APRIL 2020 SMOKE SIGNALS | NEWS 1 A Honored as a newspaper of General Excellence 2019 APRIL 2020 | | VOL XXXII NO. 4 | www.smokesignalsnews.com SmokeNews and views from Big CanoeSignals and around North Georgia POA Town Hall live-streamed from homes; governance with social distancing due to COVID-19 BY BARBARA SCHNEIDER generated by the pandemic the board is be met by UIG. The POA and UIG also [email protected] deferring non-emergency expenses. “We agreed—based on capital improvements will continue to plan for the Creek Golf and operating costs incurred in 2019—to he March 28 POA Town Hall Course and Capital Contribution Fee but an increase to rates in order to achieve the meeting—live streamed from will not ask for a vote until the pandemic stated 12 percent return per the Service home offices and living rooms to is over,” he said. “There’s a tentative vote Level and Operating Agreement. T 290 property owners’ computers for Creek [golf course] scheduled for June “When the sale of the Big Canoe Util- wherever they might be—was a far cry 2020 but we will wait and see where we ities Company was finalized in April 2018, from past events in the Big Canoe Chapel; are by then.” we expected the deferred rate increase to the usual site for these events. But the Utilities of Georgia be north of 30 percent,” said Aaron Accar- changed venue didn’t deter property own- plans rate hike in May do, UIG president. “UIG was able to come er involvement or lessen the importance of UIG announced a 27.96 percent in under that with a 27.8 percent increase.” topics covered, starting with COVID-19. increase in its water rates in Big Canoe “After the purchase, when UIG was POA President Bob Crouch reviewed as of May 1, 2020. This increase will raise able to really assess the condition of the actions and precautions taken to protect property owner monthly water bills by an water company, the number of outages, the community. Big Canoe Public Safety average $22 a month. reliability and poor conditions, the PRVs director and Fire Chief Ricky Jordan and The rate raise was no surprise. When [pressure reducing valves] were much Public Works are managing the plan. UIG purchased the Big Canoe Utilities worse than expected and caused line “They contacted several other communi- Company in April 2018, the firm agreed to breaks and pressure problems,” explained ties to see what they were doing to protect hold the current water rates firm for two Ron Medders, UIG regional manager who their residents and forwarded that infor- years while the true condition of the water has been the point man for UIG in Big mation to the board,” said Crouch. There is company was assessed and initial improve- Canoe and reported monthly at POA meet- a Big Canoe POA pandemic plan he added. ments were completed. At that point there ings for the last two years. View from the top--Doting mother and “The success of the rollout depends would be an increase in water rates. “Valves failed as the water loss was baby eaglet are perched high in a tree on on property owner social distancing. The POA board in conjunction with a much higher than the 50 percent that was Eagle Island in the middle of Lake Petit. That’s the key to success,” he said. The POA water committee, made up of prop- expected” when UIG purchased the water The first eagle sightings were recorded reports of larger social gatherings (more erty owners with specific and specialized company, he said. They replaced 85 per- in 2016 by Bert and Bunny Loftman. Big than 6-10) in Big Canoe are concerning, he knowledge, have been working with UIG cent of the valves in first two years. UIG Canoe's nature photographers Mark Green added. According to feedback to realtors management for the past two years, finaliz- was concerned with the lack of fail-safe and Marcia Captan started sharing their from prospective home buyers, there is a ing an agreement that included key perfor- and redundant equipment—similar to the spectacular photos of the growing family perception of Big Canoe as a safe harbor. mance indicators to ensure certain agreed cause of the 2015 outage—water-meter age throughout the years with “eaglet watches” As a result of the uncertainty to standards and measurements would and accuracy was way n POA | Page 2 beginning each spring. PHOTO BY MARSHA CAPTAN New smokesignalsnews.com digital-age website launched moke Signals announces its new digital age technology advances, TownNews was best equipped website: smokesignalsnews.com—its biggest to bring smokesignalsnews.com into the digital age. news since Big Canoe neighbors started the Fueled by a passion for local media, TownNews’ S newspaper 48 years ago. Content Exchange pulls content 24/7 from a master Brand new smokesignalnews.com provides you, syndication hub of all participating media as well as our readers, with a robust, hi-tech platform with media partners like CNN, ProFootball Weekly and multimedia content, 24/7 updated state and national Newsy, a Scripps news network. 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Gibbs Gardens, a 326-acre More than 2,000 newspaper, broadcast, maga- Smoke Signals readers. outdoor venue, has added an outdoor entrance to access the zine, and web-native publications rely on TownNews Smoke Signals Community Service, Inc. (SSCS) gardens for members, their guests and day visitors who buy tickets for their web, print, mobile and social media prod- is the parent company of Smoke Signals print, Smoke online and print them out at home. For more information about ucts. Based on its 30-year proven record with news Signals Weekly, the Big Canoe Directory and now social distancing at Gibbs Gardens, go to www.gibbsgardens.com. organizations, in-house expertise, digital services and smokesignalsnews.com. The past comes back to haunt a former GBI agent BY DENISE RAY as lead inves- perspective,” he said with a hint of a smile. [email protected] tigator for the The book’s dedication is telling: GBI. thanking those who searched for Emerson ith a career in law enforce- “I struggled and the criminal investigators whose lives ment spanning nearly 30 with this case— are “forever changed” by the horrific events years, John Cagle, 65, has as have many they investigate. “You’re not alone,” it con- W covered countless cases. others—and cludes. Many could assume he might have become I just figured Cagle begins his account in a person- accustomed to the criminal behavior that it was time to al manner, sharing details of a post-high occupied the streets of Georgia during write out it. school graduation summer job near the those years. But there is one case that still Hopefully that nuclear reactor site in Dawson County. haunts him. A case that was solved and John Cagle. PHOTO COURTESY might get me He recalls exploring the area after his shift closed within 30 days—the fastest time OF BOOKLOGIX beyond it,” the ended. span Cagle can recall. A case that involved lanky Pickens County native said. “It was spooky. Everything around the “pure evil” and “the all-American girl.” There was also another less therapeutic nuclear reactor site was dead, bark was off That case is the murder of Meredith reason for the book: to provide his readers the trees, it was just spooky,” he shared. “I Hope Emerson. with a closer look at the investigative opera- hoped I’d never have to come back there While the homicide was solved and tions that happened back then. because it was so spooky. Little did I know closed very quickly, several nuances of the “There’s been a lot of coverage about that one night 36 years later, I’d be back case are taking longer to fade. Cagle took this case over the years and I felt like I there.” pen to paper with the hope of exorcizing his could go into a little more detail than some After college, Cagle became an educa- demons. The result of that time is “Those of the other publications could; kind of a tor, like his mother and grandmother. Days in January: The Abduction and Murder behind the scenes look. I wrote it so the “Back in the 70s if you taught high of Meredith Hope Emerson,” Cagle’s per- reader could find out through the eyes of school it made you want a career where you sonal account from his unique perspective the investigator rather than a reporter’s could carry a gun,” n AGENT | Page 2 WE ARE OPEN • Call for an appointment • Call 678-807-7422 to live chat with a Senior Interior Designer ARIANA HOME FURNISHINGS AND DESIGN Spring Specials features Stickley, Tommy Bahama, Baker and more premium brands to enhance your In-home complimentary North Georgia lifestyle.