DawsonTimes.com

Sen. Gooch: Week 2 Legislative Update
The 2012 Legislative session is off to a fast start as lawmakers have already passed several pieces of legislation and met to discuss the Governor’s budget recommendations.  In addition to my duties at the Capitol, I spent time this week meeting with several key leaders from throughout the 51^st District as well as my constituents...
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Sen. Gooch: Future Looks Bright for Georgia
In what is normally a traditionally ceremonial first day of session, members of the Georgia General Assembly passed two significant bills aimed at setting a positive course for Georgia’s future. On the opening day of session, Senators worked to advance student achievement in the classroom and ensure the right people are in place to lead our students...
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Clint Smith to Run for State House of Representatives District 9 Seat
Clint Smith of Dawson County has announced his candidacy for the State House District 9 legislative seat. The new district includes all of Lumpkin County, the majority of Dawson County and a portion of Hall County. A long time Republican activist, Clint Smith served in the Georgia House of Representatives for eight years...
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Georgia Republicans Oppose Irresponsible Tax Policy
Today, the House of Representatives rejected the Senate amendment to H.R. 3630, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, and requested a meeting with the Senate to work out a compromise. The Senate’s amendment to the legislation only extended the tax relief through February, setting up yet another showdown on this issue in the coming months...
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Ribbon Cutting for the Dawson County Government Center
The citizens of Dawson County are invited to attend the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting for the Dawson County Government Center. Tuesday, January 3, 2012...
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Dawson County Government Offices Moving to New Facility in January
On Wednesday, January 4, 2012, Dawson County government and judicial offices and services will begin moving into the new government center located at 25 Justice Way, Dawsonville, GA 30534. The move will be conducted in several phases and is expected to conclude by early February...
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Graves Statement on Bob Barr Decision not to Run for Congress in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District

U.S. Rep. Tom Graves released the following statement after former Congressman Bob Barr announced today he would not be challenging Rep. Graves in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District:

"Julie and I appreciate Bob and Jeri’s continued commitment to serving our nation.  During his tenure in Congress, I closely followed Bob’s work, learning much from his principled positions for less government and more personal freedom...

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Sen. Steve Gooch Co-Sponsored Legislation Promoting Responsible Welfare
Sen. Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega) co-sponsored Senate Bill 292, legislation which would require mandatory drug testing for social service recipients. Senate bill 292, known as the Social Responsibility and Accountability Act, would require recipients of Medicaid and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) welfare programs to undergo drug tests similar to the routine drug-screening measures set forth by the private sector...
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Rep. Tom Graves Votes for National Right-to-Carry and Second Amendment Gun Rights
H.R. 822, The National Right-to-Carry Act of 2011, was introduced by U.S. Rep. Cliff (R-FL-6) on February 18, 2011.  The bill provides a national standard for conceal and carry permits in order to allow non-residents of a state to carry a concealed handgun, as long as they possess a valid conceal and carry permit in another state...
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Georgia Democrats Energized by Election Results
With Tuesday’s election results nearly complete, Georgia Democrats are energized by the beginning of a Democratic resurgence and further confirmation that their “5% Solution” is winning crucial races...
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In Touch with Your Dawson County Government
As we enter November, we are concluding two of Dawson County’s very successful programs for the year...
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Dawson County Scrap Tire Amnesty Day
Keep Dawson County Beautiful presents Dawson County residents a scrap tire amnesty day. Each household may dispose of, at no charge, up to 10 clean passenger car or light truck size tires at the Dawson County Transfer Station on Saturday, November 5, 2011 from 7 AM - 4 PM...
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Senators Form Caucus Honoring Wounded Warriors
The mission of the caucus is to support "Capitol Tours for America's Heroes," a program Senator Conrad developed earlier this year with the Department of Defense and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center that offers rehabilitating service members guided tours of the United States Capitol...
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Boxer And Isakson Praise The Announcment of New Efforts To Help Homeowners Refinance
U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) today praised the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s announcement of new steps it will take to reduce the barriers that have kept millions of responsible homeowners from refinancing and taking advantage of today’s record low interest rates...
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Georgia State Senate Announces Death of Former Secretary of the Senate
The Georgia State Senate is saddened to announce the death of Hamilton McWhorter Jr., Secretary of the Georgia Senate from 1967 – 1992. McWhorter, Jr. passed away Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at the Lenbrook Retirement Community in Atlanta...
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Dawson County Government, Bowen Center Partner to Showcase Local Art
Dawson County Government has partnered with the Dawson County Arts Council and the Bowen Center for the Arts to provide a showcase inside the new government center and courthouse for local artists. County Manager Kevin Tanner is excited about the collaboration. “We wanted to make this government building different from others. We wanted to recognize and highlight our local flavor and culture,” said Tanner. “This is an opportunity to show what talented artists we have in Dawson County.”...
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Georgia Secretary of State Kemp Announces Contract For New Voter Registration System
Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp today announced that PCC Technology Group has been awarded the contract to replace Georgia’s voter registration system with its “ElectioNet” product suite...
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Isakson, Graves Introduce the HOME Act to Help Americans Keep their Homes
U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09) issued the following statement after introducing the HOME Act, a bill to allow Americans to make withdrawals from their retirement accounts to pay timely mortgage payments, in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives...
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HUD Approves $210 Million Mortage To Finance Major Construction
 The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced a commitment to insure a mortgage loan to St. Francis Hospital in Columbus,Georgia...
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Secretary of State Kemp Announces Georgia’s Presidential Preference Primary Date
Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp announced today that the state will hold its presidential preference primary on Tuesday, March 6, 2012...
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Dawson County Board of Commissioners Notice of Special Called Meeting
The Board of Commissioners of Dawson County shall hold a special called meeting on Thursday, September 22, 2011 beginning at 4:00 p.m. in the G.L. Pete Gilleland meeting room located at City Hall located at 415 Highway 53 East, Dawsonville, Georgia...
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Satellite Tag Office Closing

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Help Dawson County Emergency Services Win a $10,000 Fire Safety Pledge Award
“Now through October 31, people can show their community support and learn more about fire safety simply by visiting the Be Fire Smart website and taking the quick online quiz,” said Emergency Services spokesperson Cathy Brooks. “It takes less than two minutes,” she added...
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Statement of State Transportation Board Chairman Rudy Bowen Regarding Management Changes at the Georgia Department of
"I have today accepted the resignation of Vance Smith as Commissioner of the Department of Transportation".
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9/11 Commemorated at the GA Capitol
Photo Journal by Todd Rehm...
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Graves Responds To President Obama’s Jobs Speech
Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09) issued the following response to President Barack Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress about the unemployment crisis in America...
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Graves Statement On August Unemployment Report
U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09) issued the following statement on the Department of Labor’s August unemployment report, which showed the jobless rate remained at 9.1 percent...
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Statement from Sen. Steve Gooch Regarding the Congressional District Map
“I supported the State House and State Senate maps but I could not support the Congressional map because of the negative feedback from my constituents. I understand that this process, by its very nature, can’t please everyone. Districts must be redrawn, some to include more voters and others to include fewer voters, to ensure Constitutional representational requirements are met. However, I was voted into office by my constituents and I am only accountable to them...
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Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee Chairmen Release Proposed Congressional Redistricting Plan
The House and Senate Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee Chairmen, Rep. Roger Lane (R-Darien) and Senator Mitch Seabaugh (R-Sharpsburg), released their proposed plan for the state’s Congressional Districts today...
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Redistricting and its Impact on the 51st District
Currently, the 51st District includes the entire counties of Dawson, Gilmer, Fannin, Pickens, Lumpkin, Union and portions of Forsyth and White counties. If the proposed map is approved, the new 51st District will include the whole counties of Dawson, Gilmer, Fannin, Lumpkin, Union, White and portions of Pickens and Forsyth counties...
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