Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current, March 13, 2019, Image 1
Dahlonega nonprofit back in business after Feb. 26 blaze LOCAL, 4A Dawson County jumps into the pickle ball craze SPORTS, 1B DawsonCountyNews WEDNESDAY I MARCH 13,2019 DaWSOflNeWS ^com DAWSONVULE, GEORGIA $1.00 House OKs bill to improve rural transit House Bill 511 is sponsored by Rep. Kevin Tanner, R-Dawsonville By Allie Dean adean@dawsonnews.com An amended version of a bill that will attempt to expand transit options for rural Georgians was passed by the Georgia House of Representatives last week. Sponsored by Rep. Kevin Tanner, R-Dawsonville, House Bill 511 would seek to stream line the state agencies that oversee transit options, allocate sales tax from rideshares to transit projects and create pilot programs to help rural Georgians gain access to trans portation options. Tanner was appointed chair man of the newly created House Commission on Transit Governance in Funding in 2017, and the commission met 10 times over a year and a half, working to identify ways to remove transportation barriers in the state. Last year Gov. Nathan Deal signed a bill into law that focused on expanding tran sit in metro Atlanta, a bill also sponsored by Tanner. Tanner pre sented HB 511 March 7 on the House floor, where it passed 159-11. “In Georgia, transit is man aged by six state agencies, 27 planning organizations and over 95 local agencies,” Tanner said. “The complex structure creates administrative ineffi ciency and unnecessary red tape. Some parts of Georgia, primarily in rural Georgia, with high poverty rates do not have access to any type of public See Transit 17A Tanner Baseball team raises $1 IK for vets City to discuss Photos by Jessica Taylor Dawson County News U.S. Army Sgt.T.J. Anderson slides into home plate March 10 during a whiffle ball game with the 9U baseball players at the Win for the Warriors baseball tournament at Veterans Memorial Park. Inaugural Win for the Warriors tourney postponed to April or May By Jessica Taylor jtaylor@dawsonnews.com On Sunday morning, the soaked baseball fields at Rock Creek Park threw a monkey wrench into the inau gural Win for the Warriors baseball tournament, but that didn’t stop the North Georgia Ambush 9U team from raising more than $11,000 to support the For The Warriors Foundation. The coaches and volunteers arrived at Rock Creek Park at 7 a.m. March 10 and quickly realized the fields would be too wet to play any games. Ultimately the tournament was post poned for a later date in April or May. Organizers worked to relocate the festivities inside the gym at Veterans Memorial Park so they could continue with the ceremony to honor military service veterans. “It’s been a day of contacting every one and trying to figure out what we can do best just to make this work,” See Warriors 15A U.S. Air Force Medically Retired Security Police Jim Beillfuss III steps up to the plate during a game of indoor whiffle ball. Beillfuss is a gold medal wheelchair athlete and is actively involved in the Veterans Adaptive Sports Program which promotes rehabilitation of disabled mili tary service veterans through sports. Howser Mill development By Allie Dean adean@dawsonnews.com A rezoning and variance request for a 172-unit development proposed near the comer of Howser Mill Road and Hwy. 53 will go before the Dawsonville City Council March 18 for a public hearing. The planning commission picked up the requests again Monday night after tabling the applications Feb. 11, and voted 3-1 to recommend denial of both applications, with planning commission member Ken Goines opposed to the motion. Jim King with Ensite Civil Consulting filed the requests on behalf of the property owner, asking for a rezoning of the 38.58- acre tract of land at 592 Hwy. 53 West from R-3, or single family residential with a density of three units per acre, to RPC, or Residential Planned Community. The maximum density allowed in an See Development 17A Dawson Schools hires principal, director of exceptional children By Jessica Taylor jtaylor@dawsonnews.com The Dawson County School system welcomed two new employees last week, as announced by two press releases March 8. Dr. Todd Langley was approved as the new direc tor of exceptional children while Adam Maroney will be taking over as principal of Riverview Elementary School, following current principal Julia Mashbum’s retirement. Superintendent Damon Gibbs announced last month the school system’s central office will undergo restruc turing for the 2019-20 school year with the upcoming retirements of Chief Human Resource Officer Lisa Perry and Chief See Hires 18A 0 9 0 9 9 Inside Volume 4, Number 25 © 2019, Dawson County News Dawsonville, Georgia Church Events 3B Classifieds 7B Dear Abby 6B Deaths 2A Legals 8B Opinion 9A Sports 1B 3A Bowen Center for the Arts to get new deck 6A Students get a L taste of life’s consequences THE MOST IWERFUL CANCER FIGHTING NETWORK IN GEORGIA Taking on cancer requires an elite clinical team. That's why Northside Hospital Cancer Institute has the most board-certified medical oncologists in Georgia. We diagnose and treat more new cancer cases than any other hospital in the state—providing care at 48 cancer centers. Backed by expertise and experience, we're built to beat cancer. Learn more at builttobeatcancer.com ‘BUILT to BEAT CANCER NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL CANCER INSTITUTE