New Loganville head football coach Gene Cathcart at a 'meet the coach' event on April 11, 2023. Cathcart led Jefferson and Habersham Central to two region titles each and won a state championship at South Carolina’s Greenwood in 2012. (Twitter)
Loganville hired former Jefferson football coach Gene Cathcart this week, ending a recent slow news cycle of offseason changes that have reached 92 but with only nine still open.
Cathcart led Jefferson and Habersham Central to two region titles each and won a state championship at South Carolina’s Greenwood in 2012. He stepped down last year at Jefferson, where he coached stars such as Sammy Brown and Georgia’s Malaki Starks, to return to South Carolina. But he resigned that post, at Batesburg-Leesville, before the season started.
After sitting out a year, Cathcart will take over a Loganville program coming off its best season in 14 years. Loganville was 9-2 under Brad Smith, who was hired at Allatoona.
Jamie+I thank you so much for the welcome to the🔱🏈Family+getting to meet the special young men we’re blessed to serve with the talented staff of brothers I am proud to call family.
🟥Thank you Dr. Boleman & Coach Segars for this incredible opportunity
🟥130 days ‘till KO 2023! pic.twitter.com/vYQGHVMexE
Also hired this week was Rodney Hackney at Tri-Cities. Hackney is a 20-year head coach who won region titles at Riverdale in 2020 and 2021.
Eighty-three offseason jobs have been filled. The nine openings are at Baconton, Crawford County, Cross Keys, Riverdale, South Atlanta, South Effingham, Twiggs County, Wheeler County and Woodland of Stockbridge.
Click here for a complete list of head coaching hires and openings.
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Students in the VFL English Language Acquisition program help sort ducks and get them ready to swim down the Soque River on Saturday, May 20. Pictured, left to right, Gregory Sanchez, Fidel Ayala, Esmeralda Thompson, Alejandra Vasquez, Ana Sanchez and Arcelia Huerta. (photo submitted)
Volunteers for Literacy of Habersham County is gearing up for its 12th rubber duck race on the Soque. There’s still time to join the race! VFL will award cash prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250 to the ticket holders of the first three ducks to cross the finish line.
The race will be held during the 61st Annual Mountain Laurel Festival in Clarkesville.
“You can adopt a duck for $5 or get a real deal by purchasing five ducks for $20,” says Janine Pajek, this year’s duck race chair. “Or you can increase your chance of winning by purchasing 25 ducks for $100!”
Spend $20 or more for tickets and receive a one-year VFL membership.
Race day details
Thousands of yellow rubber ducks are dropped from the Judge Homer Sutton Bridge on GA 197 North in Clarkesville at the start of the VFL Duck Race. The annual event raises money to support literacy programs in Habersham County.
The duck race will start at 2 p.m. on May 20 at Pitts Park just off the downtown square in Clarkesville. There will be games and music in the park from 11:30 a.m. until race time. Festivalgoers are invited to enjoy the games and entertainment before heading to the river to watch the race from the shoreline.
Golf carts provided by Star Equipment will be available to transport families to the park and back.
The duck race and announcement of winners will be streamed live to the Mountain Laurel Festival stage on the Clarkesville Square.
The popular VFL Dec-a-Duck Contest is also back this year. Individuals and businesses who sign up as race sponsors will receive a large yellow rubber duck to decorate. Creations are based on literary themes. So far, more than 50 Dec-a-Ducks have been entered into this year’s contest. Entries will be judged in the following categories: Best All Around Duck, Most Creative Duck, Best Children’s Book/Fairy Tale-Themed Duck, Best Rookie Duck, Best Business-Themed Duck, and Best Festival-Themed Dec-a-Duck.
Raising money to improve people’s lives
Proceeds from ticket sales and duck race sponsorships will help VFL carry out programs that improve lives through literacy in Habersham County, including:
The Dictionary Project, through which VFL annually donates more than 500 dictionaries to third graders in Habersham County Schools.
The Scripps Spelling Bee. As many as 1,600 students in grades 4 – 8 compete to become the county champion speller.
Teaching English to immigrants at Cornelia First Presbyterian Church. VFL pays for instructors and provides students with childcare and transportation, helping them overcome barriers that often deter language learners.
Third-graders hold up free dictionaries given to them by VFL of Habersham County. The nonprofit seeks to improve lives through literacy. (Facebook)
In addition to those ongoing community projects, VFL maintains the Dan and Kathie Nee Book Bank, which contains thousands of books that are given to underserved children throughout the year. Hundreds of books are placed in 17 Little Free Libraries VFL has installed throughout Habersham County, each is filled with books for children, adults, and young people.
Working with North Georgia Technical College to help prepare students for the GED and HiSet exams has long been a priority of VFL. The nonprofit offers attendance incentives and helps cover the cost of testing.
Before the pandemic, VFL routinely partnered with the Habersham County School System, Clarkesville and Cornelia Libraries, and Piedmont University Education Department to sponsore One Book Habersham. The organization is looking to resume this communitywide reading event next year.
“As we know, the ability to speak, read, and write is essential,” says Dr. Don Gnecco, VFL board president. “Volunteers for Literacy is continually striving to reach our goal of 100% literacy in Habersham County so that everyone can successfully participate in and contribute to our community. It takes all of us together.”
How to enter
To become a race sponsor and enter the Dec-a-Duck contest, email VFL at [email protected].
To purchase duck race tickets online, visit www.vflhabersham.com. Tickets may also be purchased by emailing [email protected] or calling 706-949-3157.
Tickets may also be purchased from any VFL board member and at these locations in Habersham County: Cornelia Library, Clarkesville Library, A to Zinc Health Store and Smoothie Bar, Elizabeth & Company, and A Garden for Wellness.
Christine Lawson Evans, age 76, of Cleveland, GA, entered into rest, on April 13, 2023.
Born on June 28, 1946, in Cleveland, she was the daughter of the late Artist Henry Lawson and Mayzena Helton Lawson. Mrs. Evans was retired from Habersham Bank and in past years worked in the library at Piedmont College, First National Bank, Community Bank & Trust, and South State Bank. Christine was a loving wife, Mother, grandmother, and was a Mother figure to many others. She is described by her family as being like her mother, having a gentle spirit, and always putting others before herself. Christine will forever be remembered for her kindness and being a great cook. She was a member of Level Grove Baptist Church.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by several aunts, uncles; and mother-in-law, Maggie Clara Evans.
Survivors include her loving husband of 59 years, Anthony Evans of Cleveland; sons and daughters-in-law, Michael Evans (Donna), Joshua Evans (Erica) all of Cleveland; granddaughter, Madison Evans; brother, Michael Lynn “Mack” Lawson of Lula; and nephew, Matthew Lawson.
Celebration of Life services are scheduled for 11:00 am on Saturday, April 15, 2023, in the Chapel of McGahee-Griffin & Stewart with Bradley Cook officiating. Interment will follow at Zion Interdenominational Church Cemetery, 3667 Hwy 115 W, Cleveland, GA.
The family will receive friends from 6 – 8 pm on Friday, April 14, 2023, at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in memory of Christine to Alzheimer’s Association for Research online at https://www.alz.org/research?form=alz_donate or 255 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601.
Deborah Ann Eller, age 59 of Demorest, passed away Thursday, May 19, 2022.
Born on November 26, 1962, in Demorest, she was a daughter of the late David Dison Eller, Jr. and Carolyn Viola Scott Eller. Deborah was a cheerful and eager volunteer, loved gardening and was an avid reader. She was the family babysitter and care giver and was a member of River Road Mission Church.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother-in-law Tony Hall.
Survivors include, brother and sister-in-law David Dison Eller, III (Annette) of Cool Springs Community; sister, Sandra Hall of Demorest; sisters and brothers-in-law, Sharon Lea Moore (Phillip) of Demorest, Charlotte Dodd (James Hopkins) of Demorest; nieces and nephews, Tonya Hall, Matt Moore, Ted Dodd, Jennifer Rudell, Tammy Resendiz and David Eller, IV; 13 great nieces and nephews.
Memorial service is scheduled at 11 am Saturday, April 22, 2023, in the Chapel of McGahee-Griffin & Stewart with Rev. Kenneth Taylor officiating.
The family will receive friends from 10 am until the service hour.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made in her honor to the American Cancer Society.
Gov. Kemp signs SB 211 into law, establishing the Georgia Council on Literacy. (photo submitted)
Governor Brian Kemp Thursday signed into law Senate Bill 211 establishing the Georgia Council on Literacy. The council will work to ensure improved literacy outcomes for students.
The council will be made up of 30 appointees, including some from the private sector along with elected and appointed government officials. They will conduct comprehensive reviews of birth to postsecondary literacy programs to ensure their effectiveness. The council will also research and provide recommendations on how to improve literacy rates for students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities as well as students from low-income households.
Senator Billy Hickman (R-Statesboro) sponsored the bill which states, “Current Georgian literacy rates are not where they need to be to support the workforce needs of our growing economy.”
Noting it’s been many years since there was a “systematic study of Georgia’s efforts to support student and adult literacy efforts” the bill seeks to correct that.
“The creation of the Georgia Council on Literacy is a major step forward in improving early literacy rates in our state,” says Sen. Hickman. “It is vital to ensure our children receive literacy instruction backed by evidence-based principles. This has been a priority of the Senate Majority Caucus, and I am honored to have carried it through to the finish line with bipartisan support.”
Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega) called it a “landmark bill” that will help cultivate an educated workforce.
“Giving these children a strong foundation in literacy will not only ensure that they have a pathway to individual success, but that Georgia has a strong foundation for economic prosperity in the future,” says Gooch.
While lawmakers hope to achieve lasting impacts, the council itself is only temporary. The bill states the council will be abolished and the bill establishing it will be repealed on December 31, 2026.
Kemp also signed into law House Bill 538 – the Georgia Early Literacy Act – which aims to increase student literacy rates between Kindergarten and the third grade.
District 32 State Representative Chris Erwin was one of the sponsors of the bill.
Studies have shown that reading proficiency at age eight is among the most accurate predictors for whether a student will graduate from high school. The new law provides for reading assessments and curriculum to help the state reach its goal of having all students read on grade level by the end of third grade.
The U.S. solicitor general wrote in the Department of Justice appeal to the Supreme Court that allowing lower courts’ rulings to take effect would lead to chaos. (Jim Small/Arizona Mirror)
WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — The Biden administration and a company that manufactures the abortion pill on Friday both called on the U.S. Supreme Court to preserve access to mifepristone while a closely watched lawsuit works its way through the appeals process.
The U.S. solicitor general wrote in the Department of Justice appeal that allowing lower courts’ rulings to take effect would “create significant chaos for patients, prescribers, and the health care delivery system.”
The two separate emergency appeals ask the justices to place on hold the entirety of a federal district court’s ruling from one week ago that would have overturned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 2000 approval of the abortion medication.
The federal government and Danco Laboratories appealed to the Supreme Court after the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans placed part of that district court ruling on hold late Wednesday night.
The three-judge appeals panel’s ruling would have kept mifepristone on the market during the appeals process, though they called for the prescribing and administration of the medication to revert to pre-2016 instructions.
Those changes would reduce when mifepristone can be taken from 10 weeks gestation to seven, require doctors to prescribe and administer the medication instead of health care providers with prescribing authority and require three in-person visits.
Prescribing mifepristone via telehealth and mailing it to patients would be barred under the 5th Circuit’s partial stay of the district court ruling. The dosage and timing of medication abortion, a two-drug regimen that includes misoprostol, would also change.
Misbranded drugs
“The orders would ‘immediately’ render all extant doses of mifepristone misbranded because their labeling would be inconsistent with the operative conditions of approval,” Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote in the federal government’s appeal. “The generic version of the drug would cease to be approved altogether.”
“FDA and mifepristone’s sponsor would have to adjust the drug’s labeling to account for the lower courts’ actions — a process that could take months,” Prelogar added.
Danco Laboratories, which manufactures the brand name version of mifepristone, wrote in a 47-page brief the 5th Circuit’s decision to push prescribing and administration of the medication back to the guidelines used before 2016 amounts to a ban.
Danco’s legal team also noted a conflicting ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, which on April 7 ordered the FDA not to alter access to mifepristone in the 17 states and Washington, D.C. that filed suit in that court.
Judge Thomas Rice, issued his original order on Friday, April 7, just minutes after the Texas federal judge issued his order overturning the FDA’s approval of mifepristone.
Rice, in clarifying his ruling Thursday following a request from the federal government, reinforced that the FDA cannot alter access to mifepristone in those locations.
Rice wrote in a six-page clarification that “irrespective of the Northern District of Texas Court ruling or the Fifth Circuit’s anticipated ruling” the FDA was barred from “altering the status quo and rights as it relates to the availability of Mifepristone” under current prescribing and administration guidelines in those 17 states and Washington, D.C.
In the appeal filed to the Supreme Court on Friday, Danco Laboratories wrote that in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision last summer, which overturned the constitutional right to an abortion that had stood for nearly 50 years, the justices “returned” decisions about abortion “to the people and their elected representatives.”
“If the Court denies a stay, it abandons that assurance,” Danco wrote. “Allowing the Fifth Circuit’s opinion to stand eviscerates the sovereign authority of States that wish to expand and protect access to medication abortion in their jurisdictions.”
Government asserts mifepristone safety
The federal government, in its appeal, argued in support of the FDA’s medical and scientific authority in approving pharmaceuticals as well as on the safety and efficacy of mifepristone.
The U.S. solicitor general wrote the 5th Circuit was “demonstrably wrong” when it wrote in its partial stay that FDA “failed to ‘examine the relevant data’” when it changed prescribing and administration guidelines in 2016.
“The court’s holding that the 2016 changes were arbitrary and capricious thus ultimately rests on its assertion that FDA failed to cite a study that evaluated the effects of those changes ‘as a whole,’” Prelogar wrote.
“In other words, the court appeared to hold that FDA cannot change a drug’s conditions for approval unless it can cite a single study that combines all of the relevant changes,” Prelogar added. “That holding contradicts settled principles of administrative law, the (Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act), and common sense. And it is factually incorrect in any event.”
The federal government’s appeal later notes that “As of June 2022, only 28 deaths had been reported among the more than 5 million women who have taken mifepristone, and some of them had obvious alternative causes — including homicide, drug overdose, and other factors entirely unrelated to mifepristone.”
“In addition, pregnancy itself entails a significantly higher risk of serious adverse events, including a death rate 14 times higher than that associated with legal abortion,” the solicitor general wrote.
ADF urges ‘accountability’
Alliance Defending Freedom, the legal organization that filed the original lawsuit on behalf of four anti-abortion medical organizations and four anti-abortion doctors, said in a statement Friday that the Supreme Court should leave the 5th Circuit’s partial stay in place.
“The 5th Circuit rightly required the agency to prioritize women’s health by restoring critical safeguards, and we’ll urge the Supreme Court to keep that accountability in place,” said Senior Counsel Erin Hawley.
Hawley, a key lawyer in the case, is the wife of U.S. Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, who sits on the Judiciary Committee, which oversees the confirmation process for U.S. Supreme Court justices.
Sen. Josh Hawley during his tenure in the Senate voted to confirm Amy Coney Barrett, but voted against the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson.
It is now up to Gov. Brian Kemp and state lawmakers to decide whether to move forward with a provider rate study’s recommendations, which would boost caregiver pay but cost about $107 million to implement. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
(GA Recorder) — A key state agency will recommend a slightly higher wage increase for caregivers who work with people with disabilities in Georgia and who would see a $6 hourly rate increase under the proposal.
The state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities is wrapping up a review of what it pays its service providers, who employ workers known as direct-support professionals.
An earlier version of the study’s conclusions received pushback from providers and advocates when it initially settled on $15.18 for these workers. That was nearly a $5-per-hour increase from today’s $10.63, but short of what providers said they need to compete in an age when retailers and fast-food restaurants are offering similar pay.
The study’s findings were revised to recommend $16.70, which is about $2 lower than the rate pushed by providers who say some locations are at risk of closing their doors.
Still, the change is a “meaningful tweak,” said Diane Wilush, president and CEO of United Cerebral Palsy of Georgia and a board member with Service Providers Association for Developmental Disabilities.
“It’s not where we want to be at the finish line but it’s really meaningful, and we’re grateful for that,” Wilush said Thursday.
The study is just the first of a two-phase process since the review alone does not increase provider rates.
It is up to Gov. Brian Kemp and lawmakers to decide whether to move forward with the recommendations and fund them in the state budget.
It would cost about $107 million annually to follow the study’s lead, representing a 44% increase. The federal government will also match the state with more than $200 million in new funding.
The state Department of Community Health must also formally request approval from the federal government. It’s a time-consuming process that likely would not result in more money in workers’ paychecks until sometime next year.
Lawmakers signaled this session that they intend to act on the study’s findings and keep the process moving along. House budget writers added – and the Senate kept – language but no funding in next year’s budget to that effect: “Begin implementation of the 2022-2023 provider rate study pending approval by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).”
“This line item does not direct us to adopt the rates or to make use of them. (It’s) simply to begin the implementation process,” Chris Hamilton, chief financial officer at DBHDD, told the agency’s board Thursday during a budget presentation. “And again, any one of these items is subject to change since the bill has not yet been signed.”
The governor is in the middle of the 40-day bill-signing spree that follows every legislative session. Kemp has the power of the veto – including when it comes to individual line items in the state’s $32.4 billion budget. He voiced concerns about “significant holes” in the spending plan even before lawmakers approved it in the final hours of the legislative session.
“Nothing is final until the governor’s pen is stroked on that,” DBHDD Commissioner Kevin Tanner said to board members.
The budget, which takes effect in July, also includes nearly $10 million to cover Medicaid services meant to keep people with disabilities in their homes and communities. That is enough to cover about 500 people who are now on a waitlist that includes more than 7,000.
The department’s staff and board members heard from some of the parents of those waiting for services during a public comment period at Thursday’s meeting.
Yolanda Barber said her adult son’s 82-year-old grandmother has been caring for him but recently said she can no longer look after the 26-year-old during the day while Barber works.
Barber said her son, who has autism, has been on the waiting list for more than seven years.
“To be honest with you, if I don’t have a place for him to go, I can’t work,” Barber said. “I’m trying to figure out how we get the waiver approved, how we can get the services that we need so our family can continue to function.”
It wasn’t the Easter bunny but rather a bear cub that recently turned up at a Northeast Georgia home. Video of the cub eating on the family’s front porch near Raper Mountain captured the imaginations and hearts of wildlife lovers.
Ann Sutton shot the video from inside her house, mere feet from where the cub hungrily devoured his meal, ignoring her even as she tapped on the window. Sutton called the small cub’s appearance “an Easter weekend surprise!”
“This little guy ate all of the cats’ meal, and I did not have the heart to send him away,” Sutton wrote on her Facebook page.
“Cute,” “cuddly,” and “precious” are just a few of the words commenters used to describe the scraggly-looking cub.
The Sutton’s home in northern Habersham County sits in a wooded area. And while bear sightings are not uncommon, this one was different.
“We have visits by full-grown bears. Never one this small,” Sutton tells Now Habersham.
Cubs grow up
As compelling as cubs are to watch, State Bear Biologist Adam Hammond says people should resist the tendency to see them as anything other than wild animals.
In the summer of 2018, a bear crawled into a woman’s van at Lake Burton in Rabun County and ate her lunch. (photo by Carrie Watts)
“Bears are cute and cuddly when they’re small, but when a bear is 500 pounds and is used to getting fed, people’s home deadbolts and doors don’t keep them out.”
Hammond says the Suttons did the right thing by contacting the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The family is now working with DNR to capture and relocate the cub.
Judging from its size – an estimated 10 to 15 pounds – Hammond suspects the cub was separated from its mother last fall.
“The cub that you’re seeing is probably last year’s cub that more than likely was orphaned at a younger age. That’s my guess. Most bear cubs in their second year should be at least 50 pounds,” he explains.
Being significantly underweight, it’s likely the bear didn’t have enough time to learn good foraging habits from its mother before she was killed. A poor acorn crop last fall may have contributed to its stunted growth.
Hungry and left to fend for itself, Hammond says the fact this cub is still alive means it has a chance to survive and make it on its own.
Native omnivores
Black bears are native to North Georgia: The region has approximately 3,000 of them. While they’re omnivorous, 80-90 percent of their diet is plant-based. They forage for nuts (hard mast) and berries (soft mast). When mast crops fail, bears search for alternate food sources.
State Bear Biologist Adam Hammond says this undersized cub has a better chance at survival if they can successfully relocate it away from civilization. (screengrab from video taken by Ann Sutton)
“Bears like human-provided food because they like sources that are easy, and they often follow their nose,” Hammond says. He describes black bears as “resourceful” and “opportunistic.”
Such descriptions bring to mind the beloved fictional bear characters Yogi Bear and Winnie the Pooh.
And there’s the rub.
Humans have become so enamored with cute, funny, embraceable depictions of bears (still have that old teddy bear from childhood?) it’s easy to forget wildlife experts’ advice.
Secure those bird feeders, squirrel feeders, pet and livestock food bags. Clean up those greasy barbecues, smokers, and fish cookers. Minimize the attractants and availability of food in your yard to keep bears in the wild where they belong.
If a black bear does venture onto your property and refuses to leave, do as the Sutton’s did and get experts involved. Hammond suggests reaching out to the DNR Wildlife Division offices in Gainesville or Rome (where he’s based).
Since their ‘Easter surprise’ arrived, the Suttons have rearranged their cat feeding schedule.
“I feed them early, 6ish, and only leave the bowl out for 30 minutes,” Ann says. “The bear apparently prefers not to get up that early.”
Sleep-loving is another trait famed animators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and English author A.A. Milne attached to their beloved characters. But don’t let those lazy bear images fool you.
Park rangers tracked Bear 609 from the Great Smoky Mountains through the Carolinas and Georgia in 2022. The bear was seen in Gainesville, GA, in August 2022. She was later hit by a car in Alpharetta but kept on moving, eventually making her way back to Tennessee. (photo Facebook)
Last year a black bear spotted milling around Gainesville and Alpharetta traveled over 1,000 miles through four states to get back to her home in Tennessee. She was relocated to the Cherokee National Forest from the Great Smoky Mountains Park after exhibiting food-conditioning behavior. She looted campsites and backpacks and was deemed a nuisance bear; behaviors that developed because she grew accustomed to eating people’s food and garbage.
“It’s not normal for them to cause harm to people, but they are capable,” Hammond cautions. “They’re beautiful wild animals, but we have to keep them in that wild category as best we can, based on their behavior and our behavior.”
In his 23 years of researching and managing bear populations in Georgia, Hammond says he’s only seen a cub this small at this age a few times. Once they trap it and check it for any possible health problems, DNR will mark the cub so it can be uniquely identified. They’ll then set it loose in the wild, away from people and human food sources, so that, hopefully, in a few months, it can recalibrate its cycle.
“He made it through probably the hardest time, which was the winter,” says Hammond. “If he can get through these next six months without becoming dependent on people, we think it will have a pretty good shot.”
The Super Mario Bros. Movie comes with a built-in fan base of the popular video game going back to its inception in 1985. The first thing I can say about this animated adaptation is that those fans will be anything but disappointed and it’ll probably wash away any memories of the dismal live-action version (1993).
Everything from the visuals to the characters to the humor will be exactly as the fans imagined it and for me, while I don’t think it’s a completely successful film, it is a zippy, energetic film that knows what it’s supposed to deliver.
The movie follows the outline and formula of the game precisely as it introduces us to our two main heroes: Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day), two Italian-American plumbers from New York. They own their own plumbing business and one day they head out to fix a leak that magically transports them down a pipe into a fantasy land.
They get separated and Mario finds himself in the land known as the Mushroom Kingdom, ruled over by Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). When Mario meets the Princess, she tells him all about her land under threat by the villainous King Koopa (Jack Black). Koopa intends to marry the Princess and destroy her kingdom if she refuses. Meanwhile, Luigi finds himself in Koopa’s territory as the two brothers frantically try to reunite.
Many of the game’s characters and elements are faithfully reproduced as when Mario meets the character of Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and there’s a training montage where Mario must undergo the Princess’ obstacle course that is designed exactly how some of the levels in the game look.
There are certainly plenty of Easter eggs in The Super Mario Bros. Movie such as the character Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) and sequences that seem to leap straight out of the various games including Mario on a go-kart. Plus, there is a post-credit scene featuring another character who will no doubt play a huge role in the inevitable sequel.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie doesn’t make an entirely persuasive argument for its existence, but like Dungeons & Dragons, it knows how to please its hardcore fanbase by giving them exactly what they want and expect.
The movie does have a colorful look which is admittedly dazzling and faithful to its source material. Although some fans might argue it’s too faithful.
Pratt, Day, Taylor-Joy and the rest of the cast are clearly having a blast with their voiceover work, but the level of enjoyment I felt was diminished when compared to The Lego Movie which was much more clever and engaging when it shouldn’t have been. If anything, this movie is passable, but I’m probably going to be in the minority in wishing the filmmakers had concentrated more on a script that gave us insight into the characters and the world they live in and spent less time on chronic nostalgia overload.
Still, I am going to recommend this film because of its jolly energy, colorful visuals, and because the cast is having so much fun with their goofy, silly work.
There are about 20,000 undocumented Georgians in the program begun during the Obama administration, often referred to as Dreamers. (Georgia Recorder/File)
WASHINGTON (GA Recorder) — President Joe Biden announced Thursday that he will direct his administration to allow undocumented people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to enroll in Medicaid or private insurance provided under the Affordable Care Act.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will issue a proposed rule on the policy by the end of the month, according to a fact sheet from the White House.
“Health care should be a right, not a privilege,” Biden said of the policy in a video announcement on Twitter. “Today’s announcement is about giving DACA recipients the same opportunity.”
Specific language for the new policy was not yet available Thursday. But the fact sheet from the White House says HHS will publish a rule that amends the definition of “lawful presence” to include DACA recipients in Medicaid and Affordable Care Act coverage.
Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that provides health coverage to low income Americans and people with disabilities.
If the rule is finalized, “DACA recipients will be able to apply for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, where they may qualify for financial assistance based on income, and through their state Medicaid agency,” according to the White House fact sheet.
“Like all other enrollees, eligibility information will be verified electronically when individuals apply for coverage,” according to the fact sheet.
It’s unclear how long a new rule could take to implement — potentially, it could take years and legal challenges could also delay implementation. There are about 800,000 undocumented people in the program begun during the Obama administration, often referred to as Dreamers. An estimated 20,000 of the country’s DACA recipients are Georgians.
DACA recipients, and an estimated 10 million undocumented people, do not have access to Medicaid or coverage provided through the ACA, and were left out of federal aid during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic even though many were essential workers.
Biden also called on Congress to create a pathway for citizenship for DACA recipients. Senate Democrats made a last-ditch effort at the end of 2022 when they still controlled the House, but were unable to secure 10 Republican votes needed to reach the 60-vote threshold.
Those in the DACA program are also awaiting a Supreme Court decision that could determine the legality of the program that has existed for more than a decade. If a conservative court determines that the program is unlawful, it’s unclear what will happen to those in the program.
Applause from Democrats
Congressional Democrats welcomed the health coverage announcement.
U.S. Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada praised the Biden administration in a statement, and said that DACA recipients should have access to health care.
“DACA recipients are an essential part of our community in Nevada and they deserve access to quality, affordable health care,” she said.
U.S. Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas said the policy would help give DACA “recipients access to the same care as their neighbors and build healthier communities for all of us.”
“For more than ten years, hundreds of thousands of young Americans have been unfairly excluded from the affordable health insurance they need,” Castro said. “In the wake of a pandemic that disproportionately affected immigrant and frontline families, this long-overdue expansion is welcome news.”
In 2021, Castro, along with 90 House members, urged Biden to extend ACA benefits for DACA recipients during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 1 million people in the U.S. died from the virus.
Dr. Henry Dwight “DOC” Mercer of Clarkesville, Georgia, passed away on April 12, 2023.
Born on February 20, 1939, in Blakely, Georgia, to John and Mattie (Crawford) Mercer, “DOC” as he was known by all, would later attend and obtain a BS and DVM from the University of Georgia, a Master’s from the University of Florida, and a Ph.D. from Ohio State University. Dr. Mercer was a member of MVMA and AVMA. After Dr. Mercer’s retirement as the Dean at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University, he would continue to be very active in life, owning and operating his own business EMS Consulting and as a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Habersham County, where he sang in the choir. Amazingly he would still manage to find time to enjoy some of his favorite hobbies like golfing, hunting, fishing, and watching football. “DOC” never seemed to meet a stranger and was well-loved by all who knew him. He will be greatly missed.
In addition to his parents, Dr. Mercer is preceded in death by three brothers and a sister.
Dr. Mercer is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Mrs. Vera Holcomb Mercer; his sons Rusty (Sharon) Mercer and Stephen (Adrienne) Mercer; his grandchildren Austin (Hilary) Mercer, Sam Mercer, Clay Mercer, Fletcher Mercer, and Millie Kate Mercer and his sisters Janice (Benny) Simpson Puckett and Kay (Mike) Reich.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Clarkesville, Georgia, at 2 pm. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to St. Jude or to Doctors Without Borders.
Habersham County Teacher of the Year Jimmy Jones, center, with students in his Automotive Technologies III class at Habersham Central High School in Mt. Airy, Ga. (Jerry Neace/Now Habersham)
Just before Habersham County schools broke for spring break, the school district handed out two of its most prestigious awards. The district named high school automotive instructor Jimmy Jones as its 2023 Habersham County Teacher of the Year. The district named Demorest Elementary School pre-K paraprofessional Mandy McEntire as Support Person of the Year.
A committee of retired educators selected Jones and McEntire from among 31 teachers and support persons of the year chosen at the school and department levels. Administrators honored them all during a banquet on March 30. Such affairs typically give people a moment to shine, but it is in the classroom, surrounded by students, where Jones and McEntire shine brightest.
A great honor
Jimmy Jones has been the automotive instructor at Habersham Central High School since 2017. Being named Teacher of the Year means a lot to him.
“I feel very honored that I received this award, and I feel it really shows that this district does care about career tech education as well as academic education,” he says.
Jones’ career began around 1990. His best friend’s dad was the service manager for the Honda dealership where he lived. He saw Jones’ potential in working on small engines and tinkering around with automotive work and asked him to work for him. Jones did. He attended the Honda Technical Training program and remained with Honda as a service technician for 17 years.
HCHS automotive instructor Jimmy Jones, right, helps students remove a broken bolt from a vehicle during class. (Jerry Neace/Now Habersham)
Several years ago, when the economy started slipping, Jones noticed that fewer and fewer people were bringing in their cars to be serviced because they couldn’t afford the dealership service fees. He decided to open his own shop to help such customers and ran the shop for about seven years.
While in business for himself, Jones applied to become an adjunct instructor at Central Georgia Tech. They hired him to teach college-level courses to students at Houston County Career Academy.
Moving to the mountains
It was during this time that Jones says he and his wife discussed moving to the mountains when their daughter graduated from high school. His fourth and final year at the Career Academy was a difficult one. His daughter graduated, and his wife passed away.
Staying true to what they had discussed, Jones began looking to move north. He found out Jimmy Scott was about to retire from Habersham Central High School. From there, he says, it all just kind of fell into place. Six years ago, the Habersham County School System hired him to teach automotive technology at HCHS.
“I have loved it ever since,” Jones tells Now Habersham.
In addition to a job that he loves, Jones says he met a wonderful lady who taught in Athens Clarke County.
“We got married in 2021, and she now teaches for the Habersham County School District,” he says.
In his off time, Jones is a river guide on the Chattooga River.
Jones shows students how to diagnose a problem with a sensor in a hatchback latch. (Jerry Neace/Now Habersham)
Habersham Central High School Principal Jonathan Stribling calls Jones an excellent selection for both the HCHS and Habersham County School System Teacher of the Year awards. He calls Jones “the whole package” when it comes to being a “phenomenal teacher.”
“First and foremost, students love Mr. Jones. He builds appropriate, professional relationships with students creating an optimal learning environment,” says Dr. Stribling. “Teenagers are smart, and they can tell quickly when an adult really cares about them, and Mr. Jones conveys his passion for student success daily.”
Jones uses his automotive technology classes to not only teach technical skills but also life and employment skills students can use their entire careers, no matter what field they choose.
Stribling says, “Mr. Jones continually puts students first, and that makes him a great Raider!”
Proud to call her ‘our own’
Mandy McEntire receives similarly effusive praise from her principal at Demorest Elementary School. Lana Jones calls McEntire an “asset to our school.”
“She demonstrates patience, compassion, kindness, and responsiveness to her students while maintaining expectations for their learning and development,” says Jones. “She is well deserving of our district Support Person of the Year, and Demorest Elementary is proud to call her our own!”
Habersham County Schools’ Support Person of the Year, Mandy McEntire, is in her fourth year as a pre-K paraprofessional at Demorest Elementary School. (photo submitted)
McEntire might never have been one of Demorest’s ‘own’ if not for her second child.
She spent 15 years working in an office. When she had her second child, she became a stay-at-home mom. Four years ago, when her daughter became old enough to attend pre-K, McEntire found herself at a crossroads. She was looking for something to fill the open hours in her day. McEntire knew she loved working with kids and felt like being a paraprofessional would be a good fit for her. She applied with the Habersham County School System and was hired.
Lucky for her students, she was.
McEntire with her pre-K students (photo submitted)
A most vital year
McEntire brings her mother’s touch to the job, connecting with pre-schoolers in ways that help them adjust to being in school and away from their own parents. She is patient and calm and has a loving and caring attitude. She also has a strong sense of organization and of being a team player.
McEntire says she makes it a point to give individualized attention to each child every day.
McEntire with student Sawyer Lancaster at Demorest Elementary School. (photo submitted)
“I feel pre-K is one of the most vital years of a student’s education, and I am so happy to be a part of this program,” she tells Now Habersham.
Pre-K is as much a behavioral learning experience as it is educational. Learning to share, getting along with others, following directions, and being kind and courteous are just some of the lessons pre-K teachers and para pros have to impart to their young students. One way McEntire does this is by teaching emotional regulation – helping small children to control their big emotions.
“When a student is upset, I can talk with them, hug them and use breathing and calming techniques. These calming techniques that I teach students can help them for a lifetime,” she explains.
And a lifetime is likely how long McEntire will cherish her memory of being named Habersham Schools’ Support Person of the Year.
“Can you imagine all the people that work here and they chose me for this year,” she says, still sounding somewhat surprised by the recognition. “It is such a big honor!”
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This article has been updated to reflect that Jones taught at the Houston County Career Academy and has since remarried.
