GBI investigating officer-involved shooting in Hall County

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September 4, 2022

A motorcyclist who tried to run from a traffic stop ended up in the hospital after a Hall County deputy shot him. 37-year-old Marshall Anthony Hooper of Buford sustained non-life-threatening injuries, the GBI says. No deputies were injured in the incident.

The shooting occurred around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, September 3 in south Hall County. Preliminary information indicates that the deputy attempted to stop Hooper for speeding near McEver Road. A short pursuit ensued, and the motorcycle crashed.

“During the attempt to detain Hooper, several verbal commands were given by the deputy which Hooper ignored. The deputy fired his gun, hitting Hooper,” a GBI press release states.

Hooper was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center for treatment.

The deputy, whose name has not been released, was placed on administrative leave according to standard protocol.

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office asked the GBI to conduct an independent investigation into the shooting. Once the GBI’s investigation is complete, the case will be turned over to the Hall County District Attorney’s Office for review.

Roads Less Traveled: Preacher’s Rock

By

Tyler Penland

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September 4, 2022

It’s a wonderful time of year for hiking at the higher elevations. The late summer air is often quite cool and refreshing, even in the high humidity airmasses we usually see. Back in 2015, I wrote this article on Preacher’s Rock. It is a favorite of mine this time of the year. Enjoy!

Located roughly 1.5 miles from Woody Gap up the great Appalachian Trail (AT) lies an exposed rock with an incredible view. This rock goes by many names but most of the locals know it as “Preacher’s Rock”. It overlooks the valley that runs below Big Cedar Mountain towards the east/southeast. It is a fairly highly trafficked area, especially on exceptionally hot days in the summer thanks in part to it’s cooler 3500ft elevation temperatures.

When you first arrive at Woody Gap there is ample parking where the AT crosses Highway 60 just 2 miles south of Suches. Park on the right side of the road across from the Woody Gap sign. An excellent view is available from the parking area on the left for those who don’t wish to hike to the rock.

Once you start up the trail, you will see a sign alerting you that you are entering the Blood Mountain Wilderness.

For the first 3/4 miles, the trail is relatively flat and easy going. It winds through numerous hollows that were carved out by ancient streams and runoff.

After the 3/4 mile mark, the trail turns hard right and heads up Big Cedar Mountain through a series of switchbacks. The grade gets steep in spots, but the trip up the mountain is fairly short with several places with good views, including one exposed rock you can climb onto. Also, along the trail are several large boulders that the more adventurous can climb.

After a quick 1.25 mile hike the trail goes from fully wooded straight out onto Preacher’s Rock. It also goes by Pulpit Rock, so named because it would make an excellent place for a sermon to be delivered to those in the valley below.

This picture was taken on March 18. It showcases the haze so often associated with the Smoky Mountains. On a clear day, the Atlanta skyline is visible from roughly 20 feet down the rock looking to the right and Habersham County lies beyond Mount Yonah towards the left of this shot.

This panorama shows the scope of the view, including the rock on the bottom right.

If you are adventurous, you can wander down the face of the rock to the next ledge where great photo ops await. But, beware of the steep grade and don’t fall down the face.

This is a gorgeous area to visit no matter the season.

I’ve hiked to this spot too many times to count during the past couple of years. It’s a wonderful place to sit down and relax in the sun while getting some one-on-one time with the Creator of it all.

Driving directions: From Clakesville, take 115 West all the way into Dahlonega. Turn right onto Hwy 60 and you will pass the reservoir on the left. Continue straight and bear left onto Hwy 60 when you come to the rock pile. Continue up the mountain to the Appalachian Trail crossing sign and park in the lot on the right. The trail is open and accessible year round (except after an ice storm, when it is open but questionably accessible).

Overall, this is a great trail for families – even younger children – and I highly recommend it. While you are there you can also swing by Dockery Lake, but I’ll save that for a later post.

See you on the trail….

White House requests $47 billion in emergency funding for Ukraine, vaccines and more

By

Jacob Fischler

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September 4, 2022

(Georgia Recorder) — The Biden administration is asking Congress for emergency funding to support Ukraine’s military, national COVID and monkeypox responses and to help communities affected by natural disasters.

The current fiscal year ends Sept. 30 and Congress has not passed a funding measure for next year, so a short-term bill would be needed to keep the government open at current levels, White House Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young wrote in a blog post on Friday. The White House wants Congress to add $47.1 billion in emergency funding in four key areas.

“With one month until the end of the fiscal year, it’s clear that Congress will first need to pass a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to keep the Federal government running and provide the time needed to reach an agreement on full-year funding bills,” she wrote.

“As part of the CR, we are also calling on Congress to provide funding to meet four critical needs: support for Ukraine, COVID-19, monkeypox, and natural disaster recovery.”

The administration asked for $18.4 billion for the Health and Human Services Department to respond to the COVID pandemic, including $9.1 billion for vaccines effective against variants, testing programs and therapeutics like monoclonal antibodies.

The funding would be necessary to replenish testing stockpiles that are not currently sufficient to respond to a potential fall surge, an administration official told reporters on a Friday background call.

Republicans in the U.S. Senate blocked previous requests from the administration for more COVID funding. The administration says that has hurt its response to the pandemic.

“We requested that Congress provide supplemental COVID-19 funding and repeatedly warned that without congressional action, we would be forced to make difficult trade-offs and pull existing funding from critical efforts to meet the most pressing needs,” Young wrote. “That is precisely what has happened.”

A lack of funding forced the administration to stop sending free at-home COVID tests, she wrote. Friday is the last day to request a free test.

Other HHS funding would go to researching next-generation vaccines and therapeutics.

The White House also requested $4 billion for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to support international efforts to respond to the virus.

The request includes $3.9 billion for HHS to respond to the monkeypox outbreak, including $1.6 billion for vaccine and therapeutics procurement and manufacturing. The request would send $600 million to overseas responses.

Ukraine

The administration also called for $11.7 billion for military and economic assistance to Ukraine in its war with Russia and $2 billion for domestic energy programs that have been affected by the conflict.

Earlier support for Ukraine was intended to last through September, according to a White House fact sheet.

The additional funding would be meant to cover the next three months. It would include $4.5 billion for military equipment for Ukraine and replenishing U.S. Defense Department stocks and $4.5 billion to support Ukraine’s “continuity of government.”

The administration also asked for $2 billion for the Energy Department. Most of that fund would be for uranium for U.S. nuclear reactors to make up for a potential loss in Russian supplies, according to the fact sheet.

The request would send $500 million to the Energy Department to modernize the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a complex of underground storage caverns in Louisiana and Texas meant to provide an emergency source of energy. The funding would “reduce domestic energy costs and ensure sustainable access to energy resources,” according to the fact sheet.

Biden tapped the reserve earlier this year in an effort to curb rapidly climbing gasoline prices.

Natural disasters

The administration also called for $6.5 billion to help rebuild from disasters and to build resilience to wildfire, drought, flood and extreme heat.

The funding request includes $2.9 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief funds that are sent to state and local governments to rebuild after disasters strike.

It also includes $1.5 billion for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to compensate farmers who lost crops or livestock to disaster and $1.4 billion for the Housing and Urban Development to rebuild from major 2021 disasters, including in Louisiana, Texas and California.

The request includes $150 million for states, local governments and tribes to bolster the resilience of their electric grids, which can falter during extreme heat and other disasters.

Artemis launch scrubbed once again

By

Tyler Penland

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September 3, 2022

The Artemis 1 mission that was scheduled to launch today was scrubbed once again.

The official call came at 11:17AM after several unsuccessful attempts to fix a liquid hydrogen leak, a problem that plagued the first launch attempt as well.

Unfortunately, the fix is likely to take longer than originally anticipated and the next launch attempt won’t come until at least September 19 if not later. Unless NASA can obtain a waiver to remain on the launchpad to attempt a fix they will have to move the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building which will take some time.

Hopefully this next launch attempt will go better, and we’ll let you know when that attempt comes.

More Meals on Wheels volunteers needed to meet the needs in Habersham County

By

Joy Purcell

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September 3, 2022

meals on wheels volunteers — (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)

Volunteers delivered over 50,000 meals to elderly Habersham County residents and shut-ins last year. One month into the new fiscal year, they’re already slightly ahead of last year’s monthly average. While the need is there, the volunteers aren’t.

Currently, there are 63 volunteers delivering meals to 160 residents around the county. That number fluctuates as clients move on and off the rolls. Last week, 13 new clients signed up for the program and needed immediate service. So far, the Senior Center has been able to adjust and cover the routes with the volunteers that they have, but director Kathy Holcomb worries the day may come when they can’t.

“I feel with the economic conditions we are currently facing and food banks running low or out of food inventory we may see an increase in the need for meals and food bags this upcoming year,” she says. “It could happen that someone will not get a meal if we cannot get it to them. Many homebound clients depend on this meal, so, it is imperative to have volunteers able and willing to meet the delivery needs.”

Feeding bodies and spirits

The Senior Center hopes to recruit at least twelve new volunteers (more is always better) to help cover for absences and added orders. Additional volunteers would also allow the program to serve up more hot meals. Clients living on the outskirts of the county receive frozen meals the first of each week. It’s enough food for seven days, but limits the social interaction and camaraderie they form with the Meals on Wheels volunteers. Many of the clients live alone and are lonely. Often, volunteers are the only people they see.

Kathy Holcomb (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)

“I see firsthand their struggles, their needs, their loneliness,” says Holcomb, who has worked with Habersham’s senior population for five years. “I have a committed staff, a great group of volunteers who have servant hearts who will take that one moment to listen to the client’s need, to have that conversation and are resourceful to find solutions to meet their need. We need volunteers who are committed in the same way.”

The county is now actively working to recruit more Meals on Wheels volunteers. An informational meeting is scheduled from 5-7 p.m. next Wednesday, September 7, at Chick-fil-A in Cornelia. The meeting will include details about duties and scheduling and what’s required of volunteers. It will also cover things that are less tangible.

“They will hear about the commitment we have to our clients, what it means to volunteer, and the prideful feeling of helping others in need.”

Vetting volunteers and getting started

To ensure the safety of vulnerable populations such as the elderly and disabled, in 2018 Georgia lawmakers passed a law requiring volunteers to be fingerprinted and pass background checks. Once a volunteer has been fully vetted, they work with the Senior Center to craft a schedule flexible to their needs.

“You can volunteer as much of your time as you would like. You can serve a client every Tuesday, every other Tuesday, once a month, or you may have time to serve a client on a daily route. We are willing to work with everyone on creating a schedule,” says Holcomb.

Those interested in learning more about volunteering are invited to attend next Wednesday’s meeting at Chick-fil-A in Cornelia. They may also contact the Senior Center for more information by calling 706-839-0260. The Center is located in Habersham’s Health Services Park at 217 Scoggins Drive in Demorest.

To receive Meals on Wheels you must be 60 years or older and homebound. Habersham County residents who are interested in the program may call the Senior Center at 706-839-0260 for more information.

Drive-thru flu shots coming to a health department near you

By

Joy Purcell

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September 3, 2022

drive-through-flu-shots — County health departments across Northeast Georgia will hold drive-thru flu shot clinics from late September to mid-November. (NowHabersham.com)

County health departments across North Georgia will soon be administering drive-thru flu shots. District 2 Public Health announced this week that all 13 county health departments it oversees will offer the drive-thru clinics in the coming weeks (see schedule below).

Habersham County’s drive-thru flu clinic is scheduled from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Monday, October 3. White County’s is Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Cleveland Worship Center. Banks, Rabun, and Stephens are among the counties that have scheduled at least two clinics – one each in October and November (see schedule below).

Emergency Preparedness Director, Mark Palen, encourages the public to take advantage of the service.

“Not only does this help our citizens get flu shots easily, but it also serves as an important emergency preparedness medical countermeasures exercise for our public health nurses and health department staff,” he says.

According to the CDC, everyone 6 months and older should get a flu shot, it is especially important for those 55 years old and older, and persons with certain medical conditions who may experience more severe illness from the flu virus.

The quadrivalent vaccine (four-in-one) will serve as the regular flu vaccine and will protect against four different strains of flu, both A and B strains of the influenza viruses. The high-dose vaccine, which is also a quadrivalent vaccine, will be available for persons 65 and older.

The flu vaccine will be administered at no cost to those on Medicare, Medicaid, and most commercial insurances.

If an individual chooses to pay out of pocket, the cost is $30 for the regular flu vaccine and $66 for the high-dose.

Click to enlarge (Source: District 2 Public Health)

“Individuals who would like to receive their flu shot at drive-thru clinics must be 18 years old and older. We encourage residents to wear masks,” says District 2 spokesperson Natasha Young.

For more information about your county flu shot drive-thru or to learn more about the different flu vaccine options visit the flu page on the District 2 Public Health website.

To learn more about the influenza virus and how to protect yourself from the flu visit www.cdc.gov/flu.

NASA to make second attempt to Artemis launch today

By

Tyler Penland

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September 3, 2022

The first attempt at launching Artemis 1 came to a halt this past Monday when engineers were unable to get the 4 main engines cooled to the necessary negative 420ºF.

The engineers have been hard at work this week trying to solve this issue and a solution is believed to have been found. A couple other issues that were uncovered during the last countdown have also been addressed.

The next attempt is to come this afternoon at 2:17PM. The launch window will be open for 2 hours. Weather is expected to be 60-80% favorable during the launch window.

You can stream the launch live on NASA TV.

For more information on the mission check out this article.

Artemis 1: Not because it is easy

The Invitation

By

Justin Hall

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September 3, 2022

The Invitation is a horror movie without the horror. This is another case of a good-looking movie that features a cast going through the motions. It’s an exercise in total lunacy. The only victims are those sitting in the audience.

Nathalie Emmanuel from the Fast and Furious movies stars as Evie, a young woman who takes a DNA test after her mother’s death leaves her with no other family. She discovers that she has a cousin in England (Hugh Skinner) and the two meet face to face. He convinces her to come to England and meet the rest of the family.

Evie’s initially reluctant but goes anyway and once the rest of the family meets her, they treat her like a queen. One man in particular (Thomas Doherty) becomes immediately smitten with her. She’s at once repelled and attracted.

Evie also gets to meet the staff of the house where her family lives. Downton Abbey this is not. Sean Pertwee costars as the head butler who has some peculiar proclivities.

While staying at the house, Evie soon becomes aware of some supernatural occurrences. Some in the household have a bloodlust. Ten points if you can guess their secret.

The Invitation is supposedly inspired by Dracula, but it contains no bite, unlike Bram Stoker’s vampiric antagonist. Instead, the movie makes us take its premise and give us a movie free of scares or surprises. We can sense every time when someone is going to peek out and give a jump scare.

This movie is filled with nonexistent scares, a story flatlines with silly moments and performances that feel as dead as the vampires on screen.

There are moments of unintentional comedy when the family sits down to dinner and gobbles it with hilarious urgency.

If you’re looking for instant camp, this might work well. If you’re looking for a creepy, supernatural thriller, look elsewhere.

The Invitation can RSVP as one of the year’s worst films.

Grade: C-

(Rated PG-13 for terror, violent content, some strong language, sexual content and partial nudity.)

Child dies following Tuesday night fire in Gainesville

By

Joy Purcell

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September 2, 2022

A young boy has died following a Tuesday night house fire in Gainesville that also killed his grandfather.

Brannon Harvey was pronounced dead Thursday night, September 1 at the John M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital of Augusta. The 10-year-old boy, who officials initially reported as being 11, had been at the burn center since the night of the fire. The Hall County Sheriff’s Office learned of his death Friday morning, a spokesperson says.

MORE Man dies from injuries in Gainesville house fire

The residential fire on Pleasant View Circle in Gainesville was reported at 10:50 p.m. Tuesday, August 30. Four people – two adults and two children – were inside the house at the time.

Joe Boggs, 66, died on his way to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. A 36-year-old woman and a 3-year-old boy were treated at the hospital for minor injuries and released.

The Hall County Fire Marshal’s Office and sheriff’s office continue to investigate the origin and cause of the fire.

CDC endorses updated COVID-19 vaccine boosters for this fall

By

Ariana Figueroa

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September 2, 2022

CDC-Atlanta — The CDC recommended boosters from Pfizer-BioNTech for those who are 12 years old and older and from Moderna for those who are 18 and older. (James Gathany/CDC)

WASHINGTON (GA Recorder) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention late Thursday signed off on the approval from the agency’s independent vaccine advisers that recommended an updated coronavirus vaccine booster this fall.

The CDC recommended boosters from Pfizer-BioNTech for those who are 12 years old and older and from Moderna for those who are 18 and older. These are known as “bivalent” vaccines because they are formulated to protect against the original coronavirus strain as well as the Omicron variant, which is highly contagious.

“Updated COVID-19 boosters add Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 spike protein components to the current vaccine composition, helping to restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination by targeting variants that are more transmissible and immune-evading,” the CDC said in its announcement.

The pandemic is ongoing, and more than 1 million Americans have died from the coronavirus and another 95 million have been infected.

CDC guidance states that those who have been infected with COVID-19 can get a booster following recovery from symptoms, but can defer a vaccine booster up to three months following infection.

If someone has received an original two-shot vaccine from either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, they can wait five months before getting their first booster shot.

For the second booster shot, the CDC recommends that those who are immunocompromised and people over the age of 50 who got their first booster, wait at least four months before getting another booster.

The center’s director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement that the updated COVID-19 boosters are “formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating COVID-19 variant.”

“They can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection against newer variants,” she said. “This recommendation followed a comprehensive scientific evaluation and robust scientific discussion.”

She encouraged those who are eligible to get the COVID-19 booster to do so to prepare for the fall.

The CDC also recommends that those who are getting the Jynneos vaccine (for monkeypox) space out that vaccine with their COVID-19 booster.

Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School opens 119th academic year with record enrollment

By

Now Habersham

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September 2, 2022

Rabun Gap-Nachooche School first day 20221 — Pictured from left, Emily Cox of Rabun Gap, Catherine Childs of Toccoa, Dominic Vogelbacher of Rabun Gap, and Ella Jane Dow of Clarkesville pose for a photo on the first day of their senior year at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School. The Class of 2023 is the largest in school history with 105 students. (RGNS)

Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School is back in session, starting the new school year with a record enrollment. 682 students started classes on Wednesday, August 24. Rabun Gap is serving more students than ever from the local area and around the world, the school says.

Brexley Shirley of Clarkesville, Class of ’36, pauses for a photo on the playground on the first day of school at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School. Shirley is a student in Rabun Gap’s Early Learning program. (RGNS)

Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School educates students in grades PreK3 through 12. This year, 68% of students are local to Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, with 65 students from Habersham County. The 105-member Class of 2023 will be the largest graduating class in school history.

There are 51 countries and 16 states represented in this year’s student body, and students come from six of the seven continents.

Rabun Gap-Nacoocheee Head of School Jeff Miles says it’s great to see the campus alive with energy again.

“There is so much to celebrate at Rabun Gap as we welcome our students and teachers back to campus. We are excited to enter a new school year with record enrollment for the third consecutive year,” says Miles. “I am looking forward to another great school year.”

Upper School students at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School walk through campus on the first day of school. Pictured, from left, are Davien Satterthwaite of Gainesville, FL, Cyrus Managuan of Rabun Gap, Jimmy Chang of Franklin, NC, and Lukas Remler of Niederösterreich, Austria. (RGNS)

Rabun Gap’s strategic focus is to create relevant, applied learning expereinces across grade levels. The applied learning curriculum equips students with skills to solve real-world problems. Teachers spent pre-planning time before school working with applied learning expert Trevor Muir, author of The Epic Classroom and creator of a podcast with the same name. Fall athletics are already underway, and preparations have begun for the annual Cirque show.

Best game-day atmospheres: 12 veteran coaches share their favorites

By

Todd Holcomb

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September 2, 2022

Twelve active Georgia football head coaches have coached in 300 or more games in their Georgia careers. The latest to join the 300 club was Burke County’s Eric Parker last week. Only 77 Georgia coaches in history, going back more than 100 years and including the GHSA and all other associations, have coached in 300 games.

This week, the 12 active coaches with 300 games were asked: What is your favorite high school football venue in Georgia other than your own, and why? Enjoy their answers as you get ready for another football Friday night in Georgia. Click on their names to see their Georgia coaching history.

Frank Barden, St. Francis (321 games)
“I have to say the best Friday night experience I have seen was in Cartersville at Weinman Stadium. The stadium sits just off Main Street in downtown, and the town shuts down for a Friday night home game. As fans enter the stadium, they hear the announcer saying, ‘Weinman Stadium is now under a Hurricane Warning.’ With the band playing, cheerleaders and fans make a path for the players to come out from under the stadium with smoke filling the stands. Just the history alone of all the teams that have come out that same tunnel is awesome to think about. The atmosphere is electric, and the fans in Cartersville love their ’Canes. Rich in history and tradition, this Friday night experience is one of the best anywhere.”

Alan Chadwick, Marist (486 games)
“My favorite high school football venue, other than Marist of course, would be Mary Persons. Their field sits kind of down in a bowl, and the stands are right on top of you. When you go back to the players’ bench to talk to your guys, fans are hanging over the railing practically in the huddle with you and the players. Their field is grass, which helps to give you that ‘old-time football’ feeling. It’s just pure football without all the fanfare, flashing lights and fancy stuff. The local fans are very passionate about their team and give them great support. It is easy to see how coach Dan Pitts was so successful there for so many years.”

Ed Dudley, Winder-Barrow (326 games)
“I have had the opportunity to coach in many wonderful stadiums around the state of Georgia in the past 39 years. Some of my favorites include tiny Rose Bowl field in Monticello and the massive concrete palace at Lowndes County High School. While it is hard to single out one venue, for me and my family, Memorial Stadium in Waycross is our favorite. Affectionately known as ‘The Swamp!’ it has a unique configuration, a rich history and some of the most rabid fans. It has hosted Hank Aaron, the Atlanta Crackers, Old Central High School and the Waycross Bulldogs and is the current home of the mighty Ware County Gators. The question prevents me from picking lovely Clair Harris Stadium in Winder, but we are located right here between Atlanta and Athens, and we have one of the best game nights around.”

Maurice Freeman, Brooks County (345 games)
“I would say the favorite would be Valdosta High School. We’ve played them four times there and only won one time, but the atmosphere was wild. Our folks travel well, so we always have a good crowd on the visitors’ side. Before the game, their players are beating on the tin with their helmets when they come out of the tunnel, and we see them run down the sideline the entire 100 yards, and that was a turn-on for us because we knew it was time to battle. Of course, the stadium has a mystique to it – Bazemore-Hyder Stadium – the respect I have for those old-school coaches. It’s all that tradition, playing in a stadium that calls Valdosta the winningest school in the history of high school football. That’s where you want to do battle.”

Jeff Herron, Camden County (352 games)
“For me I would have to say Warrior Stadium in Oconee County. Primarily because it is the only state championship game that I got to coach that was at home. In the 1999 game, it was such a special feeling walking out of your home locker room, going through your normal pregame rituals, playing before a packed house and then getting to stay on the field and celebrate with all the people from the community after the game. Playing and winning in the Georgia Dome did not come close to that feeling. Runner-up for me would be playing at Valdosta in 2003, again a packed house, great, loud atmosphere and knowing all the great teams and players that had been there before. The place was electric from the moment our buses pulled up until the end of the game. The celebration wasn’t bad either, although their security folks were not quite as accommodating since we were the visitors. Still a great venue and atmosphere to play in.”

Keith Maloof, Norcross (301 games)
“There are way too many venues to list them all, but one really sticks out – Camden County. We traveled to Camden in 2012 for the state quarterfinals. We were 12-0, and they were 11-1. The atmosphere was unbelievable that night. They really try to intimidate you in pregame with all the loud music and student section that shows up early to harass all the players while they are warming up. Our kids really embraced the moment and played their hearts out, and we came away with a victory on the road that helped us win our first state championship with a perfect 15-0 record.”

Rich McWhorter, Jackson County (402 games)
“A lot of coaches are going to tell you their favorite is their own field, but as far as playing on the road, it’s wherever you’re successful. You can play at a lot of great places and get beat and it doesn’t feel the same. But it does feel really good to win a big road game. In ’99 at Charlton County, we beat Lincoln County at Lincoln, and in ’04 we beat Buford at Buford. We won a state championship at Calhoun in ’05 on their field. Those are great venues with a lot of history and great teams and players that have come through there. Of course, the old Georgia Dome was special too in the ’90s and early 2000s when we were able to make that trip for the semis and state championship. It’s a great place to play, to see your community show up and show out, your band, your cheerleaders, familiar faces at an unfamiliar place. We may have had people show up at the Georgia Dome that didn’t show up to regular-season home games because it’s a special place and game they didn’t want to miss.”

Bill Murdock, Terrell Academy (411 games)
“I’d have to say Mercer because it means we’re playing for a state championship. We’ve played there twice. It’s pretty neat because you’ve got AAA, AA and A games, so you get to see a lot of teams. It’s got the big scoreboard and a jumbotron. It’s neat playing on the artificial turf. I love playing on real grass and the smell of a freshly cut field, but it’s good for the kids to get to play some on a turf field because it’s something we don’t usually do. So it’s just the whole environment. Every year as a goal, we want to go to Mercer. If you get there, it’s been a successful season.”

Eric Parker, Burke County (300 games)
“It’s been a long time ago, and I think it’s gotten better since then, but Buford and Carrollton come to mind. They stand out when you look at the entire complex in terms of facilities, stands and weight room. Those are probably the two best right off the bat. At Carrollton, that was the first place I’d ever gone at a high school level where they had an indoor practice facility. At the time we went, back in 2010, that was just almost unheard of. That’s awesome for the kids and even the coaches to get that experience playing at those places where the community obviously rallies around it, and they’re crazy about football. They’re hard places to play because of the atmosphere.”

Gerry Romberg, Westminster (353 games)
“Definitely the Granite Bowl at Elbert County High School. It’s an incredible venue. We played there three times. We won in 2003, 21-12. We lost in 2005, 33-14. We won again in 2014, 24-7. The 2014 game was Mecole Hardman’s junior year. He had a knee injury and only played in the first half. They have the old UGA scoreboard in one end zone. In my opinion, the most historic stadium in all of Georgia. Having played in the Georgia Dome as well, it pales by comparison.”

Erik Soliday, Tiftarea Academy (379 games)
“I really enjoyed playing in the Georgia Dome while at Americus. At the time it was such a great feat for the kids to play there, and it was special as very few schools got to play there or even had turf at that time. It gave a lot of kids an opportunity to do something they could talk about for the rest of their lives and many kids a first chance to even experience such a venue. It wasn’t always easy for the logistics of travel, meals, etc., but the atmosphere and importance and magnitude of the games made it worth it. We got stuck in traffic one year and could see the Dome but were not moving. As time got later and later, I finally told the players to dress on the bus. Only thing that saved us was a police officer from Americus who was working in Atlanta and came and got us, took us the wrong way down a one-way road and got us to the Dome about 30 minutes before kickoff. Kids didn’t have time to be intimidated by the place as we were so rushed that we just had to go out and play. Probably helped us really.”

Mark Stroud, Calvary Day (347 games)
The Pit at Toombs County, where I was head coach for 16 years. It is a bowl with fans really close to the field – super loud and exciting. The fans are so close on the home side they might hear the play call. The Toombs County fans come to impact the game and create electricity. We had so many great games in The Pit, and when crosstown rival Vidalia comes to town, it goes to a whole new level. In that game, the cornerback on your side can’t hear you yelling at him. One of my favorite games was in 2001 when we beat seventh-ranked Vidalia on a goal-line stand to end the game, 16-9.”

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