2023 Year In Review – March
Continuing WNEG News’ look back at 2023, we take a look at the top stories in March:
Toccoa man receives 60-year sentence for August 2021 shootings
A Toccoa man was sentenced to 60 years in prison this week following a three-day trial in the Superior Court of Stephens County.
According to a release issued by the Mountain Judicial Circuit’s District Attorney’s Office, Antuan Demetrius Prather, 32, of Toccoa was convicted on three counts of aggravated assault and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on August 1, 2021, when Prather shot an individual who was unknown to him at Buddy’s Kwik Stop on Big A Road. He then fled the scene.
An hour later, he shot two individuals who were working at Tony’s General Store on Hwy 123.
Prather was apprehended shortly after the second shooting by the Toccoa Police Department.
Prather was sentenced to 60 years to serve in the state penal system, followed by 10 years on probation.
https://wnegradio.com/toccoa-man-receives-60-year-sentence-for-august-2021-shootings/
SCBC approve rezoning request for Duplex Development
The Stephens County Board of Commissioners approved a rezoning request for a duplex development.
County Administrator Christian Hamilton explained that ABCDP Inc. was requesting to rezone the property located on Mize Road, in Toccoa. The property was zoned as agriculture residential. The proposed action to be taken was to rezone 11.08 acres to residential multi to allow for a duplex development.Several residents were concerned about how many duplex units would be built on the property.A main focal point for the residents who were in favor of the development were the significance of having affordable workforce housing in Stephens County.Despite the opposition, the Stephens County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the rezoning request.
https://wnegradio.com/scbc-approve-rezoning-request-for-duplex-development/
TCC approves Urban Camping Ordinance
According to City Manager Billy Morse, the city had seen an increase in the number of individuals “camping” within City Parks and other public areas.
He says this also includes private properties being used in violation of the City’s Zoning and Land Use Regulations. In the proposed Urban Camping Ordinance it defines the term camp and the term camping as “shall mean occupying or using a public park, public street, or private property for a living accommodation using a mobile, movable, or temporary structure providing shelter, including, but not limited to, a tent, travel trailer, recreational vehicle, park trailer, storage building, storage shed, transportation container, sleeping bag, or blanket; and in the course of such occupation or such use: (a) lying or sleeping in a single place or limited area for any substantial prolonged period of time; (b) cooking or preparing meals; (c) depositing or discharging human waste in areas not authorized by the City of Toccoa for such deposit or discharge; or performing any other activity commonly associated with occupation of a residence.”
The ordinance will prohibit the use of public park or public street to camp or to store personal property.https://wnegradio.com/tcc-approves-urban-camping-ordinance/
TCC approves resolution for Toccoa City Cemetery
The Toccoa City Commission approved a resolution concerning the Toccoa City Cemetery during its meeting on Monday.
According to City Manager Billy Morse the resolution is in response to the recent ground penetrating radar survey. He says the survey showed that there were a number of unidentified and inaccurately marked gravesites throughout the west section of the Toccoa City Cemetery.
Morse says out of respect for those persons and their families who are buried in the West Section and who are unknown or unidentified the City of Toccoa is adopting several new policies.
Those policies include that gravesites in this section will be designated and commemorated by the City with appropriate plaques and a commemorative monument will be erected to honor those unknown persons.
The city will also place a moratorium on any burials in the West Section, except for burials designated in Section 4 of the Resolution.
Commissioner Terry Carter says there were 940 unmarked graves discovered.“Mayor, I know a few months ago we hired a company to come in to do ground penetrating radar. They identified 940 unmarked graves. I’m glad we did that survey,” he said.
A motion was made amending the resolution to include a clause that requires the City Manager or City Clerk be onsite when a grave is being open. That motion was made by Carter with Fry seconding the motion.
https://wnegradio.com/tcc-approves-resolution-for-toccoa-city-cemetery/