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Honestly Local
Philanthropist, Olympics organizer Mathis dies at 77
By JEFF GILL
jgill@gainesvilletimes.com
Jim Mathis Jr., a longtime
Gainesville philanthropist who
also was instrumental in bringing
the 1996 Olympic Games to Lake
Lanier, died Monday, Jan. 29, after
a long illness. He was 77.
“What a legacy he'll leave for
our community," said state Rep.
Matt Dubnik, R-Gainesville. “All
that he's done, we're a better com
munity because of it.”
Dubnik's wife, Katie Dubnik, is
one of Mathis' two daughters.
Even though walls of his house
and office were lined with plaques
and other reminders of his commu
nity service, “you never heard him
talk about (being on) this board or
that board or ‘I just got an award
for this or that,',” Dubnik said.
“He just did it. He did every
thing,” he added. “Just a doer who
didn't care who got the credit,
didn't need to see his name in
lights, and got it all done.”
“It's almost impossible to sum
up his life,” Katie Dubnik said.
“If you boil down who he was, he
loved his family, he loved his com
munity, and he loved people.”
On a family level, “he was one
of our constant supporters,” said
daughter Kelly Lee. “He always
encouraged us. He was there at
sporting events for Katie and
debates when I was in high school.
He was always there.”
Matt Dubnik said Mathis was
especially proud of his work
related to the ‘96 Olympics.
A Gainesville banker at the
time, he would go on to become
one of the key players in bring
ing the Olympics to the area as
chairman of the Gainesville-Hall
County Roundtable, which later
became the Gainesville Hall '96
Committee.
The rowing and canoe/kayak
“venue is one of the few remaining
sports venues from the 96 Games.
This is largely thanks to the com
munitywide support established
during the summer of 1996,”
Mathis said in a 2016 interview
marking the 20th anniversary of
the games.
Today, the site is known as Lake
Lanier Olympic Park.
Mathis also spoke proudly of
his service with the North Georgia
Community Foundation, which he
led from 1998 until his retirement
in 2016. The Gainesville-based
organization handles funds for
See Mathis 13A
Photos by Scott Rogers The Times
The Cherokee Company, 121st Infantry Regiment, of the Georgia National Guard march through barricaded
streets on the way to the GHS covered practice field.
Atendee’s hold signs thanking the Cherokee
Company and film the ceremonial send-off.
Crowds gathered in the GHS covered practive field to
support the men and women of the company.
The Cherokee Company hold a send-off ceremony
Saturday, Jan. 27, at Gainesville High School
before being deployed for a year.
A heartfelt
send-off
Marching in tandem down blocked off roads, the
Cherokee Company, 121st Infantry Regiment, held
themselves to the rigid standard expected for a disci
plined group of men and women. However, the com
pany was surrounded by friends, family and supporters
who all showed their gratitude and support with signs
stating well wishes and safe returns. The event was
orginally meant to be held Roosevelt square but, due
to incliment weather, was moved into the GHS covered
practice field. Still, many attended the heartfelt send-off
as the Cherokee Company will be deployed for a year.
Rain moved the program from Roosevelt Square in
downtown Gainesville to the GHS covered practice
field.
Man sentenced
to federal prison
in $22M meth
and fentanyl case
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com
Six months after coming to the U.S.,
Adolfo Solorio-Garcia was working as
a floor cleaner and living with Candido
Rangel-Garcia when they got a phone
call from Mexico.
The two men were asked to pick up a
load of methamphetamine and drive it
to another location, according to court
documents.
But the drugs never made it, as Sol
orio-Garcia and Rangel-Garcia were stopped Dec. 30,
2022 with roughly $22 million of liquid meth in gas cans.
Solorio-Garcia, 32, pleaded guilty to possession with
intent to distribute meth and fentanyl. He was sentenced
by U.S. District Judge Steve Jones Jan. 19 to four years
and nine months in federal prison.
Jones recommended that Solorio-Garcia be allowed
to serve his sentence at a prison as close to Atlanta as
possible.
The Hall County Jail listed his address as “doesn't
know address.”
After his prison sentence, he will be remanded to
Immigration and Customs Enforcement for potential
deportation proceedings.
A Hall County Sheriff's Office deputy pulled over a
Toyota Tacoma because of its tag light around 10 p.m.
Dec. 30,2022 at Mountain View and McEver roads.
Though he could see gas cans in the backseat and
See Solorio 13A
Solorio-Garcia
GSP: Man ‘severely
injured’ in car crash
after another car hits
cable barrier on 985
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com
A Tennessee man was severely injured after another
driver on Interstate 985 struck the cable barrier and
crashed into him, according to Georgia State Patrol.
Troopers were called out around 1:05 p.m. Saturday,
Jan. 27, to the southbound side of 985 for a three-vehicle
wreck.
A Chevrolet Cavalier driven by Adrien Edoo, 36, of
Cleveland, Tennessee, was disabled in the grassy median
near mile marker 8, which is close to the Lanier Islands
Parkway exit. Edoo's car was perpendicular to the road,
which caused the highway traffic to slow.
State patrol said Rene Garcia Cardona, 19, of Law-
renceville, was driving a Hyundai Tucson in the left lane
and “entered the center median due to the traffic slowing”
for Edoo's car.
“The Tucson struck the cable barrier posts while rotat
ing,” according to state patrol. “The Tucson continued to
rotate and struck the passenger side of the Cavalier with
its front.”
An Infinity Q50 driven by Stephen Stonecipher, 58, of
Alpharetta, was also involved in the crash, though it was
not clear how it was struck. Stonecipher was not injured.
Edoo was severely injured and transported to Northeast
Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. Garcia Cardona
had minor injuries and was not transported to the hospital.
State patrol did not designate who was at fault in an
email to The Times, stating that the crash investigation
was ongoing with the Specialized Collision Reconstruc
tion Team.
The crash caused lane closures for more than two hours,
as the highway reopened at 3:37 p.m. Saturday.
