About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 26, 2020)
mt (times Thursday, November 26,2020 | GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com ‘Next year before we see return’ Photos by SCOTT ROGERS I The Times Hampton Inn & Suites General Manager Jessica Miller works at the front desk Tuesday, Nov. 24, of the Flowery Branch hotel. The pandemic this holiday season is taking its toll on the travel industry. Hotels plan for slower holiday season as people cancel travel Hampton Inn & Suites places signs stressing their guests’ safety Tuesday, Nov. 24, at the Flowery Branch hotel. BY MEGAN REED mreed@gainesvilletimes.com As Americans planned to travel less for the holidays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hotels in Hall County and Georgia were prepar ing for fewer guests and turning to business travel as a possible revenue source. About 70% of people in the coun try are less likely to travel for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, according to a survey by the American Hotel and Lodging Associ ation. That is a continuation of year long trends as people put their travel plans on hold. “It’s a year of shattered dreams and lost careers,” Jim Sprouse, exec utive director of the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association, said of the industry this year. Jessica Miller, general manager of the Hampton Inn and Suites in Flow ery Branch, said bookings for this year’s Thanksgiving week are about a third of what the hotel has seen in previous years. “Thanksgiving is usually pretty decent for us, considering the loca tion of the Mall of Georgia and Black Friday shopping,” Miller said. “It usually pans out pretty well.” The hotel industry has struggled since the beginning of the pandemic, Miller said. “It’s one of the worst industries, apart from a restaurant, that you could possibly be in right now. I know a lot of friends that work in hotels across the country and in Canada. They have lost their jobs,” she said. “Their businesses have closed. They’re running on only essential staff. Locally, in Flowery Branch, I’d say that we have been very blessed to have been able to sustain our business.” Miller said some small corporate groups and construction groups have helped the business. Akeria McHenry, operations man ager at the Fairfield Inn and Suites ■ Please see HOTELS, 3A Virus spike delaying trials again Anyone with jury duty can contact clerk’s office BY NICK WATSON nwatson@ gainesvilletimes.com The Hall County court sys tem has canceled its upcom ing jury trials out of health concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Courts coordinator Margie Reed-Payne said Wednesday, Nov. 25, the jury trial week for Nov. 30 was canceled for “safety reasons.” “After a careful review of the most recent Geor gia (Department) of Pub lic Health data, it appears Hall County is experiencing a spike in COVID cases,” Reed-Payne wrote in an email. Anyone who was required to report for jury duty in Hall can contact the Hall County Clerk’s Office at 770- 531-7025 or visit the court’s website, nejc.org, for more information. A competency hearing was scheduled next week for Talon Lowery, who was indicted in the 2017 shoot ing death Bryan Ramirez, 18, four days earlier at the Texaco station on Cleveland Highway. A defendant is deemed competent if he “under stands the trial process and whether he can cooperate with his attorney,” North eastern Judicial Circuit Dis trict Attorney Lee Darragh previously told The Times.. According to data from Northeast Georgia Health System, there are 146 con firmed positive patients currently being treated Wednesday, Nov. 25, and ■ Please see TRIALS, 6A Bells Mill Bridge becomes memorial to Deputy Dixon BY NICK WATSON nwatson@ gainesvilletimes.com A bridge on U.S. 129/ Cleveland Highway has offi cially become the Deputy Nicolas Blane Dixon Memo rial Bridge, honoring the Hall County Sheriff’s Office deputy who died in the line of duty in July 2019. Hall County Sheriff Ger ald Couch said someone sent him a photo showing the sign was put in place by the Georgia Department of Transportation on the bridge. “I was real thrilled by that,” Couch said when he learned of the sign’s place ment. “It’s a great way to remember ... him and his sacrifice and the sacrifice of his family, too. I hope peo ple remember him every time they travel that road. ” ■ Please see DIXON, 3A What local leaders are thankful for this Thanksgiving BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com AND MEGAN REED mreed@gainesvilletimes.com Before the turkey goes in the oven and footballs are tossed in the backyard, The Times caught up with six leaders across Gainesville and Hall County to ask them about their Thanksgiving traditions. Gainesville Mayor Danny Dunagan Favorite tradition: We always gather as a family every Thanksgiving. Our family is sort of small, but we’re going to change it up a little this year and not do as much as we have been in the past because of COVID. Favorite foods: I love homemade dress ing and turkey and pecan pie. What he is thankful for: I’m thankful for many blessings. I’m thankful for our great city we live in and my family and my grandchildren and the good Lord. Lula Mayor Jim Grier Favorite tradition: Gath ering with family. Favorite foods: Turkey, cranberries and dressing. What he is thankful for: I’m thankful that all of our family is safe and well and just hope that it will continue that way. Gainesville City Schools Superintendent Jeremy Williams Favorite tradition: Growing up, it was always gathering with the family and watching a little football, and then, as I got married and had kids and some family members passed on or were not able to join, we started our own tradition, so two years in a row, we’ve been at Dis ney (World) leading up to Thanksgiving. Favorite foods: I love dressing. What he is thankful for: In a world of COVID, being able to celebrate things that seem normal now. Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch Favorite tradition: All of years have come to my house for Thanksgiving, but sadly they won’t be able to this year ... What I plan on doing is delivering the holiday meals and put ting it on their doorsteps so they can at least enjoy that hopefully. We won’t be getting together this year. ■ Please see LEADERS, 5A Dunagan Grier Williams my family for Couch This e-edition sponsored by: YOU CAN COUNT ON BightChoice HOMES jacksonemc.com
