About Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 2018)
FFA, 4-H compete at Georgia National Fair COMMUNITY, 5B DawsonCountyNews WEDNESDAY I OCTOBER 31,2018 DaWSOflNeWS ^com DAWSONVULE, GEORGIA $1.00 Holiday Inn, Olive Garden in the works Businesses slowly filling in Kroger, Publix centers By Allie Dean adean@dawsonnews.com The Dawson County Planning Commission will hear a request Nov. 20 for a variance for addi tional parking at an Olive Garden planned at the comer of Dawson Forest Road East and Ga. 400. The property where the Olive Garden will be built is the cur rent home of the vacant Huck’s Apple Bam. The restaurant is the first of several potential business es to be developed on the approximately 9.4 acres next to the Dawson Marketplace shop ping center. Dawson County Planning Director Jameson Kinley said Oct. 26 that Olive Garden has submitted building plans for the county to review, and that the two groups met the morning of Oct. 25 to go over civil plans. “As of now, we haven’t heard of anything else going there for sure, just prospects,” Kinley said in an email. Olive Garden Holdings has requested 152 parking spaces as opposed to the maximum 86, stating in the variance applica tion that “if parking is inadequate it will negatively impact the new restaurant’s success.” The appli cation also refers to the develop ment site as “Dawson Forest Square.” The planning commission could vote to approve the vari ance at the November meeting. All meetings of the Dawson County Planning Commission are held at 6 p.m. in the second floor assembly room of the Dawson County Government Center and are open to the pub lic. Also on the pipeline is a 70-80 room Holiday Inn Express, slat ed to go in behind the Applebee’s off Ga. 400 and Carlisle Road. Dawson County Chamber of Commerce President Christie Moore said that weather permit ting, the hotel could be open the fall of 2019. See Garden 16A Mountain Moonshine Festival Photos by Jessica Brown Dawson County News Downtown Dawsonville was filled to the brim with vendors and festival goers from all over north Georgia during the 51st annual Mountain Moonshine Festival Oct. 28. Great turn out for 51st annual fundraiser By Jessica Brown jbrown@dawsonnews.com The sun put the shine in the Mountain Moonshine Festival Sunday after a chilly start to the annual festivities on Saturday. A cloudy sky, wind and the threat of rain didn’t deter vendors or spectators from com ing to downtown Dawsonville to partake in the town’s historic event Saturday, Oct. 27. Luckily the clouds parted Sunday morning and ushered in a crisp fall day just in time for the last day of the festival. Thousands of festival goers from across north Georgia and beyond came out to see the parade, consisting of classic racing and moonshine cars led by Grand Marshal Jimmy “Mr. Excitement” Spencer. Across three stages, local talent shone bright all weekend as dancers, solo singers, blues, rock and bluegrass bands and karate students kept the fun going in Dawsonville See Moonshine 19A Commemorative bottles and jars were on sale at the K.A.R.E. for Kids tent as unique souvenirs for this year's festival Oct. 28. Austin Steele DCN Regional Staff Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candi date Stacey Abrams speaks to a crowd at Brenau University's Pearce Auditorium on Friday, Oct. 26. Abrams stops in Gainesville for rally tour By Megan Reed DCN Regional Staff Speaking to a crowd at Brenau University, Stacey Abrams said “Georgia has to prove we have a soul.” Abrams and Sarah Riggs Amico, Democratic candidates for governor and lieu tenant governor, stopped at the university Pearce Auditorium in Gainesville on Friday as part of a statewide bus tour. On Nov. 6, Abrams will compete against Republican Brian Kemp and Libertarian Ted Metz for the position of governor. Riggs Amico faces Republican Geoff Duncan. Some ways to show the state has a soul, Abrams said, are programs like wraparound services in Georgia schools, adequate health care and access to mental health treatment — and protecting civil rights. Abrams told of being invited to the Governor’s Mansion after becoming valedic torian of her DeKalb County high school, but when she arrived after taking public transit with her parents, a staff member at the gate assumed she was not on the guest list. “The only thing I remember about that event is a man standing in front of the most powerful place in Georgia, looking at me and telling me I don’t belong,” Abrams said. “With your help, on Nov. 6, we’re going to open those gates wide.” See Abrams 14A Dawsonville woman found dead in mobile home fire By Allie Dean adean@dawsonnews.com A woman killed in a mobile home fire on Sunday has been identified as Carol Smith, 64, of Dawsonville. According to Dawson County Emergency Services Director Danny Thompson, emergency personnel respond ed to a reported structure fire with entrapment at 12:43 a.m. Oct. 28 on Galagi-Na Drive off Hwy. 53. Upon arrival personnel encountered a single wide mobile home with flames show ing. Thompson said personnel entered the structure and locat ed Smith, who was removed from the mobile home and pro nounced dead on the scene. Thompson said Monday that Smith was the only person liv ing in the residence. The incident is being investi gated by Georgia State Fire Marshall’s office, Dawson County Fire Marshall’s and the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office. The cause is still unde termined but has been ruled accidental in nature. “We would like to remind everyone to change their batter ies on smoke detectors on Nov. 4, when we change our clocks to end Daylight Savings,” Thompson said. A woman was killed in a mobile home fire shortly before 1 a.m. Oct. 28. Photo courtesy Dawson County Emergency Services 9 0 9 9 Inside Volume 4, Number 6 © 2018, Dawson County News Dawsonville, Georgia Church Events 3B Classifieds 9B Dear Abby 8B Deaths 2A Legals 10B Opinion 11A Sports 1B O A Elderly, homebound can apply for home heating assistance oa Knights of ^ Columbus donates bikes for kids with special needs
