Newspaper Page Text
Tigers track notches
four top-six finishes
at State Finals.
SPORTS, 1B
‘The Place’
marks one year
near downtown
Dawsonville inside, 4a
IRIC-Rackl
FOODB^NK
Ithrift FStRS
DawsonCountyNews
WEDNESDAY I MAY 18, 2022
Dawson News ► com dawsonville, GEORGIA $1.00
Ga. State Patrol holds recruiting event
Community members were able to learn about different units under public safety umbrella
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
On Wednesday May 11, the
Georgia State Patrol held a
recruiting event in
Dawsonville, giving those
interested in a career with the
entity a chance to meet mem
bers of the patrol, learn more
about what state troopers do
and see some of the depart
ment’s latest vehicles, from
Camaros and Challengers to a
helicopter used by the depart
ment.
The event took place at the
City of Dawsonville’s farmers
market pavilion, where GSP
representatives were set up
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Troop B Recruiter Gregory
Cummings said that events like
the one held in Dawsonville are
a great way for state troopers to
get out in the community and
make contact with those who
are interested in potentially
joining the state patrol.
Wednesday’s event was the first
recruiting event in the
Dawsonville area.
“We always do them in
Atlanta, Athens and places like
that so I decided I wanted to
step out of our comfort zone to
do one in a place that we never
go, so we decided [on]
Dawsonville,” Cummings said.
“We never had one in this area
before so this is our very first
one.”
During the event, interested
community members were able
to learn about several different
units under the public safety
umbrella, including state troop
ers, aviation teams, SWAT,
Criminal Interdiction Unit, dive
teams, K9 teams and the motor
unit.
One important thing to real
ize, Cummings said, is that
recruits can work for any of
these many units, all of which
On May 11, the Georgia State Patrol held a recruiting event
See GSP 12A at the farmers market pavilion in Dawsonville.
Erica Jones Dawson County News
Athletes of the Year honored
JOHN MFGFJ
mfc.fi.
JOHN MF.GFI.
JOHN MEGFI
THE YEAR|
[OF THE YEAR
DAWSON COUNTY
iAWSON COUNTY NEWS
Photos by Rio White Dawson County News
The DCN Athlete of the Year winners Caroline Cranford and Ethan Smith stand with their awards following the
ceremony.
Nominees chosen for accolades on field, role as leaders
All 13 of the nominated student-athletes take a photo with State Rep. Will
Wade at the conclusion of the awards ceremony.
By Rio White
riowhite@dawsonnews.com
On Wednesday, May 1, the Dawson
County News celebrated the accom
plishments of 13 Dawson County High
School student-athletes at the second
annual DCN Athlete of the Year
Awards.
Nominated for Athlete of the Year
were the following: Layne Bailey,
Caroline Cranford, Samantha Dewendt,
Abby Felkai, Zach Holtzclaw, Emily
Kurtz, Kayleigh Moon, Luke Mulberry,
Nick Mullinax, Kirklyn Porter, Jose
Sandoval, Ethan Smith and Will
Whalen.
These student-athletes were chosen
not only for their accolades on the field
this past school year, but for their role
on their respective teams as leaders.
The banquet began with a meal pro
vided by Dawsonville’s El Rio restau
rant, followed by an opening
announcement by DCN editor Erica
Jones.
In that announcement, Jones recog
nized event sponsors John Megel
Chevrolet and Elite Heating and Air as
well as outgoing Dawson County
superintendent Damon Gibbs, who was
in attendance.
The keynote speaker at the banquet
was DCHS alum and former student-
athlete Will Wade, who currently repre
sents Dawsonville in the Georgia State
House.
Wade spoke about the importance of
being a Dawson County student-athlete
and the responsibility that comes with
setting an example for others. He also
emphasized that the student-athletes
will carry their Dawson County experi
ence with them through life.
Following Wade’s speech, a video
was shown that included all 13 athletes
describing what it meant to be a
Dawson County Tiger.
Each athlete was then called up to
receive a certificate and each coach had
the opportunity to describe the accom
plishments, character and stories of
each athlete.
After all 13 athletes were called up
and recognized, the final video of the
night was shown, revealing the male
and female winners of Athlete of the
Year.
Ethan Smith won male Athlete of the
Year after a season in cross country and
track and field that saw him break
school records, qualify for the State
Finals both individually and in a relay,
and become the vocal leader of both
teams.
Caroline Cranford won female
Athlete of the Year after leading the
competition cheer squad to a Class
AAA State Championship and finish
ing as the first runner-up in the state as
an individual cheerleader, out of over
150 in Class AAA.
BOE honors
outgoing
Super. Gibbs,
other retirees
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
During the May 10 meeting of the
Dawson County Board of Education, board
members took the time to honor and recog
nize several retiring educators and adminis
trators, including the district’s outgoing
superintendent Damon Gibbs.
At the beginning of the meeting,
Assistant Superintendent of Human
Resources and Operations Hershel Bennett
called each of the retirees up to the front of
the room, thanking them for their hard
work for the school system and congratu
lating them on their retirement.
“The 21 people in the room with the big
gest smiles are our retirees for FY22,”
Bennett said.
Each retiree was presented with an award
honoring their dedication throughout their
career, and all of the students, parents and
educators in the audience applauded for
them.
See BOE13A
Three men
charged with
beating victim
near local pool
By Julia Fechter
jfechter@dawsonnews.com
Deputies recently appre
hended three men for get
ting in a physical fight with
another man near a neigh
borhood pool off of Ga.
400 in southern Dawson
County.
Dawsonville men Robert
Lee Monroe Rarick, 22,
and Phillip Jennings
Ridgeway II, 47, were
arrested along with Phillip
Jennings Ridgeway ID, 21,
ofLawrenceville.
Rarick was charged with
aggravated assault, a felo
ny. Ridgeway II received
three counts of misde
meanor battery, as did
Ridgeway III, his son. All
of the men were charged
with public drunkenness, a
misdemeanor.
See Arrests 12A
Ridgeway III
9 0 9 9 4
Inside
Volume 8, Number 19
© 2021, Dawson County News
Dawsonville, Georgia
Events
2A
Classifieds
6B
Dear Abby
4B
Deaths
2A
Legals
6B
Opinion
7A
Sports
1B
Lanier Tech
celebrates
Class of2022.
6A BOC talks
funding for
four more
deputies.
