New Year’s tragedy First fatal car accident in years ►►PAGE 2
3 fires in 4 days
Business, houses, life lost ►►PAGE 6
Baby New Year
Touchdown club announces winners
Northside-Forsyth welcomes first baby of 2015 ►►PAGE 10
Eight named, including Griffin Landrum of SFHS ►►PAGE 24
January 14, 2015 | forsythherald.com | 75,000 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 18, No. 3
Heroin bust in Forsyth County Over one kilo found
Over one kilo of herion was found during an undercover operation by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office. It is valued between $150,000 and $250,000.
CUMMING, Ga. — The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office conducted an undercover operation Jan. 7 that resulted in the seizure of over a kilogram of heroin. The street value of this amount of heroin is valued at approximately $150,000 to $250,000. It could also amount to 32,000 doses. The investigation, which took about three days, culminated at a residence located inside the city of Cumming.
One individual has been arrested at this time. However, the name is not being released yet, due to the ongoing investigation. The sheriff’s office believes the subject who was arrested moved to Forsyth County within the past several months. “Our deputies are passionate about their jobs and this community,” said Sheriff Duane K. Piper. “All of them worked quickly and diligently over the past few days to make this arrest.” —Kathleen Sturgeon
FBI investigating Cumming insurance controversy Mayor’s girlfriend’s addition to city insurance raises questions By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com CUMMING, Ga. — The Cumming City Administrator has confirmed the FBI is looking into whether Cumming Mayor H. Ford Gravitt’s girlfriend, Angie Mullinax, has been receiving health insurance illegally through the city. City Administrator Gerald Blackburn confirmed the FBI “stopped by” Jan. 7. “They did come by,” said Blackburn. “They spent about 10 minutes talking to me. They asked me about Angie Mullinax and [City Attorney] Dana Miles and about their insurance with the city of Cumming.” Blackburn told the FBI that both were on the city’s insurance coverage plan. FBI agents also spoke with Human Resources Manager Phil Higgins. Blackburn has said in the past that Mullinax works part-time for the city,
4-1 [Sexton opposed] to start an impeachment investigation for longtime Councilman Sexton. Sexton is accused of releasing a document on social media disclosing personal financial and health insurance information for the city of Cumming employees, specifically Mullinax. GRAVITT MILES SEXTON The document caused many while Cumming Councilman Rupert to question why Mullinax was listed as Sexton said she doesn’t. receiving health insurance paid for by Earlier in the week, Sexton said the city of Cumming, and whether she he received an email from someone he qualified as a city employee. didn’t know saying the FBI was invesThe city has paid out some $75,000 tigating Cumming and that FBI reprein insurance benefits for Mullinax since sentatives had visited City Hall. 2005. Asked if he would comment on the When asked why his girlfriend is on investigation, Sexton said, “I’m not the list, Gravitt admitted to putting her going to get involved with the FBI on on the list. anything.” “She does a lot of work for the city This all started on Dec. 23, 2014, of Cumming,” said Gravitt. “I put her when the Cumming City Council voted on [the list]. I think the city pays $663
a month for her insurance – that’s it. I think we got a good bargain.” A three-member panel composed of Cumming City Attorney Dana Miles, former Forsyth County Commissioner Patrick Bell and Steve Page, a local businessman, is currently conducting an investigation into the alleged release of documents by Sexton. Miles, who also does work for the city but isn’t a full-time employee, was also on the leaked list. He said that other city attorneys in the state receive health insurance as a form of payment, so he believes it’s not a conflict of interest. The city uses the Georgia Municipal Association for insurance coverage, and its policy says in order to receive health insurance benefits, the employee must be full-time. The city is being investigated by Assistant Attorney General Kelly Campanella for an improperly held executive session by the City Council to discuss
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