THE TRUTH SINCE 1886 Round Two
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Fayette CountyNews INSIDE Battle of the Bubble THE TRUTH SINCE 1886 round two. B1 VOL. 149, NO. 3 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 $1.00 INSIDE: Fayetteville views: Better left unsaid. A4 INSIDE: Food pantry provides families with much-needed relief. A5 Vehicle crashes into Fayette County Library BY BRIAN WELLMEIER damaged vehicle, identified as Cris- according to police. [email protected] ty Davis, nearby in another vehicle. Davis was transported to Pied- After a brief investigation, Davis mont Fayette Hospital and blood On Jan. 13, at approximately was determined to be driving under was drawn as part of the investi- 7:22 p.m., Fayetteville Police were the influence of alcohol, was placed gation. Hospital medical staff also dispatched to the Fayette County under arrest and charged with a cleared Davis. Library in reference to a single-ve- D.U.I.– Alcohol Less Safe. Davis was then transported to the hicle wreck between a vehicle and a Emergency Medical Services eval- Fayette County Jail, where she was building. uated Davis for possible injuries released to jail staff on a citation for According to the Fayetteville resulting from the accident, and she D.U.I and Open Container. Sheriff’s Office, Police arrived on was cleared at the scene. Police contacted the Fayette Coun- the scene and observed an unoccu- Upon conducting a search of the ty Marshall’s Office, Fire Depart- pied passenger vehicle with heavy vehicle, a tumbler cup was located ment and Building Inspector to as- front-end damage. on the driver’s seat containing sess the damage done to the library BRIAN WELLMEIER | FAYETTE COUNTY NEWS Police located the driver of the liquid determined to be alcohol, building and complete a report. Damage to the Fayette County Library building. Rene Victor Bidez was destined for photography BY BRIAN WELLMEIER [email protected] Growing up in DeKalb County, Rene Victor Bidez was always the smallest kid in school. Most of the other children were into sports, but he liked to draw. He went on to enroll at Georgia Tech as an architecture major, then quickly real- ized that wasn't what he wanted, so he left school and enlisted in the military in 1972. Bidez wanted to be a draftsman, but after the U.S. Navy conducted a series of aptitude tests on Bidez, they sent him to Orlando to learn photog- raphy. He said that when the Navy put an old Speed Graphic camera in his hand, his life was forever changed. PHOTO COURTESY FAYETTE COUNTY SCHOOLS “It was the kind of thing, like when you give a A school nurse receives the COVID-19 vaccine. young man a toy,” he said. “It was fairly techni- cal. It allowed you to paint with light.” Some soldiers were going to Vietnam, but Bidez was sent Orlando for four years. And while everybody else was shooting rifles, Bidez was Fayette County school nurses shooting photographs for the Navy. “Imagine, you're in the United States Navy, and everybody's out there, turning wrenches and doing all that kind of stuff, and I've got a camera,” he said. “My job was to photograph receive COVID-19 vaccine people.” While in the Navy, he covered various events like promotions, retirements, award ceremonies BY BRIAN WELLMEIER system, I wanted to lead by example. “They have risked their health and and other military functions. He recalled a time [email protected] I don’t ask people to do anything given their time to provide a mea- when he was locked in a torpedo tube to take that I would not do myself. Since the sure of certainty to those, like me, photos of the firing mechanism, and another Playing a crucial role in keeping school nurses are exposed frequently who benefit from getting a COVID-19 time when he marched right down the middle of schools open throughout the fall in the clinics, I wanted them to have vaccine.” a military marching band during a parade. amid the spread of COVID-19, school the extra protection.” King said that none of her fellow “It's amazing how many ways they can utilize nurses have begun to receive Mod- School nurses like King are the school nurses have experienced any a photographer,” Bidez said. erna’s coronavirus vaccine. School only trained school personnel to as- symptoms from the vaccine, and that Bidez received an honorable discharge from health services coordinator Debbie sess students and staff for COVID-19, they look forward to getting their the Navy in 1976 and was released into civilian King was the first nurse to receive according to school officials, making second and final dose in February. life amid a suffering economy. Gas prices were the vaccine, according to Fayette them a crucial factor in ensuring the School nurses will continue to high and jobs were scarce, but Bidez found County school officials. In getting safety of everybody in the system. take precautions, like social dis- the vaccine, King wanted to set an King emphasized the essential role tancing when possible and wearing SEE BIDEZ, PAGE A2 example for others in the communi- that those who’ve participated in face masks, despite receiving the ty. vaccine trials have played leading vaccine. “I was excited to be a part of the up to this point. School employees will be sur- first group in our school system to be “I feel a deep gratitude toward the veyed for their interest in receiving vaccinated for COVID because it is thousands of people who participat- the vaccine in the coming weeks to the first step in ending this virus,” ed, and those who continue to par- determine how many doses will be she said. “As a leader in our school ticipate, in vaccine trials,” she said. required, school officials said. Fayette Co middle, high schools to continue Synchronous Learning Hybrid Model BY BRIAN WELLMEIER son or online depending on their group [email protected] throughout the month of January. Stu- dents were placed into either “Group A” Due to the number of COVID-19 cases or “Group B” at the beginning of the se- in the community, the Fayette County mester, and those groups are still active. Public School System announced Jan. 13 If a parent cannot remember their that all middle and high school students child’s group, it is listed on the “Today” will continue learning through the Syn- page in the Campus Portal. For recent- chronous Learning Hybrid Model. Students will attend classes in-per- SEE SCHOOLS, PAGE A5 Rene Victor Bidez COMMUNITY A2, A5, A6, B2 SPORTS B1 OBITUARIES A3 INSIDE FAYETTE VIEWS A4 CARTOONS/PUZZLE A6 CONTACT US: [email protected] • (770) 461-6317 • fayette-news.net A2 FAYETTE COUNTY NEWS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 BIDEZ: Operates a photography business called Rene Victor Bidez FROM PAGE A1 building in downtown ‘There’s nothing like a child who quick, unexpected “boop” several times. Some- Fayetteville for 35 years sound, and just as they times the bride is scared, work as a photographer now. Linda manages most genuinely is smiling or laughing at you. cave and bear a smile, he he said. She's shaking, with the Civil Service of the financial aspects of captures the moment with nervous about the vows of the U.S. Army at Fort the company. Even now, There’s nothing that compares.’ the camera. she's moments away from McPherson. He'd go on to he can still recall the “There's nothing like taking, and then he prays photograph a number of moment he met her many Rene Victor Bidez a child who genuinely is with her. prominent figures, includ- years ago. smiling or laughing at “It's an honor to be in ing former President Jim- It was the 1970's, and you,” Bidez said. “There's that spot,” he said. my Carter and his wife. Bidez was a single man. helicopter pilot said he tired,” he said. “They nothing that compares.” Bidez said he still feels One of the most trea- He'd been sitting in a bar, needed to get his hours quit. They could not make Bidez has also covered like he's 30-years-old, and sured memories for Bidez thinking: “I haven't met a in, so he looked at Bidez the transition.” about 700 weddings. He's he's grateful for that. As happened while working decent girl in a long time, and asked him where he It's programs like Pho- found himself in the for now, he doesn't plan to as a photographer with and I'm certainly not go- wanted to go. toshop that bring out the bride's room more than retire soon. the Army. He’d been sent ing to meet her here.” “How about Fayette- artist in Bidez today. He'll from Fort McPherson to Not long after, he went ville?” Bidez replied, and spend hours with a Wa- cover Armed Forces Day to attend a clogging dance then they went roaring com Tablet Pen, instead in Atlanta. The Secre- class. And as soon as he off, chopping through the of a mouse, and he'll draw tary of Defense and high walked in the door, he sky and straight through to correct and retouch ranking members of the spotted the dancers com- Atlanta. photos. Time stands still, military were there to ing straight toward him, After about thirty he said, in that duration those who served. And moving two-by-two in a minutes, they reached his of time. just as everybody was line dance. That's when Fayette County home.