Newspaper Page Text
Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Reunion, Deaton Creek and West Jackson $1.00 copy
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Vol. 13 No. 6 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 12 pages
Hoschton qualifying is Jan
Qualifying for the two
vacated Hoschton City
Council seats will take
place this week.
The city will hold quali
fying for the empty mayor
and council seat on Jan.
8-10. During a special
meeting Christmas week,
the council approved mov
ing the qualifying dates,
which had previously been
set for February (no quali
fying will be held in Feb
ruary).
Qualifying begins
Jan. 8 at 9 a.m. and will
last through Jan. 10 at
4:30 p.m.
Fees are $27 for the
mayor’s seat and $18 for
the council seat.
Those wishing to quali
fy may do so at Hoschton
City Hall.
The special election to
fill the two seats — which
were vacated by former
mayor Theresa Kenerly
and councilman Jim Cleve
land — will be held March
24. Both unexpired terms
run through Dec. 2021.
The last day to regis
ter to vote for that special
election is Feb. 24.
OTHER BUSINESS
Also at its Dec. 23 meet
ing, the council:
•approved purchasing a
.8-10
flow meter for $3,952.
•approved the scope and
contract for consulting ser
vices with Clark Patterson
Lee.
•held a short closed ses
sion with no action follow
ing.
Weeks to run for
Hoschton mayor
Hope Weeks recently an
nounced that she will be a
candidate for Mayor of the
City of Hoschton.
Weeks has served on the
Hoschton City Council
since 2018.
“I’m very excited about
the opportunity to run for
mayor,” Weeks said. “I’ve
been on council for almost
two years and while on
council my focus has been
on making sure the city is
moving in the right direc
tion through initiatives such
as hiring a financial con
sultant to oversee the city’s
accounting and organizing
cleanup of the local park by
the depot.
“This is a pivotal and
exciting time for our city.
We expect a lot of changes
to our community over the
next few years and I want to
work to be sure Hoschton is
ready by updating our char
ter, ordinances and policies
and providing oversight to
major projects such as up
grades to our wastewater
HOPE WEEKS
treatment plant, stormwater
improvements and cemetery
cleanup. We have a bright
future and as Mayor, I will
work with our staff, council
and citizens to ensure we
meet the challenges along
the way.”
Weeks has a background
in local government and ac
counting.
The mayoral election will
be held in conjunction with
the Presidential Preference
Primary on March 24. Qual
ifying for the election opens
Wednesday, Jan. 8 (see re
lated story).
MANSIONS SENIOR LIVING
Construction set to
begin soon on senior
living community
Mansions Senior Living’s
130-unit senior independent
living community planned
in Braselton will begin con
struction in the first quarter
of 2020 after receiving zon
ing approval in 2019.
Located near the inter
section of Thompson Mill
Rd. and Hwy. 211 next to
Chateau Elan, the commu
nity will include one and
two-bedroom 55-and-older
independent living apart
ments and cottages.
All-inclusive rent for the
apartments will begin at
$2,600 per month and will
include a wide-range of
amenities and services such
as spacious apartments and
cottage homes with full-size
washers and dryers, granite
countertops, stainless steel
appliances, three chef-pre
pared meals daily, all util
ities and internet, curated
activities, scheduled house
keeping, wellness programs,
transportation and more.
For more information on
the new development, con
tact Amy Davis at 405-488-
4121.
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First Baby 2020
Rashad Williams and Undria Clark look on at their new baby girl, Lyric, who was the first baby born
at Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton in 2020. The family received gift packages courtesy
of The Medical Center Auxiliary, The Window Shops and Mom365 Photography.
Welcome to the world and a new decade
By Alex Buffington
alex@mainstreetnews. com
It’s already been a ban
ner year for one local fam
ily.
Rashad Williams and
Undria Clark, of Gaines
ville. welcomed a baby
girl. Lryic Dashari Wil
liams, into the world on
New Year’s Day. Lyric
was the first baby born at
Northeast Georgia Med
ical Center Braselton in
2020, making her entrance
into the world and the new
decade on Jan. 1, 2020, at
9:30 a.m. She weighed 6
pounds. 9 ounces and was
18.5 inches long.
The first week of the
year has long been special
for Williams and Clark.
Both celebrate their birth
days on Jan. 2.
“She got a chance to do
what we couldn’t do,” said
Williams. “Make it on New
Year’s Day.”
“We knew she’d either
come on New Year’s or on
our birthday. She decided
she wanted to have a day to
herself.” Clark joked.
See Baby, page 3A
NGHS, Anthem reach contract agreement
Northeast Georgia
Health System (NGHS)
and Anthem Blue Cross
Blue Shield have an
nounced an agreement on
a new contract that covers
the care NGHS provides to
Anthem commercial (em
ployer-sponsored) health
plan members.
The new multi-year
agreement restores in-net
work access for patients
at all NGHS locations -
including all Northeast
Georgia Medical Cen
ter (NGMC) hospitals,
Northeast Georgia Physi
cians Group offices. The
Heart Center of NGMC
practices, Urgent Care cen
ters and more, according to
Steve McNeilly. Vice Pres
ident of Managed Care at
NGHS. “Negotiations are
complex and we recognize
that they are often frustrat
ing to members. We appre
ciate the support and pa
tience of our community,”
McNeilly added.
“We are happy to re
sume our partnership with
NGHS in a new agreement
that will drive quality, af
fordability and accessibili
ty for those we serve,” said
Pam Stahl, President of
See Anthem, page 3A
Townhomes, commercial project planned
A large mixed use devel- Developers filed a De- located in Barrow County, three acres for commercial
opment — with townho- velopment of Regional Manor Restorations, use.
mes, detached residences Impact submission on Dec. LLC, plans 147 detached Developers plan to seek
and commercial aspects — 27 for the property located residential units, 153 town- a rezoning for the property,
is planned in Braselton. at 1187 Hwy. 124, which is homes and plans to reserve according to the DRI.
Flowery Branch Road bridge closed Jan. 6
The Flowery Branch Rd.
bridge over 1-85 will be
closed for six months as
construction crews demol
ish and replace the bridge.
The project is part of the
1-85 widening.
“Flowery Branch Road
will be closed to thru traffic
from Apple Grove Rd. to
Lilly Stem Dr.,” according
to a Georgia Department
of Transportation news re
lease. “Temporary signage
will divert northbound traf
fic on Flowery Branch Rd.
to Spout Springs Rd. and
southbound traffic to Bra
selton Hwy.”
Flowery Branch Rd.
bridge is the final bridge
replacement in the 1-85
widening, phase 1 project,
the first Major Mobility In-
TRAFFIC CHANGE FOR BRIDGE CLOSURE
vestment Program project from two to three lanes bridges (Spout Springs
to break ground. between 1-985 in Gwin- Rd., Jesse Cronic Rd. and
The project adds 26 nett County and Hwy. 53 Flowery Branch Rd.). All
new lane miles by widen- in Jackson County and re- three structures are over 50
ing both directions of 1-85 places three 1-85 overpass years old.
o
