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Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Reunion, Deaton Creek and West Jackson 500 copy
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Vol. 10 No. 25 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 12 pages
Braselton officer memorialized in Gwinnett
By Alex Pace
Twelve years have passed since Braselton
Police Department's Todd Helcher was killed in
a car crash, but he is still remembered as a “man
of service."
Sgt. Helcher’s name was recently added to
the law enforcement monument of the Gwinnett
Fallen Heroes Memorial in Lawrenceville. A
crowd gathered outside the Gwinnett Justice and
Administration Center Monday to pay tribute
to Helcher during the Memorial Day ceremony.
Braselton mayor Bill Orr stood alongside Bra
selton police chief Terry Esco and assistant chief
Lou Solis to remember Helcher during the cere
mony. Helcher's wife, Amy, and three children,
Holden, Logan and Hayleigh, sat on the front
row as the crowd took a moment of silence for
their fallen family member.
Helcher was a Navy veteran and served in Des
ert Storm. Before coming to the BPD, he worked
at the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office.
He was killed in a car accident in July 2005
following a 12-hour shift. Helcher was traveling
to his home in Clarkesville when another truck
struck his BPD F-150 on Hwy. 365. His vehicle
flipped and he was ejected, according to reports
following the accident.
Helcher was employed with the BPD for only
16 months when he died.
Orr said that while he was only employed
with the BPD for a short time, it's clear he was
“an exemplary officer” and took his job “very
seriously.”
Helcher's son, Holden, reportedly plans to
continue his father's legacy and become a troop
er himself.
Gwinnett County administrator noted after the
service that families like Helcher’s will not for
get their fallen loved ones. He said they’re “still
loved and not forgotten.”
“That’s what Memorial Day is all about,” he
said.
Remembers father
Logan Helcher, 13, is shown making a rubbing of his father’s name on the
Fallen Heroes Memorial Monday at the Gwinnett Fallen Heroes Memorial in
Lawrenceville. Helcher’s father is Todd Helcher. Todd was a 16-month vet
eran of the Braselton Police Department when he was killed in July 2005 in
a car crash as he was driving home from work. Photos by Wesleigh Sagon
Honor Todd Helcher
Braselton Mayor Bill Orr,
Braselton Police Chief Terry
Esco and Braselton assistant
police chief Lou Solis honored
Todd Helcher Monday.
Laying of the wreath
Samantha Flynn and Ashley
Wilson placed the memorial
wreath.
Helcher family
honors Todd
Shown is the Helcher family
with keynote speaker, Ralph
Kauzlarich, at the 14th annu
al Memorial Day ceremony
Monday at the Gwinnett
Fallen Heroes Memorial in
Lawrenceville. Shown are
Logan Helcher, 13, Holden
Helcher, 18, Ralph Kauzlarich,
Amy Helcher, and Haleigh
Helcher, 12.
Teen extradited
for rape case
Braselton authorities have extradited an 18-year-old man
who is the suspect in a rape and molestation case.
The Braselton Police Department sent an investigator to
California last week to interview Jeremiah Osaze Goss in
connection with the case. Warrants were served at that time
and he was taken into custody.
Goss later waived his right to appeal extradition and BPD
officers transported him back to Georgia.
The arrest was made after a woman reported her juvenile
daughter was raped by Goss in July 2015 at a Braselton
residence where he used to live.
Officers secured Goss’ electronic device, which contained
evidence leading to four warrants for aggravated child
molestation and rape of two victims.
He was booked into the Hall County Jail.
The BPD is working closely with the Hall County District
Attorney's Office on the case.
Braselton DDA
seeks two members
Braselton Downtown Development Authority chairman
Clay Eubanks has announced applications are available to
fill two seats on the seven-member DDA.
Established in 2009 by the General Assembly, the DDA is
an independent panel formed for the purposes of planning,
organizing and financing projects to revitalize and redevelop
Braselton’s commercial district. Bylaws require members
to either be a resident property owner or an owner or man
ager of a downtown business.
The Braselton Town Council will make the official
appointments with four-year terms beginning in July.
Those interested who meet the base requirements are
asked to visit www.downtownbraselton.com/about-us.html.
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Hoschton ‘Rosie Riveter’
reflects on wartime days
By Alex Pace
It’s been over 70 years since Hoschton resident Leona
“Lee” Foringer worked as a riveter during World War
II. Decades later, she still remembers the days she spent
helping to build fuselages and wings for B-19s and other
planes for the war.
Foringer was bom June 1, 1919, in Hopkins County,
Texas. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941,
she was 22 years old and had just married and moved to
southern California.
Foringer and her newlywed husband, August Turner,
had recently purchased a radio and stories of the attack
were the first sounds they heard on the device.
“That was the first news we heard over that radio,” she
said. “.. .Everything was crazy from then on.”
Turner joined the Air Force shortly after his brother was
captured by the Japanese. A thyroid problem kept him
from traveling overseas, though, so he was stationed at the
Air Force base in El Paso, Texas.
Meanwhile in Long Beach, Calif., Foringer and a friend
began looking for jobs. They read of opportunities for
women in a local newspaper ad and quickly applied.
“We saw that they wanted women to work in the facto
ries and shipyards to help out during the war because the
men were all sent to the service,” she said.
Douglas Aircraft Company hired them both and the duo
began a six-week course to prepare.
“She and I worked together as a riveter and bucker,”
she said.
Foringer said it was fun work and she was motivated to
do a good job, knowing that any error could be detrimen
tal to the pilot.
“We thought about the men flying the plane,” she said.
“We didn’t want anything to happen to them.”
An inspector came through daily to check their work.
“Everything had to be perfect,” she said.
Foringer had to leave Douglas Aircraft after having her
first son. She became pregnant during Turner’s two-week
leave.
She kept working at Douglas Aircraft, though, until she
was eight months pregnant.
Her fellow female employees held a baby shower for
her. The 17-year-old male employees pitched in to buy
her a crib.
She worked at Douglas Aircraft for less than two years.
Foringer is one of many women known as “Rosie the
Riveters.” Her story has been featured in “Our Mother’s
War” and “Rosie the Riveter Stories.”
She also recorded an oral history for the Kennesaw State
University military history museum and was invited to
speak to a group of homeschooled students. The students
lined up to speak with Foringer and take photos with her
after her talk.
“They all wanted my autograph,” she said.
Foringer’s story recorded
Lee Foringer, a Hoschton resident and former
“Rosie the Riveter,” holds up a book that con
tains her story.
SIGNIFICANT WEEK
The week is significant for Foringer, one that will bring
both mourning and celebration.
She has a personal connection to Memorial Day after
losing a brother during World War II.
“We heard he went out onto the field to save a buddy
and was hit with shrapnel,” she said of her brother, who
died during the invasion on Okinawa.
Forginer said she was close with her brother and,
although many years have passed, she still remembers the
day she heard the news that he had died.
“I almost cry every time I think about it now,” she said.
The week will also be a celebration for Foringer, who
celebrates her 98th birthday on Thursday, June 1. She is
the oldest resident in the Village at Deaton Creek.
“Now I’m working on the century,” she said.