Annual Stuff the Bus
fundraising event returns
LOCAL, 3A
Master Sgt. David Sapp honored
during July 19 Atlanta Braves game
SPORTS, IB
DawsonCountyNews
WEDNESDAY I JULY 24,2019 DawSOflNewS >COnri dawsonville, GEORGIA $1.00
Etowah Village withdrawal OK'd
‘Compounding requirements‘restrictions placed on property through zoning given as reason
By Joshua Demarest
jdemarest@dawsonnews.com
The 6 p.m. voting session of
the July 18 Board of
Commissioners meeting began
with the unanimous acceptance
of the withdrawal of ZA 19-05,
the rezoning request surround
ing the Etowah Village project.
The withdrawal had been
expected since Etowah Village
Partners submitted a letter of
withdrawal on July 17.
However, since the letter was
not filed 10 days before the
meeting, the withdrawal still
had to be formally accepted by
the board.
“It is with much regret that
we must withdraw our
Rezoning Application. Upon
careful consideration of the
responses from county plan
ning committee and county
board of commission, one of
our primary investor(s) has
decided not to proceed with the
development,” read the letter.
The letter stated the primary
reason for the investor’s with
drawal from the project to be
“the compounding require
ments and restrictions placed
upon the property through the
continuing zoning process,”
and especially the “non-approv
al” of the portion of the project
on the west side of the Etowah
River.
After the withdrawal, the
Board was scheduled to hear
Sheriff Jeff Johnson’s request
for additional funding for staff
pay raises. The request is the
latest in Johnson’s financial
battle with the Board of
Commissioners over officer
See Etowah 19A
Ground breaks
on Dawson senior
center expansion
By Jessica Taylor
jtaylor@dawsonnews.com
Construction is officially underway for
the much anticipated senior center expan
sion.
County officials and local residents gath
ered behind the Margie Weaver Senior
Center on July 18 for a ceremonial ground
breaking that signified the beginning of
construction for the Pauline Stephens Ivey
Senior Center.
“This is a great day for Dawson County
See Senior 14A
Joshua Demarest Dawson County News
North Georgia Assisted Living
Executive Director Trisha Betlejewski
cuts the ribbon outside of the facility
on Memory Lane.
North Georgia Assisted
Living opens new wing
By Joshua Demarest
jdemarest@dawsonnews.com
North Georgia Assisted Living and the
Dawson County Chamber of Commerce con
ducted a ribbon cutting Friday, July 19, to cel
ebrate the opening of the facility’s new wing.
The event, which included remarks from
people with the Dawson County Chamber
of Commerce, Dawson County Board of
Commissioners, and North Georgia
Assisted Living, also included live music
and a barbecue lunch provided by The
BBQ Doctor, a special offering from
Senior Solutions Management Group.
The new wing has 12 rooms and will
house as many as 16 new residents. The
project broke ground in February.
Tm here to have fun too 5
Photos by Jessica Taylor Dawson County News
Ben Plowman strums his ukulele during a jam session with the Thunder Road Strummers.The group meets
the first, third and fifth Tuesdays every month at Because Coffee.
If you’ve ever thought about learning
how to play the ukulele, now is your
chance.
Over the summer, a new ukulele group
has sprung up in Dawson County with
ukulele players of all abilities coming out
to a jam session several times a month.
“We are just trying to get organized,”
founder Margo Booth said. “Just play for
fun, totally fun. Some people are brand
new. Some people have been playing their
whole lives ... it’s just a fun thing to do.”
Forming the Thunder Road Strummers
was Booth’s idea that began this summer.
And after five jam sessions at Because
Coffee in Dawsonville, the group’s grown
Thunder Road Strummer Dan McLaughlin thumbs through his sheet
See Ukulele 15A music before performing at Because Coffee.
Ukulele jam sessions brings music lovers together during summer
By Jessica Taylor
jtaylor@dawsonnews.com
0
9 0 9 9
Inside
Volume 4, Number 44
© 2019, Dawson County News
Dawsonville, Georgia
Church Events
3B
Classifieds
7B
Dear Abby
6B
Deaths
2A
Legals
7B
Opinion
11A
Sports
1B
Woman dies
in incident on
Lake Lanier
10A Is Lake Lanier a
safe place to be
during the
summer?
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