About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 26, 2018)
I2J OUR REGION Shannon Casas | Editor in Chief 770-718-3417 | news@gainesvilletimes.com The Times, Gainesville, Georgia Wednesday, December 26, 2018 Dr. Blue retires, 1 office closing Gainesville ophthalmologist leaves business at end of year BY KELSEY RICHARDSON krichardson@gainesvilletimes. com After decades of working as an ophthalmologist, Dr. Richard Blue of Blue Laser Group is retiring and his Gainesville office is closing. Blue will hand over the reins to Dr. Jose Bigles-Gei- gel once the 40-year veteran of eye care leaves at the end of the year. “Being involved with vision correction was a true blessing in my life,” Blue said. “Few people get to say they spent their career doing exactly what you were supposed to do. I can say that about vision corrections.” Bigles, of Georgia Oph thalmology in Covington, is leaving his current post to take over Blue’s prac tice and patients from both Gainesville and Athens. The LASIK program will be renamed Bigles Laser Vision. The Gainesville practice will close once Blue leaves on Dec. 29, and the Ath ens location will remain open to treat patients from Gainesville. Blue, who founded Blue Laser Group, said retiring was a difficult choice. “What I get to do is amaz ing,” he said. “I get to play with really cool equipment and change people’s lives in an incredible way in less than a minute. In my expe rience in medicine, LASIK patients are typically the happiest that undergo surgi cal procedures. That’s tough to walk away from.” Having spent 40 years in the medical field, Blue has had a front row seat in watching the growth of LASIK technology. He remembers 25 years ago when corrective surgery entailed looking through a microscope, while holding a diamond blade and conduct ing freehand incisions. Blue was one of the first ophthalmologists to use an excimer laser in eye care about 25 years ago. He said the Food and Drug Admin istration chose him to be a part of a study to work toward using the laser on a human eye. The excimer laser was originally used to carve computer chips. Now a majority of correc tive eye procedures can be done with a laser. Blue said many times people achieve better than 20-20 vision because of the accuracy in LASIK technology. When Blue officially retires, Bigles said he will bring more options and newer technology to the practice in Athens. Additionally he plans to continue Blue’s tradition of exceptional care. “We work very hard at having diminished wait times for patients,” Bigles said. “I have an entire team of people around me who are well experienced. I feel we will deliver on what peo ple expect from Dr. Blue, but even something beyond.” Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, and raised in Georgia, Bigles graduated from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine in 2002. He completed his medical training in ophthalmology at the renowned Albert Ein stein College of Medicine in New York. Bigles arrived in Cov ington in 2009, and since then has continued to treat ophthalmic disorders and restore people’s vision Photos Courtesy BLUE LASER GROUP After 33 years of practicing at Blue Laser Group, Dr. Richard Blue will officially retire at the end of the year. through cataract and LASIK correction. For the past 10 years, Big les said he has seen Blue as a mentor while working in Georgia. Blue said he is grateful for Bigles stepping in his place and wants his patients to Dr. Jose Bigles-Geigel will acquire Blue Laser Group on Jan. 1, 2019, which will be renamed as Bigles Laser Vision. know that they are lucky to have a local ophthalmologist that will provide care. “I feel honored that Dr. Blue has confidence in me to step in to take care of his patients,” Bigles said. “I’m excited to show what I’ve trained for during my entire career.” JOSHUA SILAVENT I The Times Jerry Deyton, pastor at The Way, a day center and mission for the homeless in midtown Gainesville, gives a pre-Christmas lunch sermon to more than 70 homeless men, women, children and local volunteers on Tuesday, Dec. 25. HOMELESS ■ Continued from 1A strip mall space this fall. “Just to see what God is doing for the women is so refreshing to us,” Trent said. “And (the women) are giving each other hope. They kind of feed off each other.” Nearby, several women sitting on sofas around a television nodded in agreement. On Christmas Eve, they had all helped decorate the ministry’s sanctuary, sing ing carols and songs of praise, and ush ering in the cold, but sunny, Christmas morning together. “It’s gave me peace,” said Nicole. “I have a home. I don’t have to worry about what I’m going to eat, where I’m going to sleep.” And it gives her a chance to begin working toward getting custody of her children, she added. “It’s one big family,” Cristine, a young woman, chimed in. The ministry has even reunited families. Elizabeth said her son, who has been homeless for a number of years but recently taken in by Trent, found King dom Harvest and told her it was a good place for her, too. “It gives you hope that one day... Eliza beth said, trailing off. But her meaning required no more words. Hope was a feeling strong enough to sustain her this day. Back at The Way, Mark, a military vet eran who has been homeless in Gaines ville for several years, reflected on what the place meant to him. “I pray for it every day when I wake up,” he added. “If nothing else, if I’ve got nothing to eat, I know I can come here. ” That sense of familiarity, compan ionship and having somewhere to go or somewhere to be, can be as elemental as a daily meal and a glass of water for those without a home. Brittany said she’s been sleeping on the streets for too long. She and her partner had fallen into some habits of theft to make ends meet, she said, and Christmas Day was both humbling and joyful. “I’m hanging in there,” she said. “But it’s so hard right now. I used to be on that side — serving.” Brittany, however, isn’t scared by hard times. She was born with problems associ ated with her spinal fluid and cord, and doctors didn’t think she’d live to her first birthday, Brittany said. “I was a miracle baby as it was,” she added. And God keeps a smile on her face. “I wouldn’t be here without him,” she said. “God can easily put you in your place. I needed to come back down to scale.” That’s not your everyday Christmas lesson, but it’s one that marks the lives of many who find themselves homeless. “Heavenly father, we come and stand before you today ... we are grateful for what you’ve done this year,” Deyton said in prayer. “Thank you today for bringing all these people together.” Jim Syfan, CEO of Syfan Logistics, speaks about the expansion his company is going through on Thursday, Dec. 20. The expansion is expected to result in 100 new jobs over the next three years. AUSTIN STEELE The Times SYFAN ■ Continued from 1A said. “(As needed), I’ll just build another building.” A growing economy is pushing the expansion. “People feel like spending money, and they’re buying more,” Syfan said in July, as the com pany was about to embark on the expansion. The company has written a college-level logis tics curriculum to draw students into the field. “If they don’t wish to come here, that’s infor mation and ability they can take elsewhere and do really well,” Syfan said. Still, the company wouldn’t embark on such an expansion “unless we had a pretty good inclination that we could man it,” he said. “We wouldn’t want to put a bunch of empty desks in here and not be able to get the right kind of people to perform in here.” TREE ■ Continued from 1A Trees can be dropped off at the following compactor sites between 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sundays: ■ Candler Compactor - 5064 Poplar Springs Road, Gainesville ■ Murrayville Compactor - 5113 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville ■ Lula Compactor - 6174 Lula Road, Lula ■ Wauka Mountain Com pactor - 5800 Brookton-Lula Road, Gainesville ■ Sardis Road Compac tor - 3166 Brackett Drive, Gainesville ■ East Crescent Drive Compactor - 734 East Crescent Drive, Gainesville ■ Gould Lane Compactor - 1277 Hillside Gardens Lane, Gainesville ■ Tadmore Compactor - 3320 Holly Springs Road, Gainesville ■ Balus Creek Compac tor - 3845 Old Flowery Branch Road, Flowery Branch ■ Blackshear Place Com pactor - 2921 Atlanta Highway, Gainesville ■ Flowery Branch Com pactor- 4395 Falcon Parkway, Flowery Branch ■ Gaines Ferry Compac tor - 6173 Gaines Ferry Road, Flowery Branch The Hall County Recycling Center, 1008 Chestnut Street in Gainesville, will take trees Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call Hall County Resource Recov ery at 770-535-8284. Compiled from Hall County Government press release Hie Joint Chiropractic expands to Flowery Branch BY KELSEY RICHARDSON krichardson@gainesvilletimes.com The Joint Chiropractic has stretched its roots into Flowery Branch, officially opening on Dec. 13. Joe Burum, owner of the clinic, said this addi tion will be The Joint’s eighth location. The new office will run like the others with its no appointment and no-insurance method. The Flowery Branch clinic can be found at 5900 Spout Springs Road. “We bring to Hall County what people of Atlanta have had for almost a decade, which is the affordable convenient care that The Joint offers,” Burum said. Dr. Joe Whitehead is the new location’s director, which Burum said will be at the office around five days a week. Burum encourages those who have not vis ited The Joint for their chiropractic needs, to at least check it out and witness the “hassle-free” environment. Each first visit costs $29, which includes the consultation, exam and adjustment. Chiropractors at the clinic treat a range of mechanical issues from lower back pain and neck pain, to migraines and fibromyalgia. Since the company’s network has secure access to patient files, people can use their membership at any of The Joint chiropractic offices nationwide. “The thing we like about The Joint the most is it’s the perfect combination of professional, affordable and convenient care,” Burum said. “We’re just excited to be there and look forward to serving the people of Flowery Branch.” Man charged with child molestation A Gainesville man is accused of committing “an indecent sexual act” in the presence of a 15-year-old girl, according to authorities. Joseph Trent Dollyhigh, 44, was charged with child molestation. He was booked Friday, Dec. 21, in to the Hall County Jail. He was released after posting a $5,700 bond the following day. A phone number listed for Dollyhigh on online databases was inoperable. Hall County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Scott Ware said Dollyhigh “committed an indecent sexual act in the presence of a minor female child” Sept. 28 at a Hall County residence. Ware said Dollyhigh and the girl were previ ously acquainted with one another. Investigators obtained a warrant for Dolly high Dec. 12. The case is still under investigation. Nick Watson KITTRELL ■ Continued from 1A chief, the bullet “striking (Kittrell) in the right shoulder and lodging in his spine,” according to White. Officer Towery returned fire and killed the man who shot the police chief. The chief died five hours later. To commemorate the sacrifice of Kittrell on Christmas Day, 1890, White said he plans to go in front of the City Council this spring to request a memorial be placed at the depot. “The main thing, like any type of memorial that we do, is that we never forget those that came before us and those that gave the ultimate sacri fice, and that’s exactly what Kittrell did on Christ mas Day,” White said, adding Kittrell was the first Gainesville officer killed in the line of duty. Kittrell was chief less than a year, as he was promoted to the top rank Jan. 4,1890. He had four daughters, and a son was on the way at the time of his death. The City Council voted in March 1891 to give Kittrell’s widow, Dona, a sal ary of $20 per month for one year. Kittrell was laid to rest in Gainesville’s Alta Vista Cemetery. In 2000, a memorial marker was placed at his grave by the Gainesville/Hall County Fraternal Order of Police.
