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Habersham County and impact fees

By
Jerry Neace
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As new developments come to Habersham County, now may be the time for elected officials to explore impact fees to offset the cost of growth. (NowHabersham.com)

Citizens have been warned by elected officials in Habersham County that growth is coming – whether citizens want it or not. Little has been planned to actually control the growth once it gets here. Unfortunately, when developments reach a community, it’s often too late to control it.

The cost of providing for the aspects of growth is difficult to plan. For example, providing water and sewer infrastructure, providing roads, police, fire, and recreation facilities, to name a few, can be costly endeavors for local governments.

Growth

Over the last few years, Habersham County and its cities have had discussions about preparing for the pending growth coming to the area with the main topic being the inland port in Hall County that is just mere miles away from the south end of the county.

The growth from that development will impact not just Hall County but the region as a whole. As growth from metro Atlanta sprawls towards northeast Georgia, now may be the time for Habersham County and its cities to look at impact fees, not incentives or concessions.

Several new homes have been built on Harvest Church Road area, with more to come. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)

Impact fees are designed to defray the cost of improving, expanding, or building new infrastructure or facilities. It is designed to not pass that total cost onto existing taxpayers in a community as a result from growth.

The catch phrase is “smart growth,” although no one has yet said what that exactly looks like for Habersham County or in each city. No matter the catch word or phrase, growth in any manner costs money.

SPLOST projects

Habersham County has struggled the last three years to have enough revenue to start building the SPLOST projects approved by voters in 2020. The situation has become so dire, it was suggested in 2023 by County Manager Alicia Vaughn that the commissioners consider creating a Public Facilities Authority in an effort to pay for those projects.

The SPLOST projects do not benefit just one segment of the county. They benefit the whole county. Whether it is a new 911 center or a new animal control facility, every citizen in the county benefits directly or indirectly.

The reality is many have lived in the community for several years and have paid taxes and paid their proportionate share. Those that recently moved in, have not paid their proportionate share of taxes but benefit from the infrastructure and facilities that already exist.

So, when a local government has a revenue issue, who do they turn to? In many cases, the taxpayers.

Now may be the time for elected officials to implement an impact fee schedule in Habersham County for new developments. Those developments could defray the costs of needed infrastructure improvements. According to the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG), development impact fees provide an alternative to raising taxes on existing residents to accommodate new growth and new residents.

Many organizations oppose impact fees stating that the fees drive up the cost of affordable housing. The same argument could be made about real estate commissions.

According to a survey completed by Jon Stubbs with Clever Real Estate, the average real estate commission in Georgia is 5.81% of the selling price of a home. The average home sale price in Georgia is $327,174. The commission on that property would be $19,009.

Impact fees

For those communities that have impact fees, the fee for a new single family home is much less than what the real estate commission fee would be in all cases.

The table below demonstrates the impact fee for cities and counties for a single family home. Those costs vary due to the amount of new developments in that jurisdiction and the infrastructure needs to support those developments.

The closest county to Habersham County that has impact fees is Hall County. In the unincorporated area, those impact fees are $1,241.90 per single family structure. However, in Dawson County, it is experiencing tremendous growth. It is having to expand its infrastructure at a faster pace. Its impact fees for the same single family home is $2,567.20.

Based on the table, the average county impact fee for a single family home is $2,143.78.

Habersham County

According to the Habersham Count Planning and Development Department, new single family homes are on the rise in Habersham County. Over the last six years, the county has had 1,141 new homes added. The table below shows the breakdown by type and by year. The table also shows the potential impact fees the county could have collected by using the average impact fee for those structures.

The fees collected would not pay for any singular project and by law, it can’t. The fees would be split by a committee that determined the various infrastructure components. Typically, those components are roads, recreation, fire, public safety, and law enforcement. Those fees can be used to offset the costs for infrastructure improvements or expansion.

The table below shows how much each jurisdiction collected in a particular year from impact fees. The total amount includes all developments including residential, commercial, and industrial.

Hall County collected $2,797,319 in impact fees in 2021. In the same year, Dawson County collected $2,201,955. More information about impact fees in other jurisdictions can be accessed here.

Impact fees are used for infrastructure improvements in developing areas. It is used to offset road improvements in a developing area. It can be used to build and equip a new fire station in that same area or pay for upgrades at a 911 center.

Drawback

There is one drawback to consider prior to approving an impact fee schedule. It will apply to any and all growth in the community. For example, an existing business that has been in a community for 50 years wants to build a new warehouse. That business would have to pay an impact fee for that new structure. The same is true for a family farm. Should a family member want to build a house on that farm, they would have to pay an impact fee. Also, impact fees are separate from any building permits or fees.

With budgets increasing year over year and taxes increasing for existing property owners, impact fees could be a revenue source that may need to be explored to help defray the cost of adding infrastructure. By doing that, there would be less dependence on existing property owners to pay for the growth that is coming.

Budgets and property taxes go hand in hand

By
Jerry Neace
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It is budget time again for those government entities that have a July 1 through June 30 fiscal year. Habersham County government and the Habersham County Board of Education are diligently working to get their final numbers together to have their budgets finalized over the next month.

Shortly after the budget is approved, the County Commission and the Board of Education will set the millage rate for property taxes, due later this fall. The budget comes first and then the millage rate.

Taxpayers have a way to see what the historical annual budgets and property taxes assessed are for both entities.  It is called the Current Property Tax Digest and 5 Year History of Levy. It lists the total property values and property taxes each year for the current year and the previous 5 years. The Current Property Tax Digest and 5 Year History of Levy is advertised in the legal organ immediately after the millage rate is set.

This document lists out several categories of properties that are taxed and their values. It lists the gross tax digest, exemptions, and the net tax digest. The net maintenance and operations digest and the maintenance and operations taxes levied are used to factor the millage rate.

The net maintenance and operations digest is also referred to as the net tax digest or the net M&O digest. This value is the gross digest minus property exemptions.

The maintenance and operations taxes levied is also referred to as the M&O taxes or the taxes needed to pay for the general fund budget.

Habersham County government

The Commission’s current and 5 year tax history for the county demonstrates the increase over the last six years not only for the tax digest but also the property taxes needed to pay for maintenance and operations in the general fund budget.

The general fund covers expenses for fire, sheriff’s office, recreation, administration, commission, roads, animal control, and other departments.

A taxpayer can see the increases for the county over the last six years with a quick glance. Property taxes needed to cover the general fund budget have increased since 2018 by 57.62% or $8,000,420. The majority of that increase came after 2020. The increase in property taxes since 2020 is 48.15% or $7,112,949.

Since 2018, the net tax digest (property values) has increased by 43.46%. Since 2020, the digest has increased by 36.55%. In both scenarios, the property taxes required to operate the county have outpaced the increase in the net digest.

Habersham Board of Education (BOE)

The BOE’s current and 5 year tax history for the county demonstrates the increase over the last six years not only for the net tax digest but also the property taxes needed to pay for maintenance and operations in the general fund budget.

The Board of Education has several funding sources that offsets their annual budget. Its overall budget exceeded $111 million in 2023, according to their financial audit. However, state and federal funding sources reduce that amount significantly. Also, the BOE collects an Education Local Option Sales Tax and an Alcohol Tax that reduces property taxes for property owners.

However, there are still maintenance and operations expenses (general fund budget) that are not covered by other funding sources. Property owners make up the difference.

The Board of Education has increased their general fund budget needs over the last six years as well. However, due to the increases in ELOST and Alcohol Taxes, it offsets some of those needs.

The BOE’s gross property tax needs for the general fund budget (prior to rollback) has increased since 2018 by 37.05% or $7,605,089. However, the majority of that increase has come since 2020. That amount is $6,263,621.

Fortunately, the general fund percentage increases did not outpace the percentage increases in the net tax digest. Even though the general fund increased, the net tax digest increased more. This resulted in the BOE being able to reduce the gross millage rate a little each year with the exception of 2019, when it had its highest gross millage rate of 19.275 mills. Since that time, the BOE has been able to reduce the gross millage rate each year down to 16.389 mills in 2023.

ELOST/Alcohol tax

ELOST and the Alcohol Tax have increased significantly providing a large rollback each year. Since 2018, those two taxes combined have increased by 75% or $4,454,353. The majority of that increase has come since 2020. That increase amount is $3,819,500.

Even though the net tax digest and the rollback taxes increased, so did the general fund budget. Had the general fund budget not increased, the gross millage rate would have decreased further, capitalizing on the property tax rollback, saving property owners even more in property taxes.

Fox tests positive for rabies in Gainesville

By
Staff Report
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A fox in the Gainesville area tested positive for rabies on May 7, and health officials are asking residents to alert them if they see any other animals acting abnormally.

The fox was suspected of biting a person in the 900 block of Jesse Jewell Parkway. Authorities shipped the fox to the Georgia Public Health Lab for testing. They says positive alert signs will be posted in the area where the rabid animal was located.

If you live in this area or you see an animal acting abnormally, contact Hall County Animal Services at 770-531-6830 or, during non-working hours, call Hall County Dispatch at 770-536-8812.

Pet owners are also encouraged to vaccinate their pets against rabies.

The vaccine costs $10 at the Hall County Animal Shelter, which is located at 1688 Barber Road in Gainesville. Shots are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Best-selling author Ronda Rich to deliver TFC commencement address

By
Staff Report
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Ronda Rich

TOCCOA FALLS — The Class of 2024 at Toccoa Falls College will receive their diplomas on May 17. This year’s commencement address will be delivered by Ronda Rich, a best-selling author and syndicated columnist.

Rich is the author of the New York Times best-selling book “What Southern Women Know (That Every Woman Should),” which launched her storytelling three decades ago. Since then, she has written many books and writes a weekly column that appears in over fifty newspapers.

Rich’s work is often used in moral or lesson-learned contexts and is praised for its humor, sentimentality, and wisdom. She has appeared on television shows such as The View and Fox and Friends and her work has been featured in USA Today, The New York Times, and other major newspapers.

Ronda Rich lives in the country outside of Atlanta with her husband, John Tinker, an Emmy award-winning television writer and producer.

Toccoa Falls College is set to graduate over 200 students from its associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs.

Georgia appeals court to review decision allowing DA Willis to prosecute Trump case

By
Stanley Dunlap
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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis would take the stand as a witness during a hearing in the case of the State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump at the Fulton County Courthouse on Feb. 15 in Atlanta. (Photo: Alyssa Pointer-Pool/Getty Images)

(Georgia Recorder) — The Georgia Court of Appeals agreed on Wednesday to hear a request filed by former President Donald Trump and eight co-defendants seeking the removal of the Fulton County district attorney from the 2020 election interference case.

The appeals court ruling means that District Attorney Fani Willis will renew a court battle with defense attorneys over whether Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee erred by rejecting a motion to disqualify Willis from the case after she admitted to a romantic involvement with a special prosecutor she hired.

An appellate panel of three judges ruled on the defense’s motion within the 45-day window the law allows since the appeal was filed on March 29.

The appeal court’s decision further diminishes the chances of the Fulton County District Attorney’s office successfully convening a trial this year to consider racketeering charges against the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee and his allies, who are accused of illegally conspiring to overturn the 2020 election in former President Donald Trump’s favor.

Trump’s attorney Steve Sadow and other defense lawyers have argued that McAfee should not have allowed special prosecutor Nathan Wade to resign on March 15 while allowing Willis to remain on the case, alleging her hiring of Wade and then taking vacations to Aruba and other places with him amounted to prosecutorial misconduct.

McAfee wrote in his March 15 court order that there is a need to address a “significant appearance of impropriety that infects the current structure of the prosecution team,” referring to Willis and Wade. The two admitted to having become romantically involved several months after Willis hired Wade as special prosecutor in November 2021.

McAfee ruled that the Trump co-defendants failed to sufficiently prove there was conflict of interest related to a relationship that saw Wade get paid about $700,000 by Fulton County before stepping down last month.

The appeal came from Trump and co-defendants including former Trump campaign officer Michael Roman, former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and ex-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

Willis filed a motion on April 8, arguing that McAfee correctly found she had no conflict of interest. Willis also wrote that the testimony given during her disqualification hearing did not reveal a deliberate attempt  “prejudice the defendants or secure their convictions” prior to the trial.

Fourth grade students portray wax figures at Tallulah Falls School

By
Nora Almazan
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Tallulah Falls School's fourth grade class brings history to life. (TFS)

On May 3, the fourth grade at TFS Middle School took on a new role as they turned the school lobby into a wax museum. The museum was part of a project that the students had been working on throughout the year.

The wax figures were created to resemble important American figures from the past. The characters included Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Sacajawea.

The students researched the history of these figures and then created speeches about their lives and how they have made an impact on American history. Each student was required to memorize a speech about the character they portrayed. Visitors would push a button for the wax figure to speak and the student would begin to tell the story of the individual.

The museum showcased the extensive work the fourth graders have accomplished this year. “It was a good end-of-the-year project – a culmination of all we learned,” said Sandy Crenshaw, TFS’s fourth-grade teacher. “It brought together their ability to research, write, memorize, present, speak, and display their work.”

The museum was opened to visitors in the TFS Middle School lobby. Families were able to enjoy a unique take on the history of American history through the use of the wax figures.

The students were proud of the work that they had accomplished and excited to share their history with others. “It was very impressive and polished,” said parent Ellie Van Doornum. “They clearly worked so hard and presented themselves so well.”

The project was a creative way to learn about the history of Americans and how individuals have made a difference in the world.  The wax figures were a creative and engaging way to tell the stories of these important figures and their impact on society.

The museum was a great way to showcase the skills of the fourth-grade students at TFS Middle School.

Kemp vetoes data center bill, homestead exemption bump

By
Jill Nolin and Ross Williams
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Gov. Brian Kemp signed off on next year’s budget at a signing ceremony Tuesday. Later that day, he vetoed a dozen bills. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)

(Georgia Recorder) — The governor has vetoed a bill that would have suspended a tax break for data centers for two years, saying it would undermine the business community.

The bill was pitched as a pause that would allow the state to assess the impact these massive energy consumers have on the grid. The state’s largest utility, Georgia Power, plans to lean on fossil fuel sources to make up the energy shortfall partially caused by these data centers.

The measure would have applied to new applications for a state sales tax exemption as of July 1, and it would have left the perk’s future in the hands of a new special commission on data center energy planning.

That proposal narrowly passed both chambers during the 2024 legislative session, drawing bipartisan opposition from lawmakers with data centers back home and Democrats responding to concerns from labor unions.

In a statement, Gov. Brian Kemp argued state lawmakers extended the sales tax exemption for another three years just two years ago.

“The bill’s language would prevent the issuance of exemption certificates after an abrupt July 1, 2024 deadline for many customers of projects that are already in development — undermining the investments made by high-technology data center operators, customers, and other stakeholders in reliance on the recent extension, and inhibiting important infrastructure and job development,” Kemp said in the statement.

Environmental groups were dismayed by the veto.

“The surge in the demand for power from data centers is propping up old coal plants and causing a rush to build new gas infrastructure,” said Sierra Club Georgia Chapter Director G Webber. “As a result, Georgia communities will see higher levels of air and water pollution, and our fight to curb the worst effects of climate change is hampered.

“Kemp is burying his head in the sand by refusing to address an issue already having such a significant impact on our state,” Webber added.

A group of environmental groups had pressed the governor to sign the bill, sending him a letter last month that argued the measure represented reasonable steps to prepare for the impact of these data centers.

“Giving data centers a tax break without investigating their impact on our environment and billpayers is short-sighted,” said Jennette Gayer, executive director of Environment Georgia. “I hope we can revisit this issue in the next legislative session.”

The bill was one of a dozen struck down by Kemp Tuesday on the final day for the governor to sign a bill into law.

Clerical error?

The governor also vetoed a bill that would have increased the homestead exemption, seemingly over a last-minute error in the lawmaking.

The version that passed the House would have raised the statewide homestead tax exemption from $2,000 to $4,000. But state senators increased the amount to $10,000 in committee, only to switch back to the original amount on the floor.

The problem? The change must be approved by voters, and the language in the ballot text still included the Senate’s higher amount.

“Voters would, therefore, be approving a different exemption which the Legislature did not pass, while the statutory language would never receive the voter approval needed for it to take effect,” Kemp wrote in his veto statement.

It would have been the first adjustment of the homestead exemption since the late 1970s. The proposal was part of a slate of tax relief bills backed by the House speaker.

HOPE For graduate students

Kemp put the kibosh on a trio of bills intended to decrease the cost of a college education because he said lawmakers didn’t factor in costs to the state.

Atlanta Democrat Scott Holcomb’s HOPE Scholarship expansion would have allowed some recipients who still had money available after graduating to use the costs of those credit hours towards a professional or graduate degree.

House Bill 1231 passed the Senate unanimously and made it through the House on the last day of the legislative session with a 166-1 vote, with Dallas Republican Rep. Martin Momtahan the sole no vote.

But Kemp said students have left around 108,000 HOPE credit hours on the table, and if they were all to take advantage of those courses, it could cost the state more than $25 million.

“I was proud to restore the promise made long ago to Georgia’s students by fully funding the HOPE Scholarship in 2023,” he wrote. “To maintain that promise, and the financial support upon which it stands, we must only consider expansion with a fullunderstanding of the effect it will have on available funds.”

Tuition grants for nurses

In the 2023-2024 school year, students at eligible private schools could get an extra $500 per semester or $333 per quarter to help pay their tuition thanks to the state’s Tuition Equalization Grant.

House Bill 228, sponsored by Rome Republican Rep. Katie Dempsey, aimed to expand that. Dempsey said her goal was to increase nursing capacity in the state by allowing students at private nursing programs that meet licensure exam passage rates and other standards to qualify for the grants.

The Senate amended the bill to further expand the benefits to other private college students, but Kemp said lawmakers didn’t put up the money to pay for the plan or come up with an estimated cost.

“Despite each of these programs having finite resources, the General Assembly proposed many ad hoc pieces of legislation to expand institution eligibility without additional funding or fiscal analysis addressing the impact of such expansion on current appropriations,” he wrote. “While I recognize the utility of tuition equalization grants for particular educational needs, the diversion of taxpayer funds to private institutions should only be sought on a measured and consistent basis.”

Trucks for Troops

History repeated itself Tuesday when Kemp shot down a bill aimed at putting veteran backsides into truck cabs.

Dallas Republican Sen. Jason Anavitarte’s Senate Bill 203 aimed to help veterans find jobs after leaving the service by making Technical College System of Georgia commercial driver’s license training free for veterans.

Lawmakers in both chambers overwhelmingly approved the idea last year when it was part of House Bill 249, but Kemp vetoed it because he said they did not include funding for the program in the budget.

They did not fund the free lessons again this year, Kemp said in his veto statement.

“This proposal was previously included in House Bill 249, which I vetoed on the grounds that the General Assembly failed to fund the initiative. The General Assembly also failed to fund Senate Bill 203 this year,” Kemp wrote.

Kemp added that he supports veterans and encourages anyone hoping to get a CDL to look into “currently funded resources to cover tuition costs such as the Hope Career Grant.”

Jean Ann Owenby

By
Now Habersham
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Jean Ann Owenby, age 81, of Demorest, Georgia, passed away on Thursday, January 18, 2024.

Jean was born in Bloomfield, Missouri on March 26, 1942. She was the daughter of the late Otto Jennings & Nellie May Austin. Jean married the love of her life, Oscar Eldon Owenby, on July 13, 1957. They secretly eloped with the help of Jean’s brother, Ed, and his wife and lived a wonderful life together. Jean and Oscar raised their three sons in Flint, Michigan. They then retired in 1989 to Panama City Beach, Florida, for 15 years before moving to Demorest, Georgia, to be closer to their family. She worked in a variety of jobs throughout her lifetime. Some of these were with A.C. General Motors, Farview Ltd, and a variety of part-time jobs she took to support her shopping hobby. In her spare time, Jean was an avid reader and enjoyed being a part of book clubs and playing Dominos with her cherished friends. She loved shopping and looking for new treasures that she liked to share with the people she cared about. Most of all, Jean loved her family, especially her great-granddaughters, David’s twins, Charlotte & Penelope (2 years).

Survivors include her husband of an amazing 66 years, Oscar Eldon Owenby, of Demorest, GA; sons and daughter-in-law, Douglas and Susan Kay Owenby of Frankenmuth, MI; Dennis Owenby of Oxford, MI; Marty Owenby of Demorest, GA; grandsons David Owenby and Daniel Owenby and his wife Midori; and great-granddaughters Charlotte and Penelope Owenby.

Jean’s wishes were to be cremated.

A Celebration of Life luncheon and gathering will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 26, 2024, at the Lower Bell Creek Baptist Church Fellowship Building in Hiawassee, Georgia.

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

Arrangements are in the care & professional direction of Hillside Memorial Chapel & Gardens of Clarkesville, Georgia. (706) 754-6256

Family pets die in Habersham County house fire

By
Joy Purcell and Jerry Neace
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Habersham County Emergency Services personnel attempt to resuscitate the pets that were inside the home during Tuesday’s fire. (Rob Moore/Habersham County)

Emergency personnel say two family pets died in a house fire that broke out Tuesday afternoon north of Clarkesville.

Units responded to 127 Lone Wolf Way off Hollywood Highway at about 2:50 p.m. According to Habersham County Emergency Services, the residents were out of the house by the time emergency personnel arrived but were unable to get all of their pets out.

Firefighters retrieved two family pets from the home. First responders attempted to resuscitate them, but neither survived.

Firefighters threw up a ladder to make entry into the home. The residents safely evacuated before they arrived, but two family pets died. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)

Officials say firefighters brought the fire under control within 30 minutes. The westbound lane of Hollywood Highway was closed until about 4:40 p.m. due to a large supply hose from a hydrant they used.

“We’d like to thank the Habersham County Road Department personnel who came out and brought us cones and assisted the sheriff’s office with traffic control,” said HCES Battalion Chief Jason Garrett. “They were there within just a few minutes, and it was a huge help to us.”

The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

(Jerry Neace/ NowHabersham.com)
Habersham County Emergency Services units work at the scene of Tuesday afternoon’s fire off Hollywood Highway outside Clarkesville. (Rob Moore/Habersham County)

Baldwin City Council discusses Chief Administrative Officer’s contract

By
Nora Almazan
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Baldwin City Council work session on Tuesday, May 7. (Nora Almazan/Now Habersham)

Baldwin City Council held a work session on Tuesday, May 7th beginning at 6:30 p.m.

One of the discussion topics was updating the contract of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). Currently, the CAO for the City of Baldwin is Emily Woodmaster. Councilwoman Alice Venter discussed various salary ranges in the area with the low, medium, and high ranges. Venter said the Cornelia CAO is the highest paid in the county at $135,000. The low range is $85,000/year, the mid-range is $106,000, and the high is $130,000. Councilwoman Venter recommended a 10% increase in salary for Woodmaster.

There was discussion about the many areas Woodmaster covers besides being the CAO. Any salary increase will have to be adjusted in the budget. Mayor Almagno reminded the Council that if Woodmaster were to walk away, several positions would need to be filled – finance, HR, and others.

It was agreed that the review and salary requirements needed to be resolved before Tuesday, May 14th, the day of the Town Hall Meeting.

The City of Baldwin will host a Town Hall Meeting for the FY2025 budget on May 14th at 6:30 pm at the Baldwin Farmers’ Market at 110 Airport Road. At this meeting, citizens are invited to ask questions, meet department heads and staff, and discuss the future of Baldwin.

Also, on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be a reFRESH Market where people can sell fruits, vegetables, farm fresh eggs, and other goods at Baldwin City Hall. This is a free place to sell. Vendor applications are available online. You can also contact John at City Hall for more information.

The movie in the Market is on May 24th, starting at 8:30 p.m. It is a free night of fun at the Farmers’ Market on Airport Road. This month the movie is Moana. Concessions are available, with all proceeds going to Shop with a Hero.

City Offices will be closed on May 27th in observance of Memorial Day

6-year-old injured in 2-vehicle accident in Hollywood

By
Staff Report
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A 3-year-old boy riding in this van suffered serious injuries in the wreck. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)

A 6-year-old boy was injured in an early morning accident Tuesday in Hollywood, according to the Georgia State Patrol.

The wreck happened shortly before 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of GA 15/U.S. Highway 441 and Talmadge Road.

The preliminary State Patrol report says Ronald Thompson, 77, of Clayton, was driving a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. He failed to stop at the traffic light and ran into a GMC Safari driven by Linda Holtzclaw of Toccoa.

The front of the pickup hit the passenger side of the Safari, causing the Silverado to rotate. The truck came to an uncontrolled rest facing north on  Talmadge Drive. The Safari came to an uncontrolled rest facing southbound on Talmadge Drive.

Habersham County Emergency Services transported the 6-year-old boy to Northeast Georgia Medical Center with suspected serious injuries.

(Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)
Towing operators prepare to begin the clearing process after Tuesday morning’s wreck in Hollywood. (Rob Moore/Habersham County)

The accident caused traffic delays in the southbound lane at Talmadge Drive and U.S. 441.

Georgia State Patrol Post 7 in Toccoa is investigating the crash.

Biden decries campus antisemitism in Holocaust remembrance speech

By
Ariana Figueroa
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President Joe Biden delivers the keynote address at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Annual Days of Remembrance ceremony, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — President Joe Biden warned Tuesday of rising antisemitism in the U.S. and said too many are forgetting the attack on Israel in October.

During a Holocaust memorial speech at the U.S. Capitol, Biden stressed the importance of honoring the 6 million Jews who were killed in the Holocaust, and the victims of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in Israel that sparked the Israel-Hamas war.

“Now here we are, not 75 years later but just seven… months later and people are already forgetting, they’re already forgetting that Hamas unleashed this terror,” he told attendees at the Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Annual Day of Remembrance Celebration.

“I have not forgotten, nor have you, and we will not forget,” he continued.

Biden criticized student protests at college campuses across the country over Israel’s war effort. Protesters have called for their institutions to divest from businesses that are tied to Israel and have called for a ceasefire.

“We’ve seen a ferocious surge of antisemitism in America and around the world,” Biden said. “There is no place on any campus in America, any place in America for antisemitism or hate speech or threats of violence of any kind.”

Biden last week commended students’ peaceful protests, while criticizing those that turned violent.

As the war reaches its seven-month mark, more than 34,000 Palestinians – 13,000 of them children – have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The war began after Hamas militants killed about 1,200 Israelis and foreigners and took 199 people hostage on Oct. 7.

Combating antisemitism

Biden announced several new administration initiatives to combat antisemitism Tuesday.

The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights will issue new guidance to all school districts and colleges to provide examples of antisemitic discrimination and how those instances can violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The agency said it has opened more than 100 investigations in the past “seven months into complaints alleging discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, including Antisemitism.”

The Department of Homeland Security will also build an online campus safety resource guide and develop best practices for “community-based targeted violence and terrorism prevention to reduce these assaults and attacks,” according to a fact sheet provided by the White House.

The Department of State also has an agency, the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, which will convene technology firms to identify best practices for addressing antisemitism content online.

U.S. House action

Biden was joined Tuesday by GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana and Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

The House last week passed legislation to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism for the Department of Education’s enforcement of the Civil Rights Act. All schools that receive federal funding are required to comply with that law.

Some Democrats have raised concerns that the language is too broad and could lead to restrictions on freedom of speech.

The lead drafter of the definition, Kenneth Stern, then an antisemitism expert with the American Jewish Committee, has repeatedly opposed the definition, raising concerns when the Trump administration tried to issue an executive order similar to the recent House bill.

“It was never intended to be a campus hate speech code, but that’s what Donald Trump’s executive order accomplished this week,” Stern wrote in 2019. “This order is an attack on academic freedom and free speech, and will harm not only pro-Palestinian advocates, but also Jewish students and faculty, and the academy itself.”

Johnson is also leading a House-wide effort to address the college campus protests, such as grilling university presidents and threatening to pull federal funding from those institutions.

Members of the House Education and Workforce Committee grilled Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on Tuesday about antisemitism on college campuses. Several similar hearings are scheduled in the coming weeks.

“We are witnessing American universities quickly becoming hostile places for Jewish students and faculty,” Johnson said.

Johnson said there has been a rise in antisemitism since Oct. 7, which was the most deadly attack on Jews since the Holocaust.

“The threat of repeating the past is so great,” Johnson said. “There are some who would prefer to criticize Israel and lecture them on their military tactics…than punish the terrorists who perpetrated these horrific crimes.”

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