Newspaper Page Text
o
o
Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Reunion, Deaton Creek and West Jackson $1.00 copy
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Vol. 15 No. 14 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 12 pages
Elections
Candidate qualifying
wraps up at
Georgia Capitol
By Dave Williams
Capitol Beat News Service
Georgia Republicans and
Democrats put positive spins
on their 2022 election pros
pects Friday as the weeklong
candidate qualifying period
concluded at the state Capitol.
Both parties fielded can
didates for every federal and
statewide elective office.
A record-breaking 310
Democrats signed up to ran
up and down the congressio
nal and legislative ballot, as
the party looks to build upon
its successes in 2020, when
Democrats captured both of
Georgia’s U.S. Senate seats.
“When I became chair
of the Democratic Party of
Georgia in 2019, we made it
a priority to ensure Democrats
were competitive in more
seats all across Georgia - and
this year’s qualifying numbers
are a testament to those ef
forts.” U.S. Rep. Nikema Wil
liams, D-Atlanta, said Friday.
But Republicans, too, were
encouraged by the results of
Qualifying Week.
“We qualified nearly twice
as many candidates as the
Democrats,” Georgia Repub
lican Chairman David Shafer
said Friday. “We have Re
publicans running for every
statewide office and in every
congressional District. Our
Republican ticket this fall will
be strong, wide, and deep.”
Republicans will have to
overcome divisions in the par
ty over the response to Presi
dent Donald Trump’s loss to
President Joe Biden in Geor
gia in 2020.
At the top of the ballot, a
slate of Republican candidates
endorsed by Trump is running
in the May 24 GOP primary
against fellow Republicans,
some of whom refused to join
Trump’s bid to reverse the out
come of the election.
University of Georgia foot
ball icon Herschel Walker
and former U.S. Sen. David
Perdue top the Trump ticket.
Walker is seeking the GOP
nomination to oppose Demo
cratic Sen. Raphael Wamock
in November.
Perdue has Trump’s en
dorsement in his challenge to
incumbent Republican Gov.
Brian Kemp, whom Trump
supported in 2018 but who
would not go along with the
then-president’s attempts to
change the 2020 election re
sults in Georgia.
Another race the former
president is weighing in on
is for secretary of state. In
cumbent Republican Brad
Raffensperger, who famously
See Qualifying, page 3A
Braselton
Fall art festival planned
for downtown Braselton
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
While a date still must
be confirmed, Braselton
downtown leaders have an
nounced plans for a fall art
festival on the town green.
Braselton Main Street
coordinator Jessica Payne
recently told the downtown
development authority
(DDA) said the town will
have 8x8 cubes built for
the festival and seek out
artists to paint murals on
each side.
The event will include
art vendors.
“More information about
that is to come as we solid
ify a few things.” Payne
said.
In other business, the
DDA still seeks sponsors
and raffle items for its May
12 Toast of Braselton fund
raiser. DDA member Mitch
Chapman announced that a
trip to Italy (covering ac
commodations only) will
be among the auction items
at the event, which will be
held at the Braselton Civic
Center.
This year’s Toast of Bra
selton — called “the Boot
legger’s Ball” is prohibi
tion themed.
Braving the cold for Paddy's Day
Photo by Ben Munro
Elizabeth Lysaught (left) and Beth Nelson wave from the back for their golf cart during Saturday’s
(March 12) chilly sixth-annual Paddy’s Day PathFEST parade. The event featured over 100 decorated
carts despite temperatures in the 30s and wind gusts. See Page 7Afor more photos.
Braselton
Braselton council members
weigh in on charter school idea
Photo by Ben Munro
Members of the Braselton town council discuss the concept of charter
schools with guests Spencer Thomas and Pam Estabrooke during the
council’s Friday (March 11) retreat.
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews. com
An idea being floated to
start a charter school in Bra
selton has now been floated
to the town council.
Town leaders discussed
the topic as part of their an
nual planning retreat Friday
(March 11).
The consensus among
the council was general in
terest in the idea with con
siderable more discussion
needed in order to gauge
feasibility and community
support.
“I’m interested in learn
ing more,” councilman
James Murphy said. “That’s
where I stand today.”
“I just want to make sure
that there’s the foundation
there to support such a
cause.” he added.
A Braselton school char
ter could be held by either
the town or a non-profit
(501(C)3) entity. Such a
school could potentially
serve to unify a town divid
ed by four different school
systems. The system would
be publicly-funded but use
its own curriculum, and en
rollment would be based on
a lottery system.
See Charter, page 12A
MAILING LABEL
Braselton
Braselton council approves
package store license,
but moratorium follows
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews. com
Braselton leaders approved a license
for a proposed package store on Hwy.
53 but quickly followed with a morato
rium on future license applications.
The council on Monday (March 14)
OK’d the license request for applicant
Ahmed Merchant with a 4-1 vote and
then unanimously approved a morato
rium on accepting new package store
license applications. The moratorium,
initiated by councilman Jim Joedecke,
will run through June 14 (unless the or
dinance is repealed earlier).
Merchant’s store site is located adja
cent to Dollar General at the intersec
tion of Hwy. 53 and Jackson Ave. The
council’s approval of his application
— James Murphy cast the lone “no”
vote — came as Braselton’s census
numbers have allowed for additional
package store licenses in town.
“I do think we need to go back and
look at this as we have a proliferation
of these stores starting to pop up,” Jo
edecke said.
Councilman Richard Harper voiced
his support for the moratorium.
“In reading all the information that’s
been made available to us, I think it’s a
good decision for us to take these things
seriously and make these steps to make
the community more appealing,” he
See Braselton, page 3A
Hoschton
Hoschton
City Council
member resigns
Hoschton city councilman Shant-
won Astin has resigned, according to
council meeting agendas released by
the city.
Agendas for both the council’s work
session and voting session on March
21 include an item to accept Astin’s
resignation.
Town clerk Jennifer Kidd-Harrison
said the city is working with the board
of elections to determine a special elec
tion date to fill the council seat.
Astin had served on the council for
over two years after winning an at-large
election seat in November of 2019.
The city will also look to fill a seat
on its downtown development author
ity as member Tracey Carden has re
signed.
‘0 4 8 7 9
1 4 5 4 0
