Wednesday, March 16,2022
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 5A
Bowen Center now showing two new exhibits
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
The Bowen Center for
the Arts recently opened
two new art exhibits, both
of which will be on display
through the end of this
month.
Both of the new exhibits
opened the last weekend in
February and will be on
display through March 25.
The art exhibit “Artistry
in Wood” features hand
crafted works from mem
bers of the Etowah River
Woodturners Club. The
skillfully crafted wooden
art pieces cover a range of
sizes and designs, and no
two pieces are alike.
“Amazing works will be
featured from the intricate
to the profound,” the
Bowen’s event announce
ment for the display said.
“These handcrafted wood
items are crafted from the
love of the natural material
and its impossibly unique
design.”
Also currently on display
at the Bowen are works of
art from Blackberry Creek
artists. The paintings on dis
play are made by several of
the region’s artists, includ
ing Dru Stowers from
Dawsonville, Cheri
Burchard from
Dawsonville, Cathy Ritch
from Dahlonega, Lyn
Mayes from Big Canoe and
Joan Keller from Johns
Creek.
“See the skilled works of
these prolific painters and
learn about their techniques
and what sparks their drive
to create,” the Bowen’s
event announcement for the
display said. “View some of
the most beautiful artistry
of our region with paintings
ranging from plein air to
abstract.”
Both exhibits officially
opened with receptions the
weekend of Feb. 25, and
dozens of community
members attended to view
and shop the artwork on
display. Both exhibits will
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Photos courtesy of Ginny Greenwood
Bowen guests view and shop unique, handcrafted wooden works of art during the "Artistry in Wood" dis
play's opening reception.
remain on display through
March 25.
The Bowen is located at
334 Highway 9 N and is
open Tuesday through
Friday from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. and Saturdays from
noon to 4 p.m. For more
information about the
Bowen or about the exhibits
currently on display, contact
Executive Director Ginny
Greenwood at 706-216-
2787 or via email at direc-
tor@bowenarts.org, or go to
https://www.bowenarts.org/
Bowen
guests Ann
Alexander
and Judy
Black
stand with
Dru
Stowers,
one of the
Blackberry
Creek art
ists whose
works are
currently
on display.
Woman accused of impersonating a deputy
By Julia Fechter
jf e c hte r@d a wson n ews. com
Authorities recently
apprehended one woman
for allegedly pretending to
be one of them.
Amanda Kay Ryder, 39,
of Murrayville, was arrested
by the Dawson County
Sheriff’s Office on March 3
just after 2 p.m. and charged
with a felony count of
impersonating an officer.
This charge does not
require that a person believe
somebody else is actually a
peace officer, only that the
person acting “intends to
mislead” another person or
people into thinking that.
A DCSO warrant accuses
Ryder of pretending to be a
deputy between 4-5 p.m. on
Nov. 23, 2021 at the inter
section of Ga. 400 South
and Fumpldn Campground
Road North.
During a road rage
exchange with another driv
er, Ryder allegedly claimed
to be a DCSO deputy.
Using that erroneous
authority, she purportedly
ordered the other driver to
roll down their window and
exit their vehicle, the war
rant states.
Ryder even gave a badge
number when asked to pro
duce a badge during
the encounter, the
warrant states.
After her arrest
and booking, her
bond was set at
$5,700. She was
released on that
bond the following Ryder
day, March 4.
“Impersonating a police
officer is one of those
crimes that make it more
difficult for law enforce
ment officers to do their
job,” said Dawson County
Sheriff Jeff Johnson.
“Whenever the public
begins to question the legiti
macy of a traffic stop, or any
law enforcement action, it
serves to reduce our effec
tiveness and increases suspi
cion. Therefore, these inci
dents are taken very serious
ly”
Johnson explained that
increased traffic congestion,
mixed with everyday per
sonal problems and quick
tempers, can present condi
tions ripe for increased road
rage incidents.
Incumbent Wade qualifies to run
for re-election to state house
By Julia Fechter
jfechter@dawsonnews.com
A local conservative busi
nessman has qualified for a
second term to
serve people in
Georgia’s State
House District 9.
Dawson County
native William
“Will” Wade is run
ning to once again
serve as District 9’s Wade
state representative,
according to a press release.
He was first elected to the
seat in November 2020.
Wade is a graduate of
Dawson County High
School and previously
served for 15 years as a
member and past chair on
the Dawson County Board
of Education.
“I am leading the effort to
ban divisive ideologies from
our classrooms with House
Bill 1084 and have worked
alongside my colleagues to
allocate historic levels of
funding to our schools, raise
educator pay, and put par
ents back in charge of their
child’s education,” Wade
said.
He’s also promoted cut
ting taxes and strengthening
Georgians’ Second
Amendment rights through
sponsoring constitutional
carry legislation.
“We have worked hard to
restore public confidence in
our elections by passing the
Election Integrity Act,
which implemented a photo
ID requirement on absentee
ballots, secured all ballot
drop boxes around the
clock, and banned outside
activist groups from bank
rolling our elections,” his
press release stated. “That
law has been ranked the top
election integrity measure in
the nation by the conserva
tive Heritage Foundation.”
Wade also shared how the
state’s House and Senate
have worked with Gov.
Brian Kemp during
the pandemic and
chosen “freedom
over lockdowns” to
keep Georgia the
“best state for busi
ness for the 8th year
in a row.”
“As a result,
Georgia now has
the lowest unemployment
rate in state history and
record job growth and
investment in all comers of
our state - especially in
rural communities like State
House District 9,” Wade
said in his statement.
The representative also
mentioned that Republicans
are currently working to
pass and sign legislation that
would mean a $1 billion
dollar tax cut, over $1 bil
lion in tax refunds to
Georgia taxpayers, and a
temporary suspension of the
state gas tax.
“I look forward to strong
ly supporting those efforts
to put more money back in
the pockets of 9th district
citizens,” Wade said.
He elaborated that he’s
honored to serve the people
in Georgia House District 9,
and has worked hard the
past year-and-a-half to keep
the promises he made to his
constituents on the cam
paign trail.
“My family and I are ask
ing for the honor of repre
senting you for another two
years in the Georgia
House,” he said, “so I can
continue to fight for our val
ues at the state capitol and
keep our state the best place
to live, work, and raise a
family.”
“It is critical that we drive
defensively and always
strive to avoid any
roadway confronta
tions,” he said.
He called separa
tion “key to avoid
ing a confrontation”
and said in instanc
es where that’s not
possible, that a per
son contact DCSO
as soon as possible.
“The quicker an officer
can respond, the less likely a
more serious incident will
occur,” Johnson said.
U
Martial arts studio to hold spring
festival, fundraiser for Relay for Life
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
This month, Moohan Martial Arts of Dawsonville will hold a spring festival
and fundraiser for Relay for Life, complete with fun and games for all ages.
According to event organizers, the festival will be held at Rock Creek Park
and will ran from 10:30 a.m. to about noon on March 26.
The event will include a bouncy house, games, martial arts demonstration and
potluck, as well as cotton candy for purchase and the chance to try your hand at
board breaking. There will also be several fundraisers to raise money for Relay
for Life, including a “Duck-Tape” fundraiser to duct tape the martial arts stu
dio’s owner and a “Pie in the Face” fundraiser to shove a pie in the face of one of
the studio’s staff members.
For more information about the spring festival and fundraiser, call Moohan
Martial Arts at 706-216-0977.
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