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APRIL 11 - APRIL 17, 2018
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of events inside ➤ page 5
10 things to know about the white-supremacist rally
➤ page 6
Newnanite competes on ‘Ninja vs. Ninja’ BY TAYLOR ROBINS
taylor@newnan.com Ty l e r G i l l e t t , a Newnan resident, recently competed on USA Network ’s competition show “Ninja vs. Ninja.” T he show is a spinoff of NBC’s competition show “American Ninja Warrior.” “ It ’s a w h o l e n e w game because not on ly a re you f a c i n g c ou r s e s but n ow a n at h lete who is super st rong,” sa id Gi l lett. “So it ’s pretty cra zy, a n d t h e r e ’s a lo t of adrenaline. It’s a lot of fun.” “Ninja vs. Ninja” is a n at h le t ic ob st ac le cou r s e s how du r i n g which teams of three compete on side -byside courses. Gillett’s qua lifying episode aired on March 22. “ We f i l m e d (t h e e p i s o d e) a c o u p l e months ago,” said Gillett. “Watching it a ll over again on TV was really cool – to be able to relive that experience w it h my te a mCOURTESY OF USA NETWORK
Newnan’s Tyler Gillett takes on Brian Kretsch on “Ninja vs. Ninja,” a television show that tests the strength and endurance of athletes. The episode aired on USA Network in March.
NINJA, page 2
Hickman brings ‘Rave Party Massacre’ to viewers
COURTESY OF NSM88.ORG
Jeff Schoep speaks to the audience during a rally in Shelbyville, Tenn. last October. Schoep has been chairman of the National Socialist Movement for the last 24 years. Although classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, it refers to itself as a "white civil rights organization" in the vein of civil rights groups such as NAACP.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
A horror movie titled ‘Rave Party Massacre’ was filmed at the old Piedmont Hospital and used Newnan residents as the movie’s extras.
City braces for proposed white-nationalist rally BY CLAY NEELY
BY TAYLOR ROBINS
taylor@newnan.com Maggie Hickman, a Newnan resident a nd i ndependent f i l m maker, recently wrote, produced and filmed a mov ie i n t he New na n area. ‘Rave Party Massacre’ will be released April 10. “I’m really, really fort u nate t hat my mov ie is going to be out there a nd people a re goi ng to s e e it ,” s a id H ic kma n. “A lot of movies don’t ma ke it. Especially independent movies with small bud get s . S o t h at wa s r e a l l y r e a l l y e x c i ti n g , e sp e c i a l ly b ei n g a f i r st-t i me producer and being a woman as well. Because it’s really a man’s world, the film industry.” Originally titled ‘ D e adT h i r s t y ’, t h e de sc r ipt ion i s a s follows: “After a night of h a r d d r u g s a n d o u tlandish sex, five young ravers are transported
to the insane world of D e a dT h i r s t y… w h e re deat h a nd even worse hor rors awa it a rou nd every corner.” The horror f ilm will be available to buy on DV D a nd w i ll be able to v iewed on iTu ne s , Amazon Instant, Goog le Play, PlayStat ion , X box , Vudu a nd On Dema nd through local cable providers. While Hickman wrote and was the sole producer of t he f i l m , her husba nd Jonat ha n W. Hick ma n co-w rote the movie. Jason Winn directed the film. T he Hick ma ns were able to write the script in three days. T hey then f ilmed the entire movie i n n i ne days inside of the old Piedmont Hospita l. T he extras used in the film were m a i n ly New n a n residents. “R ave Pa r t y Massacre” is considered a l ow- b u d g e t i n d e p e n dent horror movie.
Hickman wears many hats when it comes to her mov ie . She d id a lot of the art work and social media. “It ’s a lot of ha ndson , b ei n g sm a l l budg e t ,” s a i d H i c k m a n . “You just have to get in there and do a lot yoursel f. It ’s a con si stent job really.” Hick ma n was born i n Te x a s b u t l i v e d most of her life in Engl a nd u nt i l mov i n g to New n a n eig ht yea rs a go , when s he b e g a n her f i l m ca reer doi ng ex t ra work for f ive episodes of the television show “Drop Dead Diva.” Although this is first feature film Hickman has produced, she has also created some do c u ment a r ie s wh i le maintaining a love for photography. T he Hick ma ns a re also finalizing a script for a Halloween-
HICKMAN, page 3
clay@newnan.com The city of Newnan is prepa ri ng for a n upcoming whitenat iona l ist ra l ly – a n event officials are hopi n g w i l l b e re s olve d without any violence. On March 15, the city of Ne w n a n a c c e p te d a $ 50 pav i l ion rent a l a g r e e m e n t f r o m Je f f Schoep, commander of the National Socialist Movement based out of Detroit, Mich. T he g roup pla n s to meet at T he Greenv i l le Street Pa rk on April 21 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., according to the agreement. Newnan Police Chief D.L. “Buster” Meadows sa id h is depa r tment i s “ prepa r i ng for t he worst, but hopi ng for the best,” and is worki n g w i t h n e a rl y t wo dozen different agencies to prepare for the event. T he day of Apri l 21 w i l l be a busy one i n dow ntow n New na n .
T h e “ C h a m p i o n Fo r Children” Superhero 5K a long with T he G re at A mer ic a n Clea nup at Cit y H a l l a re bot h set to beg i n at 8 a.m. T he University of West Georgia is hosti ng a Fa m i ly Fu n Day at t he New na n ca mpus on Jack son Street. Abby’s Angels Rainbow Run will begin at 9 a . m . , but w i l l t a ke pl a c e a t t h e C owe t a County Fairgrounds. Nearby business owners were contacted by police on Tuesday in an effort to assure them the event a nd secu rit y is bei ng add ressed. Police a re f ine-tuning their traffic detour and parking strategies. Several downtown businesses have decided to close for the day in anticipation of the event. Since the two opp o si n g g roup s a re expected to convene in t he Greenv i l le St reet
P a r k a r e a , M e a d ow s sa id h is force w i ll ke ep t hem s epa r ate d t h roug h severa l hu ndred water barricades – each holding 100 gallons of water each. With representatives from 20 different agencies, Meadows said the city will be fully prepa red for a ny t h i ng. However, he bel ieves a nd hopes most resid e n t s w i l l avoid t h e entire area. Social media reports c o n f i r m e d A N T I FA out of Va ldosta pla ns to counter-protest the event. Me adow s i s a s k i n g cit i zen s to stay away from the event, so the g roups don’t see a ny indications of support whatsoever. “Neither one of these groups represent who we a re a n d w h a t we s t a nd for,” Me adow s said. He’s currently work-
RALLY, page 3