Town officials considered moving Mount Airy's Christmas Celebration indoors to City Hall, but were concerned people would still be left standing in the cold due to COVID-19 restrictions. (file photo)
The Town of Mount Airy has canceled its community Christmas celebration this year due to concerns over frigid weather and COVID.
Habersham County is expected to experience some of its coldest temperatures of the year this week as a winter storm sweeps eastward from the Great Lakes. Temperatures will drop into the 20s tonight through Wednesday and are expected to be still hovering near freezing on Thursday when the town’s celebration was scheduled.
Mount Airy officials considered moving the outdoor celebration indoors to City Hall, but organizers say people would still have been left out in the cold. “We can only have so many people inside due to state [COVID-19] restrictions,” explains City Manager Tim Jarrell.
Last year well over 120 people attended Christmas in Mount Airy, which typically includes lighting the town Christmas tree, caroling, and visits with Santa.
“We would just hate to see somebody with their 6-year-old waiting to see Santa out in the cold,” Jarrell says. “It was a very difficult decision for the mayor and council to make, but in the end, it was the best way we felt we could take care of our citizens.”
This is the third communitywide event Mount Airy has had to cancel this year due to COVID. The town also canceled its Cities Day celebration and Fall Festival.
Other Christmas events in Habersham County are still scheduled to occur this week, including the county Christmas parade Tuesday in Clarkesville.
For an updated list of holiday happenings, see Now Habersham’s event calendar.
From top left, Sen. Kelly Loeffler, Rev. Ralph Warnock, Jon Ossoff, and Sen. David Perdue. (Photos by Georgia Recorder)
Georgia is taking center stage in the American political theater, closing out a year that began with Iowans basking in their familiar role as the focus of intense media saturation and front porch candidate campaign pitches.
Georgia doesn’t typically dominate the national political spotlight, since the GOP has a long statewide win streak that makes results predictable and the timing of its elections tend to water down the stakes in the grand scheme.
But Georgia is seizing the political junkie’s attention the way the Iowa caucuses did last February, with the unusual alignment of two U.S. Senate seats on the ballot Jan. 5 and potential Democratic control of the federal government at stake.
Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang moved to Iowa ahead of the caucuses and the “Yang gang” is now campaigning door to door in Georgia for the duration. Celebrities are courting the state’s voters, with an all-star virtual rock show Dec. 3. President Donald Trump is set to hold a rally Dec. 5, so you’d best reserve your rental car now if you need one that weekend. And rest assured, out-of-state reporters will parachute in to profile Georgians in a way that will cause people who live here to shake their heads.
Hundreds of millions of dollars have already been spent in television advertisements alone between the various campaigns, and experts predict the crush of political and entertainment celebrities arriving in Georgia will only grow in coming weeks, even with limitations on gatherings aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19.
“I think it’s going to get crazy,” Alan Abramowitz, a political scientist at Emory University, said about the next month in Georgia politics.
Georgia law says candidates must secure 50% of votes, so the professor said the state is used to having runoffs, but certainly not ones that attract this much attention. Neither Republican candidates U.S. Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler or Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock managed to secure 50% of votes in November and the runoffs.
The runoffs provide fresh evidence to determine if Georgia is truly flipping to blue. If Ossoff and Warnock secure both of Georgia’s senate seats, the upper chamber’s balance of power will be tied at 50-50. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would be able to cast tie-breaking votes.
Abramowitz said he wouldn’t be surprised if former President Barack Obama, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and perhaps even Biden make appearances throughout the state to rally Democrats ahead of the runoff.
For Republicans, it’s a bit more complicated.
Both Loeffler and Perdue have demanded fellow Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger resign for unspecified failures in his handling of the Nov. 3 election that assigned Georgia’s 16 electoral votes to Biden. (A recount is underway that is not expected to change the outcome, another echo of the Iowa campaign.) The president and members of congress have lodged baseless claims the election was stolen. And Trump has aimed his Twitter anger at Kemp, making the usual GOP unity rallies unexpectedly awkward.
Abramowitz says the key for Republicans will be igniting the base of Trump supporters without stirring up more opposition. Vice President Mike Pence toed this line during a bus tour from Canton to Gainesville on Nov. 20, the same day that Republican Raffensperger certified Biden as the winner of Georgia’s presidential election, the first Democrat to pull that off since 1992.
Taking the stage at campaign rallies to ignite Trump’s base could prove to be a high-wire act for the GOP senators as the feud among Republicans simmers. Loeffler and Perdue both reached runoffs in an election the president now claims was rife with fraud. Now some Trump loyalists are calling for a boycott of the two senate races.
Of course, one big difference between campaigning in Iowa last winter and pitching to Georgia voters this December is the presence of the virus, although the Democrats are embracing the new virtual style more than their GOP counterparts. The Republican senators are campaigning in packed sports bars where their supporters are largely maskless.
Meanwhile, Stacey Abrams’ Fair Fight organization is hosting a Rock the Runoff Virtual Concert Dec. 3 so supporters can watch the show from the safety of a digital screen. Announced for the fundraiser are out-of-state hip-hop stars John Legend and Common, as well as the Georgia grown Indigo Girls. The performances follow a string of celebrity endorsements and virtual events, including an appearance this month by Abrams during an Instagram Live rap battle between Atlanta’s Gucci Mane and Jeezy for the Versuz series.
Despite the high-profile shift to digital campaigning, Abramowitz said he expects traditional voter mobilization efforts are still likely the most effective. For the next month, campaigns will likely heavily rely on phone banking and postcards, although there might be a limited amount of door knocking, too. Georgians can also expect an avalanche of political advertisements. The New York Times reports $231 million had gone towards television ads as of last week, an amount that has “surpassed the spending in the entire primary and general Senate elections combined.”
One staple of Iowa media coverage you probably won’t see much of in Georgia during the next month is the news feature on the quaint local restaurant or report from the watering hole where political reporters wind down.
Brian Maloof, the owner of Manuel’s Tavern, typically a popular media and political hangout in Atlanta, has set up tables outside as he’s adapted to greatly reduced indoor seating capacity.
In pre-COVID times, Midtown Atlanta’s Manuel’s Tavern would be packed for key moments in Georgia’s twin U.S. Senate runoffs. The weekend after Thanksgiving management hired a sign spinner to let passersby know the nearly vacant beer hall was open. (John McCosh/Georgia Recorder)
Maloof said Manuel’s will likely see an influx of people on the night of Jan. 5 in anticipation of election night results. Due to COVID, the restaurant only allowed one-third of customers to fill its inside dining rooms, but about 200 people watched election results come in on the big screen from the parking lot on Nov. 3 when the temperature was about 60 degrees. It was the restaurant’s busiest night since March when COVID-19 forced businesses to shut down. Comparatively, Maloof says thousands of people packed the parking lot for the 2016 presidential election.
Even with COVID-restrictions limiting in-person gathering, though, Maloof says the significance of the runoffs will no doubt draw viewers to his TV screens one more time in an election season like no other.
“The balance of power for the United States is going to hinge on what happens in the state of Georgia,” Maloof said. “The whole world is watching.”
Habersham EMC officials say a tree is responsible for a string of overnight power outages that affected more than a thousand of its members.
The outages first occurred late Sunday night in the Batesville and Sautee areas of northern Habersham and White counties. A few dozen other outages were reported early Monday in Rabun County.
In some cases, members went without electricity for several hours as crews worked to isolate the problem and restore service.
HEMC crews fully restored service before dawn Monday.
Wild hog memes have been circulating to laughs on social media lately, but there’s nothing funny about the damage they can do.
Feral swine are reported to live in all of Georgia’s 159 counties, likely only trailing the massive feral swine populations in Texas and Florida. The Georgia Association of Conservation Districts calls feral swine “one of the greatest invasive species challenges facing Georgia.”
Crop damage from feral swine (photo by Tyler Campbell, USDA)
State conservation officials estimate that last year alone feral swine caused $150 million in damage to Georgia’s agricultural crops and natural resources.
The Upper Chattahoochee River Soil and Water Conservation District offers feral swine trapping services for residents of Habersham, White, Lumpkin, Dawson, and Forsyth counties. Since March, the area SWCD has captured 46 hogs. Over 1,600 have been captured statewide.
The Upper Chattahoochee River SWCD board would like to see more people participate in the program to help cut down on the feral swine population.
Landowners and farmers who are experiencing problems with wild hogs should contact their local Hog Control Custodians. In Northeast Georgia, call Nathan Turner at (770) 654-9686.
This map depicts in pink the Conservation Districts that currently have hog trapping programs. (Source: GACD)
Pictured from right to left: Mike Bramlett, Madi Nix, and Randy Haney
Help spread the howliday cheer this year (and get on Santa’s nice list!)
The Habersham Humane Society and Habersham County Animal Care & Control are joining forces to provide low-cost spay and neuter to our community. You can help by donating to their GA Gives Day fundraiser on Tuesday, December 1.
Visit https://www.gagives.org/story/U0tvnf to donate. Also, visit Now Habersham’s Facebook page hourly from 1-5 p.m. on December 1st as HCACC Director Madi Nix gives away donated gifts to top donors.
Then, on Saturday, Dec. 5, bring your pets to the Habersham Animal Shelter for a Drive-Thru Rabies Clinic and photo with the Grinch.
Already got your rabies shots? Then get a shot of you with your pets during the shelter’s “Howliday” photo fundraiser.
All proceeds will benefit the shelter. Photo sessions are limited. Call 478-216-8464 for an appointment.
The Pileated Woodpecker is striking in its coloring and top notch. (Photo by Craig Taylor)
Last Sunday, we woke up to a beautiful sunrise. The sun glimmered off the tree limbs that had lost their leaves. The evergreens’ color vibrantly stuck out among the bare trees, bringing life to the scene. The whole picture was gorgeous and I thanked God that we get to live in such a place of beauty. I’m grateful.
On the way to church, a Belted Kingfisher flew directly in front of our car. I’ve only seen one on one other occasion, and never in Clarkesville, so that was a wonderful surprise.
The Belted Kingfisher is not always easy to see, much less photograph. (Photo by Craig Taylor)
Then, we saw a Pileated Woodpecker, a stunningly beautiful bird that I haven’t seen often. I thanked God that those birds showed up in such a way so we couldn’t miss seeing them. They were both extraordinary in that moment. I was grateful to be there at those specific and special moments in time.
The Pileated Woodpecker is usually seen deep in the woods, drumming on dead trees. (Photo by Craig Taylor)
The year 2020 has been a bust for so many reasons. Our parents are not able to do the things they’ve enjoyed. Their lives have become limited and often disappointing. Our kids haven’t been to our house since last Christmas. We feel the loss of getting with our family on special occasions. But we’re all healthy. We have the ability to be together virtually. I’m grateful that we’re safe and that the bonds of our family are made stronger through absence.
I don’t want what I’ve lost this year to prevent me seeing what I have. So, here’s my list of what I’m most grateful this year.
I’m grateful for our families, and for how I’ve seen God strengthen those relationships during this time.
I’m grateful that we were able to be present in June when our six-year-old granddaughter was baptized in a swimming pool after she made her profession of faith. She wasn’t willing to wait for COVID to be over before she did that.
I’m grateful to be part of a church family who loves each other and our community well. I’m grateful that God has led us to this place at this time and made our lives better for it.
I’m grateful for friends, both old and new, who have made life in the pandemic tolerable. Life is better with friends–either in person or virtually or through texts or social media.
I’m grateful that God opened the door this year for me to join the Now Habersham staff and for the challenges He places before me as a writer. And I’m so grateful for the skills of Craig Taylor, our friend who shares his knowledge, expertise, and photos with Bob and me as new birders and with this column. I couldn’t do what I do in Confessions of a Rookie Birder if Craig didn’t have a personal library of photos he’s taken over the years that he’s willing to share.
Above all, I’m grateful because I know that God is sovereign–He is greater than coronavirus and greater than any struggles the virus has created. He is greater than everything. And like the evergreens that haven’t changed even as all the trees around them do, God is constant and unchanging. His presence is with us as surely as the evergreens keep their color year-round. What an amazing gift to us that is.
I’m grateful for so much. What are you grateful for this year?
Jamie Tyler, Todd Lunsford, Angelica, Chad Black, and Jason Garrett.
It’s the kind of reunion first responders don’t often get, but the kind they relish when they do. Habersham County Emergency Services personnel recently reunited with a woman whose life they saved three years ago.
On November 27, 2017, Angelissa Pitts suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while traveling in a car. When first responders arrived, they found her unresponsive, lying in the median of Georgia Highway 17. She had no pulse, no breath, and at that moment, it seemed, no future. But thanks to the efforts of the trained professionals who showed up that day – Jamie Tyler, Todd Lunsford, Chad Black, and Jason Garrett – Angelissa survived.
Habersham County Emergency Services shared a photo of their reunion and the events that led up to it on Facebook.
“After a team effort of multiple shocks, drug therapy, and airway maintenance” they successfully resuscitated Pitts and transported her to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, the post stats. “Several surgeries later, an implanted defibrillator, she is married and back at work.”
Pitts met the team from HCES a few days before Thanksgiving. The post accompanying their reunion photo reads, “blessed and a great reason to be thankful this holiday season!”
Habersham County Judicial Center (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)
The wheels of justice turn slowly, even under the best of circumstances. Add to the customary legal hurdles the extraordinary challenge of a pandemic, and you end up with a backlog that local prosecutors are just now starting to dig their way out from under.
“We are doing the best we can,” says Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Christian. “We have had three confirmed cases of Covid-19 between our three offices and have had to quarantine from time to time and work from home.”
In a normal year, the Habersham County Grand Jury would have been seated on July 1. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the grand jury was only recently empaneled. Jurors met for the first time on November 9. They issued a flurry of indictments during their two-day session – the first indictments handed down in Habersham County since courts closed in mid-March.
While Grand Jury proceedings have just recently resumed, the courts have tried to keep up with what they can. Many bond hearings and probation violation hearings are held virtually. Still, it could be well into next year before prosecutors catch a break in their scheduling.
Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Christian
“What has happened is that those cases that were on a calendar from the January 2020 Grand Jury and those added ‘Accusation cases,’ for the most part, are still pending due to a lack of trial terms after the Georgia Supreme Court issued it’s First Judicial Emergency Order,” explains Christian. “What this essentially means is that we have that calendar and the new calendar (yet to be published) that will need to be addressed in 2021.”
Prosecutors anticipate the total number of cases on those two calendars will be twice as many as they normally address during the same time period. In addition, they’re working on cases for the January 2021 grand jury term. “Those indictments and other filed ‘Accusations’ will be on top of the [other] two calendars,” he says.
Despite the daunting task before them, Christian says everyone associated with the criminal justice system “is dedicated to continuing to perform our jobs under all of the in place guidelines and protocols.” Asked how long he expects it will take for grand juries and prosecutors in the circuit to catch up on pending cases, Christian says, ” I don’t know. There are too many variables.”
The current term of the Habersham County Grand Jury ends on December 31.
Rome's defense swarms Central's QB Joshua Pickett who made an electrifying 80-yard TD run to pull within 7 of the Wolves in the first quarter. (photo by Daniel Purcell)
The opening round of the state playoffs saw a handful of local programs in the big dance. For some, their season ended in Friday night action. A few are still set to play on Saturday. Those who advanced to the next round include Commerce and Dawson County.
#2 Rome 35 – #3 Habersham Central 14
The Raiders were within 14-7 after a quarter, though Rome notched a late TD to close out the first half up 21-7. That score held up to the fourth quarter when Joshua Pickett had an electrifying 80-yd TD run to cut the deficit to 21-14. Rome responded with a TD pass to re-up the lead and extended it to 35-14 a bit later.
#1 Rockmart 48 – #4 White County 35
The Warriors fell behind quickly but ended very strong in a valiant effort. White County was down 20-0 at the end of the first quarter. The rest of the way, the Warriors outscored Rockmart 35-28. J Ben Haynes notched a rushing score to open the second quarter, though Rockmart responded to pad the lead at 27-7. Just before the half, Haynes connected on a 27-yd TD to Darius Cannon to cut it to 27-14. Silas Mulligan’s 1-yard plunge in the third bridged the gap to 27-21 before Rockmart pounded out an 80-yd TD on the ensuing kickoff in response. Mulligan scored again from 7 yards out midway through the third, making it 34-27. Two straight TDs by Rockmart put the game out of reach, though Haynes threw his final TD pass of his amazing career to Reece Dockery to cap the scoring. In his final game, Haynes delivered 2 passing and 1 rushing TD.
#1 Commerce 52 – #4 Manchester 20
The Tigers didn’t disappoint and scored a program record 52 points in a playoff game. Commerce got a Trey Huff first quarter TD, then came one from Elijah Burns, then Michael Sherman in the second. Add in a Diaz FG before the break, and it was 24-0 Commerce. Manchester put 12 points up in the third, but Dreylan Martin got some of that back with a TD run to make it 31-12 going into the final quarter. Martin got another TD in the fourth to make it 38-12, and Manchester pulled within 38-20. Shawn Cunningham had a late score as the Tigers rolled into the second round.
#3 Dawson County 45 – #2 Adairsville 31
The Tigers went on the road and smoked Adairsville, 45-31 to advance to the second round. It looked the part of a low-scoring game, when Dawson went up 7-0 and held a 7-3 lead after one quarter. However, things picked up in the second. A 1-yd Zach Holtzclaw TD run, followed by a Conley Dyer 40-yd TD run made it 21-3 Tigers. The tides quickly turned with a 9-minute flurry of TDs for Adairsville, who took at 24-21 lead into the locker room. Dyer opened the second half scoring with a 39-yd TD, followed by a Holtzclaw 75-yd TD pass to Dakohta Sonnichsen to re-up the lead to 35-24. Caleb Bonesteel hit a clutch field goal before the end of the third, pushing it to 38-24. Adairsville got a big-time TD pass to cut it to within 38-31, and then recovered an onside kick. However, a botched fake punt led to a Dawson TD to seal the win, 45-31. The Tigers advanced to take on powerhouse Oconee County in round two.
Other area games
#4 Martin Luther King, Jr.14 – #1 Clarke Central 41
#4 Franklin County 7 – #1 Greater Atlanta Christian 37
#3 Gainesville 14 – #2 Archer 21
#3 Hart County 21 – #2 Carver, Atlanta 32
#3 North Murray 28 – #2 North Hall 36
#3 Lakeview 7 – #2 North Cobb Christian 28
#4 Lafayette 7 – #1 Cherokee Bluff 35
#4 Douglas County 0 – #1 Buford 48
#3 Discovery 0 – #2 Denmark 63
#4 Hebron Christian 28 – #1 Prince Avenue Christian 63
#4 Westminster 7 – #1 Oconee County 21
#3 Meadowcreek 14 – #1 West Forsyth 39
Saturday, Nov. 28:
#1 Jefferson vs #4 Mt. Zion
Jefferson will play a Saturday afternoon game against Mt. Zion to open their playoff run. Mt. Zion isn’t really in the same stratosphere as the #1 Dragons. Should be over quick.
#1 Rabun County vs #4 Haralson County
Rabun will host Haralson County in the opening round on Saturday. This is probably the biggest game in the 2A bracket in the first round. One win separated Haralson County, who is ranked #5 in 2A by MaxPreps, from the 5-AA region champion team. This is a bonafide top-10 matchup early.
#3 Union County @ #2 Heard County
The Panthers will travel on Saturday to Heard County in the opening round of the playoffs. Union closed the regular season with a much-needed win over Gilmer, but there are still more questions than answers. Will Jonah Daniel play? Ultimately, Heard County can throw when it needs to but has a lethal running game that features 5 players with 300 or more rushing yards.
#1 Callaway 7, #4 Banks County 0 (FFT)
Banks County forfeited their playoff game due to COVID concerns within the program. The Leopards close their season at 1-10 overall.
#3 Luella @ #2 Flowery Branch
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Responding to growing demand and a rising student population, Piedmont College’s Executive and Finance Committees of the Board of Trustees approved construction of a 268-bed residence hall.
The 60,000 square-foot structure, Mystic Hall, will be located near Plymouth Hall on a crest that overlooks the Demorest campus. When completed in December 2021, the facility will be the college’s largest residential complex and pave the way for a string of additional housing renovations.
Despite concerns about the pandemic, Piedmont enrolled 251 first-year students this fall, among the largest freshman classes in the institution’s history. And overall enrollment at the college’s main campus in Demorest has never been higher.
Looking ahead, the college – to be renamed Piedmont University next April – plans to boost its residential student population to 1,000, up from 750. Piedmont also operates an Athens campus, which enrolls approximately 500 commuting students. The college’s overall enrollment is more than 2,500.
The housing addition comes on the heels of other momentous campus improvement projects. The college recently completed a $10.1 million Conservatory of Music and, last month, dedicated the Charles and Catherine Sewell Center for Teacher Education, a 12,000 square-foot building that is located on the college’s historic quad. Piedmont’s new Athens campus, a modern four-story brick building at 1282 Prince Avenue, will open in March. The college is experiencing historic highs in alumni giving and has also purchased 90 acres near the Demorest campus for expansion.
“These projects and our growing level of support illustrate Piedmont’s emergence as a burgeoning comprehensive regional university,” said Piedmont President James Mellichamp.
Construction on Mystic Hall – to be completed by Scroggs & Grizzel of Gainesville – will begin in January.
The residential hall is named after a Connecticut seaport and recognizes Piedmont’s historical ties to Congregational Churches, which were established by Pilgrims throughout New England during the 1600s.
Once Mystic Hall is completed, the college will begin renovating existing housing facilities, according to a college news release. Purcell Hall, which was built in 1969, will be closed for a year-long renovation project. After the Purcell project is completed, Wallace Hall, built in 1959, will be razed to make room for a parking lot, and Getman-Babcock will be converted to administrative offices.
Come Play is a horror movie that utilizes atmosphere and suspense. With effective performances at its center instead of cheap thrills or idiotic characters, this film works well even if it’s not really memorable.
The movie focuses on an autistic boy named Oliver (Azhy Robertson) who can only communicate with a cell phone. His parents (Gillian Jacobs and John Gallagher Jr.) are trying to get Oliver to become more social, but their efforts prove to be less than successful as Oliver is bullied by other kids.
Oliver has a scary story downloaded into his phone and it tells about a monster named Larry who communicates with Oliver and tells him that he wants to be his friend.
Soon Larry takes on a life his own which manifests through multiple electronic devices. Oliver does his best to let others know, but as usual, no one takes him seriously.
On the surface, Come Play checks off the boxes of this kind of movie such as the aforementioned reasons about the parents and others not believing the kid in order to advance the story.
What makes it work is the commitment of the actors to their performances as well as a genuine atmosphere that doesn’t call attention to itself. As a result, the actors are able to easily inhabit the atmosphere.
Come Play should’ve spent more time on constructing a story with fewer cliches and more on crafting ways that would make it feel elevated, but it’s solid entertainment that knows what it is.
Grade: B
(Rated PG-13 for terror, some language, and frightening images.)
An 80-year-old Clarkesville man was injured Thanksgiving Day when his pickup ran off the road and overturned in the Soque River. A Habersham Sheriff’s deputy vehicle responding to the call also overturned.
William Walters was driving a Ford-F-150 on GA-197 North south of Batesville when he failed to negotiate a curve and ran off the road. The truck traveled down an embankment, overturned, and came to rest on its top in the Soque River.
William Walters, 80, of Clarkesville, ran off the road in a curve and down this embankment. His truck landed upside down in the Soque River.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, Walters was able to exit from the rear window. A passing motorist helped him climb the embankment to the shoulder of the road.
A K-9 deputy from the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office who was in the area responded to the scene.
“While attempting to make the area more visible to oncoming traffic, the deputy backed his patrol vehicle on the right shoulder of GA 197 North,” says Trooper First Class Vance Henry of Georgia State Patrol Post 7 in Toccoa. “The soft shoulder and drainage pipe beneath the roadway gave way, causing the vehicle to overturn.”
The deputy’s Ford Explorer landed on its top. Deputy Jason East and his K-9 both escaped uninjured.
The accidents occurred shortly after 8:30 a.m. Thanksgiving Day amid dense, foggy conditions. Habersham EMS transported Walters to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment of his injuries.
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