About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (June 18, 2020)
Five Hall men indicted on federal arson charges over burned police car. insde, 3 a Man found dead in Lake Lanier Body of 60-year-old discovered floating in area of his home BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com Hall County authorities are investigating the death of a 60-year-old Gainesville man that a fisherman found floating Tuesday in Lake Lanier. Hall County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called around 2:45 p.m. June 16 to Balus Creek near Whites Mill Road regarding an unresponsive man. The man, Ben Bidgoly, was transported to Northeast Geor gia Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Foul play is not suspected, Sheriffs Office spokesman Derreck Booth said. One of Bidgoly’s family mem bers reported him missing after he had already arrived at the hospital. Booth said Bidgoly lived in the area where he was found, and his boat was found in the same area. The body has been sent to the medical examiner for an autopsy, and the Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the death. Hospitality industry had 73% jobless BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com The unemployment rate was 73% for those working in Hall County’s hospitality industry in April, or at the height of the shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “That was a devastating impact to our work force in the community,” Stacey Dickson, Lake Lanier Convention & Visitors Bureau president, said Wednesday, June 17, during a tourism webinar sponsored by the Greater Hall Cham ber of Commerce. In comparison, the overall unemployment rate in Hall was 10.6% in April, an all-time high, according to the Georgia Department of Labor. Hall’s jobless numbers in May will be released later this month. ■ Please see HOSPITALITY, 3A Local children’s garden reopens at end of month BY KELSEY P0D0 kpodo@gainesvilletimes.com When kids step into the Ada Mae Pass Ivester Children’s Garden at the Botanical Garden in Gainesville, they’ll enter a land of whimsy and wonder. The $2.1 million garden, which had a soft opening in early March, will reopen to the pub lic on Tuesday, June 30. It is named for New Holland native and avid gardener Ada Mae Pass Ivester, mother of Doug Ivester, former Coca-Cola Co. CEO and philanthropist. Mildred Fockele, director of the Gainesville garden, said the grand opening celebration set for March 21 was postponed because of the pandemic. When it becomes safe for people to gather in large groups, Fockele said she plans to host a celebration for the new space. This children’s adventure in particular begins with a winding path to the top of a hill. ■ Please see GARDEN, 5A The fight over Old Joe Group vows to seek statue’s removal from Gainesville square ! Jiir "mm i 1 ill v—— / i ' m- w * I?® Above: Protesters of the Confederate monument Old Joe in downtown Gainesville met Wednesday, June 17, to discuss its removal from the downtown public square. Right: Chairman of Northeast Georgia Democratic Socialists of America Brad Lathem welcomes protesters. About 85 people gathered in downtown Gainesville to protest the monument. Photos by SCOTT ROGERS The Times BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com A group of vocal, sometimes feisty protesters called for removal of the Old Joe statue in the downtown Gainesville square Wednesday night. The group of about 85 people called on the Hall County Board of Commissioners to revoke a lease it has with Old Joe’s owner, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, that was renewed in 2008 and lasts until 2033. “I want a commitment from the Hall County commissioners to remove this statue and replace it with something that fosters a united community where all are welcome,” Christine Osasu told the crowd. She said the statue — a Spanish-American War soldier modified and placed as a Confed erate monument in 1909 — “honors a people, a society and a government that enslaved our black brothers and sisters and kept them as forced laborers, tortured them, raped them.” Osasu urged the crowd “to not wait until the lease expires.... There is no such thing as an irrevocable lease.” The Hall County commission “has requested that the county attorney look into this issue,” spokeswoman Katie Crumley said Friday, June 12. Osasu was part of a line of speakers who addressed the crowd off the Spring Street side of the square for about an hour. Occasionally, speakers turned to a handful of counter protest ers on the other side of Old Joe, near a small group of Hall County sheriff’s deputies, and addressed them. Except for the occasional taunt or jeer, the June 17 event was mostly peaceful on both sides, and the counter protesters left early. In one tense moment, Christen Lott Hunte, one of the few African-American participants protesting Old Joe, started addressing fellow protesters when she wheeled around and faced the counter protesters. “Your racism and your bigotry does not scare me. It does not intimidate me. It empowers me,” Hunte said. “I will continue to talk. ... We’re going to continue to fight and that starts with not just dismantling this ugly thing back here, but it’s about dismantling a system. “We’re going to continue to let our voices be heard, because if you’re going to be silent, you are going to be compliant.” The protest ended with several chants, includ ing “Black lives matter” and “Say his name — George Floyd.” ■ Please see 0LDJ0E, 3A Hawkins’ ‘surprise billing’ measure passes state Senate BY MEGAN REED mreed@gainesvilletimes.com The Georgia Senate voted Wednesday, June 17 to approve legislation that would help patients avoid “surprise bills,” or unexpect edly high medical costs from receiv ing care from an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility. House Bill 888 was introduced by State Rep. Lee Hawkins, R-Gaines- ville, in February, before the state legislature went on a three-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pan demic. The Senate passed it 53-0 Wednesday, and the Geor gia House of Represen tatives passed the bill in March. Next it will go to Gov. Brian Kemp. The bill received sup port from all of Hall Coun ty’s delegation in both chambers of the General Assembly. If a patient goes to an in- network health care facility, they would be charged the in-network fee, even if their provider was out- of-network with their insurer. The insurer and provider would work out the difference, and the bill outlines an arbitration process through the Geor gia Insurance Commission er’s office. For nonemergency services, like a regular checkup, patients would be given 48 hours notice before treatment if they have scheduled with an out-of-network provider. Patients could then decide to change their plans or pay extra. The bill takes the patient out of the dispute over cost, Hawkins said, allowing them to receive treatment without having to worry about going back-and-forth with an insurer or provider. Hawkins said the goal of the bill is alleviating the burden of medi cal costs on families and preventing bankruptcies stemming from health care expenses. “I truly feel like this is going to be so good for patients,” Hawkins said. “It will take a load off families that already are stressed with trying to make ends meet, and with this pan demic and everything else going on, I think it’s a really good accomplish ment that our legislature has made here to help people in this state.” Officials with Northeast Geor gia Health System were in contact with legislators as the bill was being written. “We absolutely support patients having as much relevant informa tion as possible when making deci sions about their health care, as well as the premise of legislation that would help patients make decisions about elective procedures,” Deb Bailey, executive director of gov ernmental affairs for NGHS, said in a statement in February. Hawkins
