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Take it or leaf it: House sends blower bill back to Senate

By
Ross Williams
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(GA Recorder) — The Georgia Legislature is one step closer to passing a bill designed to protect gas-powered leaf blowers and appliances from cities and counties that might seek to restrict them.

Lawmakers attached a slew of other bills to the original leaf blower bill, including provisions regarding de-annexing properties from cities and county bodies called Commercial Property Assessed Conservation, Energy Resiliency Development Authorities.

So-called Christmas tree legislation becomes more common when a legislative session nears its end and lawmakers rush to get their bills across the finish line before time runs out for the year. Wednesday is the final day for this year’s session.

In House and Senate committee hearings, the bill’s author, Johns Creek Republican Sen. Shawn Still, said no Georgia municipality has banned gas blowers, but cities and counties in other states are doing so, and preventing such moves in Georgia will protect landscaping businesses from having to spend big dollars on tools he says are inferior.

Several Atlanta-area homeowners came to committee hearings and urged lawmakers to vote down Senate Bill 145, arguing that gas blowers are noisier than their electric brethren and governments should have the freedom to decide at a local level which yard care appliances to promote.

Controversy over gas stoves has simmered in the background for years, recently flaring up after a commissioner on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said the agency would begin considering regulations on new gas stoves because of safety concerns.

Smyrna Democratic Rep. Teri Anulewicz said bills like Still’s strip local governments of power, comparing them to a snipe hunt, a classic shenanigan in which a prankster sends a rube into the forest to hunt a nonexistent animal.

“The thing about a snipe hunt is that you send someone on a quest to find something that they will never find, and that’s a little bit what these preemptions are like,” she said. “They are special interest groups mad libbing legislation in an attempt to send the General Assembly on a quest to keep cities and counties from outlawing something that no one is even trying to outlaw. It is a waste of our time.”

Duluth Democratic Rep. Ruwa Romman said passing the bill would undo work the state has done to become a hub for clean energy.

“This is a blatant attempt to stop that,” she said. “It’s like we keep moving one step forward and three steps back. Those things are exciting. We’ve got kids right now in schools who are preparing for those jobs, and now you’re telling me by the time they graduate, those jobs might not be there anymore?”

Cornelia Republican Rep. Victor Anderson characterized Democratic complaints as overblown.

“There’s nothing in either of those bills that prevents a local governing authority from implementing energy efficiency or environmental programs that are incentive based,” he said. “What it does is it prevents them from penalizing lack of participation in those programs. We’re not saying that you can’t have programs. We’re not saying you can’t promote those types of energy choices, but we are saying that you can’t mandate them and penalize a lack of participation.”

Valdosta Republican Rep. John LaHood saw Anulewicz’ snipe and raised her a goat and a squirrel.

“You can get a goat to climb a tree, but you’re better off to hire a squirrel,” he said. “In other words, your landscape provider, if he can do a better job with a gas leaf blower than he can with an electric, let him do his job. And if you want to hire a landscape crew that uses all electric, then do that. It’s up to you. Nobody’s telling you that you can’t use the leaf blower of your choice. The bill just says that the local government cannot treat one type of blower different than the other.”

The bill cleared the House Monday with a 103-to-67 vote. It now heads back to the Senate, where the original leaf blower bill passed 37-16.

Longtime Cleveland public works director dies

By
Dean Dyer, WRWH Radio
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The city of Cleveland is mourning the loss of its longtime public works director. Donald Hunt passed away Monday. He was 86.

Cleveland Mayor Josh Turner released the following statement Monday:

“The City of Cleveland extends our deepest condolences to the family of Donald Hunt. Mr. Hunt faithfully served as the Director of Public Works and was employed by the City of Cleveland for 68 continuous years. Donald was our friend and colleague and the void his death leaves cannot be filled. Please join the City Council and I, along with all of our employees, in praying for his sons, Rick and Paul, and all of the Hunt family.”

Funeral services for Donald Hunt are scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 29, at the chapel of Barrett Funeral Home in Cleveland. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 2–4 and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 28.

 

Cleveland City Hall and the city offices will close at 4 p.m. Tuesday and will remain closed all day on Wednesday, March 29, to allow city employees an opportunity to attend visitation and funeral services.

Donald Hunt obituary

Donald Hunt

By
Now Habersham
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Donald Hunt, age 86, of Cleveland, passed away on Monday, March 27, 2023.

Mr. Hunt was born on November 15, 1936, in Cleveland, Georgia, to the late Jim and Carrie Gilland Hunt. Donald was the Public Works Director for the City of Cleveland and a member of Mt. View Baptist Church. In addition to his parents, Mr. Hunt was preceded in death by his wife, Edith Hunt; grandson, Shay Hunt; daughter-in-law, Glenda Hunt; and sisters, Shelby Fields and Cathy Hunt.

Survivors include his sons and daughters-in-law, Ricky and Wetaunah Hunt, Cleveland, and Paul and Patti Hunt, Cleveland; grandchildren, Andrea Evans, Kel Befile, Lindsey Befile, Jessica Wineland, Rachel Timmons, and Joel Johnson; great-grandchildren, Riley Swafford, Sailor Swafford, Gage Simmons, Aiden Hunt, Meagan Gable, Summer Hardy, Shay Carter, and Ryder Timmons; siblings, Brad Hunt, James Hunt, Lunette Hulsey, and Geraldine Ravan.

Funeral services are scheduled for 1:00 P.M. Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at The Chapel of Barrett Funeral Home. The Rev. Mike Irvin, the Rev. Eddie Mitchell, and the Rev. Dave Fortner will officiate. Interment will follow in Mt. View Baptist Church.

The family will receive friends from 2:00 – 4:00 P.M. and 6:00 – 8:00 P.M. Tuesday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Mt. View Baptist Church Youth Group – 258 Kanady Road, Cleveland, GA 30528 or to White County Backpack Buddies – 136 Warriors Path, Cleveland, GA 30528.

To share a memory or to leave an online condolence for the family, please visit www.barettfh.com.

Barrett Funeral Home of Cleveland.

Joan (Chastain) Cole

By
Now Habersham
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Joan (Chastain) Cole was born on 2 June 1955 to Wm Barnett and Dora Mae Chastain. She passed from this life on 24 March 2023.

She was the youngest of ten children. She was raised in the Sautee-Nachoochee Valley near Helen, GA, and graduated from White County High School in 1975. Those are the basic facts of her life… but what follows is how the dash in between was lived.

She was a vivacious, sensitive, fun-loving person. She had a deep, abiding faith in God and it showed in everything throughout her life. She was the loving wife of Clay, her husband, for almost 47 years. Together, they pursued a military career and they did all of the things that military families do throughout a career. Joan was the bedrock of the family and was constantly engaged in all the things that the distaff did to support their Army spouses. She worked at the thrift shops, worked special event fundraisers, chaired committees, worked at the on-post schools, and did whatever behind-the-scenes work was required to support “the Army”. She loved the work, never complained, and was always there to lend a hand. She had a servant’s heart and it showed in everything she did.

Her greatest loves were her husband, Clay, and her two daughters, Carrie and Lindsay. She devoted every waking moment to their well-being, often sacrificing what she wanted in favor of her family. She was the consummate room mother and teachers clamored for her support. She was undoubtedly the best baker that ever sprinkled flour into a baking pan, and she constantly showered her friends and family with baked goods.

After the Army and later in life, there came the two sons-in-law, Jason and Luke. She loved them both dearly, as they were the sons she never had. Soon, there was another great love, her granddaughter, Sarah. Just as with her girls, Joan, the room mother swung into action and she took up being a fantastic grandmother until the end of her days.

She loved her girls and loved to do things with them, and especially loved to shop. She could shop all day, touch every item in every store in town and not buy a single thing and be perfectly happy! She never met a stranger. She loved her husband with a fervor that few men will ever know. She was a born again Child of God and made sure that everyone knew it. She is gone from us now, but she is in God’s Holy Presence and rejoicing in heaven. Her illnesses are gone and she is no longer in pain. She has a new and glorious body and walks the streets of gold. We love her, we miss her terribly, and know that we shall see her again in God’s good time.

In addition to her parents, Joan was preceded in death by her sisters, Brenda Chastain, Emily Bloodworth, Bethenia Bacon, Sarah Brooks; brothers, Howard Chastain, James Chastain, & Arthur Chastain.

Joan was also survived by her sister, Jewell Brookshire; brother, Coleman Chastain; many nieces, nephews, extended relatives, & friends.

Services will be held at 10:00 A.M., Thursday, March 30, 2023, at Ramsey Funeral Home, Georgetown, TX, with interment to follow at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, TX.

An online guest registry is available for the Chastain & Cole families at www.HillsideMemorialChapel.com.

This announcement is courtesy of Hillside Memorial Chapel & Gardens of Clarkesville, Georgia. (706) 754-6256

Motorcyclist killed in head-on collision with pickup truck

By
Staff Report
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A motorcyclist was struck and killed by a pickup truck on Hwy. 106 about 8 miles south of Toccoa on Sunday, March 26, 2023. Charges are pending against the truck driver, state troopers say.

The Georgia State Patrol has identified the person killed in a head-on collision Sunday in Stephens County as 44-year-old James Kelley of Eastanollee. Kelley was driving a Kawasaki motorcycle on State Route 106 south of Toccoa when a Ford F150 crossed the center line and struck the motorcycle head-on, state troopers say.

The 44-year-old Kelley was thrown fifty feet into a ditch. He died at the scene, says GSP Post 7 Commander Donnie Sadler. A small fire broke out after the crash.

The pickup truck driver, 77-year-old Jane Pulliam of Toccoa, sustained apparent minor injuries in the wreck. Charges are pending against her.

The wreck was reported at 4:16 p.m. on March 26 near New Hope Road. The fatal crash shut down the highway near the accident site for several hours.

Investigators with GSP’s Troop B Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT) are assisting with the investigation.

TFS Legends: Sarah Jennings

By
TFS Athletics
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Sarah Jennings (Crump Photo)

Editor’s Note: “TFS Legends” is a regular sports feature spotlighting the achievements of standout athletes at Tallulah Falls School in Habersham County.

Sarah Jennings personifies what it means to be a legend. She will leave Tallulah Falls School as a legendary volleyball player — perhaps the best to ever suit up for the Lady Indians — but she’s an even better teammate, student, and person. The holder of six school records has achieved success on and off the court and leaves behind a lasting legacy that includes a state championship and a humble attitude that elevates those around her.

Since the age of 10, Jennings has fine-tuned her craft in the game of volleyball. Starting out some 8 years ago, she’s learned more than just the skills necessary to become the greatest volleyball player in Tallulah Falls School history. While she has given the school and the sport so much, it has granted her much more in return.

“This sport has given me so many lifelong friendships and memories that I will never forget,” says Jennings. “It has given me opportunities to not only better my skill, but better myself as a person. Volleyball has always been a safe place where I can just put the world aside and pursue my passion. I will forever be grateful for this sport.”

The old adage ‘records were made to be broken’ rang true for Jennings. Though her goals were not always set on becoming the all-time leader in kills, digs, or aces, her elite level of play led to her finding those records on the way. While those categories have her name etched on the leaderboard, she recognizes they belong to all her teammates, coaches, fans, and family.

“I am so grateful for the amazing teams that I have been a part of that have encouraged, supported, and helped me to accomplish these goals,” states Jennings. “I would not be where I am today without my teammates, my coaches, and my family. Teamwork and trust are two very important aspects of volleyball, and without a good pass and set, I never could’ve gotten so many kills. The excitement on the court, on the bench, in the student section, and from the fans fueled me and pushed me to be my best. It means so much to me that I have been given these amazing opportunities to work hard and challenge myself and have such a successful outcome.”

Jennings’ career school records include kills (1,085), digs (1,025), and aces (283). She also holds single-match records in kills (28) and digs (28), as well as the single-season kills mark of 417. She is the school’s lone Region/Area Player of the Year and is the only player in TFS history to be named 1st-Team All-Area three times.

Still, she’d exchange all the accolades and stats for what she was able to accomplish in her final season at TFS — a state championship. In the team’s historic 2022 run that included 35 wins, the first-ever Area Championship, and going 14-0 at home, Tallulah Falls defeated a record eight wins over state-ranked opponents on the way to the GHSA 1A State Championship over Mt. Bethel. Few players ever get the chance to play for a title, let alone win one in their final match of their high school career. It was a storybook ending for Jennings that even she couldn’t have written going into the season.

“It is every volleyball player’s dream to win a state championship,” says Jennings. “I never thought that this could be a reality for the Tallulah Falls team due to the fact that we had never made it past the Sweet 16. Our team worked harder than any TFS team that I have ever been a part of. From the first round of state playoffs, we wanted every game so badly, and we were going to do whatever it took to win. We gave 100% in every practice and worked to improve our individual skills along with our team chemistry. When it came down to our last practice, knowing that I would play my last high school volleyball game the next day, I was fulfilled. I was so at peace with the ending of this chapter in my life. To be able to share this unforgettable experience with such a great group of girls means the world to me. I could never have wished for a better way to end my senior season.”

The common theme in Jennings’ success is others around her. Those people — the family, teammates, coaches, teachers, and fans — have impacted her life as she has impacted theirs. There are so many teammates that Jennings feels close to over the years that impacted her.

“From the start of my freshman year, I have had so many great teammates that have impacted my life,” recalls Jennings. “Getting to play with my sister, Rebekah, was really special for my freshman and sophomore year. Kate Blackburn (‘19) and Katy Corbett (‘20) also took me under their wing from day one and encouraged me to be my absolute best. Walking onto the team as a little freshman was scary, but they made me feel so comfortable and welcome. From sophomore year to this day, some of my best friends on and off the court have been Corbett, Barrett Whitener (‘21), and Addy McCoy (rising senior). To have such great friends who constantly encourage you to be your best and who want the best for you is a feeling like no other. Knowing that you all share the same passion for volleyball just makes it that much better. Allie Dalton (‘21) has also been very impactful. When she first started setting me in tenth grade, it took a lot of practice to get the chemistry we needed to succeed. Once we found that connection, it was a whole new game. She gave me the great sets that I needed to succeed as a hitter.”

For her senior season, Jennings named every player individually, as well as all the coaches by name, on the 2022 roster as being impactful to her and to the team’s success in hoisting that championship trophy.

“Coach [Matt] Heyl has encouraged and supported me since I started playing for him,” adds Jennings. “He has always had my best interest and the team’s best interest at heart, and I really appreciate that. He does so much for us behind the scenes to ensure our success while also always having fun and laughing with us constantly. This coaching staff has cheered me on relentlessly and helped me accomplish the goals that I thought I couldn’t. I already miss playing with this team, but I will never forget the memories and friendships that I have made.”

While Jennings’ records may eventually fall — though not anytime soon — those memories and friendships will never be replaced. On the court, Jennings pushes herself to be the best for her team, and typically practices four days per week and 10-15 tournaments all over the southeast during club ball. She has spent countless hours in the gym and weight room. It’s an exhausting routine that spans the whole year, but Jennings’ love for the game keeps her going.

“I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world,” exclaims Jennings. “I really enjoy pushing myself to be better and seeing the rewards for my perseverance. For me, volleyball is year-round and a lot of time and effort, but it provides me a place to step away from the world and all of life’s issues and do what I really love.”

Jennings is committed to playing at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. In the fall of 2023, she will pen a new chapter in her life. It’s a chapter that both includes and sets her up for a bright future.

“From the first day that I toured Covenant, I felt like it was the place that I was meant to be,” states Jennings. “I was able to meet with the coaches and eat lunch with the volleyball team, and it just made me feel at home. I am excited to get in the gym with the team and work hard so that I can benefit the team’s defense. I plan on majoring in psychology and going to Occupational Therapy School in hopes of becoming a pediatric OT. I am so excited to begin this new chapter in my life at Covenant College.”

History often repeats itself. As a master in leaving a legacy and making history, Jennings will no doubt have a lasting impact on those she encounters at Covenant and beyond.

Pilot killed in weekend crash in Hall County identified

By
Staff Report
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A Gainesville man who died Saturday in an ultralight aircraft crash in northern Hall County has been identified as Larry Franklin Preiss.

The 75-year-old Preiss was piloting an AR1 gyroplane that went down in a hay field on private property.

The crash was reported shortly after 2 p.m. on March 25 on Clarks Bridge Road just north of Glade Farm Road. No one on the ground was injured, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office says.

Authorities transported Preiss’ body to the Dekalb County Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating to determine the cause of the crash.

SEE ALSO

Man threatened to harm himself before his body was found in Lake Lanier, officials say

Man threatened to harm himself before his body was found in Lake Lanier, officials say

By
Joy Purcell
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A Gainesville man found dead in Lake Lanier over the weekend sent troubling texts to his family threatening to harm himself, officials say.

Authorities discovered the body of 61-year-old Timothy Cline Thomas a short distance from the boat ramp at Bolding Mill Park northwest of Gainesville.

Thomas’ family members contacted the Hall County Sheriff’s Office early Saturday morning, March 25, asking for a welfare check on him. Deputies searched the area near Thomas’ home. Just before 7:45 a.m., they found his vehicle at the gate to the park’s boat ramp, the sheriff’s office says.

Believing Thomas might be in the water, personnel from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and sheriff’s office began searching the lake. They recovered Thomas’ body around 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine his exact cause of death. Investigators say foul play is not suspected.

SEE ALSO

Pilot killed in weekend crash in Hall County identified

Driver charged with DUI after J Warren Road wreck

By
Staff Report
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A Clarkesville driver faces DUI and other charges following a weekend wreck.

According to the Georgia State Patrol, 49-year-old Stacy Thomas Daniels was driving a V1-2003 Nissan Altima north on J Warren Road Saturday. The car ran off the road in a downhill curve and Daniels overcorrected. The car then ran off the opposite side of the road, spun around, and struck a tree head-on.

The crash happened just before 3 p.m. near Revive Church.

Habersham County Emergency Services personnel arrived to find Daniels sitting in the door jamb with the driver’s side door open. They transported Daniels to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville with suspected serious injuries.

In addition to DUI, the investigating state trooper charged Daniels with driving on a suspended or revoked license and failure to maintain lane.

The wreck temporarily shut down J Warren Road near the crash site while the wreck was being investigated, and the wreckage was cleared.

Taxes could toss sand in gears of Georgia’s drive to become electric vehicle capital

By
Stanley Dunlap
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An electric vehicle charges up at a Georgia Power station located in the parking lot of a Burger King in Columbus. (Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder)

(GA Recorder) — If Georgia lawmakers want to help Gov. Brian Kemp achieve his goal of making the state the electric vehicle capital of the nation, they have an odd way of showing it.

Georgia bills that would drastically shift how much electric vehicle owners pay to recharge their cars is expected to receive a final vote before this year’s Legislative session wraps up on Wednesday.

The statewide convenience store association, environmental nonprofits, and many drivers of battery-powered cars are among those supporting charging electric vehicle drivers to recharge their vehicles in the same manner that drivers of gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles pay to refuel at the pump. Legislation in the state House and Senate would convert the cost of charging electric cars to a calculation based on the kilowatt-hour instead of how long it takes to refill the battery.

Still, electric car and truck owners are concerned that a similar motor fuel levy would be a double tax on top of the yearly $214 registration fee for small battery-powered cars and the $320 paid by owners of commercial electric vehicles. Both fees are among the highest electric vehicle levies in the country, approved by state lawmakers in recent years to replace lost motor fuel tax used to repair roads and bridges.

Both chambers are scheduled to vote on House Bill 406 and Senate Bill 146 this week, culminating a months-long joint legislative study committee process on the booming electric transportation industry.

In both the House and Senate bills, the state Department of Agriculture will assume oversight authority over electric vehicle charging stations, just as it does for fuel pumps in convenience stores.

Georgia now charges a tax of about 30 cents per gallon for gasoline and 35 cents for diesel.

“Let’s say you go to Buc-ee’s or RaceTrac or whatever on your way to Savannah this weekend, and you pull in and charge at a public charging station; you would be charged the equivalence of a motor fuel tax that is based on the rate set by the Department of Revenue,” said Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch at Wednesday’s House Rules Committee meeting.

However, advocates for a transition to electric vehicles are concerned that the proposals don’t eliminate the annual fee that electric car owners and truck drivers pay.

Those yearly fees will remain in place while Georgia participates in a multi-state pilot project testing the feasibility of replacing them with mileage-based fees.

Georgia Conservation Voters policy manager Doug Teper, a former state lawmaker from Atlanta, said he supports Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s push to make Georgia the electric mobility capital of America.

“I want to make sure we don’t kill the baby in the crib by putting too many taxes on the motor fuel in the transition to electricity,” Teper said at a March 20 meeting before the Senate Committee Regulated Industries and Utilities. “I know we need to maintain our roads and bridges. I am concerned that we don’t want to be known as the state that taxes the most.”

Georgia’s Department of Economic Development estimates that globally there will be 56 million electric passenger vehicle sales in 2040. Advocacy group Environment Georgia predicts that electric vehicles could rise from 1% to 10% of the Georgia market by 2030.

Across Georgia, the electric mobility industry is estimated to be responsible for 35 projects worth $23 billion dollars in investment and 28,000 new jobs.

If the pending legislation becomes law, Georgia will become the fifth state to implement a kilowatt-hour fee. Lawmakers’ proposed rates of 3.47 cents per kilowatt hour would be the highest so far, and EV owners already pay the second-highest annual fee.

Mark Woodall, conservation chair of Sierra Club Georgia, said waiting until the state DOT’s pilot program is completed would be better. He also encouraged state lawmakers to keep an eye on technology advancements that, under the state’s current plans, could make emerging charging networks less cost-effective.

The EV legislation is in anticipation of $135 million in federal funding coming to the state for electric charging stations off interstate exits to reduce “range anxiety” experienced by EV owners driving long distances between charging stations in rural areas.

The electric vehicle legislation would take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, giving state departments of agriculture and revenue ample time to draft regulations and begin permitting.

Electric Vehicle owners have pushed for a conversion that is equal to the current gas tax for a long time, and Gooch says a Georgia Department of Transportation project could recommend a way to replace the annual license plate tag renewal fee EV owners now pay.

Everyone who uses a public road should pay their fair share to maintain roads and bridges, Gooch said.

Since most EVs are used daily to travel short distances, the legislation doesn’t charge extra taxes when cars and trucks are charged at home, which accounts for the bulk of owners now.

“The $200 annual fee basically covers your usage of the public roads around town where you live, to and from work, short trips, going to the grocery store,” said the Dahlonega Republican. “But let’s say if you leave Dahlonega this afternoon and drive into Savannah, you’re gonna have to stop at least once if not twice, to refuel your electric battery.

“My position has been if you only use your electric car occasionally to go from your home to the bank or to school and back, you’re not going to use that car enough to justify the $200 perhaps,” Gooch said. “But if you drive your car like I’m driving my pickup truck 30,000 miles per year, I paid over $1,000 last year in gas tax, and I would be better off with the $200 fee.”

 

UPDATE: Smokey Road to remain closed through at least April 3

By
Press Release
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(Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)

Weather will keep Smokey Road near Alto prison closed for the installation of new stormwater pipes.

The temporary closure of Smokey Road near Alto, set to last for two weeks beginning March 13, has been extended to April 3.

Anderson Grading & Pipeline, through a contract with Lee Arrendale State Prison, is replacing and installing new stormwater pipes, but that work is behind schedule due to weather.

Smokey Road is closed to through traffic between CM Wilbanks Road and Mt. Zion Church Road.

Signage has been placed along the route to detour traffic around the work area.

Access to CM Wilbanks Road and Peace Dollar Drive will be maintained and remain open to residents of those two roads.

Work will occur from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through April 3.

The closure affects access to as many as 50 homes and buildings during the process.

During the process, drivers are reminded to use caution and obey all construction signs, flaggers, and crews.

GHSA sets protocols for video replay in football championships

By
Todd Holcomb
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The Georgia High School Association has established tentative video review protocols to be used for this year’s football championship games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The replay rules – shared with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last week and almost certain to be approved at the GHSA’s executive committee meeting next month – call for three video review officials, two in a restricted area of the press box and one on the sideline.

The head replay official may call for reviews at any time, while head coaches are limited to one challenge per half signaled by throwing a red flag.

“The time is right,” GHSA executive director Robin Hines said. “While there hasn’t been an epidemic [of controversial calls], there have been a couple over the past six years that would’ve benefited from review. We have the technology to do a good job, NFHS rules now allow it, and our goal is to get it right.”

The spark for adopting video replay came during the Class 3A championship game in December. In a 21-17 victory over Cedar Grove, Sandy Creek scored the winning touchdown on a third-down play that GPB Sports video indicated fell almost a yard short of the goal line.

Within days, as video of the play was going viral, GHSA board-of-trustees members were discussing change. In January, they voted unanimously to bring the matter before the GHSA’s executive committee at the annual spring meeting April 17. Hines expects “overwhelming if not unanimous approval” next month.

That would make Georgia one of fewer than 20 states to adopt some form of video replay. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) didn’t allow it until around 2018.

In 2017, the GHSA endured a similar state-championship firestorm when Peach County’s potential go-ahead touchdown was ruled an incomplete pass on fourth down late in a 10-6 loss to Calhoun.

The GHSA plans to limit video review to the football championships for now. Other sports could follow. “One step at a time,” Hines said.

The football protocols are the work of a committee comprising Kevin Giddens, the GHSA’s football director; James Arnold, a 38-year Georgia football official and the state training coordinator; and David Reynolds, another longtime official and trainer.

Giddens said the biggest difference between the GHSA’s plan and NCAA or NFL replay rules would be that on-field officials would play no role in reviewing or ruling on calls. Their only jobs would be to stop play when a challenge is made and to announce the final decision.

“This won’t require additional training (for on-field officials) or any change in their mechanics,” Giddens said.

The two press box officials would make the review decisions and relay them to the field. They would have access to the Falcons’ video replay equipment, but Hines said all costs hadn’t been sorted out.

The GHSA would train review officials, though Giddens said he hoped to get experienced replay officials. They would be paid the same as the seven game officials. That was $175 per official in the 2022 championships.

Replay officials would have access to video from network television, including GPB, which televises the state finals, and other video means on site such as live-streaming.

“The Video Review official and their crew shall review every play of a game,” the protocols state. “The Video Review official may stop a game at any time before the ball is next legally put in play whenever they believe that: 1. There is reasonable evidence to believe an error was made in the initial on-field ruling. 2. The play is reviewable. 3. The outcome of a review would have a direct, competitive impact on the game.”

A coach initiating a review would not be charged a time out unless the challenge did not meet the criteria for a reviewable play.

The protocols would prevent stadium video from showing the challenged play until a ruling is made, and then only once at regular speed.

Review officials would be expected to resolve challenges in two minutes and err on the side of sticking with the on-field call.

“To reverse an on-field ruling, the Video Review official must be convinced beyond all doubt by indisputable video evidence through one or more video replays provided to the monitors,” the protocols state.

“You’re always concerned about time because we are on a schedule,” said Hines, noting that there are as many as three championship games played in a day. “We’ll enter into reviews with the idea that the call on the field was right [until proven otherwise]. We’re to get that done as quickly as possible. Keeping things going is important as well.”

The GHSA plans to test the review system during the Corky Kell Dave Hunter Classic’s four games Saturday, Aug. 17, at Mercedes-Benz.

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