BOE approves
new track at
Dawson High.
SPORTS, IB
Keep the family
occupied while
staying inside.
INSIDE, 3A
DawsonCountyNews
WEDNESDAY I April 1,2020 Dawson News ► com dawsonville, GEORGIA $1.00
10 virus cases confirmed in Dawson
Deaths reach 108 statewide, with 818 hospitalizations
By Alexander Popp
apopp@dawsonnews.com
Eight new cases of COVID-19,
the disease caused by the novel
coronavirus, were reported in
Dawson County by the Department
of Public Health early this week,
bringing the county’s total to 10
confirmed cases ad the number of
infections in Georgia rose to nearly
4,000.
While the Georgia Department of
Public Health reported a total of
2,683 total cases in Georgia at 7
p.m. on Sunday, March 29, the state
wide number grew to 3,817 by noon
on Tuesday, March 31. The number
of deaths has now reached 108 state
wide, with 818 hospitalizations.
The department is updating totals
at noon and 7 p.m. daily.
More than 14,000 tests have been
conducted statewide, according to
the DPH, and nearly all counties in
Georgia now have a confirmed case
of COVID-19, led by Fulton with
547 known cases. A total of 159
cases are still listed in unknown
counties by the GDPH.
INSIDE
Inside this issue of Dawson County News you'll
find stories on how the people of Dawson
County are handling the COVID-19 outbreak.
Alcohol ordinance approved | 2A
Kid-friendly learn from home resources | 3A
AppalachianTrail closures | 4A
Drive-through Confessions | 3A
Elliott competes in eNASCAR | 1B
School spirit on parade
Photos by Erica Scmidt Dawson County News
Blacks Mill Elementary School teachers drove through neighborhoods and past local student's houses last
week as part of their school spirit "teacher parade."
Local educators show school spirit with parade through county
Dozens of cars full of Dawson County teachers and
staff drove through the streets and neighborhoods of
local students.
By Erica Schmidt
eschmidt@dawsonnews.com
A long line of cars, each
one decorated with window
paint and handmade signs,
snaked slowly down the
road. Car horns honked
friendly beeps at each other
and at the parents and chil
dren standing by the side of
the road.
Passengers in bright
green shirts stood in the
cars waving gold pom-poms
and drivers waved out their
windows, while one passen
ger with a megaphone
yelled to the children, “We
miss you and love you!”
And from their front
yards and driveways, chil
dren and parents waved
back to the cars, calling
back to their teachers, “We
miss you too! Thank you!”
While all schools in
Dawson County are closed
until late April due to the
recent outbreak of COVID-
19, teachers and staff at
Black’s Mill Elementary are
doing everything they can
to keep up school spirit and
let their students know that
they still care.
On Thursday and Friday
of last week, educators at
school organized a “teacher
parade through neighbor
hoods in their area, to see
their students and spread
joy in the community.
Mrs. Cindy Kinney, prin
cipal of Black’s Mill
Elementary, said that even
though the main goal of the
parade was to spread joy to
students and their parents,
they ended up bringing just
as much happiness to all
neighborhood residents,
regardless of whether or not
they had children who go to
the school.
“We had older people
See Parade 12A
Police: Fake
officer pulls
over cars in
Dawson, Hall
By Alexander Popp
apopp@dawsonnews.com
Local authorities say that an unidentified
suspect, who impersonated a Gainesville
Police officer and pulled over vehicles to
“enforce a curfew” in Hall County last
week, has struck in Dawson County.
Dawson County Sheriff Jeff Johnson said
on Friday afternoon, that a suspect driving
a dark sedan with flashing blue lights in its
windshield area, pulled a vehicle over on
Ga. 136 in Dawson County on Thursday
evening, claiming to be law enforcement.
According to Johnson, the driver and
occupant were told that they had “violated
curfew law” but after a brief inquiry, the
suspect left the scene.
Gainesville authorities said that two sim
ilar incidents occurred previously early last
week when drivers were stopped in the
area of Limestone Parkway and Jesse
Jewell Parkway, and Green Street and
Thompson Bridge Road by a suspect and
vehicle of matching description.
“The male subject stops a car and
inquires about why the driver is out past
curfew. The male subject then ends his
contact with the vehicle and leaves in an
unknown direction,” Gainesville Police
Cpl. Jessica Van said in an email to The
Times.
Though some municipalities in the state
have instituted curfews due to the corona-
virus pandemic, neither Hall or Dawson
Counties have one in place currently,
authorities say.
These incidents are being investigated by
the Dawson County and the Gainesville
Police Department, Johnson said.
“We urge our commuters to please exer
cise caution and be vigilant if being
stopped. Today’s patrol vehicles are
equipped with excessive amounts of emer
gency lights. Knowing this, a single dash-
mounted strobe light should raise suspi
cion. Coupled with secluded areas should
be of concern,” Johnson said in an email.
“If the conditions warrant, we encourage
our community to please call 911 and
inform the operator of your location. He or
she will tell you whether it is a Dawson
County Sheriff’s Deputy.”
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Inside
Volume 4, Number 87
©2019, Dawson County News
Dawsonville, Georgia
Classifieds
5B
Dear Abby
4B
Deaths
2A
Legals
6B
Opinion
5A
Sports
1B
3A Church holds
drive-thru
confessional
4A Dawson County
produce market
is still selling
fresh veggies
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