Wednesday, September 12,2018
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 3A
Community marks Sept. 11 with ceremony
By Jessica Brown
jbrown@dawsonnews.com
It was a somber overcast day
as the community gathered at
Fire Station No. 1 Tuesday
morning to remember those
who lost their lives at the
World Trade Center 17 years
ago.
The annual Patriot Day cere
mony hosted by the Dawson
County Emergency Services
was held on the anniversary of
the deadliest terrorist attack in
the history of the world and
served to honor the men and
women who made the ultimate
sacrifice to save the lives of
others.
“Remembering these today
is what Patriot Day is about.
It’s remembering the lives lost,
the absence of a community. If
you look at the number of
civilians and first responders
who lost their lives that day,
it’s a very tragic incident we
can never take back,” said
DCES Director Danny
Thompson.
On the morning of Sept. 11,
2001 the North and South
Towers were struck by
American Airlines flight 11
and United flight 175, the
Pentagon was struck by
American Airlines flight 77
and American Airlines flight
93 was derailed by the passen
xnamex Dawson County News
Left, the Veterans of Foreign Wars stand and salute the presentation of colors performed by the JROTC cadets of Dawson
County High School. Right, a bagpipe player performs "Amazing Grace" as the Patriot Day ceremony concludes Sept. 11, 2018.
gers and crashed near
Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
“Images of the World Trade
Center Towers collapsing will
be engrained into our memo
ries, our hearts and souls,”
Thompson said as he addressed
the crowd.
During the attacks, 2,977
civilians, 343 New York City
firefighters and 71 law enforce
ment officers were killed and
over 6,000 others were injured.
Patriot Day was created as a
national day of mourning and
remembrance in October 2001
with the introduction of
Resolution 71 in the U.S.
House of Representatives. On
Sept. 4, 2002, President
George W. Bush used the
authority of the resolution to
proclaim Sept. 11, 2002 the
first Patriot Day.
Since the establishment of
Patriot Day, communities
across the nation have gathered
together to remember the lives
lost in the events of Sept. 11.
Transmissions from the first
responders in New York City
were played during Tuesday’s
service and moments of silence
were held on the minutes the
North and South Towers were
struck.
“In a day and a time in
which we have hero status
given to many, their faces may
not be used to advertise athlet
ic apparel, but truly we call
them heroes,” said guest speak
er Chaplin Charles Blackstock
as he spoke about the first
responders. “They truly sacri
ficed all for what they believed
in. We should appreciate that
today. The events of that day
did not define them as heroes;
it just revealed them as such.”
As veterans, law enforce
ment officers, high school stu
dents and students from
Robinson Elementary School
listened to the ceremony,
Thompson reminded those
gathered of the first responders
and the reason Patriot Day is
honored.
“On this day fathers, moth
ers, husbands, wives, brothers
and sisters gave their lives -
putting strangers’ families
before their very own,”
Thompson said. “The brave
men and women of the New
York City Fire Department that
day put their selves before oth
ers, responded to that alarm
knowing many of them proba
bly would not go home.”
A ceremonial wreath was
laid that symbolizes the lives
that were lost 17 years ago,
and a bell was rung to signify
the last call to order for the
fallen first responders.
“May we as a county and as
a community never forget the
great sacrifices made 17 years
ago because in doing so we
also remember to be grateful
for today’s heroes as well,”
Blackstock said.
Detention officer who resigned previously reprimanded over behavior
By Allie Dean
adean@dawsonnews.com
A detention officer who
resigned last month amid
an investigation into inap
propriate relationship with
a female inmate had previ
ously been reprimanded
for similar behavior,
according to documents in
his personnel file.
Luciano Betancourt was
arrested Sept. 4 on the
charge of violation of oath
by a public officer after a
former inmate told investi
gators the two had been
involved in a romantic
relationship while she was
still incarcerated.
According to
Deputy Sheriff Greg
Rowan, the relation-
ship reportedly
occurred while the
inmate was on work
release and while
Betancourt was off
duty.
A written repri
mand dated July 23,
2017 states that while
reviewing camera footage
for an unrelated reason, an
officer noted that
Betancourt had spent time
with two females in a cer
tain cell block every shift
he worked over a
span of 16 days.
“Betancourt
would stop and
spend several
minutes talking
with the two
females, had the
females cleaning
the showers in
their whites and
remained in the pod while
they were off camera in
the shower,” the repri
mand reads. “Betancourt
Betancourt
NORTHSIDE
FAMILY MEDICINE &
URGENT CARE
DAWSON
81 Northside Dawson Drive, Suite 100
Dawsonville, GA 30534
Monday - Saturday: 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Call 706-216-6000 for an appointment
NorthsideUrgentCare.com
Welcoming New Patients!
Northside Family Medicine & Urgent Care is here for the needs
of your entire family. You'll find a commitment to personalized
care, with a focus on communication.
For your busy lifestyle, we offer extended office hours and
Saturday appointments to help you find time for the routine
medical care you and your family need. We accept most insurance
plans, and offer a convenient location for the Dawsonville
community on the Northside/Dawson Medical Campus.
Services
• Routine medical care
• Blood sugar checks and diabetes management
• Hypertension screening and management
• Allergy treatment
• Physical exams (by appointment only)
• Sports/School physicals
Daniel J. Musser, M.D. Stephen M. Cox, D.O.
Family Practice Medicine Family Practice Medicine
remained at the table near
est the shower where he
had full visual contact
with the inmates.”
The reprimand also
states that there had been
no allegation made by any
inmates and that
Betancourt had expressed
he did understand that
potential for accusations
from his behaviors.
Prior to working at
Dawson County
Betancourt was employed
at the Forsyth County
Sheriff’s Office.
According to Corporal
Doug Rainwater, public
information officer at
FCSO, Betancourt worked
in the jail for less than a
year and was terminated
during his probationary
period.
Rainwater said that
Betancourt was not fired
due to treatment of prison
ers but because “he was
not able to keep up with
our work standards.”
Betancourt’s evaluations
at the DCSO show that he
was often late to work as
well as failed to follow
other policies while work
ing in the jail.
On his job application,
dated Dec. 31, 2015,
Betancourt stated that he
had used marijuana and
unknown pills in the past,
but he was offered a con
ditional offer of employ
ment in May 2016 contin
gent upon him passing a
medical examination and
drug screen as well as a
psychological examina
tion. He was hired in June
2016.
Betancourt was released
from jail on a $5,200
bond.
Pool together
your debt
%
APR
For 12
Months
^ASSOCIATED
CREDIT UNION
Better than a Bank
4GCJ0
1E3H SL7&
oo/oci
LEE CARDHOLDER V/SA
Ctpditiparcl
Balance Transfer
ASSOCIATED
CREDIT UNION
www.acuonline.org/balancetransfer
Offer valid July 1,2018 - September 30, 2018 for 9.9%, 12%, and 13% APR Associated
Credit Union Visa Credit Cards only. After 12 months, the APR for balance transfers
becomes 9.9%, 12%, or 13% APR which depends on the rate you qualify to receive and
may vary depending on individual credit history. Associated Credit Union reserves the
right to refuse duplicate account transfers. Offer valid for balances transferred from other
card-issuer accounts only. Maximum total transfer amount is limited to your approved
credit line and cannot exceed $15,000. Minimum transfer amount is $1,000. Must have at
least $1,000 available in credit limit. No rewards points on balance transfers. Credit Card
purchases will accrue interest at 9.9%, 12%, or 13% APR, depending on the rate you
qualify to receive, unless the balance is paid in full by the next due date. To avoid paying
interest on purchases, you must pay your entire balance by the next due date, including
transferred balances under this promotion. Payments are applied to the highest rate first.
Offer does not change other terms and conditions of your Associated Credit Union Visa
Credit Card. Offer may be withdrawn.
