About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 28, 2023)
2A Tuesday, March 28, 2023 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com Twitter celebs balk at paying Musk for blue check mark JEFF CHIU I Associated Press A Twitter logo hangs outside the company’s offices in San Francisco, on Dec. 19. William Shatner, Monica Lewinsky and other prolific Twitter commentators could soon lose the blue check marks that helped verify their identity on the social media platform. BY MATT O’BRIEN AP Technology Writer William Shatner, Monica Lewinsky and other pro lific Twitter commentators — some household names, others little-known journal ists — could soon be losing the blue check marks that helped verify their identity on the social media platform. They could get the marks back by paying up to $11 a month. But some longtime users, including 92-year-old Star Trek legend Shatner, have balked at buying the premium service champi oned by Twitter’s billionaire owner and chief executive Elon Musk. After months of delay, Musk is gleefully promising that Saturday is the deadline for celebrities, journalists and others who’d been veri fied for free to pony up or lose their legacy status. “It will be glorious,” he tweeted Monday, in response to a Twitter user who noted that Saturday is also April Fools’ Day. After buying Twitter for $44 billion in October, Musk has been trying to boost the struggling platform’s reve nue by pushing more people to pay for a premium sub scription. But his move also reflects his assertion that the blue verification marks have become an undeserved or “corrupt” status symbol for elite personalities and news reporters. Along with verifying celeb rities, one of Twitter’s main reasons to mark profiles with a free blue check mark start ing about 14 years ago was to verify politicians, activists and people who suddenly find themselves in the news, as well as little-known jour nalists at small publications around the globe, as an extra tool to curb misinformation coming from accounts that are impersonating people. Lewinsky tweeted a screenshot Sunday of all the people impersonating her, including at least one who appears to have paid for a blue check mark. She asked, “what universe is this fair to people who can suffer con sequences for being imper sonated? a lie travels half way around the world before truth even gets out the door.” Shatner, known for his irreverent humor, also tagged Musk with a com plaint about the promised changes. “I’ve been here for 15 years giving my (clock emoji) & witty thoughts all for bup- kis,” he wrote. “Now you’re telling me that I have to pay for something you gave me for free?” Musk responded that there shouldn’t be a different stan dard for celebrities. “It’s more about treating every one equally,” Musk tweeted. For now, those who still have the blue check but apparently haven’t paid the premium fee — a group that includes Beyonce, Stephen King, Barack and Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, Tucker Carlson, Drake and Musk himself — have messages appended to their profile saying it is a “legacy verified account. It may or may not be notable.” EVENTS Gentle Yoga. 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. March 29. Blackshear Place Branch Library, 2927 Atlanta Highway, Gainesville, dl9345@bell- south.net. Free. Historic Downtown Braselton Tours. 10-11:30 a.m. April 1,15; 12:30-2 p.m. April 15,16, 29. The 1904, 9924 Davis St., Braselton. 706- 921-4016, nperry@braselton.net. $10. Come Meet Jesus’ Donkey at the Petting Zoo. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 1. Flowery Branch United Methodist Church, 5212 Spring St., Flow ery Branch. 770-967-3441, FloweryBran- chUMC@gmail.com. Free. Jackson County Jamboree. 7:30-9:30 p.m. April 1. Jackson County Historic Courthouse, 85 Washington St., Jefferson. 706-424-0532, jcjamboreegeorgia@gmail.com. $10-$15. “A Little Night(hawk)” Music Concert Series. 7:30-8:30 p.m. April 3. UNG-Gainesville Per forming Arts Center, 3820 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood. 706-864-1423, cherri.helms@ung. edu. Licklog String Band Concert. 7:30-8:30 p.m. April 3. UNG Performing Art Center, Ed Cabell Lobby, Mundy Mill Road, Gainesville. 706- 864-1423, music@ung.edu. Free. No School Nature Day. 10 a.m. to noon. April 4, 6. Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-1976, sam@elachee.org. In Full Bloom. 1 -3 p.m. April 4, 6. Elachee Nature Science Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-1976, sam@elachee. org. Community Passover Seder. 7:30 p.m. April 5. Chabad of Hall County, location provided upon RSVP. info@jewishhall.com. $18-$54. Hall County Master Gardener Spring Garden Expo. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 7; 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 8. Chicopee Woods Agricultural Center, 1855 Calvary Church Road, Gaines ville. 770-535-8293, mastergardener@hall- county.org. ONGOING Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group. 5:30- 6:30 p.m. first Tuesdays of the month. Grace Episcopal Church, 422 Brenau Ave. NE, Gainesville. 727-409-6608, charlenebestde- witt@gmail.com. Free. Gold Rush Quilting Guild. 10 a.m. to noon first Wednesdays of the month. Friendship Baptist Church, 3513 Westmoreland Road, Publish your event Don’t see your event here? Organizers can go to gainesvilletimes. com/calendar and submit their events for publication online and in print. Click the “+Add event” button at the top right and follow the prompts to add information and a photo. Events publish at the editors’ discretion. Cleveland, alenekempton@gmail.com. Turning Leaves Bookclub. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. first Wednesdays of the month. Linwood Nature Preserve Ecology Center, 118 Spring- view Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-8293, karin. hicks@uga.edu. Northeast Georgia Writers. 1 -3 p.m. first Wednesdays of the month. Gainesville Down town Library, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. Talltaleswriter@gmail.com. Free. Card workshop. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. first Sat urdays of the month. Hall County Library System, Gainesville branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311 ext. 4011, gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.org. Ekphrasis for the Masses. Noon to 1 p.m. sec ond Tuesdays of the month. Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. 770-536-2575, info@qvac.org. Free. War Stories Book Club. 4-5 p.m. second Thurs days of the month. Murrayville Branch Li brary, 4796 Thompson Bridge Road, Gaines ville. 770-532-3311 ext. 171. Free. Discovery Saturdays. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. second Saturdays of the month. Elachee Nature Sci ence Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-1976. $3-$5. Georgia Cross Stitchers. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. second Saturdays of the month. Hall County Library System, Gainesville Branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311 ext. 4011; gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.org. Free. Homeschool Day. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. third Thursdays of the month. Elachee Nature Sci ence Center, 2125 Elachee Drive, Gainesville. 770-535-1976. $15. Gainesville Lacers. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. third Saturdays of the month. Hall County Library System, Gainesville branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311, gkoecher@ hallcountylibrary.org. Tea with Jane Austen: A Reading Group. 3-4 p.m. fourth Fridays of the month. Hall County Library System, Gainesville Branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311 ext. 4011, gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.org. Free. TODAY IN HISTORY BARRY THUMMAI Associated Press The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant is seen March 30, 1979, near Middletown, Penn. Two days earlier, America’s worst commercial nuclear accident occurred with a partial meltdown inside the Unit 2 reactor at the plant. The Times’ print edition brings you in- depth coverage of the biggest local news stories. To access all of the local news our team is reporting, activate your digital subscription. Go to www. gainesvilletimes.com/register, and after filling out the form, check the box “already a subscriber.” Print Traditional print editions are currently published Wednesday and Friday for delivery by mail. EPaper This platform offers the traditional look of a newspaper page but available on your tablet or other device. Editions are published Tuesday through Saturday, with two of those being replicas of the print edition. Access at gainesvilletimes. com/epaper. Website Always stay up to date with us at gainesvilletimes.com. The public has a right to know, and The Times is dedicated to that principle and the ‘continued enlightenment and freedom of the people of North Georgia,” as engraved outside our building. The pursuit of truth is a fundamental principle of journalism. But the truth is not always apparent or known immediately. A professional journalist’s role is to report as completely and impartially as possible verifiable facts so readers can, based on their own knowledge and experience, determine what they believe to be the truth. That is often an ongoing pursuit as journalists work to uncover stories and follow those stories wherever they lead, regardless of preconceived ideas. The news they report is separate from Newsletters Sign up at gainesvilletimes.com/ newsletters to receive email newsletters. ■ Daybreak: A daily morning roundup of the same local news you get in the paper ■ Refresh: An afternoon update of news happening each weekday ■ Flight: A weekly guide to fun, food and family in Northeast Georgia ■ Branch Out: A weekly update curating news out of South Hall County ■ Extra Points: Latest local sports news, delivered twice weekly App A sleek experience on your cellphone that also offers notifications so you learn the biggest news quickly. Learn more at gainesvilletimes.com/app. Social media J/gainesvilletimes @gtimes [@J @gtimesnews the opinions shared in the pages of The Times, which include those by its editorial board, columnists, political cartoonists and readers who submit letters to the editor. The presentation of both news and opinions is designed to educate, entertain and foster community conversation. Readers are encouraged to challenge and sharpen their perceptions based on that presentation. And we encourage readers to do the same for us, offering news tips, criticisms and questions. As your honestly local news source, we serve our readers first. Find us on these platforms or reach out to our newsroom at news@ gainesvilletimes.com or 770-718-3435. On this date: In 1797, Nathaniel Briggs of New Hampshire received a patent for a washing machine. In 1854, during the Crimean War, Britain and France declared war on Russia. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court, in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, ruled 6-2 that Wong, who was born in the United States to Chinese immigrants, was an American citizen. In 1935, the notorious Nazi propaganda film “Triumph des Willens” (Triumph of the Will), directed by Leni Riefenstahl, premiered in Berlin with Adolf Hitler present. In 1939, the Spanish Civil War neared its end as Madrid fell to the forces of Francisco Franco. In 1941, novelist and critic Virginia Woolf, 59, drowned herself near her home in Lewes, East Sussex, England. In 1942, during World War II, British naval forces staged a successful raid on the Nazi-occupied French port of St. Nazaire in Operation Chariot, destroying the only dry dock on the Atlantic coast capable of re pairing the German battleship Tirpitz. In 1969, the 34th president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, died in Washington, D.C., at age 78. In 1977, “Rocky” won best picture at the 49th Academy Awards; Peter Finch was honored posthumously as best actor for “Network” while his co-star, Faye Dunaway, was recognized as best actress. In 1979, America’s worst commercial nuclear accident occurred with a partial meltdown inside the Unit 2 reactor at the Three Mile Island plant near Middletown, Pennsylvania. In 1987, Maria von Trapp, whose life story inspired the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “The Sound of Music,” died in Mor- risville, Vermont, at age 82. In 1999, NATO broadened its attacks on Yugoslavia to target Serb military forces in Kosovo in the fifth straight night of air- strikes; thousands of refugees flooded into Albania and Macedonia from Kosovo. In 2000, in a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court, in Florida v. J.L., sharply curtailed police power in relying on anonymous tips to stop and search people. ABOUT US AND OUR VALUES She CTfmes gainesvilletimes.com A Metro Market Media Publication © 2023, Vol. 76, No. 62 Tuesday, March 28,2023 HOW TO REACH US 345 Green St. N.W., Gainesville, GA 30501 P.0. Box 838, Gainesville, GA 30503 (770) 532-1234 Hours: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri. Drive thru open: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri. Publisher Stephanie Woody swoody@forsythnews.com Group Editor Nate McCullough, nmccullough@gainesvilletimes.com Editor John Chambliss jchambliss@gainesvilletimes.com Director of Audience Shannon Casas, scasas@gainesvilletimes.com Controller Susan Andrews, sandrews@gainesvilletimes.com Production Dir. Mark Hall, mhall@gainesvilletimes.com TALK TO AN EDITOR, REPORT AN ERROR If you spot an error, we want to correct it immediately. We also want your news tips and feature ideas. 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The publisher reserves the right to change rates during the term of the subscription. Notice of a rate change may be made by mail to the subscriber, in the news paper or other means. Rate changes may be implemented by changing the duration of the subscriptions. Second class postage paid at Gainesville. GA. Postmaster: Send address changes to: P.0. Box 838, Gainesville, GA 30503. Periodical postage paid: USPS 212-860 Delivery problems call (770) 532-2222 SINGLE COPY The Times is available at retail stores, newspaper racks and at The Times for $1.00 Midweek Edition and $2.00 Weekend Edition. For our digital subscription offerings, go to gainesvilletimes.com/subscribe ENTERTAINMENT Nicholas Lloyd Webber, son of famed composer, dies after cancer battle NEW YORK — Nicholas Lloyd Webber, the Grammy-nominated composer, record producer and eldest son of Andrew Lloyd Webber, died Saturday in England after a protracted battle with gastric cancer and pneumonia. He was 43. “His whole family is gathered together and we are all totally bereft,” the 75-year- old Lloyd Webber said in a statement emailed by a representative. “Thank you for all your thoughts during this difficult time.” Nicholas died at a hospital in the south- central English town of Basingstoke, his father said. Lloyd Webber, the famed com poser, missed the Broadway opening Thurs day of his “Bad Cinderella” to be at his son’s side with other loved ones. Nicholas is best known for his work on the BBC One’s “Love, Lies and Records,” which was based on the book “The Little Celebrity birthdays Author Mario Vargas Llosa is 87. Country musi cian Charlie McCoy is 82. Movie director Mike Newell is 81. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is 78. Actor Dianne Wiest is 77. Country singer Reba McEntire is 68. Olympic gold medal gymnast Bart Conner is 65. Actor Alexandra Billings (TV: “Transparent”) is 61. Rapper Salt (Salt-N-Pepa) is 57. Actor Tracey Needham is 56. Actor Max Perlich is 55. Movie director Brett Ratner is 54. Country singer Rodney Atkins is 54. Actor Vince Vaughn is 53. Rapper Mr. Cheeks (Lost Boyz) is 52. Singer-songwriter Matt Na- thanson is 50. Rock musician Dave Keuning (The Killers) is 47. Actor Annie Wersching is 46. Actor Julia Stiles is 42. Singer Lady Gaga is 37. Elec tronic musician Clayton Knight (Odesza) is 35. Prince.” He also worked on his father’s 2021 “Cinderella,” earning a Grammy nod for best musical theater album. Nicholas is Lloyd Webber’s son with his first wife, Sarah Hugill. Hugill and Lloyd Webber also have an older daughter, Imo gen. The senior Lloyd Webber has three other children, in addition to Nicholas and Imogen. Associated Press
