Officials Probe Death on Tracks
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Neighbors like to race each other. Page 11 Neighbors like to race each other. Page 11 LaGrange Daily News MONDAY 50 cents June 7, 2010 lagrangenews.com Tomorrow’s Officials weather Archives chief to testify before Congress High 90 probe Low 65 death on Mostly sunny tracks By Trey Wood Staff writer An autopsy was planned for a Today’s artist: Qwayosha Hogansville Road man who died Fannin, fourth grade, Unity after being struck by a train. Elementary School Police said Rudy Lopez-Mendez, 24, was walking the tracks near Main and Mulberry streets about 5 State a.m. Saturday when he was clipped by the passing train. “It appears that he was walking During the school down the tracks and was too year, Mondays in Fort close,” Sgt. Mark Cavender said. Valley are for video “Some type of material of the train games, trips to grand- structure hit him on the head.” ma’s house and hang- The account was corroborated ing out at the neigh- by residents who saw the man borhood community before the accident, Cavender said. center. Don’t bother Robyn Miles / Daily News The engineer of a passing train showing up for school. saw Lopez-Mendez’s body next to The doors are locked Kaye L. Minchew, head of the Troup County Archives and Legacy Museum on Main, thinks tech- the tracks and called 911. and the lights are off. nology is a good thing, but also believes paper backups are vital to preserving history. An autopsy is planned this morn- Peach County is one ing at the state crime lab in Atlanta, of more than 120 Troup County Coroner Jeff Cook school systems across ‘Not bad for a country girl’ said. the country where stu- “There’s nothing suspicious By Becky Holland dents attend school government funding for the microfilm.” about it,” Cavender said. Lifestyle editor just four days a week, National Historical Publications Examples of this “are old It was the second train fatality in a cost-saving tactic Kaye L. Minchew, executive and Records Commission. newspapers. We have so many LaGrange in less than a year. A The National Association of gaining popularity director of the Troup County of them on file and in bound vol- Mulberry Street man was struck Archives and Legacy Museum Government Archives and among cash-strapped umes and microfilm,” Minchew and killed July 23 when he crossed on Main, has butterflies in her Records Administration works systems struggling to said. the tracks in the same area near stomach – she’s going to testify toward helping government Main Street. make ends meet. As for facing the committee, PAGE 4 before Congress. archivists and records managers she said, “I am nervous, but I am Several years ago a young man She said she is “very nervous” to preserve records. She said the ready.” walking on the tracks near organization is concerned about about going before the Informa- Laughing, she said, “I am from Lafayette Parkway died after being tion Policy, Census and Nation- receiving funding for a number Nation western North Carolina, though struck by a train. al Archives Subcommittee of the of reasons. One of them is the Officials initially thought that a LaGrange has been my home for Oversight and Government importance of ensuring that Timothy Street man had been A wellhead cap at the a long time. I told a friend that Reform Committee of Congress backup records are kept not just struck by a train last summer. But bottom of the Gulf of me testifying before Congress Mexico is slowly on Wednesday. electronically but on paper. authorities later determined that wasn’t bad for a country girl.” pinching off a geyser As part of her role as a board Minchew said it is safe to keep the victim had been assaulted and of oil spewing from the member of the National Associ- records electronically, but “what died under the Horace King Bridge Becky Holland may be earth, but there’s no ation of Government Archives if something happens to the elec- off Lafayette Parkway on Aug. 14. tronic records and they are not reached at bholland@ containing much of the and Records Administration, Minchew was chosen to speak accessible – it is important to lagrangenews.com and (706) Trey Wood can be reached at crude that’s already about the importance to retain have that paper backup or 884-7311, Ext. 229. twood @ lagrangenews. com or escaped, a reality (706) 884-7311, Ext. 228. becoming increasingly evident on the region’s beaches. The battle to contain the oil is likely ‘I thank to stretch into the fall, the government’s point man on the spill God for warned. The cap will trap only so much of the oil, and relief wells DASH’ being drilled won’t be completed until August. Meanwhile, oil Volunteers will continue to shoot paint houses out. PAGE 5 for residents despite rain By Jennifer Shrader Opinion Staff writer Last week brought thun- Columnist John A. derstorms most every after- Tures tells why he noon, but that didn’t stop hates swastikas, and volunteers with Paint the columnist Charlie Far- Town from painting 10 rar has a really big fish houses for residents who story. wouldn’t have been able to PAGE 6 get it done otherwise. “I can’t do it myself,” said Martha Jackson, sitting in her Colquitt Street living room as a crew from First Baptist Church on Fannin Street toiled outside. INDEX Like many of the other Robyn Miles/Daily News Calendar . 3 homeowners chosen for the program this year, Jackson Classifieds . 13-14 Bobby Williams, West Point’s city code enforce- Comics . 7 has lived in her house for ment officer and former police officer, is enjoying years – since before 1960, Community . 3 retirement after 31 years with the city, but still is a Crossword . 7 she said. But most can’t International . 5 familiar face to fellow employees and residents. afford to have work like Paint the Town volunteers Allan Boyer, on ladder, Chris Local ........2 painting done on their own. West, with roller and Donna Smith tackle a Peachtree National . 5, 8,10 Paint the Town, sponsored Street house late last week. The DASH for LaGrange- Longtime employee by DASH for LaGrange Inc., Obituaries . 2 sponsored event painted 10 houses last week, in spite Opinion . 6 has painted 84 houses since 2005. Ten got done last of rain most afternoons. Sports . 11-12 made ‘a better city’ Paint this year was pro- “I put in for (Paint the week; a church youth group State . .4 vided by local businesses. Town) two years ago,” she By Jennifer Shrader will paint the house it signed TV Listings . 10 Ryan West, a rising said. “I waited two long Staff writer up for this week. LaGrange High School sen- years, and the Lord brought A person can’t work in a city like West Point for more Ben Wheeler, DASH’s ior, worked toward his it to pass.” than 30 years and just disappear entirely from its day community liaison, said Eagle Scout badge by help- When Wheeler paid to day workings. crews worked hard in spite ing distribute water and Ware a visit to tell her For home delivery, Bobby Williams still can arrange to meet visitors at of the rain. food to volunteers. she’d been chosen as a call (706) 882-5624 City Hall, even borrowing “We may have a few Ada Ware, retired from recipient of the project, she a co-worker’s office for an touch-ups,” he said. I Neighbors Hillside and Live Oak tex- hugged him, then went interview, and no one so Rain last year delayed Printed on 100% tile mills, has lived in her through her house, bless- recycled paper much as bats an eye. If he completion of several hous- Peachtree Street house for ing each room. stands in front of the building long, it seems every pass- es for a few weeks. Vol 167 Issue 126 10 years. Her yard was “Truly, this is a blessing,” ing driver stops with a wave or a kind word. “I was afraid that the rain 14 Pages covered with volunteers, she said. “I thank God for “I never thought it would be like this at the end,” would stop teams from paint chips, and her own DASH.” Williams admits, talking of all the attention and well painting,” Wheeler said. grandchildren and great- wishes. “However, the teams were grandchildren, who she Jennifer Shrader may be Even Mayor Drew Ferguson IV called Williams’ incredibly flexible and did- keeps during the day. She reached at jshrader retirement a sad day for the city when the former code n’t let the rain stop them was grateful for all the @lagrangenews. com or at from completing the activity. (706) 884-7311, Ext. 236. WILLIAMS homes.” SEE , PAGE 2 2 - Monday, June 7, 2010 Local LaGrange Daily News Thieves steal I Obituaries Information for obituaries is written and provided by funeral homes and family members of the deceased. money from Angie Landrum Veal Mrs. Angie Landrum Veal, 50, of Hogansville, man’s wallet died Saturday, June 5, 2010, at Emory Midtown An East Crovat Street Hospital in Atlanta. man was robbed after I Public safety Mrs. Veal was born Feb- another man asked to use ruary 15, 1960, in his phone about 7:35 p.m. Thefts, burglaries LaGrange and was a life- Sunday. I Items valued at long resident of Hogans- Police said the man $2,300, along with $300, ville. She was a member of approached the victim’s were stolen in a burglary Faith Baptist Church and residence and asked to use in the 300 block of Cum- had been employed at the telephone.