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Publication Number 635540 Volume 88 Number 36 Wednesday, July 12, 2017 Fourth of July fireworks lights up night sky at Fairgrounds By Lily Avery A local favorite, Raven the end of the night. Towns County Herald and Red, serenaded patrons W h i l e c e l e b r a t i n g Staff Writer throughout the evening before America’s freedom comes the fireworks began at dusk, high on the list for North Mt Red, white and blue offering a wide variety of Zion, according to Williams, covered the mountainside tunes for all listeners. the church’s participation in as the Georgia Mountain Along with the the revelry is centered on Fairgrounds hosted its annual Fairgrounds, North Mt Zion the desire to give back to the Independence Day celebration Church of God sponsored community through an act of on Tuesday, July 4 and thank games, activities and more loving compassion. goodness, Mother Nature for the evening with what the “We just want to reach cooperated. church calls the “Freedom out into the community,” said Cars lined the Celebration” to coincide with Williams. “Our theme for this campgrounds and parking the fireworks. year is ‘reaching up, reaching lots side-to-side and bumper- “We’re just trying in and reaching out’ and this is to-bumper as people flocked to provide this for the one of the things that we do to to see the fireworks; eager to community,” said Ryan reach out. There’s no charge catch the brilliant bursts of Williams, North Mt. Zion for any of this, it’s all funded color flash across the sky. Church of God Associate by the church. Previous concerns that Pastor. “This is our fourth year “This is just something the event would be rained out participating in the Fairgrounds that we like to do to show the proved unfounded. Despite a fireworks. We want to thank community that we’re here and brief early afternoon storm, Hilda (Thomason) and the that we care about them and the clouds passed and left the Fairgrounds for giving us this just to give back and invest in skies open for fireworks. opportunity. We’re always the community.” In any case, Hilda looking for any chance to As residents and visitors Thomason, Fairgrounds work with the community.” flocked to the Fairgrounds, general manager, was From face painting to enjoying the Freedom determined to give the people cotton candy to jumbo jenga Celebration, music and a show. to bouncing houses, there preparing for the fireworks, an “This year’s fireworks were plenty of opportunities array of festive attire permeated went great,” said Thomason. for children of all ages and the grounds. Dozens upon “We had a great fireworks interests to play games and dozens showed up for the show and really good enjoy the evening, and there festivities, decked to the nines attendance. Everybody had a was even a little something for in red and white stripes, blue really good time and the rain the adults as well. As part of the shirts and stars, wearing the held off so we could have it, festivities, participants were nation’s colors proudly in which is something we were given the chance to enter to honor of the holiday. Patriotic spectators viewing fireworks at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. Ka-BOOM! all thankful for. Lots of people win a Samsung Galaxy Tablet, Ruth Patterson of Happy Independence Day! Photo/Lowell Nicholson had a good time.” with a winner being chosen at See Fireworks, Page 6A Towns County Grand Jury Bradshaw gives indicts Mike Gowder on 32 counts update to By Charles Duncan the North Georgia News and child molestation, and Towns County Herald Towns County Herald, a story aggravated sexual battery. Editor indicating arrest warrants four Applying this statute years or older were drying up in to these felony prescription Movers and Shakers April 1, 2015, was a By Lily Avery huge break for federal, state the system in the Mike Gowder, drug cases, some of the arrest Dr. James Heaton cases in warrants date back to crimes Towns County Herald and local investigators. Staff Writer That’s when Blairsville’s Union, Towns and White allegedly committed in 2012, Dr. David Gowder was arrested counties, was inaccurate. or greater than four years ago, Towns County Sole in Blue Ridge on charges A Towns County Grand even though no arrests were Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw of first-degree forgery and Jury handed up a 32-count made until Dr. David Gowder talked county projects, the obtaining dangerous drugs indictment against former in 2015. county budget and continuing by fraud following his arrest Union General Hospital CEO However, O.C.G.A. 17- his campaign promises at the by the Zell Miller Drug Task Mike Gowder on July 5. 3-2, subsection 2, provides Mountain Movers and Shakers Force. More indictments are other exceptions that include weekly meeting at Sundance It opened the door to expected this week, and if crimes are unknown to law Grill on Friday, July 7. a regional and multi-state possibly even more down the enforcement. The alleged Beginning with investigation of prescription road. crimes were unknown to law a general overview of the fraud and forgery. Other Jeff Langley, To clarify inaccurate enforcement when allegedly county budget, Commissioner arrests would follow, and Enotah Judicial Circuit elements in last week’s story, committed, and as such, Bradshaw explained that the more Gowder family members District Attorney O.C.G.A. 17-3-1 provides that it wasn’t until the time of county recently completed its were alleged to have been a Another doctor, James felonies four years or older discovery – starting in 2015 audit for the 2016 fiscal year, part of an elaborate scheme Heaton, was linked to the cannot be prosecuted with the – that the clock began to tick. an audit that proved to be big Towns County to obtain several thousand alleged scheme. exceptions of murder, armed Thus, the arrest warrants are thumbs up for the county on Sole Commissioner opioids by using fraudulent Last week, on Page 1A robbery, kidnapping, rape, well within the four-year all accounts. Cliff Bradshaw prescriptions. in the July 5th editions of aggravated sodomy, aggravated See Gowder, Page 6A “The auditors just See Bradshaw, Page 6A T. Graham Brown, Fortune, Wills Mountain Moonshine give fans their money’s worth Cruiz-In returns to Hiawassee By Charles Duncan By Charles Duncan plenty of hot classic cars, trucks, “So, it’s bringing a lot North Georgia News North Georgia News bikes, rat rods and more. of long distance people,” said Editor Editor “This gets bigger and Parrish, who spent his childhood better every year,” said Cruiz-In growing up in the Owl Creek The July 1st concert Ladies and gentlemen, organizer Rakes Parrish. community. “It’s good that at Anderson Music Hall was rev your engines and clear Running from Thursday, we’re reaching out that far to three concerts in one. your weekend schedule – the July 13, through Saturday, July bring people into the Towns T. Graham Brown, Georgia Mountain Moonshine 15, the Cruiz-In promises a County community.” Jimmy Fortune, and a special Cruiz-In is coming back to weekend of fun for the entire While many vendors and guest, Blue Ridge’s own Mark town. family. spectators will be coming in on Wills, kept the audience of The Ninth Annual “This is really bringing Wednesday, July 12, to bring more than 2,000 people on their Georgia Mountain Moonshine some people in from far off their cars and accessories, the feet throughout the evening. Cruiz-In will be rolling into the places to the Towns County festivities will not officially Fortune sent a thrill Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds community that probably would begin until Thursday morning, through the crowd when he in Hiawassee this week, never have come here,” said when the first cruise of the crooned his No. 1 hit Elizabeth, featuring plenty of classic cars Parrish. “I have plenty of people weekend, a beautiful 60-mile recorded with the Statler and countless other festivities. from Texas, Illinois, Ohio and scenic view of the mountains, Enjoy three fun-filled Brothers. He also delighted other states that are further will pull out of the Fairgrounds days of good old mountain away. One couple is driving at 9 a.m. the hundreds of veterans in hillbilly fun. See a Pioneer attendance with the group’s all the way from Phoenix, F r o m a b o u t n o o n Village, real moonshine still in Arizona. See Moonshine, Page 6A No. 1 hit, More Than A Name the works, mountain crafts, and On A Wall. Fortune wrote both T. Graham Brown, Jimmy Fortune and Mark Wills singing songs. “God Bless America.” Photo/Lowell Nicholson The latter is a 1989 song about a mother visiting the It Like It Used To Be, warming became a legend in the Athens Vietnam Wall in Washington, the crowd up for an evening of area, and eventually started D.C., to see her son's name. Country Music. topping the Billboard Hot 100 With a crowd of Vietnam T. Graham talked about chart. veterans in attendance, Fortune growing up in Arabi, a small He took a song that had struck a chord with the group. town of about 300 residents, a been offered to more than 20 The former was recorded town with a small gas station Country Music stars to No. 3 in 1984 by similar to Wally’s Station on on the Billboard Hot 100. with Fortune singing lead. the Andy Griffith Show. I Wish That I Could The song prompted many a He said Ronnie Passmore Hurt That Way Again was first mother to name their newborn was like the Goober or Gomer recorded in 1978 by Kenny daughters Elizabeth. Pyle of Arabi. He said when Rogers, but was never released Fortune added his a stranger stopped to ask for as a single. T. Graham said he repertoire of Gospel music, directions, Passmore obliged. was thankful for leftovers as he How Great Thou Art, Rock Of When asked where the stranger took that song to No. 3 when no Ages and Old Rugged Cross. was from, Passmore replied: one else could. He then introduced the “It were one of them Florida He wound up his show Pride of Arabi, Georgia, T. Yankees.” with his 1998 smash single Graham Brown. T. Graham eventually Wine Into Water, a song that T. Graham led off with moved north of Arabi, settling provided a revelation of T. one of his greatest hits, I Tell Get ready for the Georgia Mountain Moonshine Cruiz-In, at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in the Commerce area. He See Brown, Page 6A July 13 through July 15. Inside 2 Sections 16 Pages Arrests 2A 19th Annual Hiawassee Lake Levels Church 4B Summer Lake Blue Ridge 1,686.17 Classifieds 6B Butternut Creek City Hall Chatuge 1,925.04 Opinion 4A Festival Home Showcase Nottely 1,775.74 Legals 7B 'Taking Care Obits 5B July 15th and 16th Tour Sports 2B July 15th of Business' Meeks Park See page 2A See page 3B