By Kathryn Schiliro
Managing Editor

    Are you a World War II veteran?
    Veterans of the Second World War are needed to share their war stories as part of an oral history project, made possible by the Witness to War Foundation.
    "The Witness to War Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preserving the stories and unique experiences of combat veterans," the organization's Web site, witness-to-war.org, states. "It was founded in an attempt to answer the unanswerable: What was it like to be there?"
    The organization's goal is to interview 1,000 veterans by the end of next year, according to a July 3 article in the Athens Banner-Herald.
    Interviews have been conducted in the Athens area, and Commander Jim NeSmith, Calvin George Post 37 of the American Legion, is looking to get Morgan County veterans involved with this project. If you are a World War II veteran – you don't have to be involved with the American Legion – and would like to participate, NeSmith is asking that you give him a call at 706 342-2177.

Staff Reports

    The Georgia Press Association (GPA) held it quarterly board meeting in Madison last week drawing newspaper publishers and editors from around the state to Morgan County.

    GPA President Patrick Yost said, “Our board members were extremely impressed with Madison, its attractions and most importantly our Southern Hospitality.” Among the attendees were: Clinch County News Publisher Len Robbins of Homerville, Augusta Chronicle President Don Bailey and his wife Chelle of Augusta, Herald Gazette Hometown Newspapers, Inc. Publisher Laura Geiger of the Barnesville Herald Gazette and Pike County News, Terri Statham of the Georgia Electric Membership Corporation, Cairo Messenger Publishers Randy and Mesha Wind of Cairo, Darien News Publisher Kathleen Russell of  Darien, Rome News Tribune Publisher Otis Raybon and his wife Barbara of Rome, Marietta Daily Journal General Manager Otis Brumby III of Marietta, Jackson Herald Publisher Scott Buffington of Jefferson, Forsyth County News Publisher John Hall of Forsyth, Covington News Publisher Charles Hill Morris, Press Sentinel Publisher Eric Denty of Jesup, Metter Advertiser Publisher Carvy Snell and his wife Susan, Blackshear Times Publishers Robert and Cheryl Williams, Times Georgian Publisher Leonard Woolsey of Carrolton, Albany Herald Publisher Mike Gebhart of Albany. Attending from the staff of the GPA were GPA Director Robin Rhodes, GPA Member Services Ashley Holt and GNS Sales and Marketing Director Rick Hammell. Executives from the GPA members filled up the James Madison Inn last Wednesday and Thursday.     The board meeting was held at the Madison-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.         A highlight of the GPA board members visit to Madison was a reception hosted by Madisonians and local business owners Jane and Everett Royal held Thursday evening.

By Kathryn Schiliro
Managing Editor

    Across Georgia last Tuesday, 578,798 eligible residents cast their ballots in the Republican Primary Runoff Election for Governor, a race that left candidate Nathan Deal beating former Secretary of State Karen Handel for the slot.
Deal took 50.2 percent of the statewide vote – 290,615 votes – while Handel had 288,183 votes, or 49.8 percent.
    In Morgan County, the story was much the same. Nathan Deal received 1,061 Morgan County votes, or 53.48 percent, while Handel received 923 votes, or 46.52 percent.
    Of the 11,739 registered voters in the county, 2,134 ballots – 18.18 percent – were cast last Tuesday. The most ballots were cast at the Bostwick precinct – 329 – and that precinct had the best turnout, with 22.38 percent of its 1,470 eligible voters participating in the election. (The largest precinct in the county is Madison East, with 1,842 registered voters.)
    Statewide, in the Democratic race for Secretary of State, Georganna Sinkfield won with 61.9 percent, or 62,350 votes, over Gail Buckner's 38.1 percent, or 38,324 votes. In Morgan County, however, Buckner took 77 votes – 55.4 percent – over Sinkfield's 62 votes.
    In the Republican race for Attorney General, Sam Olens won statewide with 58.9 percent of votes – 299,289 votes – over Preston W. Smith's 208,981 votes, or 41.1 percent. Morgan County posted similar results: 57.28 percent of locals voting – 987 voters – chose Olens, while 42.72 percent – 736 voters – chose Smith.

By James Faucett
Staff Writer

    Madison will be part of an updated state study on the economic impact of historic preservation.
    The study, in its draft stages, will be titled "Good News in Tough Times" with a final version scheduled for late December or early January, said Mary Ann Eaddy of the state Department of Natural Resources, Historic Preservation Division, which is undertaking it.
    "We hope we're going to be able to have it for our constituents in different communities to show how important preservation can be to the economic life of a community," Eaddy said Tuesday. "It's one component of all the things that make a community strong, but it has had a very positive impact."
    Madison Planning Director Monica Callahan showed Eaddy, study consultant Donovan Rypkema and his colleague Caroline Cheong around town last month.
    Along with Madison, Rypkema has also visited Savannah, Macon and Decatur, doing mini-case studies on the communities as part of the overall project.
    "Madison's such a wonderful community and preservation's such a strong component of your quality of life there that we wanted to make sure Madison was specifically mentioned," Eaddy said.
    The original study on the economic impact of historic preservation in Georgia was done around 1999, Eaddy said.

By Patrick Yost
Editor

Taxes, taxes, taxes.
It is the bane of property’s owner existence once a year and the economic engine that drives, in part, municipal governments and the education of our children.

Property can be a mysterious calculation. While values change yearly, or should, the method to determine your tax liability does not.

Simply put, to determine your property tax bill take 40 percent of the property’s value and multiply that times the millage rate. If you live in Madison, you’ll need to take 40 percent of the value and multiply that number times the millage rates for Morgan County, the city of Madison and the Morgan County Board of Education.

Same for residents of Bostwick, Buckhead and Rutledge, the other three taxing municipalities in Morgan County. If you live in Morgan County but not in an incorporated city, simply multiply the millage rates of Morgan County and the Morgan County Board of Education times the 40 percent value of your property.
As an aside the same formula holds true for car tags.

By Kathryn McBroom
Staff Writer

Friends of the Library, a local non-profit, held their annual book sale at the Morgan County Library. In preparation for their upcoming move to the old county jail, the library put older books up for sale.

Most books were priced around 25 cents to 50 cents. Friends of the Library chairman Patsy Harris said the sale raised $220. Harris noted the generosity of many of the book sale’s patrons.

“A lot of people gave extra. Their total would be $2 but they’d give a five dollar bill and tell us to keep the change.”
All of the money raised by the sale will go directly to the Morgan County Library for the purchase of new books and other materials. Harris estimates that the Friends of the Library have helped raise money for several hundred new books over the past few years through donations, grants and fundraisers.

“We’re just so thankful for the continued community support,” said Harris.

Harris also mentioned the upcoming party the Friends of the Library will hold, once the move to the new jail is complete. At the party, attendees will be able to donate or sign up to become a member if they’re not already.
To become a member of Friends of the Library, contact the Morgan County Library.