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EPA issues waiver for sales of 15% ethanol blend during summer driving season

A waiver for the corn-produced ethanol blend will last until May 20, but the EPA could decide to extend it if rising fuel prices continue to spike. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)

WASHINGTON (GA Recorder) — The EPA issued a fuel waiver Friday afternoon to allow for a heightened ethanol gasoline blend to be sold at service stations this summer, an attempt by the Biden administration to lower soaring fuel prices.

In a letter to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, EPA administrator Michael S. Regan wrote that the waiver will allow gas stations to sell the cheaper fuel blend with 15% ethanol in order “to address extreme and unusual fuel supply circumstances caused by the war in Ukraine that are affecting all regions of the Nation.”

The waiver for the corn-produced ethanol blend will last until May 20, but the EPA could decide to extend the waiver, Regan wrote, adding that the situation of rising fuel prices could worsen. Biden said earlier this month in an Iowa appearance that the waiver would continue through the summer.

In roughly two-thirds of the country, E15 cannot be sold from terminals starting on May 1 and at retail stations starting on June 1, the EPA said.

“The EPA also believes that the current extreme and unusual circumstances affecting global supply will continue in the near term, while the pressure on U.S. markets, including production and distribution of gasoline and other petroleum products, may worsen considering that crude oil disruptions, record usage of existing refineries, and even stronger international demand, have put significant pressure on the ability of domestic gasoline and other petroleum product supply to meet demand,” Regan wrote.

The waiver affects a small portion of gas stations in the U.S. that sell corn-based ethanol fuel. There are only 2,300 gas stations nationwide that offer a 15% ethanol blend, compared to the more than 140,000 gas stations across the U.S.

Iowa’s congressional delegation has pushed for year-round use of biofuels, but under current law, the 15% ethanol blend may not be sold from June to September due to concerns about air pollution. The EPA said Friday that it “does not expect any impact on air quality from this limited action.”

While in Iowa in early April, President Joe Biden announced his administration planned to direct the EPA to initiate a waiver. Iowa is home to 42 ethanol refineries.

“I’m here today because home-grown biofuels have a role to play right now …  as we work to get prices under control and reduce the costs for families,” Biden told the crowd.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki in a statement Friday characterized the move as a money-saver. “At current prices, E15 can save a family 10 cents per gallon of gas on average and many stores sell E15 at an even greater discount and today’s waiver will allow families to pay that lower price for months to come,” she said.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association praised the move.

“We thank President Biden and EPA Administrator Regan for upholding the promise to ensure E15 can be sold nationwide this summer. It was very important this action was taken today before May 1 when fuel terminals would have had to start discontinuing the distribution of E15 to retailers,” said executive director Monte Shaw. “This way terminals and retailers can have certainty and there will be absolutely no interruption in consumer access to cleaner-burning, lower-cost E15.”

The Bad Guys

The Bad Guys is an animated movie that has a lot of humor, energy and heart even if it follows a predictable and derivative script. Where it may lack in any real surprises, it makes up for with a voice talent that carries it through for 100 minutes.

The movie takes place in a world where humans and animals coexist. A ragtag team of anthropomorphic critters known as the Bad Guys wreaks havoc on the city by stealing. They’re led by Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell). Mr. Wolf’s cohorts include Mr. Snake (Marc Meron), a safecracker; Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina), a computer hacker; Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), a master of disguise; and Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) who has a short fuse.

Together they team up on heists and at the beginning, they’re planning to steal the Good Samaritan Award that’s expected to be given to Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade), a guinea pig who helped save the city from a meteor.

The Bad Guys almost get away with their crime and are about to be sent to prison when Marmalade is persuaded by Mr. Wolf to help reform their wicked ways.

Zazie Beetz from Deadpool 2 and Joker costars as Governor Foxington who has some real doubts about their rehabilitation, but she reluctantly agrees.

Marmalade’s attempts prove to be unsuccessful, but Mr. Wolf starts turning on his own after he saves the life of a woman from falling down a flight of steps. This gives Marmalade the idea of using the Bad Guys’ talents to reinvent their image.

Each part of their plan serves as a homage to other movies. We get spoofs of everything from Pulp Fiction, Mission: Impossible, Fast & Furious and the Ocean’s movies. The pop-culture references miss just about as much as they hit.

There’s nothing fresh or original about The Bad Guys. We can see the plot twist a mile away and the movie is obviously setting itself up for an inevitable sequel, but the talents of Rockwell, Maron, Awkwafina, and others lend real charm and charisma to their roles.

I did like how the characters are each given enough screen time to allow their personalities to take front and center and the actors are certainly having a great time with the material.

I think perhaps the mechanics of predictability prevented this from being a memorable animated movie. As it is, it’s just entertaining enough for kids, and adults might find it a moderate diversion.

Grade: B+

(Rated PG for action and rude humor.)

U.S. to lend and lease military supplies to Ukraine under bill cleared by Congress

U.S. military equipment is loaded aboard an aircraft to assist Ukraine. (Screen shot from Defense Department video)

WASHINGTON (GA Recorder) — The U.S. House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to use the framework of a World War II-era program to allow the federal government to lend and lease military equipment to Ukraine as it resists Russian troops.

The legislation, called the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act, would remove red tape and require the White House to create an expedited process for lending or leasing military equipment to Ukraine’s government.

The bill, passed 417-10 with all the no votes from Republicans, now goes to President Joe Biden for his expected signature.

“Eighty years ago, the U.S created the Lend-Lease program to provide military and humanitarian aid to Great Britain and our allies in Europe as they stood on the front lines to oppose the Axis powers that threatened democracies around the world, including our own,” Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon said.

“Today the Ukrainian people are standing on the front lines in the fight for democracy and against tyranny, and the U.S. needs to provide them with every possible measure of humanitarian and military aid.”

Indiana Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz — who was born in 1978 in what was then the Soviet Union, but is now Ukraine — spoke in support of the bill, saying that “streamlining the process” for lending or leasing weapons and equipment to Ukraine was crucial.

Spartz said she’s been to Ukraine twice recently and witnessed the “brutality of this war” and the “atrocities that happened to the civilian population.”

“It’s very difficult to express with words, very disturbing. But the strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people and optimism is very inspiring for me as an American,” Spartz said.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, said the only acceptable outcome of the war in Ukraine is “strategic defeat” for Russian President Vladimir Putin and “global criminality.”

“Anything less would send a dangerous signal to other dictators around the world that wars of aggression could yield net gains. That must not happen,” Hoyer said. “America and our allies must ensure that the only thing Putin gains from the invasion of Ukraine is a hard lesson learned through bitter defeat and loss.”

Michigan GOP Rep. Tim Walberg recalled his recent trip to Ukraine over Easter while urging his colleagues to vote for the bill.

“Stand with Ukraine. They’ve stood with us,” he said.

Voting no

The 10 Republicans who voted against the measure include Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop, Ohio Rep. Warren Davidson, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman, Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry and Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany.

The legislation will allow the Biden administration to lend or lease military equipment to Ukraine or other Eastern European governments “to help bolster those countries’ defense capabilities and protect their civilian populations” from Russia.

Biden currently has authority under the Arms Export Control Act to lend or lease military equipment to other countries as long as it’s in the U.S. national security interest. But several Republican and Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation earlier this year to remove some of the bureaucratic hurdles and speed up the process.

The legislation will waive some of the current Lend-Lease requirements, including that loans must be capped at five years and that the government agreeing to the lease pay the United States for all costs associated with the lease.

The legislation also requires the Biden administration to create expedited procedures for timely delivering military equipment under the Lend-Lease program within 60 days of the bill becoming law.

The U.S. Senate passed the bill on a voice vote in early April.

New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a primary co-sponsor, said at the time “delivering military aid as quickly as possible is pivotal for Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Putin’s unprovoked attacks.”

“As the world bears witness to the most serious security threat to Europe and our global stability since World War II, this legislation to speed up the process of moving military equipment to the frontlines couldn’t be more urgent,” Shaheen said.

Lend-Lease and FDR

The U.S Congress originally approved the Lend-Lease Act (H.R. 1776) in 1941, giving the president the authority to sell, lend, or lease military equipment to any nation deemed vital to national security.

Then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt urged Congress to approve the legislation in his January 1941 message, according to the U.S. House historian’s office.

“We cannot, and we will not, tell them that they must surrender, merely because of present inability to pay for the weapons which we know they must have,” he said.

After the bill became law, Roosevelt established the Office of Lend-Lease Administration and ordered the first shipment of food and equipment to go to the United Kingdom, according to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

Within two years, Roosevelt added Australia, China, New Zealand and the Soviet Union to the list of eligible Lend-Lease nations as well as numerous others, including the Netherlands, Norway and Poland, whose governments were in exile at the time.

The list of supplies sent during World War II’s Lend-Lease program was broad. It included items directly needed by other militaries, such as airplanes, tanks, small arms and ships, as well as clothing and food.

During his floor speech Thursday, Hoyer noted that Roosevelt said the Lend-Lease program helped establish America as an “arsenal for democracy.”

“Today, the battle for democracy is taking place in another European nation — Ukraine,” Hoyer said. “The Ukrainian people are the ones engaged in combat directly. They are the point of the spear.”

The U.S. House vote to approve the bipartisan Lend-Lease measure on Thursday came just hours after Biden called on Congress to approve $33 billion in additional economic, humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine.

Hoyer said he plans to bring that bill to the floor as soon as Democrats and Republicans agree on the package.

Asher James Williams

Infant Asher James Williams, son of Jebb Connor Williams and Danielle Leann Waters of Cornelia was born on March 28, 2022, in Gainesville and passed away on Tuesday, April 26, 2022.

In addition to his parents, Asher is also survived by his grandparents, Kevin and Misty Williams of Cornelia and Danny and Amanda Waters of Alto; great grandparents, Buster and Tillie Williams of Clarkesville; Betty Whitfield of Cornelia, Mary Ann McDuffie (Joe) of Alto, Ronnie Ross (Vanessa Hall) of Griffin, Ronnie and Denise Scott of Newnan; numerous aunts and uncles.

He was preceded in death by great grandparents, Doug Porterfield, Anita Franklin, and James Steve Waters; and great-great-grandmother Eva Ruth Bruce.

Funeral services will be held at 2 pm on Monday, May 2, 2022, in the Chapel of McGahee-Griffin and Stewart with Rev. Sandy Coggins and Rev. Phil Yarber officiating. Interment will follow in Level Grove Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 12 noon until the service hour on Monday at the funeral home.

An online guest register is available and may be viewed at www.mcgaheegriffinandstewart.com.

Mcgahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home of Cornelia, Georgia (706/778-8668) is in charge of arrangements.

Firefighters respond to report of elderly woman trapped inside burning home

Firefighters responded to this house at 798 Stekoa Falls Road in Rabun County believing an elderly woman was trapped inside. After searching for her, firefighters learned she was safe with family. (photo by Rabun County Fire Services)

There were some extremely tense moments for firefighters in Rabun County on Wednesday while responding to a house fire with a report of a woman trapped inside.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 798 Stekoa Falls Road around 3:21 p.m. on April 27. When they arrived, the back of the single-story structure and two vehicles under a carport were heavily involved with fire. Flames were also showing from the front door and living room windows says Rabun County Fire Services Assistant Chief Justin Upchurch.

“The fire attack was begun quickly as well as a search for the occupant. After the fire was controlled and the primary search had revealed no occupant, family arrived on scene stating the missing female was safe with them,” Upchurch says.

The fire severely damaged the interior of the residence. Firefighters helped remove items from the house for the family.

Fortunately, no one was injured. The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

Multiple agencies from different jurisdictions helped with the response, including Rabun County EMS, Clayton and Dillard police, and the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office.

According to Upchurch, “It was a true multi-agency response with all hands contributing to the best outcome possible for the situation.”

Flowery Branch standoff ends peacefully, man arrested for threatening officers

A lengthy standoff between an armed resident and law enforcement ended peacefully early Thursday morning in Hall County.

In a joint effort between the Flowery Branch Police Department and Hall County Sheriff’s Office, the was taken into custody at his home in the Sterling on the Lake Community in Flowery Branch.

Initially, police officers responded to a 911 call Wednesday afternoon from someone requesting a welfare check on the man who lived in the 6800 block of Lake Overlook Lane. That man, later identified as Jacob Lee Hill, 30, reportedly had been threatening to harm himself.

When officers approached the residence, Hill brandished a firearm and threatened to shoot the officers if they did not leave his property, officials say. Hill continued to threaten to harm himself, as well. When Hill fired a shot inside the house, Flowery Branch officers called for assistance from Hall County SWAT. The team, including negotiators, responded to the neighborhood and tried to convince Hill to exit the home. During the course of the negotiations, Hill fired two more shots inside the house.

Around midnight, SWAT officers determined they would have to force Hill from the residence. They deployed a less-than-lethal chemical agent into the house and Hill surrendered peacefully about 20 minutes later.

“This was a team effort all around,” says Flowery Branch Police Chief Chris Hulsey. “Neighbors were very patient because we had roads closed in the neighborhood and they couldn’t get home until very late. I also commend the Hall County Sheriff’s Office and their SWAT Team for helping to bring this incident to a peaceful end.”

No one suffered any injuries during the standoff.

“We’re thankful for the positive outcome of this very tense situation,” says Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch. “Our SWAT members and officers from the Flowery Branch Police Department worked together in tandem through the night and we’re just glad the incident was resolved without anyone being hurt.”

Hill has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault against a peace officer and four counts of terroristic threats. He remains in the Hall County Jail.

Are child abuse crimes on the rise in Habersham County?

The blue lights in Clarkesville shine each April to draw attention to National Child Abuse Prevention Month. (Joy Purcell/Now Habersham)

Recent reports on child abuse in Habersham County seem to indicate that crime against children is on the rise. According to Deputy Kevin Angell, the Public Information Officer of the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, that’s not necessarily so. Angell explains that the work of the Sheriff’s Office has increased public reporting of incidents as well as convictions. That means the office is receiving more reports of child abuse than they have in the past. As Angell says, “We can’t know what we don’t know.” They can’t investigate crimes that haven’t been reported.

And that success in more reporting is no accident.

The Special Victims Unit at work

In 2020 a special grant from COPS allowed the Sheriff’s Office to restructure the way they approach crime incidents. Investigators were divided into two investigating teams, one for crimes against persons and the other for property crimes.

Angell points out that any success in the areas of child abuse and domestic violence requires the public’s trust in reporting incidents. He credits the work of the crimes against persons team, known as the Special Victims Unit (SVU) for building trust with the community to be willing to call for help. That trust has been built through intentional efforts.

First is the anonymous reporting system put in place in all county schools. Designed as a safe way for children to report abuse, either against them or friends, the system works through an app that children can put on their phones. It’s allowed children to quickly call for help and to report anonymously if necessary. Furthermore, the county has an actively engaged School Resource Officer (SRO) program. Officers work to build strong, positive relationships with students and staff.

Second, the sheriff’s office partners with FAITH’s Power House, a child advocacy and sexual assault center in Toccoa, Georgia. The trained staff at Power House conducts all forensic units, creating a safer and more calming experience for abuse victims.

Third, the SVU has added a patrol investigator to its team. In that position is Deputy Michael Meadenhall who is dually assigned to the patrol unit and SVU. Because Depty Meadenhall is already on patrol, he is able to get to a call on abuse or domestic violence quickly.

Fourth, the investigation division created the position of Public Information Officer. In this role, Angell has the responsibility of keeping the community informed.

The Special Victims Unit (SVU) has been carefully structured with personnel. The unit is made up of four investigators. Besides Patrol Investigator Michael Meadenhall, Investigator Eric Newcomb and Investigator Kevin Angell (also the PIO) are especially skilled in internet research; and Investigator Cale Garrison, home-grown in the area, has the historical knowledge and relationships to understand the community and to locate people. Sergeant Wesley Welborn is the working supervisor of the unit, as well as handling financial crimes and adult protective services.

They care deeply about what they do

Angell emphasized that the deputies of the SVU are “passionate about what we do.” He says, “Sometimes, people see us in their worst hours. But we don’t get to see the end of their journeys once the case is passed on to the District Attorney’s office. That bothers us. We care. We wish we knew how the victims are doing.”

That’s the reason you’ll see so many investigators at extra activities and community events. They want the community to see that they really do care. They do their jobs well, but they are also parents and spouses – they care about what happens to people in Habersham County and the victims they’ve met along the way.

The community can help

The SVU depends upon the community to let them know when abuse is taking place. The case of Melinda and David Cowart’s alleged abuse of their four children discovered that other people in the family knew something was wrong but did not realize how bad it was. Reports can be made anonymously. For phone numbers, go to www.habershamsheriff.com/victimsassistance.

The community can also help by providing new stuffed animals and small blankets to the SVU. These are kept in patrol cars and are used to provide comfort to children and adults of abuse crimes. Interestingly, the community has been providing these in the past, but the supply dried up during the COVID pandemic.

 

Biden asks Congress for $33 billion for Ukraine aid, pleads again for COVID funds

KYIV, UKRAINE - FEBRUARY 25: A residential building damaged by a missile on February 25, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Yesterday, Russia began a large-scale attack on Ukraine, with Russian troops invading the country from the north, east and south, accompanied by air strikes and shelling. The Ukrainian president said that at least 137 Ukrainian soldiers were killed by the end of the first day. (Photo by Pierre Crom/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (GA Recorder) — President Joe Biden on Thursday asked Congress to approve $33 billion more in funding to help Ukraine fight off a Russian invasion that has lasted more than two months and claimed thousands of lives.

Biden also asked U.S. lawmakers to make it easier for the federal government to sell off assets seized from sanctioned Russians to help fund the Ukrainian war effort.

“This so-called supplemental funding addresses the needs of the Ukrainian military during the critical weeks and months ahead,” Biden said from the Roosevelt Room in the White House. “And it begins the transition to longer-term security assistance that’s going to help Ukraine deter and continue to defend against Russian aggression.”

Republicans and Democrats are expected to quickly begin drafting the emergency spending bill that administration officials expect to last for five months, though a stalemate over a $10 billion bipartisan agreement to fight COVID-19 within the United States could affect those efforts.

The Biden administration originally asked Congress to approve $22.5 billion for domestic and global programs to test, treat and provide vaccines against COVID-19 in early March, but two bipartisan agreements have yet to reach either the U.S. House or U.S. Senate floor.

Biden renewed calls for the full amount Thursday, saying the United States cannot let its guard down.

“Without additional funding we can’t preorder the amount of vaccines we need, and we risk losing our spot in line for vaccines that target multiple variants,” Biden said. “We’re running out of supply for therapeutics, like the antiviral pills that we desperately need.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, has not ruled out tying together the new Ukraine spending bill and the current COVID-19 aid package. But, Biden said Thursday he didn’t care if Congress linked the two measures or passed them individually, as long as they both get to his desk.

Title 42 complication

The coronavirus bill, however, is tied up in debate over whether the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should end a Trump-era program, known as Title 42, that allows border patrol officials to expel migrants at the Southern border.

The CDC plans to end the program in late May, a decision that has frustrated GOP lawmakers and centrist Democrats, who are concerned the Biden administration doesn’t have a comprehensive plan in place to handle an expected surge in migrants.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, reiterated Tuesday he wants a floor vote on Title 42, and he’s eyeing the COVID-19 bill as the place to do that in the form of an amendment.

“I want to make it clear to you and the majority leader that we’ll need to have a Title 42 vote at some point here, in all likelihood on the COVID package,” McConnell said.

Biden said Thursday that the courts are deciding whether his administration can end the program.

“The court has said we can’t, so far. And what the court says, we’re going to do,” Biden said. “The court could come along and say we cannot do that and that’s it.”

A second Ukraine request

Thursday’s request for billions in economic, humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine is the second time the White House has asked Congress to provide billions for the war effort since Russia invaded in late February.

The first Ukraine aid request, sent up alongside the COVID-19 request in early March, asked U.S. lawmakers to provide $10 billion for economic, humanitarian and war assistance.

Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill quickly bumped that up to $13.6 billion before attaching it to a much larger, must-pass government funding package, which received broad bipartisan support.

The Ukraine funding was divvied up among several U.S. departments and agencies.

The bulk of the money, $6.5 billion, went to the Defense Department, with $3.5 billion for backfilling military equipment that had gone to Ukraine and $3.1 billion to deploy U.S. troops to NATO allies in Europe.

The U.S. State Department received $3.972 billion and the U.S. Agency for International Development received $2.795 billion for various humanitarian and economic assistance programs.

The U.S. military has used up much of that $3.5 billion by sending several packages of equipment — ranging from Howitzers to drones to small arms  — to Ukraine.

The funding request Biden sent to Congress this week asks for $20.4 billion in military and security assistance, $8.5 billion in economic assistance and $3 billion in humanitarian assistance and food security.

The United States expects the funding “to enable Ukraine’s success over the next five months of” the war, according to an administration official who didn’t define what success means.

American allies and partners, especially those in the Group of Seven nations, are expected to “provide comparable levels of assistance” to Ukraine, according to the official.

Funds for U.S. food production

Not all of the money would be spent abroad, however.

The White House spending request asks Congress to approve $500 million for domestic food production assistance to bolster crops like wheat and soybeans that have been affected by the war in Ukraine.

The U.S. government plans to provide more access to credit and reduce the risk farmers can face when growing those crops by providing “higher loan rates and crop insurance incentives,” according to a White House fact sheet.

Additional funding would go towards increasing domestic production of “critical minerals and materials that have been disrupted” by the war, including those used in defense systems and car manufacturing, according to the fact sheet.

The White House also wants U.S. lawmakers to enhance what officials are allowed to do with assets seized from sanctioned Russian officials.

The Biden administration wants to add sanctions evasion to the definition of “racketeering activity” in the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. This would give the Justice Department the ability “to dismantle organizations that enable violations of U.S. sanctions.”

An administration official said Thursday that the White House doesn’t believe the proposed changes violate due process.

Anyone with an interest in the property would have the opportunity to raise that and seek judicial review. The property seized would also need to have a “nexus to criminal conduct,” according to an administration official

“With those safeguards, we feel confident that this satisfies the constitutional requirement,” the official said.

The Biden White House also wants to make it a crime for anyone to “knowingly or intentionally possess proceeds directly obtained from corrupt dealings with the Russian government.”

Biden said during his address Thursday that changes would “ensure that when the oligarchs’ assets are sold off, funds can be used directly to remedy the harm Russia caused and help rebuild Ukraine.”

Emory John “E.J.” Lathan

Emory John “E.J.” Lathan, age 80 of Mount Airy, Georgia went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at his residence.

Born in Mount Airy, Georgia on March 09, 1942, he was a son of the late Dawson William & Dorothy Cash Lathan. E.J. was the owner/operator of G & L Upholstery with a career that spanned over 45 years. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, fishing, and car racing. Most of all, he was a loving husband, dedicated father, & doting Papa who enjoyed precious time with his family. E.J. was a member of Welcome Home Baptist Church.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Carl Lathan; sister, Valorie Lathan Galloway; brothers-in-law, Gene Allen & James Gosnell; as well as father-in-law & mother-in-law, Hubert & Annie Sellers Loudermilk.

Survivors include his loving wife of 58 years, Sarah Sellers Lathan; children, Wanda Lathan Cantrell (Lee); Donna Lathan Taylor (Barry); John Lathan (Tabitha) all of Mount Airy, GA; grandchildren, Cody Cantrell, Tyler Cantrell (Rainen Wade), Sarah Cantrell, Drake Lathan (Hannah), Dawson Lathan, Addie Lathan, Carson Taylor, & Grayson Taylor all of Mount Airy, GA; sisters, Louise Lathan Allen of Mount Airy, GA; Betty Lathan Gosnell of Cornelia, GA; sister-in-law, Mildred Lathan of Cornelia, GA; as well as a large number of nieces, nephews, other relatives, & friends.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Saturday, April 30, 2022, at Hillside Memorial Chapel with Rev. Chad Parham & Rev. Ricky McFarlin officiating. Interment will follow in the Hillside Gardens Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. & from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Friday.

Flowers are accepted or donations may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

An online guest registry is available for the Lathan family at www.HillsideMemorialChapel.com.

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

Georgia aims to keep more kids out of foster care with new specialist teams 

(Sarah Swetlik/Fresh Take Georgia)

Georgia plans to launch a new program this summer intended to prevent children from entering the foster care system.

The $1.5 million pilot program would dispatch groups of specialists, known as “community action teams,” to assist families and children who are at risk of separation or are already involved in the child welfare system.

“I think we may see that in-home therapies and in-home counseling would prevent the child from being put into foster care,” said Candice Broce, the director of the Division of Family and Children Services.

Broce said Georgia’s program will be based on a similar model in Florida.

Florida’s community action teams launched in 2005 in Manatee County to help prevent children from unnecessarily entering state custody.

The teams, which now cover every county in Florida, are made up of mental health clinicians, a psychiatrist or advanced registered nurse practitioner, a nurse, a case manager, therapeutic mentors and support staff. They are available on nights, weekends and holidays and serve children and young adults up to 21 years old.

Sharon Hill, the former director of Georgia DFCS, said she hopes a similar initiative in her state could help keep families united.

“Foster care is really not the answer,” said Hill, who left the department in 2014. “It’s a short-term or temporary solution that’s meant to keep a child safe until we can find a permanent answer, whether it’s reunification or adoption.”

“We do not want children to come into the foster care system if they don’t have to,” she added.

Hill said specialized teams also could lift some of the stress on caseworkers, potentially helping lower staff turnover rates. Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services lost almost 1,200 employees, 19.1% of its workforce, to resignations and transfers in the year ending last July.

“We ask our case managers to go into situations that they may not be equipped to handle,” Hill said.

Hill, who has spent more than 30 years in child welfare, recalled her first case, which she said involved a mother who had hung her baby from the shower curtain rod and stood outside wielding a large knife.

With only a mentor present, Hill, whose background was in mental health services, felt overwhelmed.

“I can remember thinking, ‘Oh, I’m not gonna be able to do this job,’” Hill said.

Hill said she believes the new program will create a safer environment for caseworkers and children alike.

“Having people who are skilled in de-escalating a crisis and resolving it just made good sense for everybody,” Hill said. “The right people going out to begin with protects the child and the individuals.”

This article appears on Now Habersham in partnership with Fresh Take Georgia

Stacy Smith

Stacy Smith, age 53 of Clarkesville, Georgia passed away on Friday, April 15, 2022.

Born in Demorest, Georgia on January 30, 1969, he was a son of Don & Thelma Murphy Smith of Clarkesville, Georgia. Stacy enjoyed fishing, he was a jack of all trades and enjoyed sitting around the fire with friends and family. He liked watching racing and football. Although Stacy was a busy man, he always enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Carla Eller Smith & sister, Kelley Cotton Savage.

In addition to his parents, survivors include his daughters, Megan Jean Smith of Clarkesville, GA; Robin Barrett of Baldwin, GA; Brittany Fowler Smith of Clarkesville, GA; brother, Elliot Smith of Clarkesville, GA; sister, Kim Hill of Hartwell, GA; grandsons, Jaxon Barrett & Crimson Fowler; granddaughters, Brooklyn Fowler & Charlotte Smith; other relatives, & a host of friends.

A celebration of Stacy’s life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, 2022, at the Union Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Baldwin, Georgia with Elder Terrell Simmons officiating.

An online guest registry is available for the Smith family at www.HillsideMemorialChapel.com.

Arrangements by Hillside Memorial Chapel, Clarkesville, Georgia. (706) 754-6256

Year-long investigation leads to drug trafficking arrest

Drug task force agents say they seized 172 grams of meth from a suspected trafficker in Jackson County. (ARDEO)

A Northeast Georgia woman is in jail, charged with trafficking and distributing methamphetamine.

45-year-old Angela Burke of Nicholson was arrested on April 20 following a year-long investigation, says Michael Marlar, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office.

According to Marlar, Burke was arrested with 172 grams of suspected methamphetamine in her possession. The estimated street value of the meth is $12,900.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Banks County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia State Patrol, and ARDEO were involved in the investigation. Marlar says the investigation is still active and ongoing.