Habersham nurse appointed by governor

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October 21, 2014

Governor Nathan Deal has named Lynn Echols to serve on the Joint Study Committee on Violence against Health Care Workers.
Echols is a registered nurse and serves as the director of the Emergency Department (ED), PrimeCare and Respiratory Therapy at Habersham Medical Center. The Committee was formed by SR981 and signed into legislation by Governor Deal on April 22, 2014. The bill was developed out of concern that 80% of emergency personnel have been assaulted at least once in their career.

The committee is charged with delivering a report due in December of this year. Other members of the committee are three members of the State House, three members of the State Senate. Five seats on the committee have been appointed by the Governor. In addition to Echols, Hany Atallah, Chief and Medical Director of Emergency Medicine at Grady; Versie Davis, Director of Crisis Stabilization Programs and Addictive Disease at Viewpoint Health; Quentin Jude Chief of Police for the Medical Center of Central Georgia Police Department and Kay Hall, Emergency Department Operations Manager for Northeast Georgia Health Systems in Gainesville.

Echols and her husband, Brian, live in Clarkesville and have two children, Ethan and Mary. She received her BSN from Emory University and her Master’s in Nursing from Brenau.

PC student-athlete honor roll

By

Joy Purcell

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October 20, 2014

A trio of Piedmont soccer players were honored with spots on this week’s USA South Player of the Week listing including Chase Kane (left), Michaela Gardner (center) and Shayna Healy (right).

Fayetteville, NC – The USA South Athletic Conference has released its Player of the Week listing for the week ending October 19, 2014 with three Piedmont College student-athletes making the grade. Women’s soccer players Michaela Gardner and Shayna Healy along with men’s soccer player Chase Kane all made the list as the Lions and Lady Lions on the pitch went a combined 3-1 on the week in USA South action.

Kane’s big day of the week came on Saturday afternoon as the freshman phenom tallied two goals in a 2-0 shutout on the road of Huntingdon College where the Lions had to play 10-on-11 after a red card in the first five minutes. Despite playing short-handed for more than 85 minutes, Kane’s surge of a header less than 90 seconds after the saved Huntingdon PK and his second-half score put the Lions up two goals and solidified a key USA South road win for the Lions.

For Gardner, Wednesday’s shutout of Maryville was the Lady Lion goalkeeper’s 6th solo shutout of the season as her team defended for 90 minutes against one the league’s best attacks, the Scots of Marvyille College who lead the league in goals with nearly 20 more than the next in that column. Gardner’s performance comes as a part of a current shutout streak stretching more than 370 minutes in conference play as she last allowed a goal in a USA South contest back on October 1st in the waning moments of a 2-1 win at LaGrange.

Healy’s magic moment also came in Wednesday’s win over Maryville, the first victory for the Lady Lions over the long-time conference power since the 2001 GSAC final. The freshman from Sharpsburg, Georgia looped a
cross over the head of the Maryville keeper with less than five minutes to play to hand Piedmont the lead in the eventual 1-0 win over the Scots keeping PC in the running for a spot in the league’s top four and a possible home quarterfinal in the championship tournament.

Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams are back in action this weekend with Greensboro College coming to town for a Friday doubleheader starting at 2:00 pm with the men’s game while the Cougars of Averett University will visit the following day, again kicking off with the men’s game at 2:00 pm. All four games of this weekend’s USA South soccer action at Walker will be aired live on the Mane Event Broadcasting Network.

HCHS senior critically injured in wreck

By

Joy Purcell

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October 20, 2014

A Habersham Central High School senior remains in critical condition tonight following a single vehicle accident in Hall County.

18-year old Lindsey Brown of Demorest was critically injured when she wrecked on State Route 365 near Belton Bridge Road. It happened around 10am Monday. The Georgia State Patrol says Brown was driving north on 365 when the 2005 Toyota Tacoma pickup she was driving drifted onto the right shoulder of the road, traveled back across both northbound lanes and into the median before overturning multiple times across both southbound lanes of the highway.

Brown was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) in Gainesville where tonight she remains in critical condition. Beth Chapman is a family friend of the Browns. She tells Now Habersham Lindsey Brown is undergoing medical tests to determine the full extent of her injuries.

Lindsey Brown is the daughter of Alice Roland Brewer and Jamey Brown of Habersham County.

Sam Hill powers his way to top 40

By

Joy Purcell

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October 20, 2014

Sam Hill, seen above receiving an award from Head Golf Coach Michael McMunn after winning the PC Fall Invitational, has been a breakthrough performer in his first year with the Green and Gold earning regional and national recognition for his play this fall.

Demorest, GA – The Piedmont College men’s golf team came into the 2014-15 year with a lot of expectations for the freshmen class. However, with the impressive play from several of the new additions including that of freshman sensation Sam Hill, those youngsters are looking more like young stars on the rise for a program ready for a revival after staying dormant during last year’s USA South Championship Tournament.

The Lions just barely missed out on the 9-team field in 2014 that competed for the conference title, but with the GolfStat rankings starting to take shape, the team’s rise has been accompanied with the rise of a young individual as well.

A native of Orlando, Florida, Sam Hill has already managed to work his way into the national rankings with the final tournament of the fall being the Chick-Fil-A Collegiate Tournament starting Monday.

Hill acquired his first collegiate tournament victory winning the Piedmont College Fall Invitational in early September, which was his first ever college competition. The freshman also tied for 5th in the Tom Kinder Memorial and 25th in a field of 94 golfers in the Royal Lakes invitational.

If his finishes do not speak loud enough about his contribution to the team, Hill currently sits at 36th in the nation for overall score with an average of 73.33.

If Hill continues this performance, he will set a new school record for a yearly average which is currently 74.5 set by Clifton Barton in the 2008-2009 season. Along with the top 40 placement in statistical average, Hill is currently ranked 81st in head-to-head scoring.

Hill is joined by a pair of young teammates that have made for a formidable freshman trio so far this fall with the additions of Douglas Burke and Davis Cook. The group of freshman have placed Piedmont 3rd in the nation in freshman impact scoring.

Since Piedmont has three freshmen competing, their relative strength sits high at 401.322. The trio are scoring an average 76.83 throughout the fall tournaments.

The Men’s Golf team overall is ranked 96th in the country, which would be their 4th best finish in the decade. The freshman have done an excellent job of leading the team so far this year, and will continue their success in the Chick-Fil-A Collegiate tournament coming up Monday, October 20. Fans are encouraged to stay connected with the men’s golf team at PiedmontLions.com for all tournament and schedule updates.

Couple killed in wreck to be laid to rest

By

Joy Purcell

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October 20, 2014

A North Georgia couple killed in a weekend car crash near Homer will be laid to rest during a joint military funeral service on Thursday.

The funeral service for 22-year old Brittany Hester and her husband, 25-year old Lyndon Hester, is scheduled for 2 pm Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Chapel of McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home in Cornelia. Visitation is from 5-8 pm Wednesday, Oct. 22, at the funeral home.

The Hesters, who have family in Baldwin and Mt. Airy, were living in Commerce at the time of their deaths.

Originally from Hershey, Pennsylvania, Brittany was a 2010 graduate of Eastern Lebanon County School District and Lyndon was a 2009 graduate of Banks County High School. After graduating Brittany and Lyndon both joined the U.S. Army . They met while in service and married in February of 2011. They will be buried with full military honors.

The couple died in a two-car crash on Highway 15/U.S. 441 Saturday. It happened around 11:10am just south of Sample Scales Road in Banks County. The Georgia State Patrol says Brittany Hester was driving north toward Baldwin when she ran off the road, lost control of her car and skidded across several lanes of traffic. The car then crossed the median and struck a gold Honda Pilot driven by 62-year old Cynthia BoBo of Sautee Nacoochee.

Authorities say the Hesters were dead by the time they arrived on the scene. Their two children were injured in the wreck. Six-month old Jaycee Hester was lifeflighted to Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta in critical condition. Three-year old Justen Hester was transported to Athens Regional Medical Center with apparent minor injuries.

Authorities say Bobo and her 9-year old granddaughter, Brelan Sieveking of Sautee, were taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Bobo’s daughter, Molly Sieveking, says her mother remains in the hospital. Her daughter was discharged from the hospital Saturday.

Molly Sieveking released a statement to Now Habersham this afternoon on behalf of her family:

“It was such a tragic accident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Hester family. Our hearts will always be with those little babies that were involved.”

For more on funeral arrangements for Brittany and Lyndon Hester click here.

James Frederick “Jim” Wintemute

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Staff Report

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October 20, 2014

Memorial services for JAMES FREDERICK “JIM” WINTEMUTE, age 80 of Clarkesville, will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, October 25, 2014 from the Kingdom Hall of Jehovahs Witnesses, 680 Double Bridge Connector, Demorest, GA 30535.

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New target completion date for Cleveland bypass

By

Joy Purcell

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October 20, 2014

If you frequently travel through Cleveland on your way to Clermont or Gainesville chances are you’ve experienced traffic delays in recent months due to construction of the new Cleveland Bypass. Work on the long-awaited project began in early August. The original deadline for completion already has passed and now a new deadline has been set.

The Georgia Department of Transportation issued a press release today citing a new target completion date of April 30, 2015, weather permitting. The original target completion date of the Cleveland Bypass was July 31 of this year. Each day since, and until construction’s complete, the DOT is penalizing Sunbelt with a daily fine of $1,869 for missing the original deadline. The DOT says it’s “working diligently with Sunbelt Structures to finish Phase One of the Cleveland Bypass.

The contract to build Phase One the Cleveland Bypass in White County was awarded to Sunbelt Structures, Inc. of Tucker. This 1.97 mile long project begins at Hope Drive at SR 11/US 129 and extends northwest to SR 115.

May your God rescue you…

By

Pastor Mike Franklin

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October 20, 2014

“May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.” -Daniel 6:16

Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, full count, score is tied, and of course, it’s for the league championship. The anxiety in the small stadium of our hometown builds as the high school pitcher, adjusts his cap, glances over his shoulder to first base, winds to throw…

Life is like that. Sometimes we are faced with difficult odds. I’ve been that pitcher and so have you. The solution could go either way – we can win or we can lose. One throw. One chance.

Daniel’s life was at stake because he chose to worship God and not the king. Even though he knew by worshipping God he would be thrown into the lion’s den, he openly stood in his window, in full view of everyone, and praised his God. His sentence by the king, as he well knew, was the lion’s den.

When I struggle with faith, I often imagine Daniel walking to the pit, knowing the lions had not been fed for several days. Was he afraid or was he assured? I can imagine he remembered the times in his life God had shown up before. He knew the power of God’s miracles; and yet, his life was not without trials and struggles.

Daniel had been taken captive from his home as a young man and made into a eunoch by the Babylonians. His entire life had been twisted and uprooted, separated from his family and culture, and forced into slavery. I’m sure as he journeyed to Babylon, he diligently prayed for God to save him; to free him from bondage; to prevent bodily harm to him; but God didn’t – not in the way Daniel probably wished.

As he walked to the lion’s den, what was on his mind?

Sometimes in life we know the situation could go either way. Mistakenly, we use faith as a wish. Like a child, “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight!”Faith is not about having life work out the way we want; faith is about believing God’s way is the best way and trusting in Him for the best solution.

May your God rescue you… Every step Daniel took toward that lion’s den, God was with him. Every time he lifted his foot, God placed it on the ground. As he fell freely into the den of lions, God surrounded him lovingly, assuring Daniel of His presence for Daniel was His son. As he faced the lions, God shut their mouths and Daniel was not harmed.

Faith is knowing no matter the outcome, God will always rescue you. It might not be in the manner you believed. Daniel probably hoped God wouldn’t allow the soldiers to drop him into the pit. Talk about the bottom of the ninth! But God did show up and He did rescue Daniel and He will rescue you, too.

Faith is really about the courage to step. It is about lifting your foot not knowing the direction of placement or where exactly you will be landing. Faith is about trusting in God that whatever happens, it will be for His purpose and your good.

Happiness on Hold

By

Nora Almazan

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October 20, 2014

The hold button…if I could only count the number of times I’ve been on hold…waiting, waiting, waiting…longing to hang up but knowing if I do, I will just have to wait again. The other day, I had an issue with my computer. A patient and calm man from India named Fred – I actually questioned him, “Your name is really Fred?” He responded, “No. But no one can pronounce mine” – walked me through the issues of my computer, but the majority of my time was spent holding, waiting, wondering.

I heard two women talking the other day. They were waiting for their daughters to finish dance class. One remarked, “When I get the kitchen finished things will be different. Right now, it is just horrible the way we are living.”

We tend to put ourselves in happiness “on hold” modes, convincing ourselves that if we just have this then everything will get better. If I were thinner, taller, richer, prettier…if I were faster, stronger, bigger, smarter…when I get my new car…if my hair only looked like that…when the kids are older…if only they were still young.

I could be happy if I could sell this house; I would be happy if I had not married her; there would be more to do, if I didn’t live here; I’d have a different job if I had studied harder; if he were more like her husband, my marriage would be good.

And one day, somewhere in later life, we realize happiness was always holding.

The choice is really ours; how we look around at our world and choose what we see. Our affirmations for the day can be positive or negative, its all in the way we view the surroundings.

I remember a time in my life when I was sick and I had to drive to Atlanta for medical care – an hour and a half if traffic was good. My appointments were scheduled usually with a lady who loved to sing, not that she could ever have a record label, but her songs filled the room while we waited. One appointment she looked at me and whispered, “Why don’t you sing with me?”

I thought about it for a moment and declined. Singing was the last thing I wanted to do. She smiled at me, “Girl, there is no better time to be happy than right now.”

Life is filled with challenges. No one is exempt from struggles and trials. If we spend all our time waiting for happiness to find us through what we perceive to be “the answer,” it never will.

My family had a yard man named Lee Cullin. He could tell the funniest stories and always had a saying or some tid-bit of advice. One day I heard Lee tell my grandmother, “Ms. Dolly, I work like I don’t need no money; I pray like I has it all; and I live like I knows Jesus is coming today.”

As I finished my conversation with Fred, I thanked him for helping me fix my computer and asked, “What is it like in India?”

“In India?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied.

“Oh, it is always wonderful in India. But I live in Austin, Texas.”

Brittany & Lyndon Hester

By

Staff Report

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October 20, 2014

Brittany Rose Bossinger Hester, age 22 of Commerce, and Lyndon Anthony Hester, age 25 of Commerce, passed away Saturday, October 18, 2014, both from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

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Hannah Nicholson Gabrels

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Staff Report

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October 20, 2014

HANNAH NICHOLSON GABRELS, age 22 of Clarkesville, Georgia went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, October 19, 2014.

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Rear-end collision sends children to hospital

By

Joy Purcell

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October 19, 2014

Two children were sent to the hospital following a rear-end collision on Highway 115 in Clarkesville Sunday evening. It happened around 6:10pm at the intersection of 115 and Elrod Drive. Officers with the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia State Patrol responded to the wreck.

26-year old Emmanuel Irvin of Habersham told officers he was preparing to turn in to the old Now and Then Antiques Store on Elrod when a car hit his Mustang from behind. GSP Trooper John Crawford says the second driver, 68-year old Roy Wellborn, told officers the sun was in his eyes when the accident occurred.

Two children riding in this Mustang were injured when the car was rear-ended by another vehicle on Hwy. 115 Sunday.

Two passengers in Irvin’s car, ages 4 and 5, were transported by ambulance to Habersham Medical Center for observation. A reporter on the scene says neither driver had any visible injuries.

Wellborn was cited for following too closely.

The accident briefly tied up traffic along Hwy. 115 between Hwy. 17 and Habersham Mills Road. The scene has since been cleared and traffic is back to normal.