WEDNESDAY October 16, 2019 BARTOW COUNTY’S ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER 75 cents Hundreds in Bartow County displaced WHS drama crew writes original musical for fall following mass eviction at Budgetel Inn show, one-act play BY JAMES SWIFT BY DONNA HARRIS [email protected] [email protected] Scores of families in Bartow The drama teacher and students at Woodland High School County are now homeless fol- have taken their one-act play to the next level this year. lowing the indefi nite suspension Director of Theater Eddie McPherson, choreographer Ginger of an extended-stay motel’s per- Lee and a small group of drama students in the Cartersville Artis- mit Tuesday. tic Talents Showcase wrote an original musical titled “The Tem- Upwards of 200 people were pleton” that they will present for their fall production this weekend informed by the management of and enter in the regional one-act play competition next weekend. the Budgetel Inn at 35 Carson “The students who are involved in our fall one-act show are Loop that they had 24 hours to mostly musical theater students,” McPherson said. “So we vacate the premises following a needed a show that would showcase their voices, acting and failed Georgia Department of movement. This show does all that.” Public Health (DPH) inspec- The play, however, “wasn’t originally a musical,” he said. tion. “But the kids were excited to make it their own,” he said. “So According to DPH documen- we fl eshed out the story and the characters. One student, Logan tation, the motel was cited for Bennett, along with Bailee Bozeman, is a songwriter so he took “unapproved cooking equip- on the task of being the primary writer of all the songs. We ment,” “infestation of roaches workshopped the play along the way, and we each added a lyric and fl ies” and “furnishings not here and there, but Logan and Bailee made it all work.” being kept up.” The name of the musical offers a slight clue as to the mean- By 4 p.m., Bartow County ing of the play. Sheriff’s Offi ce deputies and “The lead character is tempted through peer pressure and code enforcement vehicles were making life choices throughout the show,” McPherson said. already on the property. “The name Templeton is the closest we came up with that The displaced includes doz- sounded like ‘tempted.’ Plus, it has a nice ominous sound to it. ens of young children, many of Oh, and Templeton is actually a name.” them students attending Bartow County Schools. SEE MUSICAL, PAGE 6A “They’re not going to have anywhere to go, they’re not going to be able to feed their kids,” said Isabella Bohannan, a 17-year-old resident who has lived at the motel with her par- JAMES SWIFT/DTN ents for the last four months. Hundreds of Bartow Coun- She said she returned from ty residents GED classes only to fi nd a large have been throng of residents assembled displaced in outside the motel offi ce. the wake of “All of a sudden, I hear that the sudden we’re all getting kicked out,” closure of an she said. “I just moved into a extended-stay new room, I have nowhere to go. motel off Me and my mom and my dad Cass-White have nowhere to go, my mom’s Road. disabled, we have no car. Where are we going to walk to?” The man who fi led the permit suspension notice, Victor Aber- crombie, told The Daily Tribune News that during an inspection that morning, several previous- ly depends on how fast do you mit is due to some serious viola- right now so that we know be- ly discussed violations were ob- want this to work? We’re going tions, therefore, that means that fore tomorrow gets here, hope- served. to get with him, he’s going to we don’t want people in these fully there’s a plan in place. “They had not been met or come up with a plan and we’ll conditions any longer than what We don’t want to see anybody corrected,” he said. “They were work around what he thinks.” needs to be.” homeless, that’s why we’re pretty serious violations, fi re While the 24-hour eviction DPH offi cials, he said, are doing what we’re doing right hazards, things that did warrant notice may seem abrupt, Ab- working with various “agen- now.” us to suspend the permit.” ercrombie said that is indeed cies” to see what kinds of re- Yet making hundreds of peo- Abercrombie said there is no “standard” procedure during sources can be provided to the ple homeless is precisely what timetable in place for when the such permit suspensions. displaced. the DPH is doing, said 74-year- SPECIAL suspension will be lifted. “When something like this “We went room to room and old resident Robert Overstreet, Among the cast members of “The Templeton” are, front “That depends on when the happens, a lot of people say found out which families and who has lived at the motel for from left, Logan Bennett as Greg and Bailee Bozeman owner gets all of the viola- ‘Why can’t you give more individuals have places to go, the last seven months. as Jessie; and, back from left, Anna Yandow as Female tions corrected,” he said. “This time?’” he said. “Well, the rea- and the ones that don’t, we’re Templeton, Paul Rackley as Young Templeton and Logan doesn’t happen often, so it real- son why we suspended the per- trying to see what is out there SEE EVICTIONS, PAGE 5A Alverez as Final Temp. CASSVILLE CEMETERY TOUR Heavy Metal in Motion revs up at Tellus Science Museum BY MARIE NESMITH folks, but also people who drive Tellus’ posted one of its most [email protected] the big trucks,” he said, refer- recent accomplishments on its ring to companies, like Matthews Facebook page — winning the With Heavy Metal in Motion Towing and Georgia Power. Best Self Magazine’s Best Muse- drawing nearly 1,600 patrons For Dundee, some of the high- um/Exhibit category. Saturday, David Dundee was ex- lights of the event were the Black “What an honor,” said Shelly cited to see children of all ages Hawk helicopter landing and Redd, Tellus’ director of mar- embrace Tellus Science Muse- taking off and the Georgia State keting. “I’m always elated when um’s annual event. Patrol’s SWAT team. we win any kind of award, but Along with taking away the “[Georgia State Patrol] have in something that is voted on by museum is a “fun place to come the past years brought their ar- the community or the readers is and learn,” the Tellus astronomer mored vehicle, but this time they extra-special. Best Self Atlanta who helped coordinate the event brought an armored Rook, which magazine is all about living your hopes the young visitors will is a critical, tactical response ve- best life in all aspects. It’s quite broaden their future career pos- hicle,” Dundee said. “It kind of the compliment for us that peo- sibilities after being introduced looks like an armored bulldozer, ple feel like visiting our museum to a bevy of professions. [be it] a small one. It’s got tracks is a part of living their best life. “Anytime you can get any mu- and then the front they can put on “To be named Best Museum is seum guest engaged and having different attachments. a big award. There are so many fun, that’s the reason we’re here,” “… [The kids] got to meet the wonderful museums to choose Dundee said. “… It’s fun to offi cers and they got to crawl from; to be at the top of the list watch the kids — their eyes are around the vehicle,” he said, add- is a proud moment for us. We’ve as big as saucers. ing other Georgia Patrol vehicles won niche museum awards be- “Heavy Metal — when we were present. “Children got to fore, like Best Kid-Friendly, but started doing it, [the event] was turn on the lights and the sirens. I think this might be our fi rst RANDY PARKER/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS The Cassville Historical Society hosted its annual An Afternoon in the Old Cassville Cem- more about bringing big machines They really liked being able to win for Best Museum in general. etery tour Saturday, featuring members in period dress recalling stories of Confederate for kids and families to interact talk on the PA system. So about That’s a great accomplishment soldiers and prominent citizens buried in the cemetery. Pictured is Matt Beard portraying with, but it’s been a lot of fun to every 10 seconds, you’d have considering we just celebrated Gen. William Tatum Wofford, who served in numerous positions during the Civil War, in- watch them interact with the peo- some child calling out, ‘Hey — our 10th birthday in January.” cluding commanding the last signifi cant group of Confederate soldiers east of the Missis- ple who run those machines. Not pull over.’” sippi to surrender to Union troops. only the police, fi re and the Army Heading into Saturday’s event, SEE TELLUS, PAGE 5A INSIDE TODAY Partly VOLUME 73, NO. 140 Family Living ........................2A Blotter ................................... 5A sunny U.S. & World .........................3A Weather ................................ 6A High 69 www.daily-tribune.com Stocks ................................... 3A Sports ................................... 1B Entertainment ...................... 4A Classifieds............................ 4B Low 43 2A Wednesday, October 16, 2019 • www.daily-tribune.com Local The Daily Tribune News ContactUs Smartphone user not attached to her device The Daily Tribune News Address: DEAR ABBY: I have a smart- can get the message across.