Sunday Edition October 14, 2018 BARTOW COUNTY’S ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER $1.50 Bartow business owner pleads guilty to racketeering BY JAMES SWIFT funds from the HOA’s accounts into his [email protected] own accounts and those of his business.” Cherokee Judicial Circuit Assistant Dis- A Cartersville-based accountant pleaded trict Attorney Adam Wilkinson said Heath guilty to violating the federal Racketeer In- wrote, signed and deposited checks from fluenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) the HOA accounts into his own accounts Act in Bartow Superior Court Tuesday. from July 2015 to August 2016. Gregory James Heath, principal of H&H “Those checks total over $100,000,” he Tax & Accounting LLC at 17 Felton Place said. Suite C in Cartersville, entered a negotiated Cherokee Judicial Circuit Judge David plea of guilty to 64 counts of theft by taking K. Smith sentenced Heath, 45, to 30 years while serving as an accountant and money with five years to serve in confinement and manager for the Lakes of Stonegate Home- the remainder to be served on probation. owners’ Association in Kennesaw. “I don’t want you being in charge of peo- “As a fiduciary of the HOA, [the] defen- ple’s money,” Smith said. “With computers RANDY PARKER/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS INSIDE dant was charged with proper management these days, it’s possible to do all kinds of H&H Tax & Accounting LLC principal Gregory James of the HOA’s funds,” a bill of indictment things, and you demonstrate that.” Heath, 45, was sentenced to 30 years in Bartow County Today, The Daily Tribune News releases the fall edition states. “Instead, the defendant used his po- Superior Court Tuesday after pleading guilty to violating of our quarterly lifestyle magazine, Discover Bartow. sition and access as accountant to siphon SEE RACKETEERING, PAGE 6A the RICO Act and committing 64 counts of theft by taking. District 11 Cartersville U.S. House BACK FOR SECONDS Bluegrass & challenger Folk Festival criticizes returns Marsy’s Law Saturday amendment BY MARIE NESMITH [email protected] BY JAMES SWIFT [email protected] Looking forward to headlining the fall staple with his bandmates, Edgar Heading into next month’s con- Loudermilk will make his debut per- tentious midterm elections, Re- formance at this year’s Cartersville publicans and Democrats seem to Bluegrass & Folk Festival. agree on very few issues. Known for its “crisscross of The proposed Marsy’s Law music,” the Eastanollee resident’s Crime Victim Rights Amendment, Edgar Loudermilk Band, featuring however, appears to be one of Jeff Autry will entertain patrons those rare instances where Geor- Saturday on the Depot Stage at gia’s elected officials, on both 5:30 p.m. Formed in 2015, the band sides of the aisle, are in agreement. features Loudermilk on vocals and Not a single member of the state bass, guitarist Jeff Autry, man- Legislature — Republican or De- dolinst Zack Autry, banjo player mocrat — opposed Senate Bill Curtis Bumgarner and resonator 127, which seeks to amend Geor- guitarist Dylan Armour. gia code so that victims are consti- “We worked [in] California, tutionally afforded the right to file Canada [and] Maine this year,” requests to prosecuting attorneys Loudermilk said about his band, to be heard at various criminal whose “Georgia Maple” album de- proceedings. buted at No. 4 on the Billboard The Democratic challenger for charts in July 2016. “I just [came] Georgia’s 11th Congressional Dis- back from Oklahoma and Texas — trict seat, however, raised con- we worked all across the state. I cerns about the proposed state SPECIAL like getting the opportunity to work constitutional amendment at a Country music parodist Cledus T. Judd — portrayed by Cartersville native Barry Poole — came out of retirement earlier in Georgia. Northwest Georgia is a public meeting at St. Luke AME this year. Poole said next month’s homecoming show at the Grand Theatre is the most meaningful performance of his 25- beautiful region. Church in Cartersville Thursday plus-year career. “I really enjoyed working with evening. the folks that called me about the “Most agencies unequivocally festival over there,” he said, refer- support this principle, and various Cledus T. Judd returns from retirement ring to the Cartersville event. “It other rights Amendment 4 seeks to being a bluegrass, Americana and constitutionalize, like the right to BY JAMES SWIFT parodist Cledus T. Judd — is literally country music stars of all-time under his folk [festival], we play a wide vari- timely notice of scheduled court [email protected] singing a different tune. Cledus persona. ety of music ourselves. We’re a appearances,” said Flynn Broady, “I will never do a more important, more But before that fame and fortune — and swing band, [and a] folk and blue- who is vying for the United States A week before he graduated in 1982, one meaningful, more emotional show than I’ll the downsides that came with it — he was grass band — kind of a crisscross of House of Representatives spot oc- thought kept crossing Barry Poole’s mind do at the Grand Theatre,” he said about his simply a wide-eyed kid from Bartow music. We’ve got several veterans cupied by incumbent Republican as he stuck his fingers through the mortar Nov. 17 homecoming performance. “It will County with big dreams who spent his af- in our band. I’ve been traveling for Barry Loudermilk. joints of the concrete block walls at Cass be a night of joy, it will be a night of tears ternoons riding his bike around Gilmer over 20 years professionally on the “However, the victim impact High School. ... it will be difficult for me to hold it to- Street and cruising around town in his road. ... I was in the most awarded statement provision of Amend- “I can’t wait to get out of this town, I gether that night.” grandpa’s Ford Galaxie 500. band in bluegrass music — IIIrd ment 4 will allow victims to be can’t wait to get out of this town,” Poole, It’s been a long journey for the “When you would go through the Jones Tyme Out. I was the bass player in heard at proceedings involving the now 53, recollected. Cartersville native, who has sold millions Mill Road underpass, there were no red that band for seven years.” release, plea or sentencing of the Thirty-six years later, Poole — as his of records, performed thousands of concerts accused, and that’s where they alter ego, the world-famous country music and hobnobbed with some of the biggest SEE JUDD, PAGE 5A SEE BLUEGRASS, PAGE 6A have an issue with it.” SEE BROADY, PAGE 5A POLITICALLY FREE ZONE Barrow wants to keep politics out of the secretary of state’s office BY NEIL B. MCGAHEE diplomacy and tact, because you’re Georgia businesses probably use the [email protected] going to have to deal with folks on both office more than any one group, he said. sides of the political divide in this state More than 700,000 businesspeople For the first time since 2006, Georgia and in this country,” he said. depend on the secretary of state’s office voters will elect their next secretary of The self-described conservative De- for business licensing and Barrow said state and Athens Democrat John Barrow mocrat said he plans to use his centrist he plans to provide improved services wants the job. alignment to bridge the political gap in across the board. He is running against Republican Georgia. The secretary of state’s office is im- Brad Raffensperger for the office that He worked with the George W. Bush portant to most people at election time, JAMES SWIFT/DTN oversees state elections, issuance of and Obama administrations in support of he said. Flynn Broady, a Democratic business licenses and certification of veteran’s causes — bringing the first Vet- “It is the chief election office in the challenger for Georgia’s 11th many professional licenses. eran’s Healthcare Clinic to Statesboro, state,” he said. “It is primarily responsi- Congressional District seat, But Barrow said partisan politics and leading a bipartisan coalition of law- ble for the administration of our elec- shared his thoughts on the proposed Marsy’s Law should not play a role in the operations makers seeking to increase veterans’ tions. There are 159 county voting amendment to the Georgia of this office. mileage reimbursements. Barrow said he boards that conduct the actual elections NEIL MCGAHEE/THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS Constitution at a campaign “I think this office requires a certain plans to continue his support of veterans John Barrow, Democrat candidate for SEE , PAGE 3A stop in Cartersville Thursday. amount of political balance, bipartisan through the secretary of state’s office. BARROW secretary of state. INSIDE TODAY Mostly Obituaries . .2A Around Town . .1C sunny VOLUME 72, NO. 139 U.S.& World . .4A Entertainment . .7C High 80 Blotter . .7A Business . .1D www.daily-tribune.com Sports . .1B Classified . .3D Low 61 2A Sunday, October 14, 2018 • www.daily-tribune.com Local The Daily Tribune News ContactUs OBITUARIES The Daily Tribune News tired office clerk with Macy’s in Kristen Kreager of Nashville, 17, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. in the Address: Susie Kubota 251 S. Tennessee St. Ocala, FL, and while living in Ga.; four sisters-in-law, Nancy Chapel of the Lovein Funeral Cartersville, GA 30120 Kreager Cartersville, GA, was a volunteer (Don) Lewis of Dunnellon, FL, Home with Dr. Andy Solomon of- Shizue (Susie) Kubota Kreager, at Cartersville Medical Center Ann Nola of Panama City, FL, ficiating. Interment will follow in Mailing Address: 77, of Nashville, Georgia, died and was a member of the local Ellen Theis of Seffner, FL, Linda the Nashville Memorial Gardens.