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Joyce Ann Abernethy Allison

By
Now Habersham
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Joyce Abernethy Allison, age 91, was received into the arms of Jesus on April 15, 2022, in the presence of family. Born on December 6th,1930, Joyce was the daughter of the late George D. Caraway and Mary Ford Caraway. Joyce was a graduate of Russell High School in East Point, Georgia, where she was a cheerleader and played basketball. Always one for a good conversation, Joyce was nicknamed “Jabbernethy” for her gift of gab. Known for her love of family, delicious southern cooking, faith in Jesus, infectious smile, and servant heart, Joyce truly brought joy to everyone she encountered.

Joyce was married to her high school sweetheart, the late Willard Robert “Bill” Allison for 51 years. The couple raised their family in East Point, Georgia, where they were active in their community and church, First Baptist East Point. They were avid fans of Georgia Bulldog football and had season tickets for many years. Joyce was a homemaker and then entered the workforce at Burke Marketing Research when her youngest daughters began high school. Her children recall that she would get up an hour earlier to pray and read scripture before her day started when she was working. She would mention by name all of her family and extended family. This faith discipline is something she maintained throughout her life. Joyce spent the latter part of her career at the Georgia dept of Labor where she retired at the age of 70.

Joyce and Bill moved to the mountains of Northeast Georgia in 2001, where they continued to be active in the lives of their children and grandchildren as well as their church, Bethlehem Baptist. Joyce lived a life of service and taught her family that the best way to feel better when you are down is to do something for someone else. When her husband passed away in 2003, Joyce did just that. She served in her church and community as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, the local Soup Kitchen, MOPS Ministry, and made countless homemade meals for those in need.

Joyce loved her family and being “Gram” to her 9 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. She also treasured her relationship with her 4 sisters and spent hours talking and laughing with them on their many “sister’s weekends”. Joyce enjoyed reading, watching mysteries, the Atlanta Braves, checking the mail, any kind of dessert, and until this past winter, carried on her passion for walking every day; a habit that no doubt contributed to her longevity. Joyce was a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend and will be dearly missed. The last three years of her life were particularly blessed by the love she received from Grace and the caregeivers at Graceful Care in Clarkesville, Georgia.

In addition to her parents and husband, Mrs. Allison was preceded in death by her sister, Ruth Homer. She is survived by her children, Ginny Allison of Cornelia, David Allison (Terri) of Peachtree City, Marty Thurmond (Alan) of Clarkesville, Nancy Dolph (David) of Clarkesville; grandchildren, Merideth Shaw and Matthew Burgess (Ginny), Josh and Justin Allison (Dave), Jake and Jonathan Thurmond (Marty), Lindsey Fine, Allison Cox and Katie Dolph (Nancy); and 9 great grandchildren; her sisters, Georgianna Toole (Barckley), Susan Hanson, Cindy Barry (Mack); brother-in-law and sister-in-law Bob and Anne Vansant; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM, Monday, April 18, 2022, at Bethlehem Baptist
Church with Rev. Chip Cranford and Rev. Tommy Stowe officiating.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home, prior to the service on Monday from 11:00 AM until 12:15 PM, and again in the church fellowship hall following the interment in Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to Graceful Care, 217 Landers Street, Clarkesville, GA 30523.

Arrangements by Hillside Memorial Chapel & Gardens, Clarkesville. 706-754-6256

Clarkesville First UMC invites the community to Cross Walk on Good Friday

By
Margie Williamson
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Members of Clarkesville First UMC have built over 100 crosses like this for people to carry during the church's inaugural community-wide Good Friday Cross Walk on Friday, April 15, 2022. (photo by Christy Hinson)

For Christians, Good Friday has become a day to remember Jesus’ death. It’s meant to be a reflective day, as believers consider the cost of Jesus’ actions as He boldly walked to the cross to give His life for ours. Clarkesville First UMC invites the community to remember Jesus’ walk to the cross in a different way this year — by participating with other believers in Cross Walk.

The Cross Walk event is new to Habersham this year, but, as pastor Keith Cox explains, “This event has been three years in the making.” When Cox relocated to Clarkesville from Augusta, Georgia, he brought with him the desire to create the tradition of worshipping on Good Friday through Cross Walk. When he arrived in Clarkesville, he was amazed to find many stores and businesses were closed on Good Friday. That seemed to indicate that Good Friday was already significant in the lives of believers in the community.

Cross Walk provides an opportunity for believers to walk in the footsteps of Jesus on His way to the cross.

In 2020, Cox planned the first Cross Walk event for Habersham. When COVID hit the same year, the event had to be put off. However, Cox’s desire for the event to take place has not cooled. He has been walking and praying over the route for months now and is ready to see how God will use this event to impact the lives of the participants.

Cox’s church, Clarkesville First UMC, has been supportive of Cox’s vision as well. A group of men at the church have now created over 100 crosses, all different sizes, for all who come to participate. Even children will have a cross sized for them to carry.

Shuttles will be provided for those who can not walk the distance from station to station. The walk moves from the church to the gazebo downtown, from the gazebo to the Old Clarkesville Cemetery, and from the cemetery back to the church. At each of these three stations, scripture will be read, a devotion presented, prayers will be offered, and hymns will sung.

In Augusta, the Cross Walk tradition has been held now for more than twenty years. Cox hopes that this event, too, will happen more than once, and “will become a legacy for the community for years to come.” He prays that through the devotions and the time of walking with the cross, believers will consider all that Jesus suffered on His way to the cross. Cox hopes that participants will be able to go one step further –– to be able to consider the crosses they each carry as well. Cox says, “We are all bruised, battered and broken. This is a time when we can look at the crosses we carry as well and what those crosses mean in our lives.”

To participate, gather on Good Friday (April 15) before 10 am in front of the Clarkesville Firest UMC fellowship hall at 1087 Washington Street. Wear comfortable shoes, bring an open heart, and be ready for a journey that will lead you in the footsteps of Jesus.

 

7 injured in Tallulah Falls wreck

By
Joy Purcell
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The Georgia State Patrol has charged a Gainesville driver with DUI following a three-vehicle wreck Thursday afternoon in Tallulah Falls. Troopers say 21-year-old Emanuel Leonardo Mendoza caused the wreck that injured him and six others.

The wreck happened around 2 p.m. on April 14 on GA 15/US 441 at the Tallulah Falls dam in Rabun County.

According to the crash report, Mendoza was driving a Chevrolet Camaro south on the highway when he drifted into the lefthand turn lane and struck a northbound Dodge Caravan on the front right side. After impact, Mendoza’s car spun around and came to an uncontrolled stop in the turn lane.

The van, driven by 17-year-old Eric Allagnon of College Park, rotated clockwise and was struck in the right front quarter panel by a northbound Chevy Tahoe. Both vehicles came to an uncontrolled rest in the southbound lanes.

The wreck injured all three drivers and four passengers. Due to the high number of patients, Habersham County Emergency Services responded to assist the Tallulah Falls Fire Department.

“[We] transported two patients with non-life-threatening injuries to Habersham Medical and one to an awaiting landing zone with severe injuries to be airlifted to Northeast Georgia Medical Center,” says HCES Capt. Matt Ruark.

The state patrol says Mendoza was the one airlifted. Ambulances transported the others to area hospitals including Allagnon and three 17-year-old passengers in the van – Elizabeth Yu of College Park and Olivia Moore and Jordan Tovin of Atlanta. Also transported were the Tahoe driver and his passenger – 71-year-old Robert Guess and 70-year-old Karen Guess, both of Demorest.

In addition to DUI, the state patrol charged Mendoza with other traffic offenses.

This article has been updated with additional information

Habersham County recognizes 911 dispatchers during National Telecommunications Week

By
Hadley Cottingham
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E-911 dispatcher Samantha Williard of Clarkesville monitors the county’s emergency call system. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)

Habersham is celebrating the dedication and life-saving work of its E-911 dispatchers this week during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

The second week of April marks National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, sponsored by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International. The week honors the thousands of E-911 telecommunicators who respond to emergency calls and dispatch emergency services.

Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office in California started the week in 1981, which is now nationally recognized. In Habersham County, local government is recognizing Habersham’s dispatchers, the unseen part of public safety, for their dedication and service.

“I want to say thank you to these dedicated individuals who answer the call for help every day,” says Habersham E-911 Director Lynn Smith. “It is a thankless job, and we want to show our appreciation during this week, designated as National Telecommunication Week.”

The four-shift groups of individuals who take emergency calls and dispatch public safety officials have worked tirelessly over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic while being short-staffed. The staff members often work 12-hour shifts at the county’s E-911 call center, where they answer the calls that many couldn’t bear to hear.

“Even though you [dispatchers] are short-staffed, you still step up to the challenge,” Smith said. “Each one of you is very appreciated.”

TMU fundraises thousands for K9s for Warriors

By
Now Habersham
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(Photo: Truett McConnell University)

Truett McConnell University held its first 5k walk/run event on April 8 to raise money for K9s For Warriors, a charity that pairs military veterans with rescue-turned-service dogs in a program that heals two lives. Despite the chilly spring weather, over 80 participants completed the route and 90 total donors helped raise $7,500 toward the cause.

Jeremiah Lukers, Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at TMU, helped the university partner with K9s For Warriors, a charity that provides a unique way to help veterans who suffer from PTSD, brain injuries and sexual trauma. This organization rescues dogs from shelters, trains them as service dogs and pairs them with veterans to form a relationship that saves two lives. Their program has proven successful, helping veterans reduce suicide ideation while simultaneously saving the lives of 1,300 rescue dogs.

Veteran Eli Patterson’s service dog, Soz, accompanies him to the TMU 5k. (Photo: Truett McConnell University)

Eli Patterson, a veteran who completed the K9s For Warriors program, attended the event with his beloved service dog, Soz. While Patterson was serving as a Field Artillery NCO in Afghanistan, he sustained a life-changing injury that made it impossible for him to walk, talk or move his limbs. The veteran almost took his own life on Thanksgiving Day of 2019.

“Getting Soz changed everything in my life. Things got better in ways I didn’t anticipate,” Patterson said. “The emotional stuff that I’m not good at, she helps with. My marriage got better, and I go to my kids’ games more often.”

Not only has Soz saved Patterson’s life by aiding his mental health, but she has also saved his life during medical emergencies. Patterson shared that once, when he passed out during a vertigo episode, Soz stopped him from falling down the stairs and kept his airway open long enough for someone to find him.

“Soz gave me the opportunity to go somewhere and do something with my life,” Patterson told participants. “She helped me become an advocate for other veterans instead of feeling like I always had to be a victim.”

Today, Patterson’s service dog makes it possible for him to walk without a cane and feel safe while interacting with others.

Community sponsors included Emory Healthcare Veterans Program, Fieldale, Ingles, Gun Commanders and A to Zinc. (Photo: Truett McConnell University)

“After hearing Eli Patterson’s story about how Soz saved his life, it really made every bit of work worth it, if there was any chance another life could benefit from this organization,” Owen Nobles, a senior Exercise Science major at TMU and volunteer at the event said. “It was amazing to have so many people from the community, as well as our university, participate and donate to raise money for this cause.”

Community members, as well as TMU faculty, staff and administration participated in the 5k.

“I would like to thank my students, co-workers, and local community for helping make the event a success,” said TMU Professor Lukers, who organized the event. “I am thankful for the time Eli Patterson sacrificed to come and speak at our event and raise awareness for our military veterans and canine friends. I felt blessed to be a part of this wonderful cause.”

U.S. lawmakers look for path ahead on billions in restaurant, small business aid

By
Jennifer Shutt
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The U.S. House has approved a bill with $42 billion for restaurants and $13 billion for a hard-hit industries program that would help small businesses that weren’t eligible for restaurant aid. But it faces tough sledding in the Senate. (John Partipilo /Tennessee Lookout)

WASHINGTON (GA Recorder) — Restaurants and other businesses that have survived more than two years of COVID-19 restrictions could see an infusion of federal dollars in the coming months, as long as U.S. lawmakers reach final agreement on a multibillion-dollar package.

The U.S. House has approved a bill with $42 billion for restaurants and $13 billion for a hard-hit industries program that would help small businesses that weren’t eligible for restaurant aid.

That legislation, however, only got the backing of six House Republicans, signaling it doesn’t have the support necessary in the evenly divided U.S. Senate to make it to President Joe Biden’s desk.

That’s where Maryland Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin and Mississippi GOP Sen. Roger Wicker stepped in with their own bill to provide $40 billion to restaurants and $8 billion to various small businesses.

“We’re looking at any way to move this as soon as we possibly can, because it’s pretty desperate,” Cardin said during a brief interview.

Aside from the $2 billion gap in funding for restaurants, the biggest differences between the bills is how to provide money for non-restaurant businesses and how to pay for the legislation.

The House bill would create one pot of $13 billion for businesses with 200 or fewer employees that experienced a pandemic-related revenue loss of 40% or more. Businesses would be eligible for up to $1 million each.

The Senate bill from Cardin and Wicker would create separate pots of money for various businesses.

Two billion dollars would be available for gyms that lost more than 25% of their revenue; $2 billion would be divided up to live event venues that lost more than 25% of their revenue; $2 billion would be allocated to buses and ferries, including charter buses, commuter buses, school buses and passenger ferries; $1.415 billion would be doled out to very small businesses located near land border crossings that were closed during the pandemic; and $500 million would go to minor league sports teams that lost at least 50% of their revenue.

An additional $75 million would go to small businesses in Alaska that were completely cut off from the rest of the country during the pandemic after borders closed. And there would be $10 million for small businesses in similar communities in Minnesota and Washington states.

“Congress took action to provide much needed relief to restaurants and other businesses during the height of the pandemic, but the initial program left thousands of eligible restaurants and their employees without any assistance,” Wicker said in a statement. “As our economy recovers from a difficult two years, it is important to replenish this fund as a matter of fairness.”

The restaurant funding would go to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund that Democrats established last year in their $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package.

Democratic lawmakers originally approved $28.6 billion, but more than $76 billion in requests quickly outpaced the amount of money the Small Business Administration had to send struggling restaurants. About two-thirds of restaurants that applied to the program didn’t receive funding.

That led several organizations to call on Congress to provide more aid to help restaurants cover bills from payroll, operating expenses and construction costs for outdoor seating areas.

Mike Whatley, vice president of State Affairs and Grassroots Advocacy at the National Restaurant Association, said some restaurants getting aid while others didn’t “created an uneven playing field.”

“These restaurants did nothing wrong. They applied, they filled out their paperwork, they were qualified and then ultimately the aid didn’t come,” Whatley said.

Concerns that additional federal spending on COVID-19 relief could further exacerbate record-breaking inflation don’t necessarily apply to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, he said.

 

Many of the restaurants seeking aid, Whatley said, plan to use federal dollars to pay down bills and other debts.

“We believe that for restaurants and the RRF, this should be bigger than politics, this should be a bipartisan issue and Congress should figure it out and get it done to make up the gap,” he said.

Several lawmakers have pushed back on additional pandemic spending, citing inflation and lower COVID-19 cases throughout the country.

Restaurants continue to face pandemic restrictions, Whatley said, noting that Philadelphia is reinstating its mask mandate and new variants are expected to crop up.

“We are without a doubt in a much better place than we were two years ago, or even a year ago, in terms of the COVID environment. But it’s still harming restaurants,” Whatley said.

Without additional aid from Congress, 80% of restaurants that didn’t get funding from the RRF are at risk of permanently closing, according to a survey from The Independent Restaurant Coalition.

U.S. House debate on its bill, which passed following a 223-203 vote on Thursday, largely centered around Republican concerns over inflation and frustrations with how the Small Business Administration has handled programs in the past.

Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, a Missouri Republican, argued the bill was “a disingenuous attempt to posture to small businesses.”

“At this time, small businesses need the freedom to operate independently without Washington watching over them,” he said. “We must end the COVID economy of government handouts.”

Luetkemeyer also rebuked Democrats for proposing to pay for the House bill by recovering funds from people who fraudulently acquired them from prior aid programs.

“I agree that we need to track down and hold fraudsters accountable, and I applaud that process,” Luetkemeyer said. “But this process takes time, and it is not going to get all those dollars back.”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, said the legislation is about “economic resilience.”

“You can’t be independent if you go bankrupt,” Hoyer said. “You can’t be independent if you can’t operate your business.”

Georgia’s BA-2 subvariant COVID cases are ‘more of a ripple than a wave,’ official says

By
Ellen Eldridge
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Nekesha Murphy (left) gets her COVID-19 vaccine from RN Ginn Holder at UGA's University Health Center. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker)

In January, the leading cause of death for Americans between 45 and 64 was COVID-19, and more people aged 15 and older died of COVID than of cancer, according to a recent report.

The disease also led this age group last summer, due in large part to the delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The data comes from the Kaiser Family Foundation COVID-19 Tracker data through Feb. 28, 2022, for average daily and monthly total COVID-19 deaths in the United States for all ages.

The timing lines up with the appearance of the omicron variant in Georgia.

RELATED: 

Deaths are a lagging indicator. The Georgia Department of Public Health first detected omicron in early December 2021.

The infected person had recently traveled from South Africa, where the variant was first detected and developed mild symptoms of COVID-19. Genomic testing confirmed the person contracted the omicron variant, DPH said.

Dr. Cherie Drenzek, the state director of epidemiology, said at the April 12 board meeting there were about 370 or so individuals hospitalized with COVID around the entire state the previous day, a 93% decrease from the January peak of the omicron wave.

The overarching impact of vaccination, boosting and natural immunity from infection, she said, is that hospitalization numbers are now at least as low as right before last July’s delta wave.

“This is much more of a ripple than a wave,” Drenzek said.

The fact that so many people caught COVID in winter might have something to do with low case numbers now that the BA-2 subvariant is circulating, she said.

In Georgia, 56% of people are fully vaccinated and 23% have received at least one booster of COVID vaccine.

This article appears on Now Habersham in partnership with GPB News

Earth Day Celebration at SNCC

By
Margie Williamson
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The parachute activities will be available on Earth Day! (Photo by SNCA)

On Saturday, April 23, the Environmental Heritage Committee of the Sautee Nacoochee Community Association will host Earth Day at SNCA. Everyone is invited to bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the afternoon learning about and celebrating ways of being earth friendly.

Throughout the day, special speakers and events will be offered.

The SNCA has reimagined this year’s Earth Day Celebration with new speakers and activities. (Photo provided by SNCA)

10 am The day starts with a native plant sale that will include a dozen species of ferns native to our area and over a dozen wildflowers. A plant list is available at snca.org.

11 am-12 pm For those curious about certification for organic or regenerative farming, Zach West from Rodale Institute will provide a presentation.

12:00 – 3:00 pm The SNC campus will be alive with music, displays, and hands-on activities for adults and children. Local environmental organizations and proprietors of earth-friendly products will be on hand to talk with folks. Electric vehicles, solar panels, BEE-HAVIN, a space where children can enjoy activities and learn more about pollinators, will provide opportunities for exploration and learning.

During this time, lunch items utilizing locally sourced products will be served (while supplies last!).

And, Dr. Jim Smoot, retired director of NASA´s Earth Science Office in Huntsville, Alabama, will share concrete ways to reduce our carbon footprint.

2 pm – 3 pm Musicians Joanne Sweeney and Lisa Deaton will perform on the outdoor stage. Afterwards, Ryan Little Eagle, singer, songwriter and Cultural Educator, will wrap things up with his award-winning music and words from an indigenous perspective.

Since its inception, SNCA has been committed to valuing and nurturing the environmental heritage of the Sautee and Nacoochee Valleys and the surrounding area. It is more important than ever to gather our resourcefulness and attention to what we can do in our community. Toward this goal, a new Environmental Heritage Committee has been formed. Earth Day at SNCA! is the committee’s first public project.

For more information about Earth Day at SNCA! or about the Environmental Heritage Committee, please contact Johnna Tuttle, the Manager of the Environmental Heritage Program at 706-878-3300 or ([email protected].

Located at 283 Hwy 255 N in Sautee, the Sautee Nacoochee Community Association is a member-based organization serving White and Habersham Counties and all of northeast Georgia. Its mission is to value and nurture individual creativity, along with the historical, cultural and environmental resources of the Sautee and Nacoochee Valleys and surrounding area. For more information, visit www.snca.org or call 706-878-3300.

NGTC’s Medical Assisting program ranked first in the state

By
NGTC
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Pictured (left to right): Blairsville Medical Assisting students Alicia Jones; Krysten Hodges; Carrie Rodriguez, Blairsville Medical Assisting Program Director and Instructor; Kirsten Ledford, Alexis Franklin; and Jasmine Jarrard.

For the fourth consecutive year, North Georgia Technical College has earned the number one ranking as Best Medical Assistant Program in Georgia by the online resource Medical Assistant Advice.

“We are so honored to be selected as the #1 Medical Assisting Program in Georgia for the fourth year in a row by Medical Assistant Advice,” said NGTC Health Sciences Department Chair and Clarkesville and Currahee Medical Assisting Program Chair Stacie Bohannon. “All of the instructors are so proud of the students’ hard work and dedication and love teaching at North Georgia Technical College.”

This recognition places NGTC at the top of 41 Medical Assisting programs in Georgia and considers graduation rate, tuition price, admission rate, retention rate, number of students enrolled and editorial staff ratings to determine the top programs.

“North Georgia Technical College is very proud of our Medical Assisting students and faculty,” said NGTC Dean of Health Sciences and Personal Services Christy Bivins. “This is the fourth year the program has been recognized for this distinction and is a testament of the type of graduates North Georgia Technical College produces. Our faculty members are also graduates of NGTC’s Medical Assisting program, only emphasizing the tradition of excellence spanning over generations of students.”

Medical Assistant Advice is an online publication that offers current information regarding education and career statistics to help guide students.

“North Georgia Technical College’s Medical Assisting classrooms and laboratories are equipped with the most current technology and teaching aids,” said NGTC Vice President of Academic Affairs Mindy Glander. “However, I strongly believe that the success of this program comes from our faculty. These ladies are exceptional educators and have a great deal of experience in the field. This experience and desire to see their students succeed is what puts our program in the lead for the fourth year in a row.”

The Medical Assisting program is available at the Clarkesville, Blairsville, and Currahee campuses. For more information regarding the Medical Assisting program or other Health Sciences programs at NGTC, visit northgatech.edu or call 706-754-7700.

Habersham Animal Shelter fundraising for life-saving transport van

By
Hadley Cottingham
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HCACC staff load up a transport van with animals that will travel north to find forever homes. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)

The Habersham County Animal shelter is fundraising for a van that’s much more than a mode of transport– it’s a way to save animals’ lives.

Habersham County Animal Care and Control’s (HCACC) staff are dedicated to making sure abandoned, surrendered and stray animals find their way into forever homes, and one of the ways they make that happen on a week-to-week basis is through transports.

“Since 2019, HCACC has been able to save hundreds of lives through transporting dogs and cats facing euthanasia to animal welfare organizations in the northeast and the midwest U.S. where they were adopted,” HCACC Director Madi Nix says. “However, we’ve had to rely on the generosity of other rescue groups to provide unused space on their transports when available because we do not have our own transport vehicle.”

RELATED: More than 100 Northeast Georgia animals transported to rescues

Nix says that the shelter has helped agencies transport 1,176 pets, about half that number being from the Habersham shelter, that struggled to find homes in the region in the past year alone. But because the shelter has to rely on other organizations to make those transports happen, Habersham transports fewer animals than they could.

Nix and the rest of the HCACC staff hope that will soon come to an end with the community’s help. Right now, the HCACC is fundraising for a dedicated transport van of their own that will allow them to transport those animals all on their own.

The animal shelter hopes to be able to purchase a 2020 Ford Transit, which would allow them to transport up to 40 animals in one trip. The animal shelter does not currently have a transport van of its own.

“The new van will have the capacity to transport a minimum of 20 animals up to a maximum of 40 animals, in a combination of up to 20 dogs and/or 40 cats per trip,” says Nix. “Having our own van will allow HCACC to save 1,000 plus homeless animals per year, more than double our current number going on transports, while reducing the number of animals being euthanized simply due to our shelter being overcrowded.”

The “Road to Rescue” campaign will run through April, with a fundraising goal of $66,000. As of Wednesday, the fundraising campaign has generated $3,694 with the help of 25 donors. Individuals can donate to the campaign online via Fundly.

All donations made during the Road to Rescue campaign will help purchase a new Ford Transit van, as well as fund modifications, fuel and driver fees for the first year. Area businesses donating $5,000 or more to the campaign will have their logo added to the van and will be promoted on HCACC social media.

To learn more about the campaign, or if you have any questions about HCACC, click here.

Sporting goods tax program stirs debate over conservation priorities

By
Ross Williams
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Cherokee County officials are hoping this will soon be the entrance to an outdoor recreation center. Critics question whether funding for such projects should come from local counties rather than a state program aimed at preserving wildlands. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)

(GA Recorder) — A couple miles from downtown Ball Ground in north Georgia lies a piece of land bounded by the Etowah River and Long Swamp Creek.

It’s the kind of spot where a nature lover could spend hours wandering the woods and rolling hills marveling at the wildlife and picturesque scenery.

That’s what Cherokee County officials think, which is why they bought nearly 24 acres between the river and the creek in 2019. The Long Swamp Creek Recreation Center’s only current amenity is a no trespassing sign, but county leaders have high hopes for the spot, including an educational garden, outdoor archery range, canoe launch and other amenities.

The plans come with a $1.2 million price tag, and Cherokee is asking the state to chip in half of that using funds from the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship program, an act approved by voters in 2018 which directs a portion of the sales tax collected from sporting goods purchases toward the protection of wildlands and outdoor recreation areas.

This year’s crop of selected grantees adds up to just over $28 million in state funds headed to 15 projects around the state, but the list has some conservationists questioning whether voters are really getting what they overwhelmingly backed at the ballot box four years ago.

Here’s what the ballot measure approved by more than 80% of Georgia voters asked:

“Without increasing the current state sales tax rate, shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to create the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund to conserve lands that protect drinking water sources and the water quality of rivers, lakes, and streams; to protect and conserve forests, fish, wildlife habitats, and state and local parks; and to provide opportunities for our children and families to play and enjoy the outdoors, by dedicating, subject to full public disclosure, up to 80 percent of the existing sales tax collected by sporting goods stores to such purposes without increasing the current state sales tax rate?”

Georgia Wildlife Federation President Mike Worley said the projects are heavy on helping the state and local parks but too light on matters of land conservation and protecting water sources.

“I am very disappointed in the amount of public lands we’ve been able to secure through the last couple of cycles,” he said. “I am also disappointed in the amount of stewardship funding that is going to things like welcome centers at state parks. Those items have traditionally been funded via bonds, and GOSA [Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act] was intended to provide new opportunities, not to supplant existing funding.”

Voters hoped GOSA would help keep the state’s wildlands wild, Worley said. But average funding on conservation and land acquisition has been lower since GOSA passed than it was in the years leading up to the act, he said, citing DNR board updates on land acquisition.

Of the 15 projects selected for preliminary approval for this year, eight are categorized under local parks and trails of regional significance, a category which makes up more than $15.6 million of the requested funds. These include $3 million each for rehabbing boat dock facilities in Bryan County, creating an inclusive outdoor recreation facility in LaGrange and creating a multipurpose trail with a boardwalk in Sandy Springs.

Critics like Worley say such projects should be funded by bonds, financial instruments local governments can issue to fund large projects. Investors buy the bonds, giving the local governments an influx of cash, and the city or county promises to pay the money back with interest in a set amount of time.

Five of this year’s GOSA projects are categorized under state stewardship, totaling $10.1 million. These include $4.2 million to expand the visitors center at Vogel State Park near Blairsville and $2.2 million for trail improvements at Sweetwater Creek State Park in Douglas County.

Two projects are labeled as land acquisition: the purchase of 882 acres bordering F. D. Roosevelt State Park near Warm Springs and the purchase of 1,348 acres in Marion County as an addition to the Chattahoochee Fall Line Wildlife Management Area. These projects total $2.3 million in state funds.

“That list seems to show that land acquisition is getting the short end of the stick,” said Mark Woodall, legislative chair for the Georgia chapter of the Sierra Club. “Land acquired made up those two projects, less than 10% of that $28.1 million, but they’re funding visitor centers. It looks like a bait and switch to us.”

The state Department of Natural Resources, which oversees funding, disputes that. According to their data, the two approved land acquisition projects were the only such applications submitted. The eight local park and trails projects were whittled down from 34 applications.

“Specific project types and funding allocation vary year to year based on a detailed approval process,” said DNR Director of Public and Governmental Affairs Donald Kirkland. “This process includes approval from the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program Board of Trustees, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Board, and the appropriate House and Senate Appropriations subcommittees.”

“To date, program funding has assisted in the acquisition of more than 29,000 acres, and our grant staff is currently planning workshops to further educate the public on eligible project types,” he added.

Applicants also argue that some of their proposed parks will serve conservation and historic preservation purposes.

Cherokee County officials say the Long Swamp Creek Recreation Center is home to four unique fish species, including the Cherokee darter, which is classified as threatened, and the Etowah darter, which is endangered. Preserving the area as a park will ensure their habitat stays safe as the population in the surrounding area grows, officials say.

Other park leaders say their facilities have been swamped in recent years as the pandemic spurred more Georgians to spend their recreation time outdoors, and the GOSA money will help them meet the expanded need.

Those are laudable goals, Woodall said, but GOSA money is not the way to meet them.

“I don’t see any of those projects as being unnecessary or a bad idea,” he said. “But we are not getting what we bought. We’re getting a pig in a poke.”

Season ends for TFS in opening round loss at Fellowship Christian

By
TFS Athletics
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The 2022 soccer season came to a halt for the Tallulah Falls Indians, who fell 7-1 in the opening round of the state tournament at Fellowship Christian. The Indians were the #3-seed out of 8-A Private and forced on the road to open the playoffs.

Fellowship grabbed a 3-0 lead that held until the half, and though TFS would get a second half goal from Sean Lynes, Jr., the home team scored four more the rest of the way for the win. Lynes Jr. was assisted by Clay Kafsky.

“It was a great through ball and a very composed finish by Sean,” adds coach Jeremy Stille.

The Indians close the season with a 10-5-1 overall mark, and made the playoffs for a second straight season. Lynes, Jr tallied his team-leading 23rd goal of the season, which was one shy of the school single-season record set by Max Farris in 2021.

GOALS
Sean Lynes, Jr. (23)

ASSISTS
Clay Kafsky (5)

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