Former Alto leader was previously deported in 1996

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June 30, 2015

Abel Ramirez appointed to and sworn in as Alto Council Post 2

More details are coming to light about the secret life of an Alto City Councilman as federal immigration officials work through deportation proceedings for Able Ramirez

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement records show his name is actually Ableardo Garcia-Ramirez and this will mark the second time he’s been deported back to Mexico. The first time was in 1996, just before he moved to Alto.

Garcia-Ramirez first made news here back in April when he was appointed to fill a vacant seat on the Town Council. There was nothing at the time to suggest he was anything other than he claimed. He worked full time at Mt. Vernon Mills and had built a successful business “Party Time Tables and Chairs for Rent” on the Gainesville Highway.

On June 8, he was arrested and charged with 2 counts of Battery/Family Violence and booked into the Habersham County Detention Center. It was there where the truth about his past began to emerge and the feds became interested. ICE Spokesman Vincent Picard tells Now Habersham that Garcia-Ramirez had a prior criminal record, “(He’s) been convicted twice for driving under the influence in Pennsylvania and Georgia.”

It was his prior criminal history that led to him being grabbed up so quickly after his fingerprints made it into the system, “Mr. Garcia-Ramirez… meets ICE priorities for enforcement due to his criminal history,” says Picard.

He’s talking specifically about ICE Priority 2 (misdemeanants and new immigration violators) which ranks just behind terrorists when it comes to the mission of the agency.

The “priorities,” released back in November, say agents should be more interested in detaining and deporting “aliens convicted of a significant misdemeanor” and “aliens apprehended anywhere in the United States after unlawfully entering or re-entering the United States” instead of grabbing up every illegal immigrant.

Garcia-Ramirez, with the DUI convictions, domestic violence cases and his prior deportation, ticks all those boxes.

Picard says despite what we were told by local authorities, Garcia-Ramirez is still in the US. He is being held at the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia pending his return to Mexico.

Rabun brothers hope fireworks business will boom

By

Paul Rea

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June 30, 2015

Chan and Ben Watts are in a unique position this week. They are the only locally-owned business in our area with a state license to start selling commercial fireworks on Wednesday.

“We started thinking about it around February when we heard talk of it going up for a vote (in the legislature),” Chan explains.

Once the law passed and was signed by Governor Nathan Deal, “We immediately saw an opportunity to be the first retailer in North Georgia,” says Chan.

According to Laura Wright of the Georgia Department of Insurance, the Watts’ North Georgia Fireworks in Rabun County is the only locally-owned “Licensed Facility” in the northeast corner of the state.

“Some of the chain stores have licensed all their locations,” Wright says, “but only 23 retail fireworks facilities have applied as of Monday.” Of those that applied, only 18 were approved according to the state website.

“We took a gamble.” Chan explains they wanted to get into the business first instead of “waiting till you see them all over the place.”

The Wells will officially open North Georgia Fireworks on July 1 at the Henry’s Restaurant location right on Highway 441 about 10 miles north of the Habersham County line.

The big chain stores, Walmart and Kroger in Northeast Georgia, have licensed hundreds of locations across the state but Chan says the Wells brothers are in a good position to compete, “Our store will carry all the fireworks that Walmart sells and many that they don’t including 500 gram fountains and finale shots, bottle rockets and assortment bags.”

You can check out some of their wares on the North Georgia Fireworks Facebook page. “We are looking forward to seeing everyone,” Chan says, “and remember to have a blast and be safe celebrating our country’s Independence Day!”

State-Licensed Retail Fireworks Facilities
County	Local Business	National Chain
Habersham	*	Cornelia Walmart
Rabun	North Georgia Fireworks	Clayton Walmart
White	*	Cleveland Walmart
Banks	*	Banks Crossing Walmart
Stephens	*	Toccoa Walmart

School board to discuss millage rate

By

Elaine Irvin

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June 29, 2015

The Habersham County Board of Education has scheduled a called meeting to discuss next year’s millage rate. The meeting starts at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, June 30. According to the agenda, board members will meet in closed session to discuss personnel and real estate. Afterward, there will be an open meeting to discuss the Fiscal Year 2016 Millage Rate.

A balanced budget

During the last regular meeting of the Habersham County Board of Education, Habersham County Schools Chief Financial Officer Staci Newsome again reviewed the balanced budget with a projected total local revenue of $21,570,205. She had previously said that the ad valorem tax revenue “had increased” since last year. She also added that alcohol sales tax collection was up, and ELOST (Education Local Option Sales Tax) and SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) collections were up from last year. Total revenue, she had reported, is expected to be $60,107,674.
Total expenses, Newsome says, are estimated at $60,063,666. The expense for salaries and benefits was placed at $53,409,445, with nearly $40 million spent for instruction, Newsome explained, When expenses are compared with projected revenue, the yield is a positive net change of $44,008.
Superintendent Matthew Cooper has said that enacting such a balanced budget “has certainly been a team effort.”

He called the projected balance of 2016 income with expenditures “a great accomplishment.”

Tomorrow’s meeting takes place in the Board of Education conference room at the school administrative building on Stanford Mill Road in Clarkesville.

College fund established in twins’ father’s memory

By

Joy Purcell

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June 29, 2015

The Habersham community is rallying around a Batesville family following the sudden, unexpected loss of their husband and father. Milton Griswold passed away Monday, June 22 at Northeast Georgia Medical Center just one week after being admitted to the hospital with double pneumonia. He was 50 years old. Milton leaves behind his wife Kim and twin, teen daughters Norah and Virginia.

A college fund has been established for the girl’s in their father’s memory. Donations may be dropped off or mailed to the following locations:

South State Bank
949 Washington Street
Clarkesville, GA 30523

Soque River Watershed Association
1387 Washington Street
P.O. Box 1901
Clarkesville, GA 30523

Donations may also be made online at https://www.gofundme.com/griswoldcollegefund.

Kim Griswold is an active member of the community and serves as Administrative Assistant for the Soque River Watershed Association (SRWA). In establishing the college fund, SRWA Executive Director and family friend Justin Ellis says, “Kimberly, Milton and the girls are just one of those rare, remarkable families that you admire and strive to emulate for their quiet, humble but hardworking dignity.” He adds, “Their contributions to the SRWA are tremendous. We want to show them they’re loved and appreciated by us and the whole Northeast Georgia community.”

Milton Griswold was a 1983 graduate of Camden High School in Camden, South Carolina and earned his Engineering degree from the University of South Carolina. He worked at several manufacturing plants in north Georgia including NOK in Cleveland, Scovill in Clarkesville and, most recently, Eaton Corporation in Eastanollee.

In addition to his wife and daughters, he’s survived by his mother Frances Griswold and sister Angie Williams, both of Camden, South Carolina.

Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.hillsidememorialchapel.com.

Meeting Minds: Bruce Lee

By

Nora Almazan

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June 29, 2015

When we meet the minds of others, we can better understand one another. Today, meet the mind of Bruce Lee, a martial artist, action film actor, filmmaker, martial art instructor, and philosopher.

“Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.” – Bruce Lee

Adversity: Be an overcomer

By

Nora Almazan

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June 29, 2015

ADVERSITY. It is one of those words that everyone knows but nobody wants to know. And when we are facing it, it does not appear to be a friend. The reality of life rings true – adversity is what defines us. I’m a strong believer that hardships, trials, obstacles, and heartache train ordinary people for an extraordinary life. The key to overcoming the adversities in your life has nothing to do with skill or education or financial success, the key lies in your ability to persevere.

My dad used to say that the strongest trees have endured the most storms. It is all about what we’ve been through and how we handle it. At some point in every person’s life, tragedy will hit. It isn’t a question of if but of when. How we prepare for it makes all the difference in how we handle it.

Did you know Bill Gates’ first business called Traf-O-Data failed; and yet he is considered one of the richest people in the world. Stephen King’s first novel was rejected 30 times. Today he has sold over 350 million books. Thomas Edison failed over 1000 times before creating the light bulb. Oprah Winfrey was physically and sexually abused as a child. J.K. Rowling, famous author, was a single mom living on state benefits.

Successful people face adversity head on. Nelson Mandela stated, ” I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

The other day I spent time with a friend who has seen more difficulties in life than anyone I know. Her philosophy of life? “You get out of life what you put into it.”

We all get discouraged. We all face times when we want to quit; when we wish we could do something over; when we think we cannot possibly keep moving forward. There is a Chinese proverb which states, “When fate throws a dagger at you, there are only two ways to catch it, either by the blade or by the handle.”

Overcoming adversity happens when we are determined to see it as a blessing. It can be one of the greatest challenges in life; but, when we confront it and overcome it, we become an expert in perseverance. It isn’t about how many times we get knocked down, it is all about how many times we get up.

“Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” – African proverb.

US Marshals: $5000 reward for convicted Habersham child molester

By

Paul Rea

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June 29, 2015

The United States Marshal Service is now offering a $5000 reward for information leading to the arrest of convicted Habersham County child molester Benjamin Shook.

Shook is believed to be traveling with 14-year-old Hayleigh Wilson who disappeared from her home in Tennessee one week ago.

The search for Shook and Wilson is currently focused in the wilderness areas in Smyth, Grayson and Wythe counties in southwest Virginia.

As Now Habersham reported first on Thursday, Shook was convicted of Child Molestation in Habersham County in 2004 and was released in 2014. There is an active warrant for his arrest here after he failed to register as a sex offender and fled to Tennessee.

He was last seen, with Wilson, on Wednesday on foot in the Sugar Grove community in Smyth County. According to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) agents, “They were seen twice on Wednesday, June 24 in the area of Flat Ridge Road in Sugar Grove.”

The vehicle they were originally driving was recovered in nearby Grayson County Virginia on Thursday. Surveillance footage from a convenience store places them in the Sugar Grove area as well.

Over the weekend, state and federal authorities assisted local police K-9 units and sheriff’s deputies as they searched abandoned barns, campsites, cabins and other structures that might provide shelter for the fugitives.

Please see the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s updated the Amber Alert for Hayleigh Wilson. It includes new photos that better reflect how she and Shook look in the most recent surveillance images.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Hayleigh Wilson or Benjamin Shook, you are urged to call the Surgoinsville, Tennessee Police Department at 423-272-7121 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

New details on new Cornelia shopping center

By

Paul Rea

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June 29, 2015

The new Cornelia shopping strip next door to Walmart is on schedule to open this fall. Construction on the shell of the building is almost complete.

When it’s done, the location will offer 22- thousand square feet of brand new retail space in the city’s most active business area.

The Sansone Group from St. Louis, MO bought the land in February for $825,000 and is spending $5 million developing the Habersham County retail space.

Developer Doug Sansone tells Now Habersham that his company sees our area as a growth opportunity. “We have a relationship with Wal-Mart and they were selling the property. We looked into it and found Cornelia to be a good investment.”

We can also now tell you which stores will go where in the new development. According to information provided by Sansone Group, Little Caesars is moving into the space nearest to Chase Road. Great Clips will be next door. The tenant in the third retail space remains a mystery at this point but the rest of the center will be home to Sally Beauty, a nail salon, Cato Fashions, Shoe Show, and Rue 21 (see map).

Additional parking is being added in front of the retail locations creating about 100 new spaces.

Sansone says the acquisition in Habersham County is part of his firm’s strategy of buying near anchored shopping centers in an effort to move into new markets in the Midwest and Southeast.

The Sansone Group is a growing company, increasing their “brokerage transaction volume” from $134 million in 2012 to $240 million last year. They’re on track to acquire $100 million worth of property in the last half of 2015.

Raymond Holbrooks

By

Now Habersham

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June 28, 2015

Raymond Holbrooks, age 81 of Baldwin, Georgia passed away on Saturday, June 27, 2015 at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center following a brief illness.

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Heidi McGrew

By

Now Habersham

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June 28, 2015

Heidi McGrew, age 69, of Helen, Georgia passed away on Saturday, June 27, 2015.

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Meeting Minds: Charlie Chaplin

By

Nora Almazan

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June 28, 2015

When we meet the minds of others, we can better understand one another. Today, meet the mind of Charlie Chaplin, English comic actor and filmmaker in the silent film era.

“My pain may be the reason for somebody’s laugh. But my laugh must never be the reason for somebody’s pain.” – Charlie Chaplin

A mighty fortress

By

Nora Almazan

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June 28, 2015

Psalm 91:1-2, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'”

Often, in the Psalms, David speaks of God as his refuge, his strength, and his fortress. For those who know the story of David, his life was filled with highs and lows. He faced many battles – physical, emotional, and spiritual. David held fast to the knowledge that even in the valleys – the shadow of death – despair – heartache – God was his God through all of it.

In those days, a fortress was a very important aspect of human life. Walls were built around cities and inside those cities people found security, food, water, and community. When David referred to God as his fortress, he knew he had nothing to fear because with God there was nothing in the world strong enough to overcome him.

What is your fortresses? For some, it is another person, a career, a house, money, or material things. Some people might find it in alcohol, drugs, unhealthy foods, or social media. All of these places and things cannot provide what God has to offer. They may take our minds off our problems momentarily, but they cannot bring the peace God gives to us.

Like David, we need to know from where our help comes:

Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Proverbs 18:10, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”

Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Psalm 46:1-3, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”

Psalm 119:114-115, “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God!”

Allow God to be your strength, your fortress, and your refuge.

State-Licensed Retail Fireworks Facilities

A balanced budget