Congress has approved tens of millions of dollars in federal funding to protect the Chattahoochee River system. The funds were appropriated in this year’s Water Resources and Development Act (Sect. 8141) which President Joe Biden signed into law last week.
The first-of-its-kind law authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to work on water projects up and down the Chattahoochee River throughout the state of Georgia.
“This exciting new program will improve water quality, protect essential public works, and restore ecosystems along the river, which supplies much of our state’s drinking water,” says Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff who introduced the bill in the Senate along with the bill’s co-sponsor, Sen. Ralph Warnock (D-GA). They had originally asked for $90 million. The version of the bill that passed included $40 million in funding.
Vital natural resource
According to the Georgia River Network, the Chattahoochee supplies 70 percent of metro Atlanta’s drinking water. The headwaters in northern Georgia comprise the smallest watershed providing a major portion of water supply for any metropolitan area in the country.
Despite the state’s dependence on the river for drinking water, more than 1,000 miles of the Chattahoochee watershed do not meet water quality standards, posing potential health risks to humans and wildlife.
“The health of our communities in Georgia is tied to the health of our environment,” says Warnock. He says he was “proud to work with Senator Ossoff to introduce legislation to invest in improving, protecting, and preserving the Chattahoochee River.”
Democratic members of Georgia’s congressional delegation pushed the bill through the House.
Katherine Moore, president of the Georgia Conservancy, says the new law “builds upon the successful efforts of improving Chattahoochee River water quality during the last fifteen years.”
“It is hard to overstate the importance of this river to Georgia, Alabama, and Florida,” says Moore. “This law will provide Georgia and Alabama with new tools to continue the vital conservation and restoration of this precious natural resource for all users.”
In 2019, the National Park Service reported visitors to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area added more than $200 million to the local economy, supporting over 2,000 local jobs.
(GA Recorder) — A lot happened in Georgia in 2022. The end of Roe v. Wade kicked off an ongoing court fight set to shape the future of reproductive care. The state lost one of its most vaunted leaders when House Speaker David Ralston died last month. The nation watched as a Fulton County district attorney launched a historic investigation into the actions of former president Donald Trump following his election loss two years ago.
Through it all, the culture war and a high-stakes election provided a constant thrum of news.
As a new year approaches, here are some of the biggest stories in the state from 2022.
Culture war continues
For many, the seemingly ceaseless culture war represents little more than a distraction, a tiresome barrage of squabbling politicians, repugnant pundits and awkward conversations over the holiday dinner table.
But for those caught in the cultural crossfire, who often include racial, sexual and religious minorities, discussions of who and what ought to be valued in American culture are anything but insignificant.
This year, the culture wars continued to provide the backdrop to political life, and understanding the battle lines and rules of engagement is necessary to explaining much of what’s going on in Georgia.
Before abortion and elections took over the zeitgeist, the most significant cultural clashes came in the classroom, as the legislative session was dominated by arguments over how to teach the unsavory parts of American history.
Conservatives led by Gov. Brian Kemp said some teachers were seeking to divide and indoctrinate students by making white children feel culpable for historical wrongs like slavery and Jim Crow laws. Educators vehemently denied that teachers are seeking to make children feel bad about themselves, arguing along with Democrats that students should learn about how past injustices created current inequities.
Gov. Brian Kemp, right, jokes with Sen. Butch Miller, left, as Kemp signs a slew of education bills. Miller sponsored bills to create new rules for local school board meetings and create a committee to decide on sports participation for transgender girls. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder
In the spring, Gov. Kemp signed a raft of legislation banning teachers from teaching so-called divisive concepts, including that the United States or Georgia are fundamentally racist.
And transgender Georgians and their allies were blindsided by a last-minute bill reviving a previously stalled measure to ban transgender girls from playing on girls’ sports teams in school.
Supporters pointed to transgender athletes winning competitions in other states and said they have a physical advantage over athletes who were assigned female at birth. LGBTQ advocates said there are no incidences in Georgia of trans athletes dominating women’s sports and called the law a cheap ploy to win votes from transphobic constituents.
Other bills in the package set rules for public comment in school board meetings and for parental review of classroom and library materials.
The same month, Kemp signed legislation removing permit requirements for concealed handguns. The bill delighted gun rights activists, who said it brings state law more in line with what the founders intended and protects the right to self defense. It also incensed many liberals, who said the bill increases the risk of gun injuries and deaths.
Fulton DA investigates former president
If the culture wars have a human avatar, it may be former President Donald Trump. Though his influence may be waning, his trials and tribulations remain front of mind for partisans of both flavors. To his die-hard supporters, he’s the voice for a swath of America ignored and despised by elites. To his opponents, he’s a dangerous and embarrassing oaf.
Those opponents are rooting for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to prosecute the former president in connection with efforts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election, exemplified by his 2021 phone call with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger asking for him to “find” enough votes to tip the election in his favor.
At the start of the year, Willis got the OK to call a special grand jury to investigate whether those efforts violated election law.
That investigation has since delivered testimony from major GOP players, including Kemp, former national security advisor Michael Flynn and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who took the stand reluctantly.
A report released by the Brookings Institute on Nov. 14 indicates that Trump is at risk of prosecution, and several of his closest allies have already been caught up in the investigation, including Graham, former personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, who late last month was denied by the South Carolina Supreme Court a motion to quash the summons to testify in Georgia.
Donald Trump urged supporters to vote for David Perdue for U.S. Senate at a March Commerce rally. Perdue was drubbed in the GOP primary. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder
Another potential target of the probe is Georgia’s newly elected Republican lieutenant governor, Sen. Burt Jones, who served as one of the 16 fake Republican electors who signed documents proclaiming Trump as the victor of the 2020 election.
Jones blocked a subpoena from Willis because of her political connections to his Democratic opponent in the midterm election, leaving it up to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia to appoint another district attorney’s office to handle that portion of the probe.
Panelists at a Defend Democracy Project briefing last month said charges may be filed against Trump and fake electors this year as part of the escalating Georgia criminal case and that more may follow related to the U.S. Department of Justice’s investigation of the Jan. 6th U.S. Capitol breach.
Respected speaker passes
With the death of longtime House Speaker David Ralston, a Blue Ridge Republican widely respected as an effective statesman, next year’s session will begin with a new hand on the steering wheel.
Ralston, who was 68, died Nov. 16 following an extended illness. The longest currently serving state House speaker in the country at the time of his death, Ralston was remembered fondly by members from both parties as a kind man and a skilled politician adept at bringing people together while sticking to his conservative principles.
As speaker pro-tempore, Milton Republican Jan Jones was elevated to speaker, becoming the first woman to hold that office in Georgia, but Newington Republican Rep. Jon Burns is set to lead the House next year. Republican leaders elected him speaker Nov. 14 after Ralston announced he would not seek a leadership position because of his declining health. Jones will return to her previous role.
Ralston’s widow Sheree Ralston, executive director of the Fannin County Development Authority, was one of five Republicans to qualify to run to represent his district. Banker Johnny Chastain, airport manager Justin Heitman, talk show host Brian Pritchard and filmmaker Richie Stone are also set to be on the ballot during a Jan. 3 special election.
Burns will pick up Ralston’s gavel at a time of continuing change in Georgia. House Democrats picked up two seats in last month’s election, bringing the chamber’s partisan split to 101 Republicans to 79 Democrats. A bill needs 91 votes to clear the 180-member House.
Speaker David Ralston exchanged handshakes and hugs after the end of the 2021 legislative session. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder
Burns pledged to build off Republicans’ statewide success in the recent election.
Ralston’s death presented an unexpected change in command ahead of the new session, but lawmakers will also be reshuffling leaders after the departure of powerful leaders including House budget chief Rep. Terry England, powerful Senate Rules Chair Jeff Mullis and Sen. Lindsey Tippins, the point man for education policy in Georgia. Democrats bid farewell to longtime Rep. Calvin Smyre, known as the dean of the House, as well as caucus leaders Rep. William Boddie of East Point and Rep. Erica Thomas of Austell.
Abortion controversy roils
It was not a complete surprise when the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to an abortion. A draft of the decision leaked in the spring, sparking protests across the country, including in Georgia.
It is now up to states to decide their own abortion policies, and in Georgia, the law now restricts most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. That law was originally passed in 2019 and went into effect in July following the high court’s June ruling.
Opponents fought the measure in court, arguing that the law violates Georgia residents’ right to privacy and that it was invalid when it passed.
A Fulton County judge put the abortion restrictions on hold last month, agreeing with opponents’ arguments about the timeframe of the bill’s passage, ruling that lawmakers should start from scratch under the new national framework and craft a new state policy in full view of their constituents.
But abortion rights activists’ celebrations were short-lived. The state Supreme Court renewed the law the following week, allowing the ban to continue while they work to reach a final verdict.
Opponents say the law puts the health of women seeking abortions at risk, and the language used in the bill raises questions in many areas of state law, particularly language defining an embryo as a legal person.
Georgia lawmakers are preparing for next year’s legislative session when abortion access and fallout from the new ban are sure to be hot topics. Pictured are abortion rights advocates at a protest outside the state Capitol on May 14, 2022. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder
GOP lawmakers on the campaign trail largely said they were content with the six-week ban, which at the time of its passage in 2019 was considered the toughest in the nation. But while the six-week mark comes earlier than many women even know they are pregnant, other states have since passed more restrictive bills, and abortion clinics report women from other states traveling to Georgia to seek care.
Republican leaders have already been receiving pressure to further restrict abortions in the state, and the issue could come up in next year’s session.
Heated elections favor GOP, Warnock
Georgia’s political class logged many miles campaigning across the state in 2022, first for the May party primaries, then for the November general election — and voters got a December runoff for the U.S. Senate as a bonus.
Former GOP Sen. David Perdue sought to thwart Kemp in his reelection race against Democrat Stacey Abrams, but Kemp trounced Perdue, who had the backing of Trump, peeved at Kemp for his lack of support in overturning Georgia’s election results.
Another Trump-endorsed candidate, football champ Herschel Walker, used his fame to easily conquer a crowded field of GOP primary challengers.
Across other statewide offices, Democrats offered a diverse field of polished candidates, many of whom cut their teeth in the state Legislature, a sign of the party’s growing strength in Georgia. They were hoping to ride the coattails of Abrams, who attained national prominence following her narrow 2018 loss to Kemp.
That would not be in the cards in 2022, however, as voters chose Kemp by a bigger margin than four years prior, and Republicans partied hard the night of Nov. 8, celebrating wins in every statewide office, with one big exception.
Though he was a darling for the conservative base, Walker’s campaign was riddled with gaffes and negative stories about his past behavior, turning off many voters not strongly attached to the Republican Party. Warnock earned more votes than Walker on election night, but he did not get the 50% he needed to beat him outright, launching the whirlwind runoff shortened from nine weeks to four by last year’s controversial election overhaul.
Gov. Brian Kemp at Cobb International Airport with members of the state GOP ticket and family. Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder
The following four weeks featured non-stop campaigning with visits from former presidents and senators and an army of volunteers knocking on doors and texting voters. When the dust cleared, Warnock prevailed, giving him a full six-year term representing Georgia and handing his party a coveted 51st vote in the Senate. Nationally, Democrats outperformed expectations in November, but they lost control of the House, setting the stage for a split government.
The 2022 election could continue to reverberate in the state Legislature. Raffensperger has called for lawmakers to revisit runoffs, citing stress for counties to run multiple elections and for voters to cast their ballots a second time during the busy holiday season. Only a handful of states have runoff elections.
Raffensperger did not call for a specific solution, but lawmakers could consider options implemented in other states, including an instant runoff or ranked choice voting.
Babylon is best described as the feel-sick movie of the year. Here is a movie 188 minutes long that feels the need to shock at every turn and we’re left befuddled how something like this was allowed to be made.
I know that sounds like I’m severely bashing the movie and, to a big extent, I am. There’s so much that is provocative about this film and, yes, I dare say downright hilarious at times. This is not a film for the easily shocked.
Damien Chazelle, writer/director of Whiplash and La La Land has concocted a film that attempts to pay tribute to the Golden Era of filmmaking in the ’20s by showcasing a series of actors who are trying to hit it big in Hollywood at the twilight of silent film and the dawn of sound.
Margot Robbie stars as Nellie LaRoy, an ambitious starlet who crosses paths with Manny Torres, (Diego Calva), who dreams of being a filmmaker. Their first encounter is at a debaucherous party that plays like one part The Great Gatsby, one part The Wolf of Wall Street and a dash of Eyes Wide Shut thrown in for good measure.
Brad Pitt costars as Jack Conrad, a well-known actor who helps Manny land a gig as an assistant for a major studio.
The movie shows the individual trajectories of these three people and they’re given enough screen time to show their journeys. Nellie begins a steady rise as a promising young actress; Manny eventually finds work as a director and Jack contemplates his popularity as a star when his films begin to disappoint.
Eventually the pressures of fame begin to get to Nellie’s head and so she copes by delving deep into drug addiction and gambling while Manny tries hard to help her out.
Babylon easily fits my description of the Audacious Rorschach Test. This means I describe a movie that dares to be unconventional and leaves us picking apart sequences and making of them what we will. In the case of Babylon, it’s certainly a film will polarize audiences going in.
I’m going to be fair and say that there are a lot of laughs in it. A scene involving Robbie fighting a rattlesnake got the biggest response out of me. It’s hysterical stuff. I did laugh frequently, but there’s also more than a fair amount of grotesque imagery which I won’t describe, but let’s just say it pushes the parameters of the R rating.
Chazelle knows how to make a well-made movie and this is definitely that. It also features a cast that brings exuberance in fits and starts; the music composed by Justin Hurwitz is another fantastic score and it’s a great-looking movie that pays homage to the era of filmmaking during the ’20s and ’30s.
What bothers me about the movie is that Chazelle was very much content on making a disorganized mess that in some scenes, he looks like he was pushing the envelope for the sake of pushing the envelope. It oftentimes features vulgarity without a purpose.
Having said all that, I can’t deny that when the movie works, it’s sinfully entertaining. When it doesn’t, I found myself hoping for a more structured screenplay and less for shock value.
It’s a movie I won’t soon forget. It’s not a film that’s forgettable for all the right and wrong reasons. Part of me is glad I saw it. Part of me.
Grade: B-
(Rated R for strong and crude sexual content, graphic nudity, bloody violence, drug use, and pervasive language.)
A Gainesville man faces DUI and other charges following a wreck Tuesday that seriously injured a Lula woman.
On December 27, at approximately 5:16 p.m., the Georgia State Patrol responded to a two-vehicle crash on State Route 52 near Breezy Lane. The investigation revealed that Joseph Lance, 53, was traveling west on SR 52 in a Ford F250. Samantha Wade, 34, was traveling eastbound on SR 52 in a Toyota Highlander.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, Lance failed to maintain his lane of travel, crossed the centerline, and struck the Highlander head-on.
The crash seriously injured Wade. She was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville along with her passenger who sustained minor injuries.
Lance sustained minor injuries in the wreck and refused treatment, state troopers say. He was arrested and booked at the Hall County Jail for DUI, failure to maintain lane, and serious injury by vehicle.
The state patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT) is investigating the crash.
This photo from Jan. 8, 2022, shows runners climbing the hill on their way to Hogpen Gap on the Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway. The 18K is considered one of the toughest races in North America. (photo courtesy Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Georgia)
Early registration ends this Saturday for the 44th Annual Hogpen Hill Climb benefiting Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Georgia.
Known as one of the toughest races in Georgia and the South, maybe in North America, the 18K HogPen Hill Climb and 5K Piglet Run will be held Saturday, January 14, at Unicoi State Park.
Besides the 18K run that starts at 11 a.m., there will be a 5K loop race around Unicoi Lake beginning at the Park’s Beach House area at 9:30 a.m.
The big race will begin at Unicoi State Park and end atop Hogpen Gap on Richard Russell Scenic Highway. Only those who register early are guaranteed a t-shirt.
Runners and walkers make their way around Unicoi Lake in the 5K on Jan. 8, 2022. (photo courtesy Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Georgia)
Fees:
5K – $30 early, $35 regular, $20 students
18K – $60 early, $65 regular, $40 students
Combo (5K and 18K) – $80 early, $85 regular, $55 students.
Please Note: Unicoi State Park charges a $5 per vehicle park fee. For more information about the race go online to runthehogpen.org
All proceeds of the races go toward helping to build houses for the Northeast Georgia Habitat for Humanity.
Water is flowing in the Town of Alto, but only barely.
On December 28, Alto Mayor PJ Huggins issued an Emergency Administrative Order to cut-off water to commercial and industrial customers in an effort to conserve supplies for the town’s approximately 1,200 residential customers. Town Clerk Penny Rogers says the mayor contacted all of the commercial and industrial customers and explained the dire situation the water system was in, and asked for their cooperation.
Although the order stated that “no potable water would be provided by the Alto Water Distribution System to major commercial and industrial customers” until the system recovered to normal levels, the order also stated that water could be “restricted” to those customers, and that is what is now in effect. Commercial and industrial customers are only restricted at this time, allowing operations to continue at businesses such as Hodie Meats. The new meat processing plant is located in the Phoenix Alto Industrial complex, formerly Mt. Vernon Mills, where two major water leaks occurred over the Christmas holiday. According to Rogers, the leaks began sometime on Christmas Day and worsened overnight into Monday when the leaks were discovered. By that point, the town was nearly out of water.
Alto allowed Hodie Meats to run their water for two hours on Thursday, December 29, so the company could fill its onsite tanks and maintain operations. Other impacted commercial properties at the Phoenix Alto Industrial complex include Steel Cell and Tencate. The water restrictions are also affecting Lumite and Smyrna Ready Mix, says Rogers. She adds that the emergency order does not affect Dollar General and Alto Grocery because their operations use very little water.
Mayor Huggins spent Thursday inspecting water lines with utility crews, staffers said, so she was unavailable for comment. However, Alto Public Works/Water Supervisor Gary Kimbral says the town’s water supply is “recovering, but slowly.”
More time needed to recover
Besides the two major commercial leaks, Kimbral says numerous residential leaks have been reported throughout Alto. Those leaks are being addressed by the property owners at this time. The town has seven wells online that Kimbral says are producing “just fine.” However, with the amount of water that’s been lost, he says it will take a little more time for the system to recover fully.
Alto uses elevated tanks to store its potable (drinking) water. Collectively, they can store up to 450,000 gallons. The town also has an interconnect with Banks County on County Line Road just south of Lee Arrendale State Prison and an interconnect with Demorest. Even with those interconnects, Alto is still struggling to recover as quickly as officials would like. Currently, Banks County cannot pump water to the Alto interconnect because of a water line break in its system that feeds the County Line Road tank. Banks County is working to resolve that issue as quickly as possible Kimbral says. The Demorest interconnect is operational, but because of leaks in the Demorest system, Alto can only receive limited amounts of water at a time from Demorest.
Due to the diminished water supplies, Mayor Huggins declared a public health and safety state of emergency under which her emergency order was issued. And even though the town is slowly recovering from a serious situation, officials acknowledge it could have been worse. Fortunately, the town did not suffer any water main breaks during the brutally cold weather, according to Kimbral.
Along with steps taken to curb water supplies to commercial properties, Alto leaders are encouraging residents to do their part. They’re asking residential customers to continue conserving water until Alto’s water tanks are back up to normal operating levels and the state of emergency is lifted.
There were some tense moments during the dinner hour at Burger King in Cornelia on Dec. 28, 2022. The grill that chars the burgers caught fire and had to be extinguished by firefighters. (Jerry Neace/Now Habersham)
They’re used to lighting up the grill at Burger King, but things got out of hand on Wednesday at the chain restaurant in Cornelia. Customers became alarmed when they were told there was a kitchen fire and had to clear the building.
Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at Habersham Village Shopping Center at 7:03 p.m. on December 28. Upon arriving, they found a “fire in the grill that chars the burgers,” the incident report states. Firefighters used an extinguisher to knock down the flames, which quickly flared back up. They then used a second extinguisher to put out the fire.
Burger King owner David Irvin tells Now Habersham the fire was actually in the broiler. It did not damage the kitchen or building, but they did have to replace the broiler. According to the Cornelia Fire Department’s incident report, the fire caused around $16,000 in damage.
The restaurant reopened Thursday morning, December 29.
Habersham County Emergency Services, Demorest, and Baldwin Fire Departments also responded to the call. Fortunately, no one was injured. The State Fire Marshal’s Office was called in to investigate.
“We are grateful for the assistance of the local fire departments, and we are grateful that they came to our assistance,” Irvin says.
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This article has been updated to include comments from the owner and additional information
Gainesville police described it “like a scene out of Home Alone.” An alleged armed robber slipped and fell on the ice and was injured after attempting to hold up a business on Christmas Day.
Responding officers found 30-year-old Luis Sajbocho-Ordonez of Gainesville lying injured on the icy ground.
According to the Gainesville Police Department, Sajbocho-Ordonez allegedly hid behind the business at 415 Atlanta Highway, pulled a gun on an employee as they exited, and demanded cash.
“A physical altercation ensued between the employee and Sajbocho,” the police department says in a press release. “Another employee exited the rear of the building, spooking Sajbocho, causing him to fire a shot and run off.”
The shot did not strike anyone. As the suspect fled, he fell on ice and hit his head.
Witnesses were able to get two guns away from Sajbocho-Ordonez as he lay injured on the ground.
Police arrived around 1 a.m., moments after the incident occurred, and took Sajbocho-Ordonez into custody. Emergency crews were called to treat his injuries before he was carted off to jail.
Police charged Sajbocho-Ordonez with armed robbery and aggravated assault. Online records show he is also charged with an immigration violation and failure to appear in court.
As of December 29, Sajbocho-Ordonez remained in the Hall County Jail without bond.
The Nacoochee Village Antique Mall is located at 7091 South Main Street in Helen, GA. It's next to Habersham Winery and across from Nora Mill Granary on Highway 75. (TheSavvyPicker.com)
Shows like American Pickers have many of us wanting to prowl around in a house or barn full of treasures! While you may not have a camera crew at the ready, you can do just that when you visit Nacoochee Village Antique Mall, which is housed in the 1876 Martin House across from Nora Mill. The Savvy Picker was thrilled to have a chance to stop in there.
Antiques for weeks! Nacoochee Village Antique Mall is a massive three-storied structure that houses the wares of over forty-five vendors. If you want it, they probably have it! Most booths are stocked-chocked-full of treasures, some so much so that you can hardly get all the way in.
This is the perfect stop if you are looking to flesh out a personal collection. Retro Pyrex? They’ve got loads, clean and beautifully displayed. Vintage Corning Ware? Yep! I spied collectible Wade figurines, interesting vintage cameras, a gorgeous array of colored vintage glass, and far more than I can list.
Most items were priced fairly at the going rate, but the sharp-eyed picker can still score a bargain.
I only had thirty minutes to check out the treasures and discovered this mid-century cobalt blue enamelware tureen for my personal collection of enamelware. I picked it up for just $30. Vintage tureens stamped JAPAN, like this one was, are routinely offered for $80 online.
Although I am a reseller, I never dismiss antique malls because knowing how to shop for a vintage business is knowing your customer base. Some items sell better in different areas. So for my vintage business, I scored this pair of solid brass fighting gamecocks from Italy for $24. They will sell in my SC store for around $80. South Carolina is, after all, gamecock country.
This shop is burgeoning with interesting inventory, so I will definitely return to take in all the vintage-lovers eye candy.
The Nacoochee Village Antique Mall is located at 7091 South Main Street in Helen, GA. It’s next to Habersham Winery and across from Nora Mill Granary on Highway 75. The shop is open daily and may be reached by phone at 706-878-4069.
Who should visit: Explorers, collectors, and antique lovers. If you like to prowl for hours, this is the place.
Score of the day: Pair of Italian Brass gamecocks for $25.
Predicted profit on Gamecocks: $55.
Reseller takeaway: Don’t dismiss antique malls! The more inventory they have, the more likely you are to find a treasure that works for you.
The Savvy Picker publishes bi-monthly on Now Habersham. For more great reads and finds, click here. Also, visit The Savvy Picker website for additional tips on tracking vintage treasure. The website now offers a new feature: Bonus Tips! Check out this week’s. We will be adding more features soon.
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the Wednesday night robbery of a convenience store in North Hall County.
On December 28, deputies responded at approximately 9:45 p.m. to the call of a robbery by force at the Stop By Food Mart #2 in the 2100 block of U.S. 129/Cleveland Highway.
According to the preliminary investigation, the unknown male suspect entered the store, punched the clerk in the head, and forced him to hand over cash from the register. The suspect left the store on foot.
Surveillance photo of the suspect who held up a North Hall convenience store on Dec. 28, 2022. The man used force to steal money from the cashier then fled on foot. (image from Hall County Sheriff’s Office)
Surveillance images show the robber wearing a mask, a blue hoodie, and light-colored blue jeans with rips and holes. Additionally, it appears the suspect was wearing a white undershirt, blue pants or shorts under the jeans, black shoes, black gloves, and a silver chain around his neck.
Anyone with information on the suspect identity or whereabouts should contact HCSO Investigator Nguyen at [email protected] or (770) 718-5159.
This is the second reported convenience store robbery in Hall County in a week.
Around 6 p.m. on December 22, a man armed with a machete robbed the East Hall Food Mart at 4590 Old Cornelia Highway. The suspect fled on foot. K9 units were unable to track him. The suspect remains at large.
Hall County Sheriff’s spokesperson Derreck Booth says investigators will look into whether there’s any connection between the two robberies. He adds, “There are no known links as the individual investigations stand today.”
On Jan. 8, Kemp and other agricultural lobbyists are set to return to Atlanta for the Wild Hog Supper, which serves as the largest fundraiser for Feeding GA Families and as a kick off for the legislative session. Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder (2020 file photo)
(GA Recorder) — A radically reshaped Georgia Legislature will begin a new session on Jan. 9 and a host of organizations will set the stage for what to watch when lawmakers return to the Gold Dome.
On Jan. 8, Feeding Georgia’s largest fundraiser, the Wild Hog Supper, will mark the beginning of the legislative session as lawmakers and lobbyists get together for the annual reunion. Other events over the next few weeks through a mix of in-person and virtual options will provide a glimpse into state politics and policy in areas such as business, education, health care, and others.
On Jan. 9, the new two-year legislative session will begin its first 40-day term, and there will be some notable differences in the leadership in both chambers and new legislators entering office.
Republican Burt Jones, the newly elected lieutenant governor, will now lead the Senate chamber, and Rep. Jon Burns, a Newington Republican and the House speaker nominee, is expected to wield that chamber’s gavel following the unexpected death of David Ralston on Nov. 16.
The Wild Hog Supper, operated by the organization formerly known as Georgia Food Bank Association, will return to The Freight Depot for a second consecutive year after being canceled in January 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Jan. 8, new Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and other top elected officials will mix and mingle with other agricultural leaders, lobbyists, and Georgians with a taste for state politics while enjoying barbecue and Southern sides in exchange for an entry fee that supports food banks that provide millions of pounds of healthy fruits and vegetables to feed families in need.
The first week of the 2023 session also features a pair of legislative preview breakfasts starting on Jan. 10 with the nonprofit Georgians for a Healthy Future followed a day later with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Eggs and Issues that attracts VIPs in the state’s politics and business.
On Jan. 18, the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute is hosting its signature series that examines the state’s spending plan for the next year with a free two-part event. It kicks off with an in-person reception on Jan. 18 followed by a virtual session panel discussion on Jan. 19. The legislative policy conference this year promises to provide the latest budget analysis and offer progressive ideas for ways to make the most of the state’s $6.6 billion surplus to advance education, health care, and workforce development programs in Georgia.
An expert panel of lawyers, government officials, and journalists will discuss government transparency and other First Amendment issues at a legislative breakfast online hosted by the Georgia First Amendment Foundation on Jan. 26.
Calendar:
Jan. 8: Feeding Georgia’s largest fundraiser returns with another celebration of farming with its long-running pig-picking event to benefit the Farm to Food Bank program. The Wild Hog Supper brings together state lawmakers and agriculture leaders to mingle on the eve of the legislative session.
Jan. 9: The Georgia Assembly returns for a new legislative session with new leadership in the House and Senate. The newly elected Lt. Gov. Burt Jones will lead the Senate, and Republican Rep. Jon Burns takes over as House speaker following the unexpected passing of David Ralston.
Jan 10: Georgians for a Healthy Future will host an event at The Freight Depot in downtown, its annual Health Care Unscrambled event, where a bi-partisan panel of state lawmakers and a keynote speaker will explore healthcare policy and public health issues.
Jan. 11: The Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Eggs & Issues breakfast usually attracts about 2,500 business leaders, elected officials, lobbyists, and VIPs who network over coffee and Chick-fil-A biscuits and hear the legislative priorities of government leaders.
Jan. 18-19: The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute is hosting a free, in-person reception on Jan. 18 and an online program on Jan. 19 for the 2023 Insights Policy Conference: Equitable Budgeting Makes Perfect Sense.
Jan. 26: The Georgia First Amendment Foundation hosts a legislative breakfast online as an expert panel of lawyers, government officials, and journalists discuss government transparency and other First Amendment issues. The event is free, but registration is required.
