Newspaper Page Text
Summers receives
Modern Woodmen’s
‘Hometown Hero’
award, inside, 6b
Cross country teams
record top-6 finishes
at state championship.
SPORTS, 1B
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DawsonCountyNews
WEDNESDAY I NOVEMBER 9, 2022 DaWSOflNeWS ^COITI DAWSONVILLE, GEORGIA $1.00
Interim Dawson County manager appointed
By Julia Fechter
jfechter@dawsonnews.com
While the outgoing county
manager was not present at
Thursday’s Dawson County
Board of Commissioners meet
ings, a familiar face will now
assume the role on a temporary
basis.
During the board’s Nov. 3
voting session, Chief Financial
Officer Vickie Neikirk was
Neikirk
Nov. 4.
named the
interim county
manager.
This appoint
ment follows
David
Headley’s
announcement
of his resigna
tion, effective
Neikirk will maintain her
current head finance role while
also serving in the interim posi
tion. She will also receive a
$125,000 salary that’s prorated
over her time as interim county
manager.
The BOC approved Headley’s
resignation and retirement
agreement 3-0, with District 3
Commissioner Tim Satterfield
unable to attend due to another
commitment.
As part of that vote, the board
also amended the general fund
budget to cover $140,000 in
associated costs with the turn
over.
Headley’s departure followed
multiple other leadership
changes across Dawson County
departments over recent
months.
BOC Chairman Billy
Thurmond explained that the
board authorized him to speak
with Neikirk while they search
for a new county manager.
Neikirk mentioned she previ
ously stepped into the role tem
porarily during her six-plus-year
tenure with Dawson County.
“I will say this. I know Mrs.
Vickie will do an excellent job,”
Thurmond said. “She’s always
done an excellent job for us.”
“Part of my job as the coun
ty’s CFO is to keep up with all
the [ongoing] projects,” Neikirk
added. “I think it’ll be a good
experience.”
Annual Trunk or Treat a success
Photos by Erica Jones Dawson County News
Volunteers hand out candy to local children during Dawson County's annual Trunk orTreat event at Rock Creek
Park on Oct. 31.
Volunteers handed out candy to hundreds
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
On the evening of Monday Oct. 31,
Rock Creek Park was full of princesses,
football players, superheroes and more
during Dawson County’s annual Trunk
or Treat event.
The event lasted from 4 to 6 p.m. on
Halloween and featured booths set up by
dozens of local businesses, nonprofits,
churches and other organizations.
Hundreds of local children and their par
ents filed past each booth, collecting
candy and other treats.
Several booths had games set up in the
of local kids at park
parking lot for children to participate in,
and there were also several bounce hous
es for them to enjoy. Parents and chil
dren alike rode on the hayride around the
parking lot and enjoyed carnival snacks
from a local church and ice cream from
local business Best Ice Cream on
Wheels.
Dawson voters
break turnout
records during
general election
By Julia Fechter
jfechter@dawsonnews.com
More Dawson County residents have
voted early in this year’s general election
than the May primary, according to the
local Board of Elections and Registration.
As of 5 p.m. Friday, 9,055 votes have
been cast in Dawson County for the 2022
general election. That represents 41.46% of
Dawson County active voters, according to
an updated Facebook post from the elec
tions office.
That’s compared to 7,211 early, absentee
and day-of ballots combined for the May
primary.
“We are really proud that voters are com
ing out,” BOER Director Glenda Ferguson
said. “The comparable General Election of
2018 shows a 63.50% turnout (11,606 total
votes cast).”
Ferguson added that Dawson County is
“over halfway there” to that turnout bench
mark with the votes cast so far.
See Voters 12A
Judge rejects
Roberts’ motion
for self-defense
in 2021 death
By Julia Fechter
jfechter@dawsonnews.com
The man accused in 19-year-old Kaleb
Duckworth’s 2021 death will not be immune
from prosecution, according to a document
filed in Dawson County Superior Court.
After an Oct. 31 hearing that lasted several
hours, Senior Judge David Emerson issued a
Nov. 1 order denying an immunity or self-
defense motion in the pending criminal case
for Dawson County 21-year-old Daniel Lee
Roberts.
Emerson, who previously served as the
chief judge in Douglas County, was appoint
ed to preside over Roberts’ 2021 case in
June.
See Roberts 13A
Children participate in games during Dawson County's
annualTrunk orTreat event.
Volunteers with the Rotary Club of Dawson County
pose in their costumes during Dawson County's
annualTrunk orTreat event.
0
90994 04002
Inside
Volume 8, Number 40
© 2022, Dawson County News
Dawsonville, Georgia
Church Events
2B
Classifieds
8B
Dear Abby
5B
Deaths
2A
Legals
8B
Opinion
9A
Sports
1B
4A Amicalola EMC
awards $50,737
in grants to
local teachers.
8A Bikers bring
big hearts,
gifts ahead
of annual
Toy Run.
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Impression Practice.
Proud Owners of an
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noviDia
"We all try and go above
and beyond and give that
five start treatment, so it's
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Q)amonville
B. MANZUR, D.M.D.
754 HWY. 53 WEST, DAWSONVILLE, GA
706-265-2505