There are 1,440 minutes in every day, 525,600 minutes in every year. That’s a lot of time. Every day that we live holds the promise that somewhere among the minutes special moments will occur. As individuals we are shaped by those moments: As a community we are connected by them. Now Habersham wants to capture those moments and share them with you. That’s what “Life in Motion” is all about. Each week we’ll bring you snapshots of life as you live it – as we live it – here in Habersham County. You’ll find “Life in Motion” in our Living section. Enjoy! -Joy Purcell
The NGTC Foundation hosted a car show during Homecoming weekend.
Clarkesville, GA – The October sun glittered off of dozens of immaculate specialty cars on the Clarkesville Campus of North Georgia Technical College during the annual Homecoming Car Show which was held Saturday, October 18.
Winners of this year’s show included James Ledford of Cleveland with Best of Show, Murray Cochran of Toccoa with Best Special Interest, Jimmy Roberts of Alto with Best Race Car, Kyle Gooch of Cleveland with Best Late Model, Clarence Lewallen of Baldwin with Best Ford, Larry Sutton of Dahlonega with Best Mopar, James Savage of Toccoa with Best GM, Eddie Palmer of Dahlonega with Best Truck, Tim Sutton of Clarkesville with Best Rat Rod.
In addition, Top 15 winners included Mac Turner of Baldwin, Lonzo Ellis of Cleveland, Randy Cantrell of Cornelia, Brian Fulbright of Eastanollee, Harry Bartlett of Gainesville, Wallace Lewallen of Clarkesville, Jimmy York of Clarkesville, Gary Jones of Clarkesville, Harold Eidson of Clarkesville, Mike Garrett of Cornelia, Joe Morrison of Cleveland, Jerry Shook of Alto, Terry Palmer of Cleveland, Donald Flanagan of Murrayville, and Wiley Partin of Cleveland.
In addition to the car show, there was music, door prizes, food, and the Burnout Competition. All proceeds went to the NGTC Foundation Scholarship Fund.
“Every year we have such a good time at this event,” said NGTC Director of Institutional Advancement Cynthia Brown. “The people who come have a heart for the success of our students, and we greatly appreciate their support for the NGTC Foundation.”
Photos of the event have been posted to the North Georgia Technical College Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ngtcnews. For more information on programs of study at North Georgia Technical College, contact 706-754-7700 or visit www.northgatech.edu.
On Tuesday, the final Georgia Department of Labor Summit was held at the Torch in Demorest. Around 75 attendees, representing businesses and institutions, heard presentations on unemployment insurance and updates on healthcare. At lunch, State Representative Dan Gasaway, introduced Mark Butler, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Labor. Commissioner Butler gave an update on the Department’s programs and discussed the emphasis on job growth. The Department is focusing on recruting and developing talent for targeted industries though the State economic development efforts. Justin Dudkiewicz, Assistant HR Director for Avita Community Partners, was pleased with the event saying, “it was very informative and was great to network with others in our region. Region 2 includes 13 counties across Northeast Georgia including Habersham, Union, Towns and Hall. The event was sponsored by Northwestern Benefit Corporation of Georgia and Chick-fil-a.
Cherry Rizer from the Department of Labor updates attendees on “What every employer should know” about Unemployment Insurance.
Clarkesville, GA – Each year North Georgia Technical College recognizes Alumni who have excelled in their professions. Jeannie Barrett, Ricky Crocker, and Morris Harrison were chosen as recipients of this year’s Career Achievement Awards. Clarkesville resident and retired NGTC President Jim Marlowe was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame by former President Dr. Judy Hulsey.
Three NGTC presidents – past and present – joined in the Homecoming celebration in Clarkesville on Oct. 18. They are pictured (l-r): current president Dr. Gail Thaxton, Mr. Jim Marlow and Dr. Judy Hulsey. Marlow was inducted into the NGTC Hall of Fame. He and his wife Kathy live in Habersham County.
“It is such an honor to have with us today both Dr. Hulsey and Mr. Marlowe,” said President Dr. Gail Thaxton. “Together they have a long list of accomplishments from accreditations to the initiation of outstanding student organizations such as GOAL (Georgia Occupational Award for Leadership) and HEROES (Having Equity Resources and Opportunities Equals Success). We stand on their shoulders of great leadership and they positioned this college for greatness and made possible the success of students and graduates.”
The Hall of Fame Award is bestowed on a deserving alumnus who graduated from North Georgia Tech at least 20 years prior to nomination. The candidate must have distinguished himself/herself in his/her professional life.
Career Achievement Awards are given to graduates of NGTC working in the field for which they studied at the college. The winners must have distinguished themselves in their careers and be respected by fellow employees and by citizens of their community.
Erin Hames and son, Isaac, share a quiet moment at Monday's rally in Cornelia.
Erin Hames and her son, Isaac, share a quiet moment with the First Lady of Georgia, Sandra Deal, at Monday’s campaign rally in Cornelia. Erin is a 1999 graduate of Habersham Central High School and now serves as Gov. Nathan Deal’s deputy chief of staff for policy. She is the daughter of Larry and Kathy Lovell of Clarkesville.
Demorest, GA – The Piedmont College Lady Lion Volleyball team played with pride Tuesday night inside Cave Arena losing a close, hard-fought contest to Maryville 3-1. Piedmont staved off elimination by winning the third set and came dangerously close to forcing the Scots into a deciding fifth set, coming up just three points shy of making that happen.
In the first set, the Scots came out dominate leading 15-4 early on and eventually taking the 25-16 decision. The second set was a different story as Piedmont matched Maryville point for point with the teams knotted up at 8-8 before the Scots pulled away 25-18. The Lady Lions weren’t finished though as they fought back to take the third set 25-20, winning their first set over the Scots this season and marking only the fifth set that Maryville has dropped in USA South play in 2014.
The Lady Lions were down 4-0 in that third set before four straight Maryville errors tied it up at 4 all. Piedmont took the lead at 6-5 and never trailed in the set again, leading by as many as seven. After beginning the fourth set trailing 15-4 and eventually being down 19-7, Head Coach Sid Feldman called a timeout and out of the break, there seemed to be a new level of intensity among the Lady Lions.
Down by 12 and only six points away from a loss, Piedmont reeled off seven straight points to rally back into the set at 19-14. The Scots reached match point at 24-18 but Piedmont fought back thanks to three errors by Maryville and a kill by Mallory Leary to be down only 24-22, but Kelsey Handel, the 6’1″ senior for the Scots, who proved to be a towering threat at the net all night recording 17 kills, had the final attack and kill of the game to give her squad the tough 25-22 win in the fourth set.
The Lady Lions as a team only amassed 34 kills but it was Taylor Cramsey leading the way with 9 of them while Kaitlin Norman added 6. As a unit, Piedmont did tally seven total team blocks, with Leary collecting a solo block and adding 3 block assists. Kait Steele had 14 assists while Xandy Green was also in double figures with 11, marking the ninth straight match the two have both gone into double figures.
Randee Harvel added to her impressive move to libero as she had 20 digs giving her three matches this season she has hit or surpassed the 20 dig mark. The Lady Lions did give up its third highest number of kills to its opponent this season as Maryville had 66 as a team with three players hitting double-digit kills.
Piedmont has two USA South matches remaining in the regular season playing host to N.C. Wesleyan and William Peace inside Cave Arena on Saturday, November 1. As of Tuesday, N.C. Wesleyan posts a 6-19 record with five of their victories coming in conference play, while the Pacers are 12-19 overall and 9-7 in the USA South.
Maryville has clinched the one seed in the South Division, while Covenant sits in second with a 10-4 record in conference play. Piedmont is one spot behind with a 9-5 record and both remaining conference opponents for the Lady Lions are in the North Division. The top five teams from the North and top three teams from the South will earn a spot in the USA South Conference Tournament in Martinsville, Virginia.
The Lady Lions are now 18-11 overall and will return to the court Wednesday evening as they take on nationally ranked Emory University. The Eagles are 27-3 overall and undefeated at home so far this season. Including the Emory match, the Lady Lions have three more opportunities to reach 20 wins for the tenth straight season. Wednesday’s match is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. with live stats available through Emory.
Demorest, GA – The Piedmont College men’s soccer team suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of visiting USA South member Covenant College earlier tonight at Walker Athletic Complex to wrap up the regular season. Covenant led only 1-0 at the half with Piedmont earning several opportunities to level the score, but a trio of scores by the Scots in the final 45 minutes was too much for Head Coach Jimmy Stephens and his squad to overcome in the USA South matchup.
A quartet of seniors were honored just prior to kickoff for the Lions as Robert Williams, Vincent Thomas, James Thomas, and Codi Schutz all received recognition for their contribution to the men’s soccer program over the last four years. Despite ending their time at Walker Athletic Complex with a loss, the four will have a chance to hand Piedmont its first postseason win in four seasons as the Lions do qualify for the USA South championship tournament with quarterfinals set to begin this Saturday.
Covenant took the lead in 22nd minute on a half volley by Builder Brock as the Scots outshot PC 13 to four in the opening half. Piedmont’s Kenneth Hearn however earned six saves to keep the Lions in the game through the intermission as the junior goalkeeper would go on to earn ten overall despite picking up the loss between the posts for PC.
Hearn’s first half also included a save on a penalty kick as well as another on the follow up shot to hold Covenant to a 1-0 lead at half. However, in the second half, Covenant would score in the 49th and 56th minutes to end the home fans’ feeling of a possible comeback and go up 3-0 over the Lions with still 35 minutes to play.
Depsite the run of play belonging to Covenant for most of the night, senior Vincent Thomas would of course have something to say about the Lions being shut out so far on the evening when he finally broke through the Covenant back line and scored his season-high 9th goal of 2014, tying his single season career high set in his junior season. Thomas has already surpassed his previous high of points in a season and sits now at 24 total putting him in a 3-way tie for the conference lead in that category with Methodist’s Eric Nordseth and Covenant’s Snoopy Davidson.
Davidson scored the Scots second goal of the evening and what would be the eventual gamewinner as Covenant answered Piedmont’s score by Thomas when Noah Wiersema put in a goal in the 73rd after the Lions scored in the 72nd. Wiersema’s score would set the final scoreline at 4-1 as the Lions wrapped up play at Walker Athletic Complex in 2014.
With the loss, Piedmont drops to 7-11 having now lost three straight and seven of their last eight contests overall. Despite falling to 4-6 in conference play this season, the Lions did manage to post their most conference victories since joining the USA South three seasons ago and will not finish in anything less than 7th place in the league standings, also their best such finish in the three-season span.
Piedmont’s road in the upcoming USA South championships is not as clear however as a few circumstances must play out before the Lions can learn of their quarterfinal opponent and destination. The two possible destinations include a spot Piedmont has already visited before in Rocky Mount, North Carolina to play NC Wesleyan or a possible rematch against the same foe who defeated them earlier tonight, Covenant College, though this time around the Lions would have to travel up Lookout Mountain to face the Scots.
In any case, Piedmont will be hitting the road for their quarterfinal contest for the third straight season but have now posted their highest finish in the league standings since joining the USA South in 2012 as the Lions spent the first two seasons as the #8 seed in the championship field.
Demorest, GA – On a special day marked to honor the 2014 senior class, the Piedmont College Lady Lion Volleyball team showed out with two sweeps, 3-0, against USA South foe Huntingdon College and Wesleyan College. The Lady Lions (18-10) have posted a .717 winning percentage during the four years this senior class has donned the Green and Gold.
Against Huntingdon, the Lady Lions held the Hawks to an overall negative attack percentage in the match picking up its 12th sweep of the season. In the first set, the Lady Lions jumped out to an early 6-2 advantage but saw a few mistakes and attack errors lead to Huntingdon taking a 10-8 lead. After being tied at 10, Piedmont took control and took the first set 25-16 and cruised to a second set victory 25-17 after leading by as many as 10 in the set.
The Lady Lions left no doubt in the third barely allowing Huntington to reach double digits with a 25-12 victory to seal the match. Piedmont had a total of 5 team blocks in the contest while the Hawks were not able to record a single one.
Senior Kaitlin Norman had another stellar outing as she surpassed 200 kills on the season early in the second set against Huntingdon. She has now exceeded 200 kills in each season she has donned the Green and Gold. Norman added seven kills with a .500 attack percentage as did fellow senior Jennifer Opper. Leading the way for the Lady Lions was Taylor Cramsey who also hit .500 in the match with a match-high nine kills.
Defensively, newcomer Randee Harvel continued to impress at the libero position with 11 digs while fellow freshman Kait Steele led in assists with 18. Senior Xandy Green, who has totaled more than 1,300 assists during her career at Piedmont, tacked on another 11 assists against Huntingdon.
Norman also added five service aces against the Hawks, which is her highest mark since her career-best 6 against Cumberland University (Ky.) back in her freshman season in 2011. The senior has a total of 71 career aces with four regular season matches remaining in the Green and Gold.
In the Lady Lions’ second match of the day against Wesleyan, Piedmont took an early advantage and led by a score of 18-8 before the Wolves rattled off seven unanswered to cut the deficit to only 18-15. The Lady Lions would take control from that point leading to a 25-16 win in the first set.
The second set was a battle to the finish as Piedmont had its closest set of the day, winning 25-20. PC took advantage of a couple services aces by Jennifer Opper and attack errors by the Wolves in the early points of the set to take a lead they would never give up. In the final set, the Lady Lions shut down the Wolves attack in a 25-15 win to take the match.
Leading the way were Kaitlin Norman and Katelyn Durmire, both tallying nine kills in the match while Norman also added 10 digs, coming up one kill shy of a double-double. Norman’s 16 kills on the day put her at 210 this year, tied with her total from her freshman season.
Senior Jennifer Opper also added six kills in the match with no attack errors for a perfect 1.000 attack percentage. Opper also had a career-high six service aces and leads the team with 29 this season. Randee Harvel again led the team in digs with 11 while fellow freshman Kait Steele posted 16 assists, giving her 34 on the day and a total of 428 this season.
The Lady Lions are now just two wins away from securing another 20-win season which would mark the 10th straight season Piedmont Volleyball has met or surpassed 20 wins. Piedmont will be back in action at home Tuesday night inside Cave Arena hosting Maryville College, a team who swept the Lady Lions on the road earlier this year. PC and Maryville will square off at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday night with video available through the Mane Event Broadcasting Network.
Campaign season is coming to a close (yay, no more robocalls!) and candidates at all levels of government, from local school boards to U.S. Senate, are making their final push for votes. Georgia governor Nathan Deal (R) is among them. Deal is seeking a second term and he’s having to work for it. Polls show him running slightly ahead of his closest challenger, Democratic State Senator Jason Carter. Libertarian Andrew Hunt is also ‘in the hunt’ for the governor’s mansion but is trailing in the polls in the low single digits.
Georgia Governor Nathan Deal (R) addresses a crowd of supporters Monday outside the Community House in Cornelia.
While Deal has honed his message on the economy, education and experience, there are at least two other issues that may have a bearing on his performance at the polls Tuesday; Ethics and Medicaid.
Ethics complaints
In an exclusive interview with the governor before his campaign rally Monday in Cornelia Now Habersham asked the governor if he is concerned about political fallout from ethics complaints lodged against him in 2011 for the alleged misuse of campaign funds and from the lawsuits that followed. “…That is money that I worked very hard to raise and I can assure you I did not misspend that,” Deal said.
In 2012 the governor was cleared by the State Ethics Commission of any wrongdoing and was fined $3,350 for technical defects in his campaign finance disclosures. Several lawsuits were filed against the state ethics commission in connection with the case; former staffers claim the commission retaliated against them in an attempt to stifle the Deal investigation. The state paid $1.8 million (including attorneys’ fees) this year to settle the lawsuits.
Deal was not personally named in the lawsuits. He blames the legal wrangling on what he calls “a dysfunctional ethics commission.” He told Now Habersham, “I’m the only one who’s proposed a meaningful reform of our ethics commission (and that is) to have all three branches of state government that are under the campaign ethics rules (to) have equal appointments to the ethics commission.” Under Deal’s plan, ethics commission appointees would be disqualified from hearing cases involving members of the branch of government that appoints them. Deal says he thinks his proposal is “one of the better ways to remove any appearance of any kind of conflict of interest.”
Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act
As for Medicaid, Deal chose not to expand Medicaid in Georgia under the federal Affordable Care Act. He was criticized in some corners, praised in others. Now Habersham asked if he has second guessed his decision. “No, what you should know is that we’ve seen our Medicaid population grow by 13%. Most of the states that decided to expand it only saw a growth of about 4%. We have what is called ‘presumptive eligibility’ and that is, if somebody presents themselves in an emergency room – it doesn’t have to be for an emergency – we cover them for two months whether they are on Medicaid or not and that is costing us a lot of money just because of that ‘presumptive eligibility’ which is a part of Obamacare.” Deal said the state has had to appropriate $351.5 million this year to accommodate the Affordable Care Act.
On challenger, Jason Carter
In today’s politically charged climate Now Habersham wanted to know if candidates see beyond politics and connect with their opponents on more personal levels. We asked the governor if he had anything positive to say about his opponent Jason Carter. Deal responded with a light chuckle and this comment, “He seems to be a fine young man. One of these days I suppose he might be qualified, but he’s certainly not demonstrated any leadership in the four years he’s been in the Senate.
Treats and perhaps a trick or two will abound around Habersham County. Beginning at 5:00pm, the Annual Clarkesville Trick or Treat takes place until 7:00 pm. Hundreds of children attend the event produced by the Clarkesville Business and Community Association with support from the Better Hometown Board and the City of Clarkesville. After 7pm, head over to Piedmont College. The Campus Activity Board is sponsoring two events from 8pm-11pm. The first is a Kids Halloween Fair in the Lane Student Center. Games, crafts and treats are planned for children of all ages. For those children over the age of 10, the Annual Getman-Babcock Haunted House will be full of frights.
Deal’s campaign bus carries the governor and other dignitaries across the state in their bids for re-election.
The Nov. 4 General Election is one week away and Republicans in Habersham are rallying behind their candidates. About fifty people turned out Monday to show their support for Georgia governor Nathan Deal and other state-wide elected officials. Deal, along with Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, Secy. of State Brian Kemp, Public Service Commissioners Lauren “Bubba” McDonald and Doug Everett, and 9th District U.S. Rep. Doug Collins rolled into Habersham aboard Deal’s campaign bus. They stopped at the Community House in Cornelia which served as the backdrop for the event.
The theme of the rally was two-fold: Get out the GOP vote and jobs, jobs, jobs.
Jobs and the economy are the centerpiece of Georgia’s gubernatorial campaign. Deal touts his record on job growth; close to 300,000 new jobs added since he took office in 2011. During Monday’s event in Cornelia he cited rankings that place Georgia at the top of the list of the best states for business. Georgia was ranked #1 by Site Selection magazine and CNBC. Deal says his economic policies are working. “Last year we created more jobs in Georgia than 44 other states in the entire union,” Deal told the crowd. “And many of the states that were ahead of us were two to three times larger in population than we were.”
Meanwhile, Deal’s Democratic challenger, State Senator Jason Carter, points to Georgia’s unemployment rate as evidence to back his claims that Deal’s economic policies aren’t working.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Georgia’s unemployment rate in September was 7.9%, two points higher than the national average. It’s the second straight month Georgia has had the highest unemployment rate in the nation.
Carter’s campaign may be gaining traction among some voters with the unemployment argument, but third-party candidate, Libertarian Andrew Hunt, has had little luck gaining traction with voters in his bid for the governor’s mansion. The high-tech entrepreneur from Atlanta has been all but silenced by the noise flowing between the Deal and Carter camps.
Despite the political challenge on two fronts, Deal remains focused on his message about the economy and education. He recently oversaw the successful passage of a $7.95 billion state education budget. The budget will funnel an additional $535 million into Georgia’s schools next year.
Local business people, elected officials and voters turned out Monday at the Community House in Cornelia to show their support for Gov. Nathan Deal (R) and other Republican state leaders.
“It represents a higher percentage of general revenue for K-12 education than any four years of any governor’s term in office since Carl Sanders was governor in the early 1960s,” Deal said. Deal criticized Carter for opposing the measure. Carter was one of five senators who voted against it. He has gone on record saying he opposed it because it “underfunded” education.
If his record on the economy and education aren’t enough to sway voters next Tuesday it appears Deal hopes his experience will. During Monday’s rally the governor – a former U.S. Congressman and state legislator – chided Carter’s credentials. “Jason Carter has been a senator for the entire time I’ve been the governor of this state. He has not passed a single bill. He’s not had any position of leadership, even within his own Democrat caucus in the Senate or within his predominantly dominated Democrat membership of the Dekalb County delegation of either the House or the Senate. And if he has not been selected as a leader by the folks who know him best, that ought to tell you something.”
A poll released Friday by the Atlanta Journal Constitution shows Deal leading Carter by 5 points, 46%-41% with Hunt claiming 5% of the likely voters who were polled. Other polls have shown Carter in the lead off and on throughout the campaign. All current polls are within the margin of error.
While the election may be too close to call, chances are good there will be a runoff. Georgia law requires a runoff in elections where no one candidate receives 50% of the vote. With a third party candidate on the ballot it is likely Deal and Carter will face off again at the polls on December 2.
Despite all the uncertainty, Deal remains positive. “We’re feeling pretty good about it. We’ve had the opportunity to go all around the state of Georgia and I think people are beginning to get energized. People can’t take it for granted. They have to get out and vote.”
Early voting in Habersham ends Friday, Oct. 31. You can vote M-F from 8-5pm at the Country Registrars Office, the Ruby C. Fulbright Aquatic Center or Historic Cornelia Depot.
If you wait to cast your ballot on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, you must vote at your regularly assigned precinct. Election day poll hours are 7am-7pm.
If you’re unsure of which precinct you’re assigned to, contact the county elections office at 706-839-0170 or visit www.mvp.sos.ga.gov online.
The Deal campaign rolled into Habersham on the governor’s bus.
Gov. Nathan Deal speaks with former State Senator John Foster and his wife, Bobbie, as the Foster’s son, David, looks on. The Fosters own WCON Radio in Cornelia. John Foster and Nathan Deal worked in radio together early on in their careers and later served together in the Georgia legislature.
9th Dist. U.S. Rep. Doug Collins (R) introduces Gov. Deal during the campaign rally in Cornelia. Collins played to the GOP base, telling the crowd, “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk, and they don’t let them vote Democrat.”
GA Gov. Nathan Deal (R) addresses a crowd of supporters Monday outside the Community House in Cornelia.
Secy. of State Brian Kemp is among the Republicans up for state-wide re-election.
Public Service Commissioners, Doug Everett (on left) and Lauren “Bubba” McDonald, urged fellow Republicans to get out the vote. Everett told the crowd, “There’s no way Democrats can beat us. No way, shape, form or fashion, but we can beat ourselves.”
PSC member Lauren “Bubba” McDonald urged fellow Habersham Countians to vote for Gov. Nathan Deal.
First Lady of Georgia, Sandra Deal, looks on from the crowd as her husband stumps for votes.
Local elected officials were among those in attendance. They included (back row, l-r): Habersham County Tax Commissioner June Black, 28th Dist. State Rep. Dan Gasaway and Habersham County Commission Chairman Chad Henderson.
Monday’s rally was organized by local businesswoman and Deal campaign chairperson for Habersham, Abby Jackson (center).
Habersham Central High School senior Lindsey Brown is expected to be moved from Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta tomorrow. There, she will undergo neurological and cognitive therapy. Family members say there were concerns Brown may have suffered a stroke but an MRI today showed no signs of that.
Brown did suffer trauma and fractures to bones on both sides of her eyes and sinus area. She is being treated for that, along with other injuries she sustained in a car wreck in Hall County last week.
Brown is expected to remain at the Shepherd Center for 4-6 weeks.
Here Lindsey Brown (on right) is shown with family friend, Beth Chapman, at a music festival in Cleveland this summer.
