Fire destroyed this house in Rabun Gap just before dawn on Jan. 13, killing two of the five people inside. Fire investigators are now trying to determine what caused the deadly blaze. (State Fire Marshal's Office)
Officials have still not released the names of the two people who died in a house fire in Rabun County. The fire broke out just before dawn Thursday at 734 Western Way in the Sylvan Lake Falls Subdivision in Rabun Gap. State and local fire officials are still investigating the deadly blaze.
Rabun County E-911 dispatched firefighters to the scene at 7:24 a.m. on January 13 with information there were possibly two people still inside the burning home. The first engine arrived in thirteen minutes and found the approximate 3000 square foot wood frame structure consumed by heavy fire, officials say.
“The fire had already burned through the roof and most of the exterior walls,” says Rabun County Assistant Fire Chief Justin Upchurch. “Three people had exited the fire prior to the fire department’s arrival.”
Crews on the scene requested an extra tanker and help from the Otto, North Carolina, Fire Department. They drew water from the lake at the bottom of the subdivision to help extinguish the blaze.
It took firefighters about 40 minutes to get the fire under control so they could begin searching for the two missing occupants. They found both of them dead.
The bodies were sent to the GBI Crime Lab in Decatur for autopsies. Officials are not releasing their names at this time, Upchurch says. Rabun County Coroner Sam Beck told Now Habersham Friday evening that they’re waiting to get positive identification from the GBI Crime Lab before releasing any names.
The fire completely destroyed the 14-year-old home. Crews used approximately 26,000 gallons of water fighting the flames and remained on scene for nearly six hours. The State Fire Marshal’s Office was called in to investigate.
“The cause of this devastating fire is still under investigation at this time, and our team is assisting the Rabun County Fire Department and Rabun County Coroner’s Office in this matter,” says State Fire Commissioner John King.
With these latest fatalities, King says fires have killed five people in Georgia so far this year.
Carolyn Nancy Franklin Perry, age 78, of Mt. Airy, passed away on Thursday, January 13, 2022.
Born on July 14, 1943, in Mt. Airy, she was a daughter of the late Lawrence and Flora Mae Murray Franklin. Mrs. Perry was a seamstress at Carwood Manufacturing for many years. She loved her family, enjoyed gardening, and was a member of Glade Creek Baptist Church.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Arnold Franklin and J.L. Franklin and sister, Christine Broome.
Survivors include her husband of 61 years, Eugene “Doc” Perry of Mt. Airy; son and daughter-in-law, Rodney Eugene Perry and Crystal of Mt. Airy; grandchildren, Clay Perry and Carson Perry; sisters, Lillian Perry of Mt. Airy and Helen Clark of Toccoa; sisters-in-law, Ovaline Abernathy of Calhoun and Gen Ward of Mt. Airy; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 pm on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, in the Chapel of McGahee-Griffin & Stewart with Rev. Larry Perry officiating. Interment will follow in Glade Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 12:00 noon until the service hour on Tuesday at the funeral home.
Flowers are accepted or donations may be made to Glade Creek Baptist Church, 884 Toccoa Highway, Mt. Airy, Georgia 30563.
Those in attendance are asked to please adhere to public health and social distancing guidelines regarding COVID-19.
Joyce Ann Dalton Standridge, age 57, of Demorest, passed away on Thursday, January 13, 2022.
Born on June 26, 1964, in Demorest, she was a daughter of the late George Otis and Patricia Crocker Dalton. Ms. Standridge was a homemaker and attended Bible Landmark Church.
Survivors include her daughters, Trish Sheree Roberts and fiancée, Hunter Evans of Cornelia and Daisy Ann Etris and husband, Gregory of Gainesville; son and daughter-in-law, Clifton D. Standridge and Tina of Anderson, SC; ten grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; sisters, Vicky Louise Dalton of Demorest and Marilyn Canington of Columbus; brothers, James R. Dalton of Clarkesville and Otis Parr of Clarkesville; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services are scheduled for 4 pm on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, in the Chapel of McGahee-Griffin & Stewart with Rev. Jonathan Arrowood, Rev. Allen Walker, and Rev. Leon Thompson officiating. Interment will follow in Level Grove Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 pm on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, and from 2 pm until the service hour on Wednesday, at the funeral home.
Those in attendance are asked to please adhere to public health and social distancing guidelines regarding COVID-19.
A Habersham County judge denied bond for an Alto man accused of sexually assaulting and exploiting a young girl.
Deputies arrested 25-year-old Edwin Huizar on January 6. According to the arrest warrants, Huizar allegedly molested the 13-year-old and “traded marijuana for explicit images from the victim.”
The alleged incidents occurred in 2021. The victim’s family notified Habersham County Sheriff’s investigators in December.
Following their investigation, officers charged Huizar with sexual exploitation of children, distribution of marijuana, child molestation, and aggravated sodomy.
He was booked into the Habersham County Detention Center where he remains without bond.
Habersham County Emergency Services Director Chad Black spent his last day on the job surrounded by friends, making a routine Friday feel more like a hero’s send-off. And to county officials and emergency services employees, it was.
Black has served Habersham County for 31 years, and the Northeast Georgia community for 40, in both firefighter and EMS roles. For the past five years, Black has served as the director of HCES, where he has been named to councils, received prestigious awards, navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and brought new life-saving programs and equipment to Habersham County— all while saving lives.
An extraordinary beginning to an ordinary day
A decoy meeting held by Interim County Manager Alicia Vaughn and Habersham County Public Information Officer Carolyn Gibson Friday morning made time for Black’s HCES staff, and members from other county public safety departments, to gather for a surprise retirement party at the Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center.
HCES employees, county officials, members of the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, E-911 officials and local media outlets came out to surprise Black as he arrived at the Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center for a “meeting.” (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
Everyone attending backed up against the wall to surprise Chad when he walked into what he thought was an empty room, shouting “surprise!” when he arrived with Vaughn and Gibson leading him in.
“I don’t know what to say,” Black said in astonishment as his team looked on. “I don’t know that I can say anything— this was going to be hard anyway, you all just made it harder.”
The group enjoyed cake and conversation, taking time to give Black cards full of well-wishes. Gibson arranged to make a call over the radio system to Black, thanking him for his service to the county.
A teary-eyed Black listens as County Public Information Officer Carolyn Gibson thanks him for his years of service to the county and Northeast Georgia community over the emergency radio system. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
“We would like to thank you for your 31 years of service with Habersham County and over 40 years of service to this community,” Gibson said. “You have served the citizens and employees to the highest standard. Thank you for your devotion and for your long career in public safety. Congratulations on your retirement, we will miss you greatly. Congratulations, Director Black, we love you.”
Black has been described as an “integral part” of the Habersham community, Habersham County Commissioner Dustin Mealor says that “no one has ever said anything bad” about Black. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
There were hugs and teary eyes as Black’s friends wished him well in his next job as he retires from fire and emergency services and moves on to become the Executive Vice-President of Governmental Sales and Business Development at Pro-GeneX Laboratories and Clinical Service in Gainesville.
“Everyone in this room that’s worked with me, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you,” Black said. “When I left my other position after 32 years, that was a pretty easy one; this one’s been hard, and it’s going to be hard leaving everybody here.”
Black takes an Airlife helicopter, which he worked on for more than 17 years, for a spin. (Ronnie Davis/HCES)
HCES arranged for Black to take one more flight in an Airlife helicopter, which he worked on for more than 17 years. The helicopter landed out behind the aquatic center for Black to take for a spin; he said Friday’s sunny weather and clear skies made for a beautiful flight.
It takes a team
It wouldn’t be a Friday for Black if he didn’t meet up with Sheriff Joey Terrell and HCES and HCSO employees for lunch at Blue Creek Barbeque. During their Friday afternoon ritual, they catch up on their work and personal lives, further growing their bond as a public safety team and as friends.
After spending the morning and early afternoon with public safety coworkers and friends, it was back to the day-to-day work that Black says is “pretty boring,” but those tasks that seem mundane to Black are anything but to the community.
Even on his last day on the job, with meetings to attend and winter weather on the way, Black didn’t sacrifice his routine of catching up with coworkers that feel more like friends. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
Black attended a Zoom meeting to catch up with the Northeast Georgia Medical Center and the Region 2 Regional Trauma Advisory Committee on a groundbreaking in-ambulance blood transfusion program he has helped lead in the region, serving on the committee from its founding in 2019 until he announced his retirement.
The pilot program is helping the state understand the lifesaving ability of emergency blood transfusion during long ambulance rides, and he, along with the rest of NGMC and RTAC is hoping to expand the program to more agencies in Georgia.
Black attends a Zoom meeting with NGMC and RTAC on the status of a program expanding life-saving blood transfusions to patients traveling in ambulances. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
Then it was off to prepare for this weekend’s winter storms— something Black will be around to help with, sticking around a few more days after his official retirement from emergency services to help manage dangerous weather conditions throughout the county. He attended a national weather services briefing, helped organize winter-weather appropriate equipment for the county fire department and talked plans with HCES.
Those meetings and briefings are just parts of Black’s work alongside his dedicated team to keeping Habersham County citizens safe and saving lives.
“I’m just grateful for the opportunity I’ve had, and every one of us had a big part in this,” Black said, reflecting on his time working with Habersham’s first responders. “It took a team – and you still have good people here – you’re going to have good people, so don’t let me down. Keep this department going like it is.”
Chad Black's last day
1 of 4
Kissing Chad goodbye: Habersham Sheriff Joey Terrell (right) jokingly gives Black (left) a kiss on the head. The two regard each other as good friends, working together for many years. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
HCES, HCSO and other county employees and officials sign a going-away card for Black. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
Habersham PIO Carolyn Gibson hugs Black, sending him off with well-wishes. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
No surprise party is complete without a cake! The custom Sugartopia cake Black received included his badge and a thank-you. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
Habersham County Schools continue to see an increase in COVID cases following the recent holidays and the current Omicron surge.
As of Friday, January 14, the school system reported 79 active students COVID-19 cases and 22 active school staff cases. There was one non-school staff case reported.
Habersham Central High School has the highest number of active student cases among the county’s eleven schools with 17, followed by the county’s three middle schools. The Success Academy is the only Habersham County school without a single active case of COVID among students and staff.
The latest cumulative case total represents a 70% increase over last week’s total case count of 60.
Athens-Clarke County Police are investigating the death of a person whose body was found Friday in the Middle Oconee River.
The deceased person was found on January 14 in a section of the river near Macon Highway.
Police and personnel with Athens-Clarke County Fire and Emergency Services recovered the body. ACCPD Lt. Shaun Barnett says there were no signs of foul play and the person’s identity has not been confirmed.
The body will be sent to the GBI Crime Lab for autopsy and identification. The investigation is ongoing.
Cristian Tejeda, age 59, of Gainesville, entered rest Thursday January 13, 2022 at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Gainesville.
Cristian was born in the Dominican Republic to Agustina Suarez and the late Felix Mordan Tejeda. He was a manager for ABM & was a member of Free Chapel.
Left to cherish his memories, wife, Martina Cepeda; sons, Cristian Tejeda, Mario Almonte & Argelis Almonte; daughters, Jessica Cepeda & Criselis Wade; brothers, Servando Tejeda & Kalazan Tejeda; sisters, Marisol Tejeda & Altagracia Tejeda, 8 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held 1:00 p.m. Tuesday January 18, 2022 at the Ward’s Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Daniel Cazares officiating. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until service time at the funeral home.
Please share online condolences with the family at www.wardsfh.com. Ward’s Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Cristian Tejeda.
Nancy Malinda Evans, age 79, of Gainesville, entered rest Thursday, January 13, 2022, at her residence.
Nancy was born in Gainesville on August 2, 1942, to the late Clarence Edwards & Lula Mae Morris Edwards & Rev. Herbert Blalock. She worked several years ago at Warren Featherbone as an inspector but most recently she was a homemaker and was of the Baptist faith. Nancy was preceded in death by her son, Kermit Marvin “Jim” Evans, Jr.
Left to cherish her memories, husband of 62 years, Kermit Evans; sons, Clarence Victor Evans, Steven Alonzo Evans & Michael Blake Evans; grandchildren, Chance Evans, Ryder Evans, Ryan Evans, Jozlon Sthal, Athena Akers, David Akers & Aalyah Akers; great-grandchildren, Nova Sthal & Litta Hatcher; brother, Larry Edwards; sisters, Pam Vaughn; a host of other relatives also survive.
Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, Jan.18, 2022, at the Ward’s Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Shane Evans officiating. The family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. until the service time Tuesday at the funeral home.
Please share online condolences with the family at www.wardsfh.com. Ward’s Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Nancy Malinda Evans.
(Sautee) – White County’s weather records cover nearly 79 years, starting in 1943 with the county’s first US Weather Bureau Observer in Cleveland, Ms. Estaline Sutton. Four other stations were subsequently established at Helen, Sautee, Robertstown and Unicoi State Park. Today, three of those stations still survive at Cleveland, Sautee and Helen and report weather daily to the National Weather Service.
Reviewing White County’s records, it was found that January is, by far, the county’s snowiest month. Since 1943, 60 January snow events have been recorded. The heaviest single-day snowfall was 16.0 inches recorded at the Helen Police Department on January 6, 1988 – a record amount not only for January but for the entire 79 years of record-keeping.
Shortly afterward, the second highest 24-hour snowfall of 12.0 inches was recorded at Cleveland on January 8, 1988 by Observer Ms. Doyle Sutton. These record snowfalls are made all the more remarkable when compared to the county’s average normal January snowfall is only 0.8 inch!
Since 1988, the snowfall has diminished in both frequency and amounts. Currently, White County has had no January snowfall in four years, the last such snowfall occurred in January, 2018. Given the current forecast for a possible snow event this upcoming weekend, there is a possibility that “dry spell” could be broken.
Click here to check out all the January snow events in White County.
Bill Kinsland reports weather for WRWH 93.9FM/1350AM, a Now Habersham news partner in Cleveland, GA
Rex G. Poole, age 87, of Demorest, Georgia passed away on Thursday, January 13, 2021.
Mr. Poole was born on April 2, 1934 in Habersham County, Georgia to the late Garnett G. Poole and Ada Savage Poole. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Ann Poole; brothers, Grady Poole, Edgar Poole, J.B. Poole, Jack Poole; and sister, Wilma Irvin. Mr. Poole was a Veteran of the United States Navy having served during the Korean Conflict. Mr. Poole was a Life-Member of the Grant Reeves V.F.W. Post 7720 where he served as the BINGO Cashier for approximately 15 years. He retired from the Georgia Department of Public Health with 33 years of dedicated service. He was known to his grandchildren as “Grandpa Rex.” Rex was an avid golfer, he loved to be outdoors on the golf course.
Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Robin Poole, of Lawrenceville; granddaughter and spouse, Kimberly Ciccaglione and Bryan, of Youth; grandson and spouse, Kris Poole and Nikki, of Clermont; grandson and fiancé, Kyle Poole and Shelby Hall, of Tucker; great-grandchildren, Jaxson, Ryleigh, Claire; brother, Martin “Sonny” Poole, of Demorest; and very special friend, Pat Taylor, of Clarkesville.
The family would like to extend their gratitude to Mr. Poole’s caregivers, Tina “Legs” Franklin, Geraldine Lingerfelt, Kim Smith, and Pat Taylor.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, January 15, 2022, at the Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel. Interment will follow in the VFW Memorial Park in Demorest with military honors provided by the United States Navy and the Grant Reeves Honor Guard.
The family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 14, 2022, at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Mr. Poole’s Memory to the Grant Reeves V.F.W., 174 Cornelia Crossing Shopping Center, Cornelia, Georgia 30531 or Piedmont University Coach O’Neal Cave Athletic Scholarship, P.O. Box 429, Demorest, Georgia 30535.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel at 245 Central Avenue, Demorest, Georgia 30535. Telephone: 706-778-1700.
Cheryl Jeanne Alexander Hutchens, age 75, of Clarkesville, Georgia passed away on Thursday, January 13, 2022.
Mrs. Hutches was born in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska to the late Alving and Imogene Alexander. Cheryl was a very caring Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother. There was nothing better for her than getting to see and spend time with her Great Grandchildren. Cheryl was the strongest person that you could have ever met. She loved being outside in her garden taking care of her flowers and learning about different medications and how they affect the body. Cheryl was the rock of her family, and she will be dearly missed. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Craig Alexander, Doyle Alexander and sister, Alma Alexander.
Survivors include husband, Charles Hutchens, daughter and son-in-law, Sheila and Doug Holbrooks, daughter, Danna Nations, daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Jose Vega, son, Tracey Nation, brother and sister and brothers-in-law, Calvin and Becky Waters, Dwayne and Mary Rich, Mike and Imogene Thomas, brother and sister-in-law, Virgle and Ferlyn Alexander, 8 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, January 15, 2022 at the Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel. Rev. William Nation will officiate. Interment will follow in Yonah Memorial Gardens.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel at 245 Central Avenue, Demorest, Georgia 30535. Telephone: 706-778-1700.
