Newcomers Guide 2014-2015

NEWCOMER'S 2014-2015

Guide

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE COVINGTON NEWS AND THE NEWS

Covington Women’s Health Specialists, LLC Women Caring for Women

Janice D. Joiner, CNM, Dr. Cathy T. Larrimore, MD, Kerry G. Dewberry, WHNP, Lynn M. Stock, CNM

Welcome Barbara Susin CNM, MPH, MSN to our practice

SUITE DEVOTED TO MIDWIFERY CARE NORMAL AND HIGH RISK PREGNANCY Family Centered Maternity Care 3D / 4D Ultrasound Trial of Labor after Cesarean COMPREHENSIVE WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE Annual Exams • Infertility Osteoporisis • Contraception Options HPV Testing and Vaccination • Abnormal Pap Smears Endometriosis • Fibroids Menopause-HRT Bio-identical Hormones OFFICE PROCEDURES Hysteroscopy • Colposcopy • LEEP SURGICAL GYNECOLOGY Hysterectomy • Laparoscopic Hysterectomy Laparoscopy • HTA – Novasure Minimally Invasive Surgical Services Member of American Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery

Now Accepting New Patients Covington Women’s Health Specialists, LLC

Cathy T. Larrimore, MD XNSP1616

Physician’s Pavilion at Newton Medical Center 4181 Hospital Drive, Suite 104, Covington

770.385.8954

www.cwhs-larrimore.com

rockdalemedicalcenter.org

“Award-winning hospital… right here at home.”

RENOVATED AND EXPANDED to a 20-Bed Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

AWARDED ACCREDITATION BY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY in Mammography, MRI, Stereotactic Breast Biopsy, CT and Ultrasound.

ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY ACCREDITATION for second time.

NAMED TO GEORGIA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION CORE MEASURE HONOR ROLL: Trustee Category

NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED as one of only 3 hospitals in the Greater Atlanta area by The Joint Commission as a Top Performer in Quality Measures for Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Pneumonia and Surgical Care.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION BY CONSUMER REPORTS for Outstanding Surgical Safety Outcomes.

AWARDED ADVANCED CERTIFICATION for Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission

IN A NUTSHELL 6 8

14 18 20 31

from the publisher Welcome Letter Newton County

Why you're here and tale of 8 A two counties why you should stay Keith Ellis takes a moment to share his love of Newton County

our 11 From officials

Covington center 14 The of town

The past, present and future of Main Street Covington

our 15 From officials

Ronnie Johnston takes a moment to share his love of Newton County

Through the seasons Tourism the steps 20 In of stars

Find out Newton County's claim to fame

26 Hollywood of the South

All the film and TV shows shot in Newton County

our 28 From officials

Hunter Hall takes a moment to share his love of Newton County

Neighborhood Guide 32 COVINGTON

45 NEWBORN

48 OXFORD

50 MANSFIELD

48 PORTERDALE

51

Buy Local

56

sports & Recreation

ON THE COVER

51 Hometown, homegrown

You don't have to travel far to get a taste of fresh produce

top dogs Quick facts about the sports-related 56 Our of the county pros that you probably didn’t know

and 60 Parks recreation

62

It doesn't get better than this

For some outdoor fun or indoor athletic activities, check out these places

Education our 62 From officials

Samantha Fuhrey takes a moment to share her love of Newton County

is the 66 Who Board of Ed?

Get to know Newton County School System's trustees

school 67 NCSS calendar

Circle 69 Social school calendar

to know List of high schools, colleges 70 Get your schools and universities in the area Photo by Darrell Everidge

74

Directory 74 Churches 78 Recycling 80 Emergency

4 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

86 Polling

88 Club

90 Advertisers

82 Schools

85 Recreation & Libraries



Diseases of the Skin, Hair & Nails Skin Care for the Entire Family Skin Cancer Diagnosis & Surgery Botox ~ Chemical Peels ~ Leg Vein Treatment



1st Row; Left to Right: Sherry McGee, Medical Assistant; Christy Baugh, Medical Assistant; Tammy Speer, Medical Assistant;

Amy Stone, Medical Assistant.

2nd Row, Left to Right: Eva Simon, Medical Assistant, Rita Collantes, Medical Assistant; Ashley Heath, Physician

Assistant; Judy Frazier, Medical Secretary; Joe Overton, Jr., (M.D., Emory Graduate); Shiara Vassian, Physician Assistant & Holly Rohletter, Medical Secretary.

The Dermatology Center of Newton-Rockdale, P.C. The Summit at Covington Ridge 4155 Baker Street, Suite 100 • Covington, GA

770-788-0620 ~ www.overtondermatology.com Proudly Serving Newton-Rockdale Area for 13 Years!

MOST INSURANCE ACCEPTED • NEW PATIENTS WELCOME

NEW COMER'S Guide 2014-15

T. PAT CAVANAUGH Publisher

DEBBIE THOMPSON

Letter from the Publisher

A WARM Newton County embraces tradition, looks to the future

WELCOME

Comptroller

BRYAN FAZIO MICHELLE KIM Editors

SABASTIAN WEE Design Editor

AMANDA ELLINGTON

Circulation Supervisor

CARIN DEBOER

Graphics Manager EDITORIAL STAFF SHAKEEM HOLLOWAY, Sports Editor GABRIEL KHOULI, Reporter KAYLA ROBINS, Reporter ARIELLE COAMBES, Proofreader DARRELL EVERIDGE, Photographer SAMANTHA REARDON, Intern

ADVERTISING CYNTHIA BLACKSHEAR-WARREN

Covington Sales Director ANNETTE GODWIN

Rockdale Sales Director SUSAN GRAJKO

Sales Representative BARBARA GILLESPIE

Sales Representative BRANDON DECOSSE

Sales Representative ALEC SMITH

Sales Representative

GRAPHIC DESIGN

MARK GARNER, Designer

CIRCULATION CARMEN RICKS MORGAN THOMPSON

SOLUTIONS GROUP JASON COSBY, Account Executive

6 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

G

reetings. If you are and television series such new to our county, as “The Dukes of Hazzard,” you have picked a "Remember the Titans,” place of natural "My Cousin Vinny,” “In the beauty and special Heat of the Night,” “Prishistorical heritage. oners,” the current smash If you have lived here all hit “The Vampire Diaries” of your life, this guide will and more. remind you of the good No wonder Covington bills things that exist here and itself as “The Hollywood of why you or your famithe South.”

T. PAT CAVANAUGH ly chose to call Newton Newton County also is the PUBLISHER County home. birthplace of Georgia 4-H Our staff here at The Covand has a rich agricultural ington News spends about heritage. It is rich in land four months preparing this magazine and water resources. A drive through each year. We are proud that we, too, the countryside reveals rolling farmare part of Newton County’s history. The land, scenic rivers and a deep respect Covington News traces its heritage back for tradition.

149 years.

With pharmaceutical giant Baxter You will discover that Newton CounInternational building a 12-acre complex ty has five cities: Covington, which is where 1,500 people ultimately will be emthe county seat, along with Porterdale, ployed, Newton County and surrounding Oxford, Newborn and Mansfield. Each has communities are poised to build a strong its own unique personality. economic base in biotechnology, a key Newton County itself is named for Sgt. goal of the state of Georgia.

John Newton, who served under the faWith four colleges and a bioscience mous Gen. Francis Marion, “The Swamp training center on its way, Newton Fox,” during the Revolutionary War. County is working hard on providing The history of the county is more the education to help Georgia reach prevalent this year, as Oxford celethat goal. Covington is even taking brates its 175 birthday, with several steps to advance its own technology, events and items all throughout 2014. as a compressed natural gas station The county is rich in Southern opened in the city earlier this year. history and still contains many anYes, you have chosen a great county tebellum homes, one being Twelve in which to live. We urge you to use this Oaks, said to be the model for Ashley guide to navigate around it.

Wilkes’ home in the book and movie And to keep up to date on happenings “Gone with the Wind.” in your new home, read The Covington Newton County and Covington, with News or follow us at CovNews.com and their wealth of historic architecture, Facebook.com/covnews. have been the scene of major movies Welcome.

OFFERING GENERAL, SURGICAL, AND COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY

  

Newton County

two count a tale of

why you’re here and why you should stay

By Gabriel Khouli

POPULATION PICK UP Below are the population totals for Newton County by decennial censuses. Newton County’s rate of growth started climbing in the 1990s before exploding in the 2000s. If the housing market hadn’t collapsed in 2008, the county could have added another several thousand residents.

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 JULY 2013

32,400 34,666 41,808 61,906 99,958 102,446*

*This is the latest annual estimate put out by the U.S. Census Bureau.

8 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

W

elcome to Newton County, and one reporter’s big-picture view of one of Georgia’s largest, most diverse and potentially pivotal counties.

If you’re new to the area, thinking about moving here or just curious for a take from someone who’s been covering the community for five and a half years, I’m going to take you through some of the county’s most pressing issues and greatest opportunities that will shape its future and maybe even that of the greater east Atlanta region.

A

BIT OF PERSPECTIVE A 35-mile car ride east along Interstate 20 gets you from the heart of Atlanta to Covington’s downtown Square. If you find yourself in Atlanta and bring up Covington, you’ll find many people who have heard of the city and many who haven’t.

That makes sense, because the metro Atlanta region, which hasn’t historically included Newton County, is Georgia’s economic engine, cultural center and home to some 5.5 million people as well as one of the South’s most important metropolises.

And it’s Newton County’s proximity to Atlanta that both leaves the county overshadowed and provides it with some of its greatest opportunities to become a business and quality of life destination for the state.

Newton County is unlikely to suddenly vault to the top of Georgia’s most desirable places to live, but the county has some important assets that could help it carve out its niche.

A

BIT OF HISTORY Newton County has already gone through a couple of niches.

A manufacturing boom in the '60s and '70s brought a number of big-time industries to the county, including Hercules (now Fibervisions), Mobil Chemical Company (an ancestor of Pactiv) and Bard Urological Division, now C.R. Bard. In the 1980s and 1990s, General Mills and SKC continued the trend and located new plants in Covington.

The more recent niche, however, is as a bedroom community for Atlanta.

Several factors collided in the late '90s and 2000s to turn Newton County into one of the 10 fastest-growing counties (by percentage population growth) in the entire United States.

Atlanta was using the prestige of hosting the 1996 summer Olympics to spur job growth in the midst of an already booming U.S. economy, fueled by the dot-com and technology booms. The economic gains laid the foundation for huge population growth that continued even after the dot-com bust, when record-low interest rates and skyrocketing land and home values led to a home building surge all around metro Atlanta.

Newton County, one of Georgia’s biggest counties at 279 square miles, had land to spare and people flocked to the inexpensive housing being built in the area. The county’s population grew by 20,193 during the 1990s and another 34,018 from 2000 to 2007.

The dairy farms and forests of western Newton County were replaced with sprawling subdivisions, emulating development patterns that had occurred previously in DeKalb and Rockdale counties further west, and thousands more homes were scheduled to be built when the housing market collapsed in 2008.

In the aftermath of the U.S.’s worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, several thousand local construction workers found themselves out of jobs and parts of Newton County were left scarred with the remnants of unfulfilled promise.

Darrell Everidge/The Covington News

continued PAGE 11

d

“Rockdale Medical Center is the first healthcare facility in the metro Atlanta area to acquire and implement Air Strip ONE™ and Air Strip ONE™ CARDIOLOGY.” – Deborah Armstrong, CEO

Anytime…Anywhere…

AirStr AirStr

AirStrip ONE Cardiology provides AirStrip ONEtransmission Cardiology provides interactive of ECGs interactive transmission ECGs and monitor data, alongof with access and monitor data, along with to historical patient data, allaccess on a tomobile historical patient data, all on a device. mobile device.

An innovative mobile patient ™ AirStrip ONE CArdiOlOgy monitoring solution that allows our physicians to keep a closer eye on A Synchronized View of the Vital Patient Data Needed Improve Patient Care patients’ labor and delivery, cardiac toHeart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. care, labs, diagnostic and additional The associated costs exceed $100 billion annually.

At the same time, health systems must maintain efficient treatment decisions at a moments cardiology services. Fast-changing reimbursement trends and care models threaten the bottom line. notice.

AirStrip ONE Cardiology provides interactive transmission of ECGs and monitor data, along with access to historical patient data, all on a mobile device.

Clinical mobility can help health systems capture more revenue, reduce costs and improve workflows in the high-volume and resource-intensive cardiology service line – in turn driving consistent performance improvement and freeing up dollars for other priorities.

Providing a comprehensive solution centered on immediate access to ECGs with historical patient data on mobile devices, AirStrip ONE ™ Cardiology supports coordination throughout the care continuum.

Cardiologists, primary care physicians, ED staff, cath lab teams and others can all have a synchronized view of the vital patient data needed to improve patient care, regardless of location or time of day.

The leader in healthcare technology

1412 Milstead Avenue Conyers, Georgia 30012

800-424-DOCS (3627) 1

www.rockdalemedicalcenter.org

Newton County from our officials

A CITY FOR ALL

W

elcome to Newton County — a great place to live, work and play. Newton County enjoys distinctive and diverse natural, cultural and historic resources, all within 35 miles of Atlanta. From our urban centers to our more rural settings, Newton County offers all who come a taste of that special southKEITH ELLIS ern small town charm.

COUNTY CHAIRMAN Blessed with beautiful antebellum architecture, tree-lined streets and a vibrant town square, Newton County is like a place you only see in storybooks. For generations, the symbol and “heart” of our county has been the iconic and historic courthouse, one of the most beautiful in the state and one of the most-filmed courthouses in the U.S. The film and television industry has made Newton County its second home, with our county seat, Covington, being nicknamed "Hollywood of the South." More than 60 films and television shows have been filmed here, including favorites like "In the Heat of the Night," "The Dukes of Hazard" and currently "Selma" and "The Vampire Diaries."

Natural beauty abounds in Newton County with three rivers — the Alcovy, Yellow and South rivers coming together at Lake Jackson. Lush and picturesque farms dot the landscape, and fishermen can find the best fishing reservoir in Georgia at Lake Varner. Our popular Factory Shoals Park with its beautiful shoals, camping and the historic ruins of one of the original mill villages is a favorite of residents and visitors alike.

Quality of life is important to us in the Newton County area. This is why we work so hard to preserve that quality for future residents. To provide every Newton County citizen an exceptional quality of life, now and in the future, we introduced the 2050 Plan. An entirely unique guide for Newton County’s growth, the 2050 Plan protects clean water, creates communities, creates interconnected corridors, and coordinates public infrastructure investments. The 2050 Plan is Newton County’s roadmap for growth and a bright and prosperous future.

I know Newton County to be a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family, and it is my goal to make Newton County government more accessible and responsive to the needs of our constituents and to those seeking information about us. Should you have any questions or need information, I invite you to drop by my office located in the Historic Courthouse on the Covington Square. And make sure to visit our web page at co.newton.ga.us and like us on Facebook.

Again, welcome to Newton County.

Keith Ellis, Chair Newton County Board of Commissioners

from PAGE 9

A

TALE OF TWO COUNTIES The county was forever transformed, yet many officials and longtime residents in Covington and eastern Newton County were relieved that the collapse, as devastating as it was, prevented the county from being completely overrun by suburban sprawl.

They used the opportunity to continue a movement that had been started to direct and control growth and preserve the county’s rural nature, including its greenspace, forests and farms.

They wanted development to come back, but they wanted it to be the right kind of development.

So they developed an ambitious, comprehensive, community-altering land use plan that is on the cusp of being implemented.

The plan has its champions, who say it’s the path to making Newton County a high-quality community to rival the most desirable areas of Atlanta, and its detractors, who fear the extra level of government regulation will only further stymie slowly growing development and strip property rights from landowners who deserve more freedom.

Known as the 2050 Plan, because it anticipates Newton County nearing its population limit by 2050, the plan is meant to build off the way the county looks today. A series of public meetings about the heart of the

plan — the zoning ordinances that will enforce it — are underway as this magazine is published. (Check CovNews.com and search “baseline ordinances” to find the dates, times and locations of the meetings.)

Western Newton County is more densely developed, with subdivision after subdivision lining its major corridors and plenty of undeveloped and partially built subdivisions waiting for a housing recovery.

The area’s residents tend to be more connected to cities further west than Covington for two reasons: many of them hold down professional-level jobs in the metro area and they’re attracted to Conyers’s and Lithonia’s much more robust shopping scenes.

With the exception of Publix and Walmart, western Newton County lacks much retail punch, and it doesn’t have a whole lot of amenities, though the openings of the Porter Memorial Branch Library and Denny Dobbs Park have given the area some character.

Further east, the county ranges from fairly to very rural with pockets of subdivisions interspersed with large land lots, farms and undeveloped forest.

Many of those residents identify more closely with Covington, though they’d like to see more commercial development come to the east side. However, they don’t want to see the massive residential growth and traffic and crime

continued PAGE 12

Town of Newborn “A Town with P.O. Box 247, Newborn, GA 30056 770-787-1660 www.newbornga.com

Characters” Mayor: Gregg Ellwanger Mayor Pro Tem: Tom Krieger

Council Members: Gene Downs, Ruth Sams, Martha Ellwanger Clerk: Elisa Rowe Assistant Clerk: Heather Jackson Public Works Department: Keith Hunt & Donald Clement

“Home of the Horneyhead Fishing Tournament”

from PAGE 11 issues that can come with it.

The west side is more demographically diverse and leans Democratic; the east side is a Republican stronghold. The difference is starkly contrasted in the county’s two congressmen, who couldn’t be further away on the political spectrum. Democrat Hank Johnson is among the House’s most liberal members and Republican Paul Broun among its staunchest conservatives. Their districts’ dividing line splits Newton County down the middle.

My take is a broad brush picture of the county but it’s a useful one for understanding the lens through which many community leaders look.

R

OAD TO RECOVERY Newton County was hit hard by the housing collapse, since its record growth had been driven almost entirely by housing construction. Construction workers and craftsmen lost jobs.

Those workers and others who had bought homes outside of their budget on risky mortgages lost their homes. The county’s tax base, which had been inflated by unsustainable home values, collapsed.

The aftermath was ugly, and Newton County is just now starting to see the signs of real recovery. Home prices continue to rise, residential construction is picking up, businesses are expanding and new ones are coming.

Isolated incidents of hope, like the Mystic Grill restaurant opening on the Square and the arrival of Ross clothing store, are beginning to string together to form some momentum.

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Baxter International’s April 2012 decision to locate a new $1 billion manufacturing campus on the Newton/Walton county border has a consistent source of hope and optimism for brighter days ahead.

The bioscience plant, which will make plasma-derived therapies, will eventually employ around 1,500 workers itself, a huge total even among big manufacturers, but the fact that it was the first tenant to land in the 1,600-acre Stanton Springs Industrial Park is equally significant.

Baxter’s arrival is used as leverage by community leaders in all sorts of efforts and has framed many conversations about the future — as an important side note, Baxter is splitting into two companies in 2015 and the Covington plant will fall under the new company’s name whenever that is decided.

However, the county still has a long way to go, as the number of unemployed and underemployed workers remains high and concerns remain about the number of residents who lack two-year college or even high school degrees.

A new community workforce development center, the New Leaf Workforce Center, and

an under-construction Georgia BioScience Training Center in Stanton Springs provide some hope of progress to come, especially when combined with the Newton College and Career Academy, which is helping some local high school students get a head start on careers right out of school.

Landing another large industry or two would certainly spur the push for high-quality development, and that can’t come soon enough for residents who are tired of reading about the arrival of more dollar stores and fast food chains.

S

MALL TOWN CHARM, RURAL BEAUTY Despite all the talk about growth and future opportunities, if you were to ask many residents where the county’s heart lies, they’d point you to the Covington Square.

A true town square, the Covington Square is a community gathering spot. Whether it's weekday lunch concerts, Saturday car or tractor shows or massive festivals, the Square remains the town’s calling card, accompanied by its Historic Courthouse, which continues to be a prominent fixture in TV shows and movies looking to capture the essence of small town America.

The Square lacks any sort of nightlife, with the exception of the dinner crowds at the Mystic Grill and Amici’s, and it probably won’t develop one without adding at least a handful more restaurants to the mix, but it remains an anchor for the community.

The area has remained fairly vibrant, and the steady amount of filming for movies and TV shows helps it feel like a happening place, even though the road closures and delays are an occasional pain in the neck. Covington has trademarked the motto “Hollywood of the South” and can trace its movie lineage back to the 1955 film, “A Man Called Peter.”

This fact gives hope the area can remain in the limelight for years to come.

The Covington City Council’s decision to pay to build public restrooms downtown – construction is ongoing now – is one they hope will pay off in improving the area’s draw to visitors for major events.

And that’s not to mention the charm of the county’s even smaller cities. Porterdale, just south of Covington, is doing all it can to turn itself in a little river village, using its location off the recreational Yellow River to reestablish its identity five decades after the death of its textile mill.

Oxford, the calm city founded by the Methodist Church, remains quaint and quiet, while Oxford College, a two-year college partner of Emory University, continues to grow quietly in size and stature.

Newborn and Mansfield remain the ideal of the American small town – a couple hundred

residents mixed in with a few businesses with no need for stoplights. The town council meetings will even, every once a while, harken back to the days when council meetings used to be a true gathering of the community for the purpose of airing grievances and reaching a public consensus on the town’s business.

There’s some real character and plenty of real characters.

I

T’S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE However, for many people who come to Atlanta or the east Atlanta region from elsewhere, Newton County has a tough time differentiating itself. If you want a more urban experience, you’re better off in Decatur or one of Atlanta’s many established and up-and-coming neighborhoods.

If you want the true rural experience, sparsely populated Morgan County is just a little further east and offers true country living.

The modern suburban experience is being exemplified in Cobb County and areas of Gwinnett County. Lake living is found around Lake Oconee and Lake Lanier, though Jackson Lake on Newton County’s southern border holds some attraction.

Newton County is a hodgepodge, which isn’t such a bad thing. It’s got a little bit of a lot of things.

But if you’re buying Newton County — or choosing to reinvest in the place you’ve already called home — you’re probably buying it because of its potential and its people.

Other Georgia communities, and many in the South for that matter, have a similar characteristic, but the people in Newton County are downright welcoming. They’ll come over and introduce themselves — sometimes they’ll even bring a pie — they’ll invite you to church and they’ll offer to lend a helping hand if needed.

The county isn’t so big that you get swallowed up in it. You can call people up and they answer. You can offer to volunteer and get involved and they’ll accept your help. You can carve out a niche pretty quickly.

I’m from the Midwest, another region known for having kind-hearted, down-toearth people. But I grew up in a fairly large city, and when I moved to Newton County as a young adult, things were different. People invited me out to eat and over to their homes — and loaded me up with leftovers. They were happy to stop and talk and get to know me.

They seemed to care; they were willing to invest in me.

Not everyone who comes to Newton County will have that kind of experience, but when people ask me why I’m still here after six years, I tell them it’s because I found a group of people who cared. And I care about them, too.

getginn.com

LIKE US ON

“Where making you happy is what it’s all about!”

770-786-3421

Commercial & Fleet Sales 678-625-4000

770-786-2271

All prices plus tax, tag and Ga Lemon Law. Vehicles subject to prior sale. Dealer not responsible for typographical errors.

Covington

THE CENTER

OF TOWN

Darrell Everidge/The Covington News

Getting to know the county’s Main Street programs and the visionaries behind each city’s beautification

By Kayla Robins

W

elcome to Newton County, where the past is simultaneously preserved and enhanced to benefit today’s residents and tomorrow’s newcomers.

There’s a reason for the community events throughout the county, the old, fire-damaged gymnasium that now hosts weddings and open-air concerts in Porterdale, the economic development spurred by a partnership with tourism and small businesses in Covington, and the city-wide clean up in Social Circle.

Georgia’s Main Street program is a community-based development initiative that encourages and promotes public and private partnerships with a goal of creating successful central business districts, according to Main Street Georgia. The end result is a thriving downtown and central business district that is both aesthetically pleasing and economically beneficial to the city and residents, all while preserving

continued PAGE 16 14 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

from our officials

PROUD TO CALL HOME

C

ongratulations, you have found what I consider to be the best-kept secret in Georgia.

As Mayor of Covington, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to our city.

Covington is a city of excellence providing innovative services that enhance the quality of life for our residential, business, and RONNIE JOHNSTON industrial customers while MAYOR striving to create a safe and family-friendly community our residents are proud to call home.

I invite you to spend some time in our historic downtown Square. Known as the “Hollywood of the South,” Covington has appeared in countless cinematic features and television spots. This along with our deep history and beautiful antebellum homes makes for a great day of site seeing. Stop by the Covington-Newton Visitor’s Center and pick up touring maps from our friendly staff at the Chamber.

Ronnie Johnston, Mayor City of Covington

Welcome!

We’re proud to be your local school system and we welcome you to Newton County.

Newton County School System 2109 Newton Drive NE • Covington 770-787-1330

www.newtoncountyschools.org Our mission is to provide educational excellence for all students!

Covington from PAGE 14 the city’s historic buildings and sites.

Main Streets exist all over the country and are built on a foundation supporting four principles, according to Main Street Georgia and Covington: - Design: Enhance the physical appearance of the commercial district by rehabilitating historic buildings and supporting new construction - Organization: Create a cooperative environment among the Main Street director, board, volunteers and committees - Promotion: Market the commercial district’s assets to customers, visitors, current and potential investors and businesses and residents - Economic restructuring: Strengthen the district’s existing economic base while finding ways to create new opportunities How it all began If you tend to breeze through the history and background of a subject or story, feel free to do so here. However, as one of the key points of Main Street programs is historic preservation, it will be here just in case.

The Georgia Main Street Program launched in 1980 as an original pilot state coordinating program between the National Main Street Initiative and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, beginning with five local communities and since growing to 96 across the state, according to Main Street Georgia.

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) houses the Main Street programs and launched the Better Hometown Program in the mid-1990s as a way to apply Main Street’s goals to communities. While the DCA oversees training, data collection and the designation of Main Street cities, each community is responsible for developing the local framework for the program, the board, director and staff and the partnerships that will ensure long-term success and continuation of the program.

COVINGTON

The big story in Covington’s Main Street program is the recent hiring of a new director.

Velinda Wheeles, who ran a Main Street program in Opelika, Alabama for seven years, took over Covington’s program on May 19.

“I am so excited to have been selected to this role,” Wheeles said in a press release when her hiring was announced. “I can’t tell you how

much I love downtown Covington. Every time I would visit I would dream a bit about running the Main Street program, and when the position opened up I couldn’t believe it. I am looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work. I am ready to get to know the store owners (and) property owners and working with the (Main Street) Board (of Directors) to build what is already a great program.”

Covington has almost $200,000 budgeted for its Main Street program from two sources.

Hotel/motel tax money is funneled into the program, which is a tax cities can charge people who stay at hotels and motels and must be used to promote tourism-related activities. This fiscal year, this tax was expected to reach $110,000 and pays for actual program work, according to previous reports in The Covington News.

The program also was expected to receive $86,426 from Covington’s general fund to pay for Wheeles’s salary and benefits, office rent and program supplies. The program is housed under the Covington/Newton County Chamber of Commerce, which received both sources of funding.

Main Street Covington information

- 2101 Clark Street, P.O. Box 168, Covington, GA 30014 - 770-385-2077 -www.downtowncovington.org - Velinda Wheeles, director

PORTERDALE

Porterdale’s Main Street program is in its infancy, officially selected and formed at the end of 2013 as a Main Street Start Up community by Main Street Georgia.

What that means is the pioneer Main Street director, Teri Haler, has one year to achieve the required amount of tasks and goals the state organization has placed on the program before graduating into a fully accredited Main Street program.

It is Haler’s responsibility to bring in new business to the historic mill village’s downtown while promoting existing businesses. She must develop organizational infrastructure and a common design by forming committees of volunteer residents, business owners and city leaders. Haler is also tasked with promoting the community through a variety of outlets, including programs, workshops and community activities, all of which are meant to improve the quality of life for Porterdale’s residents while attracting outside business and tourism.

“As the first Main Street Director of Porterdale, I’m so excited to be a part of the renewed energy that has built momentum over the past few years,” Haler said. “The mayor, council, city manager, employees, investors, partners and citizens of Porterdale have a common, unstoppable passion – turning the historic mill village of Porterdale into a pleasant place to live, work, shop and play. The Main Street program is one major cog in the master plan for the revitalization of Porterdale.”

This is not Haler’s first experience with community involvement and Main Street programs. She did interim event work for Main Street Covington before Wheeles was brought in.

And she has already made her mark on the community. Weddings, concerts and other community events can be seen in the historic Porter Memorial Gymnasium, which was built in 1938 by the Bibb Manufacturing Company as a gift to the community. The gym was the center of the mill village for decades, hosting graduations, school dances, Boy Scout groups, basketball practices and Christmas celebrations. In October 2005, the building caught fire, destroying the roof and damaging the infrastructure.

A non-profit organization called Friends of Porterdale formed to rehabilitate the gym, and with Haler’s help and design ideas, the “gem of a gym” reopened in May as a fourwalled, open-roof courtyard with two roofed, air-conditioned rooms.

“I have an innate, personal passion for this position with Porterdale,” Haler said. “In addition to the great things happening here in the village, I visualize the future of Porterdale, and I’m extremely excited to be a part of that movement. It’s a lot of hard work, but I don’t consider this position as a job. I really enjoy what I do here.”

Main Street Porterdale information - 2400 Main Street, Porterdale, GA 30014 - 770-786-2217 - www.cityofporterdale.com - Teri Haler, director

SOCIAL CIRCLE

Main Street Social Circle was recently named a Nationally Accredited Main Street Community by the National Main Street Initiative for the 16th consecutive year, ensuring “Georgia's Greatest Little Town” remains in

continued PAGE 17

 Since 1893 

from PAGE 16 the national spotlight for historic preservation and economic development.

Any Main street program must, in addition to following the 4-Point approach, meet the Initiative’s 10 Standards of Performance each year.

The “major driving points” of the standards are to demonstrate community involvement, show a successful and well-working Board of Directors and sustain a preservation ethic, said Mike Miller, director of Main Street Social Circle.

“It takes a lot of work from our Board of Directors,” Miller Main Street said. “One of the things we’re really proud of is we pull our Social Circle community together using our information webmaster and website.”

- 129 East Hightower The city can thank the Main Trail, P.O. Box 612, Street program for the followSocial Circle, GA 30025 ing events, among others: an - 770-464-1866 Independence Day celebration, - www.socialcirclegabht.com a bi-annual city-wide clean-up, a - Mike Miller, director city-wide Easter egg hunt and a Memorial Day concert.

And they’re not short on willing volunteers. One of the Board’s chartered members, Madeline Burgess – whose husband is a former mayor of Social Circle – recently was named Volunteer of the Year for her work in beautifying the city and starting the city-wide newsletter.

J.C.Harwell & Son FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CHAPEL 2157 East Street SE • Covington, GA 30014

770-786-2524 A Traditional Funeral Home Offering: Traditional Funeral Services, Cremation and Pre-Need Arrangements

“Dependable friends in time of need.”

Tommy & Mary Evelyn Davis www.harwellfuneralhome.com

Celebrating 120 Years of Service

E N I F E RED

Y D O B YOUR

Membership Fees beginning @

$9.95 Mo.

NO COMMITTMENT! NO KIDDING!

ut ing worko m r o f s n a r body-t e er with a m m rs are her u e s in is a h r t t f l a a n erso a new le s! d skilled p n Turn over a f f a t ieve result s h l c u f a d lp e n a h ur ated routine. O stay motiv , d e t r a t s u get features to help yo

cility a f g n i n i a r rength-t nities. t s & o i d ness car ipment and ame ckers • Personal trainerpsclasses t i f t r a e grou ree lo t equ -of-th eights • F ting & fun a w iv e t e o the lates r Our state F M • • ol uit Co

po irc wimming training c s h t & g b n u e t r t t a, ho eater • S xing saun la Cardio th e R • s m locker roo mfortable

alcovy fitness & wellness Covington’s Newest Fitness Center

10100 Alcovy Rd • Covington, GA 30014 • 770-385-8550 • www.alcovyfitness.com

h g u o r Th

s n o e h t s eas spring

summer

autumn winter

photos by Darrell Everidge/The Covington News 18 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

Schedule your appointment today!

G

eorgia Ophthalmologists offers a comprehensive list of visual health services including routine eye exams for all ages, diabetic exams and testing, diagnosis and treatment of retinal disorders, glaucoma diagnosis and care, glasses and contact lens prescriptions, and treatment of ocular emergencies. Our surgical services include cataract removal, YAG laser procedures, surgical correction of common eyelid disorders such as ptosis and ectroption, and pterygium removal.

4167 Hospital Drive • Covington, GA 30014 • 770-786-1234

www.georgiavisioncare.com

The Doctors and Staff at Georgia Ophthalmologists are committed to providing the highest level of ophthalmic care for you and your family. Our physicians take the time to listen to your needs and strive to achieve a collaborative approach to your treatment and care. Our doctors and medical staff actively participate in continuing education to ensure that we keep abreast of the most current treatment options and medications available today.

Jose Bigles-Geigel, M.D.

Jaymini Nayee, O.D.

d o o ! w y h l l o Hf the Sout o

Walking

By Kayla Robins

in the steps of

stars ews

nN

file

os hot

The

to ving

Co

p

20 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

Tourism As you become acquainted with Covington and Newton County, you likely will quickly become aware of the small town’s big-name claim to fame.

Welcome to the “Hollywood of the South.”

While it may be easy to assume the title blankets Georgia or even Atlanta proper, Covington-Newton County Chamber of Commerce actually trademarked the name for the city in 2011, and the estimated 13,452-person city – according to U.S. census data – sits among some of the top production destinations in the country.

More than 60 films and TV productions have been wholly or partially filmed in Covington, bringing in $107.86 million to the county in direct tourist spending, $19.71 million in worker income from 1,030 jobs and a combined $7.39 million in local county and state tax revenues in 2012, according to sources provided by Steve Morse, director and economist at the Western Carolina University Hospitality and Tourism Program, to Jenny McDonald, director of tourism and marketing at the Chamber of Commerce.

Movie filming was sparse until it expo-

nentially picked up in the 90s with movies like Oscar-winning “My Cousin Vinny,” which filmed in 1991, Brad Pitt’s “Kalifornia” in 1992 and the TV movie “Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All” in 1993, which won four Emmys.

The new millennium brought Covington and Newton County movies like “Remember the Titans” in 2000, “Sweet Home Alabama” in 2002 and “Madea’s Family Reunion” in 2005. Since 2010, sets for “Footloose” (2010), “Flight” (2011), and “American Reunion” (2011) have visited the area. Even since the start of 2014, scenes from “Taken 3,” “Selma,” and “Bessie” have been filmed in Covington.

While movies have certainly made their mark on the city, with the historic courthouse, clock tower and Square appearing in the backdrop to many sequences and dialogues, TV shows are what the Hollywood of the South may be best known for. Begin-

ning with the first five episodes of “Dukes of Hazzard” in 1978, shows such as two Golden Globe-winning “I’ll Fly Away” (1991-92), “In the Heat of the Night” (1988-94), and Golden Globe-winning “Miss Evers’ Boys” sport scenic Covington backgrounds.

But the biggest tourism-drawer and spotlight goes to “The Vampire Diaries” (TVD), which has been filming all over the city and county since 2009, often transforming landmarks into Mystic Falls, Virginia. Fans and tourists come from all over the world to walk in the footsteps of their favorite character or eat at Scoops, a local ice cream shop and cast favorite.

Fans have shown so much love for TVD that they can take a walking tour through “Mystic Falls Tours.” “'Vampires Diaries' is a phenomenon. These fans are serious business. They will do anything to be as close as possible to anything the cast does,” said Jessica Lowery, whose tour and Vampire Stalkers store, located on the Square, is endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce.

Lowery said she has seen an influx of tourists from Germany and Brazil in the last six to eight months, which she attributed to “The Vampire Diaries” recently reaching those countries.

And it doesn’t end there.

continued PAGE 22

Full Service Funeral Home, Crematory and Cemetery Owned & Operated by the Caldwell family since 1933 ~ Serving all families with dignity and respect Active in Relay for Life and other organizations and clubs ~ Dedicated to our community Recipient of the National Funeral Directors Association Pursuit of Excellence Award 8 Consecutive Years - 2006 through 2013 / Best of the Best Award 2007

1215 Access Road, Covington & 3134 Floyd Street, Covington

770-786-7062 ~ www.caldwellandcowan.com

Tourism from PAGE 21 Covington-Newton County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau

2101 Clark St., Covington, GA 30014; 770-787-3868; 1-800-616-8626; rcarter@ newtonchamber.com; gocovington.com

Mystic Falls Tours and ReHeat Tour 2101 Clark St SW, Covington, GA 30014; 404-549-1489; jessica@ vampirestalkers.com; mysticfallstours.com

Mystic Grill

1116 Clark St. SW, Covington, GA 30014; 770728-1670; Mon-Thu 4 p.m.10 p.m., Fri-Sat 4 p.m.-11 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; abezborn@yahoo.com; themysticgrill.com

Tours have done so well that she led a “ReHeat 2014” tour in May, centered on the “In the Heat of the Night” series.

The Covington trolley, sporting the name Holly Trolley around town, that is used for transport during the tour is also being used as a new hotel shuttle, bringing the tourism industry full-circle.

When visitors stay overnight in Newton County, a hotel tax is funneled directly back into the Main Street program, which is meant to be used for the betterment and beautification of the city. According to Jenny McDonald, average hotel stays have increased from one or two nights to four nights per visitor.

“It really is an industry in itself,” McDonald said of the county’s tourism.

Overnighters may choose to walk by Newton County’s impressive number of historic homes and cemeteries. Outdoor options and day-trips are

Darrell Everidge/The Covington News

plentiful, from picking your own fruit at an organic farm to taking a picnic to a park to kayaking down Yellow River in Porterdale.

If you don’t feel like taking a guided tour, feel free to wander through the Covington Walk of Stars self-guided tour, which features engraved paving stones dedicated to famous TV shows and movies, including the production title, noted actor and year it was filmed in the pavement around the Square.

Businesses like Mystic Grill, the real-life version of the iconic

“Vampire Diaries” restaurant that opened in January and has been in the recent local and tourist spotlight, would never have had the chance to exist without a well-backed filming and tourism industry.

“What I want from this is for people to learn where the revenue is coming from and see the economic impact,” McDonald said. “I’m hoping that more niche businesses come out of it.

Those are the things that keep small towns alive.”

Central Church of Christ 160 Highway 142 • Covington, GA 30014 • 770-787-3710

Services: Sunday School 10am • Sunday Morning Worship 11am Sunday Evening Worship 6pm • Wednesday Night Bible Study 7:00pm Mark 16:15-16 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Revelation 2:10 Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Visit our website: www.centralchurchofchristcovington.org Directions: From Covington, Highway 278 East to Right on Highway 142, approx 1/4 mile on right.

Preacher: Jim Gentry

“Come Worship with us”

New Stock Arriving Daily

Newton Facts

AGRICULTURE Newton County’s robust agricultural base generates more than $14.5 million in products a year, and farms across the county produce beef cattle, hay and poultry.

Recently, organic farms have also begun to crop up around the county, while some city residents also have caught the urban agriculture bug and are reinventing the idea of the backyard garden.

The county is home to three major agriculture learning facilities. Established in 1937, the Georgia FFA-FCCLA Center is the state’s premier camp facility and conference center. For almost 50 years, Boy Scouts have camped and created cherished memories at Bert Adams Scout Reservation.

The Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center offers youths the opportunity to experience the great outdoors through enjoyable educational programs.

EMPLOYMENT As of May 2014, Newton had a civilian labor force (over the age of 16) of 47,934 and an unemployment rate of 8 percent, according to the Georgia Department of Labor. The average Newton County resident drives 31.5 minutes to work, according to a previous study, as many residents commute into Atlanta and surrounding counties.

Covington Family

ChiropraCtiC

A better health through natural chiropractic care!

Dr. Jamie Adams

Become a Sustaining Member!

www.walkofheroes.org

This program allows any individual, veteran, organization or business to choose their level of annual support. Several levels of membership are available beginning at $50. You will receive a decorative decal to show your support of the Walk of Heroes Veterans War Memorial.

Membership renewals available each year. Call 770-786-2302 or go online!

Honor any veteran with a paver to preserve his/her service and sacrifice, including individuals currently serving (including Active Duty, Reserve or National Guard) or anyone who has ever served the United States Military, peace-time or war-time, from 1900-present time. Go to our website and use PayPal or call 770-786-2302 to request an order form.

4” x 8” @ $100 3 lines 16 characters per line 8” x 8” @ $200 6 lines 16 characters per line

Wellness ChiropraCtor

Walk of Heroes/Veterans War Memorial

770.689.6987

(Located within Black Shoals Park)

www.cfchiropractic.com 2125 Pace Street Covington, GA 30014

3001 Black Shoals Road • Conyers, Georgia 30012 Open 7:00am-7:00pm Daily • Park is Closed on Wednesday www.walkofheroes.org

®

Where You Find Quality Products and Friendly, Knowledgeable Service ®

Where You Find Quality Products and Friendly, Knowledgeable Service

1264 GreenStreet Street••(770) 770-483-8818 1264 Green 483-8818 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Mon. thru Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sat. 9:00 a.m.

- 5:00• (770) p.m. Sun. 1264 Green Street 483-8818 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Mon. thru Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun.

OPEN 7 days a week

®

nd Quality Products and Friendly, Knowledgeable Service ®

nd Quality Products and Friendly, Knowledgeable Service Two Convenient Locations Locations Two Convenient Two Convenient Locations

1056 Honey Creek Rd. • (770) 760-0410 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Mon. thru Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sat. 9:00Creek a.m.

- 5:00 Sun. 1056 Road 770-760-0410 1056Honey Honey Creek Rd.p.m.

• •(770) 760-0410 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Mon. thru Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun.

1264 GreenStreet Street••(770) 770-483-8818 1264 Green 483-8818 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Mon. thru Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sat. 9:00 a.m.

- 5:00• (770) p.m. Sun. 1264 Green Street 483-8818 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Mon. thru Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun.

OPEN 7 days a week

Knowledgeable Service

Knowledgeable Service

wo Convenient Locations Locations Convenient

Convenient Locations 1264 GreenStreet Street••(770) 770-483-8818 1264 Green 483-8818 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Mon. thru Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sat.

Convenient Locations

OPEN 7 days a wEEk

1056 Honey Creek Rd. • (770) 760-0410 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Mon. thru Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sat. 9:00Creek a.m.

- 5:00 Sun. 1056 Road 770-760-0410 1056Honey Honey Creek Rd.p.m.

• •(770) 760-0410 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Mon. thru Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sat.

Visit us today!

Hayes

Furniture

Company Family Owned & Operated Since 1962

6166 Washington Street Covington, GA 30014

770-786-3737

In-House Financing Free Local Delivery & Set Up (Newton County delivery only)

Tourism

HOLLYWOOD

OF

THE

SOUTH

Television and film credits for Covington and Newton County as of June 2014 FILM CREDITS - Operation (2014) - Bessie (2014) - Selma (2014) - Taken 3 (2014) - Prisoners (2012) - I’ll be Homeless for Christmas (2012) - American Reunion (2011) - Flight (2011) - Jayne Mansfield’s Car (2011) - Odd Life of Timothy Green (2010-11) - Footloose (2010) - Fly By (short) (2009) - Get Low (2009) - Halloween II (2009) - Dangerous Calling (2008) - The Family That Preys (2008) - Boxed In (short) (2005) - False River (2005) - Madea’s Family Reunion (2005) - Bobby Jones: A Stroke of Genius (2003) - Autorequiem (short) (2002) - Sweet Home Alabama (2002) - The Fighting Temptations (2002) - The Accountant (2001) - Remember the Titans (2000) - Run Ronnie Run (2000) - Wayward Son (1999) - Black Dog (1997) - Fled (1996) - Door to Door (1993) - A Simple Twist of Fate (1993) - Consenting Adults (1992) - Kalifornia (1992) - My Cousin Vinny (1991)

hayesfurniturecompany.com

26 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

- Carolina Skeletons (1991) - Jason Lives: Friday the 13th, VI (1986) - Cannonball Run (1980) - Little Darlings (1980) - The Prizefighter (1979) - Scalpel (originally titled False Face) (1975) - A Man Called Peter (1954)

TV CREDITS - Resurrection (2014) - Rooms To Go national commercial with Cindy Crawford (2011) - The Vampire Diaries (2009-present) - Three Wishes (2005) - TV Road Trip (2002) - Boycott (2001) - Piece of a Broken Heart (1999) - Flash (1997) - In the Heat of the Night (1988-94) - Past the Bleachers (1994) - Quest for Justice: The Hazel Brannon Smith Story (1993) - Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (1993) - For Love and Glory (1992) - Stay the Night (1991) - Grass Roots (1991) - I’ll Fly Away (1991-92) - White Lie (1991) - Sudie and Simpson (1990) - A Father’s Homecoming (1988) - Resting Place (1986) - Coward of the County (1981) - Dukes of Hazzard (first five episodes) (1978)

Looking for a Medical Home?

Emory Newton Medical Associates

G. Timothy (Tim) Park, MD*

Henry M. Patton, MD, FACP*

W. Norris Little, Jr, MD*

Kwon S. Choe, MD*

Kevin D. Lanclos, MD*

Christie Cady, MSN, FNP-BC

6175 Newton Drive Covington, GA 30014 770-787-6900

New Patient Appointments LeSS thAN 48 hOURS!

Acute Care Appointments SAme DAy!

Wendy Fuller, MSN, FNP-BC

Jamie Thomas, PA-C

Elizziebeth Smith, FNP-BC

Primary Care Physicians

Our Patient Portal allows you to • Request prescription renewals • Request future appointments • Review lab results • View your current health record online.

Serving Newton & Rockdale Counties since 1983!

5278 Adams Street Covington, GA 30014 770-786-2201

Heath W. Hampton, MD*

Carol Walker, MSN, FNP-BC

*Board Certified-American Board of Internal Medicine

Pursuing

Excellence

With Honor

Tourism from our officials

PROGRESSIVELY

RURAL

Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade

Full sports programs including Football, Baseball, Golf, Tennis and Cheerleading. Summer Camps and After School Progams as well.

www.peachtreeacademy.com

770-860-8900

Christ Centered Education

14101 HIGHWAY 278 CovInGton 1801 EllInGton RoAd ConYERs

O

commercial services, so much n behalf of the Newton so that the chamber — in partCounty Chamber of nership with the City of CovingCommerce I want to ton — funded a position specifiwelcome you to Covcally for the purpose ington/Newton of recruiting and County. As someone helping facilitate who moved here retail and small from out of state business services. I 10 years ago, you will assure you that will not regret your you will see more decision to choose options in our retail Newton County as offerings in the near your home. This is future. a very welcoming In regards to community and I am large-scale indussure you will contrial recruitment, nect with one of our HUNTER HALL we continue to see many great civic or PRESIDENT OF COVINGTON/NEWTON consistent interest in social organizations, COUNTY CHAMBER our market. Baxter school programs, OF COMMERCE International is well recreation teams or under construction with our incredible with their new manufacturing Arts Association. facility as is the State of Georgia I have always said that Newton with the new Bio-Science Training County is "progressively rural."

Facility that will be used to help What I mean by that is we have all support new job creation in the the treasures and quality of life that being in a rural setting provides but area of life science products and a qualified workforce. with a mindset and atmosphere And last but not least, you are in that is surprisingly progressive, crethe county that has just been desative, and absolutely charming. ignated as the No. 1 best compreFrom a chamber/business hensive development plan by the perspective you are locating in American Planners Association in Newton at a great time. Our the "Small Town Rural Communihistoric downtown, "the Square," ties" category. This plan is called has seen great energy of recent the 2050 Plan and we are nearing with several new restaurants, boutiques and retailers moving in. the passage of these ordinances that will help us protect the great The Square is really our commucharacter and quality of life we nity's "Sense of Place" and I hope have come to love about life in you will join us for a lunch time Newton County. concert or a street festival — and If we can ever assist you in don't miss the Christmas decorabusiness or getting you connecttions and shopping. ed in Newton County, please do Retail as a whole is seeing a not hesitate to call the chamber. significant pick up in Newton. As the economy has picked back Hunter Hall up, so has interest in retail and

Newton Facts UNPRECENDENTED GROWTH Given its prime combination of natural resources and proximity to Atlanta, Newton County witnessed an unprecedented explosion of growth during the 1990s and 2000s. The county’s population grew from 62,000 in 2000 to an estimated 102,446 in 2013. Such growth made Newton the 11th fastest-growing county of the decade in the United States, according to the Census Bureau.

PEOPLE

Welcome to your new home!

Come and visit the friendly folks at

First Presbyterian Church Where we are…

• called by the grace of God, • nutured by the love of Christ, and • sent forth by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Community Outreach – Food Pantry, FaithWorks Music – Choirs for all ages, Handbells, Wicks Pipe Organ

Newton County’s population is 47.5 percent male and 52.5 percent female, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, while the racial makeup is 54.9 percent white, 41.8 percent black, 4.8 percent Hispanic or Latino, and 1.1 percent Asian.

The median age of a county resident is 34 years, and the average household size is 2.93 people.

Children – Early Learning Center, Adventure Club Youth Connection Presbyterian Women

Worship Sundays @ 11am One block west of the Square 1169 Clark Street, SW • Covington, Georgia For more information call 770-786-7321 See our website at www.fpccov.org or come by and see us!

BE INSPIRED... at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit. isitors are welcome year-round at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, the inspirational home of Georgia’s Trappist Monks. Nestled on 2,300 acres in Conyers, the Monastery offers a scenic and peaceful environment to explore.

Experience a day in the life of a monk, or learn about the Trappists in Georgia at the Historic Museum. See the beautiful Abbey Church. Browse through the Bonsai Garden, Bonsai Nursery and gift shop. Visit the Abbey Store for monk-made biscotti, fruitcake, fudge, free trade items and the largest selection of Christian books in the state.

Stay for the day – or experience our overnight retreats.

www.trappist.net For more Conyers information call 1.800.CONYERS

Neighborhood Guide

Covington C

ovington, known as the “Hollywood of the South,” has been the site of many popular films and shows including “The Vampire Diaries.”

This warm Southern community was forged in the early 1800s. The town’s history can be seen everywhere — from the clock tower at City Hall to the Corinthian architecture to the quaint square. In Covington, there is always something to do or see, and it’s just miles away from Atlanta.

Where to eat Burrito Loco

If you like Moe’s — minus the crazy entrée names — owner Stephanie Johnson thinks you’ll like Burrito Loco.

Patrons can build their own burritos, tacos and quesadillas Moe’s-style, or order from a variety of traditional Tex-Mex fare.

The Johnsons started Mad Cactus in Conyers five years ago. But because the duo wanted to start a business in Covington and support the area they live in, they opened Burrito Loco.

“We are truly a mom and pop shop,” Johnson said. “It’s just my husband and I.” Check out Burrito Loco’s daily $5 lunch specials throughout the week. For updates, check their Facebook page.

Butcher Block Deli Sharon Stalvey brought home a sandwich for her husband one evening.

Mr. Stalvey took one look at the sandwich, which had far less than a substantial amount of meat on it, and said, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

That’s how the concept of Butcher Block Deli

BURRITO LOCO

4139 Hwy 278 NW (West Street & 278), Covington, GA 30014 770-385-4600

Hours of operation

Mon - Wed: 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Thu - Sat: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Sun: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. continued PAGE 41

When ordinary tax preparers just won’t do.

Relax year round while Adoma & Associates dba H&R Block prepare your tax returns.

No need to stress when you have the best.

Why Adoma & Associates dba H&R Block?

•

• • •

•

• •

NO ONE ELSE requires their tax preparers to have 84 hours of rigorous instructor led classroom training - each year 34 hours of CE training is a must Conyers and Rockdale County Franchise owned H&R Block with personalized attention We have some of the best Price Rates in Conyers, Rockdale and a Match Rate Competitor Policy Provide year round service for walk ins and by appointment with private offices to secure your privacy Community partner with local nonprofits and youth organizations Been in business for more than 30 years in Rockdale County

Walk in or book your appointment today by calling 770-483-9360 or visit us on @ hr block conyers district for more information.

1745 Highway 138 Se Ste C8, Conyers, GA 30013 • (770) 483-9360

Conyers square 1745 HigHway 138 se, ste. C8 Conyers, ga 30094 1603 ga. Hwy. 20 ne, ste. 23B Conyers, ga 30012

(770) 483-9360

Darrell Everidge/The Covington News

Covington Family YMCA 2140 Newton Drive Covington, Georgia 770-787-3908

Join me in Covington Prentice L Walker PLW and Associates Inc Phone: (678)882-7513 walkerp8@nationwide.com www.nationwide.com/prentwalk

cvy.ymcaatlanta.org facebook.com/covingtonymca

Welcome to the NEIGHBORHOOD!

are you connected?

We repair tablets & smart phones!

••••••••• Walk-ins are always welcome!

Our staff welcomes the opportunity to serve you!

PC ★ ★ AfterDark

★ Computers

6157 Highway 278 NW, Suite 14 • Covington • 770-788-7000 • pcafterdark.com

Stop in and browse our large selection of name brand, quality hardware and software!

We specialize in upgrades, computer & printer repair, service & networking!

We sell new & used computers, laptops & printers.

Let Us Pamper You at ‌

Tropical Nails 770-784-1128

1112 Clark Street, Covington (on the Square) www.tropicalnailscovington.com Hours Monday-Saturday 10 to 7PM

AWARD WINNING

Tropical Paradise Spa Pedicure

THE ORIGINAL SINCE 1976

TROLLBEADS TROLLBEADS THE ORIGINAL SINCE 1976

THE ORIGINAL SINCE 1976

The Trendiest Boutique in Downtown Covington!

Every story has a TM beadTM Every story has a bead

Every story has a beadTM

SpiresInteriors Interiors Spires Spires & Interiors Gifts Gifts &&Gifts

Selling the latest, most fashion-forward style and accessories at surprisingly affordable prices. Our stylish clientele can wear our pieces with the confidence that their wardrobe is as unique as they are. We carry a limited quantity of each piece, and with fabulous new merchandise arriving almost daily, our selection is constantly changing.

1140 Monticello Street, NW • Covington

470-444-1168

1114

1114 Monticello Street | Covington, GA 30014 1114 Monticello (770) Street787-9001 | Covington, GA 30014 Monticello Street | Covington, GA 30014 www.spiresinteriors.com | shopspires.com (770) 787-9001 Monday(770) - Saturday, 10am - 5pm 787-9001 www.spiresinteriors.com | shopspires.com

Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm www.spiresinteriors.com | shopspires.com Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm

BUY/SELL • EXPERT INSTRUMENT REPAIR MusiCaL/VoiCE LEssons books & aCCEssoriEs

We’ll show you the way!

Guitar,

DruMs,

piano,

VioLin,

bass

VoCaLs

Located in the Historic District of Downtown Covington

Call us or stop by, and let’s talk about your musical ambitions....

It’s never too late, or too early, to get started.

mckibbenmusic makemusichappen

Store Hours: Mon. 10am-6:30pm Tues. 10am-7pm Wed. 10am-6pm Thurs. 10am-7pm Fri. 10am-6pm Sat. 9am-1:30pm

1118 Monticello Street ~ Covington, GA ~ 770-784-9101

mckibbensmusic.com mckibbenmusic@gmail.com

• Freshly baked pastries • Locally made cheese • Artisan breads • Organic pickled vegetables

1153 Monticello Street Covington, GA 30014 470-444-1330

breadandbuttercovington.com Hrs: Weekdays 8am-4pm, Saturday 8am-12pm, Sunday Closed

There Is No Place lIke IT!

n! uare in Downtown Covingto

Located on the Historic Sq

We’re here to offer great food, friendly service and a little something extra…Come enjoy this new bar and grill featuring chef-style dining and a fresh seasonal menu. Live music and roof top dining overlooking the beautiful and historic Downtown Covington Square!

1116 Clark Street - Covington, Georgia - 770-728-1670 1116 Clark Street - Covington, Georgia - 770-728-1670 www.themysticgrill.com

Shopping, Salons, Boutiques, Great Food and Art, it’s all here! lOOKING TO iNVEST… Businesses are continuing to discover Downtown Covington as the best place for their business expansion/start-up.

Downtown Covington has the space to meet your needs!

Call Main Street Covington to learn more!

770.385.2077 www.downtowncovington.org

DOWNTOWN

Events you don’t want to miss in Downtown Covington!

Covington Community Bike Ride Aug. 3rd, Sept. 7th, Oct. 5th, Nov. 2nd & Dec. 7th

Lighting of Newton County’s Historic Courthouse November 20th at 6pm

Co-Hosted by the Newton Trails, Covington-Newton

Hometown Holiday Celebration to kickoff the holiday

County Visitors Center and Main Street Covington.

season in Downtown Covington.

July 4th Independence in the Park

Covington/Newton Christmas Parade December 6th at 10:30am

EVENTS A community event to celebrate the nation’s

independence. Live music, food and fun; concluding with a fireworks show. Hosted by Main Street Covington, City of Covington & McKibben Music.

2nd Friday Summer Concert Series at 7pm; During the months of May-September Co-hosted by Main Street Covington and the Arts Association of Newton County in the Square Park.

September Luncheon Concerts on the Square at 12 Noon During the month of September

Hosted by Covington Lion’s Club.

Extended Shopping Hours & Special Events in the Downtown District every Thursday evening in December.

Santa’s Workshop Every Thursday Evening from 5-8pm & Saturday from 11am-3pm @ Ramsey’s Furniture Annex.

Co-Hosted by Main Street Covington and the Arts Association of Newton County.

Fuzz Run – September 13th Hosted by the Covington Police Department.

downtowncovington.org

Book your appointment today • Gift certificates available

We’ll keep you looking fresh all season!

Get a brand new look with hair & nails, plus enjoy the healing affects of our all-natural spa treatments.

Nestled in the beauty of the Historic Downtown Covington Square.

They’re just the things to help you relax, recharge and put things back into perspective and will keep you looking and feeling amazing all season!

1123 Church Street, Suite 102 - Covington, GA 30014 - 678-625-5721

www.charmedsalonspa.com

Diamonds • Watches • Gold jewelry of all kinds

this savvy bride has a

secret.

Candlelight Bridals

by Gigi

Stop in today, and see why we’re the best-kept secret in bridal fashion. What will you do with the money you save?

New Arrivals Weekly!

Fletcher’s Jewelry, Inc. On the Square in Downtown Covington

“Your Jewelers Since 1932”

1113 Washington Street • Covington, GA 30014

770-786-2955

Wedding Gowns • Bridesmaid Dresses Mother of the Bride Fashions • Flower Girl Dresses Tuxedos • Shoes • Jewelry • Veils • Accessories

GiGi Alterations

1192 Clark Street • Covington 770-787-0927 Candlelight Bridals by GiGi

Tues.-Fri. 10am-6p m Sat. 10am-3p m

from PAGE 32 came about.

“You go away satisfied,” Stalvey said. “You don’t have to ask for extra meat.”

Stalvey’s has been feeding Covington, Monroe and Social Circle for almost two decades.

It’s an American deli, serving dogs, sandwiches and soup six days a week for lunch and dinner.

The produce is bought fresh and local when available from Ramsey's Produce.

Go for the potato soup, which can never be taken off the menu due to its popularity, and the chili dogs, which have been said to be better than the Varsity’s.

Stalvey’s Restaurant & Lounge Stalvey’s is probably one of the oldest independent restaurants this side of Atlanta, Mrs. Stalvey explained, noting that some of its staff has been working for the Stalveys

BUTCHER BLOCK DELI 6171 Highway 278 NE, Covington, GA 30014 770-787-2003

Hours of operation

Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

submitted photo /The Covington News

for over 30 years.

Stalvey’s serves made-to-order Southern cooking — steak, seafood, burgers, ribs and more.

“Nobody ever goes away from any of our restaurants hungry,” Stalvey said.

“We’re known for the freshness and quality of our food.”

Quality is one of the tenants of a Stalvey restaurant; that and service, consistency and price.

“If at any one of our five restaurants if you’re not happy, you don’t have to pay a cent,” Stalvey said. Quality, consistency, service and price. They’ve got it all.

RL’s on the Square

Robert Holmes (aka chef RL) fell in love with flavor at K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans, where he learned his cooking techniques from the famed Chef Paul.

K-Paul’s food reminded him of his grandmother’s, and in time, Holmes went from dishwasher to head chef.

STALVEY’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 3132 Highway 278 NW, Covington, GA 30014 770-787-5091

Hours of operation

Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

continued PAGE 42

Covington’s Finest Apartment Complex Since 1987 • Beautiful, Affordable Community Living • One & Two Bedroom Apartments • Swimming Pool and Tennis Courts • Ask about our Teacher, Senior & Veteran Discount • Owner Operated

Call or Come By Today!

770-786-0445

10238 Fieldcrest Drive • Covington, GA 30014

www.fieldcrestwalk.com • management@fieldcrestwalk.com

from PAGE 41 “It is magic, taking flavors and making them mutate into something exciting and special,” Holmes said of his technique at RL’s, where he takes his passion and patience at his little Cajun paradise in the heart of Covington.

Whether you order the crawfish etouffee or the jambalaya or the “almost risotto,” Holmes’ kitchen prepares everything with Chef RL’s flair – taking traditional Louisiana dishes and throwing in the unexpected.

The jambalaya, for instance, is topped with a pico de gallo-like sauce — both spicy and sweet. But the base remains traditional: rice, four meats and the “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking (green pepper, onion and celery).

Holmes knows every one of his regular clientele has favorites, but as they say in New Orleans, “Variety is the spice of life.”

Forgo the Zatarain’s and try something authentic at RL’s.

Mystic Falls Tours Jessica Lowery hires her tour guides based on strict criteria: They have to know cast members of "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Originals," they have to work for the Ian Somerholder Foundation and they have to have actually spent time on the shows’ sets.

But Lowery said this criteria needs to be met

RL’S ON THE SQUARE

1113 Floyd Street NE, Covington, GA 30014, 770-385-5045

Hours of operation

Tues. - Thurs. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Friday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Saturday 5–10 p.m.

What to do so guides can provide fans with an experience they would not be able to get on their own.

Reviews on trip advisor note the expertise of the guides and satisfaction of each person’s experience.

Lowery said they recently had actor Chase Coleman from "The Originals" stop by Mystic Falls Tours with his mom and took photos with fans.

And while fans come to the tours with big hopes of seeing their favorite actors, Lowery said there is no guarantee due to schedule changes.

“Book a tour during filming season, and if they are filming it’s kind of like Santa Claus came that day,” Lowery said of the advice she

gives to fans.

Either way, she said Mystic Falls Tours makes sure everyone has a great time taking photos, reenacting scenes from the shows and tweeting their favorite moments of the day.

2101 Clark Street SW Covington, GA 30014 404-549-1489

Cornish Creek Reservoir/Lake Varner If you’re looking to enjoy Covington from a natural standpoint, visit the Cornish Creek Reservoir for boating, kayaking, canoeing, picnicking, fishing and nature trails.

Families can host their own events at the pavilions, which are first come, first serve.

Gasoline engines are not allowed on the lake.

11905 Alcovy Road Covington, GA 30014 770-784-2049

Twelve Oaks Bed and Breakfast Nicole Smith, owner of Twelve Oaks, said proximity to Atlanta is a major draw for travelers looking to experience an antebellum home to stay in. Since Atlanta was burned during Sherman’s march, there are little to no historic antebellum homes left in the city.

The home is on the national register for

continued PAGE 44

Come visit our showroom for the best Deals in Town for Lighting, Furniture and accessories.

Open to the Public Hours: Monday–Friday 9am–5pm 2203 Old Covington Hwy. SW, Conyers, GA

770-483-2877 danlarlighting.com

Inspiring ~ Sophisticated ~ Timeless Connect with us on

and

10% off regular priced items only

Not valid with any other discounts and/or offers and on previous purchases. Exp. 7/25/15.NCG

http://www.zurichna.com/zna/home/welcome.htm

Alan Lord Owner/Agent

All Neewries!

S RT V X

770-786-1755 • www.lordandassociatesins.com

Versatile, easy to Use – BX Series

Stay On The Go – RTV-X900

America’s favorite sub-compact tractor features a 23.0 Working or playing hard this utility vehicle will get you HP diesel engine, 17.7 PTO HP, standard 4 wheel there with versatility, comfort and style. It comes with a drive and is equipped with a front loader and back hoe. powerful 21.6 HP diesel engine.

For Earth, For Life

You’re Invited!

Take Command – Z122E

For the Field – DM Series Disc Mower

We’re having a Kubota GREAT DEALER DAYS open house and we want you to stop by. See Kubota’s 2013 product line-up and take advantage of great product selection, great open house savings and special Kubota financing as low as 0% A.P.R.!

So how doKubota’s you improve North best-selling diesel utility vehicles?

DM-series sideAmerica’s mounted disc mowers with a This zero-turn mower will give you a commercial-grade working width ranging from 5’6” upand to 10’5”, counter-roperformance and features everything from smooth, You abuild off their reputation and redesign each every model to be even better than before. tating three blades per disc constantly cutting,smoother comfortable ride, powerful engine, 5” deep welded mower Get ready for a wholepower new usage Kubota RTV experience withcuta stubble smoother ride, better terrain-ability, produces a neat, cleanly deck to a full factory warranty more legroom and improved ergonomics and innovation throughout.

Local Media: Insert event details in this area.

Example: When, where, hours of event & any special offers, entertainment, etc.

3072 North Main Street GA 30055 Local Mansfield, Media: Insert dealership name, logo,

Hays Tractor & Equipment, Inc. 3072 N. Hwy. 11 Mansfield,GA 30055 (770) 786-3334

address,770-786-3334 phone, map, etc. as applicable.

www.haystractor.com www.kubota.com

www.kubota.com

Optional equipment may be shown. ©Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2013

Take Command.

©Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2013

from PAGE 42 historic places. Smith bought it in November 2011 and began renovations to the property, which was on foreclosure. Six bathrooms were added, more than 20 boarded windows were replaced and electrical and plumbing work was redone before the Twelve Oaks opened its doors in October 2012.

In addition, there are modern amenities including flat screen TVs and gas fireplaces in the rooms.

“You have this modern feel, but you also get to experience this historic home,” Smith said.

The location has been featured in many films and shows, including the Vampire Diaries.

Smith explained it is one of the only places in Covington that has been filmed in that you can actually go into. Because the home has a lot of wide spaces and natural light, Smith said it’s ideal for indoor filming, which is usually challenging in older homes.

Film crews have even rented the entire space to stay while filming in Covington, whereas in the past crews stayed in Atlanta.

“We’ve been told it’s a great place to accommodate actors and producers and directors,” Smith said.

“It helps the local economy to have people stay when they’re actually filming.”

http://www.thetwelveoaks.com/

2176 Monticello Street SW Covington, GA 30014 770-385-4005

For more information on Twelve Oaks, visit

or 95 years, Ramsey Furniture has been home to the Covington Quality Brands area’s largest selection of fine home furnishings.

You Deserve!

We have over 30,000 square feet of furniture on display since restoring several historic buildings across the street from our main store. Come see us at 1145 • Vaughan-Bassett large Clark Street near the Newton County Courthouse.

• Ashley At Ramsey’s, your account is still a name and not a number. We offer a personal customer service experience when you are shopping for your home • Liberty furnishing needs. Our everyday low prices and next day delivery help save you time and money.

• Broyhill • La-Z-Boy Ramsey Furniture Company is a family owned and operated business. We look forward to serving you with quality furniture at savings like the Ramsey family • Simmons has been famous for since 1919.

• Riverside Sincerely, • Masterfield & More SAM RAMSEY TONY RAMSEY

F

President

Vice President

Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri., Sat. 9a.m.-6p.m. / Wed. 9a.m.-12 noon / Closed Sunday 1145 Clark Street • Covington (Located near the Newton Co. Courthouse)

3rd & 4th generation of the Ramsey Family to serve you! www.ramseyfurniturecompany.com Like us on

Neighborhood Guide

litter control program litter control program

Newborn

Adopt-aMile ★

The city of Newborn is a tight-knit community with its own personality.

Its beautiful homes and stories can be found in the newly released Newborn book, written and published by eight town members. Check out Newborn City Hall or newbornga.com for more details.

★

Where to eat

★

Lucy’s Wings Customers like Lucy’s for the homemade chicken wings and hometown atmosphere. Check out the menu for barbeque and a variety of sandwiches in addition to their staple. Stop by Friday night for karaoke.

4220 Highway 142 Newborn, GA 30056 770-784-7272

What to do Weekly pickin’ circle

Time, date, place: TBA

City Hall

4224 Highway 142 Newborn, GA 30056 770-787-1660 Mayor: Gregg Ellwanger

★ ★

litter...it costs litter...it costsyou. you.

★ www.kcnb.biz www.kcnb.biz ★

Visit KCNB’s website: Visit KCNB’s website:

Any family, organization Any business, family, organization club, or other group business, club,a or other group can adopt mile! can adopt a mile!

Participating groups agree to Participating groupslitter agree to clean up roadside along clean up roadside litter along their adopted mile 4 times per theiryear. adopted mile 4 times per year.

Signs are erected to advertise Signs areacknowledge erected to advertise and groups who and participate. acknowledge groups who participate.

★★

or call to sign up or to get or callinformation. to sign up or to get more more information.

Keep Covington/Newton Beautiful Keep Covington/Newton Beautiful 1113 Usher Street 1124 ClarkGA Street Covington, 30014 Covington, GA 30014 Phone: 770-784-2015

★ ★

Fax: 770-784-2082 Phone: 770-784-2015 Fax: Email:770-784-2082 newtonclean@co.newton.ga.us Email: newtonclean@co.newton.ga.us

★ ★

YOU’RE BUSY. WE’RE READY.

We’re specialists in comparing insurance companies and rates for busy people.

Call 770.786.1930 or visit knightandtabb.com

Knight & Tabb Insurance

★★

Do You

Know

?

Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a cutting edge and painless treatment that delivers pressurized oxygen to damaged tissue and organs in order to enhance the body’s natural healing process. While in the hyperbaric chamber, increased oxygen is able to reach tissues that may have been compromised due to a variety of issues, including stroke, diabetes, sports injury, carbon monoxide poisoning and exposure to radiation.

The Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center administers treatment five days a week. Along with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, other treatments such as negative pressure wound therapy, skin substitutes and total contact casting are also available.

For more information, call 770-385-4325.

The Interventional Pain Center

Newton Medical Center was one of the first facilities in Georgia to offer the MILD® procedure for lumbar spinal stenosis—the narrowing of the lower spinal canal which may cause pain, numbness or tingling in your lower back, legs or buttocks. The Pain Center specializes in the management of pain through a variety of procedures and treatments that are specific to the patient’s needs. Its physicians perform the second most kyphoplasty surgeries in the state to stop the pain caused by a spinal fracture.

Patients have found relief from the symptoms of joint pain, degenerative disc disease, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy, just to name a few.

For more information, call 770-385-4337.

Newton Medical Center Home Health

Newton Medical Center Home Health serves Newton, Rockdale, Jasper and Morgan counties. Its highly skilled staff offers medical treatment and support to homebound persons seven days a week. The staff is comprised of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and social workers. Home Health professionals work as a team with the patient, caregivers, family and physician to assist in obtaining the most desirable outcomes of care. Home Health also offers disease specific treatments and the development and oversight of home exercise programs and home safety programs.

For more information, call 770-788-9403.

Interventional Radiology

Women with uterine fibroids can now look beyond a hysterectomy and discover a highly-effective, minimally-invasive procedure called Uterine Fibroid Embolization, offered by the interventional radiologists at Newton Medical Center. Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that grow on or within the muscle tissue of the uterus and can cause excessive menstrual bleeding and pain. This short, outpatient procedure offers a quicker recovery and fewer complications than a hysterectomy. Interventional radiologists also use imaging guidance to diagnose and treat many disorders including obstructed vessels, infections, tumors, gastrointestinal bleeding and varicose veins.

For more information, call 770-385-4329.

Neighborhood Guide

Porterdale

Thursday for open mic night, or check out the best in local music on Friday and Saturday nights. Darts night is held Wednesday.

The city of Porterdale, founded in 1830, is most well-known for its historic mill overlooking the Yellow River. The mill employed many of the town’s residents and funded the building of the mill village.

In the 1970s, the mill closed and the town suffered. The purchase of the mill in 2006 revived the community, making it both a great place to visit and live once again.

Where to eat Jimbo’s Grill at the Mill “People come hang out for the good atmosphere and live music,” said Jim Stalvey, seven-year owner of Jimbo’s Grill.

Jimbo’s is known for its hand-pattied Angus burgers, fresh wings and hand-cut fries and onion rings.

“Our whole menu is fresh,” Stalvey said.

“Nothing is frozen. We try to stay toward the best ingredients.”

In addition to good food, Jimbo’s boasts good company and live music. Join in on

2102 Main Street Porterdale, GA 30070 770-784-1970

What to do Kayak the Yellow River With this year’s opening of a kayak launch site at the Porterdale Yellow River Park, Newton County paddlers now have another access point to begin their river journey.

Bring your own kayak or rent one from the Porterdale Yak Club for $25 a day (price includes paddles, a single kayak and a life jacket).

The Porterdale Yak Club is open Thursday — Sunday, and closed Monday. Paddlers can rent Tuesday and Wednesday by advanced reservation only.

The Yak Club is located directly across from The Lofts at the Mill in the historic Porterdale Train Depot.

Call 678-863-1666 or visit their Facebook page for more information.

Oxford The city of Oxford was established by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1839 and was the birthplace of Emory University.

Today, this quiet community is home to the two-year Oxford campus of Emory University.

This small town has many revered historic places, including homes and streets.

Where to eat Double Dips Bill Fuhrey has a little bit of everything on the menu at Double Dips: chicken tenders, his best-selling cheesesteaks and an assortment of frozen treats.

“In the restaurant business, you always have to be creative,” Fuhrey said of his plans to bring breakfast to his menu this summer.

His best-selling wings are made from Fuhrey’s decades-old family recipe, which he brought with him from his hometown of Buffalo, New York.

Always looking to do more, Fuhrey will be partnering with a friend to bring another new

continued PAGE 50

Find yourself in Porterdale…

A hometown for everyone!

S

itting astride the Yellow River on S.R. 81 in Newton County, the Village of Porterdale is a charming mill town founded in 1830. It is approximately 36 miles east of Atlanta, and 47 miles south of Athens.

www.cityofporterdale.com

Porterdale is yet another Phoenix rising from the ashes of hard times to take its place in Georgia’s great tradition of history and tourism. It is a great place to visit and, once again, a great place to live.

Arline Chapman, MAYOR

RE/MAX Agents Realty Founded in 1987

Representing both buyers and sellers, our associates

Serving Newton, Rockdale & surrounding counties for over 29 years!

offer expertise in: Residential Resale • New Construction • Commercial • Multi-Family • Farms and Land

Helping create successful homeowners.

Our friendly associates and staff are here to guide you through your buying or selling experience with ease!

Visit us at one of our RE/MAX Agents Realty offices.....

Pete Peters Mortgage Loan Officer - NMLS ID: 245408 404-406-3837 epeters@bankofamerica.com

Agents Realty

specialize in Brand Names of: Ceramic Tile, Carpet, Vinyl, Hardwood, Helping create WeLaminate, VCT, Luxury Vinyl Tile, Rugs, Residential & Commercial.

Agents Helping Realtycreate successful homeowners. successful homeowners.We have hundreds of carpet & 770-786-9245 Helping create successful homeowners.

first multiPle listing service

Pete Peters Mortgage Loan Officer - NMLS ID: 245408 404-406-3837 epeters@bankofamerica.com

Agents Realty first multiPle listing service

3343 Old Salem Road, Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. ©2009 Bank of America Corporation. Credit a ete PeConyers Pete• FAX PetPMortgage erstersLoan Officer - NMLS ID: 245408 770-922-7777 770-922-0869 collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rate Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. ©2009 Bank of America Corporation. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. All trademarks are the property of Bank of America Corporation or their respective owners. Bank of America and other advertised companies are separate entities; each is independently responsible for its Peters products, services and incentives. ARJ71470 00-62-1550D 12-2011 Pete

vinyl remnants in our

hardysfloors.com

404-406-3837 subject to change without notice. All trademarks are the property of Bank of America Mortgage Loan Offterms icerand- conditions NMLSareID: 245408 1111create Church Street, Covington epeters@bankofamerica.com Helping Corporation or their respective owners. Bank of America and other advertised companies are separate entities; sales@hardyfloors.com “Bargain Basement” 770-787-7777 • FAX 770-784-0784 successful homeowners. each is independently responsible for its Peters products, services and incentives. ARJ71470 00-62-1550D 12-201 Pete 404-406-3837 Conyers 770-922-7777 2227 Emory Street NW Lake770-787-7777 Oconee as lowLoan as $3.99Officer per sq. yd.

Mortgage - NMLS ID: 24540 Covington Covington, GA epeters@bankofamerica.com 1070 Salem Walk Dr.,706-454-7777 Suite 4, Greensboro 404-406-3837 Lake Oconee Mortgage Loan Officer - NMLS ID: 24540 404-406-3837 Helping create epeters@bankofamerica.com successful homeowners.

Agents Realty

Pete Peters Mortgage Loan Officer - NMLS ID: 245408 404-406-3837 epeters@bankofamerica.com Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC.

Pete Peters Mor tgage Loan Of ficer - NMLS ID: 245408 404-406-3837 epeters@bankofamerica.com

Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. ©2009 Bank of America Corporation. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. All trademarks are the property of Bank of America Corporation or their respective owners. Bank of America and other advertised companies are separate entities; each is independently responsible for its products, services and incentives. ARJ71470 00-62-1550D 12-2011

Helping create 706-454-7777 • FAX 706-453-9678 successful homeowners. first multiPle listing service

Equal Housing Lender. ©2009 Bank of America Corporation. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. All trademarks are the property of Bank of America Corporation or their respective owners. Bank of America and other advertised companies are separate entities; Pe00-62-1550D te Peters each is independently responsible for its products, services and incentives. ARJ71470 12-2011

Conyers 770-922-7777 Covington 770-787-7777 Lake Oconee 706-454-7777 Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. rs 770-922-7777 Pete Peters Mortgage Loan Officer - NMLS ID: 245408 404-406-3837 Mortgage Loan Officer - NMLS ID: 24540 epeters@bankofamerica.com 404-406-3837

Helping create epeters@bankofamerica.com successful homeowners.

We meet or beat any price you have in writing.

Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. ©2009 Bank of America Corporation. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. All trademarks are the property of Bank of America Corporation or their respective owners. Bank of America and other advertised companies are separate entities; each is independently responsible for its Peters products, services and incentives. ARJ71470 00-62-1550D 12-2011 Pete

Helping create epeters@bankofamerica.com successful homeowners.

Mor tgage Loan Of ficer - NMLS ID: 245408 404-406-3837 epeters@bankofamerica.com

Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. ©2009 Bank of America Corporation. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. All trademarks are the property of Bank of America Corporation or their respective owners. Bank of America and other advertised companies are separate entities; each is independently responsible for its products, services and incentives. ARJ71470 00-62-1550D 12-2011

Equal Housing Lender. ©2009 Bank of America Corporation. Credit and ton 770-787-7777 collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, onee 706-454-7777 of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Equal Housingand Lender.conditions ©2009 Bank of America Corporation. Credit and terms are subject to change without notice. All trademarks are the property of Bank of America eral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, or theirare the respective and conditions are subject to changeCorporation without notice. All trademarks property of Bankowners. of America Bank of America and other advertised companies are separate entities; ration or their respective owners. Bank of America and other advertised companies are separate entities; eachservices is independently responsible for its products, services and incentives. ARJ71470 00-62-1550D 12-2011 s independently responsible for its products, and incentives. ARJ71470 00-62-1550D 12-2011 Pete Peters Mor tgage Loan Of ficer - NMLS ID: 245408 404-406-3837 epeters@bankofamerica.com

Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. ©2009 Bank of America Corporation. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. All trademarks are the property of Bank of America Corporation or their respective owners. Bank of America and other advertised companies are separate entities; each is independently responsible for its products, services and incentives. ARJ71470 00-62-1550D 12-2011

from PAGE 48 item to the menu as early as August 2014.

“I haven’t met a Southern boy yet that doesn’t have a good barbeque recipe,” Fuhrey said of the new partnership — “Double Dips featuring Floyd’s BBQ.” Between wings and barbeque, Fuhrey said, he expects it to take off in the right direction.

2158 Georgia Hwy. 81 Oxford, GA 30054 678-712-9501 Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. MondayThursday and 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

What to do Oxford College at Emory University The historic Oxford campus of Emory University was established in 1836. This small, liberal arts branch of Emory boasts some interesting community draws, such as lectures and concerts open to students and the public as space allows.

Emory Director of Communications Cathy Wooten said the community is welcome to take part in all that Oxford College — the center of the city — has to offer.

Take a walk on or bike the Hearn Walking Trail, which goes through the woods just west of campus, and find a Civil War era cemetery. Back in town, take a walking tour to see the nineteenth-century historic homes

that give Oxford its unique appeal.

110 Few Circle Oxford, GA 30054 770-784-8888

Mansfield The agricultural community of Mansfield calls itself Newton County’s “front porch.”

The quiet town was established in 1903, and remains a rural community.

The town is not short of personality. It is believed to be named after a Mr. Mansfield, the last sober man in a group of businessmen after the town’s incorporation.

Where to eat Where There’s Smoke BBQ Terry Treadwell knows in the South you have to be a pulled pork specialist, which is why at Where There’s Smoke, they make barbeque “the hard way.”

Treadwell said they are probably one of the few places nowadays that cook over a wood fire every day rather than using gas to cook their award-winning barbeque.

Treadwell began cooking years ago when

a stroke left him unable to leave his home for some time. He already enjoyed cooking barbeque — which takes a lot of patience — so it was a perfect way to spend his time.

“The sauce and the dressings are all made in house,” Treadwell said of the food prep at his “hole in the wall” restaurant.

The Mansfield Where There’s Smoke is one of two locations; the other is in Monroe in a basement, which Treadwell calls his “hole in the ground.”

Try the fried potato salad and their signature Brunswick stew.

3139 Georgia Hwy. 11 Mansfield, GA 30055 770-786-9400

What to do Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center The Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center is located on 6,400 acres of land in Mansfield, Georgia.

Some of the center’s outdoor opportunities include hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, picknicking, horseback riding and more.

For more information on each activity, visit their website at http://www. georgiawildlife.com/CharlieElliott

543 Elliott Trail Mansfield, GA 30055 770-784-3059

Welcome The residents of Oxford, the Mayor and the City Council members would like to welcome you to Oxford.

Oxford Mayor and Council

Jerry D. Roseberry, Mayor Council Members: David S. Eady, Lyn Pace, George R. Holt, Terry A. Smith James H. Windham and Sarah T. Davis

www.oxfordgeorgia.org

Buy local

NEED

We Can Help!

HOMEGROWN You don't have to travel far to get a taste of fresh produce

By Bryan Fazio jewlery

N We Have What You Need to Make Your House a Home

ewton County has long been an agricultural hub. Farms dot its landscape and its history, which includes a precursor to the 4-H Club in the Girls Canning and Boys Corn Clubs back in 1904.

Nowadays, that farming culture is still prevalent, and you don’t have to be an agricultural wholesaler to enjoy the fruits of Newton County’s labors.

While farmers markets and farm stands are abundant throughout Covington, Mansfield, Newborn, Oxford, Porterdale, Social Circle and Metro Atlanta, area residents have the luxury of being able to go directly to the farms themselves.

For vegetables, Burge Organic Farm spans 16 acres at 2659 Hwy. 142 in Mansfield. The farm has produce such as tomatoes, summer squash and okra, but also grows items such as the heirloom

garlic found growing on the property before being propagated into farmable seeds; wild plums; asparagus; kiwis and Asian specialty vegetables. For a variety of its produce, Burge Organic Farm also offers community-supported agriculture for a direct farm-to-table relationship.

For the entree course of an area dinner, one just needs to venture slightly east of Newton County to Rutledge and Verner Farm at 4990 Davis Academy Road.

Verner Farms has been a part of East

continued PAGE 52 51 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

from PAGE 51

Area farms have been producing for generations, including Johnston’s Dairy Farm, which has been around since 1940.

Metro Atlanta for five generations, producing hay, breeding cattle and natural grassfed beef. Verner Farms offers nose-to-tail items from a steer, such as ground beef, ribeye, filet and even a quarter of the steer for $600, available at the farm or online at vernerfarms.com.

Area farms have been producing for generations, including Johnston’s Dairy Farm, which has been around since 1940.

But for its owner, Russell Johnston, the

90-100 hours a week running the production side of his milk farm — producing, bottling, marketing, selling and driving the milk — around the region prompted him to make a change. He started bottling the milk in August, but it became too much with the delivery of bottles to area markets and restaurants.

“We had enough bottling; it was killing me,” Johnston said. “It was 100 hours a week, and a massive headache all the time."

Johnston made the change, stopping the wholesale milk business and producing Italian cheeses.

“It was more for stability than anything else,” Johnston said. “When we were sending the milk out on the big truck, you never knew what you were going to be paid; it fluctuates. When I’m processing and retailing my own product, I know what I’m going to be paid. Milk was a little more money, but a whole lot more work.”

The switch benefits Newton County residents, as they can still get locally-raised milk, but also farm-fresh local cheeses.

All of the farm’s produce is now retail, available at farmer’s markets in the area and Metro Atlanta and available at the farm itself. Purchasing Johnston’s milk and cheese is simple enough. It is available in a

refrigerator next to a table with a cash box, where customers pay in an honor system.

The cheese and the ease of purchase has kept plenty of local customers buying products such as mozzarella, burrata, bocconcini, scamorza, feta and manchego cheese.

“We have a lot of people come here and get it,” Johnston said. “People seem to be real happy.”

Johnston Farms also sells to restaurants such as S&J Woodfire Pizza in Decatur and Restaurant Eugene in Buckhead, but keeps its cheese affordable to local customers. Prices range from $5 for its burrata at Johnston Farms and $6 at the Monroe Farmer’s Market or Peachtree Road Farmer’s Market.

Local products such as Johnston Farm’s cheeses are not only beneficial to the local economy and continuing its agricultural tradition, but also are fresher and many say tastier options for your table. Newton’s agriculture production can keep your family satisfied and your community supported from vegetables to meat and cheeses and local fruits.

“It’s fresh and tastes better than the grocery store,” Johnston said. “If they start local, the quality of the product is higher.”

New & & used used items items New at a a great great price! price! at • game systems & games

DVDs 4/$5

• tv’s • laptops • ar-15 • shotguns • firearm accessories • electronics • tools • handguns • rifles

2235 Sigman Road, Conyers, GA

770.483.1649

Pawn Your TiTle s e t a R t s e w for exTra cash! Lo Town! loans on vehicles, Trailers, In rvs, boaTs, gold, eTc.

Progressing to Better Serve Your Needs!

3175 Highway 278 N.E. • Covington

W

ith over 51 million dollars loaned on Mortgage Loans in our Community over the last 3 years...We would like to thank you and will continue to serve you at all of our Newton County locations.

Hwy. 36 & ByPass • Covington

8258 Highway 278 N.E. • Covington

770-786-7088

www.newtonfederal.com

MeMber FDIC

Newton Facts LAND, WATER AND AIR Newton County is one of Georgia’s largest counties at 276.4 square miles.

The Alcovy, Yellow and South rivers are primary waterways. Jackson Lake is used for recreation, while Lake Varner (also known as Cornish Creek Reservoir) is a water source, so gas engines are not permitted when boating there. The Covington Municipal Airport is north of the city and home to small aircraft and corporate jets.

INCOME Newton County’s 2011 median income was $51,336, according to an estimate by the Census Bureau, while 14.6 percent of eligible residents fell below the poverty line.

Of residents 25 years of age or older, 84.2 percent had at least a high school degree, and 19.1 percent had at least a bachelor’s degree.

Kids “R” Great Day Care and Preschool “Where Kids Count and Learning is Fun!”

• 6 weeks to 12 years old • 4 large outside play areas • Private 3 & 4 year old Preschool Programs • Educational programs for school children • School transportation to East Newton and Mansfield

2235 Dixie Road • Covington

(at Elks Club Rd. across from East Newton Elementary School)

770-786-8585

C ovington is a warm, friendly community with culturally diverse roots that date back to the early 1800s.

Southern heritage and hospitality, coupled with long-standing forward thinking local government leadership and community planning makes Covington, Georgia the ideal place to live, work, or visit.

Often called the “Hollywood of the South,” Covington or at least parts of it has been viewed through the medium of the television and movie screen across the country and around the world. Covington, Georgia, you’ll find it at the “corner of yesterday and tomorrow.”

2194 Emory Street, Covington, Georgia 30014 770-385-2000 • www.cityofcovington.org

GERRI MURPHY REALTY, INC. Located on the Historic Square of Downtown Covington

Motivated agents, fast results! Whether you’re buying or selling a home, land or business,

partnering with the right RealtorÂŽ is the key to a timely and successful real estate transaction.

Customer service is our #1 goal. We are committed to aggressively marketing your property for maximum exposure so you can close the sale faster!

Put our agents to work for you!

Gerri Murphy Realty 1123 Washington Street SW Covington, Georgia 770-787-8400

TOP NEWTON AND ROCKDALE COUNTY'S MOST NOTABLE ATHLETES

DOGS Probably much to your surprise, Newton and Rockdale County have produced a plethora of athletes and sports-related professionals that you might know simply by name. Most, if not all, of these athletes have attended/graduated from one of the six high schools between the two counties: Newton High School (formerly known as Newton County High School), Rockdale High School, Salem High School, Alcovy High School, Heritage High School and/or Eastside High School.

Here are some quick facts about the athletes and sports-related pros you probably didn’t know started out their respective careers in the Newton/Rockdale County areas.

By Shakeem Holloway

56 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

Sports & Recreation

Shane Henry Henry is one of the most recent athletes to find success. He went from the Newton High School JV basketball team manager his sophomore year to starting varsity in his junior year.

After playing basketball for Newton, Henry went on to play two years at Georgia Perimeter College. Recently, Henry announced that he had accepted an offer to play basketball for Virginia Tech where he will begin playing in the fall. At GPC Henry was a double-double machine playing at power forward.

He averaged 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Jill Arrington Born in Conyers, Georgia and an alumna of Heritage High School, Jill Arrington is currently a sportscaster for FOX where she hosts the ‘College Football Saturday Preview.’ She has worked at CBS, ESPN and now FOX. She has also been in nationally televised commercials as well as doing voice-overs for EA’s Madden.

Arrington attended Miami University where she got her degree with a double major in political science and journalism. Jill Arrington’s father, Rick Arrington, played quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.

We’re Always On the Move

Knowing the community and understanding the market is essential when working in real estate.

Tricia and Cathy consider you the most important person in any transaction and respect the value of your time. They offer you excellent service and marketing in the east metro area. Put their experience

to work for you!

Tricia

Kuhn

404-641-1277 tricia_kuhn@bellsouth.net

Cathy

Dobbs

404-626-5075 thedobbs91@msn.com

Not all who sell real estate are Realtors®. If you don’t know the difference, you may not be protected. Always choose a professional, always choose a Realtor®!

Gerri Murphy Realty 1123 Washington Street SW, Covington 770-787-8400

continued PAGE 58

Miracle League Baseball Complex Coming Soon to City Pond Park ning

pe Grand O

014!

2 f o r e Summ

“Every Child Deserves the Chance to Play Baseball!”

We need Volunteer Buddies, Coaches and Umpires, too.

Interested in volunteering or want additional information? Call 770-786-4373, ext. 14

Player registration will begin soon!

Ages 4 & up

www.miracleleagueofnewtoncounty.com

(including adults!)

from PAGE 57

Clint Mathis Depending on how old you are and how big of a fan of soccer you are, you might know this guy.

Clint Mathis was a big contributor in the U.S.’s qualifying for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and he even scored a goal in the U.S.’s 2002 World Cup draw versus South Korea.

Mathis is a native of Conyers, Georgia where he graduated from Heritage High School. He was the sixth overall pick in the 1998 draft by the L.A. Galaxy. Mathis had a record-breaking season in 2000 with the MetroStars. He broke the individual goal-scoring record at the time with five goals against the Dallas Burn. Mathis recorded the second-most goals in the league that year. In June of 2001 he tore his ACL and never really returned to form after that. Currently he is an assistant with the Chicago Fire.

Willie “Jake” Reed From Covington to...

Minnesota? Yeah, you got it. Reed was an explosive wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings where he was drafted in the third round of the 1991 draft out of Grambling State University. Reed recorded four 1,000 yard seasons with the Vikings. He and Viking legend Chris Carter combined for 207 receptions in 1994, which was an NFL record at the time. Reed attended Newton County High School before moving on to Grambling.

3 Years in a row!!!

2011, 2012, 2013 Customer Satisfaction Performance Award!

Dale Carter Carter is actually Willie Reed’s brother. After attending Newton High School, Carter played football at the University of Tennessee. He was drafted as a cornerback with the 20th pick in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft. Carter played six seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs before inking a deal that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL with the Denver Broncos. Off the field issues forced him to be a journeyman around the league after two seasons with Denver — one of which he was suspended for an entire season. After retiring from the NFL, Carter established the Olivia Carter Foundation to help young men and women avoid making mistakes he made.

$100 OFF any Major internal

LET US CHECK YOUR TRanSmiSSiOn

FREE!

Before any transmission is repaired a thorough transmission diagnosis must be preformed. over 70% of the vehicles we check do not need transmission rebuild.

TransMission repair* cel

ebrating 50 years

1662 Hwy. 138, Conyers, GA 30013 *Most vehicles. One coupon per customer. Not to be combined with any other offer. Present at time of sale. Expires 7/30/15. RN

We are your Transmission Experts!

770-388-7000

Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm • Saturday - 8:00am - 12:00 noon We Accept

FINANCING AVAILABLE

“We buy crippled cars and trucks!”

Sports & Recreation

PARKS &recreation There are many areas around Newton and Rockdale County for you to explore. Athletic facilities and recreational gyms are some highlights around the area. Below is a list of some of the places you can go for any sports-related activity, both outdoors and indoors.

By Shakeem Holloway

City Pond Spanning 80 acres on Old City Pond Road in Covington, Georgia you will find City Pond Complex. City Pond Complex includes six lighted baseball fields, five batting cages, one lighted football field, a playground, four lighted tennis courts and one picnic pavillion. Of course there’s also a large pond – hence the name City Pond Complex – with a twomile trail circling the pond. Everything is handicap accessible.

Turner Lake Located at 6185 Turner Lake Road in Covington, Georgia is the Turner Lake Complex covering 158 acres of land with the backdrop of a beautiful 26-acre lake in the background. Turner Lake Complex provides a gymnasium, recreation commission offices, full service senior center, four lighted softball fields, one playground, a three-mile walking trail, one picnic area, and two batting cages. Everything is handicap accessible. 770-786-4373.

Ashton Hills Golf Club Ashton Hills Golf Club, formerly known as Indian Creek Golf Club, went through a renovation in 2012 when ownership changed.

That same year Georgia Golf News named the course Atlanta’s Best New Course. The course is located at 10400 Covington Bypass Road in Covington, Georgia. The 18-hole course is open year round with an open guest policy and bent greens. It also includes a driving range, rental clubs and rental carts. Tee times start at $15. 770-385-0064 The Oaks Course Measuring 6,437 yards and located at 11240 Brown Bridge Rd. in Covington, Georgia. The course features four sets of tees, each tailored to players of different skill levels. The Oaks course is a semi-private course open year round with Bermuda fairways and greens. The course has a driving range, rental clubs and carts – carts are included in green fees. Tee times start at $15. 770-786-3801.

Windy Hills Course This nine-hole golf course was designed by Arnold Palmer and opened in 1999. The course is completely public with no driving range. Green fee prices are $20 on both weekdays and weekends. The Windy Hills Course featuring bent greens is located at 513 Kirkland Road in Covington, Georgia. 770-786-2820.

60 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

continued PAGE 61

from PAGE 60 Atlanta Gran Prix Karting Open 12-8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-6 p.m. on Sunday, anyone can have a good time racing gokarts. The go-karts race up to 40 mph on an 11-foot paved road course. For just $20 and a $10 insurance fee that covers you for the entire day you can have a 10-minute session that averages between about 16 or 19 laps. Eight cars are allowed on the track at one time. The course is located at 350 Old Oxford Road in Covington. For more information, call 678-961-8980.

Johnson Park Recreation Center The Johnson Park Recreation Center is located at 1781 Ebenezer Road in Conyers, Georgia. Open Monday — Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, contact the Johnson Park Recreation Center at 770-278-7529. Some of the features include: Four softball fields Weight room Gymnasium

NCWSA

Newton County Water & Sewerage Authority Providing important resources to the citizens of Newton County since 1970.

44 Years of Service

Indoor pool Tennis courts Walking/jogging trails

Black Shoals Park You can find Black Shoals Park & Randy Poynter Lake at 3001 Black Shoals Road in Conyers, Georgia. Amenities include: Boat ramp Fishing pier Boat storage

Covered pavilion with grill Available for rent

For more info, contact the administrative office at 770-278-7529.

11325 Brown Bridge Road • Covington, Georgia savewaternewton.com newtoncowaterauthority.com 770-787-1375

Rebuild. Repair. Reimagine.

W

e at Service BEFORE Complete would like to welcome you to the Covington area.

Whether you are looking for a custom built home or would like to make renovations to one currently on the marAFTER ket, we would love the opportunity to earn your business! We provide new construction services, custom remodeling, fire, water and storm damage restoration; mold remediation, and outdoor living areas. Give us a call today for your free estimate on turning your home into your DREAM HOME! 2012 BUILDER OF THE YEAR

Licensed-insured-certified

404.274.2817 www.rebuildga.com @firewaterstorm /servicecompleteusa

Education from our officials

PROUD TO

Wine • Craft Beer • Cigars Gifts • Gourmet Foods

SERVE

W

Monthly wine and beer tastings!

Ask about our Wine Club!

Private parties available.

1109 Church Street On the Square in Covington 470-444-1313 www.thecorkboutiqueandgifts.com Open Monday-Friday 10am-7pm & Saturday 10am-6pm

In addition to their elcome to regular studies, the the Newmore children read, the ton County more likely they are to School System and succeed in school. If to the 2014-2015 your children are enterschool year. I trust ing school for the first that you have had an time, reading with them excellent summer. daily and discussing It is my honor and what you have read privilege to serve as will prove beneficial. your school system SAMANTHA FUHREY An international study superintendent. I look NCSS SUPERINTENDENT conducted by the Orforward to working ganization for Economtogether to ensure ic Cooperation and Development our students experience continued confirms that children whose parents improvement in their achievement. frequently read with them in their first The staff of the Newton County years of school continue to reap the School System believes it is our benefit long after the completion of responsibility to provide students elementary school. For all students, with a quality education in a safe and orderly environment that fosters regular “outside reading” is critical to expanding vocabulary and building innovation, creativity and high background knowledge. All students expectations. should read challenging texts of Over the last several years, we interest to them for at least 20-30 have experienced exceptional minutes every day. growth in student achievement Continued support from the leading to outstanding rates of community will prove beneficial as improvement. While we are pleased we prepare students to be our future with our rate of improvement, we leaders. Our local partnerships with are not satisfied. We continue to businesses and community agenfocus our work so that all students cies demonstrate a commitment to are college and/or career ready continued economic development, thereby guaranteeing they have future growth and support for our choices beyond high school. We will students, teachers, leaders and staff. continue to work diligently to ensure We look forward to enhancing our that academic content is relevant, so strong relationships with local busithat students will choose to remain nesses and community agencies and in school at even higher rates.

Our partnerships with parents serve invite others to participate.

The 2014-2015 Education as a foundation for improvement.

Summits will take place at Newton My request of our parents is to be High School located at 1 Ram Way, supportive of our schools and make Covington, GA 30014, on Saturcertain students read and attend day, August 23, 2014 and Saturday, school regularly. When children are March 14, 2015. I look forward to an not in school, they miss important inexcellent school year, and thank you, formation that could have long-term in advance, for your support of our effects on their achievement. Take school system; I encourage every time to get involved in the education student and parent to make this of your children. Research clearly school year the best year ever! reflects that the more parents take an active role in their children’s educaSamantha Fuhrey tion, the better the children perform.

Specialists in the Detection and Treatment of Digestive Diseases, Hepatitis and Colon Cancer

The Board Certified specialists at Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates are experts in colon cancer screenings and evaluating and treating every type of digestive disorder, including: • Crohn’s Disease | UC • Liver Disease | Hepatitis • Intestinal Polyps • Barrett’s Esophagus • Irritable Bowel Syndrome • Hiatal Hernias • Acid Reflux | Ulcers • Diarrhea | Constipation • Hemorrhoids With a convenient location in Conyers, getting the care you need has never been easier. For more information, call our office or talk to your primary care physician.

Mahmoud B. Barrie, M.D.

Barry Levitt, M.D.

Conyers | 1501 Milstead Road | Suite 160 | 770.817.0224

We're proud to announce that Dr. David Rabin will join our Conyers practice in August. www.atlantagastro.com | 1.866.GO.TO.AGA [468.6242] AGA is a participating provider for Medicare, Medicaid and most healthcare plans offered in Georgia.

ECHO has been a leading innovator and manufacturer of outdoor power equipment for over 40 years. ECHO engineers only professional-grade equipment that is Easy Starting, Long Lasting and User Friendly to help keep your yard looking its best. So if you’re ready to Get Serious, now is the time to trade-up to ECHO gas-powered lawn equipment.

The ECHO line-up features Chain Saws, Grass Trimmers, Leaf Blowers, Hedge Trimmers, Edgers and Brushcutters complimented by a complete offering of ECHO Accessories and parts to keep your tools functional. ECHO chain saws and lawn equipment are the best built in the industry and are so reliable they’re backed by a 5-year Consumer Warranty.

3072 North Main Street • Mansfield, GA 30055

770-786-3334 • www.haystractor.com

Discover Hist

Olde Town Co Welcome to

Olde Town Conyers Take a stroll through this quaint, historic area of Conyers.

Enjoy unique specialty stores, restaurants, entertainment, and festivals in this Main Street community.

Visit the Welcome Center in Olde Town to get information on events, festivals, attractions, dining, golf, and shopping.

901 Railroad Street, Conyers, GA 30012 • 770-602-2606

visit.conyersga.com • tiny.cc/OTCMainStreet

Treat Yourself and Take a Trip Back in Time!

An Eclectic Mix of Antique, Vintage, Retro, and Local Artistry Under One Roof Competitive prices and stellar customer service!

Visit us at our new location now BIGGER & BETTER 951 Railroad Street, NW, Olde Town Conyers 30012 (the old Michelangelo’s Restaurant)

770-761-8555

The

SketchingPad

Olde Town Art

Studio

ART

(678) 634-9313

LESSONS WORKSHOPS PARTIES CAMPS

gPad.com www.TheSketchin

Mon.-Sat. 10 am - 6 pm & Sun. 1 pm - 6 pm

Nature S eeN Gallery & Frame Shop

NOW OPEN!

BEASLEY’S COMPOUNDING LAB Specializing In...Hormone Replacement Therapy, Veterinary Medicines, Topical Analgesics, and Much More!

Custom Framing ~ Prints ~ Art Work by Orrin Morris Mirrors ~ Shadow Boxes and Much More!

Providing Professional, Courteous Service for 36 Years!

770-483-2258

914 Center Street, NE Conyers, GA

Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10-5 • Saturday 10-2

933 Center Street Conyers, GA 30012

770-483-7211

Open Monday-Friday 8am-6:30pm Saturday 9am-4pm

Ora Bailey, Owner

Withstanding the Test of Time

Westmor eland’s

Meeting

770-922-1935 907 Commercial Street in Olde Town Conyers

your jew

elry nee

ds since

1981

Authorized Seiko and Pulsar Watch Dealer.

We Specialize in Watch Repairs.

The Conyers School of Ballet Registering

Nowfor Fa ll Classes!

Instruction in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Pointe and Creative Movement since 1980!

www.escentuallyyoursgifts.com

931 Center Street - In Olde Town Conyers

770-483-5280 www.conyersschoolofballet.org

Elegant & Affordable

the celtic tavern

Banquet & Meeting Space and Off-Site Catering Available

Your Neighborhood Irish Pub & Eatery for 14 Years!

A Special Event Facility

1035 Green Street, SE Conyers, GA 30012

Weddings • Birthdays • Banquets Reunions • Corporate Meetings/Events

770-602-0879

www.cameronhallspecialevents.com

Great Food, Great Friends, Great Atmosphere Lunch served Thurs. thru Sat. 11:30 am-3:30 pm Dinner served Nightly till 10:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 4:30 pm-6:30 pm

It’s always a good time at The Celtic Tavern!

918 Commercial Street in Olde Town Conyers 770-785-7001 • www.conyersceltictavern.com Wed: Open Mic 8:30pm • Thurs: Team Trivia 7pm Fri: Live Music 6pm-midnight • Sat: Karaoke 9pm-1am Sun, Tues, & Thurs: Texas Hold’em 8pm

Independently Owned and Operated

by Lester Lackey, Jr.

Education Who is the Board of Education?

Get to know Newton County School System’s trustees

Lester Lackey & Sons Funeral Home, Inc.

Serving Newton County for more than 75 years in a historical atmosphere.

• Giving Comfort to the Living • Complete and Dignified Service at a Cost You Can Afford • Notary Public • Veterans Benefits Specialist • Pre-Need and Cremation Arrangements • 24-Hour Service Calls • On-Site Embalming by Licensed Embalmers • Offering Weekend Service for Funerals and Burials 1163 Reynolds Street • Covington, Georgia

770-786-6177 lackeysonsfuneralhomes.com

Meadors, District 1 Jeff Meadors began his first term on the Board in January 2011. He is an administrator at Georgia Perimeter College and holds a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Mercer University and MAT and DAST degrees from Emory University. He completed leadership certification at the University of Georgia. A former assistant principal and teacher in middle, high and alternative school settings, Meadors has served as an adjunct faculty member in the graduate program at Emory University in the Division of Education Studies and a supervisor of student teachers at Emory University.

Johnson, District 2 Eddie Johnson began serving his first term on the Board of Education in January 2009.

He is a graduate of Albany Technical College in Albany and has a certificate in electricity.

Johnson completed a three-year tour in the United States Army and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Albany State University. He has held several managerial positions with AT&T. Johnson and his family moved from Boston, Massachusetts to Newton County in 1991.

HendersonBaker, Chair, District 3 Shakila Henderson-Baker began her first term on the Board of Education in January 2011. She attended Fort Valley State University on 66 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

local community scholarships and a partial academic scholarship before earning a full scholarship by her junior year at Fort Valley. She graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Fort Valley State University. She works as a mental health clinician and behavioral specialist. She also serves as a case manager for a federal government grant program that works toward keeping at-risk/ at-promise teens out of trouble.

Turner, District 4 Almond Turner is a 1968 graduate of the historic R.L. Cousins High School and attended Fort Valley State College, where he majored in music. He also attended DeKalb Community College, where he earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice. He received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Troy University. He is a 1982 graduate of the FBI National Academy. He is a member of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Coggin, Vice-Chair, District 5 Abigail Coggin was selected in November 2010 to serve as District 5 representative of the Newton County School Board. She is a lifelong resident of Newton County and graduated from Newton County High School in 1992.

She attended Oxford College and received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Emory University. Throughout her college career, Coggin was employed as a staffer on many successful state-wide political campaigns and also served in the Georgia State Senate’s Public Information Office.

2014-2015 School Calendar NEWTON COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM

JULY 21-23 New teacher induction 25 Elementary teachers report 28 Secondary teachers report 30 Elementary open house 5-7 p.m.

31 Open house for middle schools 5-7 p.m.

AUGUST 1 First day of school for

students 29 Early release for parent conferences

SEPTEMBER 1 Labor Day holiday 4 Progress reports issued (secondary) 26 Early release for professional learning

9 Report cards issued 20-24 Fall break NOVEMBER 7 Early release for professional learning

13 Progress reports issued (secondary) 24-28 Thanksgiving break

professional learning

(secondary) 12, 13, 16 Bad weather makeup days (Winter break if not required) 27 Early release for parent conferences

APRIL 6-10 Spring Break 23 Progress reports issued

MARCH 13 End of 3rd nine weeks 19 Report cards issues 20 Early release for

MAY 22 Last day of school for students

post planning

26th

Anniversary

JANUARY 5 Teacher professional learning/work day 6 Students report for second semester 8 Report cards issued 16 Early release for professional learning 19 Martin Luther King birthday holiday

(secondary)

25 Memorial Day holiday 26-27 Elementary, secondary

DECEMBER 19 End of second nine weeks 22-Jan. 2 Holiday break

1988-2014

Hardwood • Tile • Laminate

Proudly Serving Rockdale, Newton and Surrounding Counties since 1988 770-922-7108 www.randyscarpetplus.com

Grow Work Achieve

OCTOBER 3 End of 1st nine weeks

Grow, Work, Achieve!

George Walton Academy was founded by parents and community leaders who envisioned a strong college-preparatory, private school with Judeo-Christian values. Founded in Monroe, Georgia, GWA offers a curriculum that emphasizes academic fundamentals and

strong arts and athletics programs. Our family atmosphere and total academic experience produce well-rounded students. By the time students graduate from GWA, they will have been exposed to the

Work Achieve

m

FEBRUARY 5 Progress reports issued

kind of academic standards and will have learned the kind of study

Grow Work Achieve

habits needed to excel at demanding universities. Average class size

at GWA is 17 students; allowing teachers to get to know each students

770.267.7578

. gwa.com

strengths and talents. Whether students have plans to further their education close to home or in the Ivy League, GWA has a dedicated team of professionals to help them achieve their goals and dreams.

George Walton Academy was founded by parents and community

George Walton Academy was founded by parents and community leaders who envisioned a strong college-preparatory, private school with Judeo-Christian values. Founded in Monroe, Georgia, GWA

leaders who envisioned a strong college-preparatory, private school

offers a curriculum that emphasizes academic fundamentals and

with Judeo-Christian values. Founded in Monroe, Georgia, GWA

strong arts and athletics programs. Our family atmosphere and total

offers a curriculum that emphasizes academic fundamentals and

academic experience produce well-rounded students. By the time

strong arts and athletics programs. Our family atmosphere and total

students graduate from GWA, they will have been exposed to the kind of academic standards and will have learned the kind of study

academic experience produce well-rounded students. By the time

habits needed to excel at demanding universities. Average class size

students graduate from GWA, they will have been exposed to the kind of academic standards and will have learned the kind of study habits needed to excel at demanding universities. Average class size at GWA is 17 students; allowing teachers to get to know each students strengths and talents. Whether students have plans to further their education close to home or in the Ivy League, GWA has a dedicated team of professionals to help them achieve their goals and dreams.

at GWA is 17 students; allowing teachers to get to know each students

770.267.7578

. gwa.com

strengths and talents. Whether students have plans to further their education close to home or in the Ivy League, GWA has a dedicated team of professionals to help them achieve their goals and dreams.

for women

A BETTER HEALTH CARE EXPERIENCE Specializing in Gynecology & Urogynecology Surgery - Well Women Health Care and Comprehensive Annual Exams - Pap Smears, Breast Exams, and In-Office Ultrasounds - Full range of Contraception Options - Menopausal Management - Traditional and Alternative - Adolescent and Pediatric Gynecology - Infertility Workups - Hormone Replacement Therapy - Bladder Problems and Incontinence - Osteoporosis Screening and Treatment - Screening for Sexually Transmitted Diseases - Treatment for Fibroids, Endometriosis, Abnormal Bleeding, and Ovarian Cysts

Appointments readily available that will fit into your busy schedule.

Procedures We Provide DaVinci Robotics Gynecological Surgery Traditional Abdominal Hysterectomy, Vaginal, Hysterectomy, and Laparoscopic Assisted Hysterectomy Myomectomy for Fibroid Tumors In-Office ESSURE Tubal Ligation Laparoscopic Surgery for Ovarian Problems, Endometriosis, Tubal and Adhesive Diseases Hysteroscopic Surgery Colposcopies for Abnormal Pap Smears and LEEP Procedures Repair of Pelvic Prolapse, Relaxation and Surgery for Bladder Leakage In-Office Endometrial Ablation for Excessive Menstrual Bleeding

Lanie Vu, NP

Maria Epling, CNP

CONYERS

2750 Owens Drive Suite A 678-413-4644

STOCKBRIDGE

140 Eagles Spring Court Suite B 770-302-0878

Dr. Stephanie Gordon

visit us online @ womenscenterga.com

Marcia Harmon, CNM

2014-2015 School Calendar SOCIAL CIRCLE CITY SCHOOLS JULY

18,21 New teacher induction 22 New teacher to the system orientation 23-25, 28 Pre-planning & system professional learning days 29 First day of school

SEPTEMBER 1 Labor Day holiday- students & staff

OCTOBER

3 Student holiday/professional learning day for staff 6-10 Fall break- students and staff 13-17 Parent-teacher conference 20-24 Parent-teacher conference 23 Early release day (noon)/ parent-teacher conferences

NOVEMBER

24-28 Thanksgiving breakstudents and staff

DECEMBER

18 Student holiday/professional learning day for staff 19-Jan. 2 Christmas holidaysstudents and staff

JANUARY

5 Students and teachers return from Christmas holidays 19 MLK day

FEBRUARY

12 Early release day (noon)/ parent-teacher conferences 13 Holiday- students and staff 16 President's Day holidaystudents and staff

“It is important to understand the past in order to interpret the present, and plan for the future.”

– Linda D. Hays

The Clerk of Superior CourT Newton County, Georgia

MARCH

13 Early release day (noon)/ parent-teacher conferences

APRIL

3 Professional learning day for staff or inclement weather day 6-10 Spring break- students and staff 13 Holiday- students and staff or inclement weather day

MAY

22 Last day of school/ graduation 8 p.m.

26-27 Post planning 28 Professional learning day for staff

NewtoN CouNty Clerk of Superior Court • 1132 uSher Street, Suite 338 CoviNgtoN • 770-784-2035 • alCovyCirCuit.Com

Education

Get to know your education outlets

Public High Schools

Distinctions: Of the class of 2011,

Alcovy High School

Walk Mowers

Blowers

Chain Saws

14567 Highway 36, Covington 770-784-4995 678-625-6117 (fax) Sandra Owens, principal Veronica Lawrence, assistant principal Philip Davidson, assistant principal Jennifer Mason, assistant principal Kristopher Williams, assistant principal 2013-2014 enrollment: 1,755

194369-1

TWO LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU!

TWO LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU

10714 Hwy 36 • 770-784-7068

Newton High School

Distinctions: In the 2010-2011 school year, AHS was named a Georgia 2011 AP Honor School in the AP STEM Category; the girls basketball team made it to the second round of @AlcovyHS Distinctions: the state tournament; Eastside High School: 2006 2AAAAA region the boys basketball @EHS_Eagles champs in softball, team made it to the Newton High School: boys cross country; first round of the state @Newton_High 2005 Governor’s Cup tournament; the boys Newton College and for SAT achievement; track team won the Career Academy: 2005 2AAAAA region region tournament; an @NCAA_Covington champs in softball, AHS wrestler made it to girls cross country, the state tournament; wrestling and AHS was selected as competition cheerleading; 2002 a High Five School by Fox Five News; United States Senate Youth Delegate; AHS Technology Student Association won second place in the Manufacturing 2002 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Honor Teacher Award Winner; 2004 Prototype Competition at the Georgia state wrestling champion Technology Student Conference

10245 Eagle Drive, Covington 770-784-2920 770-784-2918 (fax) Financing Available 0% for 36 months or 12 Months Same as Cash Jeff Cher, principal Financing Available - 0% for 36 Months or 12 Months Same as Cash Bruce McColumn, assistant TWO LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU principal COVINGTON Gloria Griffith, assistant 10714 Hwy 36 • 770-784-7068 CONYERS principal www.SnapperproLawn.com 915 Flat Shoals Rd • 770-760-7068 Bart Buff, assistant principal Months or 12 Months Same as Cash

COVINGTON

two students were AP Scholars with Distinction; eight students were AP Scholars; 153 of 279 students were eligible for Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship

1 Ram Way, Covington 770-787-2250 770-784-2957 (fax) John Ellenberg, principal Tracey Curtis, assistant principal Ryan Norman, assistant principal Chasha Colbert, assistant principal Nikkita Warfield, FOLLOW YOUR assistant principal SCHOOL Jonathan Page, ON assistant principal 2013-2014 enrollment: 1,941 Alcovy High School:

Eastside High School

COVINGTON 10714 Hwy. 36 • 770-784-7068 CONYERS 915 Flat Shoals Rd. • 770-760-7068

2013-2014 enrollment: 1,231

Newton College and Career Academy

144 Ram Drive, Covington 678-625-6769 678-625-6041 (fax) James Woodard, principal/CEO Douglas Blackwell, assistant principal Allison Chapman, assistant principal

continued PAGE 72 70 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

Launch your educational future. visit gpc.edu/apply

At GPC we offer you an unforgettable educational journey with faculty who’ll guide you through multiple majors, online or on campus. We also provide clubs, student leadership opportunities and athletics to complete a rich college experience—all at the lowest tuition within the University System of Georgia. And with GPC’s exclusive Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program, the best four-year institutions in Georgia and throughout the nation are within your reach.

See how far GPC can take you.

A BETTER WAY FORWARD

from PAGE 70 Distinctions: The NCCA represents a strategic focus of the Newton County Board of Education and the Newton County School System to meet the growing needs of the workforce of Newton and surrounding counties. Today’s workers needs a balance of academic and career pathway (technical) skills, which is one of NCCA’s goals. NCCA partners with area businesses that have the resources and real world expertise to make academic work real, rigorous and relevant. (Information taken from the NCCA Master Plan 2013-2018)

Higher Education Georgia BioScience Training Center The state is building the $14 million center adjacent to the new $1 billion Baxter International Inc. biomanufacturing plant being constructed in Covington. The center will support training for Baxter employees and for new companies in the life sciences industry that choose to locate in Georgia. It will be a signature building that declares to a global audience that Georgia is committed to both research and knowledge and the

skilled, trained workforce that is critical to successful bioscience businesses.

“This training facility represents not only our commitment to supporting Baxter’s needs, but also our commitment to growing the life sciences industry in Georgia,” said Georgia Governor Nathan Deal. “It’s projects like these that have made, and will continue to make, Georgia the No. 1 state in the nation in which to do business.” (Information taken from Georgia.gov) Oxford College of Emory University

110 Few Circle, Oxford 770-784-8888 www.oxford.emory.edu Stephen Bowen, dean 2013-2014 enrollment: 947

The first two years of Emory University’s liberal arts curriculum may be pursued either at the main campus in Atlanta or at Oxford College, which was founded in 1836 as Emory’s original campus. Emory moved to Atlanta in 1919, but students who wish to live and study in a smaller community can still choose Oxford. A new $29 million science building is being constructed on the campus quad, facing

the center of life the school and is expected to be completed by January 2016.

Georgia Perimeter College Newton Campus

239 Cedar Lane, Covington 770-278-1200 www.gpc.edu Keith Cobbs, dean of student services Paulos Yohannes, dean of academic services

Georgia Perimeter College opened its Newton campus doors in 2007 to partner with Georgia State University by allowing students to earn a bachelor of business administration degree in marketing or managerial services while completing all four years of college on the Newton campus. GPC is accredited to award associate degrees by the Southern Association of College and Schools Commissions on Colleges and offers on-site and distance learning opportunities.

Georgia Piedmont Technical College

16200 Alcovy Road, Covington 770-786-9522 www.gptc.edu

continued PAGE 73

Northern Italian Cuisine

tucked away in Clark’s Grove Subdivision.

Come enjoy our outdoor seating!

4167 Raphael StReet (InSIde ClaRk’S GRove) CovInGton, GeoRGIa

678-625-0000 www.milazzos.com Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 11am-9pm • Friday 11am-10pm • Saturday 5pm-10pm

from PAGE 72 Established in 1961, Georgia Piedmont Technical College is one of the oldest and most respected of the state’s 33 technical colleges. In 2010, the college served 24,590 students and conferred 1,118 awards to graduates across its two campuses and five centers. Graduates have a 99 percent job placement rate with 69 percent graduate placement in jobs in or related to their program or field of study or in further education. The GPTC adult education program is one of the largest such programs, as well as international literacy programs, in the state. GPTC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Colleges to award associate of applied science degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit.

Troy University

1160 Monticello Street, Covington 770-385-8315 770-385-8825 (fax) www.troy.edu

The Troy University Covington Site originally began operations in 2002 as a teaching site attached to the Augusta Site but became an independent site after exponential growth. The Covington Site serves non-traditional students using both on-site, cohorts and online classes. Troy University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, education specialist and doctoral degrees. The Covington Site supports several bachelor and master’s degree programs.

You Have Animals…They Have Needs

We Have You Covered!

For over 20 years, the folks at The Stock Market have been providing you and the animals you love with products and services you need.

The Stock Market 4479 Ga. Hwy. 20 SE, Conyers, GA 770-483-8620

Open Monday - Saturday from 9am-7pm • Sunday from 10am-6pm

www.thestockmarketcountrystore.com Visit us soon…or remember, delivery is always available!

directory CHURCHES Apostolic

Corinth Missionary Baptist Church

2094 Highway 81 South, Covington

Cornish Mountain Baptist Church

Apostolic Community Church of Covington (770) 784-7768

African Methodist Episcopal

Mount Zion AME Church 119 5th Avenue, Mansfield (770) 787-0358

Pleasant Hill AME Zion Church 1578 Alcovy Station Road, Covington (770) 464-2999

St. Paul AME Church

13108 Brown Bridge Road., Covington (770) 786-7785

Poplar Hill AME Church

623 Poplar Hill Road, Covington (770) 787-4954

Graves Chapel AME Church 1575 Alcovy Trestle Road, Social Circle (770) 787-2510

Baptist

Bald Rock Baptist Church

813 S. Cherokee Road, Social Circle (770) 464-2949

1089 Cornish Mountain Church Road, Oxford (770) 787-7644

County Line Baptist Church 3325 Ga. Highway 162 S., Covington (770) 786-2637

Covington Bible Baptist Church 75 Marble Drive, Oxford (770) 784-6622

Crossroads Baptist Church 227 County Road 229, Social Circle (770) 786-2563

Early Hope Baptist Church 3162 Ga. Highway 162, Covington (770) 786-8318

East Newton Baptist Church 1129 Rocky Plains Road, Covington 770-786-6627

Fellowship Baptist Church 4297 Ga. Highway 81, Oxford (678) 342-9040

First Baptist Church of Covington

2284 Old Covington Road N.E., Covington (770) 929-3421

1139 Usher Street, Covington (770) 786-9031

Berean Baptist Church

1st Baptist Church of Social Circle

20 Old Social Circle Road, Social Circle (678) 625-3551

195 N. Cherokee Road, Social Circle (770) 464-3474

11392 Jackson Highway, Covington (770) 787-0370

11677 Brown Bridge Road, Covington (770) 787-1015

Bethel Bara Baptist Church

Bethel Grove Baptist Church 10728 Flat Shoals Road, Covington (770) 786-6630

Bethel Grove Baptist in Mansfield 520 Sewell Road, Mansfield (770) 786-3359

Bethlehem Baptist Church 2177 Usher Street, Covington (770) 786-8229

Calvary Baptist Church 4228 Mill Street N.E., Covington (770) 786-3216

Canaan Baptist Church 5581 Salem Road, Covington (770) 786-8885

74 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

Gateway Community Church

Grace Baptist Church 474 Crowell Road, Covington (770) 786-5692

Greater Love Baptist Church 1780 Pickett Bridge Road, Covington (770) 788-1832

Harvest Baptist Church

West End Baptist Church

2075 Ga. Highway 212, Covington (770) 787-7275

455 S. Cherokee Road, Social Circle (770) 464-3965

High Point Baptist Church 12025 Ga. Highway 36, Covington (770) 786-5985

Knox Chapel Baptist Church 679 Knox Chapel Road S.E., Social Circle (770) 464-2361

Mansfield Baptist Church 101 Woodlawn Road, Mansfield 770-787-0723

Mars Hill Baptist Church 387 W. Hightower Trail, Social Circle (770) 464-0000

Mt. Olive Baptist Church 355 Moores Road, Covington (770) 786-1617

Mt. Zion Baptist Church 657 Mt. Zion Road, Covington (770) 787-2421

New Hope Baptist Church 2207 Brown Street S.W., Covington (770) 786-1709

Newton Baptist Church R.J. Hodges, Certified Personal Development Coach Dr. Shawna Woodruff, Chiropractor, Clinical Nutritionist, Certified Holistic Wellness Coach

Conyers Holistic Chiropractic & Nutrition is a family wellness center which focuses on a core philosophy referred to as: Brain, Body, Spine. Brain refers to personal development because health first starts with your mental state. Personal development includes, but is not limited to: eliminating stress, improving awareness and identity, and creating a life plan that coincides with your physical health. Body refers to your physical nutrition. Nutrition includes not only the foods you eat, but also the nutrients in which your body may be lacking as well as any blockages in which your body has developed that may be hindering your body’s ability to heal and function at its best.

Spine refers to the overall function and current state of your nervous system. Your nervous system controls every cell, organ and tissue in your body and is one of the key foundational components that allows your body to function optimally. We address your nervous system through gentle and specific chiropractic care for all ages.

969 O’Kelly Street, SE Conyers, Georgia 770-648-7445 www.brainbodyspine.com

720 Jack Neely Road, Covington (770) 788-7868

Oxford Baptist Church 305 Emory Street, Oxford (770) 786-8132

Zion Baptist Church 7037 Ga. Highway 212 N., Covington (770) 786-6767

Catholic

St. Augustine Catholic Church 11524 U.S. Highway 278 E., Covington (770) 787-1064

Christian Methodist Episcopal

Murray Memorial CME Church 4100 West Street N.W., Covington (770) 786-5474

Church of Christ

Central Church of Christ 160 Ga. Highway 142, Covington (770) 787-3710

Covington Church of Christ 9441 Covington Bypass Road, Covington (770) 787-1119

Charismatic

St. Andrews Charismatic Episcopal Church

Pleasantview Baptist Church

375 Old Oxford Road, Covington (770) 784-5100

302 Fincher Road, Covington (770) 786-3394

Church of God

Porterdale Baptist Church N. Broad Street @ Palmetto Street, Porterdale (770) 786-2650

Sims Chapel Baptist Church 61 Sims Chapel Road, Covington (770) 787-6865

Triumph COGIC

115 Bell Street, Covington (770) 786-4683

Episcopal

Church of Good Shepherd

Solid Rock Baptist Church

4140 Clark Street S.W., Covington (770) 786-3278

8111 Brown Bridge Road, Covington (770) 784-0982

Full Gospel

Springfield Baptist Church 1877 Iris Drive, Conyers (770) 929-1111

Stewart Baptist Church 158 Stewart Church Road, Covington (770) 788-7177

The Baptist Tabernacle

10119 Access Road NW, Covington (770) 786-7775

Gospel Mission Church 755 Almon Road, Covington (770) 787-6507

Jersey Holiness Church 3439 Monroe Jersey Road, Jersey (770) 464-2301

Jehovah’s Witness

Jehovah’s Witness

13075 Ga. Highway 36, Covington (770) 786-7632

East Conyers Jehovah's Witness

Jersey UMC

2914 Fairview Road, Covington (770) 787-5087

115 Jersey-Social Circle Road, Jersey (770) 464-1247

Lutheran

Abiding Grace Lutheran Church 5510 Ga. Highway 212, Covington (770) 385-7691

Lovejoy UMC

12835 Ga. Highway 36, Covington (770) 786-7907

Livingston Chapel CME

Methodist

95 Bethany Road, Covington (678) 342-2115

12521 Alcovy Road, Covington (770) 786-0610

3031 Main St., Mansfield (770) 385-9800

Alcovy UMC

Allen Memorial UMC 803 Whatcoat Street, Oxford (770) 786-7414

First United Methodist Church of Covington 1113 Conyers Street, Covington (770) 786-7305

Gaithers UMC

1375 Newton Factory Bridge Road, Covington (770) 786-6001

Grace UMC 3145 Washington Street, Covington (770) 787-0517

Catering, Dine-In or Takeout!

Mansfield UMC

Mt. Pleasant UMC

55 County Hwy 229, Social Circle (770) 786-6376

Newborn UMC 118 Church Street, Newborn (770)-786-3574

North Covington UMC 5138 Emory Street N.W., Covington (770) 787-3386

Best BBQ, Burgers & Tenders East of The Mississippi

Call or Fax toCircle pre-order picker’s your 4th oF july bbq liVe MusiCjuly 1st order

by Friday Call for details

$5.00 OFF Any purchase of $25 or more Valid Tuesday thru Friday. One per person, per day, per table. Exp. 7/31/15

1066 Hwy. 142 East • Covington, GA 30014

Corner of Hwy. 142 East & Dixie Road, Next to Liberty Gas Station

770-784-1401 • Fax 770-784-1609

cowboys-bbq.com

NewtoN CouNty ReCReatioN CommissioN 6185 Turner Lake Road Covington, GA 30014 www.newtonrecreation.com

770-786-4373

"It's your time, we help you spend it...at play!"

Gymnasium • Special Events Walking Trails • Community Room Youth & Adult Athletics Youth & Adult Instruction

Porter Memorial UMC

Church in the Now

3 Cotton Avenue, Porterdale (770) 786-6149

13183 Harland Drive NE, Covington (770) 922-5334

6752 Ga. Highway 212, Covington (770) 786-6303

10242 Flat Shoals Road, Covington (770) 784-8189

15105 Ga. Highway 36, Covington (770) 787-0404

141 E. Highway 142, Covington (770) 786-1021

Pentecostal

426 Richards Chapel Road, Covington (770) 787-1834

863 Ga. Highway 142, Covington (770) 786-2048

3163 Corley Street, Covington (678) 712-9144

3962 Salem Road, Covington (770) 786-6027

100 Usher Road, Covington (770) 787-1748

1120 Crowell Road, Covington (678) 212-0319

11677 Brown Bridge Road, Covington (770) 787-1015

4648 Salem Road, Covington (678) 625-1700

Jersey Community Church

Presbyterian

Prospect UMC

Red Oak UMC

Richards Chapel UMC

Salem UMC

Shiloh UMC 10 Almon Church Road, Covington (770) 787-1087

Social Circle UMC 261 S. Cherokee Road, Social Circle (770) 464-3854

Springhill UMC

1228 Hwy. 162, Covington (770) 786-2170

Starrsville UMC

2786 Dixie Road, Covington (770) 786-4293

Trinity UMC

6154 Collins Street, Covington (770) 787-8780

Union Grove UMC 757 Dixie Road, Covington (770) 786-0555

Mormon

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 10235 Eagle Drive, Covington (678) 342-0414

Nazarene

LifePointe Nazarene Church 5133 Highway 36, Covington (770) 787-2220

Non-Denominational

Brown Bridge Christian Church 13108 Brown Bridge Road, Covington (770) 788-0755

Central Community Church 11157 City Pond Road, Covington (770) 385-3452

Christian Life Center

Covington Christian Church

Eastridge Community Church

Faith of Jesus Ministries

Gateway Community Church

110 Lower Jersey Road, Jersey (770) 464-2638

Journey Church 1150 Monticello Street, Covington (770) 783-2220

Life Church 3130 Salem Road SE, Covington (770) 787-0486

New Beginning Full Gospel Ministries

United Praise Christian Center 12949 Highway 36, Covington (770) 385-0473

Word of Life Tabernacle 99 Ellis Trail, Covington (770) 385-9882

Atlanta Deliverance Tabernacle

The Potter's House

Voice of Pentecost

Bethany Presbyterian Church 1002 Bethany Road, Covington (770) 786-1629

First Presbyterian Church

Gum Creek Presbyterian Church 2700 Gum Creek Road, Oxford (770) 786-8301

Luther Hays Presbyterian Church 90 Hayston Road, Mansfield (770) 744-5475

Porterdale Presbyterian Church P.O. Box 669, Porterdale (770) 786-7507

Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church 6752 Hwy. 212 N, Covington (678) 210-0272

Trinity Presbyterian Church 11171 U.S. Highway 278 E., Covington (770) 787-7493

Seventh-Day Adventist

First Seventh Day Adventist Church of Covington 7161 Monticello Street S.E., Covington (770) 787-6855

1169 Clark Street S.W., Covington (770) 786-7321

Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church 2900 Salem Road, Covington (770) 786-0111

453 Oxford Road, Covington (770) 787-6376

Oak Hill Church 195 Snapping Shoals Drive, Covington (770) 272-4429

Rainbow Covenant Ministries

directory RECYCLING CENTERS Recycling Centers

DIAL MILL ROAD 325 Dial Mill Road, Oxford

These centers are open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9am - 7pm; Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 7am - 7pm and Sunday from 1pm - 7pm.

HWY 212/ HWY162 2010 Highway 212, Covington

PIPER ROAD/ HIGHWAY 36 10545 Ga. Highway 36, Covington

OAK HILL ROAD 112 Oak Hill Road, Covington

1317 N. Cherokee Road, Social Circle (770) 464-2622

BYPASS/ FLAT SHOALS 11575 Covington Bypass Road, Covington

ADAMS CIRCLE 2010 Adams Circle, Covington

The Church at Covington

STEWART VFD 14645 Ga. Highway 36, Covington

9 Hemlock Street, Porterdale (770) 787-8519

Tabernacle of Praise 3024 Highway 11, Mansfield (770) 851-6817

The Avenue Church

11975 Ga. Highway 142, Oxford (770) 786-7293

The Pointe/Crosspointe Church 252 Byrd Road, Oxford (770) 385-4968

78 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

MCGIBONEY ROAD 518 McGiboney Road, Covington

STONE ROAD 70 Stone Road, Oxford

This center is open Sunday through Friday from 1pm - 7pm. and Saturday from 7am - 7pm.

COOK ROAD 10 Cook Road, Oxford

HAZELBRAND ROAD 11585 Hazelbrand Road, Covington

directory EMERGENCY SERVICES Newton County Sheriff’s Department 15151 Alcovy Road, Covington (678) 625 1400 www.newtonsheriffga.org

Newton County Fire Department (678) 625-5010 www.newtoncountyfireservice.org

Newton County DFCS 4117 Mill Street, Covington (770) 784-2490 www.dfcs.dhs.georgia.gov

Newton County Mental Health Clinic 8201 Hazelbrand Road, Covington (770) 787-3977 www.newtonlibrary.org

bulldog tire & automotive

Plus r e t n e C e r a C re Your Total Ca ce 1982! n i S , s le a S e r Retail Ti

4108 N. Elm Street • Covington, Georgia

770-787-6030 www.bulldogtire.net

Covington Police Department

Covington-Newton County 911 Communications Center

1143 Oak Street, Covington (770) 786-7605 www.covingtonpolice.com

8146 Carlton Trail, Covington (770) 786-2774, non-emergency number www.covington-newton911.com

Covington Fire Department

Newton Medical Center

2101 Pace Street, Covington (770) 385-2100 www.cityofcovington.org

5126 Hospital Drive, Covington (770) 786-7053 www.newtonmedical.com

Farm-Fresh Christmas

Trees Choose & Cut Your Own Christmas Tree this Year!

70 Mt. Tabor Road Covington, GA 30014 770-786-5833 or 770-786-1370 berrystreefarm.com

“Committed to Excellence”

We are a full service Sheriff’s Office dedicated and

committed to enforcing the laws enacted for the Protection of the Lives, Persons, Property, Health, and Morals of all citizens in Newton County.

– Sheriff, Ezell Brown

Sheriff, Ezell Brown

15151 Alcovy-Jersey Road NE • Covington, GA 30014 • 678-625-1400 • newtonsheriffga.org

Sandy Greene directory SCHOOLS

pure

Sandy@SandyGreene.net www.SandyGreene.net

“I want to be part of the magic, too”

Elementary East Newton Elementary School 2286 Dixie Road, Covington, (770) 784-2973

Fairview Elementary School 3325 Fairview Road, Covington, (770) 786-2636

Flint Hill Elementary School 1300 Airport Road, Oxford, (770) 784-2969

Heard-Mixon Elementary School 14110 Highway 36, Covington, (770) 784-2980

Live Oak Elementary School 500 Kirkland Road, Covington, (678) 625-6654

Livingston Elementary School 3657 Highway 81 South, Covington, (770) 784-2930

Main Stay Academy 1110 North Emory Street, Oxford, (770) 385-6878

Mansfield Elementary School 45 East Third Avenue, Mansfield, (770) 784-2948

Middle Ridge Elementary School 11649 Covington By-Pass Road, Covington (770) 385-6463

experienced realtor pet rescue Supporter

Social Circle Middle School 154 Alcova Drive, Social Circle, (770) 464-1932

Veterans Memorial Middle School 13357 Brown Bridge Road, Covington (770) 385-6893

High Alcovy High School 14567 Highway 36, Covington, (770) 784-4995

Eastside High School 10245 Eagle Drive, Covington, (770) 784-2920

Newton High School 1 Ram Way, Covington, (770) 787-2250

Social Circle High School 154 Alcova Drive, Social Circle, (770) 464-2611

Theme Newton County Theme School at Ficquett 2207 Williams Street, Covington , (770) 784-2959

6243 Hwy. 212, Covington, (770) 385-6906

Private

45 Ram Drive, Covington, (770) 784-2928

Covington Academy

Rocky Plains Elementary School

396 Elks Club Road, Covington, (678) 625-9025

5300 Highway 162 South, Covington, (770) 784-4987

George Walton Academy

Social Circle Elementary School

1 Bulldog Drive, Monroe, (770) 267-7578

240-A West Hightower Trail, Social Circle (770) 464-2664

Loganville Christian Academy

Social Circle Primary School

Montessori School of Covington

2575 Highway 81, Loganville, (770) 554-9888

439 Annie P. Henderson Drive, Social Circle (770) 464-1411

4108 Summers Street, Covington (770) 788-7779

South Salem Elementary School

Piedmont Academy

5335 Salem Road, Covington, (678) 342-5907

126 Highway 212 West, Monticello, (706) 468-8818

West Newton Elementary School

Providence Christian School

13387 Brown Bridge Road, Covington (770) 385-6472

252 Byrd Road, Oxford, (770) 788-6618

Middle Clements Middle School 66 Jack Neely Road, Covington, (770) 784-2934

Cousins Middle School 8187 Carlton Trail N.W., Covington, (770) 786-7311

Sandy Greene 678-557-5756 RE/MAX pure

5225 Salem Road, Covington, (678) 625-6617

Oak Hill Elementary School Porterdale Elementary School

When you find the right home, it feels like magic©

Liberty Middle School

Indian Creek Middle School 11051 Covington By-Pass Road, Covington (770) 385-6453

82 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

Other Newton College & Career Academy 144 Ram Drive, Covington (678) 625-6769

A Reputation for Results

L-R Cathy Ginn, Marshall Ginn, Scott Alexander and Mandy Young

Marshall Ginn

ASSOCIATE BROKER, RE/MAX HALL OF FAME

OFFICE: 770-787-7777 ext. 446 • Fax 770-784-0784 EMAIL: mginn@remax.net

SCOTT ALEXANDER - Associate Broker, 678-480-2910 Email: scottalexander@remax.net

Website and Virtual Tours at MarshallGinn.com and MarshallGinn.Realtor.com

Like us on

Agents Realty Each office independently owned & operated.

RE/MAX AGENTS REALTY • 1111 Church Street • Covington, GA 30014 GRI

If you experience difficulty hearing, now is the time to schedule your appointment with one of our high qualified, certified Audiologists.

How’s Your Hearing?

Have you noticed more difficulty understanding family and friends?

Does everyone just seem to be mumbling? Are you asking people to repeat themselves often? Are you having to turn the TV volume up?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may need to check your hearing…

Did You Know?

www.entspecialists.net Arthur Torsiglieri, MD, FACS Donald Cote, MD Adam French, MD Cooper Brown, PA-C Donna McGough, F-AAA Kristyn Meade, F-AAA Susann Shriver, CCC-A

• Untreated hearing loss is associated with isolation, depression, memory problems, loss of income and marital problems • Amplification leads to a better quality of life, according to a 1999 study by the National Council on Aging.

• At least 29 million Americans have a hearing impairment; 20%

in adults ages 48-59; over 50% in adults over 75.

• Patients with diabetes are more than twice as likely to have hearing loss.

• Exposure to noise is the leading cause of tinnitus, and almost always accompanies hearing loss.

Offices in Conyers & Covington. Call now for an appointment! 770-922-5458

directory HIGHER EDUCATION Oxford College of Emory University

INNOVATION

Troy University 1160 Monticello Street, Covington (770) 385-8315 www.troy.edu

110 Few Circle, Oxford (770) 784-8888 www.oxford.emory.edu

Georgia Perimeter College

Georgia Piedmont Technical College

239 Cedar Lane, Covington (770) 278-1200 www.gpc.edu

16200 Alcovy Road, Covington (770) 786-9522 www.gptc.edu

TAUGHT LEARNED EXEMPLIFIED n

For All Your Pool Needs!

Best Customer Service Around!

• Liners • Chemicals • Water Testing Supplies • Repairs • Parts

3185 Elm Street • Covington 678-658-6560 (Next to the Old Elcharo’s - “In the Hole”)

LOGANVILLE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY www.LCALions.com Become part of the LCA story by scheduling your personal tour of LCA today.

Call (770)554-9888 x3106 or email Admissions@LCALions.com

SPECIALIZING IN DIGESTIVE DISEASES & NUTRITION BOARD CERTIFIED PHYSICIANS

Fred A. Levin MD, FACP, FACG

Karen L. Weiss-Schorr MD

A. Steven McIntosh MD, FACG

David N. Socoloff DO

770-922-0505 EASTATLANTAGASTRO.COM 1269 Wellbrook Circle Conyers, GA

1000 Cowles Clinic Way Cypress Building, Suite C-300 Greensboro, GA

7229 Wheat Street Covington, GA

• Colorectal Cancer Screening and Prevention • Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) • Esophageal and Swallowing Disorders • Non-Invasive Hemorrhoid Therapy • Pancreatic and Biliary Disorders • Inflammatory Bowel Disease • Irritable Bowel Syndrome • Video Capsule Endoscopy Offering Monitored • IV Infusion Therapy Anesthesia Care • Chronic Constipation for Your Endoscopy • Liver Disease

1000

O

Sp n

C

n

E

n

G

n

In

n

P

n

N

directory RECREATION Academy Springs Park is located on Conyers Street in downtown Covington. It is the headquarters of the Covington Lions Club. Its pavilion, the Lions Club meeting venue, is also available for rent.

that’s available for rent. When not reserved, the pavilion is available on a first-come, first-served basis. There’s also a trail around the pond and an open area at the lower end of the park.

Beaver Park is located on Ga. Highway 213

Covington beside Baker Field. The gym offers a full-size basketball court that doubles as a volleyball court.

in Mansfield. Beaver Park is used as a youth baseball and softball practice field. A walking track circles the park’s open field and leads to the pavilion, tennis court.and a playground.

Chimney Park is located behind the Covington Branch of the Newton County Library, the park hosts annual Fairy House parties and annual Christmas lights. The quirky park is known for its odd decor and lively atmosphere.

City Pond is off Interstate 20 on Old City Pond Road. City Pond offers a variety of activities, including six lighted baseball fields, batting cages, a football field, a small playground and four lighted tennis courts. The park’s namesake pond is available for picnicking, as is a pavilion

Conyers Street Gym is in downtown

Denny Dobbs Regional Park is located on Highway 212 offers a baseball field, covered pavilions, basketball courts, playgrounds and a life trail.

Factory Shoals Recreational Park, 450 Newton Factory Bridge Road, is a popular nature park along the Alcovy River in southern Newton County. The park attracts picnickers, campers, swimmers, hikers, rafters and kayakers.

Newton County Library System

Uncle Remus Regional Library System

Covington Branch Library

W.H. Stanton Memorial Library

7116 Floyd Stree, Covington (770) 787-3231 Tuesday & Thursday 10am - 8pm Wednesday & Friday 10am - 6pm Saturday 10am - 2pm

407 West Hightower Trail, Social Circle (770) 464-2444 Monday, Wednesday & Friday 10am - 6pm Tuesday & Thursday 10am - 8pm Saturday 10am - 4pm Sunday 2pm - 6pm

Newborn Library Service Outlet 4224 Ga. Highway 142, Newborn (770) 787-1126 Wednesday 11am - 2pm

Porter Memorial Branch Library 6191 Ga. Highway 212, Covington (678) 729-1388 Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday 11am - 8pm Saturday & Sunday 1pm - 5pm

Lake Varner located at 11905 Alcovy Road, Covington, is an 850-acre reservoir owned

by Newton County. A popular destination of fishermen and picnickers, the lake allows only boats with electric motors (no gasoline motors allowed). It also prohibits wading, swimming and bathing. It is open 7 a.m.-9 p.m. April-October and 7 a.m.-6 p.m. November-March.

Mary Louise Fowler Park is a 2-acre county facility off Flat Shoals Road in the central part of the county. It consists of a walking trail, tennis court and basketball court.

for safety. It consists of swings, a slide, merrygo-round, monkey bars and landscaped with cypress mulch and shade trees. Perfect for an afternoon with the family.

Trailblazer Park is located on Clark Street in Covington. The park includes a playground for small children, a covered basketball court and a picnic pavilion.

Turner Lake is located at 6185 Turner Lake Road in Covington. The park has 158 acres, including a 26-acre lake. Its amenities include a gymnasium, a walking track, a fishing pier that’s handicap-accessible, senior center activities, and four state-of-the-art softball fields and three batting cages. It’s open daylight to dusk daily.

South Street Park is located on South

Jackson Lake is one of the oldest reservoirs in Georgia and is part of three counties: Newton, Jasper and Butts. Formed by the confluence of

directory LIBRARIES

the Yellow, Alcovy and South rivers, it features 150 miles of shoreline and is open year-round for fishing, boating, skiing and swimming.

Street is one of Newton County’s traditional neighborhood parks. The park is designed for children under the age of 12 and is fenced in

e Ranked

Top 1% Nationally

Among All Public and Private Schools in Student ITBS Test Scores Now accepting applications for the 2014-2015 school year Scholarships Available

Schedule a Private Tour

EASTMINSTER SCHOOL WWW.EASTMINSTERSCHOOL.ORG

85 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

directory POLLING LOCATIONS Voting in Newton County

Once you’ve moved to Newton County, you may feel the urge to jump right into local politics. If so, or even if you have to drag yourself to the polls every year, make sure you get registered to vote as soon as possible.

If you don’t want to make a separate trip to the Newton County Board of Elections, you can register to vote while getting a library card, getting a new driver’s license or while getting your utilities set up at city hall.

You can also pick up an application at any of those places, download one online or ask the board of elections to mail one to you, and mail it in to P.O. Box 1274, Covington, GA 30015 at your convenience; though board of elections’ officials ask that you call the office at (770) 784-2055 to confirm they received it. In addition, anyone registering to vote for the first time in Georgia by mail must include proper identification with the application, including a copy of a current and valid photo ID, current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and address.

Once the board of elections processes your application, a voter registration card will be sent to you generally within three to four weeks. The card will list your polling precinct, but you can also use our list below to help you remember where to go to vote.

Also, remember that Georgia has early voting.

Early voting for county, state and federal races can be done at the board of elections, while early voting for cities can generally be done at city halls.

County Precincts & Polling Locations

During even years in Newton County, you will be able to vote for county, state and federal seats, while odd years will see local city elections.

BRICK STORE St. Augustine Catholic Church 11524 Hwy 278, Covington

ALCOVY Newton County Public Library 7116 Floyd Street, Covington

BUCK CREEK Zion Baptist Church 7037 Hwy. 212, Covington

Residents must register to vote 30 or more days before an election to be able to vote in that election.

ALMON Almon Community House 65 Mt. Tabor Road, Covington

CEDAR SHOALS Porterdale Baptist Church North Broad Street, Porterdale

BEAVERDAM Gateway Community Church 11677 Brown Bridge Road, Covington

CITY POND Central Community Church 11157 City Pond Road, Covington

BREWERS Red Oak United Methodist Church 15105 Hwy. 36, Covington

COVINGTON MILLS American Legion Post #32 3132 Legion Drive, Covington

Board of Elections 1113 Usher Street, Suite 103 Covington, GA 30014 Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm Phone: (770) 784-2055

CROWELL The Potter's House 1120 Crowell Road, Covington

ROCKY PLAINS Harvest Baptist Church 2075 Hwy. 212, Covington

DOWNS Prospect United Methodist Church 6752 Hwy. 212, Covington

STANSELLS Voice of Pentecost 4648 Salem Road, Covington

FAIRVIEW Belmont Baptist Church 3275 Iris Drive, SE, Conyers

TOWN Washington Street Community Center 4138 School Street, Covington

GUM CREEK Gum Creek Precinct Building Dial Mill Road, Oxford HUB Berean Baptist Church 20 Old Social Circle Road, Social Circle LEGUINN High Point Baptist Church 12025 Hwy. 36, Covington LIVINGSTON County Line Baptist Church 3325 Hwy. 162 South, Covington MANSFIELD Mansfield Community House 3158 Hwy. 11, Mansfield NEWBORN Newborn United Methodist Church 118 Church Street, Newborn OXFORD Oxford City Hall 110 West Clark Street, Oxford

Municipal Polling Locations CITY OF COVINGTON Covington City Hall 2194 Emory Street NW, Covington CITY OF OXFORD Oxford City Hall 110 West Clark Street, Oxford CITY OF MANSFIELD Mansfield City Hall 3146 Highway 11, Mansfield CITY OF NEWBORN Newborn City Hall 4224 Highway 142, Newborn CITY OF PORTERDALE Porterdale Fire Station 2 Main Street, Porterdale

Lingering Memories Antique & Variety Mall

Furniture, Home Decor, Designer Boutique, Vinyl Albums, Jewelry and much more

We Plan & Host Estate Sales

we buy furniture, all kinds of jewelry, diamonds, sterling silver and coins

Large Collection of Elvis Memorabilia Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6 Ask about Booth Space!

770-761-3486

1403 Old McDonough Hwy. • Conyers, GA 30094 (Around the corner from Hooter’s)

Visit the Fully stocked

AVON Store

inside Lingering Memories!

Mon-Sat 11-4

404-660-7245

http://youravon.com/mleonard

We are

Community Let us introduce you to our bank.

At Community & Southern Bank you will discover responsive friendly bankers, local loan approvals, and advanced products and services.

Stop by and discover community – at Community & Southern Bank.

My Community. My Bank.

Jean Lark and Lynn Hollis, Community & Southern Bank

myCSBonline.com

Learn about all the new ways we can help you reach your goals.

Covington Branch: 10105 Highway 142. Covington, GA 30014 • 678-212-8000

Member FDIC

directory CLUBS American Legion Post 32

Located on hwy 278 in Covington

Second Thursdays, 3132 Legion Drive, Covington. You can contact Commander Tarry Moore through mail at P.O. Box No. 310, Covington, GA 30015. You can also get more information about the organization at http:// covingtonpost32.orf. If you are a war veteran living in Newton County and you need some assistance, please contact American Legion Post 32.

Covington Garden Club 10 a.m. on first Wednesdays, meet at various homes of members

Covington Kiwanis Club 12:30 p.m. Thursday for lunch, Covington First United Methodist Church

Satsuki Garden Club

7:30 p.m. second and fourth Thursdays, 3120 Conyers St., Covington

10:30 a.m. second Tuesdays, Newton County Public Library. Those interested should contact the library for the current program chairman’s information.

9:30 a.m. second Tuesdays, Historic Woman’s Club building on College Street

New England lobster roll Everyday all summer!

7:30 p.m. first and third Tuesdays, 135 Crowell Road Covington

Covington Lions Club

Covington Woman’s Club

Delicious Daily Specials!

Benevolent Protective Order of Elks Lodge 1806

Golden Fleece Masonic Lodge No. 6 Dinner 6:30 p.m., meeting 7:30 p.m. second and fourth Tuesdays, except second Tuesday only in December, 1104 Clark Street SW, Covington

Southern Heartland Woman’s Club 4 p.m. on first Sundays, Southern Heartland Art Gallery on the Covington square

Oxford Lions Club 12 p.m. on first Thursdays, 7 p.m. on third Thursdays, Allen Memorial United Methodist Church, Oxford

Pilot Club of Covington 7 p.m. on most first Thursdays, sometimes third Thursday, First Presbyterian Church of Covington

Ipswich whole belly clam roll Saturday Special!

Bee Gee’s

PAPERS PLUS And BookkEEPing SERvicES

Burgers ground fresh daily!

“Keeping Your Books & Paperwork Up-To-Date is My Specialty” Bookkeeping, accounting, payroll, setting up your business, notary services, professional resumes, financial/tax planning and document preparation ~ AffoRdABLE PRicES ~

Call 404-500-TaX3 (8293) To sChedule your appoinTmenT

88 COVNEWS.COM l Newcomer’s 2014-2015

City of Social Circle “Georgia’s Greatest Little Town”

Social Circle City Hall 166 North Cherokee Road

We are a small town with a big heart located about 45 miles east of Atlanta and we are a community proud of it’s history. We are actively seeking ways to maintain our small town atmosphere, to preserve our quality of life, and to create the best business climate for quality growth. We look forward to seeing you soon! For more information, please visit us online at SocialCircleGaBHT.com

THE ORIGINAL SINCE 1976

directory OF ADVERTISERS AAMCO Transmissions. . .............................................................58 Alcovy Fitness & Wellness. . ........................................................ 17 Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates. . ......................................63 Beasley Drug Company.. ............................................................64 Bee Gee's Papers Plus & Bookkeeping Services.......................88 Berry's Tree Farm. . .................................................................... 80 Blue Willow Inn. . ........................................................................83 Bread & Butter Bakery. . .............................................................36 Bulldog Tire & Automotive. . ...................................................... 80 Caldwell & Cowan Funeral Home. . ..............................................21 Cameron Hall. . ...........................................................................65 Candlelight Bridals by GiGi.......................................................40 Central Church of Christ.. ..........................................................22 Charmed Salon, Spa & Boutique. . ..............................................40 Cherokee Run Golf Club............................................................49 City of Covington.. ..................................................................... 54 City of Oxford. . ..........................................................................50 City of Porterdale. . ....................................................................48 City of Social Circle/Social Circle Better Hometown. . ..............89 Coldwell Banker/Geri Murphy Realty........................................55 Coldwell Banker/Geri Murphy Realty........................................ 57 Community & Southern Bank.................................................... 87 Conyers Holistic Chiropractic & Nutrition. . ............................... 76 Covington Academy . . ................................................................. 73 Covington Family Chiropractic.................................................. 24 Covington Family YMCA . . ...........................................................33 Covington Women's Health Specialists, LLC. . .............................2 Cowan Ace Hardware. . ...............................................................25 Cowboy's BBQ.. ...........................................................................77 Danlar Lighting & Distribution.. ................................................. 42 Decatur Pediatric Group. . .......................................................... 79 Dermatology Consultants.. .......................................................... 7 Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists. . .................................................83 East Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates................................84 Eastminster School.. ..................................................................85 Elite Pawn. . ................................................................................52 Emory Newton Medical Associates. . .......................................... 27 Escentually Yours......................................................................65 Fieldcrest Walk Apartments.......................................................41 Fieldstone Jewelry and Pawn Shop.............................................51 First Presbyterian Church of Covington.. ...................................29 Fletcher's Jewelry, Inc...............................................................40 George Walton Academy........................................................... 67 Georgia Dermatology of Conyers...............................................81 Georgia International Horse Park. . ............................................59 Georgia Ophthalmologists.. ........................................................19 Georgia Perimeter College. . ....................................................... 71 Georgia Piedmont Technical College.. .......................................69 Ginn............................................................................................13 H&R Block.................................................................................32 Hardy's Floor Covering..............................................................49 Hayes Furniture Company. . ........................................................26 Hays Tractor & Equipment, Inc.................................................. 43 Hays Tractor & Equipment, Inc..................................................63 High Priority Plumbing and Services.. ........................................91 JC Harwell & Son Funeral Home & Cremation Chapel. . ............... 17 Just Dogs & Burgers..................................................................88 Keep Covington/Newton Beautiful. . .......................................... 45 Kelly's Pool Service. . .................................................................84 Kids "R" Great........................................................................... 54 Knight & Tabb Insurance. . .......................................................... 45

Lester Lackey & Sons Funeral Home, Inc...................................66 Linda Hays, The Clerk of Superior Court, Newton County.. ........69 Lingering Memories. . ................................................................. 87 Loganville Christian Academy. . .................................................84 Lord & Associates Insurance Agency. . ....................................... 43 Main Street Covington.. .............................................................38 Main Street Covington.. .............................................................39 McKibben Music........................................................................36 Milazzo's Ristorante. . ................................................................ 72 Monastery of the Holy Spirit.. ....................................................29 Mountain Motorsports...............................................................86 Museum Replicas Limited.. .........................................................15 Mystic Grill. . .............................................................................. 37 Nature Seen Gallery & Frame Shope. . ........................................64 Newton County Recreation Commission....................................77 Newton County Recreation Commission/The Miracle League... 57 Newton County School System..................................................15 Newton County Sheriff's Office. . .............................................. 80 Newton County Water & Sewerage Authority. . ...........................61 Newton Federal Bank. . ...............................................................53 Newton Medical Center........................................................ 46-47 Newton Medical Center...............................................Back Cover Olde Town Conyers....................................................................64 PC After Dark Computers..........................................................33 Peachtree Academy. . .................................................................28 Prentice L. Walker/Nationwide Insurance.................................33 Ramsey's Furniture Company.................................................... 44 ReMax Agents Realty................................................................49 ReMax Agents Realty/Marshall Ginn . . .......................................83 ReMax Pure/Sandy Greene. . ......................................................82 Randy's Carpet Plus.................................................................. 67 Right at Home/In Home Care & Assistance. . .............................30 Rockdale Medical Center............................................................3 Rockdale Medical Center.......................................................... 10 Ron Smith Landscaping Company..............................................74 Sadie's Antiques & Uniques.. .....................................................64 Service Complete.......................................................................61 Shelvie Jeans. . ...........................................................................35 Snapper Pro Lawn. . .................................................................... 70 Snapping Shoals EMC. . ..............................................................63 Southern Heartland Art Gallery. . ............................................... 37 Spires Interiors & Gifts. . ............................................................35 Spires Interiors & Gifts. . ............................................................90 The Celtic Tavern. . .....................................................................65 The Cork Boutique & Gifts.........................................................62 The Conyers School of Ballet.. ...................................................65 The Dermatology Center of Newton-Rockdale, P.C... ...................5 The Gun Room at Elite Pawn. . ....................................................23 The Mall at Stonecrest.. ............................................................. 75 The Sketching Pad. . ...................................................................64 The Stock Market.. ..................................................................... 73 The Women's Center, PC.. ..........................................................68 Town of Newborn........................................................................ 11 Tropical Nails. . ........................................................................... 34 Walk of Heroes/Veterans War Memorial. . .................................. 24 Westmoreland's. . .......................................................................65

TROLLBEADS THE ORIGINAL SINCE 1976

Every story has a beadTM Every story has a beadTM

Spires SpiresInteriors Interiors Gifts &&Gifts 1114 Monticello Street | Covington, GA 30014

1114 Monticello Street | Covington, GA 30014 (770) 787-9001 (770) 787-9001 www.spiresinteriors.com | shopspires.com Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm www.spiresinteriors.com | shopspires.com Monday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm

770-860-8110

www.highpriorityplumbing.com Like us on www.facebook.com/highpriorityplumbing 1422 Business Center Drive, Conyers, GA 30094

Price cannot be combined with any other discounts must mention this coupon

15% off Any Plumbing Service (up to $100 discount)

Licensed & Insured – MP208707 Family Owned & Operated Office open 7 days a week!

Emergency Service 24/7!

Celebrating

Newton Medical Center is proud to celebrate 60 years of compassion and technology. We opened our doors on October 18, 1954 with a mission of providing quality health care to our community. 60 years later, we continue to maintain the same passion for excellence.

Protect Your Life...

Get A Mammogram: Because early detection is the key to surviving breast cancer, the Women’s Diagnostic Center is pleased to offer you this special discount for a screening digital mammogram.

Only $125 with this ad (Regularly $365)

• Call for an appointment: 770.385.7800 • Bring this ad with you • $125 must be paid in full • The radiologist’s fee is included

Located in the Physicians’ Pavilion, Suite 301

Know Your Numbers: Knowing your numbers puts you in charge of taking care of your health.

Newton Medical Center is pleased to offer you a Lipid Profile for only $15.

• Walk in only—no appointments!

• Blood test includes: Cholesterol, HDL, LDL and Triglycerides • Please do not eat or drink 12 hours before the test (except for water or black coffee)

Bring this ad with you to the Outpatient Laboratory located in The Knox Surgical Center

years

BirthCare Center 770-385-4355 BirthCare Lactation Support 770-385-4182 BirthCare Tours & Prenatal Classes 770-385-4182 Critical Care Unit 770-385-4317 Diabetes Education 770-385-4185 Diagnostic Imaging Services 770-385-4329 East Atlanta Hematology & Oncology 770-786-0655 Victoria Afshani, MD East Atlanta Infectious Disease 770-787-4504 Suji Mathew, MD Emergency Department 770-385-4365 Fitness Forum Cardiac Rehabilitation 770-385-4430 Georgia Orthopedics & Sports Medicine 778-788-6534 Renee´ S. Riley, MD, FAAOS Ryan J. Tomlins, MD, CAQ Health Information Management Medical Records 770-385-4233 Home Health 770-788-9403 Imaging Center 678-342-3051 Interventional Pain Center 770-385-4337 Interventional Radiology 770-385-4329 Knox Surgical Center 770-385-4124 Laboratory 770-385-4336 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit 770-385-4177 Newton Medical Family Practice 770-788-9970 Donna Groover, MD Kimberly Chitwood, FNP-C Outpatient Department 770-385-4252 Patient Accounts 770-385-4101 Patient Information 770-786-7053 Patient Scheduling 770-385-4436 Pavilion Surgical Associates 770-787-6957 B. Carter Rogers, MD, FACS Steven R. Whitworth, MD, FACS Physical Therapy 770-385-4305 Physician Referral Line 770-385-4243 Sleep Disorder Center 770-385-4159 Southeastern Neurology 770-787-8200 Karuna Shah, DO Sonal Hazariwala, MD Jennifer McDonald, APRN, NP-C Speech Therapy 770-385-7880 Volunteer Services 770-788-6553 Women's Diagnostic Center 770-385-7800 Wound & Hyperbaric Center 770-385-4325

5126 Hospital Drive NE | Covington, GA 30014 | 770.786.7053

Tell your physician you want your care at Newton Medical Center! www.newtonmedical.com