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INSIDE, 3A
Thursday, April 6, 2023 | GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com
Honestly Local
Convict in ‘child torture’ case argues to withdraw plea
Shelby
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@
gainesvilletimes.com
A man sentenced to life in
prison in what the prosecution
has called a “child torture” case
testified he felt he was pres
sured to plead guilty despite
maintaining his innocence.
Scott Shelby, 48, was sen
tenced to life in prison after
pleading guilty to two counts of
aggravated child molestation,
four counts of child molestation
and four counts of first-degree
child cruelty.
Assistant District Attorney
Harold Buckler said in his open
ing statement tin the June trial
that the case went past abuse,
calling it “child torture.”
He described Shelby as “a
man who did everything he
could to hurt, to destroy these
children.”
The indictment stated that
Shelby beat the children and
forced them to perform sexual
acts on one another.
Shelby pleaded guilty during
the second day of evidence in
his June trial. He was sentenced
by Superior Court Judge Kath-
lene Gosselin to life in prison
plus 60 years, with 21 of those
years on probation.
Two weeks after the sen
tence, Shelby filed a motion to
withdraw his guilty plea.
Shelby’s trial attorney, Kyle
Denslow, testified at the hear
ing. Shelby’s new attorney,
■ Please see SHELBY, 3A
Opening set for Marriott
Photos by SCOTT ROGERS I The Times
The $50 million development named The National features a seven-story, 130-room hotel, convention space, apartments, outdoor
plaza and dining areas.
Hotel to open July 27 as first part of National
Construction continues Tuesday, April 4, on the Courtyard by
Marriott hotel in downtown Gainesville for a planned opening
on July 27.
BY JEFF GILL
jgill@gainesvilletimes.com
The Courtyard by Mar
riott hotel in downtown
Gainesville is opening July
27 as the first piece of the
multi-use development The
National.
“We look forward to open
ing our doors and serving
our guests and the Gaines
ville community with warm
hospitality and the highest
level of service,” general
manager Wayne Cannon
said in an email to The
Times earlier this week.
“Based on the current
market dynamics, we would
expect rates to range from
$159 to $599 depending
on the room type, season,
demand and other factors,”
he said.
The hotel at 124 E.E. But
ler Parkway, between Acad
emy Street and Jesse Jewell
Parkway, will start taking
reservations closer to the
opening through the hotel’s
website.
Some work still needs to
be done before the seven-
story, 130-room hotel opens,
including staffing.
“At this stage, we are
focusing on establishing
our hotel leadership team,”
Cannon said.
Closer to the opening, “we
will start hosting job fairs
and hiring for a range of
hourly positions, including
front desk, housekeeping,
food and beverage, mainte
nance and more, creating
anywhere from 40-50 new
jobs.”
Otherwise, crews “are
installing furniture and fix
tures throughout the top
three floors of the hotel
while the lower floors
undergo drywall, plumbing,
carpet and electrical work,”
Cannon said.
The hotel is part of an
overall development at 111
Green St., also bounded
by Washington and Spring
streets. The National also
features a 157-unit, five-
story apartment building
that should open in August,
said Jeff Payne, chair
man of Capstone Property
Group, the developer.
Also in the works is the
redevelopment of the Wal
ton Jackson building, a
35,000-square-foot marble
structure that sits at Green
and Washington streets.
Decoy, an upscale “eat-
ertainment” restaurant, is
slated to open there in late
fall of this year. And North
Georgia BBQ is slated to
open its third location —
with the others operating in
Cleveland and Dahlonega
— in the building sometime
this year.
Coroner: Man killed after construction site fall
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com
A man working Tuesday,
April 4, at the new Hall County
school construction site on
Ramsey Road died after a fall
from the scaffolding, accord
ing to the coroner and the con
struction company.
Deputy coroner Kevin Wet
zel said Javier Sanchez, 57,
fell from the scaffolding at the
future site of the Sandra Duna-
gan Deal Elementary School.
The deputy coroner said
Sanchez’s body will be sent to
the DeKalb County medical
examiner for an autopsy.
Hall County Schools spokes
man Stan Lewis confirmed
the information regarding the
fatal fall but did not have any
other details to share.
Carroll Daniel marketing
director Angie Kennedy said
Sanchez was employed by a
masonry subcontractor. Ken
nedy said the man fell around
4:45 p.m. Tuesday while work
ing on the first floor.
Sanchez was transported to
Northeast Georgia Medical
Center and pronounced dead.
“No unsafe practices or foul
play appear to be the cause of
the incident,” Kennedy said in
a statement. “The incident is
still under investigation.”
Kennedy added that the
“entire project team is sad
dened by this tragic incident
and sends prayers and deep
sympathies to the crew mem
ber’s loved ones.”
The school district decided
last year to name the school
for Sandra Deal, a Gainesville
native and former first lady
who died in August after a
battle with cancer.
Habitat homes
give hope to
Hall families
BY BRIAN WELLMEIER
bwellmeier@gainesvilletimes.com
More than 70 supporters and volunteers
convened Wednesday, April 5, on Fawn
Court in Gainesville to watch Habitat for
Humanity of Hall County fulfill its core
mission — to provide affordable housing
to families in need.
After 4,413 hours of labor devoted by
more than 400 volunteers over a 10-month
period, the finished products of two newly-
built homes were unveiled to Miracle
Adkins and Kreneeshia Mitchell and their
families just after noon.
During the dedication ceremony, long
time Habitat volunteer Tom Reiter spoke
on the impact that volunteers like him
have on the organization’s effort to pro
vide affordable housing in a market where
homes have become unaffordable.
“That’s just a number unless you think
about it,” Reiter said of the hours spent
building the two homes. “If we had to hire
day laborers at $15 an hour to do what
those 432 volunteers did ... this would no
longer be an affordable house, so don’t
underestimate the power of what you’re
doing out here.”
Just before Reiter’s remarks, recipients
■ Please see HABITAT, 3A
BRIAN WELLMEIER I The Times
Families receive keys to their new homes at a
Habitat for Humanity of Hall County dedication
ceremony Wednesday, April 5.
County officials:
Application for
business park valid
prior to approval
BY BRIAN WELLMEIER
bwellmeier@gainesvilletimes.com
Nearly two weeks after a mixed-use com
mercial and industrial business park on Cagle
Road received approval from commissioners,
Hall County officials addressed unanswered
questions regarding developer Philip Wilheit’s
undisclosed contributions to Commissioner
Gregg Poole’s campaign, as well as the project’s
placement in the North Oconee Watershed
District.
Following the project’s approval at a regular
meeting March 23, Poole offered vague rheto
ric and never clarified whether undisclosed
contributions made to him by Wilheit had been
corrected on the application as he’d said they
would in February.
County officials on Tuesday stated the Cagle
Road development was legally approved. Since
the zoning application was submitted in August,
prior to Poole taking office, officials maintain
no disclosure was necessary.
With the exception of Commissioner Jeff
Stowe, county documents show that Wilheit —
the project’s applicant — provided financial
contributions to the campaigns of each commis
sioner on the board. All of those donations were
disclosed on the application, including money
given to former Commissioner Shelley Echols’
campaign before her departure.
■ Please see APPLICATION, 3A