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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. Contact Us • News: news@mainstreet- news.com, call 706-395-2752 or fax to 706-367-8056 •Ads: ads@mainstreetnews. com or call 706-367-5233 Online Like us on Facebook: The Braselton News www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 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