About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 2018)
Shannon Casas | Editor in Chief 770-718-3417 | news@gainesvilletimes.com The Times, Gainesville, Georgia Saturday, December 15, 2018 •L3 OUR REGION Want free Arby’s for a year? Head to new Braselton location Monday BY KELSEY RICHARDSON krichardson@ gainesvilletimes.com People in Braselton can soon satisfy their roast beef cravings because Arby’s will finally arrive Monday, Dec. 17. Make sure to visit early because once the restaurant opens its doors at 10 a.m., the first 50 guests will be rewarded with free Arby’s food for a year. As a part of the restaurant’s Give Back Program, Arby’s will donate the purchase price of every kids meal sold to Duncan Creek Elementary School. This fundraiser will continue throughout its first month of operation. The new Arby’s will employ 30 staff members. The restau rant will keep its dining room open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and its drive-thru open from 10 a.m. to midnight. The restaurant is located at 2620 Old Winder Highway in Braselton. Police say suspects in Flowery Branch excavator theft caught in Rabun County BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com Two men accused of stealing a Caterpillar skid steer exca vator from a Flowery Branch construction site were caught in Rabun County allegedly attempt ing a similar theft, police said. Flowery Branch Police were looking for two suspects who took the construction machine Dec. 4 from a site on Sterling on the Lake. Police later found the skid steer, which looks like a small bull dozer, behind a house on Amber Cove Way in Flowery Branch. Rabun County authorities arrested and charged Brett Crissey, 39, of Flowery Branch, and Kelley Hosch, 38, of Buford, on Wednesday, Dec. 12, after the two were “attempting to steal another excavator,” said Flowery Branch Police Investigator Robin Kemp. Crissey’s address is on Amber Cove Way. Crissey and Hosch were charged with felony theft by tak ing and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and both remain at the Rabun County Jail. Kemp said there are additional war rants for felony theft by taking for the Flowery Branch excavator. Crissey Hosch Photos for The Times A view up Main Street toward the square after the 1936 tornado. Kayaks kick up spray as they head for the finish line in the 1996 Olympics at Lake Lanier. BIRTHDAY ■ Continued from 1A feet above sea level. Lake Lanier Islands Devel opment Authority was cre ated as a state agency to “plan, develop and operate four islands in the southern portion of Lake Sidney Lanier for resort and recreation pur poses and to enhance the tourism potential of North Georgia.” In 1974, Pinelsle Resort opened and would go on to host a number of major events, including a stop on the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour. In the mid-1990s the author ity signed an agreement with the private company, KSL Lake Lanier, Inc., to operate the islands. More than a decade later, the family of Gwinnett County businessman, Virgil Williams, took over as the new management. In January 2018, the family announced it would keep the primary lease on the resort, handling the hospitality side, while subleasing to Safe Har bor Development and Mar- garitaville Holdings. Poultry capital of the world Gainesville didn’t receive the title of “Poultry Capital of the World” just from rais ing broiler chickens. It’s the epicenter of many varied seg ments of the poultry industry, both state and nationwide. “The poultry industry is the heart and backbone of the economy in Gainesville and Hall County,” said Abit Massey, president emeritus of the Georgia Poultry Fed eration. “The commercial industry began at the time of World War II and has contin ued to grow and to make and keep this area as the ‘Poultry Capital of the World.’” One of the main individuals responsible for catalyzing the poultry industry is Jesse D. Jewell. He opened his first hatch ery in 1940, and soon after ward progressed into creating the vertical integration model that revolutionized the poul try industry. Famous figures Since Hall signed the Dec laration of Independence and became the state’s first gover nor, the county has produced more political leaders on the local, state and national level. Two of these notable names include Allen Daniel Candler, Georgia’s 54th governor, and Gov. Nathan Deal. Making history as one of the only doctors who served the area’s African-American community during the days of segregation, E.E. Butler arrived in Gainesville in 1936. “At the time, he was the only black physician in Gainesville,” said James Brooks, member of the Gainesville-Hall County Black History Society and the Men’s Progressive Club. “He really cared about the black community.” Known for his time as president of Brenau Univer sity from 1985 to 2005, John S. “Jack” Burd contributed advancements in the univer sity’s arts and music. Brenau’s performing arts center is named after him. Emily Dunlap “Sissy” Law- son became Gainesville’s first female mayor in 1992. Lawson won the Rotary Club of Gainesville’s Woman of the Year Award in 2017 and received the Girl Scouts of Northeast Georgia’s Gaines ville Woman of Distinction. During the late 1800s, Gaines ville was the home of former Confederate Gen. James Longstreet, who was second in command to Gen. Robert E. Lee. He served as the city’s postmaster, opened the Pied mont Hotel and started the area’s first Catholic congrega tion, now St. Michael Catholic Church. He additionally joined the Republican Party and fought for the civil rights of former slaves. Longstreet apologized, “in effect, for what the Confed eracy stood for and what it fought for,” said Glen Kyle, Northeast Georgia History Center executive director. History of health care Hall County’s first access to a hospital was from the home of Dr. James Downey in 1908. Downey Hospital was on South Sycamore Street before moving to today’s location on E.E. Butler Parkway. One of Downey’s well- known inventions includes the “fracture table,” which allowed broken limbs to be set at an angle, so people could recover from a wheelchair. Before this tool, pulleys and weights were used to set frac tures, which forced patients to lie on their backs while their limbs healed. In 1951, the 90-bed Hall County Hospital first opened with 14 physicians and staff. It later became Northeast Georgia Medical Center in 1976. The Northeast Georgia Health System now has hospi tals in Gainesville, Braselton and Winder. Tornado that killed hundreds Panic engulfed Gainesville as a tornado tore through town on April 6,1936. When the skies finally cleared, more than 200 peo ple were estimated dead, and more than 1,000 injured. Hundreds of businesses were affected, leading to around $13 million in damages. After listening to the story of survivors, Kyle said a cer tain “spirit of ‘36” prevented a place like Gainesville from crumbling over the tragedy. “That would have killed a lot of communities,” he said. “That would have been it, but it didn’t because everyone came together.” Within the next 36 hours the citizens cleared the streets. Because this occurred dur ing President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, the city received federal funds to rebuild new housing and infrastructure. Three days after the tor nado, Roosevelt stopped at the train station, promising to help revitalize Gainesville. He returned on March 23,1938. “I urge you to work for the good of the whole people and the whole nation,” the presi dent said. “We need that spirit in Gainesville today — and throughout the nation.” FLORES ■ Continued from 1A Courtesy of Shelly Echols I Jaemor Farms Edgar Flores, second from left, poses for a photo with fellow employees at Jaemor Farms. Flores worked at Jaemor for several years prior to becoming a DeKalb County police officer. Flores was killed in the line of duty this week. The shooting set off a mas sive manhunt for his alleged shooter involving county SWAT officers and a police dog. Taylor was eventually found hiding near a pile of tires behind a business on Candler Road, about a block away from the initial traffic stop, GBI spokeswoman Natalie Ammons said Friday. “When confronted, Taylor fired his weapon, striking the K9,” Ammons said in a news release. “Three DKPD SWAT officers fired at Taylor. Taylor was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was pro nounced deceased.” The police dog, a 7-year- old named Indi, was taken to a local veterinarian for treat ment and rushed into sur gery. He was stable Friday, Ammons said. The GBI is conducting an investigation into the deadly shooting. Flores was the fifth Georgia officer killed in the line of duty this year, and the 30th DeKalb police officer to be killed on the job. The last DeKalb offi cer killed in the line of duty was Master Patrol Officer Kevin Jermaine Toatley, who died in a car crash on Sept. 19, 2015. Governor-elect Brian Kemp tweeted his condolences for the officer, saying, “We are forever grateful for his service and sacrifice. Our prayers are with those who mourn.” Tribune News Service contributed to this report. GBI forensic testing leads to rape suspect BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com A Gainesville man is accused of sexually assault ing a woman at an October 2017 party in Gainesville, according to authorities. Jose Alfredo Vital, 20, was charged with rape and aggravated sodomy. Hall County Sheriff’s Office investigators received Georgia Bureau of Investigation forensic test results stemming from an Oct. 22,2017, reported rape. The results led the investigators to obtain war rants for Vital, who is accused of assaulting a 21-year-old woman at the party on Poplar Springs Road. Sheriff’s Office spokesman Derreck Booth said Vital and the woman were acquainted with one another. Vital was booked Friday, Dec. 14, in to the Hall County Jail, where he is being held without bond. The case is still under investigation. ASK THE TIMES From Times staff reports Why are people receiving mail at 7 p.m, or later? If you’ve been wondering about something in your community, Ask The Times is your place to get answers. The following question was submitted by a reader and answered through the efforts of our news staff. Why are we receiving our mail at 7 p.m. or during the night? Rick Badie, communications program spe cialist for the United States Postal Service, responded in an email that the post office in Gainesville recognizes the importance of timely, consistent and accurate deliveries to its customers. “During December, our busiest time of the year, the Postal Service has been expanding deliveries to earlier in the morning and later in the evening to ensure customers receive mail at the earliest date possible,” he wrote. Share your thoughts, news tips and questions with The Times: ■ news@gainesvilletimes.com ■ facebook.com/gainesvilletimes ■ @gtimes PRINCIPAL ■ Continued from 1A instructional coach for K-5 students, before moving into leadership in 2013 as the assistant principal of Lanier Elementary. “I always felt the need that there was more,” Scheman said. “I wanted to keep leading. And lead others to help students.” When the Lula role became available after Princi pal Theresa London announced earlier this fall that she would be leaving the school district, Scheman said she reached out to her mentors, colleagues and administrative officials to express interest. “One of my goals was to be a principal,” Scheman said. And she wanted to achieve that goal here locally. “I love Hall County and I don’t ever want to leave,” Scheman said. Scheman said her first few days on the job this month have largely been spent trying to commit to memory the names and faces of students, their fami lies, teachers and staff. It’s a challenge that fits her naturally. “I’m a talker, ” Scheman said. “I love working with people.” Her husband, Nick, an assistant principal and Advanced Placement coordinator at Chestatee High, jokes that the two could travel anywhere in the world and she’ll find someone to chat up, Scheman said. When she became assistant principal at Lanier, Scheman’s peers went from colleagues to subordinates. All of the sudden, she was thrust into a position of evaluating those with whom she had been working alongside, and that could be difficult, Scheman said. But the challenge now is much different. “I knew absolutely nobody coming in,” Scheman said about Lula. “And they didn’t know me.” But she’s been “impressed” with the welcoming she’s received, “like I’ve always been here. The com munity has been fabulous.” And the newness of it all, despite her experience shifting gears, is still a challenge. For example, she has to wake up earlier now. And her commute went from a minute or two to 45 min utes solid. But she arrives each morning at 6:30 a.m. sharp to greet students and their families, Scheman said. “I am who I am,” she added. “I live to see the kids every day. I’m not going to change. I’m going to blend.” Scheman said that desire to blend includes con necting and partnering with the wider East Hall region. Students from Lula typically matriculate to East Hall middle and high schools. The elementary school is the hub of a “tight knit” Lula community, Scheman said, and making sure it continues to serve that mission is essential. Scheman said she is planning to host a meet-and- greet night with students’ families soon so that they “get to know me on a more personal level.” “I’m here to serve and lead,” she added.
