Tractor-trailer wreck blocks scenic highway north of Helen

By

-

August 24, 2022

Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway wreck1 — Building supplies litter the Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway. They spilled onto the highway after the truck carrying them wrecked late on the night of Aug. 23, 2022. (photo White County Public Safety)

One of Northeast Georgia’s most scenic highways is back open to traffic after a late-night wreck Tuesday shut down a portion of it for several hours.

A tractor-trailer loaded with building supplies wrecked on Richard B. Russell Highway just north of Helen around 10:19 p.m. on August 23. The cab ran into a ditch, spilling the supplies onto the highway, and blocking both lanes of travel.

The Helen Fire Department responded with mutual aid from White County.

The single-vehicle wreck did not injure the truck driver who was able to “exit the vehicle without assistance,” says White County Public Safety Public Information Office Bryce Barrett.

Crews worked through the night to reopen the road to through traffic.

Georgia fourth grader grows prize-winning 109-pound watermelon

By

Kristi York Wooten

-

August 24, 2022

Madelynn Murphy, fourth grade 4-H’er from Appling County, poses with her first-place winning 109-pound watermelon. (Credit: University of Georgia)

Most farmers don’t expect to grow watermelons that weigh as much or more than they do.

But Madelynn Murphy did just that earlier this month when the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension verified all 109.5 pounds of her entry in the 2022 Georgia 4-H Watermelon Growing Contest.

4-H is the century-old youth development organization that introduces kids to agriculture, STEM, healthy living and civic engagement. The event was sponsored by the Georgia Watermelon Association and Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.

On Aug. 3, also known as National Watermelon Day, the Appling fourth grader took home first prize and was joined by two other victorious growers from the same Southeast Georgia county: Second place went to Aiden Connell with a 92.5-pound watermelon and third place went to Chloe Boatwright, with a 73.5-pound watermelon. All three received cash prizes and ribbons to recognize their achievements. See the list of all the entries here.

“Growing watermelons teaches basic plant science in a hands-on and fun way,” said Appling County Agriculture and Natural Resources agent Shane Curry. “Pretty much every kid thinks it’s neat to have a 100-pound watermelon in the backyard. We’ve been fortunate over the past few years to have a lot of kids that are really good at it, and they keep getting better.”

Want to try growing a giant watermelon? According to UGA, the favored watermelon variety for the growing contest is a ‘Carolina Cross.’ Seeds are readily available at local garden centers and online.

Next up: the Georgia Pumpkin Growing Contest, with entries due Oct. 21. Find out more about 4-H programs here.

Biden to wipe out $10,000 in student loan debt for many borrowers

By

Ariana Figueroa

-

August 24, 2022

WASHINGTON (GA Recorder) — President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he will cancel up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt for Pell Grant borrowers and up to $10,000 for all other borrowers with an income of less than $125,000 for an individual and $250,000 for a household.

Biden also announced his administration is extending a pause on student loan repayments until Dec. 31. The decision comes one week before the expiration of a pause of student loan repayments put in place at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Here’s the deal, the cost of education beyond high school has gone up exponentially,” Biden said at the White House.

Biden stressed that the people who would benefit the most are low-income and middle-class families and individuals.

“No high-income household will benefit from this action, period,” Biden said.

Biden said that many Americans with student loan debt have put off starting families because of the cost and have been unable to qualify for mortgages to buy a home because of the student loan debt they carry.

“All this means is an entire generation is now saddled with unsustainable debt,” Biden said.

Despite numerous reports in recent weeks that Biden would take action on student loans, the White House had remained silent, but on Wednesday the president tweeted out his decision, prior to his remarks.

“In keeping with my campaign promise, my Administration is announcing a plan to give working and middle-class families breathing room as they prepare to resume federal student loan payments in January 2023,” Biden wrote on Twitter.

Following the announcement, the Department of Education said it will release an application in the weeks ahead that will allow millions of borrowers to claim this new relief.

“[S]tudent loan debt has hindered their ability to achieve their dreams — including buying a home, starting a business, or providing for their family,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement. “Getting an education should set us free; not strap us down!”

The cancellation of student debt will only apply to current borrowers, not future ones, and income levels for the 2020 and 2021 tax years will be considered, a senior administration official said during a Wednesday call with reporters.

The U.S. Department of Education estimates that about 8 million borrowers will automatically receive relief because the agency already has those borrowers’ income information on file. That means those borrowers do not have to submit applications.

Borrowers who received Pell Grants, who will benefit from the most relief, are among the students who had the lowest household incomes while in college. They will also be subject to the $125,000 and $250,000 income caps.

New rule on loans

The Biden administration is also directing the Department of Education to propose a rule to help current and future borrowers with their loan repayments.

The rule would eliminate monthly interest payments on loans, “so that, unlike other existing income-driven repayment plans, no borrower’s loan balance will grow as long as they make their monthly payments — even when that monthly payment is $0 because their income is low,” according to the department website.

The proposed rule would also forgive loan balances “after 10 years of payments, instead of 20 years, for borrowers with loan balances of $12,000 or less.” It would also require “borrowers to pay no more than 5% of their discretionary income monthly on undergraduate loans.”

“Middle-class borrowers struggle with high monthly payments and ballooning balances that make it harder for them to build wealth,” a senior administration official said.

While many Democrats and progressive advocates were pleased with the announcement, it falls short of the student debt relief campaign platform that Biden ran on.

In a Medium post during the 2020 presidential election, Biden said under his administration he would “forgive all undergraduate tuition-related federal student debt from two- and four-year public colleges and universities for debt-holders earning up to $125,000, with appropriate phase-outs to avoid a cliff.”

He also promised he would “immediately cancel a minimum of $10,000 of student debt per person,” but this recent student debt announcement comes two years into his administration and only after continual pressure from congressional Democrats and advocates.

Some congressional Democrats have urged the White House to cancel up to $50,000 worth of student loans, arguing that because about 92% of that debt is held by the Department of Education, the administration has the authority to cancel those loans through executive action.

Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock said in a statement that Biden’s announcement is a welcome first step, but more should be done to relieve student loan debtors.

“This announcement will help many Georgians, some of whom have been struggling with debt for decades, get their financial footing, and it will help keep our economy strong and growing,” Warnock said. “But this is only a first step for the countless Georgia borrowers who will still be burdened by crushing debt tomorrow and the day after that. So I’m going to keep fighting for additional student relief for all Georgians left struggling with student debt and to prevent future borrowers from carrying that same burden.”

More than 43 million Americans have student loan debt, and the Federal Reserve estimates that the total U.S. student loan debt is more than $1.75 trillion.

A Penn Wharton budget model released Tuesday found that a one-time loan forgiveness of $10,000 would mostly benefit borrowers in the four lowest quintiles of income.

Earlier this month, more than 100 Senate and House Democrats urged the Biden administration to extend the pause on repayment of student loans beyond the Aug. 31 deadline. The lawmakers argued that due to inflation and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, student loan borrowers should get an extension on pausing their loan payments. They did not give another deadline for repayments to begin in their letter to the president.

Democrats praise Biden

Other Democrats joined Warnock in welcoming the President’s announcement.

“By delivering historic targeted student debt relief to millions of borrowers, more working families will be able to meet their kitchen table needs as they continue to recover from the challenges of the pandemic,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. “Importantly, this action will help those most in need, easing a financial burden disproportionately harming women and people of color.”

She has previously said that the president does not have the authority to cancel student loans and that the process needs to be done through Congress. She did not mention her previous comments in the statement.

Biden also had said earlier, while in the White House, that he would only cancel up to $10,000 in student loan debt, and only if Congress passes legislation to do so. Administration officials did not address the shift in policy.

While the Democrat-controlled House likely could pass legislation canceling some portion of student loan debt, the evenly divided Senate would need all 50 Democrats on board along with an additional 10 Republicans to get a bill to the president’s desk.

House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott, a Virginia Democrat, said that while the student loan cancellation will provide relief for borrowers, it doesn’t solve the “underlying problems that caused the student debt crisis in the first place,” such as high tuition costs.

“Without reversing the chronic underinvestment in higher education that has driven up tuition costs, and without fixing our student loan system that has made student loans more expensive to take out and harder to pay off, students will continue to take on more debt and borrowers will continue to face rising debt levels,” Scott said.

Republicans critical

GOP lawmakers sharply criticized the cancellation move.

“There is no such thing as a free lunch,” said Pooler Republican Rep. Buddy Carter. “We need to address the root causes of the rising cost of tuition, not subsidize the wealthy’s education on middle America’s dime.”

Georgia Rep. Barry Loudermilk, a Woodstock Republican, issued strong criticism over Twitter.

“President Biden’s student loan debt forgiveness scheme is an insult to the millions of hardworking Americans who have worked so hard to pay off their student loans and other debts,” Loudermilk tweeted. “Not only does this decision raise legal concerns, it will also not help inflation and will cost American taxpayers an estimated $300 billion.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said in a statement the move was a “slap in the face to every family who sacrificed to save for college, every graduate who paid their debt, and every American who chose a certain career path or volunteered to serve in our Armed Forces in order to avoid taking on debt.”

Overall in Kentucky, there are about 600,000 student loan borrowers who have an average balance for federal and private student loans of $30,794.

In March 2020, President Donald Trump issued an emergency pause on student loan repayments, which has now been extended several times by both administrations. The pandemic is still ongoing, and the U.S. has surpassed 1 million COVID-19 deaths.

Georgia Recorder Editor John McCosh contributed to this report.

Braves drill slumping Pirates 14-2, complete 3-game sweep

By

Will Graves, AP Sports Writer

-

August 24, 2022

Ronald Acuna Jr. scores in the 4th helping lead the Braves to a 14-2 win over Philly on Wednesday, Aug. 24. 2022. The Braves swept the series and are now just 1 1/2 games back in the National League East. (livestream image)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Atlanta Braves are being careful with Kyle Wright, doing what they can to make sure their latest potential ace on a staff seemingly stuffed with them can keep the momentum going during his breakout season.

The World Series champions gave Wright a couple extra days off following a start against Boston earlier this month, leery of his workload. The rest seemingly has him refreshed for the stretch drive.

The 26-year-old allowed two hits over seven efficient innings and the Braves completed a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh by drilling the sloppy Pirates 14-2 on Wednesday.

Wright needed just 73 pitches to record 21 outs but missed a chance to pitch into the eighth when his teammates erupted for seven runs in the top of the inning, highlighted by Matt Olson’s grand slam that bounced into the Allegheny River.

“I’ve never finished a game in the big leagues, so I would have loved to have gotten that,” Wright said. “But runs are cool too, especially grand slams.”

Wright and Atlanta manager Brian Snitker chatted briefly about letting him continue. Once Olson’s 27th home run landed and the Pirates signaled a pitching change that made an already long inning even longer, Wright knew his day was over.

“I was being a little selfish (by wanting to stay in),” Wright said. “But that was an awesome home run.”

Wright (16-5) struck out eight and walked one to tie Houston’s Justin Verlander and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin for most victories in the majors.

Wright, the fifth player taken in the 2017 draft, entered 2022 with a career record of 2-8 with a 6.76 ERA. Those early struggles appear to be fully behind him, one of the reasons he didn’t protest too much when Snitker didn’t let him go out for the eighth.

“It’s bigger than just one game,” Wright said. “So I want to stay fresh and ultimately it was definitely the right decision to come out and come out feeling good.”

Atlanta has won 14 of 16 overall to keep pressure on the NL East-leading New York Mets.

“I feel like we can beat you in different ways,” shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “Like we can pitch and play defense and obviously we can swing it a little bit too.”

The Braves did a little bit of everything while completing a season sweep of Pittsburgh.

Olson turned on a pitch from Pittsburgh reliever Cam Vieaux and sent it well over the right-field stands in the eighth for his fifth career grand slam. The ball landed 420 feet from home plate before finding its way to the river on the bounce, the 66th time in the history of PNC Park that a home run has ended with a splash.

William Contreras added his 17th home run for Atlanta, bashing a pitch from Mitch Keller (4-10) into the bushes beyond the center-field wall in the second inning to give the Braves an early lead. Swanson had a two-out, bases-clearing double during Atlanta’s five-run fourth, an inning that was extended by an error by Pittsburgh first baseman Josh Van Meter.

CRUZ MISSILE

The lone highlight for the Pirates came from rookie Oneil Cruz, who ripped the hardest-hit ball since Major League Baseball began measuring exit velocity in 2015. The ball left Cruz’s bat at 122.4 mph and slammed into the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall in right field with two outs in the third. He was held to a single.

“It’s probably good that ball hit a wall because it might have hurt somebody if it had been up a little higher,” Snitker said of Cruz’s hit, which broke the previous mark of 122.2 mph set twice by New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton.

Pittsburgh’s Kevin Newman hit his first home run of the season in the ninth.

Keller, who was given a couple of extra days of rest after getting knocked around in his previous start against Boston, wasn’t particularly sharp. He allowed seven runs, two earned, on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings with two walks and five strikeouts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: All-Star closer David Bednar (back) is playing catch and could be cleared to throw off a slope by late next week. … C Roberto Perez, out for the season with a hamstring injury, caught a side bullpen session on Tuesday in what the team described as part of the “strengthening phase” of his rehabilitation. … RHP Colin Holderman was removed in the eighth with right shoulder discomfort.

UP NEXT

Braves: Are off Thursday before heading to St. Louis for a three-game set against the NL-Central leading Cardinals. Spencer Strider (7-4, 2.95 ERA) faces José Quintana (4-5, 3.45) on Friday.

Pirates: Travel east to Philadelphia for a three-game series starting Friday. Bryse Wilson (2-7, 5.74) will make his 15th start of the season in the opener.

Peggy Crump

By

Now Habersham

-

August 24, 2022

Peggy Crump, age 82, of Baldwin, Georgia passed away on Monday, August 22, 2022, following an extended illness.

Mrs. Crump was born on April 11, 1940, in Asheville, North Carolina to the late Charles Belton Davis and Opal McElrath Davis. Peggy had been employed with Standard Telephone with over 10 years of service. She was a member of Baldwin Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday School for several years. Peggy loved her grandchildren greatly, they called her “Nanny”. She was a wonderful cook, spending numerous hours in her vegetable garden and her kitchen; and she also loved to spend time working in her flower garden.

Survivors include her loving husband of 33 years, Don Crump, of Baldwin; daughter, Tracy Backer, of Clarkesville; son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Diana Loudermilk, of Cumming; son, Barry Loudermilk, of County Cork, Ireland; sister and brother-in-law, Ida Mae and Carl Brown, of Cornelia; grandchildren, Kristopher Johnson, of Kennesaw; Jacob Loudermilk, of Cumming; Madison Fisher, of Denver, CO; Gabriel Loudermilk, of Cumming; Alexis Loudermilk, of Ooltewah, TN.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 27, 2022, at the Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel with Mr. David Sanders officiating. Interment will follow in the Yonah Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday, August 26, 2022, at the funeral home.

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

GSP: Tractor-trailer ‘following too closely’ caused rear-end wreck on GA 365

By

Joy Purcell

-

August 24, 2022

A tractor-trailer following too closely is to blame for a chain reaction rear-end wreck on GA 365 Wednesday morning, state troopers say. The crash sent three people to the hospital with minor injuries.

The three-vehicle wreck happened around 9 a.m. at the intersection with GA 384/Duncan Bridge Road.

The Georgia State Patrol says 54-year-old Robert Steven Armstead of Sheffield, Alabama, was driving an International Tractor Trailer south on GA 365. He rear-ended a Ford F150 driven by 75-year-old Toby Allen Lindeland of Martin. The impact caused the pickup to rear-end a Mazda CX5 Touring SUV carrying three family members from Franklin, North Carolina.

Lindeland and his passenger, 73-year-old Brenda Marie Lindeland, also of Martin, were injured in the wreck. Habersham County Emergency Services transported them to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville with non-life-threatening injuries.

A passenger in the Mazda, 66-year-old Ruth Coir Gibson, was also injured but was not transported to the hospital, GSP says.

The Mazda driver, 41-year-old Joseph Andrew Gibson, and another passenger, 5-year-old Sylas Rhett Gibson, escaped injury, as did Armstead.

Troopers from GSP Post 7 in Toccoa investigated the wreck. They charged Armstead with following too closely.

Former First Lady Sandra Deal dies at 80

By

Staff Report

-

August 23, 2022

Nathan and Sandra Deal — Sandra Deal, here with her husband former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, was known for her infectious smile and heart for children. She was an educator by profession who faithfully stood by her husband during his many years of political service. She passed away on August 23, 2022, at the family's home in Demorest. (Governor's Office)

Sandra Deal, the wife of former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal who was noted for her advocacy of early literacy during her husband’s two terms, died Tuesday at age 80.

The Deal family announced that Sandra Deal died Tuesday from breast cancer that metastasized into brain cancer at the family home in the northeast Georgia town of Demorest, surrounded by the former governor and other family members.

Deal, who was a teacher in Hall County for more than 15 years, achieved a goal while first lady of reading to schoolchildren in all 159 counties, all 181 Georgia school districts, and numerous prekindergarten classes, ultimately visiting more than 1,000 schools.

“A child’s brain develops at a remarkable pace between birth and his or her eighth birthday, and this growth depends on a solid start,” Deal wrote in a 2018 opinion piece in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “The earlier we can help children learn about their emotions and getting along with others, the better we can inspire them to seek to know more about the world, and it is more likely that they will find success later in life.”

Deal co-chaired the Georgia Literacy Commission, promoting reading proficiency by third grade. In 2017, the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy was named for her at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, where Deal graduated from college.

Deal was first diagnosed with breast cancer while her husband was still in office, having surgery to remove a tumor in 2018.

“The public Sandra Deal matched the private Sandra Deal,” her family said in a statement. “She gave to others selflessly, unfailingly and unceasingly. We will miss her but count ourselves lucky that we were hers. She leaves a world that’s better because she was here.”

Gov. Brian Kemp released a statement Tuesday, writing, in part, “Her generosity of spirit ensured not only that she was beloved by her students, but also an influential force in their lives, leaving an imprint not just on their minds but also on their hearts.”

Former Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal talks to a child during a visit to the Elizabeth Porter Recreation Center in Marietta in 2014. (Photo courtesy of the city of Marietta)

After her husband’s second term as governor, the couple retired to Habersham County where she joined the Board of Trustees of Piedmont University.

Sandra and Nathan Deal were married for 56 years.

“Both those who had the pleasure of knowing them personally and those that they just met were able to witness a relationship filled with unyielding affection and respect,” said Kemp.

The couple had four children and six grandchildren.

“As she will for so many Georgians, Mrs. Deal will remain steadfast in our hearts and memories, just as her family will be in our prayers during this time of mourning,” said Gov. Kemp. “As she goes to await them in a greater world, we ask all Georgians to join us in celebrating her life and contributions to a thankful state.”

Details of a memorial service will be announced later.

_______________

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Lady Indians win behind strong run from Chapa; Beck leads boys in Inaugural ‘Beach to Gorge’ 3K

By

TFS Athletics

-

August 23, 2022

Miranda Chapa 2022 — Miranda Chapa (TFS Athletics)

Timothy Beck and Miranda Chapa paced Tallulah Falls School cross country in the first-ever running of the ‘Gorge to Beach’ 3K, which featured Tallulah Falls and three other schools.

The event saw all boys and girls runners go at the same time, a departure from the traditional run of a typical meet. Beck placed fourth among all boys with a time of 10:40, while Chapa came in third at 14:05.

The TFS boys came in fourth among four teams (Stephens, Johnson, Westminster). The TFS girls finished first in the event.

FULL RESULTS:

Boys

Timothy Beck – 10:40 – 4th
Canon Brooks – 11:40 – 10th
Milos Ivanovic – 11:43 – 11th
Jackson Shadburn – 11:45 – 12th
Blair Moore – 12:56 – 27th
Carter Miller – 12:57 – 28th
Reilly Chatman – 13:05 – 29th
Eli Damron – 15:14 – 44th
Jedd Thomas – 15:32 – 45th

Girls

Miranda Chapa – 14:05 – 3rd
Sara Bailey 14:15 – 4th
Dani Prince – 14:22 – 6th
Ellesen Eubank – 15:15 – 7th
Emma Jackson – 15:18 – 8th
Stasa Beratovic – 15:23 – 9th
Allison Bailey – 15:26 – 10th
Sandra Badia Cester – 15:36 – 12th
Kate Trotter – 15:58 – 15th
Serenity Miracle – 16:37 – 17th
Meredith Orr – 16:49 – 19th
Lucia Fano Mateos – 18:17 – 24th
Carol Kate Dunlap – 18:40 – 26th
Aidan Woodside – 19:05 – 28th

FULL MEET RESULTS

Fried allows 3 hits in 8 innings as Braves top Pirates 6-1

By

Wes Crosby, Associated Press

-

August 23, 2022

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Max Fried allowed only three hits in eight innings, pacing the Atlanta Braves to a 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

Fried (12-4) struck out seven and walked one, retiring 20 of the final 23 batters he faced, and allowed one run. The All-Star left-hander got through eight innings for the second time this season. He gave up two hits to the Rockies in eight shutout innings on June 3.

Atlanta has taken the first two of the three-game series, and 13 of 15 overall, to move closer to the first-place New York Mets in the NL East.

The Pirates have dropped 10 of 12. They have scored only two runs through the first two games against the Braves, including a 2-1 loss on Monday.

Six straight hits to start the fifth powered Atlanta to five runs. The Braves tied it 1-all on Travis d’Arnaud’s 13th homer 409 feet to left field off a curveball from JT Brubaker (3-11), the first pitch of the inning. William Contreras singled ahead of a Michael Harris II double, setting up Vaughn Grissom’s RBI single.

Robbie Grossman followed with another RBI single. Ronald Acuña Jr. had the sixth consecutive hit, a single to right. Grissom scored when Dansby Swanson grounded into a force out and Grossman went home on Austin Riley’s sacrifice fly.

A lead-off single from Grissom in the third was the Braves’ only hit entering the fifth.

Riley’s two-out single in the seventh extended the lead to five.

Brubaker went 6 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts.

Michael Chavis put the Pirates ahead in the second with his 13th home run to left field. Chavis had only two homers in his previous 29 games, each against Arizona on Aug. 9.

Fried didn’t allow a second hit until Ben Gamel singled with two outs in the seventh.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (mid-muscle back strain) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list. … INF Kevin Padlo was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. … C José Godoy cleared waivers and accepted assignment to Indianapolis.

UP NEXT

RHP Kyle Wright (15-5, 3.14 ERA) will take the mound for Atlanta in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon against RHP Mitch Keller (4-9, 4.49). Wright has allowed no more than two runs in five of his past six starts. Keller left with right shoulder fatigue two innings into his last outing, allowing five runs (four earned) to the Red Sox on Aug. 16.

Kemp allots $125M in federal money for school health centers

By

Jeff Amy

-

August 23, 2022

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (Riley Bunch/GPB News)

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Tuesday he would allot $125 million in federal COVID-19 relief money to expand school-based health centers.

It’s the latest move by Kemp to spend federal money as he runs for reelection against Democrat Stacey Abrams. It’s also another example of how Kemp can use the power of his office to bolster his run against Abrams, especially because Georgia law gives him sole control over federal funds.

“This innovative program is in line with our ongoing efforts to lower costs and increase access to quality healthcare coverage for everyone — especially those in rural Georgia — without assigning an unfair price tag to taxpayers,” Kemp said in a statement.

Democrats attack Kemp for doling out the money even as he opposed the passage of some COVID-19 relief bills passed by Congress. He’s also declined to seek the expansion of state-federal Medicaid health insurance to cover all adults.

“Kemp should stop trying to claim credit for money he fought in the first place,” said Abrams spokesperson Alex Floyd. “If Kemp wants to invest in public education, it’ll take more than election-year gimmicks.”

The state Department of Education will give out grants of up to $1 million apiece to start health centers that will care for students, and in some cases, community members. The idea is to aid student achievement by improving their physical and mental health, as well as meeting dental and vision needs.

The new announcement will provide up to $1 million per project for schools that get federal money because large shares of the students come from families in poverty. There are more than 1,500 Title 1 schools in Georgia. The state Department of Education will administer grants.

The $1 million is significantly higher than the $200,000 federal grants made by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in May to strengthen school-based health centers. Two federally qualified health centers in the state, East Georgia Healthcare Center in Swainsboro and Medlink Georgia in Colbert got those grants.

Katie Byrd, a spokesperson for Kemp said the governor’s office believes $1 million will cover startup costs and three years of operations. After that, the operator of the health center would have to sustain it based on other revenue. Because the federally-funded Children’s Health Insurance Program, known in Georgia as PeachCare for Kids, covers many children, providers would be able to seek insurance reimbursement for almost all students.

RELATED

School Based Health Center will be offered in White County

Gainesville man charged with child molestation, harboring teen runaway

By

Now Habersham

-

August 23, 2022

An 18-year-old from Gainesville faces criminal charges after he concealed the whereabouts of a 14- year-old girl for more than 10 days, officials say.

Anthony Rodriguez was arrested Friday, August 19, and charged with felony child molestation and interference with custody. Rodriguez also was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The runaway juvenile was returned to her home.

Rodriguez was released from jail on bond.

SR 332 overpass bridge to reopen

By

Joy Purcell

-

August 23, 2022

SR 332 — The Jackson County bridge was replaced as part of the I-85 Widening, Phase 2 project, one of Georgia DOT's Major Mobility Investment Program (MMIP) projects.

JACKSON COUNTY – The Georgia Department of Transportation plans to reopen the State Route 332 bridge over Interstate 85 this week. The overpass has been closed to traffic since January. It’s set to reopen on Wednesday, August 24, weather permitting.

The Jackson County bridge was replaced as part of the I-85 widening project.

“We are grateful for the community’s patience and flexibility as this bridge was reconstructed,” says Georgia DOT Project Manager Albert “Butch” Welch. “Opening this bridge is another key milestone for the overall project as we continue making strides toward project completion.”

In addition to the overpass, DOT has completed the construction of six mainline bridges.

Besides added lane capacity, the I-85 widening project is expected to improve mobility for passenger and freight vehicles. DOT estimates that, once it’s complete, there will be a 69 percent reduction in corridor delays.