Rick Kelley picks up key endorsement, has big lead in fundraising
News May 11, 2020
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. – Rick Kelley picked up a major endorsement last week when retiring Sheriff Neal Walden threw his support behind his former captain to become the next Sheriff of White County.
In making the announcement, Walden said, “Rick has devoted his entire 17 year law enforcement career to serving the citizens of White County. He has worked his way up the ranks from jailer in the detention center, civil division, patrol division and criminal investigation division. As a division commander, he has been involved in the budget process for the operations of the Office of Sheriff.”
Kelly said he is proud to have Walden’s support. “That’s a big endorsement. I’ve had the privilege of working with him for 17 years. He did a good job and he laid the groundwork for whoever follows him.”
Kelley is in a race with Aaron Autry, Jeffery Ramey, John Murphy and Will Garrett for the right to succeed Walden who, after 28 years as sheriff, announced he will retire at the end of the year.
There is more good news for the Kelley campaign. The latest campaign contribution disclosure report (CCDR) shows that he has a substantial lead in fundraising. Kelly, has received $31,850 in contributions and has spent $22,277.
Second in fundraising is Alan Autry, who has raised $7,100 and spent $6,743.28. John Murphy has a negative balance on hand, having collected $6,500 and spent $6,684.51. Jeff Ramey’s contributions total $3,729.23 and expenditures $3,479.23. Will Garrett has received $2,130 and spent $1,942.28
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Public Safety Director says not all coronavirus cases are being reported
News March 30, 2020
David Murphy
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. – According the Georgia Department of Public Health, (DPH) as of noon today (March 30) White County had only one confirmed case of COVID-19 but Public Safety Director David Murphy said he believes there are more.
The DPH reported 2,809 confirmed cases in the state of Georgia today with 87 deaths. During the Board of Commissioners called teleconference meeting this morning, Murphy said, he believes some cases have not been reported.
“Some people take care of themselves at home and never go to a doctor, especially those who have minor symptoms,” he explained. Murphy added that White County first responders have encountered a dozen or more patients with coronavirus symptoms in the last two weeks.
All first responders have been tested for the virus and, so far, none have tested positive or even shown any symptoms. Murphy said they are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) on all calls and that 911 dispatch asks a set of pre-determined questions to determine if a patient has coronavirus-like symptoms.
Murphy also said the county is having issues with people not obeying the order to stay at home. The Forest Service closed the national forests last week and county commissioners adopted a resolution declaring a state of emergency in White County. The resolution states, “Yonah Preserve and all White County-owned recreation facilities shall be closed for business.” The state of emergency extends through April 13.
But Murphy and Sheriff Neal Walden said a large number of people from Atlanta are coming to the Yonah Mountain trailhead anyway. “They ignore the signs and park on the side of the road,” Murphy said. Someone pried open the gate at the trailhead over the weekend.” No damage was done, but the gate has now been chained.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
White County may join Habersham, Stephens in becoming a Second Amendment Sanctuary
News January 28, 2020
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. – As Democrats continue to push unconstitutional gun control laws, White County Commissioners are considering a resolution that would declare the county a Second Amendment Sanctuary.
Board of Commissioners Chairman Travis Turner revealed during Monday’s called meeting and work session, that commissioners have asked county attorney Mary Jane Henneke to research a resolution similar to the ones approved in Habersham and Stephens counties this month.
“We want to make sure everything we do stands up in a court of law.”
Commissioner Edwin Nix
Commissioner Edwin Nix made it clear where he stands on the Second Amendment saying, “We all know that the intent of some people in this country is to make sure the criminals have guns and that good people don’t. Sooner or later if that happens, we are all in trouble. They may come and get all my guns. They may take them. But it will be after I have exhausted all my bullets.”
More importantly, White County Sheriff Neal Walden spoke out firmly, saying, “I took an oath to uphold the laws of this state and the U.S. Constitution and that includes the right to bear arms. I will not enforce any law that prevents that.”
The Second Amendment Sanctuary movement is spreading all across Georgia and the rest of the nation. A gun-rights rally in Virginia drew an estimated 22,000 supporters recently. On Saturday, hundreds of gun-rights advocates rallied in Rome to advocate for the creation of Second Amendment sanctuaries in Georgia.
The issue was not on Monday’s agenda, but it was raised by White County resident William King during the Public Comment portion of the meeting.
The Habersham County resolution reads, in part, “No agent, employee or official of Habersham County, or any corporation providing services to Habersham County, shall provide material support or participate in any way with the implementation of federal acts, orders, rules, laws or regulations in violation of the Second Amendment to the United States of America.”
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Sheriff’s office, 911 personnel get pay raise
News February 27, 2018
CLEVELAND, Ga. — The White County Board of Commissioners averted what law enforcement officials describe as a pending “crisis” Monday by approving a $2 an hour raise for employees of the sheriff’s office, detention center and 911.
The vote followed an appeal by Sheriff Neal Walden and Chief Deputy Bob Ingram. Walden said, “We are at a point in law enforcement here in White County that is critical. If we don’t get something that I can offer someone to give them some incentive to stay here, I don’t know what you’re going to do. Service as far as law enforcement is going to go down.”
Walden said 70 percent of the current staff of 80 employees has less than four years’ experience. Once they receive training and experience, they leave for higher-paying jobs in Hall, Banks, Lumpkin and Forsyth counties, he added.
“We’re looking at officers out there that don’t have the experience some of the command staff has. We’ve got a great crew. They just don’t have the experience some of the older folks have, and the older folks are the ones that are going to walk off and leave us,” Walden added.
Ingram pointed out there are two openings for detention officers and three for patrol officers now with no applications on file. He added that three more patrol officers currently have applied for positions outside White County.
New hires must work in the jail for two years before they become eligible to work on patrol. Starting pay for detention personnel is $13.24 per hour. Patrol officers start at $15.35 an hour compared to Lumpkin County ($16.01), Gainesville ($18.31), Banks County ($18.32), Hall County ($18.56) and Forsyth County ($20.10).
The meeting room was packed for Monday’s combined work session and called meeting. Most of those in attendance worked in law enforcement. Those who could not find seats inside stood elbow-to-elbow in the lobby. After Walden and Ingram completed their remarks and it appeared no decision would be forthcoming, many of those inside walked out but remained in the lobby.
One who did remain inside was Deputy Tina Couch, a 13-year employee of the sheriff’s office. Her appeal was so poignant, the deputies who had gathered in the lobby could be heard applauding when she completed her remarks.
“We are not trying to get rich,” Couch said. “Some of us are barely making it.” She told commissioners about a medical crisis in her family and how she has had to take a job cleaning offices on the weekend to help make ends meet.
“We have good insurance, but it’s not cheap. Over $100 comes out of my paycheck every two weeks plus our deductible is $2,500. My husband needed an MRI and injections and the hospital didn’t even want to touch him. We didn’t have $2,500. We live paycheck to paycheck. If we get a $2 an hour pay raise, for me and my husband, that will be life-changing,” Couch added.
Following the meeting, commissioners went into executive session and when they emerged, they voted unanimously to approve a minimum $2 per hour pay raise effective March 1.
“We have got to do a better job of recruiting and retaining employees,” Chairman Travis Turner said. “We are seeing much more aggressive recruiting of our employees by agencies south of us and new cities are being created to the west. That has a domino effect on us.”
Turner said commissioners would conduct a county-wide compensation study in the next 90 days.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
White County deputy helps save fellow cadet’s life while in training at the Police Academy
News December 26, 2018
CLEVELAND, Ga. – Graduating from the Northeast Georgia Regional Police Academy is quite an honor in itself, but Daniel Aaron Spivey, of the White County Sheriff’s Office, accomplished much more than that recently.
During his training, Spivey helped save the life of a fellow cadet classmate, graduated at the top of his class and was awarded the Exemplary Service Award along with a scholarship to Reinhardt University. He also received the Life Saving Award through Newton County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Neal Walden said, he was proud of his officer. “Due to the calm and quick actions of Deputy Spivey, his classmate is alive and well today and for that we owe him a great deal of gratitude for a job well done,” commented Walden.
The Life Saving Award was presented to Spivey and three other cadets for performing lifesaving CPR on a fellow classmate. The cadets were driving back to the Police Academy in Athens from an off-site location when they observed a fellow classmate whose car ran off the road and crashed into a house. The four cadets responded to the accident scene and found the driver was unconscious and not breathing.
Spivey took control of the scene by directing the other cadets in different aspects of the event while he continued to administer CPR until the patient was loaded into an ambulance. Spivey later found out that his classmate had suffered a heart attack and had wrecked as the result of that health issue.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Tense, seven-hour standoff with law enforcement officers follows single-vehicle crash on Hwy. 255
News August 3, 2018CLEVELAND, Ga. – A single-vehicle wreck that knocked down a power pole on Hwy. 255 South Thursday afternoon led to a tense, seven-hour standoff between the driver of the vehicle and law enforcement officers and first responders from several jurisdictions.
The driver of the vehicle, 39-year-old Nathan Shane McCain of Cleveland, was not injured in the crash and when White County deputies arrived on the scene, he fled into a nearby home. The homeowner told authorities McCain first asked them to call 9-1-1 but then began to act erratically, slashing himself with a knife, causing them to flee the home unharmed.
White County Sheriff Neal Walden said the White County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team, Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, Alto Police, and Demorest Police surrounded the home and tried unsuccessfully for the next seven hours to get McCain man to surrender.
Around midnight, Walden said, authorities fired several tear gas canisters into the home, ending the standoff and causing the man to surrender.
He was taken to the White County Detention Center where he is charged with obstruction of law enforcement officers and leaving the scene of an accident. Additional charges are pending and an investigation is ongoing.
Walden said deputies were able to enter the house on a couple of occasions, but had to withdraw when McCain fired several shots into the floor of the home.
“It was a team effort by everyone involved,” Walden said. “It was a very dangerous situation and I’m just glad none of the officers was injured.”
Hwy. 255 South was closed for several hours after the incident.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Cleveland City Council to meet at new time today
News May 7, 2018
CLEVELAND, Ga. — The Cleveland City Council will begin meeting at a new time, 6:30 p.m., today in the City Annex.
Callie Armour of Keep Cleveland Beautiful will give a presentation of a beautification project proposed for the town square.
Council will consider a resolution to reduce the speed limit in front of Truett McConnell University.
There will also be a discussion of an intergovernmental agreement with the White County Board of Commissioners to accept the Oak Springs School and property.
Police Chief John Foster, Fire Chief Ricky Pruitt, City Attorney Grant Keene and City Manager Tom O’Bryant are expected to present departmental reports.
White County Sheriff Neal Walden will discuss a new agreement with the city relating to operation of the White County Detention Center.
There will also be status updates on the Windstream audit, Appalachian Regional Commission grant and 2020 special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST), strategic housing plan for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and the 2018-’19 budget.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Board of Commissioners work session, called meeting set Monday
News February 25, 2018
CLEVELAND, Ga. – Commissioners will have a full slate of public hearings and rezonings to consider when the White County Board of Commissioners holds a combined work session and called meeting Monday at 4:30 p.m.
Center Baptist Church has filed an application to expand non-conforming use of 4.38 acres located at 109 Elrod Road in Helen. The property is currently zoned Single-Family Residential (R-1).
Michael Shore and Lewis Fortner have applied to redistrict 2.28 acres located at 10635 Duncan Bridge Road from Community Commercial (C-1) to Highway Business District (C-2).
Gerald Sims has applied to redistrict 16.5 acres located on Albert Reid Road from Agriculture Forestry District (A-1) to Highway Business District (C-2).
Also on Monday’s agenda will be responses received to a request for proposals for the Yonah Preserve Park improvement project.
Commissioners will also consider quotes received for replacement of the HVAC unit at the Mauney Building.
Sheriff Neal Walden will present a request for compensation adjustments for employees of the sheriff’s office and detention center.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Law enforcement in three counties search for man who fled when deputies tried to serve warrants
News December 12, 2018
CLEVELAND, Ga. – Law enforcement agencies are still searching this afternoon for a fugitive wanted in Lumpkin, Dawson and Baldwin counties.
White County Sheriff Neal Walden said when his deputies attempted to serve felony and misdemeanor warrants on Jeremiah Wayne Wendt, 39, at his residence on Wauka Mountain Road this morning, an unidentified woman answered the door while he jumped through a window at the back of the residence and escaped.
Wauka Mountain Road is near the Hall County line and deputies believe he fled into that county. A Georgia State Patrol helicopter also joined the search but as of 5 p.m. Wendt had not apprehended.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
Commissioners Vote to Move Forward With Prep Work on Stanley Nix Road
News March 7, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — Road projects were front and center at Monday’s meeting of the White County Board of Commissioners.
Commissioners voted unanimously to move forward with the prep work on Stanley Nix Road and awarded low bidder Nelson Contracting the job for $95,899.35. Chairman Travis Turner said prep work should begin this summer, giving the roadway a year or two to settle before paving begins.
Commissioners, however, rejected bids to improve Carolina Springs Road for being too expensive, but said they will re-bid the project. They also withdrew a previous decision to pave Bean Creek Road. Commissioner Edwin Nix explained that residents who live along the road said they didn’t want the road paved.
The Board also approved several Consent Agenda items, including:
⦁ Allowing the Sheriff’s Office to surplus 11 vehicles that have outlived their usefulness and
⦁ Authorization for the Tax Commissioner’s Office to continue receiving various forms of payment and revised authority to disburse funds to the Board of Commissioners on a monthly basis.
Commissioners also presented a proclamation to declare March 29, 2017 as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” and March 6-10 as “Exceptional Children’s Week” in White County.
Search Continues for Suspect Who Robbed Woodlawn Gardens and Farms and Shot Worker
News February 28, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — The search continued Tuesday afternoon for a lone gunman who shot a worker at Woodlawn Gardens and Farms during an attempted robbery around 10:30 p.m. Monday.
White County Chief Deputy Bob Ingram said authorities from the White County Sheriff’s Office, Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia State Patrol and Alto K-9 unit combed the area last night and throughout the day today but have not located the suspect.
Sheriff Neal Walden reported that a white male with a tattoo on the left side of his face walked up to the drive-in window at the restaurant and demanded money from Tim Motes, who was cleaning the restaurant at the time. When Motes said he didn’t have any money, he was shot in the stomach.
Motes was transported by White County EMS to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville where his injury is believed to be non life-threatening.
Fetch Your News will continue to follow this story and present more details as they become available.
Missing White County Man Found Safe in Homeless Shelter in Hall County
News June 12, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. – A White County man missing since May 22 has been located at a homeless shelter in Gainesville.
Sheriff Neal Walden said 30-year-old Jonathan Keith Robbins was safe and that he had been working at the shelter.
On May 31, the White County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release asking for the public’s help in locating Robbins and received a tip last Friday that Robbins was at the homeless shelter and had been there the whole time he had been reported missing.
White, Lumpkin County Authorities Search for Robbery Suspect Who Shot a Man Monday
News February 28, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — White County Sheriff’s Office, Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia State Patrol and a K-9 unit from Alto are searching this morning for a suspect who robbed Woodlawn Gardens and Farms at 3778 Hwy. 254 in White County at about 10:30 p.m. Monday and shot an unidentified male.
White County Sheriff Neal Walden said the suspect is a white male with a tattoo on the left side of his face who was wearing a hoodie at the time of the robbery.
Walden said the victim was transported by White County EMS to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville with what appears to be non-life threatening injuries.
Fetch Your News will have more details as they become available.
Man Killed When Home on Rhododendron Lane Explodes
News February 3, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ga. — A White County man was killed and several homes suffered damage when a home exploded at 64 Rhododendron Lane in Mt. Yonah Scenic Estates around 10:48 a.m. Friday.
White County Sheriff Neal Walden said this afternoon that the home was completely destroyed along with several surrounding structures and while examining the scene and debris, the man’s body was located. Officials had not released the man’s identification late Friday pending an autopsy by the state crime lab.
Walden added that units from the White County Fire Department, Helen Fire Department, White County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Forestry Service responded and that investigators are attempting do determine the cause.
The Forestry Services worked to ensure the explosion didn’t ignite fires to the surrounding forest.
Public Safety Director Murphy told reporters Friday afternoon that “ It appears a propane leak inside the residence caused the explosion.”
Commissioners Hold Marathon Work Session
News September 27, 2016
CLEVELAND, Ga. — The White County employees’ retirement plan, a budget amendment for the Tax Assessor’s office, purchase of vehicles for the Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department and inclusion of county roads in the Local Maintenance Improvement Grant program were key items on the agenda during a marathon two-and-a-half hour work session Monday.
Commissioners expressed some dissatisfaction with the retirement plan and are considering a change from the current provider Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company (VALIC).”
Chairman Travis Turner said commissioners wanted the answer to two key questions: Would employees save money by making a switch and would they get a comparable return on their investment.
Robert Kim made a detailed slide presentation for an alternative vendor, ACCG/GEBCORP, a retirement arm of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, that deals exclusively with the public sector.
After hearing the presentation, commissioners said they would review the plan and make a decision in the next couple of weeks.
There was a request by the Assessor’s Office for an additional $8,161 in funding due to a discrepancy found in an audit report.
After some discussion, commissioners decided that the bridges on Town Creek Road and New Bridge Road were most in need of repair under the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) program. The estimated cost is $489,462.20 but bids have not been let and the actual amount could differ.
There was also a discussion about road paving projects in each commission district. Among the roads being considered are Steve Lewis, Sam Craven, Stanley Nix Danny Palmer, Joe Franklin, Arthur Allen, Apple Drive, Yonah East Estates, Mountain Meadow and Mauldin Road.
Commissioners also heard a request from Sheriff Neal Walden for two new Ford Explorers in the amount of $71,113.92 from Jacky Jones Ford to be paid for with SPLOST funds.
Public Safety Director David Murphy has been looking to purchase a tanker for the Fire Department at an amount not to exceed $75,000 but reported he has been unsuccessful. He asked commissioners to increase the monetary limit and authorize him to purchase the vehicle as soon as it is located. He said used fire trucks are in great demand and that when he locates one it is generally sold before can make an offer.
Commissioners held two public hearings. The first was a request by Larry Freeman to redistrict three acres on Duncan Bridge Road from R-1 residential.
The second was a request by Bryan and Theresa Hamilton for a conditional use permit (CUP) for a multi-purpose event venue at 6394 Duncan Bridge Road.
These and other issues will be voted on in the next county commission regular meeting.
Commissioners Adopt 9.998 Millage Rate
News August 9, 2016
CLEVELAND, Ga. – The White County Board of Commissioners voted to raise the millage rate by .89 mils to 9.998 Monday and the only complaint heard during the third and final public hearing was from citizens who thought the increase should have been bigger.
Elizabeth Wells, one of five people to make public comment, said she would be willing to have a bigger tax increase if commissioners would approve a pay raise for public safety personnel.
“We all know the importance of our public safety employees and the tensions that have arisen,” she said. “Now that our population has reached 33,000, their job is even more important. I’d like to see them paid more to stay here.”
Sheriff Neal Walden has spoken often about the high cost of training replacements when experienced deputies leave to accept higher paying law enforcement jobs in other counties.
Russell Mobley said, “No one wants to pay more taxes, but I strongly support the Board of Commissioners in raising the millage rate.”
Laurie Lee said, “I too support the commissioners and commend them for doing of this.”
Chairman Travis Turner and Commissioners Terry Goodger and Lyn Holcomb voted for the increase while Commissioners Craig Bryant and Edwin Nix opposed it.
Turner said, “Raising taxes is not what I’m all about but when you milk a cow, there is only so far you can go. We have to look ahead.”
The millage rate was 8.19 in 2006 and ’07 then increased to 9.19 in 2008 and remained there until it was lowered to 9.168 from 2014- ’16.