About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 2018)
OUR REGION, 1C ‘knead’ for sweets. Culinary artist shares SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23,2018 | $2.00 | GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com Inland port hailed, traffic a concern New facility off Ga. 365 expected to open in 2021 BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com Area public officials and business leaders have been glowing since the Northeast Georgia Inland Port was officially announced by Gov. Nathan Deal at a Dec. 3 gathering at Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport in Gainesville. But there are concerns about local traffic impacts. “It’s going to help our community and our tax base,” Gainesville-based Syfan Logistics CEO Jim Syfan said of the port planned for 104 acres off Gateway Centre Parkway off Ga. 365. “It will create jobs.” However, “Ga. 365, in my opinion, is mostly satu rated with freight during peak times right now. When a container gets to the inland port, it has to be taken off that train and put on a truck to go to its final destination.” Companies exporting goods also will be lining up at the inland port. At full build-out, the port will have the capacity to handle up to 150,000 containers per year, officials have said. The port is expected to open in 2021. Syfan said he hopes the Georgia Department of Transportation “gets on (traffic impacts) right away.” “The roads need to be upgraded to be able to handle ■ Please see PORT, 4A Kevin Gudmestad, safety coordinator at Tatsumi International, unloads a storage container on Wednesday, Dec. 19. AUSTIN STEELE The Times No blue Christmas here SCOn ROGERS I The Times Elvis tribute artist Mark Pitt performs a Christmas show for seniors at the Gainesville Senior Center. Jessie McClellan got a seat on the front row for the performance. Echols looks to give District 3 more of a voice BY MEGAN REED mreed@gainesvilletimes.com Shelly Echols will officially start on the Hall County Board of Commissioners in January, but she’s been staying up to speed on the issues. In May, she won the primary to represent Dis trict 3, taking 71.9 percent of the vote. Because there was no Democrat to oppose her on the bal lot in November, she secured the position early, giving her time to build connections and work on bridging what she said can be a disconnect between North and East Hall, her district, and the rest of the county. “I’ve made it a priority of mine now and during my term, to attend Town Council meet ings and City Council meetings in my district,” Echols, a lifelong East Hall resident, said. “There’s very few Commission meetings I haven’t attended. ... Communication with the mayors, or city councilmembers or managers, just to know that, shoot me a text and call me, let’s talk about what’s going on and see what the two of us can come up with together. Especially with Lula and Gillsville, there’s been some dis connect in the past.” She took her oath of office Friday. Echols said she never saw herself in the polit ical arena — she always thought her husband, Jaemor Farms’ Drew Echols, would be the one more likely to run for office. But when she saw issues with county employee morale and heard from residents who felt like county government Local nonprofits offer seniors holiday camaraderie BY JOSHUA SILAVENT jsilavent@gainesvilletimes.com “There are about 56 women here, and five guys,” Elvis said coolly and coyly to the audience at the Senior Life Center in Gainesville on a recent afternoon. “But it’s Christmas, and we’re going to making sure everyone is involved.” And with that introduction, Mark Pitt, an Elvis tribute singer from Sugar Hill, dressed in the famed white jump suit and sparkling blue jewels of an icon, launched into a flurry of Christ mas renditions made famous by the King of Rock N Roll. From “White Christmas” to “Blue Christmas,” Pitt gracefully made his way around the senior center mess hall, draping festive scarves over the shoulders of women and men, match ing closely the tenor, baritone and bass pitch that one critic described as Elvis’ vocal range. Pitt said his frequent visits to senior centers, nursing homes and retirement communities are a way to connect with a generation that revered Elvis and cherishes some bygone days. “They lived Elvis — the real thing,” he said. But there’s a lot more to it than that, as Pitt soon lets on. “It’s not a show for me,” he said. “They’re what it’s all about, especially this time of year.” Especially this time of year. For the elderly, the senior center is one place to find camaraderie in a world changing so fast. And this social izing can be important for their health. “It means a lot because you can get in touch with people your age,” said Adelaide Britte, who moved to Gaines ville to live with her son a few years ago ■ Please see SENIORS, 6A ■ Please see ECHOLS, 4A scon ROGERS I The Times Shelly Echols will be joining the Hall County Board of Commissioners in January after her victory over incumbent Scott Gibbs in the District 3 race in May. 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