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3 dead in apparent double-murder suicide in Athens

By
Joy Purcell
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An Athens man shot and killed his ex-girlfriend and another man before turning the gun on himself, police say.

The double-murder suicide on December 1 took place in the 100 block of Massey Lane on the north side of town. Late Friday night, officers with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) responded to a report of an aggravated assault at that location.

The department’s initial investigation indicates that Mangell Maivena, 31, shot Juliana Navarnete-Moreno, 26, and Hugo Martinez-Cerritos, 20, during a dispute. He then took his own life.

Navarnete-Morena died at the scene. Martinez-Cerritos was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. He died on Sunday, December 3.

ACCPD is asking anyone with information about the incident to contact Detective Paul Johnson at 762-400-7060 or email [email protected].

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please contact Project Safe, a non-profit agency working to end domestic violence through crisis intervention, prevention, and education. Project Safe’s emergency line is 706-543-3331.

Authorities still looking for driver in fatal hit-and-run in Mt. Airy

By
Staff Report
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(NowHabersham.com)

Authorities are still looking for a hit-and-run driver who killed a Mount Airy, Georgia, woman on Saturday.

Georgia State Patrol Post 7 Commander Donnie Saddler says they still don’t know who struck and killed 21-year-old Mia Y. Alvarez.

State troopers say Alvarez was walking in the northbound lane of Dicks Hill Parkway near Bridgewater Drive when the incident occurred sometime before 7:30 p.m. on December 2. She died at the scene.

Troopers from Post 7 investigated the incident. Their preliminary report states whoever was responsible left the scene and “could not be located or identified.”

They’re asking anyone with information to contact them at 706-282-4531.

Five pedestrian fatalities in 5 months

Alvarez is the second person to be killed in a hit-and-run and at least the fifth to die in a pedestrian crash in Habersham County since August.

On August 18, a hit-and-run driver struck and killed Robert Reeves of Clarkesville as he walked alongside his bike on Highway 17. Authorities have still not located the driver in that incident.

The three other pedestrian fatalities involved drivers who did stop: none of them were charged.

On August 10, a van struck and killed Mark Shepard of Marietta on GA 385 at Midway Crossing in Cornelia. Less than a week later, on August 16, a pickup truck hit and killed Stephen Mizell of Lula on GA 197 south of Clarkesville.

On September 13, Crystal Ann Thomas was struck and killed while walking south on the Level Grove northbound exit in Cornelia.

Toccoa lights up the holidays at annual Christmas Fest

By
Jerry Neace and Joy Purcell
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A small but cheerful crowd gathered Friday night in Toccoa for the annual Christmas tree lighting on the historic Stephens County Courthouse lawn. The event was part of the city’s annual Christmas Fest.

The cool, rainy weather kept many people away. Still, those who did turn out felt the warmth of the holidays. They strolled through the lights, shopped, and skated as carolers serenaded them.

Brandon Brooks of Turnerville was among the several hundred people who turned out for the evening’s events.

“My niece danced down there at the theater, at the Ritz,” he told Now Habersham.

Beth Rider’s granddaughter also danced at the historic theater, but it wasn’t the only thing that drew this Toccoa resident and her husband to the event.

“We came out to watch the lighting of the Christmas tree and to view all of the lights and have a little fun tonight,” she said.

“My wife made me go,” added her husband, Leon, with a grin.

The Courthouse Wonderland will remain lit throughout the new year. For more information on ice skating and other holiday activities, contact Main Street Toccoa at 706-282-3232.

Christmas with Hans Christian Andersen and so much more

By
Nora Almazan
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Christmas with Hans Christian Andersen (Photo Credit: Robin Ewing Photography)

It’s different from anything you’ve ever seen and it’s coming to Habersham Central Auditorium on December 9. Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s many books, Clarkesville School of Dance will be performing Christmas with Hans Christian Anderson. The ballet’s originator, Pittman Corry of the Corry Foundation, gave exclusive rights to the Southern Ballet of Atlanta, and upon his passing, Coby Grossbart Richardson, owner of Druitt Hills Dance Center and Vista Grove Center in Decatur continued the production for 20 years before passing the baton to Francie Keene, owner of Clarkesville School of Dance. Keene intends to keep the amazing production going. Original choreographers were Pittman Corry, Ginger Prince Hall, and Coby Grossbart.

Books come to life

Andersen’s books come to life as performed by the School of Dance’s Company dancers. Books such as The Little Mermaid, The Little Match Girl, The Red Shoes, and Chimney Sweep are just some of the classics that will be captured on stage. The lights, costumes, and music weave the words of Andersen into the hearts of the audience. It is a state-of-the-art performance and it’s here in Habersham County.

Christmas with Hans Christian Andersen production by Clarkesville School of Dance (Photo Credit to Robin Ewing Photography)

Something never seen before

“Everybody can do The Nutcracker,” Keene responded to the opportunity she has been given to perform this ballet, “But we are bringing something no one has seen before. I have no doubt everyone will leave smiling and filled with the Christmas spirit.”

Guest performer Noah Richardson, from Orlando, will dance the part of Hans.

“As the show grows, we will add more performances,” Keene said of the December 9 production. “As of now, we will perform Acts I and III, with Act II to be for the Summer of 2024.”

No stranger to dance

Keene is no stranger to the dance world. At the age of 8 years old, Keene began with roles in The King & I with Yul Brenner, South Pacific, and Fiddler on the Roof. She danced at the Crystal Pistol at Six Flags over Georgia and performed in Spellbound in Los Angeles, Tahoe, and Atlantic City. Keene worked for Disney World and was a part of the original cast of Beauty and the Beast among other shows. On Broadway, she danced in Will Rogers Follies and was a part of the first National Tour. Throughout her career, Keene has enjoyed working with such artists as Michael Crawford, Tommy Tune, Mac Davis, and Gregory Hines. She also had the opportunity to perform for President Bill Clinton and the First Lady.  

Her litany of shows is impressive, but it is her character that draws people to her. 

Christmas with Hans Christian Andersen Performance by Clarkesville School of  Dance: Lillie Grace Freeman, Ava Hamon, Elsie Sims, Chloe Eller, Marina Dumas, Cloe Alexander, Kalleigh Hartzog Photo Credit: Robin Ewing Photography

Come and enjoy

Christmas with Hans Christian Andersen, December 9, 7:30 p.m. Doors to open at 7:00 p.m. at the Habersham Central Auditorium. It will be a cultural extravaganza for the entire family and something you do not want to miss. Tickets are available online at ClarkesvilleSchoolofDance.

Silent sermon

By
Joy Purcell
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Macey Nicholson captured this image of Habersham Central High School junior Trey King cleaning up the student section in the gym after a basketball game at the school in Mt. Airy on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. (Photo by Macey Nicholson/Facebook)

Macey Nicholson was leaving the Habersham Central High School basketball game Friday night when she captured a quiet moment that speaks volumes.

“This section is where the student section was. I was absolutely shocked to see all of them get up and leave without picking up their trash,” the HCHS alum wrote in a social media post that’s since been widely shared.

Then, a young man stepped into the stands and started picking up the trash.

“He didn’t know that anyone was watching,” Nicholson wrote. “He wasn’t even sitting in the student section.”

Nicholson gave a shout-out to the teen, who she identified as Trey King.

As it turns out, King, a 16-year-old junior at Habersham Central, has publicly stated he hopes to one day go into the ministry.

On this night, he delivered a sermon without any words.

“This is the perfect picture of selfless service and integrity,” wrote Nicholson. “The world needs more people like Trey King.”

Varsity Raiders basketball sweeps rival Indians

By
Zack Myers
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Habersham Central High School freshman Daytona Underwood (14) goes up for a layup against Stephens County High School Saturday, December 2 in Mt. Airy. (Zack Myers/NowHabersham.com)

Habersham Central High School’s varsity basketball teams swept the Indians of Stephens County High School Saturday afternoon in a rivalry matchup in Mt. Airy.

Coming off late games against Flowery Branch High School Friday night, the Lady Raiders picked up their first win of the season with a 21-point victory and the Raiders dominated, putting 88 points on the board.

GIRLS: HABERSHAM CENTRAL 57, STEPHENS COUNTY 36

The Lady Raiders (1-5) came out strong and never looked back Saturday afternoon.

After Friday night’s overtime loss to the Lady Falcons, HCHS Head Coach Bill Bradley said he believed his young team would respond and would “battle.” 

He was certainly right.

HCHS led the Lady Indians 15-4 after the first quarter and pushed that lead to as many as 18 in the second quarter before half.

That 18-point lead would be the largest lead in the contest until the Lady Raiders closed the game on an 11-0 run for the 21-point win.

“Good win for us,” Bradley said. “It is growth. After last night’s game, I was referring to a lot of our kids becoming more comfortable with Kyia on the floor, but not all of them. Tonight we had [Makenzie Gosnell], who hit a couple of threes in the fourth quarter. She was one of the ones I said she just wasn’t comfortable yet and today she was comfortable.

“You see little baby steps like that and you see it’s going to make a difference.”

In her second game back, senior Kyia Barrett led HCHS with 23 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists.

Freshman Daytona Underwood had 11 points and 11 rebounds on the day. 

Gosnell finished with eight points. 

Sophie Bramlett added nine rebounds.

“It can’t be just Kyia and it wasn’t just Kyia. It was other kids,” Bradley said. “You’ve got to have input from all these kids.”

Getting the first win of the season against a rival, Bradley believes it can set up future success.

“We know we can win now,” he said. “When you’re 0-3, 0-4, you’ve got to find a win to know you can win and know what it feels like to win.”

Next up, the Lady Raiders will travel to Toccoa to take on this same Stephens County team on Saturday, December 9. Varsity girls will tip at 4 p.m.

BOYS: HABERSHAM CENTRAL 88, STEPHENS COUNTY 47

After the first quarter, it looked like the Raiders and Indians were going to play in a classic, tight rivalry matchup between these two programs.

At halftime, that thought was put away.

Midway through the first quarter, HCHS Head Coach Tommy Yancey was getting into his guys on the bench and letting them know they didn’t look very focused to him. 

He was right. 

From there: message received.

The first quarter finished 20-17. Stephens County senior guard Nuri Winters had hit three 3-pointers and a couple of other baskets to have 13 of the Indians’ 17 points.

At halftime, Winters still had 13 points as he was kept scoreless in the second. 

HCHS had a 42-24 lead after going on a 22-7 run over the period.

“They woke up,” Yancey said of his comments to his players. “It’s tough for these kids. They had Hall of Fame night last night, so we didn’t even tip of until 8:15 [p.m.]. Then they got in here today and it was just a quick turnaround.

“Sometimes they’re not as mature as they should be, but once they get their head on and they’re focused, man, these guys are a problem to deal with.”

The Raiders added another 22 in the third quarter and 24 in the fourth, while allowing 14 and nine, respectively.

Junior Enzo Combs went off for HCHS, hitting six 3-pointers and finishing the game with 30 points.

Sophomore Judge Wilbanks was the only other Raider in double digits, finishing with 12.

Winters was the only Indian player in double digits, which he had in that first quarter. He finished the contest with 19 after hitting one 3-pointer in the third and fourth quarters.

Winters wasn’t the original player the Raiders were planning to keep an eye on, but made the switch to him once he started hitting shots.

“We came out and we were really making sure we were going to stick with [Jet] Black because he’s just such a daggum good shooter,” Yancey said. “Then [Winters] got hot, so we kind of had to make an adjustment and switch up the game plan. Credit to the guys in [our] locker room right there. They made the adjustment and figured out where he was and really started running with our rotations and we were able to keep him in check.”

All 13 players for HCHS saw the floor with 12 of them netting points.

Subbing in guys further down the bench didn’t mean a drop off in scoring by any means. Those guys helped complete the 24-9 run in the fourth quarter.

“We like these kinds of games where we can get those guys in,” Yancey said. “We don’t look at it as mop up time or whatever. They’re in there to really get better and extend the lead if they can, do what they can do to improve and maybe they’ll earn some minutes.”

With a week until the next game, Yancey said the coaching staff will let the players get a little rest to get their legs back after successive games and then push some of the tougher work later in the week to prepare for another round with Stephens County.

The Raiders will travel to Toccoa Saturday to face the Indians with a 5:30 p.m. tip.

Raiders basketball splits with Flowery Branch on Hall of Fame night

By
Zack Myers
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Habersham Central High School's Enzo Combs rises up for a dunk against Flowery Branch High School. (Zack Myers/NowHabersham.com)

Habersham Central High School’s varsity basketball teams split results with Flowery Branch High School on Friday night as the Raiders inducted a pair of former players into the Hall of Fame.

The boys (3-2) came out with a 70-57 victory, while the Lady Raiders (0-5) pushed the Lady Falcons into overtime before falling 45-41.

Both Sheena Trimiar and Heath Barrett were the honored guests inducted into the HCHS Basketball Hall of Fame.

BOYS: HABERSHAM CENTRAL 70, FLOWERY BRANCH 57

The Raiders completed a second consecutive wire-to-wire win Friday night after doing the same earlier in the week against White County.

Habersham was led by big man Josiah McCurry with 15 points and was one of four in double-digits for the home team.

Enzo Combs (13), Brannon Gaines (11), and Jalen Davis (10) were the other three.

“I think Jo Jo [McCurry] just draws so much attention,” head coach Tommy Yancey said of his 6-foot-8, 260-pound center. “Justus [Gober] had a couple of huge plays right down the stretch there for us. I think he had six points in about a minute, 45 seconds. Jalen did a heck of a job shutting down [Jeremiah Ware] there for us and really not letting him get going. Brannon always does such a great job getting us in stuff and making sure we’re playing at the right tempo.

“You can pick any of the guys that played large minutes tonight and I’ll give them all credit.”

The Raiders held a 33-21 lead coming out of the halftime break and let the Falcons get back into the game throughout the third quarter. At one point, early in the fourth quarter, it was a 47-41 ballgame.

“I feel like we lost a little bit of focus there in the third quarter,” Yancey said. “We had a little bit of a lead and didn’t come out great. Every once in a while we have a tendency to put too much pressure on ourselves and we started doing that.

“They were able to show a little bit of leadership and maturity and close out the deal there at the end.”

With a quick turnaround to face Stephens County on Saturday, Yancey said he told his guys to “enjoy it for tonight, get some rest, but move on, man. The 24-hour rule. We’ve got to get ready to roll tomorrow morning. We’ve got a big rivalry game coming in.”

The Raiders will tip around 2 p.m. Saturday at home against the Indians.

GIRLS: FLOWERY BRANCH 45, HABERSHAM CENTRAL 41 (OT)

Coming off a 58-point loss to White County, the Lady Raiders took the Lady Falcons to the brink on Friday night. 

HCHS led for most of the game before trading blows late in the contest and then tying it with just a few seconds left on the clock in regulation.

Flowery Branch had an inbounds play with half a second left but wasn’t able to get the shot off before the horn sounded.

“It was a good game,” head coach Bill Bradley said. “My fear coming into the game was that we’ve been blown out four games in a row. Not only do we not know how to win, we don’t know how to play in a close ballgame either. I knew the first time we saw a close ballgame, we were going to have growing pains and we had them.”

Bradley cited going 1-for-7 from the free throw line and turnovers as examples of those growing pains.

HCHS was led by freshman Daytona Underwood with 13 points in regulation. Fellow freshman Karah Dean had nine.

Good news for the Lady Raiders was the return of Kyia Barrett from injury. In November, Barrett signed to play for Anderson College at the next level.

Barrett practiced Wednesday and Thursday before getting her first minutes of the season Friday night and she played all of them. 

Barrett finished with nine points in regulation.

With the quick turnaround, Bradley said he’s interested to see how Barrett’s knee reacts to playing so much so soon.

“The thing is, how is Kyia’s knee since this is the first time she’s played,” Bradley said. “Not only did she play a 32-minute game, she played an overtime as well. We had to do it extra.”

As for his team, which started three freshmen, responding to this effort after the previous four games and then turning to a rivalry game the next day, Bradley didn’t mince words.

“They’re young. I think they’ll battle,” he said. “If they don’t, they’ll get their heads knocked off because it’s going to be a physical war. It always is.”

The Lady Raiders tip of Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at their home gym with the Lady Indians.

Investigation continues into weekend drive-by shootings in Hall County

By
Staff Report
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Hall County investigators continue to probe two drive-by shootings over the weekend; one injured a teenager, and the other damaged a vehicle.

Both incidents were reported to authorities in the early morning hours of Saturday, December 2. Investigators were first called to a residence in the 200 block of Shallowford Road in Gainesville just after 2:30 a.m. There, they found a 15-year-old male juvenile with a gunshot wound to the arm.

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) says several people were at the residence at the time, ranging in age from adults to young children. No one else was injured.

The second shooting was reported just after 3 a.m. Saturday at a residence in the 1700 block of Crow Drive in Gainesville. At that location, investigators found a vehicle damaged by apparent gunfire. No one was injured.

Investigators detained three witnesses for questioning on Saturday. They released them several hours later without charging them at this time.

“As it stands now, the investigation indicates the two incidents are related,” says HCSO Public Information Officer B.J. Williams.

Williams says more witnesses are being questioned, and investigators are processing electronic devices found at the scene for possible evidence.

Detectives say the shootings were targeted and not random. Several roads in the Lakeshore Mall area of Gainesville were closed Saturday as law enforcement investigated the shootings. Officials said there was no immediate danger to the public at large.

Edna Dalton Gary

By
Now Habersham
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Edna Dalton Gary, age 90, of Cornelia, Georgia, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, December 3, 2023.

Mrs. Gary was born on May 1, 1933, in Banks County, Georgia, to the late Archie Bishop and Mary Jane Brock Dalton. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband of 62 years, Albert Wesley Gary; brothers, Tommy Dalton and Wilton Dalton; sisters, Agnes Poole, Ethel Morris, and Gladys Poole. Mrs. Gary was the last of her immediate family. Edna was a member of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Demorest. She had been employed with both Fieldale Farms and Carwood Manufacturing for a number of years. She also had been a homemaker all of her life. Edna will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and avid gardener. She was also known for her cakes, such as orange slice cake, coconut cake, and her vanilla wafer cake.

Survivors include her daughter, Brenda Jean Gary, Cornelia; son, Kenneth Wesley Gary, Cornelia; son and daughter-in-law, Albert Bradley and Bea Gary, Clarkesville; grandson and spouse, Shannon and Lori Gary; granddaughter, Stephanie Gary; grandson; Nathan Gary; great-grandchildren, Savannah Gary and Cole Gary.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, December 8, 2023, at the Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel, with Rev. Terry Rice officiating. Interment will follow in the Yonah Memorial Gardens with Rev. Shane Jenkins and Anthony “Unc” Lawrence officiating.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 7, 2023, at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gideon’s International South Camp, P.O. Box 198 Baldwin, GA 30510.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel, at 245 Central Avenue, Demorest, Georgia 30535. Telephone: 706-778-1700.

Gov. Kemp introduces legislation to ‘accelerate’ income tax cut

By
Joy Purcell
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Gov. Brian Kemp, flanked by GOP lawmakers, fields questions from the media after announcing his plan to cut taxes starting next year. (livestream image)

Governor Brian Kemp has unveiled his plan to lower state income taxes ahead of a scheduled cut in 2025.

On Monday, Kemp, joined by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and other state lawmakers, announced he would ask the state legislature to pass legislation in the upcoming regular session of the General Assembly that will accelerate a decrease in the state individual income tax rate.

The proposed legislation would amend House Bill (HB) 1437, which provides for a step down of 10 basis points in the income tax rate, starting in 2025 and for each taxable year after until the rate reaches 4.99%. By accelerating the reduction, the rate for tax year 2024 will be 5.39%, rather than the 5.49% set by HB 1437. This will mark a cut of 36 basis points from this year’s rate of 5.75%.

If lawmakers back the plan announced Monday, that final rate could be reached in 2028 instead of 2029, as originally planned.

“When I signed the largest income tax cut in state history in 2022, I did so with the understanding we would deliver on this promise in a responsible way,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Now, thanks to our conservative budgeting and strong state economy built on business-friendly policies, we are well-positioned to move the timeline up and put more money where it belongs — back into Georgians’ pockets.”

The Office of Planning and Budget estimates Georgia taxpayers would save approximately $1.1 billion next year as a result of the tax cut acceleration.

Lt. Gov. Jones said the governor’s announcement “is a great step toward ultimately eliminating Georgia’s income tax,” which is a top priority of his.

Body found near train tracks in Athens

By
Joy Purcell
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The body of an unidentified male was found Sunday, December 3, 2023, in the area of Willow Street and North Avenue near the train tracks in Athens. (Source: Google Maps)

Athens-Clarke County police are investigating after a body was discovered over the weekend near the train tracks downtown.

Police say the body is that of a male. They gave no other description. As of late Monday morning, December 4, he had not been identified. Detectives are investigating to determine the cause and manner of death.

The body was discovered just after 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 3, in the area of Willow Street and North Avenue. That’s the same area where a homeless man was found dead in October.

62-year-old James Seay was found floating in the North Oconee River on October 15, 2023. Officials said at the time they did not suspect foul play.

There is no indication that the deaths are related. The investigation continues.

Athens police ask anyone with information about this latest death to contact Detective Lister at 762-400-7333 or by email at [email protected].

Swim Recap: Jingle Jam

By
TFS Athletics
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Martin Raybon (Austin Poffenberger)

The Tallulah Falls swim teams competed Friday in the Jingle Jam at Habersham. The varsity girls placed first out of 15 teams, while the Indians were second and both MS teams second as well.

“It was a long evening of being at the pool eight hours after a full school day,” says coach Tamara Griffis. “However, we still saw lots of personal bests for both middle and high school teams! I can’t be more proud of the resilience this team showed.”

The following earned top-5 individual finishes:

Indians

  • Charlie Harris – 1st in 500 Free
  • Henry Rickman – 1st in 200 IM
  • William Xu – 2nd in 50 Free & 3rd in 100 Free
  • 200 Medley Relay – 2nd (Grayson Penland, Teagan Penland, Charlie Harris, Henry Rickman)
  • 200 Free Relay – 2nd (Cole Borchers, David Plaisted, William Xu, Henry Rickman)
  • Grayson Penland – 3rd in 100 Fly & 3rd in 100 Back
  • Martin Raybon – 3rd in 500 Free

Lady Indians

  • Carsyn Griffis – 1st in 200 IM & 1st in 100 Back
  • Mattie Patterson – 1st in 100 Fly & 3rd in 100 Back
  • 200 Medley Relay – 1st (Carsyn Griffis, Addison Albury, Mattie Patterson, Molly Rickman)
  • 400 Free Relay – 1st (Carsyn Griffis, Addison Albury, Adelaide Tatum, Mattie Patterson)
  • Addison Albury – 2nd in 200 IM & 3rd in 100 Breast
  • Olivia Henderson – 3rd in 100 Fly
  • Adelaide Tatum – 3rd in 100 Free
  • Molly Rickman- 4th in 200 Free & 4th in 100 Breaststroke

MS Indians

  • Henry Dumas – 2nd in 50 Fly & 2nd in 50 Back
  • Logan Thompson – 3rd in 100 Free & 3rd in 50 Breast
  • 200 Medley Relay – 3rd (Thatcher Tatum, Logan Thompson, Henry Dumas, Brody Irvin)
  • 200 Free Relay – 3rd (Thompson, Brody Dampier, Brody Irvin, Dumas)
  • Sebastian York – 4th in 100 Free

MS Lady Indians

  • Ida Patterson – 1st in 50 Fly & 1st in 50 Back
  • Veronica VerBerkmoes – 3rd
  • 200 Medley Relay – 3rd (Veronica Verberkmoes, Ida Patterson, Elizabeth Stafford, Lexi Gibson)
  • 200 Free Relay – 3rd (Verberkmoes, Catherine Harris, Gibson, Ida Patterson)
  • Elizabeth Stafford – 4th
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