About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (June 6, 2020)
OUR REGION She Srtnes gainesvillelimes.com Weekend Edition - June 6-7, 2020 Nate McCullough News Editor | 770-718-3431 | news@gainesvilletimes.com J.C. Penney closing local store SCOTT ROGERS I The Times J.C. Penney at Lakeshore Mall in Gainesville is one of the retail chain’s 154 stores nationwide that’s closing as part of bankruptcy proceedings. Gainesville location one of 154 permanent closures BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com A department store that traces its history to the downtown square, J.C. Penney is now leaving Gaines ville for good. The Texas-based chain announced Thursday, June 4, that its store at Lakeshore Mall is one of the retailer’s 154 stores nationwide that’s closing as part of bankruptcy proceedings. “Following a comprehensive review of our retail footprint, J.C. Penney made the difficult deci sion to close 154 stores,” the com pany said on its website Thursday, June 4. “We will continue to operate the majority of our stores and our flag ship store, jcp.com, to ensure our valued customers continue to have access to the products and brands they need and want.” The store closings were made “following a comprehensive evalu ation of its retail footprint and a careful analysis of store perfor mance and future strategic fit for the company,” a press release states. The closings will begin following the entry of an order at a hearing set for next Thursday, June 11, at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Cor pus Christi, Tex., the company said. Mahmoud Al-Hadidi of True Buyer Stockbridge Enterprises of Orchard Lake, Mich., near Detroit, which owns Lakeshore Mall, said J.C. Penney’s closing “is not good news for us, but it is not horrible news. J.C. Penney has been strug gling for a while now. “It is a temporary setback for us, but the outlook is hopefully good ■ Please see JCPENNEY, 4B Luna’s owner seeks to build apartments BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com Gainesville restaurateur Juan Luna is pro posing to build 20 apartments near downtown Gainesville. The owner of Luna’s Restaurant on the square is seeking Gainesville’s approval for the project, which would call for two new buildings — one with 16 units and the other with four — on Washington Street between West Avenue and John W. Morrow Jr. Parkway. The development would span seven lots on Washington Street, with two existing rental homes being demolished, according to the city. “I have visualized this (development) since I bought the first property 21, 22 years ago,” Luna said on Friday, June 5. “Gainesville-Hall County is growing. Just like we need to eat, we have to have a place to live, and I don’t think (the area’s) prosperity or growth can be stopped.” The apartments would be built as two-story, 1,137-square-foot townhomes — each with two bedrooms and two baths. Two driveways are proposed from Washing ton Street. “The proposal will slightly increase ... traf fic movements along Washington Street, which provides direct connection to downtown Gainesville from the Lakeshore Mall area,” a city document states. The project is set to go before the Gainesville Planning and Appeals Board on Tuesday, June 9. The board can only recommend approval or denial. The final decision rests with the Gaines ville City Council, which would hear the pro posal at a later date. City planning staff is recommending approval. The city report says that Gainesville’s com prehensive plan “identifies the need for qual ity housing within the downtown area” and that Luna’s project “is conducive for residential purposes, as it is situated within an area that is walkable to office, retail, restaurant and public uses. “Development along the Washington Street corridor has consisted of small specialty shops, professional offices, as well as multi-family res idential and limited single-family residential.” If the project is approved, Luna said he would like to start construction in the next 2-3 months. From there, completion may take place in 7-8 months. Gainesville Planning and Appeals Board What: proposed 20-unit apartment complex on When: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 9 Where: Public Safety Complex, 701 Queen City Parkway Kemp eases some on state budget cuts BY MEGAN REED mreed@gainesvilletimes.com Gov. Brian Kemp will ask state agencies to cut their budgets by 11%, rather than the 14% first planned, he announced Wednesday, June 3. State agencies had submit ted proposals for 14% cuts, with local public schools, the University of North Georgia, courts and other services such as the Division of Family and Children Services and public safety agencies facing spend ing decreases. The cuts were intended to help the state recover from the eco nomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kemp said in a statement Wednesday that the pandemic has “squeezed state revenues, just like the wallets of hard-working Geor gians.” However, he said he was hopeful about the state’s economic recovery. “Our state is positioned to weather this storm better than most. The foundation of our economy is strong and ready for consumer confidence to ■ Please see CUTS, 4B Kemp Gainesville candlelight vigil today SCOTT ROGERS I The Times The Newtown Florist Club rally Monday, June 1, gave opportunity for young people to discuss their feelings on recent protests and the causes behind them as well as plan out what steps they may want to take next during the event where Rose Johnson, Newtown’s executive director, said the gathering is not a protest but a “community organizing event.” Newtown Florist Club hosting community observance event BY KELSEY PODO kpodo@gainesvilletimes.com The Newtown Florist Club, a Gainesville civil rights group, is calling upon community mem bers to attend a candlelight vigil at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 6, on the patch of greenspace at the end of the pedestrian bridge on Jesse Jewell Parkway. Jackie Lipscomb, who is lead ing the event, said the obser vance is “taking a stand for justice and pursuit of peace, and remembering those who lost their lives through racial acts of hatred.” The Rev. Rose Johnson, exec utive director of the Newtown Florist Club, said the vigil will open with community mem bers sharing why this moment in history is important to them, whether through words or song. The next portion will offer teachable moments about the history of the civil rights legacy. “We have a real opportunity to connect the past to the present and give our entire community a chance to participate in a moment of change,” Johnson said. “And connect with the nation and the world in the spirit of unity.” Candles will then be lit as peo ple transition into the “remem bering segment,” which includes calling out the names of people who have died from racial acts of hatred. “This is a moment of change in America, and across the nation that everyone, all people of good will, can participate in to make a change happen in America,” Johnson said. “This call for jus tice, when it comes to men and women who were murdered through acts of police violence, that justice for them will hope fully prevail. We have to keep pushing for change.” People interested in civic par ticipation arising from the recent protests can call the Newtown Florist Club at 770-718-1343 or email newtownl93@gmail.com. Gainesville candlelight vigil What: Observance to remember those who died from racial acts of hatred When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 6 Where: The end of the pedestrian bridge on Jesse Jewell Parkway More info: Call Newtown Florist Club at 770-718-1343 Right top: Newtown Florist Club executive director Rose Johnson leads a crowd gathered Monday, June 1, in song as hundreds gather in Gainesville in reaction to the death of George Floyd and the issues of police brutality and systemic racism. Right bottom: Signs are written during the Newtown Florist Club rally. Lawmakers weigh in on potential hate crime bill BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com With the Georgia legislature set to resume June 15, one of the bills likely to come to the floor will be con cerning hate crimes. Rep. Lee Hawkins, R-Gainesville, said leadership in both houses have indicated interest in having the bill come to the floor. “I think it’s more than reasonable that out of the few bills that we do take to the floor, other than budget of course, that that should be one of them,” Hawkins said. The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police adopted a resolution late last month in support of legislation that “enhances and mandates the criminal sentence” in cases involv ing hate crimes. “The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police support the creation of a civil process for victims to seek redress for any injury or damage to his or her property as a result of crimes of this nature,” according to the resolution. House Bill 426 passed in the state House of Repre sentatives in March 2019 by a vote of 96-64, but did not move further in the legislature. The bill would increase punishments when it is proven in court “beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant intentionally selected any victim or group of victims or any property as the object of the offense because of the actual or perceived race, color, reli gion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, mental disability, or physical disability of such vic tim or group of victims.” If it’s a misdemeanor, it’s a minimum of three months imprisonment and a maximum $5,000 fine. A felony would require at least two years imprisonment. During the March 7, 2019, vote, Reps. Emory Dunahoo, R-Gillsville, and Matt Dubnik, R-Gainesville, voted no along with Hawkins. Dunahoo said he wants to see what will be presented during the session before leaning one way or another. “I will always be open-minded to read what versions of the bills come forward,” he said. An attempt to reach Dubnik for comment Thursday, June 4, was unsuccessful. “At the end of the day, what we want is legislation that creates much more deterrence to the things that we’re seeing happening in the U.S. right now,” Hawkins said. ■ Please see HATE, 4B
