A spokesman with the Forest Service says a woods fire in Stephens County is under control and would be extinguished in all likelihood by dark on Friday.

The fire, located in the area of Highway 184 and the base of Currahee Mountain, is currently under control by state and federal forestry officials, who remained on the scene as of last report.

The spokesperson says no homes have suffered damage from the blaze and the half-acre fire should be soon extinguished.

Multiple Stephens County fire departments were called to the scene of the fire just after 7 a.m., but returned to quarters soon after.  Flames also sparked on the mountain Thursday night, according to multiple reports.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Major changes are on the way for the Stephens County Farmers’ Market.

Forrest Connelly with Stephens County Cooperative Extension said everything has fallen into place and officials have finalized plans to re-locate the farmers’ market from Big A Road to its future home on Broad Street in downtown Toccoa.

The new farmers’ market will be located at the old Payne Alignment property, next to Los Primos Mexican Restaurant.

According to Connelly, the building on site, which he estimated at about 5,000 square feet in size, will allow the farmers’ market to become an indoor operation.

Connelly said the new site will have plenty of space and plenty of parking.

“They will unload their produce at each of their booths and then they will pull around and park in the back,” said Connelly. “Their trucks and vehicles will be in the back. There is plenty of parking up at the front for the customers coming in and out. So, while it looks like there is not a whole lot of parking, one thing that people will understand is that the stands and booths will be inside and it will not be sold out of the back of a truck, it will be sold out of a booth.”

Connelly said the new indoor farmers’ market would result in numerous benefits.

“Not only when it is raining, but sometimes when it is hot and sunny, it gives everybody an opportunity to be inside and really, probably extend the market a little bit earlier in the season and later in the season,” he added.

In addition, Connelly indicated the market could open additional hours. Currently, it is open on Tuesdays and Fridays.

If demand is there, Connelly said they are open to operating the market on Saturdays as well.

“The whole idea of having this market and having a facility for this market is to serve the clientele of Stephens County,” he explained. “If we feel that this is what it needs, fresh produce on a Saturday market, we certainly want to do that. That will be good for the farmers, as well as the people of Stephens County.”

Connelly said everyone is very excited about the new facility, adding they will also benefit from the location falling in downtown Toccoa through the additional marketing and promotional opportunities downtown usually receives.

The new farmers’ market should be ready to go by next season.

If amendments to Toccoa’s alcohol ordinance get passed, citizens will no longer be able to buy a six-pack of beer and play video poker all in one place.

Monday, Toccoa City Commissioners held a public hearing to allow citizens to voice their thoughts on amendments to the city’s Alcohol Beverage Control Ordinance.

One of the major changes to the ordinance stipulates a business cannot sell alcohol if it has a video poker machine or other gambling device within the business.

City Attorney John Dickerson said this does not include lottery tickets.

Dickerson, who was struggling with a cold during the meeting, told commissioners the amendments he recommended were based comment received from the general public and the ABC board, as well as current case law.

“We have submitted an alcoholic beverage ordinance and there are a few slight revisions to that ordinance based upon comments that were received,” said Dickerson.

Some of the other changes include language about who can get an alcohol license and under what circumstances.

“Another suggestion made, which was an excellent suggestion, requires a license issued under this charter, be in the same name as the state license,” added the city attorney. “Apparently, in other areas as well as here, there have been some differences in licenses. I think this is an excellent suggestion that we added that.”

Other sections stipulate that an applicant who has been denied an alcohol license cannot reapply for at least a year. In addition, a person who has had their alcohol license revoked in Georgia within two years cannot be granted a license.

Also, anyone convicted of a misdemeanor could be denied the license if the misdemeanor “indicates the applicant would not maintain the alcohol beverage operation properly.”

Only one person stood to speak on the ordinance, local realtor Bill Lee. He suggested pro-rating the alcohol license fee should a person want to get a license for a portion of year. This comes into play when a person buys a restaurant or package store and needs to get a new license for that establishment.

Commissioners voted to leave the section addressing license fees as written.

A second reading of the ordinance will be held at the City Commission scheduled for December 8, 2008.

In a related matter, Commissioners also appointed two people to the Alcohol Beverage Control Board. Lillian Mitchell and Patrick Hall were unanimously appointed to two unexpired terms.

Pay attention and follow a few simple rules to keep your Black Friday from getting blacker.

That is the advice Toccoa Police Chief Jackie Whitmire offered for one of the busiest shopping days of the season.

“Everybody needs to be aware of their surroundings in these parking lots,” said Whitmire. “If you have packages, please lock them in your trunk and lock your car. Ladies, guard your pocketbooks. We are having a lot of pocketbooks stolen, which means your ID, checkbook, and credit cards.”

He went on to say shoppers need to be especially careful when they leave their car in a parking lot.

“The main thing is to not leave things laying in your seat,” added Whitmire. “Do not even leave your cell phone, pocketbook, or navigational unit, like a Garmin GPS, because that is what thieves look for and we have got plenty of them. The economy is bad. The holidays are coming up and we want everybody to be safe and be careful. Just watch what you are doing and pay attention.”

And even a police chief can get a lesson on safety, as Whitmire said he got recently.

“I was out of state recently and parked in a parking garage and the policeman came over and he saw the wires that went to my GPS unit and said I needed to hide the wires, too,” explained the chief.

Whitmire said he will have extra patrols running through the holiday season.

As Black Friday, today marks the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season.

With less than a month to go, the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce has something that might help with that gift buying.

Chamber President Wendi Bailey said the organization’s new coupon book will help consumers find discounts on a number of items.

“We promoted this opportunity to all of our 400-plus members and over 29 retailers responded and created 34 coupons for our exclusive 2008 Chamber Coupon Book,” said Bailey. “It is the first time we have down this and we are very excited about it.”

The coupon books are part of the Chamber’s new “Shop Stephens” program.

Bailey said the Chamber of Commerce wants to make sure that local consumers remember local businesses when doing that holiday shopping.

“We want to make sure that we support our local area business,” she explained. “We want to make sure that the store owners are able to thrive and prosper in a difficult economy and the Chamber is here to support them to do that.”

Bailey said she wants to thank Toccoa Falls College and Onestone Marketing and Design for their help on the coupon books

The Free Christmas Coupon Books are available at all participating businesses and the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce Welcome Center, located in the train depot on Alexander Street in Toccoa.

As people recover from that Thanksgiving turkey, the city of Toccoa begins gearing up for a busy weekend of activities next month.

The first weekend in December will bring Toccoa to life with a number of Christmas and holiday-themed activities.

Toccoa Main Street Events Coordinator Sharon Crosby said they have packed the weekend of December 4 through 7 with a sleigh full of fun.

“We are hoping that it will be a time for families to come downtown and start some family traditions of coming to the downtown and just enjoying and starting their Christmas season off together,” said Crosby.

It starts on December 4 with a candlelight dinner and concert at Toccoa Falls College. On December 5, the fun moves downtown with the “ChristmasFest.” Plans call for a number of activities, refreshments, and of course, Santa. The tree lighting is also scheduled for December 5.

The historic Stephens County Courthouse will host the Festival of Trees on December 5 and 6.

Moving to December 6, a Christmas Sage Market will open downtown from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Toccoa Christmas Parade is also scheduled for December 6.

Crosby said those two days of activities in downtown Toccoa will provide an opportunity for the community to see downtown in holiday decoration, everything from the trees to the storefronts.

“There is going to be a storefront contest among the downtown merchants, so there will be judging and awards given for the most elegant and the most historic downtown storefronts, so people will want to come and see how the business owners have decorated for Christmas as well,” she added.

Activities conclude on December 7 with the Toccoa Symphony Christmas Concert at the Georgia Baptist Conference Center.

Crosby also reminded collectors that the Toccoa Main Street office is selling the third in a series of Main Street Christmas ornaments. This year’s ornament features the historic courthouse. The first two ornaments in the series are also available.

Stephens County and the city of Toccoa will spend almost $85,000 to obtain new aerial photography.

Monday, county commissioners approved an agreement with the Georgia Mountains Regional Development Center for new aerial photographs. The city has agreed to spend $10,000 towards the project.

In other action from Monday’s meeting, commissioners approved nine requests for alcoholic beverage licenses for calendar year 2009. Those are Currahee Club, Buck’s Superette, Calico Country Store, Tony’s General Store, two Royal Food Store locations, Stumpy’s, Ike’s Food Mart, Mill Creek Gathering Place, and Little Sack Convenience Store.

County commissioners also authorized the purchase of a chain link fence for the old Middle School property from Toccoa Winlectric for $6,347.93. The fence will help prevent instances of vandalism. Finally, commissioners approved a letter of understanding with Mauldin and Jenkins regarding the fiscal year 2008 audit.

Commissioners denied a request from Stephens County’s volunteer fire departments to transfer $5000 in unspent money from last year’s budget to this year’s budget for training purposes.

Stephens County Commissioners will only hold one work session and meeting in December. Those are set for December 8 and 9.

If and when Old Man Winter arrives in northeast Georgia, the Department of Transportation said it is ready for whatever he brings.

DOT Spokeswoman Teri Pope said they began preparing for the ice and cold of winter in the “dog days” of summer.

“We have our training and reminders of everything, including going over all the equipment and getting our routes down,” said Pope. “Everything is already ready, so that if we are needed, if we have winter weather start not only to fall, but to stick to the roadways, we can actually be out on the roads working within an hour’s notification.”

Pope said the drivers have those prescribed routes and know exactly what to do.

“Interstates get first priority and then we work on state routes on a descending order with the highest-volume traffic state routes getting the most attention and then working downward from there, so U.S. 441 gets a lot of attention first, and then it moves down to those state routes that do not have as much traffic after that,” she explained.

Pope added crews have everything they need as far as salt is concerned. According to Pope, trucks put down a mixture of salt and stone to treat icy and snow-covered roads, as well as a liquid de-icer when it gets particularly cold.

The Department of Transportation has stored a supply of those materials in every county across the state. In conclusion, Pope said while the department’s crews are ready, they hope they are not needed.

If the National Weather Service is right, long-term drought relief may not come for at least a few more months.

The National Weather Service released its winter weather outlook for the United States recently. The outlook covers the months of December through February. For the Southeast United States, the National Weather Service said temperatures could be above normal, with precipitation falling at below normal levels.

Specifically in northeast Georgia, forecasters predicted a 33 greater than normal chance of a drier than average winter, and a 33 percent chance of a warmer than average winter.

However, forecasters cautioned that because of the absence of both La Nina and El Nino, climate patterns in the Pacific Ocean that help predict weather patterns well in advance, patterns are less predictable, so these projections could vary substantially.

The Winter Outlook does not deal with snowfall projections. Snow forecasts are not predictable until storms head into an area. Winter arrives on the calendar on December 21, less than a month from now.

As temperatures begin to dip below freezing on a consistent basis overnight, Georgia Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner John Oxendine wants to remind Georgians of some heating tips to help this winter.

Oxendine said it is important to keep portable space heaters, open fireplaces, and wood stoves away from curtains, draperies, and other flammable material. In addition, he said to make sure that heaters have adequate ventilation and to always follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions.

Oxendine said people should have home heating units checked annually to ensure efficient and safe operation, have plenty of smoke alarms, and a well-rehearsed family emergency home escape plan.

All of this, Oxendine said, can help prevent home fires. Heating equipment causes more home fires than anything else in Georgia. Most fatal fires start between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., emphasizing the need for taking the proper precautions.

Efforts are underway at Thurmond Dam near Augusta to help conserve water in all three Savannah River reservoirs, including Lake Hartwell.

Due to the ongoing drought, officials with the Army Corps of Engineers said a flow reduction has begun from 3,600 cubic feet per second to 3,100 cubic feet per second in a phased approach that began Monday and will continue for seven days through next Monday.

According to the Corps, reduced flows will continue through January and could be extended into February if further study shows no impact downstream to shortnose sturgeon spawning. Officials said federal, state, and non-government specialists will monitor the Savannah River for indications of any unanticipated impacts of the reduced flow.

Currently, Lake Hartwell’s elevation measures out to just over 638 feet. That is the lowest Hartwell has ever been. It measures out to 22 feet below full pool. Based on current projections, the Corps predicts the level will drop to 637 feet by December 5.

Remembering the adage: if you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen, the National Fire Prevention Association wants you to know – if that heat comes from a fire, get out of the kitchen

“Anytime you have a fire in your home, the best thing to do is to get everyone in the home out safely and call the fire department from the outside,” said Lorraine Carli, Vice President of Communications for the National Fire Prevention Association.

On average, there are 1400 house fires on Thanksgiving Day across the nation which is three times the daily average. Carli said it is simply a case of more people cooking more food on this special day.

“The easiest thing people can do to prevent home cooking fires is to stay in the kitchen when they have food cooking on the stove top,” Carli suggested. “The majority of the fires we see are when people leave cooking unattended.”

However, Carli goes on to say, should a fire start on the stove top, you should only try to contain it if it is small.

“If you have a grease fire on your stove, the best thing to do is to turn off the heat, slide a lid on the pan and remove the pan from the heating surface. If it’s gotten out of control or

if bigger than the pan, you need to get everyone out of the home and call the fire department,” she said.

The NFPA offers these additional tips:

• Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.

• Keep young children away from cooking areas and put pots on the back burners to prevent accidental spills.

Clean up food and grease from burners and stove top.

Georgia State Patrol authorities are confirming one fatality in a fiery accident that blocked the southbound lanes of I-85 around 9 this morning. The accident occurred near Martin Bridge Road in Banks County.

Officials say a tractor-trailer was traveling south when the driver lost control and ran off the roadway. The truck turned over and caught fire.The passenger in the truck was killed. The driver was taken to BJC Medical in Jackson County.

The highway was closed for several hours.

Reports also say troopers are on the scene of a multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 85 in Franklin County. The accident is in the southbound lane and blocked two lanes of traffic.

The President and CEO of Habersham Bancorp said a decision to withhold regular cash dividends on its common stock will have no effect on customers of Habersham Bank.

David Stovall said business will continue as normal on accounts at the bank.

“The suspension of the dividends will have no impact whatsoever on a depositor, loan customer, trust customer, or any of our mortgage customers,” said Stovall. “This is purely an issue dealing with shareholders. It has nothing to do with customers.”

This week, Habersham Bancorp announced it will suspend regular cash dividends on its common stock.

Stovall said the decision to withhold the dividends, worth five cents per share, was made to just to stay safe considering the current state of the economy.

“This is a precautionary measure and in the times that we are in, we just feel that we need to maintain as much capital as we can,” he added. “We are well-capitalized. It is just a precautionary measure.”

In addition, Stovall said they would be applying for participation in a U.S. Treasury Department program, which would give the bank a loan from the Treasury Department.

“We are a healthy bank,” he insisted. “We are well-capitalized and we are just like everybody else. It is a loan at a very attractive interest rate. Very few banks will be applying.”

Habersham Bank has locations throughout northeast Georgia, including in Toccoa.

Early voting ends today for the December 2 run-off election in Stephens County.

Stephens County Registrar Theresa Kelley said today is the last day voters in Stephens County can cast their ballots without having to go to the polls on Tuesday.

“We are here from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” said Kelley. “We are here through lunch, so we will not close. However, if you do not vote on Wednesday, November 26, then you are going to have to go to the polls on Election Day.”

The Stephens County Registrar’s Office is located in the basement of the Stephens County Government Building in Toccoa.

Today is also the last day paper absentee ballots go out in the mail. The deadline is today due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Tomorrow and Friday are county holidays, meaning the registrar’s office is closed.

Kelley said many people have already cast their ballots in the run-off election.

“We are at 11 percent at this point in time,” she added. “We have sent out over 700 absentee ballots and we have voted over 800 people in the office already, so for a run-off, that is pretty good.”

Kelley said she expects turnout to come in around 20 percent for the run-off election overall. That would be higher than a normal run-off election, which, according to Kelley, usually results in a turnout of about 12 to 15 percent.

This coming Tuesday’s run-off election will decide three races not settled in the general election earlier this month. The first is the much-publicized and hotly contested U.S. Senate race between Saxby Chambliss and Jim Martin. A Public Service Commission race and a Court of Appeals race are also on the ballot.

Polls will be open on Tuesday, December 2 at the precinct locations throughout Stephens County for voters to cast ballots on the actual day of the run-off election.

Anyone with questions regarding voting should contact the Stephens County Registrar’s Office at 706-886-8954.

Toccoa City Hall and Stephens County offices will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving.

Routes for city garbage and recyclables scheduled to be picked up on Thursday, November 27 will be picked up on Monday, December 1^st. Routes for garbage and recyclables scheduled to be picked up on Friday, November 28^th will be picked up on Tuesday, December 2^nd.

Commercial garbage will be picked up as usual, but yard waste and other items will not be picked up.

The Toccoa Police Department and Fire Department will be on duty as usual. Utility department employees, as well as employees from the Public Works Department will be on called for emergency situations.

For more information, call Toccoa City Hall at 706-886-8451.

City and county offices will also close on Friday.

As you are going over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house this holiday, make sure you buckle your seatbelt.

That is the message of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety’s Rural Road Initiative.

GOHS Director Bob Dallas said buckling your seatbelt can help prevent a holiday tragedy.

“It is our goal to have people buckle up so that they can get to their destination safely,” said Dallas. “We are here during the holiday period and Thanksgiving, where our families get together, and really one of the most tragic and sad things is when a family member gets involved in a serious crash where they are either injured for life or worse than that, they die.”

Statistically, rural roads are more dangerous than busy interstates. Dallas said in 2008, only 79 percent of drivers on Georgia’s rural roads wore their seatbelts, compared to 84 percent of urban motorists.

In addition, over half of all traffic fatalities involved people not wearing seatbelts.

Dallas said the numbers are sobering.

“We know that, overall, about 90 percent of Georgians buckle up when they are in their vehicle,” said Dallas. “Yet, when we look at our crash deaths, about 60 percent of the occupants who are killed are not wearing their safety belt. With that, it tells us that were everybody to buckle up, 100 percent, on every trip and in every position, I would estimate we could save anywhere from 200 to 250 people every year.”

He went on to say that the design of rural roads most likely plays a part in the larger number of deaths. Losing control on a rural road, which does not have as many safety features, is more likely to have a bad outcome.

In addition, Dallas said, drivers on rural roads tend to wear their seatbelts less.

“I think people feel that just because they do not see a lot of cars, that they got a false sense of security,” he said. “The fact of the matter is that when you look at our rural roads and how they are designed, you do not have the same kind of recovery zones on the side, or maybe a very narrow shoulder. You may not have the guardrails. Often times, they are crossed by many other roads or driveways with somebody who may be coming out.”

State and local law enforcement will have extra patrols out over the holiday period.

Local law enforcement will take part in the state-wide Click It or Ticket Campaign as well.

Toccoa Police Chief Jackie Whitmire said there will be extra patrols out during the holiday period.

He reiterated the wisdom of wearing a seatbelt that is voiced in the “Click It or Ticket” campaign.

“I just want to make sure everybody wears their seat belts, even in pick-up trucks,” said Whitmire. “Although it is not Georgia law, the statistics show that a larger number of people are killed in car accidents in pick-up trucks because they do not wear their seat belts.”

In addition, Whitmire reminded Toccoa drivers to slow down and pay attention during this hectic time.

“As I say, time and time again, the majority of the accidents in the city of Toccoa occur on Big A Road and most of those occur at an intersection,” he added. “So, slow down at those intersections and watch for people pulling out, regardless of whether you have the green light or not.”

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is launching the “Click It or Ticket” enforcement campaign to buckle-down on motorists not buckling up.

Even as fuel prices continue to plunge in the region and across the nation, AAA said fewer travelers will hit the road for Thanksgiving.

According to projections from AAA, 41 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles from home this weekend, slightly down from last year. That number includes 1.2 million travelers in Georgia.

AAA South Public Relations Specialist Jessica Brady said even as fuel prices plummet below $2 a gallon, motorists remain wary. Brady said though, reality may differ from projections.

“It is only a 1.4 percent decrease from last year that is projected,” said Brady. “However, with gas prices getting as low as they are going, it is very possible that we may see an influx, more than the 41 million. We may be very close to the 41.6 million we projected last year. It is actually not looking very bleak. It is looking pretty good. A 1.4 percent decrease is not bad.”

Still, with many motorists on the road, officials urged not attempting long trips at night and having the car checked before hitting the road.

According to AAA, travelers can expect to pay about the same as travelers paid on Thanksgiving Day 2006 and around a dollar less per gallon than travelers did last Thanksgiving.

The average price of a gallon of regular gas in Georgia currently sits below $1.80 a gallon. This time last year, Georgia drivers were spending in excess of $3 a gallon for the same thing.

In their annual grim announcement, Georgia State Patrol officials predict 19 Georgians will lose their lives during the upcoming holiday period.

That time period begins this evening at 6 p.m. and ends at midnight Sunday.

This year, officials are estimating more crashes, but fewer deaths then last year.

Last year, 27 people died during the same time period in just over 3000 crashes.

Of those fatalities, reports show 8 of the 27 deaths involved an alcohol or drug impaired driver and 13 of them were people not wearing seatbelts.

Additionally, 11 traffic deaths were recorded on state highways, nine on country roads, five on interstates, and two on city streets.

The highest number of traffic death reported during the Thanksgiving holiday was in 1969 with 43 fatalities. The lowest was four in 1949.

The City of Toccoa is one step closer to selling water to Banks County.

At Monday’s City Commission meeting, commissioners voted to approve a proposed contract that will now be presented to Banks County Commissioners.

The contract stipulates Banks County would pay $2.53 per 1000 gallons of water and would pay to upgrade their water lines.

That price, which was recommended by city staff, brought on a spirited conversation about how to price water in a way that is fair to Banks County, but also helps the Toccoa water system earn enough profit.

“If we are going to be in the wholesale business, we have got to make money, but we cannot drive our customers away,” said Commissioner Bob Troup.

“That is true,” said Commissioner David Austin. “However, we are also a regional water supplier. We have people who want to buy our water. They cannot buy it anyplace else, so I just want to make sure our wholesale price reflects the true value.”

Mayor Andy Pavliscsak said it is important to balance the potential profit with being a good neighbor.

“Not only do we want to make money, but we also want to be a good neighbor,” said Pavliscsak. “I do not want to gouge our less fortunate neighbors just because they do not have water. We are trying to be a regional water provider.”

Commissioner Ron Seib made the motion to accept the staff’s recommendation, saying commissioners should trust the staff’s advice.

Engineers have said the city could sell up to 250,000 gallons of water per day to our southern neighbors without affecting Toccoa customers.

If Banks County accepts the contract, officials expect to begin selling water by next summer.

As people around northeast Georgia get ready to hit the highways for Thanksgiving, the Georgia Department of Transportation wants to announce a policy in effect for the travel weekend.

The Georgia Department of Transportation said it will not have any construction-related lane closures during the Thanksgiving holiday period.

D-O-T Spokeswoman Teri Pope said it is part of an effort to ensure Georgia travelers reach their holiday destinations both safely and quickly.

“It will begin Wednesday morning at 5 a.m. and go through midnight Sunday night, so that there will be no lane closures on interstates or state routes, unless of course, we have some emergency work pop up somewhere,” said Pope. “However, right now, there are not any construction projects planned for this weekend. They literally cannot work. It is in the contract that they cannot have lane closures at this time.”

Pope said work zone speed limits on the interstates will remain in effect, as they normally do. Some work zone speed limits on secondary roads may not be in effect. However, fines are doubled in work zones, so people should slow down to be safe.

In addition, Pope said travelers wanting to plan ahead before getting on the roadways can take advantage of a valuable resource.

Pope encouraged people to call 511 for real-time traffic information.

“You can actually call on Friday when you are going out, trying to get to those best bargains and see where the traffic is and where you need to go to avoid traffic or if there are crashes in your way,” she explained. “Remember, that is 511 or if you are on your computer at home, you can go to www.georgianavigator.com and get the same information.”

The “511” call is free from any land line or cell phone in the state of Georgia.

Even as Stephens County celebrates the newly restored courthouse, work remains to completely finish the job the county started.

Lead contractor Howard “Dundee” Andrews said Sunday a few weeks worth of work remains on the historic courthouse to totally complete it.

Courthouse Authority Member Henry Fields said one of the projects remaining is putting benches into the main, second-floor courtroom.

“They are not going to be church benches,” said Fields. “They are going to be benches like you used to find in baseball parks. As a matter of fact, the standards, the metal parts, of these benches are going to come from the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park. Those benches and standards are already ordered. They should be here no later than January 9. We will take those and we are having a local company form the seating for them out of wood.”

When done, that courtroom will have a capacity of 229 seats in all, 200 of those are in the downstairs portion and 29 are in the upstairs position.

Some landscaping and other work also remains in the historic courthouse.

Eventually, plans remain for the county offices currently in the courthouse annex across the street, such as the county administrator and finance office, to move into the historic courthouse. The county will also use the building for county commission meetings and selected trials as deemed necessary.

There is no word on an official timeline for moving those offices into the historic courthouse.

You can warm your heart this holiday season by helping to warm others.

Bear Weaver, coordinator of Truckers For Kids, is collecting blankets, coats, and space heaters for people needing extra help.

“We have a lot of people asking for blankets and bed linens and that is usually what we have been trying to come up with,” said Weaver. “If people have them in their storage sheds or have stuff they are not using and would like to donate it, I know that it would make their hearts feel real good to know somebody is staying warm by them during this winter.”

This is the 10^th year Weaver and his crew has collected items to help fellow citizens stay warm. He said as temperatures have dropped in recent weeks, he has people coming by to ask for help.

He added the need is great.

“We have delivered heaters to people that lived in their front living room and there would be nothing left in the whole house and everybody would be sleeping in one room,” he explained. “All of the furniture would be gone. A lot of people have already been coming by and asking for any heating blankets or heaters.”

Weaver went on to say he is seeing the effects of the economy on what he called “our family” of neighbors in Toccoa and Stephens County.

“Times are bad right now,” he said. “In the last year, the economy has really gone down south, so everybody is really hurting, not just the poor folks, but some of the ones that lost their jobs. There are a lot of those in town. I like to think of them all as just family, instead of in need or anything like that.”

To donate blankets, coats, or electric space heaters, drop them off at the “Truckers for Kids” site at the corner of Fernside Drive and Bellvue Drive. You can also call Bear Weaver at 706-491-3711.

A Martin resident is missing two pistols after an alleged theft.

In a report filed on Saturday with the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, the Gumlog Road man told deputies he recently noticed his two Colt pistols were missing. One was a .45 caliber government model worth $450. The other one was a .38 caliber light weight revolver worth $400.

Meanwhile, a man said thousands of dollars in equipment is missing from a property in Eastanollee.

The man told deputies in a report filed on Friday with the Sheriff’s Office that tractor pins and various tools were stolen from the property. A large farm bell was also stolen. The man said all of the items were located outside of the barn on the property.

Deputies stated in the report that there was visible damage to a side door of the barn where entry was attempted, but not gained.

In all, the missing items are valued at $1850.

In another theft, a Toccoa woman also reported an item missing from around her shed.

The woman told the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, in the report filed on Friday, that someone stole her cast iron bath tub from underneath her shed at her Fieldale Road property.

The tub is valued at $1500.

All of the incidents remain under investigation.

Stephens County re-opens a landmark.

“Today marks a great day in the history of Stephens County and the state of Georgia,” said L.J. Harrison, who delivered the invocation for the re-dedication ceremony of the historic Stephens County Courthouse Sunday. “We are here today to re-dedicate this courthouse to the people and the citizens of Stephens County.”

The downtown Toccoa landmark is nearly fully restored and hundreds jammed into the second-floor courtroom to witness history first hand.

After the invocation and Star-Spangled Banner by Roseann Watson, Stephens County Commissioners’ Chairman Kenneth Peeples welcomed the large crowd.

“I do not believe we could ask for a more beautiful day that the Lord has given us for this occasion,” said Peeples. “Everyone here is an honored and very important guest with us.”

Courthouse Restoration Authority Member Henry Fields then took the crowd through the process involved in restoring the historic courthouse.

Fields said it took a team effort to get it done.

“What you see is the result of a very congenial and cooperative group of people from many areas of the community and from many areas of life who gave their expertise, their talents, their time, and their skills in order to create what you will see around you and before you this afternoon,” said Fields.

After the ceremony, lead contractor Howard “Dundee” Andrews agreed.

“There were a lot of different things we had to do,” said Andrews. “It is just a really big project. I was glad to be a part of it. Every bit of it was challenging.”

The keynote speaker for the ceremony was former Georgia Governor and U.S. Senator Zell Miller. State Representative Jeanette Jamieson introduced Miller.

“I am certainly delighted to have the opportunity this afternoon, to not introduce to you because obviously he requires none, but to present to you a gentleman that has been my friend for many years,” said Jamieson.

Miller told the crowd he loves courthouses. He said Stephens County’s courthouse is one of his favorite ones.

“It could not be better done,” said Miller. “It could not be more magnificent. Thanks, especially to Jack Stovall, and all of you who played a part in this. I know that things like this do not just happen. It takes people working together. It takes county officials, city officials, and everyone in between. You all have done a magnificent job. We are all in debt to you for it.”

Miller then talked about the man for whom Stephens County is named, Alexander Hamilton Stephens. Stephens was a famous Georgia politician and vice president of the Confederacy.

Miller said Stephens was a great man.

“This county, Stephens, has a great namesake,” the former senator and governor added. “Stephens’ colorful character and conduct, combined with his superior intellect, his devotion to serving the needs of others, and his totally unselfish generosity, made him one of the most beloved Georgians in all of our glorious history. I believe his spirit is here today.”

The ceremony was also broadcast live here on AM 630 WNEG.

A man who did so for much for Stephens County is remembered in the re-dedicated historic county courthouse.

Yesterday, as part of the re-dedication ceremonies for the historic structure in downtown Toccoa, Courthouse Restoration Authority Chair Dale Moseley officially dedicated a room downstairs in the structure in honor of Jack Stovall.

Stovall was a member of the authority and helped to oversee restoration efforts. He passed away earlier this year.

“Jack gave many hours of the day and night at this courthouse,” said Moseley. “His in-kind donations to see that the further deterioration stopped, his knowledge of building, how to remodel, how to restore, and his foresight on how the courthouse should be completed played such an important role of this restoration process.”

Moseley went on to say that the room will house the county administrator’s offices once all work is complete.

“May Jack’s unselfishness, his love for history, and his love for people be an example for all of us,” she added. “Each time we pass by that door, let us think of Jack.”

Brent Stovall said it was a pleasure and honor for Stovall Building Supplies to help with the courthouse restoration.

“Jack had instilled everybody with good thoughts,” said Stovall. “We hated to see him leave us, but he knew what was going on. He knew what was coming in the future. He wanted to prepare all of us at Stovall Building Supplies to continue on and we are doing it all for him.”

Jack’s widow, Margie, was present and was recognized with a standing ovation during the ceremony.

A Toccoa man is back home after going missing Saturday and being found by two men buying a pizza.

Toccoa Police Assistant Chief Tim Jarrell said 68-year-old Jimmy Lewis was reported missing Saturday morning from the group home he lives in. Lewis has early onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Lewis’ saga actually began earlier that morning around 5 a.m. when a Toccoa police officer spotted him walking along Currahee Street near Alexander Street. Jarrell said Lewis answered questions clearly and refused a ride home, so the officer went on with his patrol.

Later that morning, the group home reported him missing and told police he had mentioned going to see a relative in Hartwell.

Several law enforcement and emergency agencies joined the search and spent the day combing the streets and neighborhoods around Stephens County.

A Georgia State Patrol helicopter flew along Highway 17 toward Hartwell looking for Lewis, and agencies in neighboring counties began a lookout.

Late in the afternoon, Jarrell said, two men ordered a pizza at Dominos Pizza on Currahee Street, and as they walked through the parking lot, they heard a voice.

Knowing police were looking for someone, they investigated a crawl space under the restaurant and found Lewis curled up in there.

Jarrell said he appeared to be uninjured, but was taken to Stephens County Hospital as a precaution.

A condition on him was not available.

Agencies involved in the search included the Toccoa Police Department, the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Stephens County Emergency Management Agency and Rescue Unit, Toccoa Fire Department, several Stephens County Volunteer Fire Departments, Georgia State Patrol, Habersham County High Angle Rescue group, Lavonia Police Department, Franklin County Police Department, Hartwell Police Department and the Oconee County, S.C. Sheriff’s Department.

Toccoa police are investigating two more shoplifting cases at Wal-Mart.

A Hartwell woman and Carnesville man are accused of shoplifting in separate incidents on the same day.

Around 11 a.m., police said Valerie Sanders Cordell allegedly stole over $200 worth of items.

She was arrested and charged with shoplifting.

Two hours later, police responded to the Big A Road store after Loss Prevention officers allegedly caught DeAngelo Lee Johnson with almost $40 worth of goods.

He was arrested and taken to Stephens County Jail.

Meanwhile, the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a theft of metal from a local business.

Deputies were called to National Welders on Liberty Hill Road last Thursday when the manager noticed six steel cylinder carts were missing from beside the building.

The manager estimated the items were taken within the last 10 days.

The carts are estimated to be worth $1200.

The investigation continues.

City of Toccoa citizens will get a chance to voice their opinions about the city’s alcohol ordinance at the City Commission meeting later today.

A public hearing will be held at that meeting to consider amendments to the Alcohol Beverage Control Ordinance.

The amendments cover language around definitions within the ordinance, as well as adjust the stipulations about who can get an alcohol license and under what circumstances.

City Manager Billy Morse said a hearing must be held because the ordinance falls under the Georgia Zoning Procedures law and affects personal property.

The changes to the Alcohol Ordinance were recommended by City Attorney John Dickerson to bring the city’s law up to current legal case law.

That public hearing will be held within the regular commission meeting.

Also on the agenda is a third look at the contract between the City of Toccoa and Banks County to allow Banks County to buy water from Toccoa. The price per gallon of water is expected to be set at this meeting.

The City Commission meeting is at 5 p.m. in Toccoa City Hall. It is open to the public.

A Loganville bank fails and deposits are taken over by a Virginia bank.

A press release issued by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said The Community Bank of Loganville was closed on Friday by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance.

This is not the same institution as Community Bank and Trust, which has branches in Ingles, Wal-Mart and Quality Foods here in Toccoa.

Deposits for The Community Bank of Loganville were purchased by the Bank of Essex in Tappahannock, Virginia after the FDIC became the receiver.

The FDIC release said the bank opened back up today and deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC.

As of October 17, 2008, The Community Bank had total assets of $681.0 million and total deposits of $611.4 million. Bank of Essex purchased approximately $84.4 million of The Community Bank's assets, and did pay the FDIC a premium of $3.2 million for the right to assume the failed bank's deposits. The FDIC will retain the remaining assets for later disposition.

The Community Bank is the twentieth FDIC-insured institution to be closed nationwide, and the third in Georgia, this year.

Again, this is not the same institution as Community Bank and Trust in Stephens and Habersham Counties.

A local car dealer celebrates a quarter century of service to the northeast Georgia community.

Toccoa Ford Lincoln Mercury was honored Friday by Ford Motor Credit Company on its 25^th anniversary.

The dealership opened for business in November of 1983 under the leadership of owner and dealer Gary Smith. According to Smith, five employees have been with the dealership for over 20 years. Gary Crain has been there for 15 years as a used car manager and also in the sales department.

He says Toccoa Ford Lincoln Mercury owes its success to Stephens County and the rest of the surrounding areas.

“It feels great,” said Crain. “We have been here for 25 years at the same location and we would like to thank everybody in Stephens County, especially, and the whole upstate of Georgia and also South Carolina. We sell a lot of cars over there. We have had some good, loyal customers over 25 years and we really appreciate it.”

In the past 25 years, Toccoa Ford Lincoln Mercury has been recognized as a Blue Oval Dealer by Ford Motor Company and continues to operate Sales, Parts, and Service Departments.

Smith says the dealership looks forward to serving Toccoa and surrounding areas for years to come.

Two properties near the Super Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Stephens County High School want to become part of the city of Toccoa.

Last night, the Toccoa Planning Commission discussed an annexation request by Ronnie Means for a property on Big A Road, near Memorial Drive. He wants the city to bring the vacant property within its boundaries.

The Planning Commission approved a recommendation that the city commission approve the annexation request.

Meanwhile, a developer has filed an annexation request with the city to bring a contiguous property to Means’ lot within Toccoa’s limits.

The property is located between Sorrells Drive, Big A Road, and Memorial Drive, with some road frontage on Memorial Drive. The developer is proposing 375 residential units ranging from one to four bedrooms.

Because of the project’s size, the planning commission had to review a Development of Regional Impact submittal from the city to the Georgia Mountains Regional Development Center.

The DRI, as it is called, looks at the potential impact of the project on the area it is proposed for. A question was raised during the meeting about the impact of such a large development on Memorial Drive traffic.

The RDC will look over the DRI and make a recommendation back to the planning commission on the annexation request.

Stephens County will unveil its newly restored courthouse this weekend.

Sunday at 2 p.m., the official unveiling of the restored Stephens County Courthouse in downtown Toccoa will take place.

While crews will continue to work on the courthouse after the unveiling, the Courthouse Restoration Authority said it is ready to show off to the public.

Authority Member Henry Fields said they are a little apprehensive because they want to everything to go well, but they are excited for everyone to see the product of years of hard work.

“We really want everybody to see it,” said Fields. “We have worked hard over there. We have had some excellent craftsmen and leadership as far as architecture, the vendors, and all who have really done a great job and I think the county and community is just going to be amazed at what they see.”

Retired U.S. Senator and former governor of Georgia Zell Miller will deliver the keynote address. State Representative Jeannette Jamieson will introduce Miller.

Sunday’s ceremony will include an invocation from L.J. Harrison, music from the Pinnacle Brass of the Toccoa Symphony Orchestra, comments from all three county commissioners, the presentation of the new Stephens County seal, and comments from Fields and Dale Moseley on behalf of the Courthouse Restoration Authority.

The re-dedication ceremony is open to the public. For those who cannot make it, AM 630 WNEG will broadcast the ceremony live beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday.

A Bowman man becomes the third man arrested in an undercover drug operation that netted scores of illegal pills, miscellaneous drug paraphernalia, and an orange pickup truck.

Stephens County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 36-year-old Shawn Waytaszik Thursday morning and charged him with possession of narcotics and possession of marijuana.

Captain Jimmy Mize said the arrest came after officers returned to a home that authorities suspected of housing an illegal drug operation.

“During our investigation there at the residence, we were able to get some other leads on some other subjects in our area that have been dealing or having possession of prescription drugs and illegal narcotics and arrested was Shawn Waytaszik, of Bowman, Georgia,” said Mize.

Mize said Waytaszik was carrying 25 to 30 Lortabs and was allegedly coming to the house to sell the pills. Instead, sheriff’s deputies were waiting for him.

This arrest follows the arrest of two other men at the same two-bedroom home on Brookhaven Circle on Monday.

The pair was arrested after a month-long joint investigation between the Sheriff’s Department and the Piedmont Northern MANS Unit.

On Monday, authorities seized hundreds of oxycodone pills, six bags of crystal meth, several bills of counterfeit money, $300 cash, and an orange 1990’s model Nissan pickup truck.

Mize said the sheriff’s department continues to follow additional leads in the case.

An Oak Valley Road building is burglarized and thousands of dollars in items are taken.

According to the report with the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office filed on Wednesday, a man filed a report with deputies that he noticed his “j-lasher” missing in the morning when the door to the building accidentally came open. A “j-lasher” is a piece of equipment that lashes cables together.

The man also noticed that a cable chute was missing. Deputies noted there was no sign of forced entry.

The “j-lasher” is valued at $2500 and the cable chute was valued at $150.

Meanwhile, the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office is looking to get the root of a reported shoplifting case.

Deputies responded to Fred’s Department Store on November 13 in response to a report that someone had left the store without paying for a bottle of Clairol “Nice ‘n Easy” hair color worth $8.50.

Both incidents remain under investigation.

High standards and hard work have garnered a local elementary school a statewide award.

Big A Elementary has been awarded a Silver Award for Academic Achievement for the 2007-2008 school year. The award focuses on students’ performance on the CRCT exam and the school’s status in the Adequate Yearly Progress measurement.

Principal Gail Frye said the success is a team effort.

“One of our beliefs is high expectations yields high performance,” said Frye. “Our students work hard, our teachers work hard, and our parents work hard.”

In all, 275 schools received awards from the Georgia Department of Education for this school year. Georgia has over 1100 public schools.

Frye said she believes the key to Big A’s success is creating an atmosphere that facilitates learning.

“Everyone here has a very positive attitude about learning,” she explained. “Our teachers are prepared. Our students are prepared and we just feel that we are a learning community where everyone reaches for success.”

The school will get their award in upcoming weeks. Frye said they will have an assembly to celebrate their achievement.

“We always try to reward our students,” she explained. “We have lots of incentives and we feel to celebrate the successes of our students is exciting to see. When they see we celebrate the successes, it makes them want to work harder.”

Big A Elementary School has 541 students.

A local restaurant owner who regularly feeds hungry people is planning a Thanksgiving Feast to feed their souls as well as their bellies.

Shirley Combs, the owner of Shirley’s Sole Food on Currahee Street, is holding her annual Thanksgiving Meal for hungry people Saturday evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The meal promises to be delicious.

“I will be serving ham that has been donated, turkey breast, gravy, dressing, English peas, rice, cranberry sauce, and cake,” said Combs.

Shirley’s Sole Food serves down-home southern cooking for lunch everyday. After the lunch-time crowd clears out, Shirley then feeds the leftovers to anyone who’s hungry.

Shirley said she literally sees the toll a tightening economy has on people and she just wants to help.

“This is for the ones that probably will not have a Thanksgiving meal or will not get anything,” she explained. “We are going to try to feed as many as we can. In the past, we have fed anywhere from 50 to 90 people. With the economy being like it is, everybody is not homeless, but they do not have money to buy food now after paying bills, with so many people being laid off and no jobs. We are just trying to reach out and help those that really need.”

In addition, to feeding hungry people, Shirley also runs two transitional shelters – one for men and one for women.

Those shelters operate solely on donations and Shirley said they always have needs.

“We still need support,” she said. “We still need donations given to us in order to be able to be able to take care of these houses. We are doing it from donations only.”

You can donate to Shirley’s Shelter at First Citizens Bank, or by stopping by her restaurant on Currahee Street.

Toccoa Falls College will celebrate the school’s founder with ceremonies next week.

The annual event this year will feature two alumni speakers. Rev. Frank Smith will speak on November 24 and Carolyn Eckman Ballard will speak on November 25.

Both speeches will take place at the Grace Chapel and Performing Arts Center.

Founder’s Week focuses on celebrating the founder and first president of Toccoa Falls College, Dr. Richard A. Forrest.

Forrest served Toccoa Falls College from 1907 to 1957. While Forrest lived in Toccoa, he also served as the senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church.

Stephens County sheriff’s deputies catch two drug dealers in the act and score a large multi-agency bust.

Sheriff’s deputies, along with agents from the Piedmont Northern MANS Unit, arrested two men at a Martin home Tuesday afternoon and seized a large amount of drugs and accompanying paraphernalia after a month-long undercover investigation.

Sheriff’s Department Captain Jimmy Mize said as the warrant was served, deputies found 28-year-old Joshua Lois Starrett of Brookhaven Circle and 31-year-old Michael Reece Moss of Lavonia conducting their illegal business.

“We were able to obtain a search warrant based on an undercover buy from the residence,” said Mize. “As we executed the warrant, we actually caught Mr. Starrett and Mr. Moss in the transaction of weighing out drugs and getting ready to cut some drugs.”

Mize said deputies seized a large quantity of oxycodone in pre-packaged baggies, six bags of crystal meth, and a small amount of marijuana.

Deputies also found counterfeit money, several sets of scales, miscellaneous drug paraphernalia, and almost $300 in cash. A Nissan pickup truck was also seized at the scene.

In addition, Mize said more arrests are expected.

“During the time we were there, there were several transactions handled over the telephone by undercover agents, dealing with people known to the agents as drug dealers,” added Mize. “We are basing some arrests based on actions that were taken at the residence during the search warrant.”

Starrett and Moss are charged with Possession of Methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of schedule II narcotics with intent to distribute, and several other charges.

In addition, Starrett faces a probation violation in Franklin County as well as a charge of possession of motor vehicle with identification removed.

The two are in Stephens County jail. Bond has not been set.

Toccoa City Commissioners are weighing the costs and benefits of installing sewer and water in what is currently county property.

At a called work session Monday, commissioners discussed an opportunity to get the utility lines installed on the Toccoa By-pass between Highways 145 and 106 at a lower cost.

Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse told commissioners that he had a conversation with officials with the construction company currently working on the expansion of the Toccoa Bypass.

“Thrift has bought a piece of property that he has used for fill material in other places and has leveled that lot and would like to develop that lot,” said Morse. “He wants water and sewer at that location and he may be willing to install new water and sewer lines if the material is purchased by the city.”

One of the sticking points is that Thrift intends to be finished with their work and remove their equipment by April. That means the city would have to come up with an estimated $600,000 to pay for the materials for the utility installation by then.

Morse said one option would be to borrow the money from GEFA, or the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority.

“Roughly, it would be less than $600,000 for materials and engineering,” he explained. “The city would have to borrow that money. That is my understanding. I do not know where else we would get it, so we would probably have to borrow that money and we could probably get it from GEFA.”

Mayor Andy Pavliscsak raised the question about the benefits to the city if such a cost were incurred.

“Another issue here is for the city to spend $600,000 to put sewer and water in at that location, what benefit is it to the city?” asked Pavliscsak. “Simply, to put water and sewer in without annexing the property limits the potential revenue the city would stand to gain from doing that.”

Morse pointed out the city has previously extended utility service into non-city owned properties.

“I think the real benefit comes in not to the city, but to the community,” said Morse. “I think the city has often played that role. Why do we extend our utilities to the industrial park? None of those are in the city limits. How are those different?

City Commissioners did not take any official action on the matter.

Morse said he will consult officials with Stephens County as well as the Stephens County Development Authority to explore the option of partnering on the project.

United Community Bank says the U.S. Treasury Department has given preliminary approval to make a $180 million investment in the Blairsville bank as a part of the Treasury Department’s Capital Purchase Program.

Under the agreement, United Community Bank plans to issue $180 million of senior preferred stock to the Treasury, along with warrants to purchase $27 million in common stock.

In a press release issued on the matter, bank president Jimmy Tallent said United Community Bank was already above the well-qualified capital levels, but this would add to the bank’s base, furthering strengthening those capital levels.

WNEG News could not reach bank officials for further comment on the matter.

United Community Bank is headquartered in Blairsville. It has offices in Clarkesville, Clayton, Cleveland, Commerce, and Cornelia.

According to a statement on the U.S. Treasury Department’s website, the program is designed to attract broad participation by healthy institutions, to stabilize the financial system and increase lending in an effort to strengthen the economy. The Treasury Department is pumping $250 billion nationwide into this program.

Final closing is expected within 30 days.

As Stephens County prepares to complete the transfer to new E-911 addresses for good at the start of 2009, new county maps are now available.

The Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce recently received the new maps, complete with all of the new E-911 road information.

Chamber President Wendi Bailey said they are very excited to see the new maps.

“It was a really long process, but we are really thrilled with the results,” said Bailey. “We have, new this year, a section with important and helpful phone numbers. We also have a brand new overview of Toccoa and Stephens County, Georgia, with all of the important information for newcomers and visitors and also a section thanking all of our advertisers. We are thankful for the partnership with the E-911 group who helped us make sure we had all of the accurate information that we need.”

Bailey said people can get a new map at any of the advertisers’ locations, as well as the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce offices. The Chamber offices are located in the train depot on Alexander Street in Toccoa. The maps cost $3.

The new E-911 addresses take formal effect on January 5, 2009 with all county agencies and the U.S. Postal Service. All county residents should have received their new E-911 addresses earlier this year.

After January 5, the Postal Service will no longer recognize old addresses, meaning all residents of Stephens County must use their E-911 address as their mailing address.

Today is the day to snuff out smoking because today is the “Great American Smokeout.”

Begun by the American Cancer Society 32 years ago, the “Great American Smokeout” has inspired millions of Americans to quit smoking for one day. The hope is those people will find the will to continue quitting until they have permanently put away their cigarettes.

Elissa McCrary with the American Cancer Society said it is a day for people to think about their health.

“The ‘Great American Smokeout’ is designed to call attention to smoking and to encourage people who smoke to give it up for at least that day,” said McCrary. “It is a day that we hope will really get people thinking about their health and particularly thinking about how smoking adversely affects their health.”

According to the Georgia Department of Human Resources, in Georgia there are 1.3 million adults and 104,000 middle and high school students who smoke.

Tobacco use remains the greatest preventable cause of death. In Georgia, almost 10,000 adults die each year from smoking-related illnesses.

Nationally, smoking accounts for an estimated 438,000 deaths each year.

For help quitting smoking, you can contact the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line at 877-270-STOP.

Toccoa Police are investigating a series of unrelated thefts.

According to police reports, on November 12, two Carnesville women were arrested at Wal-Mart for allegedly stealing $206.25 worth of goods.

Amanda Varnes, of Murphy Road, and Deborah Denise Sutton, of Highway 59, were each charged with theft by shoplifting.

Reports said the goods were recovered and returned to the store.

Meanwhile, a Toccoa man is reporting some medication was taken from his home. The Andrews Way man told police someone took his Lortabs.

And finally, a clerk at the Exxon on Broad Street reported a theft of $729. The report does not specify what was taken.

Authorities continue to investigate all the incidents.

The City of Toccoa is preparing for “economic doomsday.”

At the City Commission’s work session Monday night, commissioners reviewed an Economic Slowdown Contingency Plan should the city see a dramatic reduction in income.

City Manager Billy Morse presented the plan he created after meeting with each department about what could be cut out in a dire hypothetical situation.

The plan recommends a 15 percent reduction in expenses beginning with a freeze on capital and special projects. Also on the list is a 20 percent cut in personnel costs, mostly by reducing work hours to 32 hours per week.

Mayor Andy Pavliscsak requested Morse go back and specify which employees would be let go if a reduction in force becomes necessary.

“We asked the city manager to provide the commission with a contingency plan in the event the economy faltered to the level where we did not think we would be able to meet our budget,” said Pavliscsak. “Included in that fallback plan, we wanted to know some things about which personnel we might have to lay off, which ones, if we had to, we could do without.”

Morse requested a prioritization of services from the commission, pointing out that if the city hit a financial crisis and made drastic cuts, services would have to be cut.

“We could still do that, but I think we need some direction from the commission on which services you are willing to see reduced or eliminated,” explained Morse. “I think we are going to have to have some sort of input like that.”

Long term options included in the emergency plan are measures such as closing the fire station on Fernside Drive, turning off streetlights, and reducing or eliminating Main Street and Planning Department services.

City officials stressed that this is only a contingency plan, and currently Toccoa is meeting its budgeted income.

Voters can head to the polls beginning this afternoon in Stephens County.

If all goes according to plan, Stephens County Registrar Theresa Kelley will begin voting people early on touch-screen machines at 1 p.m. today for the December 2 run-off election.

Kelley must first test the machines this morning before allowing any voting to begin.

Voters will choose winners in three races, the U.S. Senate race between Saxby Chambliss and Jim Martin, a Public Service Commission race, and a Court of Appeals race.

Early voting will continue tomorrow and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will pick back up next week on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Stephens County Registrar’s Office. The Registrar’s Office is located in the basement of the Stephens County Government Building on the corner of Alexander and Tugalo Streets in Toccoa.

Early and absentee voting will end on Wednesday, November 26 at 5 p.m. because Thursday and Friday are county holidays. November 26 is also the last day to request a paper absentee ballot.

Kelley reminded voters to bring a valid form of picture identification, as well as to make sure the registrar’s office has a correct, E-911 address.

For more information, call the Stephens County Registrar’s Office at 706-886-8954.

The new cardiopulmonary rehabilitation facilities at Stephens County Hospital are up and running.

The facilities opened on November 10. So far, Stephens County Hospital Administrator Ed Gambrell said things are running well at the new facility.

Gambrell said they have hired two nurses to work at the facility and they are getting positive initial feedback from the community.

“The two nurses have gone out and have met with a number of physicians, not just in Stephens County, but some of the cardiologists in Gainesville and Athens, so they know we have a cardiopulmonary unit,” said Gambrell. “So, when they see residents from Stephens County and from this area that need rehabilitation, they can refer them to us, instead of requiring them to drive out of town for that same service.”

Gambrell went on to say that through the new facilities, the hospital will offer cardiac patients, mainly patients who have had heart attacks, the ability to do cardiac rehabilitation.

According to Gambrell, the same thing goes with pulmonary rehabilitation. He said there are many here who have breathing problems because of different things and they will be able to get exercise treatment in the area.

The facility includes weights, workout machines, and other equipment designed to assist in those rehabilitation efforts.

Gambrell said the hospital has high hopes for the facility.

The city of Toccoa and the Stephens County Commission clear up two separate issues.

Tuesday, Stephens County Commissioners approved an agreement reached with the city of Toccoa over the sewer system at Hayestone-Brady Industrial Park and excess SPLOST IV revenues.

Stephens County Attorney Brian Ranck said the sewer system agreement involves the ownership of the system in the future.

“What the city of Toccoa is doing is they are agreeing to treat the wastewater out at Hayestone-Brady until such time as the county actually deeds them the sewer system,” said Ranck.

Ranck went on to say the change in ownership could happen fairly soon.

“We are going to have to have the system inspected by an engineer, get a report, and see if there are any problems or defects with it,” he added. “If it comes back clean, then within six months, we will convey them the whole system and lines. There will not be any question in the future about whether they will agree to treat it because they will own it and they will just treat it. If there are any issues, Toccoa wanted to add the stipulation that if it required corrective action, they would not have to take the deed until that stuff was done.”

The county wanted the city to agree to this before agreeing to split extra revenues obtained through the recently completed SPLOST IV.

The city had requested the county split those extra proceeds based on the regular SPLOST agreement, with the city getting around 21 percent.

Stephens County Finance Director Phyllis Ayers said that translates into about $257,000.

Tuesday, commissioners approved a resolution agreeing to that division of the funds.

Commissioners approved both agreements unanimously.

One of the favorite “founding fathers” will stop by Toccoa this week to give a lesson on history and reading.

Ben Franklin, the alter ego of Dr. Rich Davis of Summerville, S.C., will present “The Magic of Reading” at the Toccoa Elementary School this Thursday at 7 p.m.

Davis said Ben Franklin’s personal story makes him the perfect spokesman for reading.

“I think that Benjamin Franklin is the perfect person to speak about the magic of reading because he started the first library in this country and Benjamin Franklin is famous for having taught himself how to read,” said Davis. “He is almost completely self-educated. That is why I came up with the idea for using Benjamin Franklin to talk about the magic of reading.”

Davis, a former college English professor, combines historical facts with a “Magic of Reading Challenge” to encourage his young audience to put a book in their hands. The program ends with a reenactment of a scientific experiment Ben Franklin actually performed.

He said it is a fun evening.

“The experience people have in my program is to interact with America’s greatest person of all time, Benjamin Franklin,” explained Davis. “It is a very exciting, fun, and educational program.”

Davis called Ben Franklin an accessible “founding father” that even young children can relate to.

”A lot of people like Benjamin Franklin,” said Davis. “He has many fans. He is so unassuming and he is not the stiff guy that George Washington i