Tyson’s Run could best be described as Rain Man meets Chariots of Fire just have all of the wit and warmth of those movies completely surgically removed.
Here’s a movie that is well-intentioned but falls flat in scene after scene with material that is predictable and manipulative to a fault. Even it’s target audience will find themselves thinking enough is enough.
The movie stars Major Dodson as Tyson Hollerman, a 15-year-old with autism who’s been homeschooled all his life and is now ready to branch out and try going to public school.
Amy Smart is his loving, attentive mother whom he has a wonderful relationship with. Certainly that one is better than the one he has with his father (Rory Cochrane), a football coach at the high school Tyson wishes to attend.
Tyson eventually starts his new life at the high school, but it comes with a tremendous amount of bullying due to his affliction. He’s teased mercilessly and even called “Forrest Chump” at one point.
Tyson does find solace in one activity: Marathon running. He’s inspired to take it up after seeing an athletic shoe store owner (Barkhad Abdi) do a lot of running at the track where his dad coaches. The two take an immediate liking to one another and Tyson convinces him to train him how to be a runner.
One of the movie’s most ludicrous scenes involves Tyson taking off in the middle of the night during a rainstorm and the movie’s pacing is grinded to a halt. Why? The movie doesn’t offer a reason and when it does, it’s shameless in its payoff.
Tyson’s Run is one of those movies where if you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve seen the movie. At no point does it leave room for anything other than sheer predictability and a message that’s ham-fisted into the screenplay with a mallet.
On top of that, the performances are lackadaisical. There’s not a single moment where you can look at the actors and get the sense that they’re embracing the material. The dialogue is inane and wooden.
It would amaze me if anyone remembers this movie by the time they get to the parking lot. Instead of a story that inspires us to go for our dreams, the only thing it inspires is to quickly make our way toward the exit sign.
Grade: D-
(Rated PG for thematic elements and some language including offensive slurs.)
A driver suffered serious injuries after being hit by a car on GA 365 in Hall County. The crash happened around 10:41 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at the intersection of Lula Road.
According to Georgia State Patrol spokesperson Mark Riley, the driver was following too closely and rear-ended another vehicle in the north right lane of the highway. His car wound up blocking both northbound lanes with no lights on “causing it to be very hard to see the vehicle at night,” Riley says.
After the crash, the at-fault driver got out of his vehicle and was in the roadway when another vehicle hit him.
EMS transported the seriously injured driver to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment. GSP has not released his name nor information on whether any charges are pending.
The accident temporarily shut down the northbound lanes of GA 365 in Lula.
Law enforcement reports a number of trees have fallen on the south end of Habersham County as gusty winds continue to sweep through the area.
Around 4:30 p.m. crews were clearing a tree that fell across both lanes of Chase Road near McAllister Road in Cornelia. The road reopened about thirty minutes later.
911 callers also reported trees and power lines down on BC Grant Road in the Alto area.
Toppled trees have blocked roads and taken out power lines and power poles across the state, leaving thousands of homes and businesses without electricity.
Habersham EMC reported it restored power this afternoon to members near Helen after replacing a broken power pole. As of 6 p.m. Saturday, the local electric cooperative’s outage map showed about 100 HEMC members still without power in White and Habersham counties. Georgia Power reported about the same number of outages spread across Habersham, Stephens, Rabun, and White counties.
As of 6:12 p.m. on March 12, Georgia Power was working to restore electricity to more than 20,000 customers statewide. Local electric cooperatives reported over 7,000 members without power.
(Source: GA Power as of 6:12 p.m. March 12, 2022.)(Source: Georgia EMC as of 6:12 p.m. March 12, 2022.)
A Wind Advisory remains in effect for northeast Georgia until 1 a.m. Sunday. A Freeze Warning is in effect through 11 a.m. Sunday.
Stacy Lee Stephens, age 58, of Cornelia, passed away on Wednesday, March 9, 2022.
Born on September 24, 1963, he was a son of the late Homer James Stephens and Hazel Conrad Stephens. Stacy worked with his father for many years in septic installation, and also drove a tow truck with Cantrell Towing for some time. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, hunting and spending time with his grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his brother, Joe Stephens.
He is survived by his son, Brandon Stephens of Cornelia; daughter, Tiffany Stephens (Will Grier) of Alto; sisters, Donna Stephens of Cornelia, Debra McClellon (Kenneth) of Cornelia, and Kim Cook (Jerry) of Alto; and 5 granddaughters.
Funeral services will be held at 11 am on Monday, March 14, 2022, in the Chapel of McGahee-Griffin & Stewart with Rev. Jacob Armour officiating. Interment will follow in Antioch Holiness Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 1-5 pm on Sunday, March 13, 2022, at the funeral home.
Downtown Demorest during Winter Storm Izzy in January, 2022. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
Two new faces are joining the City of Demorest Downtown Development Authority, and now, they’re sharing why they chose to pursue the position.
The Demorest City Council voted last week to appoint former councilman Jim Welborn and Piedmont University Biology Professor Rebecca Godwin to the DDA at the suggestion of DDA member Lawrence Bridges.
Jim Welborn
Welborn, a Demorest local, served on the city council for a year before failing to be re-elected during the November 2021 municipal elections. He says that he sees serving on the DDA as a way to serve the city in a different way.
“I view it as a continuation to be able to serve the city,” Welborn said. “I no longer hold the council position, but this is another way that I can still be involved in trying to help the city, and having to watch out for the citizens– helping them move the city forward in some way.”
He went on to sat that he enjoys servant leadership in the city, and he hopes to contribute to the development of Demorest.
“I enjoy working for the people and being a servant for them,” Welborn says. “So, I hope that I can still serve in this capacity in a fruitful way.”
While Godwin doesn’t live in Demorest, she says spends a lot of her time in the city as Piedmont professor.
Rebecca Godwin (Photo: Piedmont University)
“I think it’s really important to be involved in my local community,” Godwin said. “I think mindful city planning by conscientious and invested residents is one of the best ways to create [a] vibrant downtown community atmosphere.”
She says she’s worked with city planning before, and that when she has, she’s seen “very positive outcomes.” She hopes she can do the same for the Demorest and Piedmont communities.
“Piedmont University is an integral component of downtown Demorest, and I agree with other DDA members that having the university represented and involved is important,” Godwin said. “My main hope for the DDA, and they are already making moves in this direction, is that we are able to create valuable community spaces in the downtown area, adding both retail space and outdoor activity and community spaces.”
Some school counselors and lawmakers are concerned about Georgia children’s mental health, citing a recent rise in deaths by suicide.
Jacob Dreiling is a certified therapist and mental health counselor at the Decatur Student Center. He focuses on suicide assessment and prevention for City Schools of Decatur. (Taylor Reimann/Fresh Take Georgia)
Jacob Dreiling, a mental health counselor in the Decatur public school system, said he has noticed an increase in suicidal thoughts among the students he sees.
“I’m doing suicide assessments on kindergarten, all the way up through 12th grade,” he said. “Students are feeling pressure and mental health issues in such high numbers.”
As of November, 67 Georgia children had taken their own lives, according to data obtained from the state Bureau of Investigation under the Open Records Act. Even without a complete tally for the year, 2021 has already surpassed 2020’s total of 55. The death rate from suicide for this age group has fluctuated over the past decade.
In light of these numbers, Georgia state Rep. Mesha Mainor said she wants to mandate suicide screenings at the beginning of each academic year for all public school students ages 8 through 18.
Her proposal comes amid a push to address mental health by Republican House leadership and has received some bipartisan support, but the bill has not passed out of committee.
School counselors and therapists already conduct suicide screenings on students who express thoughts of suicide or are referred by others, but this bill would require screenings for all students.
Mainor, a Democrat from Atlanta on the House Education Committee, said the screenings could help parents identify children who may be less likely to speak out about suicidal thoughts.
“One death is one death too many,” said Mainor, who lost her brother to suicide in 2010. “With this bill, I want to let parents be aware of what might be going on.”
At the Decatur Student Center, where Jacob Dreiling works, students can receive wrap-around mental health counseling in addition to the school’s counseling services. (Taylor Reimann/Fresh Take Georgia)
While Dreiling said he believes the screenings could be helpful, he expressed concern that universal screenings would amount to a massive increase in counselors’ workloads.
Doris Smith, a co-founder of the National Organization for People of Color Against Suicide, said she supported more robust mental health services in schools. However, she predicted that parents may balk at universal screenings, given the stigma surrounding counseling services.
“It’s gonna be pretty tough to get their permission to screen their child,” said Smith, who lost her son to suicide in 1992 at the age of 27.
Mainor said she was open to allowing parents to opt-out of the screenings during a House Education Committee hearing for the bill on Friday. The bill as filed does not address this.
At the same hearing, Rep. Miriam Paris, a Democrat from Macon, questioned whether educators have the capacity to take on “another layer of psychology work.”
“Having to wear so many hats in your occupation, I think, is another thing that leads to burnout,” Paris said.
Committee Chairman Matt Dubnik, a Republican from Gainesville, expressed support for the bill but alluded to potential amendments.
“This is something that needs to be addressed in a very serious way,” Dubnik said. “We will work with you to find a pathway forward to work on this legislation.”
One lawmaker on the committee questioned whether suicide prevention has any place in schools.
“I worry, just at its face, if that is a conversation that needs to be had with children within a school system at all,” said Rep. Dominic LaRiccia, a Republican from Douglas. “Children from many families have never thought about it … and if you bring attention to it, all of a sudden, you have sparked a thought in a person’s mind.”
Dreiling said parents and counselors shouldn’t fear talking openly about suicide with kids.
“The idea of suicide is out there,” Dreiling said. “You’re letting them know that it’s okay to talk to you about that. You’re not planting the idea.”
This article appears on Now Habersham in partnership with FreshTake Georgia
The Senate passed its version of a permit-less carry bill early this month, all but assuring some version of the proposal will land on the governor’s desk.
(GA Recorder) — The Georgia House approved a measure that would nix the requirement for someone to have a state license to carry a firearm.
The bill passed late Friday with a 94-57 vote that fell along party lines after a spirited hourlong debate. The Senate passed its version of a permitless carry bill early this month, all but assuring some version of the proposal will land on the governor’s desk.
Gov. Brian Kemp, who is in a heated GOP primary contest, has pledged to sign a “constitutional carry” bill – a commitment he reiterated in a speech after officially qualifying to run for re-election this week.
“We live in precarious times,” said the bill’s sponsor, Canton Republican state Rep. Mandi Ballinger. “There’s evil in the world. We need to protect ourselves. And this bill allows us to do so without having to pay money to the government to do it.”
Ballinger argued Georgia residents are not required to have a license to exercise their other constitutional rights.
Rep. Shea Roberts, at Atlanta Democrat, accused Republicans of wanting to relax what limited checks are currently in place for firearms.
“I’ve got to ask you: If you thought filling out that little piece of paper might stop a non-law-abiding citizen or somebody with a mental health history from hurting one child in the state, wouldn’t you just prioritize filling out the paper instead of the inconvenience?” Robert said.
And Sandy Springs Democratic state Rep. Josh McLaurin noted similar proposals have been filed in recent years, only to go nowhere. He pressed Republicans on what had changed this year.
“Did y’all care about freedom in 2019? Did you care about liberty in 2020? Or did you just figure it out this year?” McLaurin said to his colleagues.
McLaurin’s appearance at the microphone was also meant to be symbolic. McLaurin and the other Democrats who spoke against the measure were part of the so-called blue wave in 2018 that quickly shrunk the GOP’s majority in the House. Roberts flipped a seat in 2020.
“Every Democrat who spoke from the well tonight flipped one of your seats on the message that the public doesn’t want stuff like this,” he said, calling it “drift-right BS” meant to appeal to the Republican base.
But to his question of why pass a permit-less carry bill now, some Republicans offered answers.
Rep. J. Collins of Villa Rica, who chairs the committee that advanced the bill, recalled images on his TV of Atlanta “burning.” A Wendy’s in southwest Atlanta was burned down during protests following the shooting death of Rashard Brooks in June 2020.
Collins said concerned constituents tried to apply for a license only to find the local probate office was “shut down,” an apparent reference to the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions.
“So yeah, my mind was changed about constitutional carry,” Collins said.
Rep. Alan Powell, a long-time supporter of expanded gun laws, offered a more pragmatic explanation.
“We never had a governor that promoted permit-less carry or ‘constitutional care,’” the Hartwell Republican said.
“There’s a lot of members of this House that’s always been Second Amendment strong,” he added. “But if you don’t have a governor that says he’ll support the bill, we’re not going to pass a bill he’s going to veto it. That’d be crazy. So, we now have a governor who has said that he will support permit-less carry. That’s the difference, ladies and gentlemen.”
Death of the Nile is the sequel to the remake of Murder on the Orient Express. I’m not exactly sure if the remake was warranted enough to justify a sequel, but here it is and the results are even more mixed than its predecessor. For my money, it has too many characters and too many subplots until we finally get worn out by all the relentless exposition and its self-consciously quirky protagonist.
Kenneth Branagh is back as both director and starring as Hercule Poirot and this time, he’s vacationing in Egypt when he encounters a few old acquaintances. Gal Gadot and Armie Hammer play Linnet and Simon Doyle, a married couple who seek out Poirot’s protection because they suspect that Simon’s former fiancée (Emma Mackey) has grown jealous of the fact that the latter is now married and might stop at nothing to win him back.
The couple book their honeymoon on a cruise ship called the S.S. Karnak and other guests are also onboard and these are some quirky characters, to say the least. We’re introduced to Linnet’s longtime maid, (Rose Leslie); a jazz singer (Sophie Okonedo); Linnet’s godmother and nurse (Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French); a doctor; (Russell Brand); a friend of Poirot’s (Tom Bateman); and his mother (Annette Bening).
Simon’s former fiancée is also on board and it’s here where a murder takes place and there’s an enormous temptation to leap to the conclusion that the fiancée is the murderer, but it’s not quite as black-and-white as it seems.
Poirot begins his investigation with each person to discover their motivations and whereabouts when the murder took place, but with each suspect, he’s left with more questions than answers. So are we.
Coming off the heels of the beautifully made Belfast, Branagh once again shows off his flair and directing abilities with style. The sets and costumes are nice to look at and there are some spirited performances to keep it on its toes albeit intermittingly.
However, Death on the Nile is a movie that has very little that is tantalizing and any sense of ebb and flow in the narrative is oftentimes ineffective. There are moments that attempt to have us invested in the plot, but they’re quickly dashed due to another contrivance that throws us off and after a while, it gets frustrating to the point where when the climax comes and the murderer is revealed, there’s not much left to care about.
In addition, the characters are only sketchily developed and we don’t get nearly as much screen time with some of them as we would like. Branagh brings a sense of eccentricity to Poirot, especially with that exaggerated mustache and silly accent, but even he’s not enough to pull this ship from the beginning to the end.
This is a movie that’s two hours and seven minutes long and about two hours and 10 minutes after it starts, you’re no longer thinking about the murder; you’re thinking about something else.
Grade: B-
(Rated PG-13 for violence, some bloody images and sexual material.)
On a night where Addie Higbie scored 4 times and set herself as the new single-season goals leader in school history, the Lady Indians earned a dominant 5-0 win at Loganville Christian.
The win gives TFS a second win in a row and second region victory simultaneously. Higbie came in with 12 goals on the season, just 3 off the single-season school record of 15 set in 2017 by Maria Whitson. The 4 goals give the junior her third hat trick of the season and fourth of her career. She already tied the school record with a 5-goal game earlier this season.
Higbie scored on a right-side cross from Gemma Farris to open the scoring. She then added a corner kick goal, assisted by Tessa Foor to put TFS up 2-0, which held to the break.
In the second half, Higbie went back to work, scoring off the dribble on an unassisted goal to push the lead up to 3-0. She then added her fourth and final goal, which set a new single-season school record, on a left-side cross coming from Meredith Morris. Maddie LeBlanc scored off a free kick later, assisted by Kat Williams for the 5-0 lead. Kyndal Anderson secured another clean sheet victory between the posts.
“It was a strong team effort by the entire roster, including subs,” states coach Travis Mullis, who pointed out the stellar play of Anderson, defending by Josie Chesser, Caroline Moseley, Leah Desta, and Millie Holcomb. “We had terrific transition by our midfielders,” added Mullis, referring to Williams, Maddie Mullis, and LeBlanc. “And we had fine finishes by Higbie, Foor, and Farris,” he adds.
The Lady Indians are now 2-1 in Region 8-A Private and 4-4 overall. With Higbie’s 16 goals on the season, she now stands at 23 in her career. That puts her just 3 off the school’s all-time goals mark, which is held by Ashton Boyd (’12-’14) and current senior Honora Kahwach, whose next goal would make her the all-time leader. Both Kahwach and Higbie will likely take turns setting the record this season.
Anderson’s shutout was her second of the season and fourth of her career, and the 38 goals scored this season for the Lady Indians surpasses last year’s record of 37.
GOALS
4 – Addie Higbie (16)
Maddie LeBlanc (1)
ASSISTS
Gemma Farris (3)
Tessa Foor (1)
Meredith Morris (2)
Kat Williams (2)
The Indians slid past Loganville Christian in a Friday road region match by a 3-2 final. TFS broke a tie in the second half and held off a comeback attempt by LCA.
Austin Ball got the Indians on the board quickly with a goal. Later in the first half, Loganville capitalized on an error by TFS and got the equalizer.
Sean Lynes, Jr. continued his impressive season with 2 goals in the second half, one off an assist by Ball and the other from Trevor Bramlett. Lynes, Jr. now has 17 goals on the season, which is 7 off the single-season school record set last year by Max Farris. Ball has 8 goals and 9 assists. The sophomore is already the known career assist leader at Tallulah Falls with 19 assists.
After the pair of goals by Lynes, Jr. to take a 3-1 lead, Tallulah Falls held on for the win.
“We gave up another goal late in the second half, but held on and played smart to keep the lead through the end,” states coach Jeremy Stille.
The Indians move to 6-1-1 overall and are 2-0 in region play.
Kennesaw State University Alumnus Raymond Goslow answers questions from the audience at the school's watch party for the "Jeopardy! National College Championship" on Feb. 22. (Sarah Swetlik/Fresh Take Georgia)
KENNESAW, Ga. – Raymond Goslow is a sponge for information who grew up watching “Jeopardy!” — two traits that helped him land second place in the 2022 “Jeopardy! National College Championship”.
“Being a very interdisciplinary-minded person and, I think, being very positive and optimistic in general just about life helps as well,” said Goslow, 24, of Austell, who competed as a senior at Kennesaw State University. “That makes me want to engage with all kinds of people and all kinds of knowledge.”
Goslow had graduated by the time the show aired last month, making him into an instant local celebrity. He now works as a public library assistant in Cobb County.
Goslow grew up watching “Jeopardy!” and playing along by answering questions. But he said it was all the accumulated knowledge of his interdisciplinary major, library work and hobbies — including crossword puzzles — that prepared him to compete on the show. He made it to the finals and ultimately won second place and a $100,000 cash prize.
Kennesaw State University students and faculty cheer as Goslow answers a question during the show’s finale. (Sarah Swetlik/Fresh Take Georgia)
Goslow said he does not have concrete plans for the money yet, but is glad he doesn’t have to spend it on student loans after living at home for most of college and availing himself of Georgia’s lottery-funded HOPE scholarship.
Fame has been an adjustment for Goslow since the championship aired. He was taken aback by the long lines of fellow KSU students who showed up to take pictures and congratulate him at the campus watch party the night of the final episode.
“I definitely used to be an introvert, but now I’m not so sure,” Goslow said. “I had a lot of fun at the watch party shaking hands with everybody in line and getting to know them just a little bit.”
Since then, he has continued to get recognized in public and his social media following has grown. Although he has responded to many well-wishers online, Goslow said he is trying to find balance with celebrity life.
“I have a job and a life and people in my life that get priority over random people on the internet,” Goslow said. “That’s gonna be kind of a challenge for me to navigate, but I’ll make it work.”
This article appears on Now Habersham through a news partnership with FreshTake Georgia
A Clarkesville husband and wife arrested in 2020 for trafficking heroin have again been arrested and charged with trafficking drugs. Officers charged Andrew and Alisha Dover with trafficking heroin and methamphetamine after a traffic stop and police chase Wednesday in Demorest.
According to the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office, on March 9, Habersham County deputies attempted to stop a car near the Marathon gas station on Highway 115 for a traffic violation. They say when they did, the car tried to get away.
Deputies pursued the vehicle east on Highway 115 for approximately four miles, reaching speeds over 75 mph, the arrest warrant shows. The chase ended near the Habersham Mills Road Connector after Habersham Deputy Brandon Holcomb used a PIT maneuver to stop the fleeing vehicle.
Suspected drugs agents say they seized during the March 9, 2022, arrest of Clarkesville couple Andrew and Alisha Dover. (Source: ARDEO)
“Prior to the car being stopped, a bag was thrown from the window and was eventually recovered by police,” says ARDEO Special Agent in Charge Trent Hillsman. He says the bag contained three ounces of suspected heroin and five ounces of suspected methamphetamine. He says a quantity of suspected Xanax pills was also recovered.
The estimated street value of the seized narcotics is approximately $6,600.
The Dovers’ arrests followed a months-long joint drug trafficking investigation by ARDEO and HCSO. The couple was last arrested for drug trafficking in November 2020. Now Habersham has reached out to law enforcement and court officials to find out the status of those previous charges. We have not heard back.
Following his most recent arrest, Andrew Dover, 45, was transported to Habersham Medical Center because officers suspected he may have ingested heroin during the traffic stop. Deputies transported Alisha Dover, 41, to jail.
Deputies charged Andrew Dover with trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking heroin, possession with intent to distribute a schedule IV drug, tampering with evidence, fleeing and attempting to elude, along with DUI and other traffic-related offenses.
In addition to heroing and meth trafficking, officers charged Alisha Dover with two counts of tampering with evidence, two counts of abandonment of dangerous drugs, and one count of obstructing or hindering law enforcement officers.
A judge denied her bond. He has not yet been booked into jail, according to officials. Hillsman says the investigation is ongoing.
