 SAPS Station Captain, Colette Weilbach, said that the police carry a high burden of vehicle-related crimes. In order to address this, it was necessary for SAPS to “think out of the box”. Station Commander Brigadier Kushie Nair took the initiative to “befriend” car guards around the Hatfield area, involving them in uplifting programmes. This includes registering car guards into the programme, after which each car guard is issued with a name card displaying their photo.
Weilbach explained that for many years car guards were seen as an irritation and a crime contributor. “The relationship between the car guards and the police was always contentious and adversarial,” said Weilbach. Brooklyn SAPS wanted to change this by adopting a new tolerant and social crime prevention approach, said Weilbach. While many of the car guards have criminal records for drug, property, and contact related crimes, Weilbach said that the programme is also aimed at rehabilitating them to a law-abiding life: “For the moment the car guards are excited and indicated that they are willing to cooperate with the police and to assist in crime prevention initiatives.”
The project is already in its fourth week, with a database of car guards having been created and weekly meetings and training sessions scheduled. Weilbach explained, “A skills audit will be conducted and students from [UP] will give further training to empower the car guards.” Weilbach said that since the programme started, there has already been a decline in vehicle-related crimes in the Hatfield area. If the pilot project in Hatfield is successful, it is expected to be extended to other areas.
Photo: Tshepo Kenneth MoagiGeorgia, like so many states, is facing tough economic times right now.
Families and businesses alike are cutting back their budgets and concentrating on getting from one day to the next.
However, many are cautiously optimistic as hopes for recovery begin to appear.
While we stand on the brink of a new economic era, we must reevaluate where we are as a state. Operating in a newly recovered economy does not call for businesses as usual. As state leaders, now is the time to position our state to emerge from this downturn as the economic engine of the South.
Our state’s economy relies heavily on its tourism industry.
In fact, tourism is Georgia’s largest industry after agriculture, and many would say it’s most important.
Tourism provides almost 250,000 jobs and generates $6.9 billion in resident wages. This is one area we can prepare our state to meet the future opportunities and challenges of a new economy.
The good news is, we’re already getting started. Just last month, leaders in government, business and hospitality gathered for the annual 2009 Governor’s Tourism Conference at Lake Lanier Islands Resort to discuss Georgia’s future.
In addition to theme parks and other large attractions, Georgia tourism is fueled by family businesses and venues.
The conference provides these businesses an accessible and affordable outlet to network with other leaders in the industry and to discuss ideas on how to move tourism forward.
This year I was invited as a panelist for a listening session on the major challenges facing tourism and a discussion on how the state can help promote the industry.
I was pleased to join distinguished panelists Reps. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah), my counterpart in the House Economic Development Committee, and Ben Harbin (R-Evans), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, as well as Sean McGinnis, an Atlanta publisher; Dennis Kelly, president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta; and Virgil Williams, owner of Lake Lanier Islands and our host for the conference.
Mr. Williams’ newly renovated resort is a great example of how a successful public-private partnership can benefit tourism. With $75 million invested in its renovation, Lake Lanier Islands is once again a premier tourist destination generating revenue for the entire area.
As is customary, Chairman Stephens and I presided over a joint meeting of the Senate and House Economic Development Committees, where we heard an update from the Georgia Department of Economic Development on the state of the economy and tourism numbers.
We also heard from a local Pickens County business, Southern Fire Service and Sales. Scott Evans, CEO of the fire truck manufacturer and former Pickens County Chamber of Commerce executive, outlined challenges that his company and other small businesses face in a tightening economy amid ever increasing competition.
Scott also let us know where their company is looking for future growth, as well as things that the state is doing that are working, and as expected, some things we could improve on.
Though Southern Fire Service is not a tourism company, we have made it a practice to highlight small, local businesses as we conduct these meetings around the state each year.
I also invited my local Chambers of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureaus from the 51st District to join me for a meeting to discuss what challenges they’re facing and how we can work together to better promote all that Northeast Georgia has to offer.
One of the most important factors in growing Georgia’s tourism is ensuring that local officials and organizations understand the tourism industry’s significant effect on our economy. This is something we all plan to focus on in the next year. Another point was made that North Georgia has a unique opportunity to promote tourism venues and package products that give visitors a taste of the culture, scenery and people of our mountain communities.
Positioning the region as a premier destination for hotels and attractions in the future will bring millions in revenue to the area, all important jobs, and solidify Georgia’s place as a leader in domestic and international tourism as the economy recovers. We look forward to developing a continued partnership with the chambers and CVBs to move this idea forward.
As always, our region gets a huge boost in tourism upon the arrival of cool autumn weather, when thousands of visitors flock to the popular fall festivals that have helped grow North Georgia into a true tourist destination.
These events are run by the small local and family businesses that drive our state’s tourism industry.
The Jasper/Pickens County Marble Festival was held two weekends ago. Local apple farmers take center stage during Ellijay’s Georgia Apple Festival in the second and third weekends in October.
Small businesses and local artists gather in Dahlonega in support of the Gold Rush Days during the third weekend in October.
Celebrate Dawson County’s racing and early NASCAR history during this year’s Mountain Moonshine Festival, Oct. 23-25.
Sen. Chip Pearson can be reached at 321-B Coverdell Legislative Office Building, Atlanta, GA 30334, (404) 656-9221 or chip.pearson@senate.ga.gov.
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Dawsonnews, Dawsonville, GA. All rights reserved. Privacy policy and Terms of serviceSo, in 2020, as the Pandemic settled in like an unwanted relative who just came for a week and is still tying up the bathroom, I did a series of posts for the FB Page of the Nero Wolfe fan club, The Wolfe Pack. I speculated on what Stay at Home would be like for Archie, living in the Brownstone with Nero Wolfe, Fritz Brenner, and Theodore Horstmann. I have already re-posted days one through thirty. Here are days thirty four (April 24) and thirty five (April 25). It helps if you read the series in order, so I’ve included links to the earlier entries.
Don’t worry – I’m not going to start mixing bleach into my milk.
Felix called Wolfe last night. Rusterman’s gets its beef from a small group of cattle farmers upstate. So does Wolfe. The meat packing plant they all use got walloped with a virus outbreak, and it has closed down indefinitely. I’d hears some big pork plants out west were running into this problem, too. Felix was scrambling to line up a new supplier.
“Nonsense!” Wolfe bristled at the mere thought.
He hung up on a protesting Felix and I followed suit.
“That wasn’t very nice.” That earned me a glare.
Cattle ranchers were scrambling to find a new plant. Plant workers were sick, and scared – some of them could be dying. Rustermans, and other restaurants, had to immediately find new suppliers. And of course, Wolfe focused on how it inconvenienced him. 
Rather than put up with his growing crankiness, I went to tell Fritz the news.
Wolfe insisted that I play pool with him before lunch. My game was okay; which is better than Wolfe’s. For that matter, so is Julie Jacquette’s. A couple times while running off a string of balls, I waited until he was comfortably settled into the big chair he has down there, and then I missed a shot on purpose. I don’t think that he caught on, but he wasn’t happy about it. Or about losing. He walked upstairs in the middle of a game. He gets my vote for the physically largest petulant child in the whole world.
I spent an hour or two helping Wolfe and Theodore in the plant rooms today. I’ve learned how to do various things up there over the years. It can be nice to be surrounded by the orchids. Some bloom at different times than others, but it’s never barren.
I moved some supplies around, did a little spraying and re-potting and generally kept to myself. Once in a while, I don’t mind doing it. My mind can roam free, and there are some very pretty flowers.
The NFL draft started last night. Sports-starved fans probably tuned in in record