The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current, February 23, 2023, Image 1
Detective: Colorado Springs club shooter ran neo-Nazi site. INSIDE, 3A Thursday, February 23, 20231 GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com Honestly Local Hall may get part of $181M opioid settlement BY BRIAN WELLMEIER bwellmeier @gainesvilletimes.com Hall County could be receiv ing additional funding in the wake of America’s opioid epi demic, as commissioners will consider whether to participate in a national settlement involv ing pharmaceutical distributors Teva, Allergan, CVS, Walgreens and Walmart. Attorney General Chris Carr announced on Jan. 5 that Geor gia would join a list of states participating in national settle ments with the five companies to “resolve allegations that the companies contributed to the opioid crisis.” In doing so, Georgia is eligible to receive more than $181 mil lion in total base payments that would provide critical treat ment, prevention, reduction and recovery services for opi oid addiction. “No Georgia community is a stranger to the devastating effects of the opioid crisis, and we must do all we can to support those who are struggling,” Carr said in a press release. “Today’s announcement is another step forward in our ongoing efforts to combat this epidemic and address the widespread dam age it’s caused. Our top pri ority is to protect our fellow Georgians, and joining these settlements will ensure that our state receives much-needed resources to help expand criti cal treatment and recovery services.” According to the Attorney General’s Office, Georgia is set to receive up to $50.1 mil lion from CVS and $58.7 million from Walgreens, plus an addi tional $44.9 million from Teva and $27.4 million from Allergan. A justification summary for the item states that “in order to determine the state’s share of settlement proceeds, coun ties must make an election as to whether to participate in the settlements.” “Hall County’s portion of the settlement proceeds is not ascertainable at this time,” county documents state. “In order to determine Hall Coun ty’s share, the number of juris dictions participating in the settlements must be determined no later than April 18, 2023.” The item is expected to go before commissioners for approval at their regular meet ing at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Hall County Govern ment Center. ‘I want justice for my sister’ Photos by SCOTT ROGERS I The Times Magdalena Carmelo Jose speaks through interpreter Art Gallegos on Tuesday, Feb. 21, about her sister, Juana Jose, who was strangled to death at her Cooley Drive home. Slain womans sister describes her dreams of better life for her kids BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com Juana Jose dreamed of providing a better life for her children. With an 18-month-old daughter and another child on the way, the 22-year- old Gainesville woman had goals of buying her own car and finding a home in Gainesville. Those dreams were cut short, as Jose was found Jan. 29 strangled to death in her bed on Cooley Drive. The suspect, Max Rocael Calel Sanic, 20, turned himself in around noon Monday, Feb. 20, to the Gaines ville Police headquarters. He faces charges of malice murder and felony feticide. The last time Magdalena Carmelo Jose was able to hug her 22-year- old sister Juana was at their father’s birthday gathering Jan. 28, a day before she was found unconscious. “She would always smile to a lot of the people everywhere,” Magdalena Jose said through Art Gallegos Jr., who translated from Spanish to Eng lish. “She’s very noble. She always had a very noble heart to deal with people that she met.” Juana worked for some time at Variedades Gomez, a variety store on Atlanta Highway, according to the store’s social media. “Once she had the baby, she couldn’t get help to take care of the baby, so it was very hard for her to stay employed,” Magdalena Jose said. Juana Jose was more than four months along in her pregnancy at the time of her death, her sister estimated. Magdalena Jose said she believes Juana Jose and Sanic may have met through work or social media. The father of the baby, Magdalena Jose said, is believed to be in Mexico. “When the father heard about her being pregnant, he just left to Mex ico,” Juana’s sister said. A service was held Saturday, Feb. 18, at a church on Aviation Boule vard. Magdalena spoke at the service, thanking the roughly 50-60 people who showed up to honor Juana. “Saturday was very heartfelt,” Gal legos said. “I saw the community in pain, and I was honored to be able to lead the service and pray over the family.” Magdalena Jose said the commu nity has been very supportive. “Sometimes they bless us with food that people just stop by and give us food and help us out that way,” Juana’s sister said. But the burden still falls on them to complete their wish of sending Juana’s body back to Guatemala. Juana Jose came to the U.S. four years ago but was denied legal perma nent residency. In the meantime, Magdalena Jose has been taking care of Juana’s daughter. She said it did provide some relief knowing that the suspect turned himself in. “I want justice for my sister,” Mag dalena Jose said. NGMC BRASELTON Hospital gives some updates on expansion BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com More than $1 billion in hospital improvements are being made in Hall County, with half of those at Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton in South Hall. And the expansion activities aren’t just con fined to the main hospital at 1400 River Place, Braselton. Construction is underway on Medical Plaza 2, a 100,000-square-foot medical office building on the hospital campus. And a new radiation machine is being added to the Braselton Cancer Center in Medical Plaza 1, also on the campus. Anthony Williamson, president of NGMC Bra selton, gave these updates to the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce’s South Hall Business Coalition on Wednesday, Feb. 22. Hospital work divided in phases Work on the $565 million main hospital expan sion is on track for the first phase’s completion in summer 2025. The project calls for adding 235,000 square feet of new clinical space, including two new patient care floors and 150 more acute-care beds that would bring the hospital’s to 284 beds. When finished, the patient tower would be eight floors, including one floor with mechanical equipment that will serve the new space above it. Plans also call for increasing the number of treatment rooms in the emergency depart ment from 23 to 46 and adding a second helipad, which, the hospital has touted, will mean faster, more efficient access to life-saving heart, stroke and surgical care. ■ Please see HOSPITAL, 3A Rendering provided by NGHS Construction is underway on Medical Plaza 2, a 100,000-square-foot medical office building on the hospital campus.at Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton in South Hall. JAN. 6 ATTACK Lawmakers from Hall in call logs BY BRIAN WELLMEIER bwellmeier@gainesvilletimes.com A report released by the House Select Com mittee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol named three Hall County representa tives among the 119 state lawmakers who were called in late November or early December by former President Donald Trump’s campaign, which sought to garner support to challenge Georgia’s election results in 2020. Rep. Emory Dunahoo, R-Gillsville, acknowl edged taking the call after it appeared that President Joe Biden had won Georgia by 11,779 votes. During that call, Dunahoo pledged to do “whatever he can do,” according to the report. He said his only intention was to request an additional week or so to reexamine the results. “There was nothing really discussed, except ■ Please see CALLS, 3A