About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 2020)
STATE/SOUTHEAST The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com Midweek Edition-December 2-3, 2020 9A GERALD HERBERT I Associated Press Vehicles maneuver on a flooded road Wednesday, Sept. 16, near a boat washed up near the road after Hurricane Sally moved through the area, in Orange Beach, Ala. A record-setting Atlantic hurricane season that saw the highest number of named storms officially came to a close on Monday, Nov. 30. Record hurricane season ends Associated Press MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A record-setting Atlantic hurricane season that saw the highest number of named storms officially came to a close Monday. The National Oceanic and Atmo spheric Administration said the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season set multiple records while producing a record 30 named storms. There were so many that the list of 21 conventional names was exhausted and the Greek alphabet was used for only the second time. The season also saw the second-high est number of hurricanes on record after 13 of the storms reached hurri cane status. There were six major hur ricanes with top winds of 111 mph or greater. NOAA said an average season has 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three become major hurricanes. “We had more named storms in the Atlantic basin than any other year on record, breaking the old record of 28 set in 2005,” said Phil Klotzbach, a research scientist with the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University. This season also set a record for the number of storms that made landfall in the continental U.S. with 12 such storms. Klotzbach said of those 12 named storms, six made landfall at hurricane strength, tying the record of six hurricane landfalls also set in 1886 and 1985. “The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season ramped up quickly and broke records across the board,” said Neil Jacobs, acting NOAA administrator, in a news release. Five of the 12 storms that hit the United States this year made landfall in Louisiana. “Louisiana was especially hard hit this year, with five named storms hit ting the state. The prior record for named storms hitting Louisiana in a single hurricane season is 4 set in 2002,” Klotzbach said. “Today marks the end of the 2020 hurricane season. It’s been a hard one, but if we’ve learned anything from the five storms that came ashore this year it’s that the people of Louisiana are resilient and by working together, there’s no challenge too great for us to overcome,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards wrote on Twitter. Jean Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner Jr. told The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate that closing the book on the 2020 season brings wel come relief to his south Louisiana community. “It was an incredibly stressful time for the entire community,” he said of all the times his town had to go on a storm footing. “Each time, you have to prepare like the worst is going to happen.” Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30 although storms can form before and after those dates. NOAA said this was the fifth con secutive year with an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season, with 18 above-normal seasons out of the past 26. Runoff to decide who fills Lewis’s seat temporarily BY JEFF AMY Associated Press ATLANTA — Vot ers in the Atlanta area were summoned back to the polls on Tuesday to decide who to send to Washington for a month to briefly fill the seat of the late civil rights leg end John Lewis. Former Atlanta City Council member Kwanza Hall and former More house College President Robert Franklin are contesting a runoff elec tion. The men finished first and second, but no one won a majority in a first round of voting in September among seven candidates. The winner of the two Democrats will only fill the seat until Jan. 3, though. State senator and state Democratic Party chair Nikema Williams easily defeated Republi can Angela Stanton King in November for a full two-year-term starting in January. Williams and King didn’t run in the spe cial election. The 5th Congressional District includes most of the city of Atlanta, as well as some suburban areas of Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton counties. Turn out could be light, after fewer than 31,000 people voted in September. Lewis died at age 80 from pancreatic cancer in July after 34 years in Congress. He was the last survivor of the speak ers at the 1963 March on Washington, when Lewis led the Student Nonviolent Coordinat ing Committee. He was best known for leading protesters in the 1965 “Bloody Sunday” march across the Edmund Pet- tus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where he was beaten by state troopers. Hall and Franklin both contend they can get something accomplished during a short stay in Con gress. Voting on a tempo rary federal budget could be the most significant act that Hall or Franklin takes, although there are still fading hopes of addi tional COVID-19 relief legislation. The 49-year-old Hall touts his experience on the Atlanta City Council and the Atlanta school board, saying he will make the most of his lim ited time to try to focus on directing money to the district’s top concerns. “People know me as someone who has got ten something done,” Hall said of his previous positions. Franklin and Hall share similar positions on issues, but Franklin, now a theology profes sor at Emory University, preaches a higher cause as well. “It’s about moral leadership at a time of national crisis,” said the 66-year-old Franklin, who promises to call attention to Lewis’ legacy and to further Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of the “beloved community.” Franklin has raised $282,000, including $65,000 he loaned his campaign, while Hall has raised $194,000. Hyundai affiliate plans S240M transmission plant in Georgia Reggie Jerome Pugh Died November 27, 2020 Reggie Jerome Pugh, 72, of Suwanee, died on Friday, November 27th. Funeral services will be held at a later date. Ar rangements By: Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Cre matory, Buford. Maynard Darrell Richards Died November 27, 2020 Maynard Darrell “Bud” Richards, 66, of Al pharetta, died on Friday, November 27th. No for mal service will be held. Arrangements By: Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Cre matory Buford. Raven Earl Sampson Died November 25th, 2020 Raven “Cowboy” Earl Sampson, 44, of Cum- ming, died on Wednes day November 25th. Visitation was on Sunday, November 29th from 2:30pm - 3:00pm at Cross Church, Cumming. Burial took place Tues day, December 1st at Lumbee Memorial Gar dens in Pembroke, North Carolina. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home, Cum ming. Harvey Anderson Sullens Died November 27, 2020 Harvey Anderson Sul lens, 48, of Cleveland, died on Friday Novem ber 27th. Graveside services are scheduled for 11:00 AM Wednesday, December 2nd at Liberty Baptist Church Cem etery. Arrangements by Barrett Funeral Home, Cleveland. Franklin Dee Tucker Died November 28, 2020 Franklin Dee Tucker, 83, of Jefferson, died on Sat urday, November 28th. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Friday, December 4th from the Chapel of Evans Funeral Home. Arrangements by Evans Funeral Home, Inc., Jefferson. Serenity Rose Visbal Died November 28, 2020 Serenity Rose Visbal, in fant, of Gainesville, died on Saturday November 28th. The family will hold a visitation in their home to be announced later. Arrangements by Ward’s Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Gainesville. Donald Lee Walker Died November 11, 2020 Donald Lee Walker, 74, of Jefferson, died on Wednesday Novem ber 11th. A Memorial Service for Mr. Donald Lee Walker will be held on Thursday December 3rd at 3:00 pm in the Owner’s Clubhouse of Traditions. Arrange ments by Evans Funeral Home, Jefferson. Dana Maureen Webb Died November 24, 2020 Dana Maureen Webb, 64, died on Tuesday, No vember 24th. The family celebrated Dana’s life on Tuesday, December 1st from 5:00pm- 7:00pm at Hillside Chapel Funeral Home & Cremation Ser vices in Gainesville. Ar rangements by Hillside Chapel Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Gainesville. RosaLee Wheeler Whitworth Died November 25, 2020. RosaLee Wheeler Whit worth, 83, of Mt. Airy, died on Wednesday, No vember 25th. The family received friends from 2-4 pm on Monday Novem ber 30th at McGahee- Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home. Arrangements by McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home of Cornelia. Barbara Ann Wigington Died November 28, 2020 Barbara Ann Wigington, 77, of Cumming, died on Saturday, November 28th. Graveside ser vices were held Monday, November 30th at 3:00 p.m. at Sawnee View Gardens, Cumming. The family received friends at the funeral home on Monday from 1:00 p.m. until the hour of service. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home and Cre matory Cumming. George Robert Wiley Died November 24, 2020 George Robert Wiley 96, of Gainesville died on Tuesday, November 24th. Due to the current COV- ID 19 Pandemic a Private Graveside service will be held for Mr. Wiley in Me morial Park Cemetery. Memorial Park Funeral Home, Gainesville. Mary Ann Wilson Died November 20, 2020 Mary Ann Wilson, 77, of Hoschton, died on Fri day, November 20th. A private memorial service will be held for family only. Arrangements by Lawson Funeral Home, Hoschton. Maurice H. Wood Died November 28, 2020 Maurice H. Wood, 87, of Buford, died on Satur day, November 28th. No formal service will be held. Arrangements By: Junior E. Flanigan of Fla nigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford. NOTICE: NEW DEAD LINES Death notices are printed free as a public service by The Times. More information can be provided in paid obitu aries. The rate is $100 for the first 100 words in print, and $50 per additional 100 words (or any part thereof). This includes an online notice where friends and fami lies can post condolences for 30 days. Deadline for publication is as follows: To run Wednesday, submit by 3 p.m. Monday. To run Saturday submit by 3 p.m. Thursday. Death notices and obituaries are accepted only from funeral homes. They should be emailed to obits@gainesvilletimes. com. We no longer ac cept death notices or obituaries by fax. All submissions will appear in The Times and online at gainesvilletimes.com. For additional informa tion regarding obituaries or death notices please email obits@gainesvil- letimes.com, or call 770- 718-3419. BY JEFF AMY Associated Press ATLANTA - A South Korean auto parts supplier will invest more than $240 million to build a transmis sion factory in western Georgia with plans to hire 678 workers. Hyundai Transys announced plans Tuesday for the new factory in West Point, adjoining an exist ing Hyundai Transys fac tory and a Kia Motors Corp factory. Both are parts of Hyundai Motor Group, the Korean auto conglomerate that sells cars under the Kia and Hyundai brands. Hyundai Transys says the new plant will build eight-speed transmissions. The 620,000-square foot (58,000-square meter) plant will be part of the Kia cam pus just off Interstate 85 in West Point near the state line with Alabama. The company, created by a merger of two Hyun dai affiliates last year, also makes axles and vehicle seats. It has operations in South Korea, the United States and seven other countries. The company said the investment will cre ate 165 others jobs and its total employees in Georgia will rise above 1,700 once the new plant is complete. “I am absolutely thrilled that Hyundai Transys will make this long-term investment in West Point, but most importantly for the new jobs being cre ated,” West Point Mayor Steve Tramell said in a statement. Many supplier plants are clustered near the Hyun dai plant in Montgomery, Alabama, and the Kia plant in West Point, with oth ers scattered around and between the two plants. Kia, affiliates and suppli ers had more than 4,300 employees in Georgia’s Troup County in 2018, according to county finan cial documents. It’s the largest industrial announcement, by value of the investment, made so far this year in Georgia. “The level of trust built through years of capital investment, employment, and training support - along with new opportunities unmatched by any other states - made Georgia a natural choice,” Hyundai TRANSYS Georgia Pow ertrain President Sangkil Jung said in a statement. Final incentives for Hyundai Transys have not been agreed on yet, said Marie Hodge Gordon, spokesperson for the Geor gia Economic Develop ment Department. The company will qualify for a state income tax credit that allows the company to deduct $3,500 per job from its Georgia income taxes for five years. If Hyundai Transys doesn’t incur $2.37 million in state income taxes each year, it can also use the credit to get cash payments redi rected to it out of the money it withholds from employee paychecks for state income taxes, given its location in what the state classifies as a less-developed area. Workers must make at least $28,000 a year for Hyundai Transys to qualify for tax credits. Gordon said the state will pay to train Hyundai Tran sys workers. The state could chip in money to pay for infrastructure, and Hyundai will automatically qualify for tax breaks that will save it millions in sales and use taxes on machinery. Have a message for someone special this Christmas? Let us help! We will place your message in our December 23 issue. Small Ornaments $50 (50 word limit) Large Ornaments $100 (100 word Limit) Reserve your space by December 18 email Mlewis@gainesvilletimes.com or call 770-535-6371
