Investigators have charged two more suspects with stealing COVID emergency rental assistance money from Hall County.
Felicia Montez Morgan, 36, of Flowery Branch, turned herself in at the Hall County Jail on Thursday morning, Oct. 7, to face one count of theft by deception. She was released Thursday afternoon after posting a $5,700 bond, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office says.
Tony Lamar Mosley (HCSO)
According to the initial investigation, Morgan posed as a tenant, requesting rental assistance for her boyfriend, Tony Lamar Mosley, 48, of Flowery Branch. Detectives previously charged Mosley, who pretended to be a landlord, with four counts of theft by deception in the scheme last month.
In a separate case, HCSO investigators implicated Mickey James Melton, 50, of Flowery Branch, for a nearly identical scam. He is charged with two counts of theft by deception.
“A representative with Hall County Government reported the theft involving Melton on September 29. Investigators obtained arrest warrants, and Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office personnel took him into custody on Friday afternoon, October 1,” a news release from HCSO states.
Deputies transported Melton to the Hall County Jail. He was released on bond later the same day.
According to preliminary details, Melton posed as a landlord, fraudulently obtaining approximately $21,000 in rental assistance from the county. Although the cases are separate, investigators determined that Melton knew Mosley. The two allegedly worked together while carrying out their alleged crimes.
The cases remain under investigation by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.
Billy Ray Amerson, age 67 of Cleveland, Georgia, passed away on Tuesday, October 05, 2021.
Born in Darlington, South Carolina on June 23, 1954, he was a son of the late Jessie Ray Amerson & Edith Callahan Amerson. Mr. Amerson was a truck driver for over 25 years and was of the Holiness Faith. In his spare time, he enjoyed coon and deer hunting.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by daughters, Mary Edna Turpin, Teresa Ann Amerson; & a sister, Barbara Grace Gable.
Survivors include his children, Mack & Angela Armour, Alan Armour, & Jessie Amerson all of Lula, GA.; brother & sister-in-law, David & Brenda Amerson of Homer, GA.; sisters & brother-in-law, Frances & Dennis Wade of Alto, GA., Carolyn Hall, Jean Black both of Cleveland, GA., Martha McMullen of Gainesville, GA., grandchildren, Austin Cain, Dustin Cain, Justin Cain, John Armour, Jack Armour, Elisabeth Amerson Spradlin, Billy Amerson, & Tyler Gillis; numerous great-grandchildren, other relatives, & friends.
Mr. Amerson’s wishes were to be cremated and a private family memorial service will be held.
James Bond has gone through a myriad of interpretations in his almost 60 year legacy on the big screen. Sean Connery was the first and introduced a suave, debonair Bond. George Lazenby made a decent effort in his one and only shot. Roger Moore was equally as praised as Connery even if his versions did get a little silly at times. Timothy Dalton could be on the same level as Lazenby and Pierce Brosnan brought his own unique spin on the character before it got radically reinvented.
Now we come to Daniel Craig who introduced a much grittier, somber take on 007 and made him more akin to Jason Bourne than any previous iterations.
Now with this 25th installment in the series, No Time To Die, Craig and the filmmakers give their audience an intriguing paradox: It’s a Bond movie that isn’t much fun yet retains a lot of the elements established in the franchise and it sends Bond out on a proper farewell. At least as proper as Bond deserves.
As the movie opens, Craig’s Bond is retired and living a tranquil life with his love Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux) until he’s interrupted by agents of Spectre. Bond returns to service five years later and helps MI6 hunt down a global terrorist named Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek) who wants to unleash a biological weapon known as Project Heracles and may have a personal vendetta against Madeleine.
Malek is a good actor, but I think he crafts one of the least charismatic villains when he should be one of the most. I think a lot of the plans engineered by Bond villains are expertly flawed as they don’t take into account what happens if the planet has little to none left who survive their ordeals. Malek’s character is no different in that department.
As for the rest of the film, we get the returning regulars such as Ralph Fiennes’ M; Naomie Harris’ Moneypenny; Ben Whishaw’s Q; Jeffrey Wright’s Felix and of course, Christoph Waltz returns in a truncated sequence as Blofeld. Each actor does get their fair share of screen time and director Cary Joji Fukunaga makes their scenes sharp and adds gravitas and only a smidgen of humor.
This is really Daniel Craig’s hour and on that level he delivers. From the opening action sequence which features some sensational motorcycle stuntwork in Italy to Bond fighting with Safin in the finale, Craig does his best to sell every second he’s on screen. That’s a feat that’s worthy of praise given the 163-minute runtime.
Just as Christian Bale did with Batman, Hugh Jackman did with Wolverine and Robert Downey Jr. did with Iron Man, Craig owned this character and from his inception in Casino Royale to his swan song in No Time To Die, his presence in the franchise will be acknowledged.
As for the movie itself, it doesn’t reach the perfection of Skyfall and its plot needs more clarity. Not to mention the runtime is a bit unnecessary, but as Bond films go, it’s a fitting finale.
Grade: B
(Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, brief strong language and some suggestive material.)
After last week’s pumpkin spice latte experience at Starbucks, I was feeling a little deflated. I was wondering if, maybe, the point of the pumpkin spice latte was to be one of those coffee drinks that didn’t taste like coffee— but I was happy to be proven wrong.
I grabbed this week’s PSL from Temperance House, a Demorest-based weekday coffee shop and weekend pub. While the blue Solo cup my coffee came in was off-putting at first (I thought I’d escaped college parties once and for all), my iced Temperance House PSL pleasantly surprised me.
There’s a certain amount of care when it comes to crafting a drink in a local coffee house, and the barista that made my coffee was sweeter than pumpkin pie. The coffee was strong and smooth, with a hint of pumpkin and a lingering aftertaste of spices. And even with the drink being iced, it didn’t taste watered down or lacking in flavor.
The downside of the Temperance PSL? That spice aftertaste started to dull after a few moments, leaving a strange, bitter taste in my mouth. It wasn’t something I noticed at first, it was something that started to hit me the longer I sipped on it. But all was forgiven each time I took another sip.
Overall, I’d give the Temperance House PSL a 4/5. It was a welcome change from the Starbucks latte that tasted like creamer with coffee undertones, and I’ll definitely be back for another.
The Senate report focuses on former President Donald Trump receiving advice from Jeffrey Clark (at podium), then the head of the Justice Department’s civil division, and others to take drastic actions to subvert the election results. Then acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen seen here with Clarke during a press conference, was asked to investigate discredited claims of election fraud in Georgia. (screenshot courtesy CNN)
(GA Recorder) — Former President Donald Trump forced a top federal prosecutor in Atlanta to step down because he wouldn’t help Trump overturn his loss of Georgia in the 2020 presidential election, a U.S. Senate report released Thursday said.
The report, written by Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats, found that the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, Byung Jin “BJay” Pak, resigned under pressure from the Trump White House in early January.
Pak would not substantiate unfounded claims that the election results in Georgia were fraudulent, the report said.
Trump’s attorney general, William Barr, asked Pak to make an investigation of supposedly illegal ballots carried around in suitcases “a top priority,” Pak told committee investigators in an interview made public for the first time Thursday.
Thursday’s report was only an interim account, released as committee investigators continue to gather evidence in their investigation into Trump’s efforts shortly after the November election to undermine President Joe Biden’s victory.
Though the findings aren’t final, the report adds details about Pak’s ouster and confirms it was related to his resistance to pursuing Trump’s demands to find nonexistent election fraud.
Pak’s resignation letter, submitted Jan. 4, made no mention of his reason for leaving the post he’d held since October 2017, though the move raised questions at the time because it broke with the Justice Department’s succession protocol.
Bobby Christine, then the U.S. attorney for the neighboring Southern District of Georgia, replaced Pak on an acting basis. Under normal procedure, Pak’s top deputy, Kurt Erskine, would have become the acting U.S. attorney.
A ‘never-Trumper’
In a Jan. 3 Oval Office meeting, Trump complained to acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, who by then had replaced Barr, and acting Deputy Attorney General Richard O’Donoghue that Pak was a “never-Trumper,” according to the report.
Trump said he’d prefer Christine to take over the Northern District office, which includes Atlanta, because “he’ll do something about [election fraud].”
Former U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak
Trump was displeased that Pak, a former Republican state legislator whom Trump had appointed to the U.S. attorney post, wouldn’t back unfounded claims of election fraud related to ballots inside State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Rudy Giuliani, a personal attorney and adviser to Trump, traveled to Georgia in early December to promote the theory that a video showed poll workers at the arena delivering suitcases full of illegal ballots.
Barr, before he stepped down as attorney general Dec. 14, asked Pak to make an investigation of Giuliani’s claim “a top priority,” Pak told committee investigators.
U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff, (D-Ga.), and Richard J. Blumenthal, (D-Conn.) and Judiciary Committee staff members were present for Pak’s interview.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office quickly debunked that Giuliani claim, finding instead that the supposed suitcases were secure ballot boxes holding legitimate ballots.
Pak personally reviewed video and audio from the arena and confirmed the secretary of state’s findings were valid, he said.
“I was comfortable that the main allegation that Mr. Giuliani made with respect to the secure ballot box being a suitcase full of fake ballots, that was not true,” Pak told committee investigators. “That was debunked. I was satisfied of the explanation.”
But Trump and some allies continued to push that theory and other strategies to overturn Biden’s victory in Georgia.
On Jan. 2, Trump called Raffensperger and asked him, during an hour-long call, to “find” enough ballots to change the election result.
The next day, Trump met with Rosen and Donoghue and said he wanted to fire Pak, whom he called a “never-Trumper” who wouldn’t zealously pursue fraud claims.
Donoghue resisted. But when Trump overruled him, Donoghue told him Pak planned to step down the next day anyway, though Pak had actually told colleagues he planned to stay in office until Inauguration Day.
“That’s fine,” Trump responded, according to Donoghue’s testimony. “I’m not going to fire him, then. But when his resignation comes in, it’s accepted. Tomorrow is his last day as U.S. attorney.”
Trump then suggested Christine take over the Northern District. Donoghue responded that Erskine was next in the line of succession, but Trump insisted on Christine.
Pak did submit a “very bland” letter of resignation on Jan. 4 in order to avoid disrupting a special U.S. Senate election the next day, he told investigators.
The committee report concludes that the Trump White House made inappropriate demands of the Justice Department to investigate claims of election fraud, especially in Georgia.
Mark Meadows, a former North Carolina congressman who was Trump’s White House chief of staff, asked Rosen to “investigate various discredited claims of election fraud in Georgia,” the report said.
Grassley retort
After the Democrats’ report was issued Thursday, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, Iowa’s senior senator and the ranking Republican on the Judiciary panel, pushed back against it and said it vindicated Trump rather than implicating him.
The report focuses on Trump receiving advice from Jeffrey Clark, then the head of the Justice Department’s civil division, outside counsel John Eastman and others to take drastic actions to subvert the election results.
Those steps included firing the top DOJ leadership and installing Clark, sending letters to states asking them to contest the results, and suing states with voter issues.
But Trump rejected the most extreme options, Grassley said.
“The Democrats’ report makes much of efforts by individual lawyers to push the department to take these steps,” Grassley said. “But the fact is, none of these steps were taken because President Trump made the ultimate decision not to.”
Representatives for Ossoff did not return a message seeking comment Thursday. A spokeswoman for fellow Georgia Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock also did not return a request for comment.
I just returned from visiting my son in Chicago. The architecture, the food, major league sports, and the views of Lake Michigan may take center stage but the landscaping and green space were the icing on the tourist cake for this gardener.
Out of 50 of America’s largest cities, Chicago is ranked #9 in green space per capita with more than 42,744 square feet of grass, trees, and other vegetation.
One of nearly 600 parks in and around the heart of downtown Chicago, complete with flowers, shrubs, trees, and benches to enjoy the view. (Photo by Robert Walton)
From the Garden of the Phoenix to Promontory Point, roughly 98% of Chicagoans are within a 10-minute walk of some of the best-kept parks in the country. Countless outdoor festivals, concerts, and other events are hosted in its nearly 600 parks. The city is working with two nonprofits on Grounds for Peace, a program to turn vacant lots into green space in some of the city’s most troubled neighborhoods.
I was astounded at the number of flowers still in bloom from the spring and summer plantings including coneflowers, impatiens, canna lilies, angel wing begonias, New Guinea impatiens, celosia, and hydrangeas. Every few feet along Michigan Avenue, delightful flower beds brimming with color provided a welcoming sight after walking about 2 miles a day to sightsee. I expected blooms would be winding down in this beginning of October in the Zone 5 planting area for the Windy City and granted some of the spent flowers were being replaced by landscapers right before my eyes as summer fades to fall.
As my son and I strolled alongside the Chicago River, we saw huge window box type planters that adorned the opposite side of the river walk. The planters must have been at least four feet wide and a foot deep. It was the perfect way to showcase one of the most beautiful and popular areas of the city.
I can’t wait to return, perhaps next spring, although in Chicago sometimes it’s hard to determine when spring and the weather actually coincide. One of my only regrets during this visit was not being able to tour the Lincoln Park Conservatory but it was closed on a Monday when we planned to visit. But I have many floral memories to savor until I return.
Green space in Chicago adds beauty
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Kale, pansies, and chrysanthemums are some of the plants featured in the flower beds in downtown Chicago.
Planters designed to resemble sailboats featured in one of the flower beds on Michigan Avenue.
New Guinea Impatiens, ferns, and Angel Wing Begonias surround a gazebo and fountain along Michigan Avenue.
Trees just beginning the change into fall color in Lincoln Park.
The Girl on Top of the World is a feature of one of the parks near Lake Michigan.
Coneflowers are on the downside at one of the parks in Chicago but the seeds will feed the birds in the coming weeks.
A bed of hosta varieties and Limelight hydrangeas are on the downside in a park near the Lincoln Conservatory but they will die back to live another day in the spring.
The twinkling lights of Chicago skyscrapers have nothing on the beautiful planters featuring canna lilies.
When my son graduated from high school, we visited Chicago during his spring break. Now that he resides in this glorious city, I will return in the spring. It is a feast for the senses and I intend to savor every minute in every season. Now that my #1 and only son calls Chicago home, there is even more reason to return.
On a final note, don’t forget to check out Now Habersham next week for our monthly giveaway with Lowe’s of Cornelia that will put you in full fall mode.
Pitts Park in Clarkesville is underwater. Roads are flooded. After such a beautiful week last week, what’s the reason?
State Climatologist Bill Murphy says Habersham can credit its unusually wet weather to a “cutoff,” a weather phenomenon where a cyclone in the upper level of the atmosphere sits in one spot for days and moves independently of the regular weather pattern. The cutoff collected a large amount of moisture from the Gulf before moving West, creating an unusual amount of rain for Habersham.
Pitts Park in Clarkesville is flooded, with water continuing to move inland. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
He says that the average rainfall for the entire month of October in Cornelia is usually around 4.76 inches, and as of Thursday afternoon, Oct. 7, Cornelia had already tracked more than 5 inches. The amount of rainfall the county is seeing has already surpassed the average at only a week into the month, and that precipitation landed on already saturated soil.
Not only is Northeast Georgia’s soil already saturated, according to Now Habersham Weather Reporter Tyler Penland, but most streams in the area were already at or above normal levels. This combination has caused water to overflow from rivers and streams, like the Soque River in Pitts Park and the Fry Branch River that feeds into Beaver Lake.
With more rain falling, the National Weather Service has extended its Flash Flood Watch through 2 p.m. Friday, October 8, for portions of North and Central Georgia.
If you come across flooded roads, do not attempt to drive through them.
There’s hopeful news on the horizon. Forecasters say there’s no rain in the forecast for Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The weekend looks sunny, and we (and the rest of nature) can look forward to drying off.
TFS' Sarah Jennings (photo by Austin Poffenberger)
The TFS Lady Indians varsity volleyball team earned a split for the second straight night, while the JV finished their 2021 season with two wins on the road Wednesday, October 6, at George Walton Academy.
Varsity
The Lady Indians split with George Walton and Athens Christian, closing out the regular season on the road. The girls dropped a hard-fought match with a tough George Walton team. After taking the opening set 25-23, the home team came back with a 25-20 win to even the match. In a back and forth battle, George Walton won 17-15 to claim the match.
TFS took a 25-23 and 25-8 straight-set win over Athens Christian, thus earning the split. The Lady Indians are now 21-10 overall and 3-2 in region contests ahead of next week’s region tournament.
JV
The Lady Indians JV team ended the 2021 season on a high note, picking up two wins. Against George Walton, it was quick work with a 25-12, 25-17 straight-set win. Taking on Athens Christian, TFS won 25-10 and 25-13 in a dominant performance.
“Much better teamwork and communication tonight,” says coach Danielle Smith. “We attacked from every position on the floor thanks to Chesney Tanksley’s leadership as setter. Sophia Rueda had hard serves all night, followed by Ashlyn Yaskiewicz and Kyndal Anderson. Very proud of the girls this season. We grew a lot, had some struggles, and improved tremendously throughout the season.”
The JV team finished the year 17-10 overall and 4-2 in area play.
SCORES:
TFS Varsity W 2-0 vs Athens Christian: 25-23, 25-8 TFS Varsity L 1-2 vs George Walton: 25-23, 20-25, 15-17 TFS JV W 2-0 vs Athens Christian: 25-10, 25-13 TFS JV W 2-0 vs George Walton: 25-12, 25-17
Eloise Cooper Crowder, age 100, of Cornelia, Georgia passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 5, 2021.
Mrs. Crowder was born on November 13, 1920, in Tignall Georgia to the late Lauren Wesley and Lulu Bobo Cooper. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband of 72 years, Loy Crowder; grandchildren, Anna Eloise Hall, Ryan Perry Crowder, and Nathan Winslow Crowder. Mrs. Crowder was an active member of Homer United Methodist Church. She was also a member of PEO. She was a graduate of Berry College where she met the love of her life, Loy.
Eloise was a teacher and a homemaker. She loved to cook, bake and play bridge; she was the most gracious and loving hostess. She persevered against oral cancer at 94 and valiantly won that battle. She lived all over the world but spent the last twenty years back in Georgia where her heart has always been. She was loved by so many because she loved so big. She was a positive force in every life that she touched. By every measure that mattered, she was a wonderful steward of the life that God gave her.
Survivors include her daughters and sons-in-law, Judie and Fred Wendt, of Alto; Suzi and Randy Hall, of Augusta; son and daughter-in-law, Van and Patricia Crowder, of Blacksburg, VA; sister, Guinelle Garrard, of Hickory, NC; brother, Jack Cooper, of Warner Robins, GA; grandchildren, Melissa Tymchuk, Frank Wendt, Mary Catherine Murray, Betsy Hall, Julietta Crowder; great-grandchildren, Mary Eloise Tymchuk, Augustin Tymchuk, Miller Wendt, Mary Clara Wendt, Charis Crowder, Micaiah Crowder, and William Murray.
A Private Funeral Service will be held at Homer United Methodist Church.
A Graveside Service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 23, 2021, at the Banks County Memorial Gardens with Rev. David Collins officiating.
The family will receive friends at the Homer United Methodist Church Family Life Center Hall following the graveside service.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Eloise’s Memory to Homer United Methodist Church: 141 Sycamore Street Homer, GA 30547 or Berry College PO Box 490069 Mount Berry, GA 30149.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, South Chapel at 1370 Industrial Boulevard, Baldwin, Georgia 30511. Telephone: 706-778-7123
Leum Keopraseuth, age 81, of Demorest, Georgia passed away on Tuesday, October 5, 2021.
Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, October 8, 2021 at the Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Whitfield Funeral Home & Crematory, South Chapel at 1370 Industrial Blvd, Baldwin, Ga 30511. Telephone (706) 778-7123.
Beaver Lake Drive has flooded again, and while it has gone down some since residents first became aware of it around 5 a.m. Thursday, the water is still too deep to drive through. Approximately 25 people are stuck at home, missing school and work, due to the flooding.
Millie Pirkle (pictured) and sister MaKenna made the best of a bad situation, playing with neighborhood dog Diamond. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)
The last time the road flooded in February, it rose to levels high enough that Habersham County Emergency Services had to save two trapped drivers on the road as the water rose to the tops of an Amazon delivery van and a truck. During that flood, Justice, her husband, and three boys had to stay in a hotel until the floodwaters subsided enough that they could get home.
Amber Pirkle, who is new to the neighborhood, found out about the flooding Beaver Lake Drive experiences the hard way this morning. The mother of two had no safe way to get her children to school with the road flooded, and so the two girls are enjoying their “day off” playing with neighborhood dog Diamond.
The flooded road has made it impossible for neighborhood families to leave. (Photo courtesy Kaylia Justice)
Pirkle’s daughters and Justice’s sons make up at least four school-aged children living on the flooded road that couldn’t get to school today because of the road conditions.
Homeowner Kaylia Justice says this is a regular occurrence on the road, and because the road is privately owned by the neighborhood Home Owners Association, it isn’t something the city or county can fix. Justice, whose husband serves as the HOA president, says there is “nothing” the HOA can do to raise and pave the road to prevent flooding.
“I wish the city would take the road over,” Justice says. “[But] none of the homeowners agree.”
