his Ford Focus west towards Franklin as Woods was coming east towards Newnan in his Toyota. Short crossed over the center line and struck the Toyota head on.
Woods, 60, of 46 Geter St., Newnan, had blood coming from his legs after being pinned under the dashboard. He was treated by EMTs but pronounced dead just minutes later by Heard County Coroner Kathie Buchanan.
Short, 19, of 131 N. River Circle, Hogansville, was treated on scene and transported to West Georgia Medical Center in LaGrange, along with his two passengers, his wife and child. Short died a short time after arriving at the hospital when he went into cardiac arrest, Buchanan said. His 21-year-old wife and their 1-year-old baby each had a broken right leg. Both bodies were transport to the GBI crime lab in Atlanta for autopsies.
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Summaries of some of the stories in this week's West Georgia Beacon
County Coroner Buchanan announces run for re-election
Kathie Buchanan announced she will run for a third term as Heard County Coroner. Qualifying for local offices is this week in counties across Georgia. Buchanan joins Sheriff Ross Henry, Commissioners Lee Boone and Sandi Allen, Probate Judge Joseph Bledsoe and Clerk of the Superior Court Bryan Owensby as the incumbent candidates in Heard who have announced they will run for re-election. Former Commissioner Joe Adams is running for Commission Chairman against incumbent June Jackson. Qualifying continues this week through Friday, May 2 at 12 noon.
Area food banks need donations to shore up supplies
With the economy continuing to sag and gas prices soaring, more and more people are contacting area food banks for help. The Grantville Food Bank is badly in need of restocking, said Ed Wyatt, pastor of Grantville First Baptist Church. Supplies have been pretty much wiped out, “due to the large increase of those in our area beginning to be in need,” he said.
Food Lion shopping center will need variance in Grantville
The developer of a proposed Food Lion-anchored shopping center will require a zoning variance before starting construction on a 14.4-acre site on Hwy. 29 in Grantville. The city's zoning ordinance forbids commercial establishments on a main thoroughfare from having large parking lots that are visible from the street.
Local player gets free agent tryout with Cincinnati Bengals
Thomas “Red” Keith has had a dream since childhood — to play professional football.
After being offered a free agent tryout with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals, that dream is within reach. He decided Wednesday, April 30, to take the Bengals offer and was heading out Wednesday to the team's rookie camp, which opens this weekend. "I should know something by Sunday as to whether I'll be invited to training camp this summer," Keith said.
While it’s tough for an undrafted player to make an NFL squad, it’s not impossible. And Keith is used to playing against the odds. “They want me to come out and participate in mini camp this weekend, and show what I can do at inside linebacker,” Keith, the standout Heard County player who went on to star with the Central Michigan University Chippewas, told The Beacon Monday night.
Grantville may let county handle inspections for first shopping center
Grantville is considering turning over building inspection responsibilities for the proposed new Grantville Commons shopping center to Coweta County. The center, proposed for a 14.4-acre tract on U.S. Hwy. 29 near I-85, is to be anchored by a 35,000-square-foot Food Lion. Interim City Manager Weyman Jenkins said he has met with county officials and was quoted a price of $13,418 for the county building department to conduct all construction inspections on the commercial building.
New Hogansville bank's growth ahead of schedule
After six months of steady growth, Hogansville’s newest bank has achieved 75 percent of its goal for deposits and is thinking big — as in a bigger building.
First Coweta Bank opened its Hogansville branch last fall in a temporary prefab building off of East Main Street at the corner of Lincoln Street.
The strategy was to offer a hometown banking environment that bank officials felt has been missing in Hogansville, which is, after all, a very small town. The community has responded, said Kevin Wegienka, assistant vice president and Troup County executive for the bank.
Upcoming meetings, events
• Grantville City Council's Administrative Committee will meet on Tuesday, May 6, at 3:30 p.m. to iscuss the 2006 audit with city auditor Kim Kimmell.
• Grantville City Council has called a special meeting for Wednesday, May 14, at 3:30 p.m. The purpose is to meet with John Giles of MEAG Power, the city's electricity supplier, to discuss the contracts for the proposed Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant. The Southern Company has applied with the State Public Service Commission to expand its Vogtle nuclear reactor near Waynesboro, Ga., and MEAG plans to purchase some of this power for its member cities.
Stories from previous editions
DOT makes recommendatios on dangerous intersection
Mike England, the DOT’s district engineer, laid out his draft plan at the Franklin City Council meeting last Thursday. He told the Mayor and council to take their time and evaluate the plan fully before deciding whether they like it. The main tenant of the plan calls for creating a four-way stop at the intersection and also creating a middle turn lane on Hwy. 27.
..read more
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Editorial:
Some local councils give low priority to public comments
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