About Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current | View Entire Issue (May 30, 2018)
Rain can’t stop car show at Racing Hall of Fame LOCAL, 5A Focus on water safety as summer begins SPORTS, 1B ^laDawsonCountyNews WEDNESDAY I MAY 30, 2018 Dawson News ► com dawsonville, GEORGIA $1.00 Pai updates area on broadband FCC chairman speaks on telecom in Dahlonega By Nick Bowman DCN Regional Staff Progress is being made and more is coming on rural broadband issues, Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said while attending a forum in Dahlonega on Friday. Pai and U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, R-Gainesville, talked May 25 to a packed room of telecommunications industry leaders and local and state elected officials at the University of North Georgia’s new convocation center in Dahlonega. From updates to federal grant funding for telecommunications pro viders to regulations of internet ser vice providers, Pai told the group of more than 50 people that bipartisan changes are being made to help bring internet access to rural Georgians and rural residents nationwide. Pai also praised Collins’ Gigabit Opportunity Act, which “would be a gamechanger not just for rural areas, like parts of this district, but also for low-income urban areas. It’s designed to make sure we target peo ple who are unserved or underserved, and we give them what I call digital opportunity.” Of all the issues facing the FCC, Pai said, including robocalls and net neutrality regulations, access to inter net on the part of the 34 million Americans who don’t have adequate access is the most important. Pai, Collins and other speakers dis cussed internet access, the grand infrastructure issue of our time, and said expanding access into rural mar kets would help bridge the gap in academic and business opportunity facing rural areas. SeeFCC|6A Nick Bowman Gainesville Times Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, right, talks with U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, R-Gainesville, after a rural broadband forum held May 25 at the University of North Georgia's Dahlonega campus. Photos by Jessica Brown Dawson County News Dawson County High School class of 2018 graduates toss their mortar boards high in the air following commencement ceremonies May 24. ‘We’re made for a purpose’ Dawson High seniors move to next phase of life By Allie Dean adean@dawsonnews.com Nearly every seat in the 3,600-seat University of North Georgia Convocation Center was filled last Thursday by family, friends, mentors and former teachers of the Dawson County High School class of 2018 for commencement ceremo nies. Cameras flashed and the crowd called out as 225 students walked across the stage to get their diplomas on May 24, the final step in their 13-year long school careers. As far as numbers go, the class of 2018 ended strong. Thirty-two clubs, honor societies and extracurric- ulars were represented with cords, stoles and medals hanging around student’s necks. Seventy- nine students received scholarships to postsec ondary institutions, out side of the HOPE and the Zell Miller Scholarships, amounting to $1.2 mil lion. Twenty will receive the Zell Miller Scholarship, covering 100 percent of their post-sec - DCHS 2018 Valedictorian Marley Hamby gives her speech during com mencement lastThursday. ondary tuition, while around 122 will receive the HOPE Scholarship, covering 88 percent of their tuition. Eighty-three were honor graduates. Two students had perfect attendance for their entire school careers, and one was named the Valedictorian for her aca demic achievements. But all have one thing in common: They have all learned that their educa tion is their key to free dom. Each speech, whether it came from senior class president Andrew Burns or Superintendent Damon Gibbs, reminded the class that with a high school diploma, their options on where to go from here are endless. Salutatorian Jacob Moore gave “the best loser speech ever,” remi niscing about his fondest memories and encourag ing his classmates to trust in the Lord to find their path in life. “Ya’ll know Em not the most affectionate or touchy-feely type, but I’ve got to say my time here in Dawson County has really left a mark on my life, and that these last four years have changed me for the better, including all of the peo ple I’ve met and all the things I’ve experienced,” Moore said, before com menting on all of the things that made the class of 2018 unique. “From seeing an Ivy League athlete riding to See Class 16A Parks and Rec director resigns Henson ends 25-year career By Allie Dean adean@dawsonnews.com Dawson County Parks and Recreation Director Lisa Henson turned in her resignation on Friday, signaling an end to a more than 25-year career with the county. Henson has been the director for 11 years. Prior to that she worked as athletic director and assistant parks director, coming from the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office. She had a 15-year career in law enforcement, working at the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office for 10 years before moving to Dawson. She worked as patrol supervisor and jail commander for five years, until she was married, and decided that two people in law enforcement wasn’t the best thing for raising a family. “The opportunity came up to work (in parks and rec) and I took it,” she said. “I’ve loved it here, we’re like a family and that is the hardest part of this deci sion.” In her letter dated May 25, Henson stated she had met with County Manager David Headley, County Attorney Lynn Frey and Human Resources Director Danielle Yarbrough on May 22 to discuss her pending resignation. See Henson 17A Henson Rotary Island opens Saturday By Allie Dean adean@dawsonnews.com Rotary Island at Rock Creek Park will open for its fourth season on Saturday, when hundreds of local chil dren will flock to the splash pad oasis to cool off under the sprinklers. Rotary Island is an interactive water park that fea tures five above ground water features and six ground level sprinklers. It is located adjacent to the park’s chil dren’s playground and adjoins the pavilion. Each year the park opens with a celebration hosted by the Rotary Club of Dawson County that will include free activities, free food and a talent show. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 2. The talent show, new this year, will begin at noon. It is free to register and is open to any talent. Registration begins at 10 a.m. and prizes will be given to first, second and third place winners. The entire community is invited to come out and enjoy free hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy and snow cones, as well as ride on a water slide, dunk local celebrities in a water tank and meet some furry friends at a petting zoo. Admission to Rotary Island is always free. Rotary Island opened in August of 2014 and was the club’s biggest project since the club formed in 1992, costing over $54,000. Water is donated by the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority. Weather permitting, children and adults will be able to play in the water feature during park hours until the end of September. 9 0 9 9 Inside Volume 3, Number 35 © 2018, Dawson County News Dawsonville, Georgia Church Events 3B Classifieds 8B Dear Abby 7B Deaths 2A Legals 8B Opinion 9A Sports 1B Annual celebrity waiter breakfast set for June 1 4A Primary recap: Cagle, Kemp head into runoff
