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Indians make history with first round win over Oglethorpe

By
TFS Athletics
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The Indians took their first-ever playoff series in the opening round Tuesday at home against Oglethorpe County. #4-ranked TFS won the first game 10-0, walking off with a fielder’s choice groundout from Caden Walker after six innings. In the second game, scored three in the sixth to put the finishing touches on a 7-2 win.

GAME 1

The Indians scratched across a run in the first to get things going on a Diego Gonzalez sac fly. A 5-run second included a Gregory Mendez RBI single, a Danny Grant two-run single, and a Gonzalez RBI doubled.

In the fourth inning, TFS grabbed three more runs to push the lead up to 9-0. A fielder’s choice groundout by Walker in the sixth triggered the run rule. Chase Pollock (5-2) was dealing, and grabbed the complete game shutout with a 2-hit, 6-inning performance peppered with six strikeouts and a single walk. Six different players had one hit apiece, and Grant and Gonzalez had two RBI.

W: Chase Pollock (5-2)
RBI: 2 Danny Grant, 2 Diego Gonzalez, Chase Pollock, BJ Carver, Caden Walker, Gregory Mendez

GAME 2

The bats stayed hot early in game two. With TFS this time as the ‘visiting’ team, Ashton Roache homered in the first to center after a double by Grant. Oglethorpe County tied it up with single runs in the second and third. Carver homered on a line drive to left to put the Indians back ahead 3-2, leading off the fourth. That marked his first homerun in his Tallulah Falls career.

TFS added three in the sixth, courtesy of a pair of bases loaded hit batsmen. Mendez doubled home Carver in the seventh for good measure. Andrew Skvarka earned the win by going three innings and striking out two against four hits and one earned run. Cole Bonitatibus went the final four innings to get the save, giving up no hits and walking four against seven strikeouts. Carver had two hits, two runs, and an RBI. Walker ended with a hit, a run, and three stolen bases.

W: Andrew Skvarka (4-1)
S: Cole Bonitatibus (2)
HR: Ashton Roache (4), BJ Carver (1)
RBI: 2 Ashton Roache, BJ Carver, Danny Grant, Diego Gonzalez, Gregory Mendez

The Indians are now 21-9 on the season, and advance to their first-ever Sweet 16.

Cleveland awarded nearly $18M economic development grant

By
Staff Report
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The grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce will be used to upgrade the city of Cleveland's wastewater treatment facility. (Source: Google Maps)

Cleveland has been awarded a $17,987,491 Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The grant money will be used for wastewater infrastructure improvements to support job creation and economic growth. Specifically, the city says the funds will enable the city to upgrade the current wastewater treatment facility.

“The Economic Development Administration works closely with communities to support locally driven disaster recovery and resiliency efforts,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This project will provide critical infrastructure improvements to help diversify the regional economy and create jobs.”

Cleveland Mayor Josh Turner acknowledged the collaborative efforts put into the application process.

“This grant award is the culmination of months of work and meetings to garner support. Senator Jon Ossoff and his office staff were champions for Cleveland throughout this process,” said Turner. “I also want to thank Congressman Andrew Clyde and Senator Raphael Warnock for their support of the application and the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission for writing the application.”

Cleveland City Councilmember CJ McDonald expressed his excitement upon receiving the news.

“It’s going to be great! It’s going to reduce the tax burden on the citizens of Cleveland. It’s going to reduce the amount of money we have to potentially bond or get loaned, so it’s a home run, slam dunk. We are so thrilled; I’m so thrilled we got this grant.”

McDonald said the city’s current sewage treatment plant must be upgraded to grow and meet residents’ needs.

“Senator Warnock and I continue to support Georgia’s economic development — today, with resources for water infrastructure improvements in Cleveland. I thank President Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary Raimondo, and Assistant Secretary Castillo for their assistance and support,” said Sen. Ossoff.

Sen. Warnock added, “The health of Georgia’s communities is tied to the health of our environment, which is why I am proud to have supported legislation making this $18 million grant for Cleveland possible.” He added, “As a pastor and public servant, I believe we are called to be good stewards of our Earthly home and its resources so we can pass them on to future generations. By investing in clean water and infrastructure upgrades, we are investing in healthy and thriving communities across Georgia for decades to come.”

Cleveland’s project will be funded through the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023.

“The significance of this investment is a game changer for the City of Cleveland and community,” said City Administrator Kevin Harris. “Sewer infrastructure and overall capacity is so important to economic growth and housing and I’m proud of the investment that EDA has made in the future of our community.”

The city’s next step is to conduct an initial kickoff meeting with EDA. This will allow the city to bid on the project and move forward with construction.

Dean Dyer of WRWH Radio contributed to this article

Millions of salaried workers to become eligible for overtime under new Biden rule

By
Ariana Figueroa
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A Department of Labor final rule means millions of salaried workers who are employed in the executive, administrative or professional industries will become eligible for overtime pay.

WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — The U.S. Department of Labor Tuesday announced a final rule that means millions of salaried workers who are employed in the executive, administrative or professional industries will become eligible for overtime pay.

The rule will affect roughly 4 million workers in the first year of implementation and will be broken into two checkpoints. The first will be on July 1, with an impact on 1 million workers, and another on Jan. 1, 2025, affecting 3 million workers, Wage and Hour Division Administrator Jessica Looman said on a call with reporters previewing the regulation.

On July 1, the agency will update standard salary levels using an existing methodology developed under the Trump administration, Looman said. The salary level at which salaried employees are exempt from overtime will rise at that point from $684 per week to $844 per week, which is the equivalent of $43,888 per year.

On Jan. 1, the agency will move to a new methodology that will set the standard salary level to the 35th percentile of “full-time salaried workers in the lowest-wage census region, which is the South,” Looman said.

That will result in an exempt salary level of $1,128 per week, or the equivalent of $58,656 per year.

“The strength of these protections continues to decline over time, and sometimes workers are working excessive hours with no additional pay,” Looman said, adding that some workers are exempt from protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

President Joe Biden, in a video, said, “We’re putting more money in the pockets of millions of American workers. Because you earned it.”

The Department of Labor has typically updated the salary requirement levels every five to nine years since 1938, but after 1975, those updates have been more unpredictable. Salary levels have not been updated in at least four years.

Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda said on the call with reporters that DOL has tried to “strike the right balance between the salary level and the duties,” and that “striking the wrong balance means that lower-paid salary workers don’t get the overtime protections that they should under the act.”

Future updates to the salary level will occur every three years, and will apply “up-to-date wage data to the salary and compensation methodologies in the regulation at the time of the update,” Looman said.

The next update will take place on July 1, 2027.

The Labor Department included exemptions to the new standards, including in U.S. territories.

“The final rule does not finalize proposals to raise the salary threshold for workers in the four U.S. territories that are currently subjected to the federal minimum wage, which are Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,” Looman said. “The rule also doesn’t finalize updates to the special salary levels for American Samoa and the motion picture industry in relation to the new standard salary level.”

DOL will address those updates in a future final rule, she said.

“The final rule announced today restores and extends overtime protections to lower paid salary workers and prevents a future erosion of overtime protections while ensuring greater predictability,” Looman said.

Georgia governor signs school voucher bill to provide $6,500 toward private tuition

By
Ross Williams
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Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill into law Tuesday afternoon, April 23, 2024, that will provide a $6,500 voucher to some parents who want to enroll their students in private school. (Governor's Office photo/Facebook)

(GA Recorder) — Gov. Brian Kemp signed a suite of education-related bills into law Tuesday, including a controversial measure that will allow parents of children in low-performing schools to claim $6,500 in state education funds to pull their children out of the public system and enroll them in private school or teach them at home.

Supporters say expanding school vouchers will help kids in schools that don’t meet their needs succeed academically. Opponents say they siphon needed dollars from underfunded public schools to private institutions with less oversight.

Kemp thanked the bill’s author, Cumming Republican Sen. Greg Dolezal, and House Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones for working on the bill for years before it finally passed this year.

“I am grateful for that dedication because this legislation has always been about one thing, providing every Georgia child the opportunity to get the education that they deserve,” Kemp said. “To ensure that participating schools are living up to that promise, they must demonstrate their own sound financial footing and submit student performance data before enrolling students, and they must administer an education savings authority approved assessment to ensure quality student performance.”

Those additions Kemp mentioned were sweeteners added to help convince Republican holdouts in the House to support the measure. Other additions make temporary teacher pay raises approved over the last few years permanent and allow public schools to use state capital construction dollars to build or renovate Pre-K facilities.

The program is set to go into effect for next year’s fall semester and is limited to students zoned into the lowest 25% of Georgia schools. Except for kindergartners, participants must have been enrolled in public school for at least a year to qualify. The cost to the state is capped at 1% of the cost of the Quality Basic Education formula used to determine the state’s school funding share, which now equals more than $100 million.

Though some House members needed convincing, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones indicated the Senate is ready to move further.

“As a longtime proponent of school choice, I am proud of the General Assembly for passing the most substantive initiative in decades,” Jones said. “I want to thank Gov. Kemp for his support for school choice and education freedom within our state. Today’s signing of SB 233 is a great step in the right direction, however, there is still more work to be done to give parents the choice and resources that can meet their child’s unique educational needs. I look forward to working with Governor Kemp and my colleagues in the General Assembly to ensure educational freedom in Georgia.”

Many education leaders were not cheering as Kemp affixed his signature to the bill. Teachers and education lobbyists have long complained that the voucher bill will leave already cash-strapped schools with less money. In a virtual news conference hosted by the Intercultural Development Research Association Association following the bill’s signing, activists lamented what they called a rushed and non-transparent process that led to the bill’s passage and predicted that it will do little to help the families proponents say it will because $6,500 is not enough to pay for tuition at most Georgia private schools, which tend to be clustered around major metro areas.

Elijah Brawner, a divinity student at Emory University, said every private school in his area is Christian-based, which would further alienate some students.

“So if you can get a public school voucher and that lets you leave your supposedly terrible public schools and take your money with you, first of all, the voucher doesn’t cover the whole tuition,” he said. “So now you’re only letting people come through who can already afford to pay partial tuition through subsidizing students above a certain income level, and you’re not subsidizing any students that are of a diverse faith background.”

Tracey Nance, the 2022 Georgia Teacher of the Year, said she is concerned that families who take advantage of the program may be exposed to legal discrimination and give up rights that public school families would have.

“The private schools that accept these publicly funded vouchers are not held to the same standards as public schools, and they are in fact even legally allowed to discriminate,” she said. “They have little oversight students will not be required to take the same accountability test as the rest of Georgia students, they will not be held to the same instructional standards. Even more when parents use this voucher they waive all rights to federal protection and public education services, including services for students with disabilities and services such as transportation and school meals.”

2 Baldwin businesses found selling alcohol to minors, police say

By
Nora Almazan
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Baldwin Police are investigating for illegal sale of alcohol and tobacco to minors. (Nora Almazan/Now Habersham)

The owners of two Baldwin businesses accused of selling alcohol to minors will appear before the Baldwin City Council on Friday.

Authorities cited Alto Mountain Grocery and Los Cerritos Mexican Restaurant for underage sales on April 23 following an investigation by the Georgia Department of Revenue. According to a news release from the city of Baldwin, the investigation was prompted by an anonymous tip.

Alto Mountain Grocery convenience store and gas station is closed pending the outcome of an investigation into underage alcohol sales. Baldwin police temporarily closed the business on April 23, 2024. (Nora Almazan/Now Habersham)

Baldwin police are still investigating the allegations, the release states.

Police temporarily closed the Alto Mountain Grocery BP gas station and convenience store at 3834 Highway 365, pending the outcome of that investigation. Los Cerritos, located at 346 U.S. Highway 441, will remain open but is prohibited from selling alcohol while the investigation continues.

Probe prompted by anonymous tip

Baldwin Public Information Officer John Dills says after receiving the tip, the city contacted the Department of Revenue (DOR) for assistance. The state agency, which oversees alcohol and tobacco sales in the state, contacted 20 Habersham County businesses. As a result, DOR investigators and Baldwin police issued citations to the two Baldwin businesses.

Police withdrew Los Cerritos’ alcohol license. Restaurant manager Jose Ibarra said he spoke with officers on Tuesday.

Los Cerritos Mexican Restaurant will remain open for business but is prohibited from selling alcohol. (Nora Almazan/Now Habersham)

“The restaurant is still open, and everything will be business as usual,” Ibarra said. “We will not be able to serve alcohol.”

Ibarra says officials informed him he would have to put up a sign outside the restaurant stating that alcohol will not be sold at this location. Police officers visited both businesses on Tuesday, informing them of the April 26th hearing.

“It is one of our sworn duties to investigate citizen complaints when they are received,” says Baldwin Police Chief Chris Jones.

He added, “Our goal is to protect our minors and keep the roadways safe in today’s uncertain times.”

Multi-vehicle wreck blocks GA 365 southbound traffic

By
Nora Almazan
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The pick-up truck pulling this small boat and trailer was among 4 vehicles that wrecked on GA 365 South in Demorest on April 23, 2024. (Rob Moore/Habersham County)

Tuesday, April 23, just as school was letting out, a multi-vehicle wreck occurred on GA 365 southbound in Demorest.

The accident happened at 2:56 p.m. between Demorest-Mt. Airy Highway and Iron Ore Road. Four vehicles were involved in the collision, including one towing a small boat on a trailer.

The wreck blocked both southbound lanes for about 20 minutes, then one lane reopened. The road fully reopened at 4:30 p.m.

Accident involving four vehicles on GA 365 southbound in Demorest. (Rob Moore/Habersham County)

Habersham County Emergency Services personnel and Demorest firefighters responded to the wreck. According to Habersham County Public Information Officer Rob Moore, one driver complained of injuries, but no one was transported from the scene for medical care.

Georgia State Patrol Post 7 Toccoa is investigating the accident.

Rodney Charles Usher

By
Now Habersham
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Rodney Charles Usher, age 66, of Clarkesville, Georgia, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

Born in Demorest, Georgia, on August 23, 1957, he was a son of Charles & Gay Sosebee Usher of Cleveland, Georgia. Rodney was a graduate of White County High School, Class of 1975. He retired from Ethicon – A Johnson & Johnson Family Company, where he worked as a machinist with 25 years of dedicated service. In his spare time, Rodney enjoyed being outdoors, hunting, and camping. Most of all, he enjoyed precious time with his family, especially his grandchildren. Rodney was of the Baptist faith.

In addition to his parents, survivors include his children, Holli Usher of Demorest, GA; Jeremy & LaTisha Usher of Hiawassee, GA; Chad & Kelly Usher of Mount Airy, GA; grandchildren, Judah & Henry Usher of Hiawassee, GA; Hayes, Charlee, & Haddie Usher of Mount Airy, GA; brother & sister-in-law, Daniel & Angela Usher of Cornelia, GA; sisters & brother-in-law, Pam Wright, Patti & Bobby Allen all of Cleveland, GA; several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives, & a host of friends.

A Celebration of Rodney’s Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 26, 2024, at Hillside Memorial Chapel in Clarkesville, Georgia, with Rev. Raburne Wilson & Rev. Donald Grizzle officiating.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, 2024.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that all donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by visiting www.stjude.org/donate.

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

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

20-year-old Toccoa man charged in Easter drive-by shooting

By
Staff Report
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A Toccoa man is in jail charged in a drive-by shooting on Easter that injured two people.

On Thursday, April 18, the GBI arrested 20-year-old Cornelius Devaughn Curry in Athens-Clarke County during a warrant operation, a news release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation states. Authorities charged Curry with four counts of aggravated assault, four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of certain crimes, two counts of aggravated battery, and four violations of the Georgia Street Gang Terrorism Prevention Act.

On Sunday, March 31, at about 12:30 a.m., the Toccoa Police Department asked the GBI to help investigate a drive-by shooting that occurred on West Whitman Street. Toccoa Police Chief Jimmy Mize said two people were injured by gunfire. Both victims were treated and released from local hospitals.

The GBI’s regional investigative office in Cleveland and the GBI Gang Task Force conducted a multi-faceted investigation that led to Curry’s arrest. Athens-Clarke County Police and GBI investigators in Athens assisted with the arrest. Police took Curry into custody in Athens near Vintage Court.

GBI Public Affairs Director Nelly Miles says more arrests are pending in this case. Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Mountain Circuit Judicial Circuit District Attorney for prosecution.

U.S. Senate sends foreign aid bill to Biden as McConnell chides GOP ‘isolationist movement’

By
Jennifer Shutt
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Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, speaks during a press conference inside the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — An additional $95 billion in military and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan cleared the U.S. Senate after a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers voted Tuesday to send it to President Joe Biden.

The 79-18 vote wrapped up months of debate within Congress about whether the United States should approve the aid or if it should turn inward amid rising global conflict.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said during a press conference before the vote that he believed the strong support showed the GOP had “turned the corner on the isolationist movement.”

McConnell also rebuked former Fox News TV personality Tucker Carlson for repeatedly criticizing Republicans for approving military aid to Ukraine.

“I think the demonization of Ukraine began by Tucker Carlson, who in my opinion ended up where he should have been all along, which is interviewing Vladimir Putin,” McConnell said. “He had an enormous audience, which convinced a lot of rank-and-file Republicans that maybe this is a mistake.”

The legislation, which includes a national security bill aimed at forcing the sale of the popular social media app TikTok by its Chinese parent company ByteDance, passed the U.S. House on Saturday in a series of four broadly bipartisan votes.

The legislation was then wrapped together and sent to the Senate as one package to speed up its approval in that chamber.

Biden plans to sign the measure as soon as it reaches his desk.

Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday “to underscore the United States’ lasting commitment to supporting Ukraine as it defends its freedom against Russian aggression,” according to a readout of the call from the White House.

“President Biden shared that his administration will quickly provide significant new security assistance packages to meet Ukraine’s urgent battlefield and air defense needs as soon as the Senate passes the national security supplemental and he signs it into law,” according to the readout.

McConnell sees ‘a test on behalf of the entire nation’

McConnell gave a lengthy floor speech Tuesday before the vote defending the package as a way to bolster America’s global leadership and support American jobs.

“Today, the Senate sits for a test on behalf of the entire nation — it’s a test of American resolve, our readiness and our willingness to lead,” McConnell said. “And the stakes of failure are abundantly clear.”

The Kentucky Republican rebuked GOP lawmakers who have sought to delay or block the assistance, saying he would “not mince words when members of my own party take the responsibilities of American leadership lightly.”

“So much of the hesitation and short-sightedness that has delayed this moment is premised on sheer fiction,” McConnell said.

Investments in defense spending by the United States, he said, have led allies in Europe “to make historic investments of their own in collective defense,” which in some countries “is outpacing our own.”

American allies in Europe and the Indo-Pacific have collectively purchased more than $1 billion in weapons produced in American factories by American workers, McConnell said.

“Do our colleagues really think that will continue if America decides that global leadership is too heavy a burden?” McConnell asked.

Humanitarian help

Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Patty Murray, a Washington state Democrat, said securing the humanitarian aid in the package was a “red line” for her.

“At every stage of these negotiations, I made clear: Congress will not advance a supplemental that fails civilians,” Murray said. “I will not let us turn our back on women and children who are suffering, and who are often hit hardest by the fallout of chaos and conflict.”

That humanitarian assistance, Murray said, would go toward “civilians in Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza, including kids who are caught in the crossfire, who are in desperate need of food and water and medical care.”

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, said the package would help bolster America’s national security at a crucial time in world history.

“The threats that the U.S. faces from an aggressive Iran and its proxies, an imperialistic Russia and a hegemonic China are interconnected,” Collins said. “How we respond to one affects how the other will operate.”

Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized leaders for not holding separate votes on the four bills in the package, as the House did, and urged them to hold votes on amendments that he said would improve the measure. Leaders ultimately did not hold amendment votes.

Sanders said he supports humanitarian aid, weapons for Ukraine and giving Israel more funding for defensive weapons, like the “Iron Dome to protect Israeli civilians from missile and drone attacks.”

But Sanders rejected the legislation providing “$8.9 billion in unfettered offensive military aid to the extremist Israeli government” and he sharply criticized Israel’s leaders for limiting aid to civilians in Gaza.

“We are now in the absurd situation where Israel is using U.S. military assistance to block the delivery of U.S. humanitarian aid to Palestinians,” Sanders said. “If that is not crazy, I don’t know what is. But it’s also a clear violation of U.S. law.”

How funds are allocated

The emergency spending for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan appropriates the money to the U.S. departments of Defense, Energy and State. They would then use that funding to bolster military and humanitarian assistance to those three entities as well as other U.S. allies.

The $95 billion in funding would be divided up with $60.84 billion for Ukraine; $26.38 billion for Israel, though $9.15 billion of that total is for humanitarian assistance for Gaza and other “vulnerable populations;” and $8.12 billion for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.

That spending is extremely similar to a package the Senate passed in February, but it was stalled in the House for months as Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, plotted a path forward.

The fourth bill in the package, dubbed the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, is a 184-page measure that bundles together the TikTok divestment bill; anti-fentanyl legislation; and sanctions against China, Iran and Russia.

That bill also includes the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, or Repo Act, that would allow the United States “to confiscate Russian sovereign assets that have been frozen in the United States and transfer them to assist in Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts,” according to a summary.

Lawsuit expected from ByteDance

The TikTok bill would require Chinese owner ByteDance to sell the social media company within one year of the bill becoming law. It’s an attempt by lawmakers to reduce what some see as a national security risk to Americans’ data privacy.

ByteDance is expected to file a lawsuit challenging the law once it’s enacted.

Former President Donald Trump, now the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, used a possible ban of the app to rebuke Biden over the weekend.

Trump, however, left out that he attempted something similar when he was in the Oval Office.

“Just so everyone knows, especially the young people, Crooked Joe Biden is responsible for banning TikTok,” Trump wrote.

“Young people, and lots of others, must remember this on November 5th, ELECTION DAY, when they vote!” Trump added.

Trump attempted to ban TikTok in August 2020 through an executive order but was blocked by the courts.

“TikTok automatically captures vast swaths of information from its users, including Internet and other network activity information such as location data and browsing and search histories,” according to Trump’s executive order.

“This data collection threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information — potentially allowing China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage.”

The bill forcing TikTok’s parent company to sell the app or face a ban in the U.S. was added to the emergency spending package by House Republicans. It passed that chamber over the weekend on a 360-58 vote with 186 of the ‘yes’ votes coming from GOP lawmakers.

Bill to regulate hemp products in Georgia awaits governor’s signature

By
Chaya Tong
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A hemp store in Acworth. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)

(Georgia Recorder) —  A bill regulating hemp products, licensing, and restricting their purchase to customers 21 and older awaits its fate on Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk after state lawmakers successfully passed it during this year’s legislative session.

The bill, related to “The Georgia Hemp Farming Act” and sponsored by Republican Moultrie Sen. Sam Watson, would require testing for all hemp-derived products, including CBD and Delta-8 edibles and drinks, and prohibit sales to minors. The Senate sent the bill to the governor late in the session, and he has until May 7 to sign it, veto it, or allow it to become law without taking action.

“Once the General Assembly adjourns, the Governor has 40 days to act on legislation. During that time, all bills that reached final passage undergo a thorough review process,” the governor’s spokesperson Garrison Douglas said in a statement.

Watson says the bill is a step forward in consumer protection, treating hemp products the same as any other food product in the state.

“We regulate tobacco, we regulate alcohol, we regulate food, yet we’ve got a ton of these products out there now that we’re not regulating as a state to protect the people of our state,” he said.

The new age restrictions will help protect children from accidentally consuming marijuana products, Watson said.

“Kids go into these gas stations and buy gas, and this stuff is being sold, and nobody knows what’s in it, and nobody’s checking it, and that’s just scary,” Watson added.

Opponents of the bill are urging Gov. Kemp to stop it from becoming law.

Gaylord Lopez, executive director of the Georgia Poison Center, said that in the past three years, the center has received more than 260 calls from children falling ill from Delta-8.

“I’m really disappointed in where this bill ended up going,” he said. “What our legislators have done is basically legalize the sale of marijuana.”

While the bill prohibits sales to Georgians under 21 and requires better labeling, it does not prevent the synthetic manipulation of hemp that creates derivatives such as Delta-8 or Delta-10, Lopez said, citing language in the bill that allows for the sale of hemp derivatives, including flowers or leaves.

“This is not a bill that helps protect consumers. This continues to allow dangerous products that contain THC, that cause psychoactive effects, and are causing children to be poisoned,” Lopez added.

From the cannabis industry itself, organizations like the Georgia Medical Cannabis Society are also asking Kemp to veto the bill. Yolanda Bennett, co-founder of the society, said that increased cannabis regulation and testing will shut down mom and pop shops.

“Consumers won’t be able to afford it, retailers won’t be able to afford to eat the product on shelves, processors [will] be run out of business, and farmers will end up growing other crops and leave the hemp,” she said.

The bill would also close the so-called THCA loophole by including it in testing, which would limit the medical marijuana industry.

Opponents also worry about law enforcement’s reaction to the bill if the governor signs it.

Tom Church, an Atlanta criminal defense attorney who represents hemp vendors, says one concern about the bill is that sheriffs will go rogue and prosecute legal CBD sellers like back alley drug dealers.

“I’m tired of seeing normal business folks, law-abiding citizens charged and treated like marijuana dealers under the law,” Church said.

Watson said the bill is just the first step in legislation regulating hemp in Georgia.

Meanwhile, Lopez urges the Legislature to close loopholes allowing hemp derivatives to hit the market.

“Our legislators are our ardent fans of not legalizing marijuana. Well, when you tell them hemp can be converted into marijuana, no one seems to be listening,” Lopez said. “We need to get them more aware. Poisonings will continue to happen.”

Cinco de Mayo Festival in Cleveland: food, fun, and prizes

By
Nora Almazan
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The Cinco de Mayo Festival at St Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Saturday, May 4th. (St Paul)

It is a celebration of victory – a military victory in 1862 over French Forces of Napolean III by the Mexican military. The holiday tradition has become recognized in Mexico and the United States. Cinco de Mayo or the fifth of May is a day to honor the ability to overcome obstacles even when the numbers are stacked in the opposition’s favor. Such was the case in 1862 when the Mexican military took on the French Forces and won.

Cinco de Mayo Festival

St Paul the Apostle Catholic Church would like to invite you to a Festival to commemorate Cinco De Mayo on Saturday, May 4th from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Jason Tapia of Tapia Pallets and Publicity Coordinator for the event said, “There will be delicious food, games for the kids to enjoy, an amazing atmosphere and so much more.”

Cinco de Mayo at St Paul the Apostle Catholic Church mechanical bull rides. (St Paul)

Everyone is invited. St Paul has done this event for several years with great success.

It is an opportunity for families to come together, have a lot of fun, and enjoy the culture surrounding Cinco de Mayo.

St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church is located at 1243 Hulsey Road in Cleveland, GA.

“The community at St. Paul is very welcoming and makes everyone feel at home,” Tapia added. “Father Fabio is the best of the best. He is such a kind person and cares so much about everyone in our community.”

Lots to do

There will be Hay Rides, mechanical bull rides, dances, games, and vendors. You can contact Jane Brown at (404) 784-3803 if you want to be a vendor. Vendors may sign up until May 3rd. The cost is $15 for parishioners and $25 for all others.

Cinco de Mayo is a day of food. Come and experience authentic Mexican traditions. (St. Paul)

The official dish of Cinco de Mayo is Molé Molé Poblano. If you’ve never tried it, you will want to do so. Raffle Tickets will be sold for $2 each with a chance to win the First Prize – $500; the Second Prize $400; and the Third prize – $300.

If you need further information, please call St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church at (706) 865-4474.

 

 

NGMC performs first non-invasive liver cancer treatment

By
Staff Report
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The operating room team at NGMC Gainesville just before completing the first histotripsy procedure. From L-R: Caroline Chotas, RN; Kristy Foutty, CST; Casey Patton, RN, CNOR; Stephanie Sullins, CST; Shannon Sutton, RN, CNOR; Nelson Royall, MD; Ambar Riffi Temsamani, PA-C; Cierra Triggs, CST. (Northeast Georgia Medical Center)

Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) recently completed the first histotripsy procedure in the state. Patients with liver cancer in the southeast can stay closer to home and receive the latest, most advanced care, according to a press release from NGMC Public Relations and Marketing Specialist Emily Kerns.

The procedure was performed Friday April 19 at NGMC Gainesville by Nelson Royall,
MD, a surgeon with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG).

Dr. Nelson Royall performs a histotripsy procedure at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. (Northeast Georgia Medical Center)

Histotripsy is an ultrasound-based procedure that offers patients an alternative for treating liver cancer tumors, with no need for incisions or invasive surgery. NGMC is the first hospital in Georgia to perform the procedure. It is one of eight hospitals in the nation to offer histotripsy.

“Performing the first histotripsy procedure at NGMC is not just a milestone for our team,
but a leap forward for the entire state,” Dr. Royall said. “It’s a privilege to be at the forefront of redefining what’s possible in cancer care”

Histotripsy uses focused ultrasound waves to precisely target and break down tissue
without harming surrounding healthy tissue. This approach means more efficient procedures and minimal recovery times. It can also be done without disrupting chemotherapy or other cancer treatments.

Any patient with liver tumors is a potential candidate for histotripsy. This includes tumors that have formed within the liver or those that have spread to the liver from other organs.

For more information about histotripsy at NGMC, visit nghs.com/histotripsy.

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