Dawson Living January/February 2023

Orange Cocktail Celebrate the New Year with this delicious drink.

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PUBLISHER Stephanie Woody

ADVERTISING SALES

Tim Anderson, Manager David Smithson, Multimedia Sales Representative

CREATIVE SERVICES

Tracie Pike, Director

Claudette Keeley, April Seymour, Chelsea Sunshine

Elite Heating and Air Tim and Lindsay White, owners of the HVAC company are a staple of the community.

Steven Leibel Georgia employers should follow progress of the CROWN Act.

ELITE HEATING & AIR

Cool Kids on the Block

BUSINESS OWNERS PUT CUSTOMERS FIRST, SUPPORT LOCAL EDUCATION

Story by Sudie Crouch | Photos by Vicki Alsup Photography

With over two decades of HVAC experience, Tim and Lindsay White with Elite Heating and Air LLC have established themselves in the North Georgia area as a company who puts their customers and clients first.

A lifelong resident of Dawson County, Tim began his career working for Lanier Air in Cumming. In 2009, he left Lanier Air and established Elite Heating and Air, and then later purchased Lanier Air in 2014 after the original owner retired. Tim’s philosophy is to provide his customers with the best service and believes in dealing honestly and fairly with everyone. And the community feels the same way about Elite Heating and Air.

“My entire life I have lived in Dawsonville. This community has helped support me in many different ways. Elite would not be where it is today without our customers,” Tim White said.

“If not for the community support I would not have the opportunity to give back to Dawson County.”

The Whites have been married since 2009 and have three children, so being involved in the community is important to them.

Committed to giving back to their community, the Whites frequently partner

with and provide sponsorships for the schools in Dawson County, youth sports teams, and local clubs, including a recent donation to the JROTC program.

“One of our biggest partnership that is dear to my heart is with Dawson County Schools. If a child is not as fortunate as others they still deserve to participate in school activities,” Tim said.

“As a child, I benefited from small businesses partnering with our schools. I am thankful for activities I personally was allowed to do thanks to others generosity. Now it means the world to me to be able to do that for other children.”

The community has recognized their contributions and work by awarding them several awards such as the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals Educational Patron Award and the Dawson County Board of Education Partner in Education Awards as well as being voted The Best

of Dawson since 2018.

Elite Heating & Air services all makes and models of HVAC equipment, such as Ruud, Lennox, Rheem, Trane, Carrier and York to name just a few.

Elite can handle residential and commercial work to cover new Installations, equipment sales, service and repair of existing units, duct work, eco-friendly Puron refrigerants, zoning design for efficiency and comfort, variable speed multistage units, and provides free estimates for the North Georgia area.

In most cases, repairs are handled the same day, depending on the availability of parts and equipment.

Elite Heating & Air is fully licensed and insured as well as properly trained and EPA Certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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Office Manager Christy Peak works alongside Tim and Lindsay White at Elite Heating & Air.

Tim and Lindsay White with Elite Heating and Air LLC have established themselves in the North Georgia area as a company who puts their customers and clients first.

In Georgia and the rest of the USA employers with 15 or more employees can hire and fire employees for any reason unless those decisions violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Title VII protects employees from discrimination based on race, sex and national origin.

Enter discrimination based on hair. California passed a bill known as the CROWN Act. This law makes it unlawful to fail or refuse to hire or discharge any individual or discriminate based on the individual’s hair texture or hairstyle if it is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin.

The CROWN Act was introduced on the federal level Congress 2019. The House passed the bill in September of 2020, but the bill lacked the votes needed in the Senate.

progress of the CROWN Act

Since then, the CROWN Act, or similar legislation has been enacted in 17 states. This year a bill was introduced in the US House of Representatives by a New Jersey Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman which passed on March 18, 2022, by a vote of 235-189. If the Senate votes on the bill before year’s end it is will likely receive enough votes to become law as Senate Democrats have a 50-50 vote and Vice President Kamala Harris’ has the tie-breaking vote.

Depending on where a company is located, the CROWN Act may already be in force. Because of penalties associated with this legislation, there are steps employers might consider to ensure compliance with the CROWN Act. As in any non-discrimination statute company owners and managers should familiarize themselves with the language of

the bill. For example, the law protects hair styles like braids, Bantu knots, and Afros. Although the failed bill clarified that the CROWN Act was not an amendment to Title VII, it would be enforced in the same way as if it were incorporated into Title VII.

What this bill encourages is further minority protection so employers would have to provide a facially neutral hairstyle particularly effecting of African Americans. Finally, a work rule allowing for complaints and investigation would also have to be considered.

As one who is concerned about compliance, I recommend that those interested in this legislation keep an eye it out on the status of the Crown Act, as ignoring this law can create a hairy situation with serious financial consequences.

Blood-Orange CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

Sparkling wines are made by sealing the beverages before the fermentation process is complete, causing the effervescent bubbles that is their hallmark. Sparkling wines are produced in various regions of the world, but ‘champagne’ is unique to the Champagne region of northeast France, where vines were introduced by the Romans many centuries ago.

One of the most legendary and heralded brands of champagne was created by a French monk named PŽrignon. Historians say PŽrignon lived from 1638 to 1715 and was admitted in his lifetime to the abbey of Saint-Vanne. He acquired the honorary title of Dom while there, and also served as cellar master, creating what later would be known as the ‘vins de PŽrignon.’

Dom PŽrignon champagne is still a prestigious brand today, joined by other leaders of the industry like Mo‘t & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Nicolas Feuilatte, and Pol Roger. French champagnes are part of elegant toasts, A-list events and five-star dining experiences. They also may be poured on New Year’s Eve. All champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is champagne.

Enjoying champagne on its own in the requisite stemmed glass is tradition, but champagne also can be mixed into any number of cocktails Ñ from bellinis to mimosas. This ‘Blood-Orange Champagne Cocktail’ is a variation on the classic mimosa, and doesn’t necessarily need to be enjoyed at brunch. Serve it on New Year’s Eve, or for any special occasion, courtesy of Martha Stewart.

BLOOD-ORANGE CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL RECIPE

2¼ cups freshly squeezed or frozen blood-orange juice

2 750-ml bottles champagne, chilled

DIRECTIONS

Pour 3 tablespoons juice in each champagne flute. Fill flutes with champagne, and serve.

THE TRADITION OF RAISING A GLASS AND TOASTING MAY BE

OLD

If the ancient Greeks and Romans could be magically transported to modern times, chances are strong that much of our current customs would register as foreign. But one particular custom that’s part and parcel of New Year’s Eve celebrations across the globe might feel more familiar to our hypothetical time travelers.

Historians differ as to the origins of the toast, but the concept of toasting to one’s own and others’ health is evident in the ancient Greek author Homer’s ‘Odyssey,’ which was written in the eighth century BCE. The ‘Odyssey’ is considered one of the most significant works in the history of Western literature, and in it Ulysses raises a glass and drinks to the health of Achilles.

But the ancient Greeks were not the only ones to emphasize toasting. In fact, during the reign of Emperor

Augustus, who was the first official Roman emperor and reigned from 27 BC to AD 14, the Senate decreed that everyone must drink to Augustus at every meal.

Since ancient times, various traditions have incorporated raising a glass, whether it’s filled with wine, champagne or another beverage. This tradition, now known as ‘toasting,’ might be employed to pay homage to a particular individual, wish goodwill upon an individual or individuals (such as at a wedding) or simply in celebration of a special event or day, which is the case when the clock strikes 12 midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Regardless of who was the first person to raise a glass to honor or celebrate a special individual or occasion, there’s no denying this much-enjoyed tradition has a very, very lengthy history.

VERY, VERY

Great expectations and how to adjust them for success

by Sudie Crouch Health & Wellness columnist

We’ve all had similar goals we wanted to accomplish, even if they weren’t exactly like those listed.

Having an ambitious goal can be a great motivation and allows us a way to really hone in our focus as we work towards achieving it.

But what if we create goals that may be a bit out of reach?

Hear me out for a minute.

Having a goal that challenges us is fantastic!

It makes us stretch ourselves a bit to reach it, either by building on what we’ve been doing or by trying something new.

And having those big goals can also help us prove to ourselves that we can do the difficult things we set our minds to.

“Find love and get married this year.”

“I want to weigh what I did when I was 20.”

“Run a 10-minute mile.”

But what if we sometimes create goals that may not be realistic or attainable?

Pushing ourselves towards a new level of success is incredible – it’s something I always encourage. We just need to ensure what we’re working towards won’t be self-defeating because it’s an unattainable goal.

Creating realistic goals is important

Wanting to weigh what we did when we were in our 20’s is a great example of a goal that may not be realistic. Depending on your current age, there may have been considerable changes that our bodies can go through since that time that can make weighing the same thing difficult. Childbirth, illness, physical trauma, etc. are some examples that come to mind of why reaching that specific number may not be possible.

Reframing this goal into something more manageable can be a great approach to help you achieve the overall essence of the goal (healthier weight) versus trying to reach a certain weight from a different point in your life.

A great way to shift this expectation would be to focus on healthier choices you could make and what you are able to do at your current age. What does that specific number mean to you? Did you feel more confident at that weight, and if so, what would be a number you’d feel just as confident at now?

Honoring your body and what it has gone through since it was that weight can be helpful, too. Acknowledging your strength, mobility, etc. provides the opportunity to see ourselves as more than just a number on a scale. While we can definitely pull on previous success to prove that we can reach goals, sometimes we also have to accept that some of those goals may not truly align with who we are now.

Small steps lead to big results

If your goal involves achieving something you’ve never done before – like running a 10 minute mile – it can still be attainable, you may just need to adapt those expectations about how you achieve it. Breaking a larger goal down into smaller, more achievable goals to reach along the way is one solid approach. This not only helps you build your confidence as you reach those markers of success but can also help prevent the sense of overwhelm that can come from a goal

that may be a bit larger than we anticipated. As you see yourself achieving those smaller goals, it gives you a sense of accomplishment and helps provide a foundation of success to build off of moving forward. As the old saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day, so being able to take smaller steps towards those bigger goals can help you reach them.

Being intentional

When it comes to some of those more interpersonal goals, it can be just as challenging but some of the underlying techniques are the same: being realistic and having smaller areas to focus on. Sometimes we feel pressure to be in a relationship because everyone else around us is in one, or our family is pressuring us to settle down. If you’re wanting to see a difference in your relationships this year, think about what it is you’re really seeking. Have you thought about the qualities you’d like in a spouse or partner? What is important to you in a relationship? And most importantly, what would your deal-breakers be? When we start to focus in on the qualities we want in our interpersonal relationships, it helps us start to look for them. Do you feel comfortable with online dating and if not, where can you go to meet new people? While some people do meet and marry within a year, that may not be the ideal situation for you. Being honest with yourself about what you’re looking for is a great way to reframe this expectation and can provide some necessary peace, too.

Being able to adapt and adjust our goals to where they are reachable can help us shift our expectations to where we can achieve that success –and feel good about it in the process.

Sudie Crouch is a health & wellness coach, helping clients create healthy, attainable changes using positive psychology and cognitive behavior approaches.

Year-End Tax Essentials 4

Before 2022 comes to a close, take some time to review these essential items to ensure you are not missing something that could cause tax trouble when you file your tax return:

1. Take required minimum distributions (RMDs). If you are age 72 or older, you need to take RMDs from certain retirement accounts before Dec. 31st to avoid a 50% penalty! This includes most IRAs (except Roth IRAs) and 401(k)s. Your annual RMD is calculated by dividing the prior Dec. 31st balance by the life expectancy factor provided by IRS tables.

2. Watch for your Identity Protection PIN from the IRS. If you are a victim of tax-related identity theft, the IRS will mail you a one-time use identity protection personal identification number (IP PIN) as added security. The IRS mails IP PINs between mid-December and early January, so look for your IP PIN during this time period.

3. Contribute to retirement accounts. Making contributions to tax-advantaged retirement accounts like a traditional IRA or 401(k) is a great way to lower your tax liability, even if you don’t plan to itemize your deductions!

4. Make last-minute tax moves. Here are a few ideas worth considering:

• Donate to charity to maximize itemized deductions

• Make a tax-efficient withdrawal from your retirement account if you are over age 59½

• Take advantage of 2022’s gift-giving limit of $16,000 per person ($32,000 if married)

• If you own a small business, delay receipt of income from 2022 into 2023, or accelerate expenses from 2023 into 2022.

Understanding your current situation and having a plan will help maximize your year-end tax savings.

Christine Hinton, CPA | www.ChristineHintonCPA.com | 706-522-3025

7 fitness resolutions that are easy to keep

7 fitness resolutions that are easy to keep

Resolutions to get in shape, exercise more and eat healthier foods are popular each January. Optimism reigns when making resolutions, but for many, the difficulty lies in keeping them. Individuals looking to get healthier in the year ahead can try these strategies to stay the course.

 Wake up earlier. Waking up a half hour earlier each day can have a substantial impact. That small amount of extra time can be devoted to meditation, deep breathing exercises or even some yoga stretches.

 Move around more frequently. Many people with office jobs spend hours sitting in front of computers. A sedentary lifestyle can have an adverse effect on overall health. Set a timer or use a

reminder on a fitness tracker to remind you to get up and move around for a little bit every hour.

 Eat more vegetables. Vague goals like ‘eating better’ are difficult to maintain because there is no specific goal to achieve. Rather, a resolution like eating a fruit or vegetable each day at every meal is something measurable. Vegetables can be hidden in favorite foods, such as desserts. Swap pasta noodles for spiralized zucchini as another easy fix.

 Stand straighter. Posture tends to decline with age, advises AARP. This can cause the spine to lose flexibility. Stretches to maintain posture can help anyone stand straighter and improve long-term health.

 Add ‘bursts’ to your walk. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic tout the benefits of interval training. While highimpact workouts may not be appropriate for everyone, adding little speed bursts to a daily walk can provide significant health benefits. Aim for 30 to 60 seconds of rapid walking at regular intervals to shake up the workout.

 Drink more water. Increasing water intake can help you feel fuller, thus reducing the likelihood that you will overeat. Gradually increase your water intake by adding a few ounces each day until drinking water becomes rote.

 Take a workout outside. Switch up your normal routine by making use of the great outdoors to exercise. Instead of three miles on the treadmill or elliptical machine at the gym, opt for three miles on a local hiking trail.

Healthy resolutions are easier to keep when you have firm ideas and choose reasonable goals.