Karla’s Korner – March 21st
Community, Featured March 21, 2017
Today Karla tells us about the following upcoming events in Gilmer County:
1) Business Connections at Chateau Meichtry
2) Spring Wine Highway Week
3) Ribbon Cutting for the new Gilmer Agricultural Center at Clear Creek Middle School
Fetch Your News Interviews 2018 Candidate for Georgia Governor Clay Tippins
Election, Election 2018, Politics March 21, 2018
BKP interviews Navy Seal, Business Executive, and 2018 Candidate for Georgia Governor Clay Tippins on Fetch Your News FYNTV.com. Tippins talks about if elected: cutting taxes, fixing schools, creating jobs, building roads, and protecting freedom.
Food Safety Workshop March 27
Community, Health March 15, 2018
By: Eddie Ayers, County Extension Agent
About 48 million people in the U.S. (1 in 6) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year from foodborne diseases, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a significant public health burden that is largely preventable.
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is transforming the nation’s food safety system by shifting the focus from responding to foodborne illness to preventing it. Congress enacted FSMA in response to dramatic changes in the global food system and in our understanding of foodborne illness and its consequences, including the realization that preventable foodborne illness is both a significant public health problem and a threat to the economic well-being of the food system.
The FDA has finalized seven major rules to implement FSMA, recognizing that ensuring the safety of the food supply is a shared responsibility among many different points in the global supply chain for both human and animal food. The FSMA rules are designed to make clear specific actions that must be taken at each of these points to prevent contamination.
In response to the rule concerning the sale of fresh fruits and produce, the Fannin County UGA Extension office is hosting a one day workshop for produce growers on Tuesday, March 27th at the Kiwanis Fairgrounds located at 124 Jones Street in Blue Ridge. The class will start at 8:00 a.m. and run until 5:00p.m. The training will cover the standardization curriculum designed by the Produce Safety Alliance, which meets the regulatory requirements of the Produce Rule under FSMA.
The cost of the class is $15.00 payable in cash or check at the door and it includes lunch. In order to attend the workshop you must register at the following link: . The course will provide a foundation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and co-management information, FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements and details on how to develop a farm food safety plan.
Any produce grower who grows, packs, harvests, and/or holds covered produce, makes over $25,000 in annual produce sales and does not qualify for a Produce Safety Rule exemption is required to attend a training under new federal regulations.
Individuals that attend the workshop are expected to gain a basic understanding of the requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and how to meet them successfully. Participants will also learn about microorganisms relevant to produce safety and where they can be found on the farm. You will also learn how to identify microbial risks, practices that reduce risks, and how to begin implementing produce safety practices on the farm along with understanding the parts of a farm food safety plan and how to begin writing one.
For more information email me at [email protected] or call me at the UGA Extension office in Gilmer County or Fannin County.
An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Organization
Agricultural Awareness Week in Georgia is March 19 – 23
Outdoors March 14, 2018
By: Eddie Ayers, County Extension Agent
Since the week of March 19 – 23 is Agricultural Awareness Week in Georgia, I want to point out just how much agriculture affects our county, state and country. Agriculture in Georgia is the largest industry in the state, with a farm gate value at over $13.75 billion. When many people think about agriculture, their thoughts tend to go to South Georgia where there are thousands of acres of peanuts, cotton, pecans, and vegetables, but the food and fiber industry in North Georgia contributes to the agricultural economic engine of Georgia as well.
In Gilmer County, food and fiber production had a farm gate value of over $180 million in 2016. Our largest commodities in the county are poultry, livestock, forestry, and fruits. By comparison Fannin County’s farm gate value was $40 million. This ag value alone accounts for approximately 17% of the economy in Gilmer County, but when you consider other industries that are directly related to agriculture like sawmills and poultry processing, 43% of the county’s economy is tied to agriculture.
Another important aspect to agriculture in the county is the number of jobs it creates. Jobs that have a direct connection to agriculture are estimated to be 2,870. This number accounts for the people who work on the farms, markets or dairies in the county. But there are an additional 2,071 jobs that are created in the county because of agriculture. This number includes jobs in construction, manufacturing, utilities, trade, financial, insurance, real estate, services and government. In other words, if we did not have a food and fiber industry in Gilmer County, there would be no need to employ 2,071 people.
Agriculture also affects our tourism industry. People flock to Gilmer County for its beautiful scenery and access to outdoor activities like camping, hiking, or kayaking. The tourism industry in the county is estimated to be over $34 million, with a large percent of that being generated during the months in and around autumn when the leaves are changing colors and the apples are in season. People in Georgia are looking for fun, wholesome activities to do with their families and Gilmer County provides a great backdrop of mountains, trails, rivers, and creeks, but without the Georgia Apple Festival and other festivals that celebrate agriculture, we would be passed up for other counties in the area.
America is blessed to be able to feed itself on its own and have enough food left over to help feed the rest of the world. Because of the American farmer, the average household pays a smaller proportion of their income for food than most other countries. Without this strong industry in the country and Georgia, we would be dependent upon others to provide us food, and that would be a problem for national security.
The Master Gardener Extension Volunteers are doing their part to promote agriculture as well. They’ve partnered with the Gilmer County Public Library to provide an official seed exchange program for gardeners to give and receive seeds at no charge. This free service is intended to foster a culture of sharing for the patrons in our area to share the joys of fresh, nutritious food, grown at a home, so be sure to check it out and with Agricultural Awareness Week, take time and thank a farmer for all the hard work they do. For more information, contact me in the Gilmer County UGA Extension office.
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
Now Hiring – FYN Sports Director
Announcements, Featured April 24, 2017TeamFYNSports FetchYourNews.com FYNTV.com ~ Georgia / North Carolina
| ● If you’re looking to work for an organization that is growing every day, month and year, FetchYourNews.com is the place for you!
FYN is seeking a professional who is seeking a Sports Director / Multi-Media Sports Reporter who will be responsible for planning and editing content which drives audience growth, push growth on social media platforms, and recruiting. This person will supervise a team of reporters and have decision making authority on when stories are posted. Position will lead for content and supervise content producers and reporters covering high school & college sports. Qualified candidates must share our vision of producing and reporting coverage of local sports that stands out as being informative and entertaining for fans and non-fans alike. We cover all teams in our coverage area including area College teams. Coverage may include motor sports (NASCAR, local racing), local prep sports and community events. Our Sports Director is responsible for organizing coverage, producing, and publishing local sports coverage including special news segment on High School – Game Night on all of our platforms. Manage workflow and distribution/scheduling of content on social media. Collaborates effectively with others, along with communicate and work effectively with a team of sports journalists to give a complete picture of sports coverage in designated areas. The ideal candidate is the following: ● 1 to 2 years of digital journalism experience ● Knowledge of sports / Entrepreneurial personality who strives to achieve big things and grow with a company. We don’t assign story ideas but expect coverage of all sports. We give the platform, but it’s up to the contributor’s hard work and commitment whether or not he/she succeeds and grows with us. ● Social Media savvy – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, Flipboard, etc. ● Knowledge of Search Engine Optimization ● Proficiency with WordPress. ● Experienced with deadlines
If our expectations and growing talent-based network is a place you feel strongly about applying, please submit your resume, cover letter and two recently unpublished writing samples in your application. Job Type: Contract Required experience: ● digital journalism: 1 year ● Search Engine Optimization: 1 year ● Sports Writing: 1 year |
Karla’s Korner – Upcoming Events in Gilmer County
Community, Featured April 18, 2017
Springtime in Ellijay means a lot of great upcoming events to get outside and enjoy! Dalton State College is hosting an art show for all local students from today until May 5th. There will be a reception tonight to kick off the art show. There are also ribbon cuttings this week at Premier Pools and Spas and Abby’s Ice Cream and Fro Yo. This weekend is Earth Day and it is supposed to be a beautiful weekend. In honor of Earth Day there will be a couple “clean up” events around town one will be at Harrison Park and the other will start at River Pavilion.
The next big Gilmer County event that we are looking forward to is the Apple Blossom Festival
on May 6th and 7th. This is a great festival showcasing local craft vendors, food vendors and businesses. Come out, bring your pups, and meet the FYN team. We will have a “pup-cam” and treats for all our furry friends as well. Also in today’s segment with Karla hear a little confession from BKP about “his spot” at the Apple Blossom Festival.
For more information on all these upcoming events and many more check out the events calendar on the Gilmer Chamber website.
Georgia Speaker of The House David Ralston Talks About Rural Georgia Issues, Health Care…
Featured, Politics April 17, 2017
Our interview Friday with Speaker of The House David Ralston focused on rural Georgia. Ralston went into detail about the new Rural Georgia Economic Council. This council will be co-chaired by (R) Terry England from Auburn, (R) Jay Powell from Camilla and Vice Chair (R) Sam Watson from Moultry. The council will be holding meetings across Georgia to hear from elected officials, local businesses and citizens about how they feel rural Georgia economy can best be improved. Ralston said jokingly that he better not find out that one meeting took place in Atlanta.
Health care is a major concern in rural Georgia. Several hospitals have closed in rural Georgia areas including one in Ralston’s district in North Georgia. We spoke to Ralston abut one possible solution to meet rural Georgia health care needs. Ralston used the example of the first stand alone emergency room, opened by Piedmont Mountainside Hospital in Gilmer county. In this interview we asked Ralston if Gilmer county still had the possibility of having a full hospital.
Ralston told us that sometime within the next month Governor Nathan Deal would be visiting Gilmer county’s Fire Station 1 to sign the fire fighter’s workmen’s compensation bill. We asked Ralston the difference in this years campus carry bill opposed to last year’s bill which Governor Deal vetoed. Not being able to speak for the Governor, Ralston said he felt they made the changes necessary to get Deal to sign the bill. We also discussed the pay raises agreed upon in the 2017 legislative session for teachers, state law enforcement, and D.F.C.S workers.
Our final question in our interview friday: Speaker Ralston do you see the governor’s mansion in your future?
2018 Tax Tips with H&R Block Beth Bennett!
Business, Community February 7, 2018
Tax season is here! Today Beth talks to us about the importance of filing your taxes or filing an extension by the deadline and also issues with non reimbursed business expenses. Call (706)-635-5563 today and make your appointment with an H & R Block tax professional. Beth Bennett’s H & R Block Highlands Crossing location is ready for you to ensure they are able to take care of your tax filing needs!
BKP talks about this Weekend’s Graduations and Memorial Day Celebrations
Community May 30, 2017
Fetch Your News covered four of our local counties graduation ceremonies this weekend as well as some great Memorial Day ceremonies. In this segment BKP shows a few pictures from each graduation and from each of the Memorial Day celebrations. He ends the segment Thanking all the men and women who have given their lives so that we can all enjoy the freedoms that we do daily. He makes a special Thank you to 1st Lt. Robert Kelly, Department of Homeland Security head General John Kelly’s son, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2010.
Tax Tips with Beth Bennett – Deadline is April 18th!
Business, Featured April 12, 2017Tax season is quickly coming to an end. The deadline, April 18th, is almost here. Call 706-635-5563 today and make your appointment with an H & R Block tax professional. Today Beth talks to us about the importance of filing your taxes or filing an extension by the deadline. She tells us about the penalties, interest, and fees you could be looking at if you do not file by the 18th. Also, Beth does a quick review of some of the important tax tips that she has talked about in her past segments. Due to the deadline falling during the holiday weekend this year, Beth Bennett’s H & R Block Highlands Crossing location will be open on Sunday, April 16th from 1 – 5 PM to ensure they are able to take care of your tax filing needs.
Karla’s Korner – Easter Festivities in Gilmer County
Community, Featured April 11, 2017
It is Easter week. Happy Easter from Fetch Your News and The Gilmer County Chamber! Here in the North Georgia Mountains there are so many family activities going on this weekend. From sunrise church services to egg hunts and much more. Peter Cotton-Tail will surely be seen hopping around in Gilmer County. Also coming up this week, the Network Luncheon will be on Thursday. Representative David Ralston will be speaking at this luncheon. Get more info about this event and see all the upcoming local events on The Gilmer Chamber calendar.
This segment is sponsored by Gilmer County Chamber.
Our Revolution Georgia Endorses Joshua McCall in Bid to Unseat Congressman Doug Collins
State & National January 25, 2018
(Martin, Georgia) – Monday, January 22nd, the statewide Georgia affiliate of Our Revolution, the organization created to continue pushing the policy goals of the Bernie Sanders Presidential Campaign, endorsed Joshua McCall in his bid to unseat Congressman Doug Collins in the Georgia 9th Congressional District. His candidacy will now be passed up to the national organization for consideration.
“I’m running for congress for two reasons. First, Bernie Sanders’ grassroots organization inspired me to examine what forces were limiting political possibilities in our country. I realized, unfortunately, that many of those forces were in the party that I belonged to,” said Candidate Joshua McCall.
He continued, “I’m also running because parts of our government are dangerously close to fascism. Branches of it prey on racial fears and offer simple solutions through state violence. I am running not only to unseat Doug Collins, but in the process speak to the people of this district and unite them behind a Christian and humanist ethic.”
McCall joins Savannah based candidate Lisa Ring as the only currently endorsed congressional candidates in the state. The endorsement includes volunteer coordination and the possibility of national endorsement and fundraising.
Our Revolution Georgia State Committee Member, Vice President of the Young Democrats of Georgia, Hall County Board of Elections Member, and former candidate for State House Michelle Sanchez Jones said of the endorsement, “the Republican Party has purported to represent North Georgia for a generation now, and, outside of the Governor’s backyard, we deserve more from our government. Our hospitals need more money. Our classrooms need more teachers. We need the tools to help those struggling with opioid addiction. The burden of supporting our communities falls disproportionately on our churches and faith institutions. It’s time we got our money’s worth from Washington, and Joshua McCall is exactly the man to help make that happen.”
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Background: Consideration of endorsement by the national organization requires prior endorsement from a local affiliate. Our Revolution has numerous affiliates throughout the state whose leadership jointly approve endorsements – with deference given to the chapter closest to the district in question. McCall’s endorsement represents the agreement of affiliates and leadership from Savannah to Atlanta, Athens to Henry County.
Well Water Testing
Outdoors October 18, 2017
Well Water Testing
By: Eddie Ayers, County Extension Agent
For the most part, north Georgia did not see extreme flooding as a result of hurricane Irma as did other areas of the state, but it does bring to mind the importance of well safety. Wells that were overtopped by flood waters need to be flushed and tested for bacteria because of the potential danger of contaminants being washed into the well. UGA Extension Water Resource Management and Policy Specialist Gary Hawkins recommends pumping and flushing a minimum of 2 or 3 times the well volume to clear the system. This water should be discarded from an outside faucet and not from an inside faucet to bypass the home’s septic tank. After pumping the water, the well should be shock chlorinated then the well should be flushed again until there is no smell of chlorine bleach and, like before, the flushing step should be done through an outdoor faucet to bypass the septic system. This highly chlorinated water, if discharged to the septic tank, could cause problems with the bacterial colonies in the septic tank.
After the well is shock-chlorinated, flushed and the chlorine smell is gone (about two weeks), the well water should be tested for bacteria. Families can get their well water tested using their local county UGA Extension office. Until the test for bacteria comes back, Hawkins strongly suggests that water for cooking or drinking be boiled before consumption. If the well contains bacteria the report will explain how to treat the well.
To calculate the volume of water that should be pumped from a well, use the following calculation. Most of the well casings in this area are 6 inches so the factor for that size is 1.47. That means that there are 1.47 gallons of water for every foot in depth. Multiply the depth of water in the well by this factor to determine how much water is in the well. If your casing is not 6 inches, contact me in the Gilmer County UGA Extension office and we can get the right factor.
There are several methods to determine how much water you have flushed out, but the one that I use is to calculate how long it takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket. Divide that time by 5 to get the output per minute. Using this figure you can determine how many minutes you need to run the water to flush the number of gallons of water that was determined in the previous calculation. A couple of methods can be used to determine the depth of water in a well. If you can see the water in the well, lower a heavy object tied to a string down the well and measure the length of the string until you see the object touch the water. In a deep well, lower a heavy object like above until you hear the object hit the water and measure the length of string. If you cannot see the object hit the water, another way (but less accurate) is to drop a small stone into the well and count or time the seconds it takes for the stone to hit the water (you will have to listen closely for this.) Multiply the number of seconds by 32.2 and that will let you know how far the water is below the surface. Knowing the depth of the well and the depth from surface, subtract the two to get the height of the water column for calculating the volume of water in the well.
An example of this calculation is if you have a well that is 300 feet deep and the water level is 25 feet from the surface, subtracting 25 from 300 equals 275 which means you have 275 feet of water in the well. Multiply 275 by 1.47 to get the gallons in the well. That figure is 404.25 gallons. Using a factor of 3 pints per 100 gallons, you would need to apply a little over 12 pints of chlorine bleach in the well.
If you have any questions about this process or for more information on well water testing, contact me at the Gilmer County UGA Extension office.
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
A Best Veteran’s Day Speech
Opinion November 15, 2017
For nearly two decades, Veterans Day in Gilmer County, Ga., has been a big event, celebrated with a parade, music, marching veterans in uniform, flags, the Gilmer Co. High School Band and chorus, free breakfasts and after parade lunches for vets. The schools also participate with prize money offered in essay and poster contests. A few times we have even enjoyed the thrill of fly overs by reserve aviation unites or CAP planes. Even a out of county High School ROTC Unit has asked to participate in the parade for the past several years. It’s always a busy day and always includes, as the main speaker, some dignitary or other, often a military officer, returned from a war zone, a local business personality or some other recognizable name.
This year, 2017, the invited guest speaker was Georgia’s own Speaker of the Georgia Assembly, and our state representative, The Honorable, Mr. David Ralston and also, a friend of mine. The following essay is the excellent speech, (verbatim) of speaker Ralston this year and was, in my opinion, just too good not to share:
“Good morning. What a beautiful day to be in Gilmer County!
I stand before you today as one who is proud to be an American. I am proud to be in Gilmer County. I am proud and honored to be a part of this very special occasion to honor our veterans for their service and sacrifice. Nothing I can say will full express the enormous debt of gratitude we owe to those who have served our nation in our military.
I want to thank everyone who helped put this spectacular display of patriotism on this morning. I particularly want to thank all of the students who have participated in today’s festivities. You all have helped us show that the American spirit is alive and well in North Georgia! Serving as Speaker of your House of Representatives as well as your State Representative is an honor for which I am thankful each and every day.
I know our political dialogue isn’t as kind as it once was. We’ve got some divisions that need healing. But we are so much better off than many other nations in the world. Here we are free to discuss and debate our disagreements. We can come to a table with different views and reason together. We have open, free and fair elections that put each and every one of us on a level playing field. That’s not the case in North Korea. That’s not the case in Zimbabwe. That’s not the case in Cuba. That’s not the case in Venezuela.
But here in this great nation, you and I are free. I am free to take a knee when I pray and I am free to stand with pride when the National Anthem is played or the Pledge of Allegiance is recited. In so many other parts of the world, people don’t enjoy the freedoms we enjoy. Their decisions are made for them. Their leaders are selected by others. The information they get is filtered for them by others. In 2017 when so many nations around the world are free – it can be hard to remember the millions of our brothers and sister who aren’t. Why do they still suffer under tyrants and dictators and we don’t? — Our men and women in uniform.
Our service members and veterans who have stood up to serve this one nation – under God – indivisible – say it with me – “with liberty and justice for all.” Throughout our history, America has been attacked by those who don’t value freedom. Whether it was the Axis powers in World War II or today’s terrorists from ISIS or Al Qaeda, Americans have always had the protection of our armed forces.
In the noise of today’s 24-hour news cycle, service and sacrifice aren’t qualities that we hear much about. That’s a shame. Yet there are heroes who live in communities each and every day – our mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, neighbors and friends – the veterans of our armed forces.
If anything, I hope today reminds us that no matter what happens, there are good and decent patriots who have stood up to defend our freedoms. They have offered to make the ultimate sacrifice and lay down their lives, if necessary, to protect this nation and its citizens. In the Book of John, Jesus tells us that “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
By stepping forward and volunteering to serve, each member of our Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Reserves offers to do just that. So today is a day that we pause to honor and celebrate their collective service and sacrifice. Today we rededicate ourselves to supporting our veterans and showing them the gratitude they deserve.
So long as the sun rises and the stars come out at night, this nation will remain a beacon of hope and opportunity for every oppressed person around the globe. They dream of one day enjoying the freedoms we enjoy. They dream of the limitless possibilities that exist in America.
And so long as our armed forces keep watch, this nation will stand proudly as the land of the free and the home of the brave. May God bless our veterans and our United States of America. Thank you!”
Remember, Freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now, go get ‘em! (13Nov17)
Spring Break is here – Karla’s here to help you plan your “Stay-cation”!
Community, Featured March 28, 2017
Spring Break 2017 is just around the corner. If you are staying in town and you’re short on ideas of fun things to do with your children during your “stay-cation” have no fear, Karla is here! Today during her segment, Karla tells us about many things to do and places to visit right here in Gilmer County. A list of all the local businesses she discusses in this video and many more can be found by clicking here: Gilmer Chamber
Gilmer Middle School 4-H’ers make cards to fulfill wish for terminally ill 10 year old’s birthday
Community, Featured September 20, 2016
Chase Howard turned ten on 9/19/16 and instead of the usual request for games or toys, his wish was for birthday cards. Howard’s family explained Chase can’t celebrate his birthday with a typical party because he’s lost mobility in his legs.
Chase suffers from a rare and fatal form of Muscular Dystrophy. It’s called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and it strikes less than 200,000 people in the United States each year. There is no cure and Chase is confined to a wheelchair.
Gilmer County Middle School 4-H members decided to help make Chase’s wish come true. These are just a few of the cards that the Gilmer Middle School 4-H’ers made for Chase Howard.
Chase is the terminally ill young man from Marietta. If you’d like to send Chase a card, please mail to:
Chase Howard 2318 Zelma Court Marietta, GA 30060