About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 2, 2020)
4A Midweek Edition - September 2-3, 2020 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com LOCAL Event shares message of hope, honors those lost to drug abuse BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com In October 2016, Will Alli son said he felt he had spent the last dozen years destroy ing his life. He recounted waking up in a Northeast Georgia Medical Center hospital bed after using drugs with a friend. “I was used to him ODing, and he was used to me ODing,” Allison said, as both men were given Narcan, an opioid recovery antidote drug. Feeling like he had noth ing, Allison said he had spent months wanting to die every time he put drugs in his body. But in that hospital bed, he said he felt a sense of calm wash over him that gave him a self of freedom. He has stayed clean since that day and now works for the Jeffrey Dallas Gay Jr. Recovery Center. The light of roughly 150 candles illuminated the gazebo behind Gainesville’s American Legion post Monday night on Riverside Drive, each flame repre senting a loved one lost to addiction and substance use. As each name was called, a family member, friend or volunteer came forth from the crowd, bringing back a lit candle to strengthen the burgeoning light. “These lives were taken from us,” said Art Gallegos, Jr., a Gainesville minister. The candlelight vigil capped off a night of speak- Dan Solla, of the PTSD Foundation of America’s North Georgia chapter, speaks Monday, Aug. 31, during the J’s Place Hall Recovers event at the American Legion Post 7 Chattahoochee Pavilion. ers for “Hall Recovers,” an event sponsored by the cen ter to focus on addiction and recovery. The center, referred to as J’s Place, was named after a Gainesville man who died in 2012 one month before his 22nd birthday. His father, Jeff Gay, spoke for the first time publicly Monday night about the fam ily’s struggle with addiction. Jeffrey Gay Jr. got into trouble during his senior year of high school, his father said. His son was put into a drug rehab program for the rest of his senior year before going to col lege, Jeff Gay said. “For a year, he was gone and he was out of sight, out of mind. But he wasn’t clean and he sure wasn’t sober,” Gay said. Jeff Gay shared his gratitude for those in the recovery community who supported him and his family while also educat ing him on the disease of addiction. “I just hope and pray that if anybody gets anything out of this tonight, that it’s not the end of the world if you know somebody in your family or that’s a friend that’s a substance abuser or... addict,” Gay said. “It’s just how you support them and how you love them.” Deb Esposito, an emer gency department recov ery coach, told part of the story of her six-year recovery. Working in the Northeast Georgia Health System’s hospitals in Gainesville, Braselton and Winder, she said she aims to support those people potentially seeking recov ery to do so without a fear of judgment. “Just to see the sigh of relief on their face when I say that is worth every thing,” Esposito said. J’s Place holds a Hall Recovers event Monday, Aug. 31, at the American Legion Post 7’s historic Chattahoochee Pavilion. The event featured speakers, awareness and a candlelight vigil in remembrance of the loved ones lost due to substance abuse. Photos by SCOTT ROGERS I The Times Hatchett wins District 50 runoff BY MEGAN REED mreed@gainesvilletimes.com Bo Hatchett won the Republican nomination for Senate District 50 on Mon day following a recount in the Aug. 11 primary runoff election. Hatchett had a lead of just 38 votes over Stacy Hall in the final tally of the Aug. 11 run off featuring the two Haber sham County Republicans, who were the two top vote getters in the June primary. Hatchett now faces Demo crat Dee Daley in November. In Monday’s recount, Hall got 12,456 votes, while Hatch ett got 12,494. At first, Hall received 12,455 votes districtwide, or 49.93%, while Hatchett received 12,492 votes, or 50.07%. Hall requested a recount. Candidates can ask for a recount within two days of the state certifying an elec tion if the difference in votes is 0.5% or less. District 50 includes part of East Hall and all or part of Towns, Rabun, Habersham, Stephens, Banks, Franklin and Jackson counties. In Hall County, vote totals remained the same at 243 votes for Hall and 139 votes for Hatchett. Chief Registrar Eureka Gober in Stephens County said Stephens, like Hall County, found the same results in the recount. Tammy Whitmire, Rabun County’s elections supervi sor, said Rabun got the same results. Habersham and Jackson counties also got the same numbers. Franklin County’s recount found an additional two votes for Hall, while Hatchett received the same amount of votes in the recount. Janet Oliva, Towns County’s elec tions board chair, said Hatch ett picked up two votes in Towns. Banks County found one fewer vote for Hall, and Hatchett’s numbers stayed the same, according to vote counts from Election Super visor Andra Phagan. “I called to congratulate Bo Hatchett on his victory as the Republican Candidate for State Senate District 50,” Hall said Monday. “With nearly 25,000 votes cast and only 38 votes separating us, today’s recount confirmed it was a very competitive race but it’s time to put the cam paign to rest. I’m incredibly grateful for the dozens of committed volunteers who worked so hard throughout my campaign and for the thousands of voters who put their trust and confidence in me.” PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE The Town of Braselton will hold a Public Hearing on September 10, 2020 at 4:00 pm in the Braselton Police and Municipal Court Facility to discuss the 2021-2025 Capital Improvement Element update for Braselton. The purpose of this hearing is to inform the public about the objective of the plan and the process to be followed in the preparation of the plan update, as well as to elicit community input on needs and goals. Questions concerning this plan update should be directed to Jennifer Scott, Town Manager at 706-654-5720 or email jscott@braselton.net. Bo Hatchett Who he is: Hatchett is an attorney and owns a real estate business. He is from Habersham County. How he reacted: Hatchett said he was “humbled” and grateful for support from his wife and voters. “We’re excited and looking forward to getting the vote out in November for our president and the Republican Party,” he said. On the issues: Hatchett has said that education, public safety and agriculture should be budget priorities and he would take a fiscally conservative approach to the budget. He has also said he supports a payroll tax cut for small businesses. What’s next: Hatchett will compete against Democrat Dee Daley in November. Town of Braselton Residential Property for Sale - Sealed Bids Required Pursuant to O.C.G.A. 36-37-6 Location: 520 Reisling Drive, Braselton GA30517 Parcel ID: B03 025 Minimum Bid: $110,000.00 Sealed Bid Deadline: Friday, October 2, 2020 3:00p.m. Bids can be mailed to: P.O. Box 306, Braselton GA30517 Bids can be delivered to: Braselton Town Hall, 4982 Highway 53, Braselton GA 30517 Contact: Jennifer Scott, jscott@braselton.net Bid Opening: Friday, October 2, 2020 at 3:15 p.m. Property is currently vacant. Property tours are available by appointment only. Please note that speaking to the employees of the Town other than the designated contact regarding the sale or lease of this property is strictly prohibited. Violating this mandate may lead to disqualification of the buyer. The property will be sold “as is” with all faults and any and all latent and patent defects, and without any representa tion or warranty, all of which Seller hereby disclaims, except for warranty of title subject to pres ent zoning and all matters of record and conveyed by limited warranty deed. The property will be sold to the highest responsive and responsible bidder exceeding the minimum bid. The Town of Braselton reserves the right to reject any and all bids. Bidder must provide proof of funding source with bid. Upon award of bid, bidder understands that property closing will take place no later than Friday, October 30, 2020 where the successful bidder shall tender to the Town the purchase price in cashier’s check, certified check, or money order only. Bid Deposit. $5,000.00 bid deposit required in the form of a cashier’s or certified check made payable to “Town of Braselton.” No offer will be accepted without a Bid Deposit in the form and amount indicated above. The bid deposit will be returned to non-successful bidders or forfeited if the successful bidder fails to close. CITY OF OAKWOOD “NOTICE OF PROPERTY TAX INCREASE” The City of Oakwood has tentatively adopted a millage rate which will require an increase in property taxes by 6.78%. All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearing on this tax increase to be held at the City of Oakwood, City Hall 4035 Walnut Circle, Oakwood GAon September 1. 2020 at 6:0Qpm. and September 8. 2020 at 6:0Qpm. Times and places of additional public hearing on this tax increase are at the City of Oakwood, City Hall 4035 Walnut Circle, Oakwood GAon September 14. 2020 at 6:00 pm. This tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 4.174 mills, an increase of 0.265 mills above the roll back rate. Without this tentative tax increase, the millage rate will be no more than 3.909 mills. The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $250,000 is approximately $26.49. B. R. White, City Manager, City of Oakwood, Hall County, GA(770) 534-2365.
