Thousands of locals and tourists got out to enjoy the beautiful fall weather in northeast Georgia on Saturday. Many of them visited Tallulah Gorge State Park in neighboring Rabun County. While the 2-mile long, 1,000 foot deep Tallulah Gorge is a sight to behold anytime, there was even more to see Saturday as millions of gallons of rushing water cascaded down waterfalls at the bottom of the gorge during the park’s eleventh aesthetic water release since September.
A view of LaDore Falls from the north rim of Tallulah Gorge. This is one of six waterfalls that cascade through the gorge. Hawthorne Pool sits at the foot of LaDore Falls, near the remains of a water compressor plant that was used during the construction of Tallulah Falls Dam in 1910.
On a typical day, the water flow through the gorge is 35-40 cubic feet per second (CFS). During aesthetic releases, the flow is 200 CFS.
The water will continue to flow through the gorge at this rate through this evening, Sunday, Oct. 26. After that, the water will again be held back by Georgia Power’s hydroelectric dam on Tallulah Falls Lake. Georgia Power collects and redirects most of the water in the lake through a 6,666-foot (2,032 m) pipe that travels around the falls to an electricity generation station downstream.
Hiking permits to the bottom of the gorge are not issued during water releases. However, you can hike to a suspension bridge that sways 80 feet above the bottom of the gorge to observe the river and waterfalls.
This is the final aesthetic water release scheduled for this year but several whitewater releases are scheduled for kayaking and whitewater rafting enthusiasts to enjoy next month. Whitewater release dates are Nov. 1-2, Nov. 8-9 and Nov. 15-16.
A kayaker makes his way through Tallulah Groge on April 15, 2014. photo by Chris Gorman
During whitewater releases the water through Tallulah Gorge typically flows at a rate of 500-700 CFS making it a Class IV-V whitewater run (advanced paddlers, no beginners). Paddlers put in at the gorge and follow the Tallulah River to Lake Tugalo. Information about whitewater rafting/kayaking through Tallulah Gorge can be found at American Whitewater online. Volunteers are needed to assist in November.
You can register now for a hike down to Bridal Veil Falls in the gorge in November to watch kayakers and rafters paddle the Tallulah River. The hike is strenuous. The cost is $15 plus $5 parking. To register call Tallulah Gorge State Park at 706-754-7981 or visit https://gastateparks.org/TallulahGorge online for more information.
Demorest, GA – The Piedmont College women’s soccer team picked up yet another shutout in USA South play Saturday afternoon taking 2-0 decision over Averett University at Walker Athletic Complex. The win is the second straight over Averett for the Lady Lions as Piedmont shutout a USA South foe at home for the 4th time in five tries as only yesterday’s opponent, Greensboro, has scored on PC in league play at Walker Athletic Complex in 2014.
Piedmont took the lead in the first half as senior Shayna Rogers fired a pass from Savannah Castles over the head of the Averett keeper in the 29th minute. For Rogers, the goal moves her season point total to 15, her highest single season point total of her four year career as a Lady Lion and the third time she has posted double-digit point totals in a season.
Castles would also earn an assist on Piedmont’s second goal of the afternoon though it would not come until the 85th minute with PC already in control of the match firmly. Scoring the Lady Lions’ second goal was the youngster Tristian Bailey who notches her first career goal with the score which came off a redirected corner and scramble just in front of the net.
The Green and Gold dominated the stat sheet against the Cougars with a 15 to two advantage in the shot department as the Lady Lion defense held Averett to zero shots in the second half. Picking up the shutout in goal was junior Michaela Gardner who earned her 7th clean sheet of the season with six of those coming in USA South play alone.
PC also took nine corners to just the two that Averett took on the afternoon.
By virtue of the win, Piedmont secures itself a home quarterfinal as the Lady Lions can now finish no worse than 3rd in the conference standings earning a top 4 right to host next Saturday, November 1st. PC currently sits in a two-way tie for first place with Maryville, but 3rd place Meredith has one more game to play than PC and can earn 33 points whereas the Lady Lions can only post 31.
With just one game remaining in the Lady Lions’ regular season, Piedmont will pay tribute to its seniors on Wednesday, October 29 in their next contest playing host to USA South member Covenant College with kickoff set for 7:00 pm. The evening will be full of Senior Night festivities as PC honors its four graduating players with festivities beginning approximately 15 minutes before kickoff.
Coverage of Wednesday’s contest will be carried on the Mane Event Broadcasting Network as will the night’s Senior Night recognition.
Demorest, GA – The Piedmont College men’s soccer team leveled the score late, but could not hold off visiting Averett University in overtime as the Cougars handed PC a 2-1 loss Saturday with a golden goal in OT. Averett pulls to within two points of PC in the conference standings as the Lions currently hold 6th place in the USA South standings with Averett right behind.
In a scoreless first half, it was the Lions who bested the Cougars outshooting the visitors six to four though both teams were able to put a pair each on the target. Averett’s best chance came in the 31st minute when the Cougars’ Mitchell Smith broke free behind the Piedmont defense, but his shot just inside the box was denied by a last ditch effort from Kenneth Hearn whose kick save kept the match scoreless in Demorest.
Piedmont’s best effort in the first came on a shot from winger Vincent Thomas as his shot from just atop the box gave Averett keeper Martin Erenstedt all he could handle as the Cougars’ netminder also did his part to hold the shutout.
Scoreless through the intermission, each team would have a free kick chance in the final third within ten minutes of starting action back up in the second half, but both keepers would again be up to the challenge as the two stayed deadlocked at 0’s.
Neither team would score until the Cougars’ Nathan Brown cut off a pass through the Piedmont back four in the 64th minute and finished his chance for the 1-0 lead ending the shutout at Walker. Now up 1-0, Brown would have two more chances just a few minutes later with Hearn forcing his first shot wide while a header from Brown in the 67th went wide of the post as well.
In the 70th minute, PC’s Matthew Metzger gave the Lions a chance to draw level but Erenstedt would stretch to full length to keep his team in front making the save despite the deflection the ball took at the top of the box. Less than seven minutes later, PC would finally get the equalizer it was looking for as youngster Ryan Herbert continued his campaign for USA South Rookie of the Year scoring off a pass from Thomas to put Piedmont at 1-1.
Tied through the end of regulation, the two would need overtime to decide a victor with Piedmont getting a corner kick just two minutes into the extra time. However, the Lions were unable to convert on the set piece chance to end the match.
Halfway through the first OT period, Averett would put an end to the contest scoring on a cross from the right side as Brown slotted home the Kyle Mosley cross in the 96th minute for the gamewinner.
With now the 5 seed now out of reach for PC in the USA South championships, Piedmont will need to win or tie on Tuesday night against Covenant to secure the 6 seed or hope for an Averett tie or loss against William Peace. No matter the scenario, the Lions cannot finish worse than the 7 seed in the championship field and are guaranteed their best finish in a USA South regular season regardless.
Now 7-10 overall and 4-5 in USA South play, Piedmont will now prepare for its final contest of the regular season as the Lions play host to Covenant College on Tuesday, October 28th with kickoff set for 7:30 pm. The contest will also be the program’s Senior Night as well with festivities beginning approximately 15 minutes before kickoff.
All the Senior Night Recognition as well as game action against Covenant will be carried live on the Mane Event Broadcasting Network.
Clarkesville, GA – Scholarships are a way of rewarding outstanding students with assistance in the pursuit of their dreams. Scholarships come in many forms, and recently North Georgia Technical College Auto Collision Technology student Justin Postell of Andrews, North Carolina, and Automotive Technology student James Burns of Toccoa received a tools scholarship from the Northeast Georgia Antique Auto Region.
Pictured (l-r): David Wall, Grady Cowart, Justin Postell and Jeremy Mcafee.
Chosen from almost 100 students in the NGTC Automotive programs, Postell and Burns each received a gift certificate to be used for equipment in their chosen future profession. Justin, who is studying Auto Collision Technology with instructor Jeremy McAfee, chose the program at North Georgia Tech for several reasons. “I knew it was a great program and it was close to home,” he said. Though he lives in the dorm, he is close enough to home to visit frequently.”
Postell will be completing his program of study this Spring. James, who is studying Automotive Technology with instructors Stoney Farmer and Kevin McCurry, came into the program after completing his GED® at the college. “I was just going to get my ASE Certification, but when I learned I could get even more training in the diploma program, I decided to enroll.” “James does everything exactly like it is supposed to be done,” said Stoney Farmer. “His work is very precise, and we use it as an example for the other students to follow.”
Pictured (l-r): David Wall, Grady Cowart, James Burns and Stoney Farmer
As enrollment increases each year, the competition for these scholarships becomes tougher. “We chose these two students, one from Auto Tech and one from Auto Collision, because they stand out from the rest,” said NGTC Automotive Technology Instructor Stoney Farmer. He listed a variety of attributes including grades, commitment to the program, work ethics, skills, and attitude.
On hand to present the awards to the scholars were the Northeast Georgia Antique Auto Region Chapter president Grady Cowart and David Wall. For more information on the transportation programs or to make a donation to the Foundation, call 706-754-7700 or visit www.northgatech.edu.
I adore Jesus’ personality. He had quite a sense of humor and of timing. He could deliver a line and tongue tie the wisest of men. One of my favorite stories of Jesus is the wine to water miracle from John 2:1 -11.
Wedding celebrations bring out the best and worst in most people from stress and anxiety to overwhelming joy and laughter. Jesus and his Mom attended a wedding in Cana of Galilee – an all day event of friends of the family – and Mary became concerned for her friends when the wine runs out. In those days, it was public humiliation for the father of the bride’s family to run out of wine. On such occasions, the bride’s family served the best of the best at the beginning of the celebration and as people became more festive and less conscious of the quality, the less expense wine was served in the latter part of the evening. But to run out of wine…
Mary brings her concern to Jesus.
3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine left.” 4 Jesus replied, “Woman, why are you saying this to me? My time has not yet come.” 5 His mother told the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.”.
I always smile at this because my son Ben calls me “Woman…” While many might find it disrespectful, I love the endearment of it. Regardless of the timing, Jesus comes to the rescue and changes the water into the finest of wines. The guests are elated because their host (the father of the bride) has saved the best wine for the end of the celebration.
Isn’t it just like Jesus to come in at the end with the best of all best solutions. Because He is all-knowing, Jesus knew they were going to run out of wine. He knew His Mom would request of Him to do something. I love His teasing manner as well to His mom, and her assured response, knowing He would do as she asked.
In your trials and struggles, always remember that Satan gives his best first – God saves His best for last. Like a giant broom, God comes in and sweeps up all the mess and always turns what Satan deemed to be a destroying blow, into a victory for God.
Our job is not to doubt. Like a knight on a white horse, God is on the way with the best of the best. Be assured.
The John’s Creek Gladiators defeated the Habersham Central Raiders Friday night at John’s Creek, 42-14. The homecoming win for the Gladiators was their first of the season and the team’s first win in 19 games. Both teams went into the game winless. The Raiders now have lost 21 consecutive games.
Although the Raiders went into Friday’s game stronger statistically – with more rushing yards, passing yards, tackles and points per game – they just couldn’t hold off the Gladiators’ home team momentum. The Raiders got on the board first early in the first quarter but John’s Creek answered quickly and stayed ahead of the Raiders the rest of the night.
Last night’s loss drops the Raiders to 0-8 on the season, 0-7 in regional play.
The team still has a chance to pull out a win. There are two games left in the regular season. The Raiders return home to John Larry Black Field in Mt. Airy next Friday, Oct. 31, for a Halloween matchup against North Forsyth. Game time is 7:30pm. The game will be carried live on WCON 99.3 FM radio beginning at 7pm.
Other 6AAAAAA Region scores:
Alpharetta 24 – South Forsyth 14
Centennial 27 – North Forsyth 3
Northview 37 – Chattahoochee 7
Johns Creek 42 Habersham Central 14
Lambert 33 – West Forsyth 27
Other regional scores of interest:
Region 8AAAAA
Heritage, Conyers 35 – Apalachee 28
Gainesville 61 – Cedar Shoals 26
Winder-Barrow 35 – Clarke Central 29
Flowery Branch 29 – Loganville 14
Lanier 42 – Salem 35
Region 8AAAAA
Buford 58 – North Oconee 3
White County 50 – Chestatee 28
Stephens County 31 – Madison County 10
Monroe Area 14 – North Hall 7
Region 8-AAA
Jackson County 35 – East Jackson 15
Elbert County 41 – Morgan County 7
Hart County 49 – Oconee County 21
Region 8-AA
Greene County 24 – Riverside Military 7
Oglethorpe County 13 – Social Circle 10
Rabun County 22 – Washington-Wilkes 7
Region 7-AAA
Banks County 27 – Dawson County 21
East Hall 34 – Franklin County 7
West Hall 49 – Fannin County 0
Demorest, GA – The Piedmont College women’s soccer team caught lightning in a bottle Friday afternoon to pull off a dramatic 2-1 win over visiting Greensboro College at Walker Athletic Complex. With the sun just setting in Demorest, it was defender Elizabeth Gale who would not let midnight toll on her team’s chance at a win at home as she scored the golden goal that handed Piedmont the 1-goal win and another USA South victory.
After a scoreless first half that featured only five shots, fans at Walker Athletic Complex thought perhaps the two squads would continue to stay quiet on a Friday afternoon of USA South soccer action. However, Piedmont had other ideas putting together a spectacular combination play through the air that featured several Lady Lions keeping possession before Savannah Castles would finally volley away the cross from senior Shayna Rogers.
Castles’ 7th goal of the season put Piedmont up 1-0 in the 53rd minute as Rogers collected yet another assist, her 7th of the season as she leads the team in that category. However, despite taking the 2nd half lead and applying a great deal of pressure on the Greensboro defense with three corners and two shots in the next six minutes, the Pride would manage to score against the run of play on a strong breakaway chance in the 65th minute to level the board.
It was the Pride’s Allison Gibson who tallied the score, the USA South’s reigning Player of the Week after earning seven points in a 2-0 showing for the squad last week. Now tied at 1-1, Piedmont had a chance with two shots in the waning minutes to win in regulation, but a save from Greensboro’s Jessica Thatcher kept it even and sent the two in overtime to decide a victor.
For Piedmont, it would be the third overtime contest of the season as the Lady Lions had already picked up a win in OT against Ferrum earlier in the season before battling Methodist to a 0-0 draw over 110 minutes in Fayetteville a few games later.
With the game hanging in the balance, Piedmont had the better of the period as a well placed pass from Megan Hatfield midway through the OT found a waiting Kalyn Dumanowsky whose effort went just over the bar. However, just a few moments later, it would this time be Dumanowsky acting as the creator as she found herself in nearly the exact same spot with just more than 45 seconds remaining on the clock.
It was then that the sophomore heard the voice of Elizabeth Gale, better known as “E” to her Lady Lion teammates, who was making the attacking run from the right back position with the Greensboro defense still shifting to cover. Dumanowsky laid the ball into Gale’s run almost perfectly as the outside back, who had come on as a sub just a few minutes earlier, laced a shot just over the head of Thatcher and into the back of the net sending the Lady Lions onto the field with the golden goal winner, 2-1.
For the junior defender, the goal is the first of her Piedmont career and came at the perfect time with Piedmont moving now to 12-4-1 overall and now 8-1-1 in conference play. The Lady Lions now sit in 2nd place in the USA South standings with 25 points through ten games, but only three points clear of 3rd place Maryville.
Piedmont will not have long to rest as the Lady Lions play host to Averett University, another USA South member, on Saturday, Oct. 25, at Walker Athletic Complex. Kickoff is set for 4:30 pm and action will be carried live on the Mane Event Broadcasting Network.
Demorest, GA – The Piedmont College men’s soccer team could not hold off the best team in the league as visiting Greensboro College handed the Lions a 5-0 loss Friday at Walker Athletic Complex. The result is the most lopsided loss for PC in 2014 and largest margin of defeat since last year’s season-ending 5-0 loss to Methodist in the USA South Quarterfinals.
Greensboro’s George Dimopoulos scored two in the first half while Drew Clukey added another for the visitors who held a 3-0 lead at halftime against the Lions. Piedmont was outshot 13-3 in the first 45 minutes as the Pride took control early earning seven corners in the first half while the Lions did not take a single one.
Piedmont’s Kenneth Hearn would come up with five saves in the opening half, but it was not enough as Greensboro took its three goal advantage into the second period before adding a fourth in the 58th minute as Chris Gage fired home a Scott Faytol corner kick service. Now up 4-0, the Pride made it worse in the waning moments getting a brilliant strike from Asa Britten in the 85th to seal the 5-0 win on the road.
PC was led in shots by a quartet of players who each took one as the Lions trailed in the shot column 17 to four overall. Only one strike came on frame for PC on the afternoon with Kofi Bates accounting for the effort.
Picking up the loss in league play, the Lions are now an even 4-4 in league play and sit now at 7-9 overall. Greensboro, meanwhile, strengthens its stranglehold on the top of the table as the Pride puts its total at 24 points through nine games, five points clear of 2nd place.
The loss sets up a tough test for Saturday as Averett University visits Walker Athletic Complex for a 2:00 pm kickoff on Oct. 25. The Lions dropped a 2-goal decision to the Cougars in 2013 on the road.
Averett is coming off a 1-0 loss to Covenant College just this afternoon. Action against the Cougars will be carried live on the Mane Event Broadcasting Network.
The Nov. 4 General Election is next week. If you want to avoid potential lines and cast your ballot early there’s still time.
Early voting continues through Oct. 31. Hours are Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm at the County Elections and Registration Office located in the basement of the old courthouse at 555 Monroe Street.
Advance Voting begins Monday, Oct. 27 and runs through Oct. 31. Hours are Monday-Friday from 8am-7pm at the Ruby C. Fulbright Aquatic Center and Historic Cornelia Depot. The Aquatic Center is located at 120 Paul Franklin Road/Toccoa Hwy. in Clarkesville. The Depot is located at 102 Clarkesville Street in Cornelia.
If you cast your ballot early you may do so at any of the locations listed above regardless of where your regular voting precinct is located. If you wait to cast your ballot on election day you must vote at your regularly assigned precinct.
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.
I’ve known him since he was born. When he was young he was close friends with my son and they often hung out together on my parent’s Christmas tree farm outside of Clarkesville. Whenever those two boys got together the conversation among us adults usually went something like this. “Uh, where are the boys?” “I thought you were watching them.” “They were right here a second ago.” And then, “Oh nooooo…” our voices trailing off as we rushed out the door in search of them.
We usually didn’t have to go far. More often than not we would find them in the backyard or my dad’s workshop engaged in some kind of mischief or cover up. Windows busted by baseballs (can’t imagine who did it), golf balls scattered throughout the farm (‘we’ll pick them up’…sure), spray paint on the sidewalk (why?). Once, they took the slide off the playset because they thought it would be more fun to jump seven-feet to the ground than to slide. That playset never was the same after that. Hatchets and hammers and screwdrivers and nails pretty much did it in. It went to the scrap yard when there was no ‘play’ left in its ‘set.’
Oh, and then there was that really nasty go-cart wreck that involved a sliced leg and stitches.
HCHS sophomore Tyler Coulter of Clarkesville wants to become a firefighter. He watched as local firefighters put out a gas fire during an exhibition/training exercise Thursday at the Habersham County Fairgrounds.
Yes, when those two boys got together we adults were always on guard. So imagine my surprise when I ran into this young boy, now a teenager, and discovered his dream is to become a firefighter. When he told me, I did a double-take. “Really?” I thought maybe it was a joke. I waited for the punch line. There wasn’t one. He really does want to become a firefighter; so much so, in fact, that at 17 he’s already working towards it. He’s in the Explorers Program which prepares young people for careers in public safety. By this time next year he could be a tested, trained, on-duty volunteer firefighter. “Hopefully I can volunteer for a couple of years and then, after college, I’ll be a full-time firefighter,” he told me. It can be dangerous work. I asked if that scares him, “It has at times,” he responded, “but I feel like it’s something I’ve always wanted to do and, hopefully, I can conquer it.” The confidence in his voice tells me he can.
I left our conversation thinking about the dangerous profession he’s chosen. It’s not the one I would have picked for him, nor, I’m sure, his mother, but it’s his life, his future, his choice.
That got me thinking about all of the other young men and women who choose similar career paths – firefighting, law enforcement, the military. The understandable satisfaction derived from helping others can quickly dissolve into the not-so-understandable possibility of sacrifice. Mothers, brothers, husbands, sisters, fathers and wives putting their lives on the line daily: Their families never knowing for certain, one day to the next, whether they’ll come home.
It’s a lot to wrap your head and heart around; why anyone would willingly, eagerly, choose such a dangerous job. It makes you pause and wonder, “Could I do that? Would I do that?”
Our public safety professionals pledge to serve, protect and defend us and we gladly let them. We despise those flashing blue lights when they’re in our rear view mirror but, oh, how we welcome them when we’re in trouble. We complain about fire insurance rates and tax dollars spent on new equipment but, oh, how we want those trucks and that water running when our house is burning down to the ground. We debate whether to approve a penny- on-the-dollar tax to replace old ambulances and support medical services but we expect that ambulance to arrive and those hospital doors to open when we need them.
Come to think of it, public safety work is not only dangerous, it can be thankless. When these professionals do their jobs right they receive little praise, but when something goes wrong, oh, how the critics swarm.
We hold our public safety officials to extra high standards. We expect and demand of them the utmost in professionalism and conduct. I believe that is fair given that so much lies in the balance. While most of us deal with deadlines and bottom lines on our jobs, these men and women deal with our lives, often standing in the gap between life and death. Yes, we should expect a lot from our public safety officials but we also should balance those expectations against the fact they are human. Mistakes will sometimes be made. Accidents will sometimes occur. As long as they are trained, professional and doing their best, honestly, what more can we expect? What more do we want? After all, they are doing what so many of us could not…would not…be willing or able to do ourselves.
I worry about my son’s friend’s chosen profession. I worry for his safety when he becomes a firefighter. But thank goodness there are people out there like him.
Thank goodness there are those who see fire and run to it rather than from it. Thank goodness there are those who race to help victims in accidents. Thank goodness there are those who stop us on the road to remind us it could be us in that wreck. Thank goodness there are those who calmly deal with frantic cries for help over the phone. Thank goodness there are those who fight terrorists on foreign soil and fight the bad guys here at home. Thank goodness, no, thank God, there are public safety professionals in our community who are willing to risk it all for all of us.
MIGNON HUMPHREY BRUCE, 95, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother; faithful servant of God, patron of the arts, activist, educator and wonderful friend—finished a long journey Tuesday, October 14, 2014, at Habersham County Medical Center after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
