About Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 2018)
Tigers prominent in 7-AAA Regional Football Awards SPORTS, 1B DawsonCountyNews WEDNESDAY I DECEMBER 12, 2018 DaWSOflNeWS ^COITI DAWSONVILLE, GEORGIA $1.00 12 volunteer firefighters resign BURNT MOUNTAIN Highlights dispute between Pickens, Dawson counties over Station 8 By Allie Dean adean@dawsonnews.com The future of Fire Station No. 8 on Burnt Mountain is uncer tain after 12 volunteer support firefighters turned in their res ignation last week after refus ing to attend a Dawson County training session, throwing a wrench in a so far successful intergovernmental agreement between Pickens and Dawson counties. The intergovernmental agree ment, or IGA, was signed in December 2008 and established that Pickens County would build the station on Monument Road while Dawson County would provide equipment and assume operation of the station, including training the volun teers. Dawson County Emergency Services Chief Danny Thompson held a mandatory training session for the station on Dec. 4, but reported only one of the 13 support staff assigned to the station attended. Lt. John Tarantini, the head of the volunteers on Burnt Mountain, wrote in an email to Thompson the morning of Dec. 4 that the volunteers would instead be attending a Pickens County training class in a cou ple of weeks. Thompson and Dawson County Manager David Headley took the volunteers’ refusal to attend the Dawson County session as a violation of the IGA, and Headley respond ed in an email that “ignoring the direction...provided by Chief Thompson is not in keep ing with the official agreement between Dawson County and Pickens County.” According to Thompson, Tarantini refused to sign a letter of reprimand on Dec. 6 for insubordination and failure to follow a direct order, an action that would demote him to the role of support staff member effective immediately. During their Dec. 6 conversation, Tarantini presented a letter of See Firefighters 16A DCN wins Beacon Award From staff reports The best gift I could get’ For the Dawson County News Tara Hardwick and her foster brother Brian Abbott reunited after 44 years in October 2018. After searching for 44 years, Dawson woman finds her foster brother By Jessica Taylor jtaylor@dawsonnews.com For most of Tara Hardwick’s life, she has been secretly searching for someone, and after 44 years, she final ly found him. Growing up in Roswell, Hardwick was used to her family taking in foster children and orphans, especially around the holidays to give them the joy of Christmas with a family. She never spent enough time with them to build a lasting relationship, until Brian entered her life. In November 1971, Brian, a 6-month-old-baby, was found in a steakhouse parking lot in Buckhead with only a T-shirt and diaper. The Hardwick family quickly took him in as their foster with the understanding that they would officially adopt him. For four years, Brian was a member of the Hardwick family and every thing appeared to be heading toward his official adoption. Then the unthinkable happened. Hardwick’s parents were having marital troubles, something the Division of Family and Children’s Services picked up on, which meant Brian would be placed in another home. “All I know is that my father went inside shortly after Brian departed, packed his bags, and never returned to the family home again,” Hardwick said. At 14, Hardwick found herself cop ing with the loss of her little brother and kept the pain of the loss to herself, secretly hoping they would be reunit ed again one day. Her mother and brother kept their pain inside as well. “Nobody really ever said anything to each other ... we would say The Dawson County News was honored by the Georgia School Boards Association Dec. 7 as a recipient of the Beacon Award for journalism excellence in education reporting. On Friday, Dawson County News General Manager Brenda Bohn, Editor Allie Dean and Education and Features Reporter Jessica Taylor attended the GSBA winter conference at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Convention Center to receive the award. “It was an honor to even be nominated for this award but to receive it is a testament to the dedication of our education reporters, both past and present,” Dean said. See Beacon 14A Jessica Taylor Dawson County News A Dawsonville man and a Dahlonega man were killed Dec. 10 in a wreck on Ga. 400. A Dawsonville man and a Dahlonega man were killed on in a head-on collision on Ga. 400 near Henry Grady Hwy. on Tuesday. According to a press release from Georgia State Patrol, troopers responded to the wreck at 1:24 p.m. Dec. 10. The release states that Tony Ray See Brother 14A See Crash 14A 2 men killed in Tuesday crash on Ga. 400 By Allie Dean adean@dawsonnews.com 90994 04002 Inside Volume 4, Number 12 © 2018, Dawson County News Dawsonville, Georgia Church Events Classifieds Dear Abby Deaths Legals Opinion Sports 3B 7B 6B 2A 8B 9A 1B 3A Burnt Mountain weathers ice storm while rest of county sees only rain 7A Cumming man owns 60,000 records, Coke bottles more than 100 years old 13 MONTH CD 25 MONTH CD HOLIDAY 2 552 2 85 SPECIAL FOR LOCAL LOCATIONS VISITOR CALL COASTALSTATESBANK.COM Dawsonville Branch (706) 216-5900 Cumming Branch (770) 292-9168 STEP UP OPTION Member FDIC ^Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of publication date. Minimum balance to open and obtain APY is $10,000. Penalty will be imposed for early withdrawal, which may reduce earnings on the account. 13 month CD: Initial term is for 13 months, automatically renews to a 12 month CD at the then prevailing rate. 25 Month Step up Option CD: Initial CD is for 25 month term, automatically renews to a 24 month CD at the then prevailing rate. Mills community bank A Division ofCoastalStates Bank **Step Up Option: Allows for the use of a one-time step-up option, which allows the customer to increase the rate to the then prevailing 24 month CD rate (or 25 month CD rate).
