" L a n d o f L a k e s , M o u n t a i n s , S c e n i c B e a u t y a n d F r i e n d l y P e o p l e " 50 ¢ North Georgia News Hometown newspaper of Blairsville, Suches and Union County www.nganews.com Legal Organ of Union County Your Hometown Newspaper Since 1909 January 20, 2016 BRMEMC to host Town Hall meetings in Clay, Union counties By Shawn Jarrard Taylor & Taylor Construction, North Georgia News Inc. debt is not public record, Staff Writer according to BRMEMC Interim General Counsel Larry Former Blue Ridge Ford, who stated that it was Mountain EMC Board against general EMC policy President Terry Taylor’s to discuss individual member company, Taylor & Taylor accounts. Construction, Inc., no longer Furthermore, since exists. Taylor & Taylor Construction, Conducting a business Inc. no longer exists as a legal search on the Georgia Secretary entity, the fate of the debt has of State’s website shows that been thrown into question. Taylor & Taylor Construction, “Based on that new Inc. dissolved on Dec. 31, information, I will have to 2015. research what legal effect the According to the most dissolution has on the situation recent public financial records under discussion, report to made available by the Blue the board my findings, and Ridge Mountain EMC, dating then the board will consider to Dec. 9, 2014, Taylor & what should be done in the Taylor Construction, Inc. owed best interest of the EMC and $37,343 toward the debt of members,” said Ford in an The Blue Ridge Mountain EMC Board of Directors entertain the media in a Question and Answer session before commencing $47,643.53 awarded in May email to the North Georgia the first meeting of the New Year in the BRMEMC boardroom of 2014 to the Blue Ridge News. Mountain EMC following a On Tuesday, Jan. of directors, just before the start after BRMEMC Board Vice to ask questions directly of Hall Meetings to be held civil suit the EMC brought 12, members of the news of the first board meeting of the President Mickey Cummings the board. periodically throughout the against Taylor & Taylor media were invited into the New Year. announced two upcoming “I guess it was last year,” said Cummings in the Construction, Inc. BRMEMC boardroom to ask This latest move Town Hall Meetings in which month, we passed a new Q&A. “And the first two of The current balance of the direct questions of the board toward transparency comes the membership will be able policy that requires Town See BRMEMC, Page 3 County donation helps Food Pantry in winter Haralson Project needs By Shawn Jarrard Windstream to move lines North Georgia News Staff Writer By Todd Forrest time, or ahead of schedule. The The Union County North Georgia News Blue Ridge Mountain EMC Government collected 1,931 Staff Writer was removing their poles; however, a pole in the center cans, boxes and jars of food The relocation of in its annual Food Drive to of the roadway that is being Windstream poles and new used by Windstream has yet benefit the Union County Food business inquiries highlighted Pantry. to be moved. the agenda in last week's According to DDA Board Delivery of the food Blairsville Downtown donations came just before Chairman Paul Thompson, Development Authority Board Windstream has asked that Christmas, and though the Meeting. Food Pantry takes donations the city pay for the removal of The Blairsville DDA the poles and the rerouting of all year round, wintertime held their second Tuesday of donations are always greatly the cables. Blairsville Mayor the month lunch meeting at Jim Conley, a regular attendee appreciated. City Hall, and the first item on Running November of the meetings, pointed out Commissioner Lamar Paris and Ann Sullivan, center, pose for a picture with volunteers in the the agenda was the relocation that the BRMEMC owns the through the Christmas holiday, midst of an abundant donation to the Food Pantry this past Christmas of utility/telephone poles that donation bins were placed poles, but the cables belong to department, library, and within of canned goods for an which went toward the are located at the Haralson Windstream. in various places around the Property in downtown community within county the commissioner’s office. admission fee during a week purchase of food to go into “They don't own the County employees of rec basketball games in the the Food Pantry donation the where the roadway project is poles, they are just renting departments, including underway. the recreation department, provided a great deal of the fall. week of Christmas. them,” said Board Member donations, and Larry Conley They also raised nearly The county’s Food At last month's meeting, W.C. Nelson. “They are community center, golf course, an update was provided on the senior center, courthouse, road and his rec department took $600 in monetary donations donations from the community during that week of games, See Pantry, Page 14 project and everything is on See DDA, Page 14 Ronnie Milsap packs Union County Jail The Hall on his 73rd birthday busy in the New Year By Todd Forrest Milsap’s band led the audience By Shawn Jarrard North Georgia News in a heartfelt rendition of the North Georgia News Staff Writer “Happy Birthday” song for Staff Writer Milsap, and Country Music The Union County Jail Country Music Crossover artist Rhonda Hampton booked in 24 individuals over legend Ronnie Milsap announced that Georgia Speaker the weekend of Friday, Jan. celebrated his 73rd birthday of the House David Ralston and 15, in what has been one of with more than 2,000 fans in Young Harris College President the busiest weekends in recent Anderson Music Hall at the Cathy Cox were in attendance memory for the Union County Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds for the show. Sheriff’s office. on Saturday, Jan. 16. Milsap attended Young It all started on Friday The show featured Harris College in his youth, and afternoon, around 2 p.m., when Milsap’s one-of-a-kind piano he spoke in some detail about his investigators with the UCSO talent backed up by his six- early education at the Governor Narcotics Division served a member band, all of whom Morehead School for the Blind search warrant at the premises Rocky Lee Robinson came together to produce an in Raleigh, North Carolina, of 31-year-old Rocky Lee enthusiastic, uplifting concert where he attended from the age Ronnie Milsap with Towns County Deputy C.J. Worden Robinson of Rizzitello Lane in the Union County Sheriff’s performance. of five and received a classical Blairsville, following a three- Office Narcotics Squad, we Milsap spared no music education. science teacher, or a lawyer or legend. month long investigation. executed a search warrant at expense, hitting a large number “I had 12 years of something like that? So I left “I played him a couple “We’ve made several 374 Rizzitello Lane. Upon of his 40 No. 1 hits, including classical training,” said Milsap. and came down here to Atlanta of songs, and he said, ‘You controlled buys of marijuana our arrival, we made contact “Pure Love,” “Daydreams “I told my counselors, I want to a Ray Charles concert.” love it, don’t you,’ and I said, from Rocky at his residence with Rocky, and he was taken About Night Things,” and of to be a professional musician. While at that concert, I do, everyday – I soak it up over the three-month long into custody along with seven course, “Smoky Mountain They said, oh no, we’re not Milsap was led back to Ray every day,” said Milsap. “And period,” said UCSO Capt. other individuals that were also Rain.” going to let you do that – why Charles’ dressing room, where he said, ‘Well son, what you he played for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Chad Deyton. “On Jan. 15, At the start of the concert, don’t you become a political See Milsap, Page 2 See Jail, Page 3 Youth Tour delegates visit BRMEMC board Ingraham indicted on By Shawn Jarrard North Georgia News Staff Writer sex charges; January Every June, the Blue Ridge Mountain EMC sends Term indictments area high school students By Charles Duncan to serve as delegates in the North Georgia News Washington Youth Tour, and [email protected] the three students who made the trip in 2015 spoke to the A 67-year-old Union BRMEMC Board of Directors County man faces 15 counts on Tuesday, Jan. 12. related to a pair of indictments Madeline Walker of handed up by the Union County Union County High School, Grand Jury. Shea Underwood of Towns Robert Lewis Ingraham County High School and Collin was indicted twice on charges Worley of Hayesville High that he sexually assaulted two School were three of more than male victims under the age of Robert L. Ingraham 1,500 students from around the L-R: Collin Worley, Madeline Walker, Shea Underwood and Byron McCombs give a report on 16, according to Union County country who visited the nation’s the Washington Youth Tour at the January meeting of the BRMEMC Board of Directors Superior Court indictments. conducted by Det. Sgt. Tom capital last summer. Ingraham was first Mangifesta of the Union trips, and he introduced the “One of the privileges and we’ve sponsored this trip County Sheriff’s Office. Byron McCombs of the three high school seniors to the I’ve had for about 10 years at to Washington for 30 years arrested at the Wendy’s Blue Ridge Mountain EMC Restaurant in Blairsville at Ingraham, a native of board of directors, just prior Blue Ridge Mountain EMC now,” said McCombs, a former upstate New York, has been has served as a chaperone and to the start of the board’s first is to be a Washington Youth educator with a passion for 3:15 p.m. on Monday, Nov. photographer on many of these 23, following an investigation meeting of the New Year. Tour Coordinator for the co-op, See Youth, Page 3 See Indictments, Page 14 Vol. 107 No. 3 Inside Blue Ridge SPORTS 20 Pages Arrests 8 Relay Vietnam Weather Church 10 Mountain Thurs: Rain Hi 45 Lo 38 Classifieds 17 For Life Veterans BASKETBALL Fri: Rain/Snow Hi 40 Lo 25 Opinion 4 EMC Sat: Cloudy Hi 37 Lo 23 Legals 19 Kickoff Tues Jan 19 @ Dawson 6 & 7:30 PM Obits 11 TOWN HALL meeting Fri Jan 22 vs. Greene Co 5 & 6:30 PM Sports 12 January 21st MEETING January 21st See page 7 See page 2 See page 8 Sat. Jan 23 vs. Oglethorpe 2 & 3:30 PM

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