Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, May 24,2023
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 3A
FROM 1A
Mural
the North Georgia mountains, so
North Georgia Premium Outlets is
a common tourism destination for
those traveling up to the moun
tains,” Bennett said. “We chose this
design to further position the center
as a tourism destination and pro
vide a fun photo opportunity for
shoppers who are here shopping at
our over 140 iconic outlet brands.”
So Bennett approached Abby
Carroll, a Dawsonville-based artist
and owner of More Than Enough
Design Company, to commission
the mural.
“After Taylor and I discussed the
initial design I did a digital mockup
and kind of got the general design
worked out,” Carroll said, “and
then I just started painting.”
The mural covers two walls
stretching along one end of the
mall and each of the two walls are
about 300 feet long, making this
the biggest mural Carroll has paint
ed so far, she said. She worked hard
on it for about nine or 10 days,
totaling around 40 hours of work.
“Lots of people have asked me if
I sprayed it and obviously there are
some accents with spray paint but
for the most part it’s all rolled,”
Carroll said. “I’m so proud of it;
this is probably one of my favorite
projects I’ve ever done and defi-
Erica Jones Dawson County News
Dawsonville-based artist Abby Carroll, left, and North Georgia
Premium Outlet Mali's Director of Marketing and Business
Development Taylor Bennett, right, stand in front of the newly
completed mural at the outlet mall.
nitely the biggest.”
Since Carroll finished the mural,
both she and outlet mall leadership
have heard a lot of positive feed
back about it, she said.
“I’ve had so many friends and
family that have come out here to
see it and sent me selfies,” Carroll
said.
“So many people have been giv
ing us compliments and taking
pictures with it,” Bennett added.
“We are thrilled.”
The mural is located at the
North Georgia Premium Outlet
Mall on the end closest to the Nike
store and is officially finished and
open for shoppers to enjoy and
take photos with. To tag the mall
and the artist in photos taken with
the mural, shoppers can use their
Instagram handles @northgeorgia-
po and @mtedesignco.
Carroll works as a freelance,
customer-based artist in the com
munity and can be reached
through her Instagram page or on
Facebook at www.facebook.com/
mtedesignco.
FROM 1A
Graduates
high school careers, you
have accumulated approxi
mately 6,000 hours of com
munity service. You’ve
already taken over 230 col
lege courses via dual
enrollment and AP courses,
you’ve performed some of
the most amazing pieces
and plays.”
In the Class of 2023’s
senior year alone, Negley
went on to say, 13 DCHS
athletic teams made state
playoff appearances and
the high school won two
region titles. Six members
of the Class of 2023 are
graduating a whole year
early, and graduates have
earned over $700,000 in
local scholarships.
“As you stand at the
beginning of the next chap
ter of your lives, remember
that the world is waiting for
your unique talents, skills
and perspectives,” Negley
said to the graduating
seniors. “Embrace the chal
lenges that lie ahead, for
they will be the building
blocks of your success.”
LeCave also congratulat
ed the Class of 2023 on
their many accomplish
ments during her superin
tendent’s address.
“Graduates, I want to
thank you for the contribu
tions you have made to our
school system,” LeCave
said. “By taking pride in
being a Tiger you have
brought honor to us in
many ways; we are so very
proud of you.”
LeCave commended the
Class of 2023 for their
kindness, not only to each
other but to those around
them.
“Our principal Mrs.
Negley shared with me that
she was most proud of the
compassion and kindness
this class has shown each
other,” LeCave said.
“Seniors, I encourage you
to hold onto those qualities,
compassion and kindness,
for as you move through
life you will be remem
bered for your character
and how you treat others.”
She encouraged the grad
uating seniors to continue
letting this kindness be
their legacy as they move
on to whatever is next for
each of them after high
school.
“There are 1,440 minutes
in every day; that means
you have 1,440 opportuni
ties to be a blessing to oth
ers by simply taking time
to say thank you, lending a
helping hand, giving a
compliment, a hug or just
sharing your smile,”
LeCave said. “The world
needs more of this; do the
littie things, your life looks
better for it.”
The ceremony also
included salutatorian and
valedictorian addresses by
two graduating seniors.
This year’s salutatorian
was Riley Barfield, and
this year’s valedictorian
was Ben Hodge.
During her salutatorian
address, Barfield recount
ed coming to Dawson
County High School the
summer before her junior
year and at first feeling
like she didn’t fit in but
gradually making friends
and growing to love her
school.
“No matter how many
friends I had, how many
parties I went to and how
many people I talked to,
for a time I never felt like I
was a part of our class —
that is, until this year,”
Barfield said. “This year
has been one of the best
years of my life, from
laughing and crying to
running around the school
causing some mischief.
Thank you so much to this
class for accepting me and
all my weirdness and
allowing me to grow and
change. Thank you for
supporting me, criticizing
me, making fun of me,
defending me, but most of
all for just letting me be
me. You didn’t ask me to
change, and for once in
my life I feel like part of a
community — a Tiger
community.”
During his valedictorian
EARLY DEADLINES FOR MEMORIAL DAY
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will be CLOSED Monday, May29,2023 in observance of Memorial Day.
City of Dawsonville
FY 2023-2024 Budget Notice
The City of Dawsonville hereby gives public notice that the proposed
FY 2023-2024 City of Dawsonville budget was presented to the Mayor
and City Council at the May 15, 2023 regular City Council Meeting
and Work Session.
Interested persons may view a copy of the proposed FY 2023-2024
budget at City Hall, 415 Highway 53 E, Dawsonville, Georgia, during
regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM until
4:30 PM. In addition, the proposed budget has been placed on the
City’s website: www.dawsonville-ga.gov
The Mayor and City Council will hold a Public Hearing to receive
public comments on the proposed FY 2023-2024 Budget at 5:00 PM
on Monday, June 5, 2023 in the G.L. Gilleland Council Chambers on
the 2nd Floor of Dawsonville City Hall, 415 Highway 53 E,
Dawsonville, Georgia, at the regular City Council Meeting.
Adoption of the budget will be considered at the regular City Council
Meeting and Work Session on June 19, 2023 at 5:00 PM, in the G.L.
Gilleland Council Chambers on the 2nd Floor of Dawsonville City Hall,
415 Highway 53, Dawsonville, Georgia.
address, Hodge encour
aged his fellow graduates
to continue spending their
time and efforts making
other people feel like they
belong and matter.
“We do only live once;
with this in mind, what
should we really do to
make the most of it?”
Hodge said. “Society is so
focused on what I want;
but that’s not the right
idea. If we truly do only
live once, we need to
spend that precious time
for others, not just our
selves.”
After the members of
the Class of 2023 each
received their diplomas,
the graduation ceremony
ended with a fireworks
show over the football
field as family and friends
celebrated with their grad
uates.
FROM 1A
Manager
Leverette earned a
bachelor’s degree in
business administration
from the University of
Georgia and a master’s
in public administration
from Georgia College
and State University,
according to his resume.
Board of
Commissioners chair
man Billy Thurmond
took the time after the
vote to thank interim
county manager Vickie
Neikirk for serving in the
temporary role for six-
plus months.
“She’s [done] a won
derful job for us serving
in the role of county
manager as well as
maintaining her role as
our Chief Financial
Officer ... we knew she
would [do well]. It was a
no-doubter whenever we
made the decision on
that,” Thurmond said.
Thurmond presented
Neikirk with a large vase
of flowers and an appre
ciative plaque while
thanking her, county
clerk Kristen Cloud and
the board for working
with her as they all put
effort into finding a new
county manager.
Tearing up, Neikirk
shared that her interim
role has been “fun and
interesting” but looked
forward to passing the
torch to someone else.
“It’s been a privilege
and an honor,” Neikirk
said.
FROM 1A
Body
May 12 has not been
confirmed as a drown
ing.
A press release posted
on May 14 by Dawson
County government
reported the cause of
death was confirmed to
be a drowning by the
Forsyth County
Coroner. However, the
coroner tells FCN the
investigation is ongoing
and they have not yet
confirmed the cause of
death.
The coroner said it
could take up to 90 days
for the medical examin
er’s office to release the
final report.
Forsyth County Fire
PIO Jason Shivers said
their crews did respond
to the call and the victim
was found in shallow
water.
“The body was locat
ed very quickly, and
only one firefighter
went in the water,”
Shivers said. “The fire
fighter was able to wade
out far enough to
retrieve the body of the
victim.”
From there, Shivers
said the firefighter
brought the victim to
shore and law enforce
ment took over.
Daniel Dotson and
Jim Dean contributed to
this report.
A man found dead at War Hil
May 12, has been identified.
File photo
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