A Hall County firefighter at the scene of an afternoon house fire on Sallee Circle in Hall County on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (Hall County Fire Rescue)
An afternoon blaze destroyed a Hall County family’s home.
The fire broke out around 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, at a residence in the 5700 block of Sallee Circle in Oakwood.
Firefighters arrived to find the two-story structure fully involved with flames spreading to a nearby vehicle and outbuilding.
“Hall County Fire Rescue personnel immediately attacked the bulk of the fire before it could spread to the surrounding woods,” says the agency’s public information officer, Kimberlie Ledsinger.
(Hall County Fire Rescue)(Hall County Fire Rescue)
“Both homeowners were able to exit the residence prior to HCFR’s arrival, says Ledsinger.
As of 3:20 p.m., crews were still on the scene working to extinguish any remaining hot spots throughout the affected structures.
The cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation by the Hall County Fire Marshal’s Office.
Nelson Sellers, Sr., age 88, of Cleveland, formerly of Cornelia, passed away on Tuesday, November 28, 2023.
Born on July 24, 1935, in Banks County, he was the son of the late George Lawrence Sellers and Otis Cash Sellers. Mr. Sellers served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force for eight years and went on to retire from the Army National Guard. He also worked for a number of years at Chicopee and Habersham Central. Mr. Sellers was a member of Hillside Baptist Church and the Grant-Reeves VFW Post #7720. Those who knew him best knew he had a big heart and helped many who were struggling over the years.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Dover Sellers and daughter, Nancy Lawson.
Survivors include his son, Nelson Sellers, Jr.; daughters and son-in-law: Loretta Futch (Tony) and Barbara Patton; stepson and his spouse, Steven Benfiel (Debra); grandchildren: Joshua Higdon, Anna Higdon, Daryl Harrelson, Jessie Patton, Juanita Patton, Alisa Patton, and Nicholas Benfiel (Trinity); and 14 great-grandchildren.
The family would like to give a special thanks to all the staff at Gateway Health and Rehab for taking such good care of Nelson.
Funeral services are scheduled for 11:00 am on Friday, December 1, 2023, in the Chapel of McGahee-Griffin & Stewart, with military honors provided by the Grant-Reeves Veteran’s Honor Guard. Interment will be held in Yonah Memorial Gardens. All family and friends should meet at the funeral home by 10:30 am on Friday.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hillside Baptist Church, P.O. Box 726, Cornelia, Georgia 30531, or to the Gideons International, P.O. Box 195, Baldwin, Georgia 30511.
The U.S. House voted on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, to pass a measure that would end the use of public lands for temporary migrant shelters, but it’s unlikely to pass the Senate. (Jane Norman/States Newsroom)
WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — The U.S. House Thursday passed a bill to bar the use of public lands for temporary housing for migrants applying for asylum.
The bill, H.R. 5283, passed with a majority of Republicans in support, 224-203.
Georgia’s congressional delegation split votes along party lines.
It’s dead on arrival in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats hold a slim majority, and many Democrats criticized the bill as a messaging tactic for the 2024 elections, where hard-line immigration policies are the cornerstone of the GOP platform.
The Senate is currently negotiating a $14 billion request from the White House for U.S. border security.
“The mission of the National Park Service is to conserve the natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment of future generations, not bail out the failed border policies of the Biden administration,” the chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, said during debate Wednesday.
The push for the bill comes after the Biden administration granted New York City officials’ request to build temporary housing and facilities for migrant families at Floyd Bennett Field in Southeastern Brooklyn.
The bill prohibits this type of action from land under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest Service.
It also revokes a 2023 lease between the National Park Service and New York City to use portions of the Gateway National Recreation Area to provide housing for migrants.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York, said that New York City’s decision to house migrant families on public land is “encouraging people to take that treacherous journey instead of applying (for asylum) from the next safe country.”
Migrants in NYC
This is not the first time House Republicans have passed legislation in response to New York City’s handling of migrants in its city.
In July, House Republicans passed a bill to bar the use of public K-12 school facilities to provide shelter for migrants seeking asylum. That bill, which will also go nowhere in the Senate, was in response to a May decision by New York City officials to convert several current and former school gyms to temporarily house about 300 migrants.
The top Democrat on the House Committee on Natural Resources, Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, said the bill voted on Thursday to bar the use of public lands to temporarily house migrants was a “political stunt that will invite even more hateful anti-immigration rhetoric from the extreme MAGA wing of the Republican Party.”
During the House Rules Committee meeting on the public lands bill Tuesday, Republicans argued that the area used to house migrants at Floyd Bennett Field posed a danger to Americans who live nearby because there are single adult men in the temporary structures. However, a majority of migrants staying at Floyd Bennett Field are families.
About 500 people are currently living at Floyd Bennett Field for up to 60 days, but it can house up to 2,000 people, according to the lease agreement. As temperatures drop in New York City, there’s concern that the plastic tents will not be warm enough for those families, THE CITY reported.
Minnesota Republican Rep. Pete Stauber said the bill is needed because “Republicans are taking action to address our Southern border crisis, because the Biden administration has failed to do so.”
Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine, said the bill does not help cities dealing with newly arrived migrants. She said a big issue is that because of the current asylum law, migrants have to wait six months before they are authorized to work.
Pingree advocated for her legislation, which would cut that waiting period to 30 days so that migrants aren’t spending six months relying “on social safety nets to survive.”
The Biden administration recently redesignated the Temporary Protected Status for nearly half a million Venezuelan nationals, which allows them to work in the U.S. The September decision came after multiple requests from cities that have struggled to house asylum seekers and calls from Democratic lawmakers to redesignate TPS for those Venezuelan nationals.
New Jersey Democratic Rep. Bob Menendez said that Republicans were vilifying families seeking refuge.
“This bill has no purpose other than to score cheap political points for House Republicans,” he said.
Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, who came to the U.S. as an immigrant when he was a child and later became a naturalized citizen, argued that New York City’s decision would encourage migrants to make the long and dangerous journey to the U.S.
“This is no way to treat immigrants seeking asylum,” Ciscomani said.
National parks and citizens
House Republicans argued that national parks should be solely for the use of American citizens.
“Americans shouldn’t be denied access to national parks and lands paid for by their tax dollars because of this administration’s destructive immigration policies,” Rep. Jen Kiggans, Republican of Virginia, said.
Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin said that he was concerned about the damage that can be done to a national park by using it to temporarily house people.
He said he wants the bill passed to ensure that “the public lands we all cherish are not transformed into squatting grounds.”
Amendments considered
Lawmakers voted on two amendments to the bill, one from Tennessee Republican Rep. Andy Ogles and another from New York Democratic Rep. Nydia Velázquez.
The amendment from Ogles would require the U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture to submit a report to Congress on the number of immigrants who were housed on federal lands.
Grijalva said the amendment was unnecessary because the bill, if passed into law, would ban migrants from being temporarily housed on federal lands.
“It’s a permanent requirement for reporting on nothing, paid for by the taxpayer,” he said.
The amendment passed by a voice vote.
The other amendment, by Velázquez, would allow the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to provide housing for migrants under certain criteria.
They would include when the original state those migrants came to has transferred them to another state; the original state has funded that transportation; the original state has not given 48 hours of notice to the governor of the destination state; and if the original state failed to give those migrants accurate information on the conditions of the state they are being transferred to.
That amendment is in response to Republican governors, especially Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who have sent buses of migrants to cities such as New York, often without warning local officials.
Abbott has also sent buses to Washington, D.C., dropping off migrants, in the cold and without proper clothing, outside the residence of Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been tasked by Biden to address the root causes of migration along the Southern border.
The Velázquez amendment failed 206 to 223.
Randy Lee Poole, age 63, of Gillsville, Georgia, passed away at his home on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.
Mr. Poole was born September 2, 1960, in Demorest, Georgia, to Ralph Poole and Nancy Nations Poole. He was preceded in death by his brother, Andy William Poole, maternal grandparents, Andrew and Mary Nations., and paternal grandparents, Jewell and Janie Poole.
Mr. Poole was disabled at the time of his passing but had worked in the Synthetic Stucco business for years, continuing to work later in the cell phone tower industry. He was of the Baptist faith and was a member of Silver Shoals Baptist Church.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Poole is survived by his daughters, Lacey Shubert, and Jessica Ballenger (Chris), son, Casey Poole (Sherri), grandsons, William Ward, Gavin Ward, Joseph Shubert and Sylus Poole, granddaughter, Hadley (Hattie) Poole and great-granddaughter, Rain, brother, Steve Poole, sister Tina Pritchett (Melvin), and several cousins, aunts, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 9th, 2023, at Silver Shoals Baptist Church.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, South Chapel at 1370 Industrial Boulevard, Baldwin, Georgia 30511. Telephone: 706-778-7123.
I saw myself the other day – three little ones in the shopping cart and three older ones walking along behind, pushing another shopping cart filled beyond capacity. Mom was giving instructions as she navigated the parking lot for her ducklings, keeping them all in check. Like a time warp, I stopped to stare at the family, remembering what used to be mine, wishing to belong.
The past can be magnetic at times, drawing us back into the nostalgia of it all, wanting to stay there, do it again, change mistakes, and make things new.
I blame the holidays, which seem to force us into places we wish we could stay and hang out. Those memories of people no longer here on earth, the pictures of little ones now grown and gone, and the pieces of life that still do not make sense.
Psalm 131:2, “But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.”
One of the toughest parts of growing up is the realization of the steps that keep us going year after year. My sister passed away a few years ago. Her grandson, Alex, remains a huge part of my life. On a recent visit to my house a few weeks ago, he said, “I wish I was still little.” It took me back – because, at the age of 12, he was still little. But I understood what he meant without explanation. If he were still little, my sister would still be on earth.
I don’t think anyone is exempt from the emotions of letting go of something. My friend’s granddaughter likes to say, “I miss the old days.” She is six years old but knows what it was like before and what it is like now.
Maybe you are there – struggling with the “old” days. When King David wrote this verse in the Book of Psalms, he was demonstrating the humility of where he was in life. He reconciled his life with every step God had taken him. The past was in the past. The future was in the Hands of God. The present is where he is now and where his God needed him to be.
Where are you? Hanging out in a past that is gone? Living for something in the future? Or walking humbly where you are now?
God’s best for us starts right where we are because He can help us to get where He needs us to go. Even if the present is one of the toughest times of your life, God will use it to restore your life and give Him all the glory.
The present takes a calm, quiet attitude of contentment. Like a weaned child from his or her mother, there is a resolve in the here and now – a peace – which shows God we are in line with His plan for where we are going next.
Take a few breaths. Consider who is around you. Listen to the sound of your own voice. Give yourself a big smile in the mirror. Thank God for exactly where you are and how He will use it in the future.
Demorest will host its annual Christmas tree lighting this evening, Thursday, Nov. 30, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The Demorest Elementary Honor Chorus will sing carols, and Santa Claus will pay a visit downtown. He’s scheduled to arrive at the festivities aboard a Demorest fire truck.
Adding to the festive flair of the evening, the city will serve hot chocolate and cookies.
Temperatures will be in the 40s, so it will be cold. Revelers can warm up with a cup of hot cider inside the Mason-Scharfenstein Museum of Art, which will be open for the evening.
Tallulah Falls has issued a boil water advisory for Hickory Nut Mountain and Gorge View residents. The town issued the advisory after American Water completed repairs on the town’s water system late Thursday afternoon.
Those in the affected areas are advised to bring water to a rolling boil for two minutes before brushing their teeth, drinking, cooking, or preparing baby food with it.
The advisory remains in effect until further notice.
Tallulah Falls is also asking residents in the Hickory Nut Mountain area to conserve water until the water supply is replenished.
“We are asking that residents in the Hickory Nut Mountain area continue to conserve excess water usage to help the tank recover,” a notice from Tallulah Falls states. “You may continue to use water; just please refrain from any extraordinary water usage.”
At a Capitol press conference Wednesday, members of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus said the proposed maps do not meet the goal of protecting Black voters and giving them a fair chance to elect the candidate of their choice. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
(GA Recorder) — The redrawn legislative maps floated by Georgia Republican leaders have quickly found pushback from Democrats and voting rights advocates as a special redistricting session – the second in two years – gets underway.
A proposed state Senate map was released Monday, and a state House map was unveiled Tuesday afternoon, just one day before the first day of the special session. A reconfigured congressional map has not yet emerged.
All three must be redrawn after federal District Court Judge Steve Jones ruled in October that maps drawn in 2021 as part of the once-a-decade redistricting process dilute the voting strength of Black Georgians. Jones issued a detailed 516-page order following a nearly two-week data intensive trial held in September.
Do you want to weigh in on the proposed maps but can’t make it in person? Written comments can be submitted online here.
Jones gave lawmakers a Dec. 8 deadline to address the deficiencies to his satisfaction and outlined a remedy that called for two additional majority Black Senate districts in south metro Atlanta and five additional majority Black House districts, including two “in or around” Macon-Bibb County, two in south metro Atlanta and another in west metro Atlanta. His order also called for a new majority Black congressional district in west metro Atlanta.
Black Georgians have historically voted for Democrats at high rates.
State Republican leaders have opted to move forward with designing new political maps even as they appeal the ruling.
Public hearings were held on both legislative maps Wednesday afternoon. A committee vote on the House version could happen as soon as Thursday when Democratic leaders are also set to present their alternative maps. The House Democratic proposal was released Wednesday.
Critics of the GOP’s proposed maps argue Republican leaders have either not addressed the judge’s concerns or made unnecessary changes elsewhere to make up for political ground ceded to comply with the order.
At a Capitol press conference, members of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus said Wednesday that the proposed maps do not meet the goal of protecting Black voters and giving them a fair chance to elect the candidate of their choice.
“The order says the outcome might be numbers, it might be five state representatives seats, it might be two Senate, it might be one congressional, but regardless, the districts have to be fair,” said Garden City Democratic Rep. Carl Gilliard.
Reaction to the Senate map
On Wednesday, a couple dozen people representing various public policy and voting rights organizations railed against the proposed Senate map during a public hearing, arguing the new plan is based more on political motives than complying with the court order.
Gainesville Republican Sen. Shelly Echols, who chairs the Senate Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee, defended the proposal. She said after figuring out how to draw two majority Black Senate districts in south Atlanta, the next step was to address the shifting dominos for several districts around Atlanta.
All said, the revised map impacts 15 districts.
Echols says Republican lawmakers are still pushing to keep the old district maps intact by asking an appellate court to overturn Jones’ decision.
“We believe we’ve reached a plan that’s far better than those produced by the plaintiffs while also complying with everything the judge requires,” Echols said. “It’s important to note the ripple effect is real when drawing plans. When new districts are located in the southern part of metro Atlanta, the nearby population has to be adjusted. Those changes then ripple out primarily north until they are resolved.”
But Georgia Democrats are accusing Republicans of playing shell games and consolidating Black voters inside a core of Atlanta in places beyond Jones’ remedy.
One of the proposed changes that critics say is problematic is the district represented by longtime Sen. Gail Davenport, a Jonesboro Democrat whose current district includes Clayton and DeKalb counties. The district would be redrawn to include west Henry County, Jonesboro, and Lovejoy.
The ACLU of Georgia said that the Republicans’ plans for Davenport’s district would unnecessarily form a new district in which nearly every Black voter already lives in another overwhelmingly Black district. The ACLU represents the historically Black fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha along with other plaintiffs that sued the state over the 2021 legislative maps.
“By moving around voters in districts outside the court’s area of focus, the committee plan increases the total number of Black-majority districts without meaningfully changing the configuration of the districts that the court found violated the VRA,” the ACLU wrote in a letter sent Monday to the House and Senate redistricting committees.
Longtime Sen. Gail Davenport, a Jonesboro Democrat. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
Davenport expressed her dissatisfaction with the Republican redistricting plans.
“I guess you all thought that we would sit by and say nothing,” she said. “But those of us who are Black here know why we were sent here, know that much blood was shed for our right to vote and for Black people to be represented.”
Under the proposed Senate map, Sens. Elena Parent and Jason Esteves would also see their current districts in metro Atlanta go from primarily white to districts with a significant Black population.
On the Senate floor Wednesday, several Democrats said the expensive legal battle and special session could’ve been avoided if Republican lawmakers heeded their concerns about the reconfigured maps passed at a special legislative session in 2021.
Sen. Nikki Merritt, a Grayson Democrat, labeled the GOP’s latest map an insult and blatant disregard for a judge’s order.
“They’re going to try to sell to you that we created two majority Black districts, but what they won’t spill is that they are robbing Black votes from other districts in order to satisfy,” Merritt said.
The House map
The GOP’s proposed House map creates the court-ordered five majority Black districts, but it also makes changes to about one-third of all the chamber’s districts in the process.
The map’s sponsor, Elberton Republican Rep. Rob Leverett, who chairs the House Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee, argued the alterations to 56 districts were all just part of the ripple effect from the court-ordered changes.
The plan also features several incumbent lawmakers from the same party who would be drawn into the same district, meaning they would have to face each other in a primary.
Among Democrats, those matchups include Smyrna Reps. Teri Anulewicz and Doug Stoner, Dekalb County Reps. Saira Draper and Becky Evans, and Gwinnett County Reps. Sam Park, who is the Minority Caucus Whip, and Gregg Kennard.
On the other side of the aisle, long-time state Griffin Rep. David Knight, who chairs the higher education budget committee, would be paired with two-term Concord Rep. Beth Camp. And first-term Milledgeville Republican Rep. Ken Vance, for example, would also find himself in a Democratic-leaning district.
Leverett said some of the district lines borrow from the work of the plaintiffs’ mapmakers used during the recent trial.
“We have appealed Judge Jones’s order, and so the bill that I filed has a reverter. If the appeal is upheld, we would revert to the 2021 maps,” Leverett said.
“But for now, we are complying. We are trying to comply with the judge’s order, and these would be effective at least for the next election cycle and probably more and potentially would stay in place if the appeal is unsuccessful.”
But voting rights advocates are pressuring House leaders to apply a lighter touch.
Janet Grant, vice chair of Fair Districts, criticized the proposed map for making changes that are well outside the targeted geographic areas identified in the judge’s order.
“We believe that a more surgical approach would yield a map that complies with the court order, doesn’t attempt to even the partisan score and disrupts far fewer Georgia voters,” Grant said at Wednesday’s public hearing.
Georgia Recorder reporter Ross Williams contributed to this report.
Owners of off-highway utility vehicles will soon be able to legally drive their vehicles on public roads.
A state law signed by Gov. Brian Kemp back in May takes effect on Dec. 1. The law allows owners of multipurpose off-highway vehicles (MPOHVs) to register for a license plate authorizing them to drive on county roads. Registered vehicles will also be authorized to cross roads that are part of a municipal street system or state highway system. However, they will not be permitted on interstates, state highways, or city streets.
To maintain valid registration, the owner must continue to carry automobile liability insurance and pay annual registration renewal fees.
Which vehicles are eligible?
The Georgia Department of Revenue pushed back MPOHV registrations for six months to allow enough time to generate enough license plates to meet demands. (Source: GA DOR)
Only off-highway vehicles manufactured after Jan. 1, 2000, will qualify for a license plate. They must be equipped with headlights, brake lights, taillights, a rearview mirror, and safety belts. The vehicles must also meet eight requirements:
Transports people, cargo, or both;
Speed is between 25 and 65mph;
Width is 80 inches (6-2/3 feet) or less;
Four or more wheels;
Has a steering wheel;
Nonstraddle seat (this and the last one basically means not an ATV with handlebars);
Vehicle weight less than 4,000 lbs;
Minimum cargo capacity of 350 lbs.
These requirements eliminate registering dirt bikes, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, and other vehicles with handlebar steering, straddle seats, and fewer than four wheels.
MPOHVs must also have features specifically intended for utility use, meaning generally, they are designed and manufactured primarily for performing off-road tasks in agriculture, construction, or industrial settings.
That excludes golf carts, which are designed primarily for recreational use and do not have features specifically intended for utility use.
Annual registration fee
The annual registration fee is $20. After initial registration, an MPOHV registration must be renewed each year, or it will expire.
Those who wish to register their MPOHV will have to complete and submit forms proving ownership and eligibility for the unit.
Baldwin Public Works crew discuss adding finishing touches to Mitchell Gailey Park in Baldwin in preparation for the city's Christmas tree lighting. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)
It is the highly anticipated Christmas tree lighting event, and the city of Baldwin is in full swing. The finishing touches have been added for this Friday, December 1, at 6:30 p.m. in Mitchell Gailey Park.
The cold weather earlier this week has not deterred the dedicated crews who worked diligently Monday and Tuesday to install an array of Christmas lights and themed inflatables throughout Mitchell Gailey Park. The festive spirit flows through to the Farmers Market, which received a holiday makeover in preparation for the upcoming celebration.
Friday night lights unfold
As of now, the only twinkling lights in Baldwin are the Christmas decorations adorning utility poles. However, the real spectacle will unfold on Friday evening when Mitchell Gailey Park and the Farmers Market come alive with vibrant illuminations.
The heart of the festivities will be at the pavilion in Mitchell Gailey Park, where the city has organized an array of activities for the community. Attendees can look forward to complimentary cookies, hot chocolate, and the opportunity to capture cherished moments with Santa Claus. Adding to the holiday cheer, the Baldwin Elementary School choir is set to enchant the crowd with festive tunes.
Baldwin Public Works crew member Joey Thompson straightens the lights at the Farmers Market in Baldwin. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)
Christmas cards
Local elderly residents will receive Christmas cards written at no cost. It is a highlight of the evening. The community-focused event aims to spread joy and warmth during the holiday season.
Despite the forecast predicting rain on Friday evening, the city is well-prepared for any inclement weather. Chief Administrative Officer Emily Woodmaster assured residents that in the event of rain, all activities would be seamlessly shifted to the Baldwin Fire Department, ensuring that the festivities continue uninterrupted.
Despite the cold
Baldwin residents and neighboring communities are encouraged to brave the elements and join in the merriment this Friday as the city comes together to illuminate the holiday season with joy, community spirit, and the warmth of the Christmas spirit.
Mitchell Gailey Park is located beside the Baldwin Fire Department at 155 Willingham Avenue in Baldwin.
Baldwin Mayor Stephanie Almagno disccusses the special use ordinance for Precision Digital with Councilmember Theron Ayers during the city council meeting on Nov. 27, 2023. (livestream image)
On Monday evening, November 27, the city of Baldwin faced a crucial decision as officials gathered to address the second reading of a special use ordinance crucial to the construction plans of Precision Digital’s high-performance data center.
A motion was called to approve the second reading of the special use ordinance by Mayor Stephanie Almagno. The approval is a key step for Precision Digital to proceed with its data center project. Council member Alice Venter proposed the motion, seconded by Council member Erik Keith. However, the vote faced a setback when Council member Theron Ayers dissented, resulting in a 2-1 vote. Council member Maarten Venter was absent from the meeting.
The vote failed
The vote failed because it did not meet the city charter’s requirement of three affirmative votes for the approval of a special use ordinance, clarified by Chief Administrative Officer Emily Woodmaster.
Council Members were uncertain as to the next steps in the aftermath of the vote. Mayor Almagno engaged in a discussion with Council member Ayers, seeking a resolution. Woodmaster suggested that the special use ordinance could be moved to another meeting.
Almagno, in an effort to address concerns and allow for further deliberation, proposed tabling the item.
Almagno sought a motion to table the adoption of the special use ordinance, and Council member Venter made the motion, with Keith seconding it. The motion to table the matter was approved unanimously with a 3-0 vote.
Ayers previously approved
This development followed the first reading of the special use ordinance at the October 23 meeting, where Council member Ayers had previously moved to approve the ordinance, receiving unanimous support from the council.
According to Woodmaster, the initial plan was to hold the second reading and adoption of the ordinance on November 13. However, procedural requirements were not met, specifically the posting of the property with a sign for the required time indicating the zoning change. As a result, the consideration of the special use ordinance was rescheduled for the November 27 meeting.
Ordinance tabled
As of now, a new meeting date for the second reading and adoption of the special use ordinance has not been announced, leaving the fate of Precision Digital’s data center project in temporary limbo.
Family and friends of the Carters gathered for a private funeral service to celebrate the life of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Ga. Wednesday morning. (Photo by The Carter Center)
PLAINS, Ga. — Former first lady Rosalynn Carter was laid to rest on the Carter family property in Plains on Wednesday, capping three days of memorials.
A private funeral service for Carter was attended by friends and family at Maranatha Baptist Church, the Carters’ home church.
Before that, people like Angela Foster of Americus trickled through the former Plains High School, now the headquarters of the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site.
Foster worked for Carter in her foundation devoted to supporting caregivers and came to the former Plains High School to leave her written condolences.
She said Carter’s kindness and compassion were legendary.
“If everybody would have that compassion and love for each other, the world would be such a better place,” she said.
Foster was with her friend Myrtle Habersham of Macon who, like Foster, knew Carter through their shared work with caregivers.
“She’s somebody that I always remember and somebody who I’m going to miss,” Habersham said. “Every year, I get a little Christmas card from her that was signed by she and the president with a little note on it. So, again, a tremendous woman.”
A private funeral service was held at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023 (Photo by The Carter Center)
The auditorium in the former school was the place for people to watch the livestream of Carter’s funeral. But meanwhile, most people were lining the sides of the main drag through Plains, waiting for the funeral procession.
Sumter County school bus driver Vernita Sampson was among those who came to Plains to watch the procession. She stood on a corner by a peanut warehouse after dropping off students from the county Future Farmers of America chapter.
She acknowledged Carter’s death as a loss — kind of.
“Well, we actually don’t lose anything; we gain because of the examples that they set before us,” Sampson said. “We can follow that pattern and things can get bigger, stronger and better.”
Also waiting for the motorcade was Letitia Burks, born and raised in Plains. She said she remembers seeing the Carters bicycle around town and at the local Boys and Girls Club. Burks took off work to attend the procession.
“Plains was a good place to be raised,” Burks said. “It’s a beautiful place. We are one big family and we’re all mourning the loss of Rosalynn. They both had lived a good life. But right now, we just got to focus on Mr. Carter and make sure that he’s OK.”
Because looking after each other is just what neighbors do, Burks said. Former President Jimmy Carter is 10 months into hospice care at 99 years old. The couple moved back to Plains, their hometown, in the 1980s.
Escorted by the Carter’s pastor, Tony Lowden, and a U.S. Navy chaplain, the hearse carrying Rosalynn Carter’s body passes through the streets of her hometown of Plains, Georgia, one last time. (Photo by The Carter Center)(livestream image)Carter’s family walks behind the hearse on the way to her burial. (livestream image)
Roddy Nixon came down to Plains from Warner Robins for the precessional.
“I’ve just always been influenced by President Carter,” said Nixon, who has visited Plains multiple times. “I’ve sat in on Sunday school services with President Carter. … They were just a dynamic team. And I think he said it best: There would be no him without her.”
Many remember Rosalynn Carter for being her husband’s confidant during his presidency, going as far as attending Cabinet meetings and testifying to Congress.
Most who attended the final procession were neighbors of the Carters. Michael and Susan Smith live in Florida but own a home in Plains. They, like many other neighbors of the Carters, came down to pay their respects to Rosalynn for a final time and share memories of the couple.
“For the Christmas parade in the lighting of Plains, we would always sit across to the balcony, put our chairs up and my granddaughters were — were little at that time,” Michael Smith said. “And the Carters would always come out on the balcony… And they would look down at them, ‘Merry Christmas, girls.’ Something they will remember.”
Rosalynn Carter was laid to rest at the Carter family home nearby after the procession.
Sofi Gratas contributed to this article which comes to Now Habersham in partnership with GPB News
