About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 14, 2018)
Cherokee Bluff boys and girls basketball teams take first wins as a program, sports,ib WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018 | $1.00 | GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com Honestly Local Final vote count turns to courts State officials to wait until Friday to certify results of governor’s race Associated Press ATLANTA — Georgia’s still undecided race for governor will remain in legal limbo for several more days after a federal court put the brakes on final certification of the vote totals in one of the nation’s hottest midterm matchups. U.S. District Judge Amy Toten- berg late Monday ordered state officials to wait until Friday to certify final results in the race Abrams Kemp between Republican Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams, and take steps to ensure that pro visional ballots aren’t improperly rejected. The ruling in a lawsuit by an advocacy group gave Abrams some hope as she tries to close the vote gap and force a runoff. Unof ficial returns give Kemp a slim majority, but Abrams maintains that enough uncounted absentee, mail-in and provisional ballots remain to force a Dec. 4 runoff and breathe new life into her bid to become the first black woman in American history to be elected governor of a state. Meanwhile, several protesters, including a state senator, were arrested Tuesday during a dem onstration at the Georgia Capitol calling for uncounted ballots to be tallied. “I’m being arrested because I refused to leave the floor of this building where I’m a state sena tor,” State Sen. Nikema Williams said as she was escorted from the building. “I wasn’t yelling. I wasn’t chanting. I was standing peacefully beside constituents I represent.” Abrams has asked for a hearing in a separate federal lawsuit that her campaign filed Sunday. That suit seeks a more sweeping man date for how county officials treat provisional and absentee ballots rejected for various reasons. Kemp’s campaign maintains ■ Please see VOTE, 5A Top of the line Area companies honored at annual Chamber luncheon BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com Area business leaders cele brated a booming industry climate in Hall County at a luncheon Tues day, Nov. 13, recognizing several companies in particular for their performance. Greater Hall Chamber of Com merce’s 2018 Industry of the Year top awards were handed out in three categories: ■ Large employer, with 201 or more employees: Kubota Manufacturing of America, 2715 Ramsey Road ■ Medium employer, with 51-200 employees: Gainesville Coca-Cola Bottling Co., 2105 Browns Bridge Road ■ Small employer, with 1-50 employees: FAE USA Inc., 5321 Rafe Banks Drive The awards were presented dur ing a luncheon at Chattahoochee Country Club in Gainesville. Sponsored by Lanier Techni cal College, the program honors existing industry leaders based on “economic impact, work force excellence and corporate responsibility,” according to the chamber. Other award winners were Syfan Logistics, which was recog nized for corporate responsibility; ALBAform Inc., safety commit ment; Wilheit Packaging, environ mental stewardship; Boost Trans port LLC, workforce excellence; and ABB, workforce development. “I want to thank you... for every thing you do to make our commu nity as great as it is,” Gainesville Mayor Danny Dunagan said. Richard Higgins, Hall County ■ Please see INDUSTRY, 6A SCOTT ROGERS I The Times Elena logha inspects a group of rock cutters Tuesday, Nov. 13, at FAE USA in Flowery Branch. The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce awarded the distributor of forestry and construction land clearing attachments the 2018 Industry of the Year Award for the small employer category. AUSTIN STEELE I The Times Employees work along the assembly line at Kubota on Tuesday, Nov. 13. Kubota was awarded the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce’s 2018 Industry of the Year award for a large-sized employer. Award winners Here’s a list of companies receiving awards at the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce’s 2018 Industry of the Year luncheon Tuesday, Nov. 13: Kubota Manufacturing of America: top large employer Gainesville Coca-Cola Bottling Co.: top medium employer FAE USA Inc.: top small employer Syfan Logistics: corporate responsibility ALBAform Inc.: safety commitment Wilheit Packaging: environmental stewardship Boost Transport LLC: workforce excellence ABB: workforce development More home study on Hall school calendar BY JOSHUA SILAVENT jsilavent@gainesvilletimes.com The proposed 2019-20 academic year calen dar for Hall County Schools includes two days for school-from-home study as officials con tinue to support education through new means and sources of content. The calendar, which the board of education will vote on at its next meeting, Monday, Nov. 26, also includes an extra day (three instead of two) during fall break. If approved, students would begin school Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, and finish May, 22,2020. The proposed calendar comes at a time when a Georgia Senate study committee has been meeting to evaluate how a shift to a later start date would impact students and families, regional economies that depend on the tourism and hospitality industries, and the interests of local school districts. Officials with both Hall County and Gainesville City school systems have said that ■ Please see CALENDAR, 6A Online See proposed calendar at gainesvilletimes. com. Miller nominated to continue in Ga. Senate top role State Sen. Butch Miller, R-Gainesville, has been nominated to continue to serve in his role as President Pro Tempore of the Georgia Senate. Miller was nominated by the Georgia Senate Majority Caucus on Tuesday. He was elected to the Georgia Senate in 2010 to represent the 49th District, which covers most of Hall County. “I am grateful to each of my colleagues for continuing to entrust me with this lead ership position,” Miller said in a statement. “I believe that the future for our great state is bright and that by working with our incoming administration and friends in the House, we can continue to make Georgia the best place in the nation for business, economic develop ment and a place for our citizens to call home. ” This is Miller’s second nomination for the position. He was first nominated for the Presi dent Pro Tempore role in January. His nomination will be voted on when the Georgia Senate convenes for the 2019 legisla tive session. Other North Georgia legislators were also nominated for top positions Tuesday. State Sen. Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, was nomi nated to continue his role as Majority Caucus Whip, and State Sen. John Wilkinson, R-Toc- coa, was nominated to continue in the position of Majority Caucus Secretary. Compiled from Georgia Senate press releases Miller □ 40901 06835 8 INSIDE Advice 5B Bridge 5B Business 3B Calendar 2A Classified 7B Comics 6B Life 4B Lottery 2A Opinion 4A Our Region 6A Sports 1B TV/puzzles 5B WEATHER 2A High Low Lake Lanier level: 1,070.72 feet Full pool 1,071. Up 1.09 feet in 24 hours DEATHS 7A Robert Ernest Ash, 65 Myrinia Barnett, 72 Robert Wayne Carroll, 80 Ezzle Pugh Evans, 98 Edward Vasco Hughey Jr., 78 Joseph John lannarone, 93 Earnest Jay McCollum, 70 Dawn Caroline Neff, 49 Herald Patterson, 62 Robert Lawton Scroggs, 83 Kimball Grant Turpin, 52 Robert P. Wagner, 47 Ernest Glenn Williams, 76
