Towns County Herald Legal Organ of Towns County www.townscountyherald.net Your Hometown Newspaper Since 1928 50 Cents Publication Number 635540 Volume 86 Number 39 Wednesday, July 29, 2015 Local Five qualify for EMC directors races Tanker fire all too real Weather and Lake Levels

Thurs: Rain 87 68 Fri: Rain 85 65 Sat: Clouds 84 64 Sun: Rain 84 64 Mon: Clouds 86 64 Tue: Clouds 86 65 Mickey Cummings Patrick Malone Charles Rich Wed: Rain 85 66 By Charles Duncan Towns County Herald [email protected] By Shawn Jarrard Hiawassee on U.S. Route 76 The names on the petition Towns County Herald in Towns County, driving a fuel ballots of five potential candi- Staff Writer truck weighed down with 6,000 dates for three seats on the Blue gallons of gasoline, Hamby re- Ridge Mountain EMC board of What could be consid- ered a normal day in Hol- ported that he’d had a problem directors have been verified as with his right tire, according EMC members, EMC Director lywood became a reality for South Carolina native Brandon to Towns County Fire Chief Upstream Elevation Steven Phillips said. Harold Copeland. Predicted In Union County, Mickey Hamby in his all-too-real brush with death the morning of Mon- “He hit the guardrail, 07/29/2015 Cummings, Patrick Malone and and the tanker turned over on Charles Rich have made the day, July 20. Lake Chatuge 1,924.84 Heading west toward Lake Nottely 1,774.73 ballot, Phillips said. Larry Williams Roy Perren See Tanker, Page 10A Blue Ridge 1,685.86 In Towns County, Roy Perren made the ballot; and in race. Incumbent Chair William new directors will join the Fannin County, Larry Williams Prather opted not to run again, board of directors after the Ray Stevens headlines Anderson INDEX made the ballot. Phillips said. election results become public Music Hall on Saturday, Aug. 1 2 Sections 16 Pages Williams is the only can- With Williams unop- didate in the Fannin County posed, it means at least two See EMC, Page 10A By Shawn Jarrard Arrests...... 2A Towns County Herald Church...... 6A Staff Writer Chamber...... 5A The Georgia native who Classifieds...... 2B Mueller crowned Miss GMF By Mason Mitcham needs no introduction is com- Editorial...... 4A ing to perform at the Georgia Legals ...... 3B Towns County Herald Staff Writer Mountain Fairgrounds’ Ander- Obituaries...... 7A son Music Hall on Saturday, The envelope please. Aug. 1, and he’s excited to Sports And 2015’s Miss Geor- return to the area. gia Mountain Fair is Madison “It’s beautiful, I love Page 8A Mueller. it,” said Ray Stevens about She was crowned the the North Georgia Mountains. winner of this year’s pageant, “Simply put, that’s one of the after a lengthy evening gown nicest places in the world, as Ray Stevens competition and a swimsuit far as I’m concerned. I think new, and a lot of other songs competition on July 20. Muel- so far I’ve been very lucky, that I just like. And of course, ler, a Fayetteville native, repre- and people have accepted me I’m going to be talking about sented Towns County because very well in your neck of the things, a little bit of conversa- You’re Invited she spent summers here with woods.” tion. It’s more music, though, her family. Stevens has been a mu- than anything else. I have a to the Nicole Columbo, of Hab- sical mainstay for nearly 60 great band, and I think the folks ersham County, was first run- years, with 11 Grammy nomi- will like it.” STUDENT ner up, Maddie Penland, who nations, two wins, close to 100 With a songlist popu- attends Young Harris College, singles and dozens of albums lated by the likes of Gitarzan SPEECH was second runner up. to his credit, including hits and Jeremiah Peabody, to the Mueller is a 2015 gradu- like The Streak, Gitarzan, and recently released hit Taylor ate of Whitewater High School Everything Is Beautiful. Swift Is Stalkin’ Me, many may CONTEST and will be attending Mercer And this Saturday, Ste- wonder how Stevens comes up to be held on University for a Bachelor’s of vens will be doing what he with such colorful characters Science in Local Health. She 2014 Miss Georgia Mountain Fair Mia Manto crowns her 2015 does best. and song ideas. Monday, Aug. 3rd wants a medical degree to prac- counterpart Madison Mueller as the new Miss Georgia Mountain Fair. “The show is going to “I’ve been writing songs tice emergency medicine. Photo/Lowell Nicholson be vintage Ray Stevens,” said for years, and after a while it’s 6:30 p.m. “I hope to be an emer- Mueller, 18, has a lengthy as well as the Beta Club and Stevens. “I’m going to be do- second nature,” said Stevens. Towns County gency room doctor and hope- academic resume. She’s a mem- a member of the National ing a lot of my hits, old and See Stevens, Page 10A fully graduate from medical ber of her high school honor Technical Honor Society. A Conference and school with as little debt as roll and an academic letterman. Governor’s Program Honor possible,” she said. “I hope to She was also awarded the title nominee, she received an award Growlers hit Bacchus shelves Recreation Center accomplish this by majoring of scholar athlete. for outstanding achievement in By Shawn Jarrard See Page 2A in global health with a minor Mueller is a member of Towns County Herald in biology.” the National Honor Society See Pageant, Page 10A Staff Writer ••• Growlers have landed in Hiawassee, but don’t be Cruiz-In returns to Fairgrounds alarmed – they’re not the kind “Providing students an opportunity to earn a high school diploma” with teeth. By Shawn Jarrard Mountain Education Thanks to the efforts Towns County Herald of husband and wife team Ed Charter High School Staff Writer Kountz and Linda Pallone, who own Bacchus Wine Shoppe on REGISTRATION The Seventh Annual Main Street, the 32- and 64- Georgia Mountain Moonshine See page 2A ounce bottles of craft brew have Cruiz-In is rolling into town become a reality. this week, and will feature Bacchus Beer and Growl- hotrods galore and authentic ers will hold its Grand Opening moonshine demonstrations. ••• with a ribbon-cutting ceremony For three full days, run- by the Towns County Chamber ning Thursday, July 30, through is to pour kind of on draught for of Commerce on Friday, July Saturday, Aug. 1, the Cruiz-In tastings and to fill growlers, and 31, at 3 p.m. promises family fun for all the other is to do keg sales. It’s In its March meet- ages at the Georgia Mountain new to Hiawassee, and we’re ing, Hiawassee City Council Fairgrounds. very excited about the response amended the city’s Ordinance “We’re really seeing a we’ve gotten so far.” for the Retail Sale of Beer and Food Distribution lot of new people coming from When all is said and done, Wine to authorize “growlers” way off,” said Cruiz-In Orga- there this year.” starting at 9 a.m. and taking the growler side of the business Towns County for the first time within city lim- nizer Rakes Parrish. “We’ve As a special treat, fes- participants on a tour of Gran- will house a wide variety of its, allowing for an alternative Food Pantry got some people coming from tivities will actually begin on daddy Mimm’s Moonshine hard-to-find room-temperature to traditional bottled beer. Maryland that have never been Wednesday, July 29, as vendors Gift Shop at Pappy’s Plaza in craft beers, as well as a steady August 4th Due to the space required there, we’ve got people coming start to set up at 8 a.m., fol- Blairsville. rotation of the 15 growler taps 2-5 PM to install the 8 feet by 8 feet from Delaware. I’ve noticed lowed by a registration time “Thursday night, we’re to feature beer, hard cider and walk-in cooler to house the See Page 9A New Hampshire, and of course, and a mountain cruise that pulls going to have that grand open- non-alcoholic sodas. kegs needed to pour growlers, we’re seeing some folks from out at 11 a.m. ing party again like we did the Interest in the venture has the new operation is housed in Kansas and all coming. We’re Thursday will feature an- already been piqued, according the same building and next to getting some from way out other beautiful mountain cruise See Cruiz-In, Page 10A to Ray and Heather Wilson, the Wine Shoppe. who were up from Atlanta for a ••• “Currently, we’ve got 11 day out this past Saturday. Cooking contest yields tasty results kegs live,” said Kountz during “We saw it driving by,” the growler soft launch. “This said Ray, who had not heard of is totally new, and this is totally growlers previously, but said different than any other beer that Bacchus seemed like a TCHS store in Hiawassee – relatively good place to bring friends. “I new to the state of Georgia.” think it’s a cool concept.” Class of ‘57 Growlers came to Geor- Kountz, Pallone and their REUNION gia about five years ago, and associates are staffing the shop their popularity is spreading and hoping to grow it, and August 1st thanks to the ability of growler those looking to expand their retailers to acquire choice se- See Page 11A appreciation for the fine art of lections and deliver them extra craft brews should check out fresh to customers. the grand opening this Friday, “We’ve got everything located at 355 N Main St. in ••• from non-alcoholic root beer Hiawassee Senior Center from Atlanta, to four or five “We’d like to thank the other Georgia beers, includ- city and city council for their WORKSHOPS ing most recently Hiawas- support,” said Kountz. “We’re See Page 2A see Golden Ale from Fannin excited, and we appreciate the Brewing in Blue Ridge,” said support we’ve received already. Kountz. “The beer comes from gia Mountain Fair Cooking were two further categories, From here, it’s just about on- Enchanted••• Music on By Shawn Jarrard the keg, is pumped via a series ward and upward.” Towns County Herald Contest on Tuesday, July 21. sweet and savory, and judges of lines – they go through the the Square Staff Writer Participants prepared wrestled with their hearts, wall and come through the taps TOWNS COUNTY HERALD their favorite homemade reci- minds and taste buds to decide on the other side. August 1st Nothin’ beats good eats pes – 41 all told – and were which of the tasty concoctions in good company, which is “We’re very excited 6:30 - 8 PM placed into Adult and Youth di- in each group won the day. about this, and obviously with See page 3A exactly what was had as judges visions for judging purposes. dug into the Sixth Annual Geor- an 8-by-8, it allows us to do a Within these divisions See Cooking, Page 10A number of things, one of which