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Piedmont Drops Road Contest to Pfeiffer

By
Piedmont University Sports Information
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(Photo by Dale Zanine)

Piedmont University’s men’s soccer team dropped their first road contest of the season to a strong Pfeiffer squad by a score of 5-1. Davis Knight Scored the lone goal for Piedmont.

The action got started early for Pfeiffer as they found the back of the net in the 17th minute of the contest. Making matters worse, the same Falcon scored again just over two minutes later.

Trailing 2-0, the Lions responded, getting themselves on the board and back into the contest. Freshman Davis Knight scored unassisted, tallying his fourth goal of the season in five games.

However, just as it looked like the Lions were back in business, Pfeiffer scored directly off the restart. It took just 34 seconds for the lead to go back to two, with Pfeiffer in charge 3-1.

The score line worsened before the half was done as the Lions conceded another goal, finishing the first half behind 4-1.

Out of the break, the Falcons scored once again just minutes into the half before holding Piedmont silent for the remainder of the game.

Up next, Piedmont returns home to face a stout Oglethorpe squad on Sunday, September 17 with kickoff set for 1 p.m.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

  • The Falcons out shot the Lions 13-7.
  • There were a total of 21 fouls in the game with three yellow cards shown.
  • Davis Knight scored the lone goal for the Lions.

Area matchups: Week 5

By
Zack Myers
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Things are heating up as the season gets closer and closer to that region slate for a lot of the area teams, though some have already begun the hunt for region supremacy. Here’s where local teams will be snapping up chinstraps this week:

HABERSHAM CENTRAL (1-2) VS FORSYTH CENTRAL (1-2)

With their seasons developing in the exact opposite fashion, the Raiders are looking to keep the good times rolling after getting their first win of the season. The Bulldogs are trying to snap a two-game skid after winning their season opener.

Habersham Central has won its last four games against Forsyth Central, with three of those coming in 1989, ‘90 and ‘91. Last season’s contest was a close 28-21 win for the Raiders.

After knocking off Chattahoochee in a close, 31-28, contest on the road to start the year, the Bulldogs have fallen to North Forsyth, 27-17, and Etowah, 49-27.

If the Raiders’ run game is strong, they’ll have an opportunity to emerge with a win. 

In the North Forsyth loss, Forsyth Central only allowed 270 yards of total offense, but 199 yards of it were on the ground. Against Etowah, the Bulldogs allowed 426 yards on the ground for five touchdowns.

RABUN COUNTY (2-1) VS HEARD COUNTY (0-3)

The Wildcats got back on track with a 35-20 win over Adairsville on the road last week. 

This week, Rabun County will look to repeat last year’s 42-13 win over the Braves to add another win to their season as they chase that second-consecutive region title.

The contest will be one between two very different offenses as Heard County has produced just 405 yards of total offense through its first two games (stats not available for third game). The Wildcats put up 531 yards last week against Adairsville alone. 

Last year’s win over the Braves was Rabun County’s first, though they’d only played once before that.

Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Frank Snyder Memorial Stadium in Tiger.

BANKS COUNTY (3-0) VS GEORGE WALTON ACADEMY (2-2)

The Leopards are on a different path than a year ago, hanging each performance in the win column thus far.

Banks County’s defense has held opponents to 16 points or less through the three victories. 

The Bulldogs haven’t scored over 14 in any of their four contests.

The Leopards will look to keep the good times rolling as they host Homecoming Friday in Homer.

FRANKLIN COUNTY (1-3) VS EAST JACKSON (3-0)

The Lions have another big test coming up this week after falling to Banks County a week ago on the road.

The Eagles are coming off a big, 42-7, win over West Hall that saw sophomore quarterback Drew Richardson complete 21 of his 25 attempts through the air for 295 yards and two scores. East Jackson put up 161 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

The Eagles are averaging 319 yards and 28 points per game.

Franklin County is putting up just over 14 points per game, but it’s allowing 33 to opponents.

The Lions’ only win of the season was in Carnesville against Pickens (SC). They’ll look to get that home field advantage back on Friday night against the Eagles.

LUMPKIN COUNTY (3-0) VS HART COUNTY (1-2)

After having their season opener canceled, the Indians sought out another competitor to replace the game, which put Hart County on the schedule.

The Bulldogs are averaging just over 17 points per game this season, while giving up almost 29 per contest.

Hart County will go on the road and have to try to slow down an Indians squad averaging 41-plus points per contest. The Lumpkin County defense is holding teams to under 12 points per game.

Despite there being a less than two-hour drive between the two campuses and both football programs being around for at least 62 years, this will be the first meeting between the Indians and Bulldogs.

The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at The Burial Grounds in Lumpkin County.

ELBERT COUNTY (2-1) VS WASHINGTON-WILKES (2-1)

A season ago, this matchup was a contest between two top-10 ranked teams, according to the AJC.

The Blue Devils are still sitting at No. 8 for single-A football in the state for the paper.

Washington-Wilkes will have to tend with the passing game from Elbert County, driven by quarterback Braydon Scarborough. 

The senior has completed 68 percent of his passes for 732 yards and five touchdowns this season.

Junior running back Jacari Barnett has crossed into the end zone four times this season with 309 yards.

Elbert County was the Tigers’ only non-region loss in 2022, but they’ve already dropped one this season – their opener in a one-point contest.

The Tigers and Blue Devils have played every year since 2016 with Elbert County winning four of the seven contests, including last season’s 32-20 victory. 

Overall, Washington-Wilkes owns the series record 22-18-1.

The Blue Devils will welcome the Tigers to the Granite Bowl at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

NORTH HALL (3-0, 1-0 Region 8A-AAAA) VS EAST HALL (2-1, 1-1 Region 8A-AAAA)

The Trojans and Vikings have traded blows 57 times throughout the years going all the way back to 1958.

North Hall has won 13 consecutive games in the series going back to 2002.

Senior quarterback Tanner Marsh has connected 56 of 77 attempts for 641 yards and seven touchdowns. Marsh has also added 209 yards and four scores on the ground.

Fellow senior Tate Ruth also has over 200 yards – 222 – and four touchdowns in the running game.

Ryals Puryear, another senior for the Trojans, has 25 receptions for 329 yards and three touchdowns from his wide receiver spot.

East Hall’s Jamarcus Harrison also plays as a dual-threat quarterback.

Harrison, a sophomore, has 510 yards with five scores through the air. In the rushing game, Harrison has added 299 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Fellow sophomore Lukas Pruitt has carried the ball 44 times for 205 yards and two scores.

Last season’s contest saw the Trojans win 69-0. This season, North Hall is averaging 39 points per game on offense, while East Hall’s defense is allowing just over 19 points per game.

The next rendition of this cross-county rivalry is slated for a 7:30 p.m. kick off at The Brickyard in Gainesville.

WEST HALL (1-2) VS UNION COUNTY (3-1)

The Spartans are coming off a bye week, regrouping from a 42-7 loss to East Jackson on the road on Sept. 1.

This week, they’ll have just as tough of a test with Union County for the final non-region game on both teams’ schedules. 

West Hall sophomore quarterback Brett Sturm is completing almost 60 percent of his passes this season for 456 yards and three touchdowns.

The Spartans have also been successful with the run game.

Junior running back Elijah Hayes has been the main workhorse for West Hall, carrying 40 of the team’s 75 rushing attempts for 493 yards and three touchdowns. He’s gone over the 100-yard mark in two of the three games this season. Sturm is the second-highest rusher with 15 carries for 84 yards and a score.

On the other side of the field, senior quarterback Caiden Tanner is also just over that 59 percent mark of completions, but to the tune of 870 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Tanner has added 34 carries for 262 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

Leading rusher for the Panthers is Braylen Rader. The senior running back has rushed 53 times for 364 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Union County is averaging 44 points per contest on offense, while giving up a little more than 14 per game on defense.

The Spartans are putting up just over 21 points per game and allowing 28-plus on defense.

West Hall will welcome Union County to The Hot Gates on Friday night for a 7:30 kick off.

JOHNSON (1-2, 1-0 Region 8A-AAAA) AT EAST FORSYTH (2-0, 1-0 Region 8A-AAAA)

The Knights are coming off a bye week following a 20-19 win over East Hall at home. The victory was the first for Johnson since beating Walnut Grove in October 2019.

Now, Johnson will be contending with an unbeaten Broncos squad which has only played two games this season, missing Week 1 and having a bye week last week as well.

Through their two contests, the Broncos have put up 44 and 35 points, respectively. Johnson’s highest points posted so far this season was in the win over East Hall.

The Knights will have to defend a good run game from East Forsyth, which is averaging 248 on the ground through its two games. The Broncos have rushed for seven scores and thrown for three.

Quarterback Demetri Moon has been an all-around player for Johnson. The senior has thrown for 112 yards, but it’s been his legs that have moved the offense along. 

On the ground, Moon has rushed 65 times for 411 yards and five touchdowns. No other player has more than 95 yards and no other player has scored for the Knights.

Johnson and East Forsyth will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Gainesville.

GAINESVILLE (4-0) VS APALACHEE (0-4)

The region schedule is kicking off for the Red Elephants and the first opponent standing in the way of defending that region title is Apalachee.

So far this season, Apalachee has been outscored 150-55. Gainesville, on the other hand, has outscored opponents 122-76.

The Red Elephants have been bolstered by the run game. More particularly, that of Gavin Hall.

The senior has posted 476 yards and six scores on 61 carries through four games.

In their first, second and fourth games (Hart County hasn’t posted stats), the Wildcats allowed a total of 1,451 yards of total offense. An astounding 1,025 of those yards were on the ground.

Should Apalachee be able to shut down Hall, senior quarterback Baxter Wright is capable of inflicting damage as well. He’s completed over 61 percent of his passes for 525 yards and three touchdowns.

Wright has three different receivers, including Hall, that have over 100 yards this season.

The Wildcats will come into City Park Friday for a 7:30 p.m. kick off against the Red Elephants.

FLOWERY BRANCH (2-1) AT LAMBERT (3-0)

Both of these teams are coming off bye weeks and should be rested and ready to put on a show.

The Falcons last contest was a 32-7 loss to Stephens County at home. Lambert has used a strong offense to outpace opponents through its three games this season.

The Longhorns are averaging 41 points per game, while allowing 23 points per contest.

Flowery Branch is putting up 25 points on average and allowing 15 per game.

Lambert has an extremely balanced offense thus far with 83 passing plays and 82 rushing plays. 

The Falcons will have to slow down a pair of juniors in the backfield with quarterback Marshall Coleman averaging 266 yards per game through the air and running back Tommy Lafayette averaging 85 yards on the ground.

Coleman has thrown for eight scores while completing nearly 61 percent of his passes. He’s also tacked on a score in the run game.

Lafayette has three rushing touchdowns on the year and also has a receiving score as well.

The senior backfield for Flowery Branch will cause some trouble for the Longhorns as quarterback Josh Oliver has tossed three scores this season and ran for another three.

Running back Malik Dryden also has three touchdowns on the ground and has rushed for over 100 yards in each game this season.

CHESTATEE (0-3, 0-1 Region 8A-AAAA) VS CHEROKEE BLUFF (0-3, 0-1 Region 8A-AAAA)

Something has to give with these two getting together as they’re both looking for a first win this season.

Last season’s matchup proved beneficial for Cherokee Bluff as the Bears took a 42-21 victory.

This season, both teams are looking to get going and turn the season around as they’re both in Game 2 of the region schedule.

Kick off will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Gainesville.

RIVERSIDE MILITARY (0-3) VS GEORGIA MILITARY COLLEGE (0-4)

Both teams are giving up over 40 points per game and both are still looking to hang a “W” in the win column for the first time this year.

The Eagles and Bulldogs will likely both shorten the clock by running the ball.

Riverside Military has run the ball 59 times versus throwing it 13 through three contests. Georgia Military College has all but doubled its passing attempts with rushing attempts with 88 rushes and 46 passes.

Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday in Gainesville.

Habersham County: Goal is to break ground on new animal shelter in 2024

By
Staff Report
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Severe overcrowding is a consistent problem at Habersham County's old, outdated animal shelter. (Photo courtesy Habersham County Animal Care and Control)

There’s been a lot of talk about the need for and delays in building a new animal shelter in Habersham County. The current shelter is outdated and consistently overcrowded.

On September 9, an online petition began circulating on change.org asking people to sign in a push to get the new animal shelter built.

Petition organizer Katherine Warwick wrote, “The animals need us to speak for them. Our local animal shelter has been over capacity for far too long, and things need to change right away instead of at a later date.”

Warwick went on to state, “We need transparency on how and when this project is moving forward. Let’s make things happen the right way. We paid our taxes and made our vote. Now the county needs to hear us, and we need to hear from the county.”

In response to these and other online comments, Habersham County Public Information Officer Rob Moore issued a news release on September 13. He says planning continues for the construction of a new Habersham County Animal Care and Control facility.

Delays and spiraling costs

Moore says the process was delayed when the projected cost of grading for the original site was determined to be cost-prohibitive at up to $1 million. The county searched for other properties, eventually selecting county-owned property behind South Habersham Middle School off Old Athens Highway.

The new Habersham County Animal Care and Control facility is slated to be built on this 65.6 acre tract of land located behind South Habersham Middle School off Old Athens Highway. (Source: qPublic.net)

“That property offers plenty of room for both the future park and an animal shelter,” says Chief Financial Officer Tim Sims. “Hopefully, with the addition of a future park, it will spark additional citizen interest for volunteering and adoptions at the animal shelter.”

The county awarded the facility design contract to the architectural firm Croft & Associates. According to Moore, the firm has extensive experience in both public safety and animal care and control facilities.

Croft has nearly completed the preliminary design for the planned shelter.

The shelter is one of several projects voters approved in the county’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax VII.

County officials say inflation and supply chain issues have caused construction costs to quadruple since the budget for the shelter was set. Still, their goal is to break ground in 2024.

Timelines

The county is currently taking bids for a construction manager at risk to oversee the project. That contract could be awarded in the next 90 days.

(Source: change.org)

Once that position is filled, the construction manager will determine what the county can build for the money it has. After the county commission approves the plan, the project will then be bid out to construction firms.

Construction is expected to take 12 to 18 months to complete.

The change.org petition continues to circulate online. As of September 13, Warwick had collected 374 signatures of her 500 goal.

White House slams ‘baseless’ House GOP impeachment inquiry as ‘political stunt’

By
Ashley Murray
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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answers questions from reporters at a White House briefing on Sept. 13, 2023. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON (GA Recorder) — The White House is lambasting the House GOP’s decision to open an impeachment inquiry into unproven allegations that President Joe Biden profited from his son’s international business scheme during his time as vice president in the Obama administration.

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy announced Tuesday that he directed several of the chamber’s committees to open the formal inquiry.

The California Republican said in a press conference that the “allegations paint a picture, a picture of corruption.”

But the White House calls the action “baseless” and a “political stunt.”

“They have spent all year investigating the president, that’s what they spent all year doing, and have turned up with no evidence, none, that he did anything wrong. I mean that is what we’ve heard over and over again from their almost year-long investigation. And that’s because the president didn’t do anything wrong,” said press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during Wednesday’s White House press briefing.

“Even House Republicans have said the evidence does not exist,” she said.

Jean-Pierre referred many reporters’ questions to the White House counsel and said Biden, who is running for re-election in 2024, will continue to focus on “real issues that matter to Americans.”

Biden is scheduled to deliver a “major economic address” in Maryland Thursday.

White House counsel spokesman Ian Sams sent a memo Wednesday morning to editors of major U.S. news outlets urging them to scrutinize the GOP inquiry.

“After nearly 9 months of investigating, House Republicans haven’t been able to turn up any evidence of the President doing anything wrong. But House Republicans led by Marjorie Taylor Greene are nonetheless opening a baseless impeachment inquiry of President Biden – despite many House Republicans openly admitting there is no evidence on which to support it,” wrote Sams, who is also a special assistant to the president and senior adviser.

Far-right GOP House members, including Rome, Georgia Republican Greene and Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, have pressured McCarthy to begin impeachment proceedings and threatened to oust the speaker if he did not and withhold their support for government funding.

McCarthy faces major hurdles in rallying far-right members to support a compromise funding deal.

The White House counsel memo cited several GOP House lawmakers who have spoken out against McCarthy’s decision to start an impeachment inquiry now.

Sams referred to the words of GOP Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska who said: “I think before we move on to (an) impeachment inquiry, we should … there should be a direct link to the president in some evidence. We should have some clear evidence of a high crime or misdemeanor, not just assuming there may be one. I think we need to have more concrete evidence to go down that path.”

The White House attached a 14-page document to the memo refuting seven Republican accusations that Biden is allegedly compromised by business dealings with foreign adversaries and that he interfered in a Trump-appointed special prosecutor’s investigation of his son, Hunter, among other claims.

Not all Republicans are skeptical. U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall and Rep. Ron Estes, who both represent Kansas, expressed enthusiasm for the inquiry.

“The Biden family has demonstrated a long history and culture of corruption,” Marshall said. “We know when there’s smoke, there’s fire. The American people deserve to know if the president of the United States is compromised, and I look forward to a full investigation and its findings.”

McCarthy’s move to open an impeachment inquiry allows the leader to avoid, for now, a House vote to launch the probe. It’s unclear if he could garner the necessary 218 votes.

U.S. GOP Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, who chairs the House Oversight Committee, will lead the inquiry. House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan of Ohio and House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith of Missouri will assist, McCarthy said.

House Democrats immediately panned McCarthy’s decision Tuesday.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Washington Democrat and chair of the House Progressive Caucus, posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the inquiry is a distraction “from the fact that the GOP can’t even pass bills to fund the government.”

Demorest opens its new Municipal Conference Center and Court

By
Jerry Neace
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Demorest City Council members, city staff, and Habersham Chamber of Commerce members cut the ribbon on the city's new Municipal Conference Center and Court on Tuesday night, September 12, 2023. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com

The city of Demorest and Habersham Chamber of Commerce cut the ribbon Tuesday night on Demorest’s new Municipal Conference Center and Court. The brief ceremony was held ahead of the evening’s regular council meeting on September 12.

Approximately two dozen people attended the ceremony with about a dozen remaining for the council meeting.

The city began renovating the old Demorest Elementary School auditorium this past spring shortly after city hall moved to the facility in March. This gives Demorest residents another facility they can use on the historic school campus. They have a new city hall, a refurbished gymnasium, the recently refurbished Brent Lee Moore Park, and now the conference center.

Bigger and better

The new conference center is where Demorest will now hold its city council meetings and court and, possibly too, its municipal elections.

The facility is significantly larger than the space previously used in the basement of the Demorest Fire Department on Ivy Street.

Demorest City Manager Mark Musselwhite compared his excitement over the new conference center to that of having a child. He said the city will have the facility for the next 40 to 50 years.

Musselwhite thanked the mayor and council for buying the historic school building. It was built in the 1940s as a public works project during the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration. The school closed in June 2011. A church briefly occupied the building before the Demorest Development Authority bought it for $1 million in July 2022.

A view from the bench at the new Demorest Municipal Conference Center and Court. Demorest City Council conducts their work session as the audience looks on. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)

In addition to the larger renovated space, Demorest invested in a quality audio and video system to improve the audience’s experience, both in person and at home.

Sound quality in the old municipal building was a persistent problem. Council members would forget to turn on their microphones and, even when they did, the overhead speakers often weren’t working. Also, meetings livestreamed through cellphones and iPads, would drop due to poor Wi-Fi connectivity in the building.

The Demorest City Council addressed those issues by installing quality cameras and microphones in the new meeting room.

Test runs and movies

Staff and council members did a test run of the new audio/visual equipment on Monday to ensure a quality viewing experience from home. You can see the test run on the City of Demorest Facebook page.

The sign for the new Municipal Conference Center and Court. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)

Demorest resident and former city council candidate Amanda Mason said she likes the new facility.

“Much better. I can actually hear now,” she said.

Mason watched the test run the city performed Monday and added, “I could hear online yesterday.”

Lifelong Demorest resident Gail Moore was among those in attendance at Monday night’s ribbon-cutting and meeting.

“It’s absolutely gorgeous,” she said of the newly renovated facility.

Moore encouraged people to visit the new Municipal Conference Center.

“I hope more and more people will come and see what a delightful rendition we now have of a meeting room,” she said, envisioning the other possible uses for the converted school gymnasium. “This room can be used for so many things. It can even be used to have children’s movies.”

WATCH Sept. 12 Demorest City Council meeting

Democrats push to extend child care grant program

By
Samantha Dietel
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U.S. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington speaks at a press conference on child care funding outside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Samantha Dietel/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON (GA Recorder) — Congressional Democrats introduced a bill Wednesday to extend funding for five years for a pandemic-era child care subsidy program set to expire at the end of the month.

The legislation would extend the child care stabilization grant program, which Congress established in 2021 to help child care providers meet additional costs during the pandemic. The bill would provide $16 billion in mandatory funding each year for the next five years.

Congress initially provided $24 billion for the program as part of Democrats’ massive COVID-19 relief bill in 2021.

Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat and the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined by congressional colleagues, child care providers and advocates, called on Congress to act before this “lifeline” is cut off Sept. 30, noting its economy-wide impact.

“When I say we need to act more urgently before things get worse — I don’t just mean parents are going to feel the pain, or child care workers are going to feel the pain,” Murray said. “I mean, the entire U.S. economy is going to feel this.”

If this child care funding ends, child care providers may raise costs or not be able to continue serving families, Murray said, and parents may also be forced to leave their jobs to take care of their kids.

Too many people are forced to choose between their careers and caring for their children, Rep. Bobby Scott, a Virginia Democrat and ranking member on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, said.

The bill attracted 35 co-sponsors in the Senate and 78 in the House. All the co-sponsors are Democrats except U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with the party.

“Over 3 million kids will be in danger of losing quality child care they have today” if Congress does not take action, Sanders, the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said. “Over 230,000 child care workers will be in danger of losing their jobs and over 70,000 child care facilities all over America will likely be shut down.”

Sanders said the country’s workforce crisis would only be worsened if child care relief is cut off.

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, said about 80,000 children could lose child care spots in Virginia, while nearly 2,800 early childhood education workers could see layoffs.

“We know if child care is accessible and it’s affordable, parents and our children survive,” U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the leading Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said. “So we need to keep up those investments to help parents. That is what our obligation is in this time of difficulty and struggling for people in the economy.”

Without a strong child care industry, the economy will “cease to function,” DeLauro said.

Cynthia Davis, the founder and CEO of Kings and Queens Childcare Center in Washington, D.C., spoke at the press conference to explain how her business could be affected by a loss of funding.

Davis said that if relief runs out at the end of the month, her business could see layoffs, increased rates or have to “drop out of the public child care program and start serving private families only.” Or her doors could close permanently, she said.

“This will devastate low-income and single-parent households and parents experiencing homelessness who hope to enroll their children in my program,” Davis said. “All children, no matter their family’s income level, deserve an equal chance at the start of their lives.”

U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat from New Jersey, recalled her experiences as a mother searching for affordable child care for her now 17-year-old daughter.

“I can remember it like it was yesterday,” Sherrill said. “That horrible feeling as I tried to find a place that I was comfortable leaving my baby girl and also could afford. And there were times when I paid my entire paycheck towards affording that quality child care.”

This is an issue that disproportionately affects women, said U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, a California Democrat.

U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a New York Democrat and former middle school principal, said it is important to recognize the impact of quality child care on the individual lives of children. Without access to quality child care, he said, “children are more likely to be exposed to toxic stress and chronic trauma,” which can affect their brain development.

A disproportionate number of children with trauma are then placed in special education classes, as well as “being caught up in something we call the school-to-prison pipeline,” Bowman said.

“We do not and will not have a healthy democracy, a healthy society, and a healthy human race without investing in child care,” Bowman said.

Cleveland purchases well water rights

By
Dean Dyer
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Cleveland City Council (Photo by Dean Dyer)

The Cleveland City Council has agreed to purchase the water rights to a well the city is currently using to provide water to city customers.

The Council Monday night, following an executive session, approved an agreement with Julia Ann Palmour to pay $350,000 for the water rights for a well located on Clint Street.

According to City Attorney Keith Whitaker, the 50 x 50-foot property was conveyed to the city by former City Council member John Palmour sometime back for the purpose of setting up the well, but the water rights were retained by the property owner. This new agreement secures the water rights and terminates the earlier agreement.

Cleveland Mayor Josh Turner said this is a good move for the city.

“We are continuing to always look at water resources for the city, it’s the lifeblood of any community and it’s something that we will have to continue to do to sustain growth and development and make sure we have water resources for our future generations,” commented Turner.

The funding for this purchase will come from the American Rescue Plan Act or ARPA funds.

New round of COVID-19 booster shots on the way after CDC recommendation

By
Jennifer Shutt and Jill Nolin
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In Georgia, there has been a slight uptick in hospitalizations and deaths in recent months, but both measures remain remarkably low, especially when compared to other phases of the pandemic.

WASHINGTON (GA Recorder) — People six months and older should get an updated COVID-19 booster this fall, according to a recommendation the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued Tuesday.

The vaccine should be available by later this week, the CDC said in a statement.

“We have more tools than ever to prevent the worst outcomes from COVID-19,” said Director Mandy Cohen. “CDC is now recommending updated COVID-19 vaccination for everyone 6 months and older to better protect you and your loved ones.”

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to approve the updated booster shots, followed by a written statement from Cohen. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved an updated booster from Moderna and one from Pfizer.

The CDC noted in its announcement that protection from previous COVID-19 vaccines and boosters wanes, and that vaccines lower the likelihood of contracting long COVID.

Georgia public health officials continue to stress vaccination, particularly among those who are immunocompromised. But it remains to be seen how this newest booster will be received.

Dr. James Curran, who chairs the Board of Public Health, noted during a discussion about COVID-19 at Tuesday’s board meeting that some prominent figures have complicated the picture of who should receive the boosters, which could lead to even lower numbers of people rolling up their sleeve for the shot.

For example, Paul Offit, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said he did not plan to get the shot again, instead trusting his immune system’s familiarity with the virus at this point to protect him from serious illness, KFF Health News reported. He’s 72 years old.

“It’s conceivable that we could end up with some cacophony out there, which makes it difficult for people to understand whether or not they should get a booster and whether or not insurance companies will pay the rather exalted price for the booster,” Curran said.

Georgia’s state epidemiologist Dr. Cherie Drenzek said this will likely be “a transition year in many ways.” But she said one thing that remains clear and consistent is that the vaccine protects against severe outcomes.

“There is not a doubt that these vaccines can indeed and do indeed provide protection for our most vulnerable,” Drenzek said.

In Georgia, there has been a slight uptick in hospitalizations and death in recent months, but both measures remain remarkably low, especially when compared to other phases of the pandemic, Drenzek said.

Public health officials, though, are bracing for a potential repeat of the “tripledemic” seen last year with the convergence of COVID-19, RSV and the flu cases.

“Despite the fact that we may not be able to precisely forecast what the COVID increases will look like and what the season will hold, no matter what I think it’s important to realize that we cannot be complacent,” Drenzek said.

“Despite the fact that there’s widespread immunity, SARS-CoV-2 is still with us and will remain with us for years. It’s proven adept at changing and it has opportunities to change, particularly among immune-compromised people,” she said.

The CDC’s recommendation didn’t come with any plans to get shots in arms from the Biden administration, which ended the public health emergency for COVID-19 earlier this year.

Uptake of COVID-19 shots has dropped since vaccinations were first approved in the final weeks of 2020 and initially rolled out by the Trump administration.

While more than 270 million people, about 81% of the country, got at least one dose of the original vaccine, that number dropped to just 56 million people, or about 17% of Americans getting the bivalent booster that was approved last year, according to CDC statistics.

The CDC noted in its announcement Tuesday that many Americans can still get the booster doses for free, even though the public health emergency is over.

“For people with health insurance, most plans will cover COVID-19 vaccine at no cost to you. People who don’t have health insurance or with health plans that do not cover the cost can get a free vaccine from their local health centers; state, local, tribal, or territorial health department; and pharmacies participating in the CDC’s Bridge Access Program. Children eligible for the Vaccines for Children program also may receive the vaccine from a provider enrolled in that program.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a written statement that everyone eligible should “get an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves and their loved ones.”

“Following the Biden-Harris Administration’s launch of the largest adult vaccination program in our nation’s history, COVID-19 vaccines saved millions of lives, kept countless people out of the hospital, and provided peace of mind for the country.”

SEE ALSO

COVID-19 cases on the rise in Northeast Georgia

Area health departments to offer drive-thru flu shots

By
Staff Report
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Public health departments across Northeast Georgia will host drive-thru flu shot clinics from mid-September to early November. (Photo courtesy District 2 Public Health)

Public health officials in Northeast Georgia are encouraging people to get vaccinated ahead of flu season. To make it as convenient as possible, local health departments are finalizing plans for their fall drive-thru flu shot clinics.

District 2 Public Health, oversees the departments in 13 Northeast Georgia counties.

“Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for everyone in our community to get vaccinated against the flu. The Flu Drive-Thru Clinics offer a safe and convenient option for individuals and families to protect themselves and others from influenza,” says District 2 Health Director Dr. Zachary Taylor.

Influenza, commonly known as the flu, can have severe consequences for individuals of all ages. This year’s flu shot protects against four of the influenza viruses expected to be the most common this season. While the shots don’t always provide total protection, they do help guard against serious infection.

Drive-thru clinic schedule

District 2 Public Health released a schedule of the drive-thru flu clinics set to take place this year across Northeast Georgia.

The first clinic is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, September 19 at the Hart County Health Department. Habersham County will hold its drive-thru clinic from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. the following Wednesday, September 26.

Franklin County will hold three flu clinics between September and October and Stephens County is offering two. See the flu clinic schedule below for details:

NOTE: Dates and locations are subject to change. Please verify with your local health department before attending.

No appointments are necessary, however, locations and hours are subject to change. You should contact your local health department before attending.

Most insurances will be accepted at the drive-thru flu clinics, says District 2 Health Public Information Officer Natasha Young.

“All health departments accept most commercial insurance plans, including Medicare, and Medicaid for no co-pay. Self-pay pricing is available for those who are uninsured or underinsured,” says Young. For more information, visit phdistrict2.org or contact your local health department.

The Northeast Health District, which covers six Northeast Georgia counties, including Jackson and Clarke, is offering flu shots at its health departments.

Flu facts from the CDC

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), everyone 6 months and older is eligible to receive a flu shot.

In the United States, flu season occurs in the fall and winter. While influenza viruses spread year-round, most of the time flu activity peaks between December and February, but activity can last as late as May

While vaccine effectiveness (VE) can vary, recent studies show that flu vaccination reduces the risk of flu illness by between 40% and 60% among the overall population during seasons when most circulating flu viruses are well-matched to those used to make flu vaccines.

(Source: District 2 Public Health)

Despite what you may have heard, health experts say flu vaccines do not cause the flu.

Flu shots are currently made in two ways: either with flu vaccine viruses that have been killed (inactivated) and are not infectious, or with proteins from a flu virus. If you contract the flu after getting the shot, health professionals say it’s because you were already infected. Experts say that’s why early intervention is key.

James William Cassano

By
Now Habersham
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James William Cassano, age 74, of Demorest, Georgia, passed away on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

Mr. Cassano was born on December 5, 1948, to the late Harry and Lorraine Cassano.

He was a loving husband of 53 years to Pamela Cassano.

In addition to his wife, survivors are a son, James William Cassano Jr., of Fort Myers, FL, a daughter, Laura L. Cassano, of Fort Myers, FL, older sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Vic Brockrah, of Dayton, OH, brother, Harry Cassano, of Lee High, FL, and many grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Per Mr. Cassano’s request, no formal services will be held.

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

David Anthony Edge

By
Now Habersham
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David Anthony Edge, age 66, of Gainesville, passed away Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, at his residence.

David was born January 15, 1957, in Gainesville to the late William David Edge & Dorothy Marie Spain Edge. He worked as a Loom operator for both New Holland Mill & Chicopee Manufacturing. He also worked as a security officer for a few years. David loved his white Corvette and was a member of Northside Baptist Church in Gainesville. He was preceded in death by a brother, Homer Daniel Edge.

Survivors include Elizabeth Peppers, cousin & Mike Magnus, cousin; a number of other cousins and relatives also survive.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, at the Ward’s Funeral Home Chapel, with burial to follow in Alta Vista Cemetery.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.wardsfh.com.

Ward’s Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Gainesville, is honored to serve the family of David Anthony Edge.

Fulton DA argues for October start of trial of 19 charged with Georgia 2020 election interference

By
Stanley Dunlap
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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis unveiled a grand jury’s charges against former President Donald Trump and 18 others as part of a wide-ranging RICO case. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)

(GA Recorder) — The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office remains committed to its longshot plans of prosecuting former President Donald Trump and his 18 co-defendants at the same time next month in the broad racketeering 2020 election interference case.

District Attorney Fani Willis argued on Tuesday that the 2024 Republican primary front runner and his co-defendants have not carried the burden needed to try their cases separately  under their indictment charging them with conspiring to illegally disrupt Georgia’s 2020 election and overturn President Joe Biden’s win. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee scheduled the trials for attorneys Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell to begin on Oct. 23 after he last week rejected their requests to be tried separately.

Fulton prosecutors are pushing to try all 19 defendants simultaneously on Oct. 23 and predicted last week that 150 witnesses would be called to the stand over the course of four months.

“Any defendant seeking a severance on the basis of not being ready for trial by Oct. 23 should inform this court on the record of when they expect to be ready for trial,”  the district attorney brief said.

The request by Willis and her team of prosecutors to begin the trial in October for every defendant is a tall order.

Powell and Chesebro’s trials were scheduled so quickly because the two demanded a speedy trial, which gives defendants the right to have their cases heard within a reasonable amount of time. According to Georgia’s speedy trial law, Powell and Chesebro’s trials must begin by Nov. 6.

McAfee said that timing the court proceedings to start next month makes it much more challenging to try defendants together since they are all charged with the same offense

“I’ll reiterate there’s no good reason to expect a 19-defendant trial in this case, much less in October,” McAfee said.

Willis initially filed a request that Trump and his 18 co-defendants stand trial in March, or roughly seven months after handing down a 91 count indictment that accuses the 45th president of being one of  the ringleaders in the 2020 election conspiracy.

Both Trump’s attorneys and his former personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, have sought to sever their cases saying a strong defense would take more than six weeks prior to Oct. 23.

The joint trials for the 19 defendants allow for an efficient use of resources when the same evidence and witnesses are applicable to all defendants, special prosecutor Nathan Wade said last week.

“There are victims in this case that were targeted by members of this enterprise and their lives were turned upside down,” Wade said at the Sept. 6 hearing for Chesebro and Powell. “Having those people come testify multiple times over and over would not only inconvenience them but traumatize them.”

On Aug. 14, Trump, members of his inner circle and other allies were indicted on felony charges of violating Georgia’s RICO Act (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations), attempting to solicit elected officials, making false statements and other criminal offenses.

Among the 19 people charged under the RICO Act include former Trump attorney John Eastman, ex-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, and several false Electoral College voters, including freshman GOP state Sen. Shawn Still, a Norcross Republican, and David Shafer, a former Georgia Republican Party chairman and state legislator.

Demonstrators rally in support of a special session to defund Fulton DA Fani Willis. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder) 

Trump and Meadows’ attorneys on Wednesday waived their rights to a speedy trial in exchange for separating their trials from those of the other defendants. Their co-defendants  Still, Shafer, Harrison Floyd, and Jenna Ellis followed suit.

Prosecutors have argued that if McAfee severs the trials it will result in a  flood of speedy trial requests from defendants.

The charges against Chesebro are related to his role in developing the strategy for implementing false GOP electors in Georgia and several other states who would cast votes in favor of Trump despite Biden’s victory.

The Texas-based attorney Powell faces several felony counts for allegedly helping hire a team of computer forensic experts involved in a Coffee County voting system breach that occurred weeks after the 2020 election.

The Fulton prosecutor’s court filing on Tuesday follows one by Meadows on Friday appealing U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones rejection of Meadows’ bid to move his case to federal jurisdiction.

Meadows’ attorneys have argued that he was lawfully acting as a federal officer in the aftermath of the 2020 election when he coordinated a Jan. 2, 2021 phone call in which Trump asked Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to tilt the election in the outgoing president’s favor.

Willis was given a Wednesday deadline to respond to Meadow’s motion to stay his case and for an expedited review of his case by the 11th circuit.

McAfee acknowledged last week that the timing of rulings from the appeals court could become a problem in October.

“We potentially could be sitting at a point where the state has presented its entire case and maybe the jury has returned with a verdict but we can’t enter that judgment until the 11th circuit comes to a decision,” McAfee said.

Wills’ brief, however, counters that if the federal court later decides to remove the case, it will decide which defendants will no longer be tried in state court.

“Because a federal court’s decisions on removal occur without regard to this court’s decision to sever, the state respectfully submits that removal can have no practical bearing on this court’s consideration of severance,” the court filing said.

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