Towns County Emergency Medical Service

They’re there trained and ready when you need them

By Frank Bradley

Sentinel writer

HIAWASSEE–Forty years ago, Towns County provided no emergency medical service for its residents. If you got bad sick or were seriously injured in a traffic accident, someone had to haul you to the hospital in their car.

There was one other option.  If you were really bad off and needed to go to a hospital in Atlanta or some other far off place, you could hitch a ride in one of Frank Abernathy’s hearses from his Young Harris funeral home. The hearse was equipped with a cot and an oxygen tank.

In 1972, the state of Georgia required ambulances to be staffed with a certified EMT, and about that time Towns County Hospital took over the ambulance service, obtained a real ambulance and hired Jack Mathis as service director. In 1984, Jack stepped aside and his son, Rickey took over as director. Prior to that, Rickey had served as a Towns County EMT for seven years. In fact, Rickey was the first paramedic ever to be employed by the county, and he has been its EMS director ever since.

IN 1996, Towns County Hospital was losing about $10,000 a month and had to be subsidized out of the county coffers. Truman Barrett was county commissioner and he transferred the ambulance service from the hospital and placed it under the direct control of the county.

Rickey said when the ambulance service first started, they didn’t see 30 patients a month. “Less than one a day,” he told me. Now, they are averaging 5.61 calls a day (170 calls a month). Not only are they transporting more people who are sick or injured, they are doing it more quickly and providing better medical care to the patient while he or she is enroute to a hospital or treatment center.

In 1998, Towns County EMS was recognized as the “EMS of the Year” in the State of Georgia. In 2004, it was recognized as the top EMS in Region II, which includes 13 counties in North Georgia,

Currently, the Towns County EMS has five ambulances and 13 full-time employees. Five are paramedics/EMT’s with 25 or more years of service; four have been paramedics/EMT’s for more than 15 years, while three of them have 10 or more years experience. Not only did these medics receive anywhere from 500 to 2,000 hours of training to get their initial certification; all EMT’s are required to take 72 additional hours of training every two years.

“An ambulance is an emergency room on a vehicle,” Mathis told to me on Tuesday.

New methods or protocols are constantly evolving. For instance Mathis said, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is not as critical as chest compression. “We no longer teach mouth-to-mouth to lay people,” he said.

Last week, Mathis’s crew received eight hours of training on Snake Bites; recently they had Stroke classes, Shock & Bleeding Control, Pediatrics as well as Advanced Cardiac Life Support.

Constantly confronted with patients who have heart attacks, strokes and trauma, the Towns County EMS strives to get the patient to a hospital that is best suited for the patient’s needs and as quickly as they can.

“Time is of the essence,” Mathis told me. “The standard is to get them into treatment within 90 minutes of the occurrence. We are working on getting treatment for them within 60 minutes. Just a few minutes can make the difference  between survival or avoiding major damage allowing a better quality of life.”

Mathis said the determination as to which hospital a patient is sent has to do with the time it takes to get him there and to which hospital can provide the best quality of care in keeping the best interest of the patient in mind. Patients who have had a heart attack are normally taken to North Georgia Regional in Gainesville because it is closer and that hospital provides excellent care. Stroke victims would normally be routed to Erlanger in Chattanooga or Grady Hospital in Atlanta. Trauma patients could go to Erlanger, Grady or to Greenville, S.C., which is well equipped to handle trauma and is only 20 minutes away by helicopter.

Still, he said during the past year, 57 percent of the transports were to Chatuge Regional; 18 percent to Union General; 9 percent to North Georgia Regional.

Mathis said about 200 helicopter flights are dispatched each year to transport patients to hospitals. These are all private companies that contract with insurance companies and bill them at $25,000 a flight. The closest helicopter service is Life Force in Blue Ridge. The determination to flag a helicopter is made by either the patient’s doctor at the local hospital or by the Incident Commander on the scene.

Recently, Towns EMS obtained instrument boxes to be installed on all its ambulances, which provides a real-time “Ambulance Vehicle Locator System.” Mathis said these boxes are to be installed next week and programed to enable the dispatch center to see exactly where a dispatched vehicle is sent, which will allow the center to follow it on a map and redirect it if the vehicle overshoots or makes a wrong turn in getting to a location. Ambulances will also be able to transmit EKG’s taken on the ambulance to hospitals where the patient is being transported to.

This process allows the patients and his medical condition to be provided to his cardiologist as quickly as possible. Also, if warranted, the doctor can prescribe medication to be given the patient enroute to the hospital.

Mathis said about 60 percent of the revenues provided EMS come from Medicare funds. Hence it is important that they be billed out correctly, or else the government won’t pay reimbursements. He said he is fortunate in having Elaine Coleman, who has handled claims for 17 years and does a great job. Those revenues become part of the county’s funds, as do payments from insurance companies and private payees. Mathis estimates that the county loses only about $60,000 a year from unpaid claims.

Still, he made the point that the Towns County EMS does not refuse service to anybody or ask for insurance information before transporting residents who require it.

Mathis and his EMS team are experienced, well trained and constantly working to provide quality service to the residents of Towns County. As we enter this holiday season, it is truly something to be thankful for.

SAR Recognizes Local Public Service Officers

At the November 16, 2011 Towns County Commissioner’s meeting, the Blue Ridge Mountains Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution presented two public service medals and certificates.

The Fire Safety Medal & Certificate was presented to Firefighter Jonathan Wilson for his outstanding commitment and devotion to the field of fire safety and his work in the Towns County school system in grades K through 4. Using a combination of lecture, handouts, demonstrations, and hands on participation, he instructs the students on important fire safety tips, the use of the 911 emergency telephone system and how to escape from a burning home. In the words of Towns County Fire Chief Mitchel Floyd, “Firefighter Wilson reaches over 500 children each year with his programs, and have produced positive and lasting results. In at least one case in our county, a child executed what she had been taught by Firefighter Wilson and aided her family in successfully escaping a fire in her home. Her actions, and the skills taught by Firefighter Wilson, no doubt averted a potential disaster.”

The Emergency Medical Services Commendation Award was presented to EMT James R. Shirley 2nd .  In the words of EMS Director Rickey Mathis, “EMT Shirley was selected encase his attitude and willingness to do whatever it takes to make our service the best. Jim is always willing to work any time he is needed. He is dependable, honest and exhibits Christian Values. He cares for his patients as if they were his own family.” Both awards were presented by Terry E. Legg, President of the Blue Ridge Mountains Chapter.

The award winning Blue Ridge Mountains Chapter, Sons of the American revolution meets on the third Tuesday of January, February, March, may, September & November at The Brother’s Restaurant in Young Harris at 6 p.m. Men and boys who are interested in documenting their relationship to their American revolutionary ancestors and in joining an active group with similar interest, are encouraged to contact the Chapter Secretary David R. Cook at 706-745-2506.

Cutline: Mitchel Floyd, Jonathan Wilson, Terry Legg, Jim Shirley & Rickey Mathis.

“The Goats” taps into theme of bullying

An interview with the film’s producer

By Frank Bradley

Sentinel writer

Camera’s were rolling again in Towns County on Monday as the movie crew for “The Goats” were getting final shots of kids on the beach.

Two weeks earlier, the crew had completed most of the beach scenes, but a failure with one of its cameras produced some unusable film clips which necessitated a reshooting of the scenes, according to Emily Berger, one of the film’s co-producers.

On Monday, everything seemed to go well. The two 12-old actors who had been brought in to handle the lead roles seemed to take everything in stride and were cool as a cucumber.

Annalise Basso has appeared in a string of film and television shows including Bones, Children’s Hospital, Alice in Wonderland (featured with Johnny Depp),Desperate Housewives, as well as having  lead roles in C3 (pilot), Penguins Can’t Fly and Ghost Image.

Berger said casting started in March of this year and that Annalise was selected for the role of Grace in May after a near perfect audition.

“We needed someone with the acting skills to carry through the entire move, and she has that. She also has beautiful red hair and can handle a range of emotions that are required. The moment she walked into the room, we knew she would be perfect for this role,” Berger said.

Chandler Canterbury, who lives with his parents in Huston, Texas, also has a wealth of acting experience for his age. He handled the role of a young Benjamin in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; he was in Repo Men, A Bag of Hammers, After Life, Knowing, and in the TV series: Fringe and Criminal Minds.

Chandler was selected through a casting company. Berger said, “We hadn’t actually seen him in person until he came out to Georgia. He has striking, beautiful eyes. He is cast in the lead role of Howie.”

In the novel, “The Goats” written by Brock Cole, the story takes place at a summer camp in Maine in the mid-1980’s. It involves a pre-teenage boy and girl who are picked on, bullied and harassed by the other campers. It is about how they respond to that humiliating treatment.

Berger said  D.J. Caruso, who is directing the film, wrote the screenplay based on the book about 15 years ago. The setting for the movie has been shifted from Maine to North Carolina, although all the filming is actually being done in Georgia, primarily for economic reasons.

“This is an important story that needs to be told,” she said, especially in light of the increased awareness of bullying that is taking place across the country.

Other well known actors in the film include Radha Mitchell, who is in the role of Meg, Grace’s mother. And Val Kilmer, who has the role of “a crazy character,” Berger said. He will be coming into town this week, and scenes involving his role will mostly be shot at Tallulah Falls.

Local people are being used in the film as much as possible, Berger said.

Other footage of the film is being shot in Habersham and Rabun counties. Berger said filming is scheduled to conclude on October 25th. After each day of shooting, the scenes are sent electronically back to Los Angles for editing.

“We are under an extremely tight deadline to get the film completed by mid-December so it can be entered into the Sundance Film Festival in Utah,” she said.

She was extremely complimentary of local governmental officials, including Commissioner

Bill Kendall. “It has simply been amazing how helpful and accommodating everyone has been,” she said. “The people here are so beautiful. They have welcomed us with open arms.”

Caruso, who is in his mid-40’s, has directed several films: Taking Lives (2004), Disturbia )2007) and Eagle Eye (2008).

Burglary Investigation leads to three arrests

Towns County Sheriff’s Investigators, working in conjunction with Clay County and Appalachian Drug Task Force agents, have solved a string of burglaries dating back several months.

Towns County Investigator Pat Williams contacted Clay County after learning their agency had encountered an item having ties to Towns County in the possession of a couple they had stopped.

Further investigation by Towns County deputies led to information on a stolen trailer from Towns County. Detectives then went to a property which later was found to not only contain other items allegedly stolen from local residences, but further led to multiple items being recovered which were inside the buildings on the grounds.

A search warrant was executed at the residence off Shake Rag road. Items recovered allegedly included various types of furniture, appliances, tools, automotive accessories, and a firearm. These items were allegedly taken from residences in Georgia as well as North Carolina.

Investigator Williams stated that some items are yet to be recovered and are believed to be as far away as Hendersonville and Wilmington, NC.

Judith Roberts Jones (55), of Hiawassee, was charged with Theft by Taking, Burglary, Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon, and Theft by Bringing Stolen Property Into State. Scott Larson Jones (63), also of Hiawassee, was charged with Theft by Taking, Burglary, and Theft By Bringing Stolen Property Into State.

A third person, Zachary Larson Jones (30), of Hiawassee, was also arrested at the residence on a warrant from Georgia State Patrol for Leaving the Scene of an Accident and Driving On Suspended License.

The investigation continues and more information will be made available at a later date. If you have information relating to this case please call 706-896-4444.

Ethelene Dyer Jones, recipient of Governor’s Award

At the 26th Governor’s Awards in the Humanities event held on Thursday, October 6, 2011, at noon at the Old Georgia Railroad Freight Depot in downtown Atlanta, Ethelene Dyer Jones was among 10 Georgians who received medals. The purpose of the event is to recognize exemplary work in the humanities and to highlight the awardees as models for others in the state.

In making the award, the Georgia Humanities Council stated that for over 60 years Mrs. Ethelene Jones has been a leader in documenting, preserving, and sharing the stories of the Georgia mountains and Appalachian culture through publications, journalism, and other programs.

Mrs. Jones is a native of Union County and her career as an award-winning teacher and media specialist spanned Union, Bibb, Hart, and Fannin counties. She worked to secure an auxiliary off-campus center for college classes at Epworth and taught English there. She served as co-editor of Facets of Fannin, a 600-page volume of local history and lore.  She also has published four other books on church history, family history, and poetry. For over 20 years, she has written a weekly history column for the News Observer newspaper of Blue Ridge and the Georgia Sentinel in Union and Towns Counties, and her columns have led to an increased appreciation of local history and folk traditions. Many of her columns are posted online at the GaGenWebProject.

Active with the Georgia Poetry Society, the Byron Herbert Reece Society, and the Fannin County Heritage Foundation, Mrs. Jones’ leadership has led to the development of exhibits, documentaries, genealogical resources, and theatrical presentations.  In addition, during her retirement in central Georgia, she volunteers as an advisor for the Georgia War Veterans Home, has reorganized a church library, is active in Learning-in-Retirement, and is a mentor in creative writing for a person in state prison.

We congratulate Mrs. Jones on this significant recognition for her outstanding work.

Photograph of Ethelene Dyer Jones

Bill Elliott Visits Mountain Education Center High School for

“Race to the Finish” Cookout

Students and staff at Mountain Education Center High School welcomed Bill Elliott of NASCAR fame to their annual Fall Family Cookout on Tuesday. He donated his time to attend and encourage students to finish their “race” in high school and earn the prize of a diploma.

Close to 200 people including students and their parents attended the cookout catered by Dawsonville’s Checkered Flag Catering, and Mr. Elliott signed dozens of autographs on free picture brochures that he provided. Also attending the event were County Commissioner Lamar Paris, Union County Superintendent of Schools Gary Steppe, Superintendent of MEC Schools Mitchel Barrett, and other MEC administrators Tighe Day-Lewis, Dr. Richard Behrens, and Judy Waldroup. Everyone seemed to enjoy the evening, – even a mother bear and 3 cubs, which tried unsuccessfully to crash the event when the aromas wafting from the outdoor grill lured them to the edge of the field outside the school.

After the meal and outside festivities, students went inside to have their senior and yearbook pictures taken, sign a “Pledge to Graduate” board, and receive a free t-shirt and string backpack provided by Georgia Appalachian Center for Higher Education, which promotes post-secondary enrollment. MEC received a grant for the second year in a row from GACHE and uses the funds to encourage students to ”Think College!” by offering many events and activities through out the year to help students make plans for after they cross the high school “finish line” and begin the race for a successful future at college, the military, and /or a career.

Mountain Education Center is an accredited night high school for students between the ages of 16 and 21, who are not attending the traditional day school but would like to earn a regular high school diploma. The program is self-paced, mastery-based, and individualized to meet students’ needs and schedules. School hours are between 4:00 and 9:30 on Mondays through Thursdays.  The tuition is FREE! For information or directions, call (706) 745-9575 for the Blairsville campus or (706) 276-5002 for the Ellijay campus. We, at MEC, believe that all students can succeed if given the chance, and we are here to provide that opportunity.

By Frank Bradley

Sentinel writer

HIAWASSEE–It’s not Hollywood yet, but earlier this week camera’s were rolling while some local folks scurried around on the beach just outside of town under the direction of a movie mogul. The independent film crew was in town shooting scenes about a story taking place during the 1980’s of a young girl and boy coming of age.

The movie-in-process is under the direction of D. J. Caruso, who is also the screenwriter. The story is based on the novel “The Goats,” about a pre-teen boy and girl at a summer camp in Maine. They have been picked by other campers to be the group’s sacrificial victims; hence, the goats. They are forced to spend several embarrassing hours on an island, which involves loss of clothing, money, and being further humiliated. It’s like a modern day survival TV program with kids without the the million dollar payoff at the end.

Ah, but the kids do survive this degrading situation relying on each other’s wits. And their payoff is a determination to get even, to pay the other campers back for what they have had to go through. The book was written by Brock Cole, and the exceptional part of the story is not how they survive physically, but how they handle the situation psychologically and emotionally.

The setting for the movie is in Maine; however the entire film is being shot in Georgia, in three counties really: Towns, Habersham and Rabun counties. The filming in Towns County takes place all along the beach. That portion was to be completed on Tuesday with additional filming to be done in Hiawassee during the remainder of the week.

Kai Thorup, who is the locations manager, told me on Tuesday that he expects all of the filming to be complete by the end of the month. Afterwards, it will under go editing and be tied together into a beautiful narrative, which is expected to be released at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah next year. Sundance is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. It showcases new work by both American and international independent filmmakers.

Thorup said the film crew has had nothing but full cooperation by local officials and that “people have bent over backwards to have us here. It has been great,” he said. About 75 local extras were casts for the beach scene, according to Thorup. He said there would also be more extra’s to appear in the town scene. According to Towns County commissioner Bill Kendall, the filming brings an economic boost to the county. Earlier, Kendall said he understands the film’s budget to be around $8 million.

Caruso, who is in his mid-40’s, has directed several films: Taking Lives (2004), Disturbia (2007) and Eagle Eye (2008).

ARTICLE WRITTEN BY STUDENT COLBY MOORE

Shootout at high noon

During the break between NGTC’s last quarter and the inaugural semester, a group of seven students from the Commercial Photography Program went on an unusual series of field trips.  Katherine Clardy of Toccoa, Melissa Henderson of Clarkesville, NiAnne Mullis of Dahlonega, Stephen Sanders of Lula, Shannon Layman of Demorest, and Colby Moore and Marty McClure both from Cleveland, led by instructor Jeff Gulle, began their visits with an excursion to Ghost Town in the Sky in Maggie Valley, North Carolina.

Once a popular amusement park that simulated an 1860’s cowboy town, it is now abandoned. The students had the opportunity to photograph the unique architecture of the old west town, including saloons, boarding houses, and a church.  Some students photographed the abstract features of the mountainside roller coaster, as well as the surrounding views from the peak of the 4,300 foot mountain.

The photographers were also fortunate to have three actors in various period costumes available for portraits.  The combination of the actor’s great personality and the distinctive location made for great photos and memorable experiences.

After Ghost Town, the students were led to a small nature preserve to photograph wolves.  The wolves are used to teach local schools kids about the animals as well as the need for conservation.

Later in the week, a smaller group of students, along with Mr. Gulle, went on a second excursion that included stops at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn, the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, as well as Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta.

For more information on the Commercial Photography program of study at NGTC, please contact jgulle@northgatech.edu, jloring@northgatech.edu, or visit the website at www.northgatech.edu.

Photo:  Photographer students jump for joy:  (L-R) Stephen Sanders, Katherine Clardy, Shannon Layman, Melissa Henderson, Nianne Mullis, Colby Moore, and Instructor Jeff Gulle.  Photo by Jeff Gulle.

Electric Co-op builds for the future

Progress report provided at annual meeting

By Frank Bradley

Sentinel writer

HIAWASSEE–Exactly 483 members of Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Cooperative either registered on-line or showed up and signed in for the annual membership meeting last Saturday. That was enough for a legal quorum, or slightly more than one percent of the 43,045 co-op members, as certified by Ms. Elois Anderson, who is a member and Secretary of the Board of Directors.

Larry Sorgen, attorney for the board, thanked the members for showing up and encouraged them to come again next year and bring a co-op friend.

“I can’t stress enough how important it is that we have a quorum,” he said. “Without a quorum, we our operations would grind to a halt, and we would be forced to call for another meeting, which would be expensive and could disrupt our providing service to you,” he said.

During the business session, Board President  Terry Taylor welcomed the members, and provided a report on some “hot topics” involving BRMEMC.

He said the Co-op as the local power distributor facilitates the interconnection of the generation systems to the electric lines. Currently, there are two wind turbines and 34 solar arrays connected to the system. BRMEMC currently has more large solar arrays connected to its system than any other TVA power distributor.

These generation systems have been installed on properties owned by members through a program providing premiums paid by TVA as well as federal and state tax incentives. As a result of these incentives, interest in the program has skyrocketed.

Also, BRMEMC has continued working to replace all 59,000 of its electric meters with new smart meters. The new smart meters will communicate over power lines to the central office eliminating the expense of having meter readers drive around each month to collect the readings.

In addition to providing savings to the co-op, the smart meters also offer many benefits to members. About 30,000 members have already been replaced and the rest should be replaced by the end of the year.

Last year, BRMEMC partnered with Habersham EMC in Clarksville as well local colleges and development authorities to form the North Georgia Network cooperative for the purpose of encouraging business and job growth through the construction of a new high-speed, fiber-optic network.

The project was awarded a $33 million federal broadband grant. The project is well underway and expected to be completed by November.

The new headquarters facility is on track. Evergreen Construction Co. of Atlanta was awarded the general contract, and they have contracted with several local subcontractors, laborers and suppliers, which has had a positive impact on the local economy. BRMEMC remains committed to building a new headquarters that meets its needs for years to come.

BRMEMC offers several other “value-added services” in addition too electric service. It provides internet service to more than 4,200 members, and in partnership with other companies, it also provides digital television and telephone services on its fiber-optic network.

In addition to these services, BRMEMC also continues to maintain an efficient, robust electric distribution system, having added more than $18 million dollars in its new electric plant bring the total electric plant value to more than $177 million.

Three members of BRMEMC’s board of directors were re-nominated by a nominating committee, and since there was no nominations made by petition, they were reaffirmed for another three-year term. These members were: Elois Anderson, representing Clay County; Terry Taylor, representing Towns County, and Lenny Parks, representing Union County.

During an open-mike period, questions were asked regarding the standard $14 monthly fees all members pay, why the large mountain of dirt was built up on the new headquarters site, and whether or not provisions were made for a disaster relief center at the new headquarters.

It was explained that the standard fee covers the cost of capital investment, which is shared equally among members. That it had previously been included within the usage rate charge, but had been broken out to provide better transparency to the members.l The large mountain of dirt was what was left over after the grading was done. It was retained on site rather than transported off because it was more economical to do so and because no one was found to want the extra dirt. BRMEMC will look at ways in the future to dispose of the dirt; however it does have the benefit of hiding the maintenance building from a general public view.

Sorgen said no provisions had been made to build the extra capacity into the new headquarters to serve as a disaster relief center, and to have done so would have resulted in a much higher cost that would have to have been passed on to customers.

Sorgen further clarified that the issue of solar farms that are being constructed in BRMEMC’s coverage area is mostly an issue among the property owner, the community and local and state governments.

“BRMEMC has no say regarding that matter,” he said. “The only requirement we have is that we ensure that the electrical instillation is done safely and up to code. We have no authority regarding the permitting or placement of solar farms.

Door prizes were drawn and handed out to about 40 lucky winners. Entertainment was provided by the Young Harris College Chamber Choir under the direction of Jeff Bauman. The Young Harris choral program recently completed its first European tour and performed at the Georgia American Choral Directors Association convention in Atlanta.

Paying homage to the old Unicoi Turnpike

The commissioner puts county on pay as you go plan

By Frank Bradley

Sentinel writer

Bids were opened for materials to be used at the Foster Farm Memorial Park. Low bid winners were: Storm drain pipe went to Culvert Sales with a total cost of $32,363.59; Weir Area inlets, storm sewer manhole and concrete headwall with energy disp. went to Smith Concrete Products for $17,558.24 and bid for erosion control went the Hiawassee Hardware for $6,680. The contract requires that all materials be delivered on site.

The pipe and culverts are being laid at the Foster park to carry off storm water to the lake.

A second reading of the Towns County Taxpayers and Employee Benefits Protection was read and adopted by Commissioner Bill Kendall.

This act requires a pay as you go plan by both the county and its employees. The Clerk and Finan cikal Officer of the Towns County Commissioner’s Office is directed to establish and maintain a separate escrow account to cover the cash value of all employee benefit liability existing at yeaer-end and said account is to be kept separate from the general fund.

Also,the commissioner proclaimed and declared November 12, 2011 as Unicoi Turnpike Day in Towns County.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for hikers to see the longest remnant of the old turnpike in Towns County,” said Carey Waldrip, chairman of the Society’s Unicoi Turnpike Committee.

Interested parties are invited to meet at Unicoi parking lot near where the Appalachian Trail crosses GA 17/75 South (Hiawassee to Helen highway) from 9 a.m. until noon for turnpike information and hiking directions.

“We do not plan to have guided tours. We will provide turnpike informtaion and hiking directions only,” said Waldrip. “Each individual or group is responsible for their own safety and length of travel as they hike along the old turnpike.”

The remnant of the old Unicoi Turnpike is located on USFS land and is a rough, sunken road starting at the gap and stretching two miles north down into Towns County.

The trek is rather steep and strenuous. To make the hike, you should be healthy and in good shape. Wear hiking clothes and boots. Brightly colored hat and/or vest is recommended for safety since hunting season will be open,” Waldrip emphasized.

Earlier explorers found an old indian trade route which was called the Unicoi Trail. This trail gave early pioneers access to the upper valley of the Hiawassee which was very desirable for settlement.

In 1813, the Unicoi Turnpike Company was chartered to generally follow the old trail.

At the approximate center of the Unicoi Turnpike was the town of Hiawassee which in 1856 became the county seat of the newly formed Towns County.