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MAY 30 - JUNE 5, 2018
➤ calendar
TIMES-HERALD
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your weekly connection to local news & entertainment
of events inside ➤ page 5
An editorial on the political star rising in Coweta, ➤ page 4
Williams’ ‘deportation bus’ tour stops short in Newnan BY REBECCA LEFTWICH
becky@newnan.com Michael Williams’ Depor tat ion Bus Tou r c r u i s e d i nto Ne w n a n recently, but supporters of the man and the message were demonstrably absent during his abbreviated appearance. T he G eor g i a g ubernatorial candidate aims to “e x p o s e h ow d a n gerous i llega l a liens r u i n loca l econom ies , cost American jobs, i ncrease hea lt h ca re costs, and lower education standards” by traveling through the state alongside a bus emblazoned with “Follow Me to Mexico” and warning other motorists to stay back 1,000 feet because “da ngerous crimina ls” are on board. His “Fill this bus with illegals – vote Michael Williams” stance wasn’t to o p opu l a r w it h t h e dozen or so protesters who showed up to meet him, carrying signs promot i ng i nclusiv it y a nd voic i n g t h ei r i re at the candidate’s plan for rounding up illegal
immigrants. “ We w a n t t o b r i n g l ig ht i nto t he i m m igration progra m (a nd) a l low s h e r i f f ’s d e p u ties to have ICE agents o n t h e i r s t a f f ,” W i l liams said, giving local aut hor it ies t he power to deport people “once they identify someone that’s been in our count r y i l le g a l ly, com m itting another crime.” A video in which Wi l l ia m s ex pla i ns h is deportation bus was d e l e t e d f r o m Yo u Tu b e , b u t eventually was restored. He’d announced tour stops at several Cracker Barrel restaurants in Georgia – including t he one in Newnan – but the chain released a statement i n wh ich it sa id compa ny pol ic y proh ibit s politica l events on its properties. “We are not sponsori ng t h is event or sup por ti ng M r. Wi l lia ms’ campaign stops in any way, and per our comp a n y p o l i c y, we w i l l not allow him – or any politica l ca ndidate—
to host a n event on Cracker Barrel’s prope r t y,” t h e s t a t e m e n t read. “We take pride in s h ow i n g o u r c om munities and our country that the hospitality we practice is indeed welcoming and inclusive to all.” Williams said the opposition and backlash don’t discourage him at all. “ H o n e s t l y, i t m o t i vate s me ,” he s a id . “W hen I hea r ver y extreme comments, it rea l ly energ i zes me because we need to start having these conversations. T here’s so muc h m i si n for m at ion o u t t h e r e . I f we a s a country don’t figure out who we are, where we a re , wh at we’re about and where we’re going, we’re going to lose what makes this country g reat for t he past 20 0 and some-odd years.” During what was scheduled to be a n hour-long visit Friday,
WILLIAMS, page 2
PHOTO BY REBECCA LEFTWICH
Gubernatorial candidate Michael Williams is confronted by protesters during a campaign stop in Newnan.
East Coweta grad does atmospheric work in Costa Rica
PHOTOS BY TAYLOR ROBINS
The group from the Boys & Girls Club poses with their pails, that include pizza ingredients, at the end of their open house pizza party.
Group ends ‘I Can Garden Club’ with pizza party BY TAYLOR ROBINS COURTESY OF TEVIN BROWN
Tevin Brown stands in a grassy area during his trip in Costa Rica last year.
BY TAYLOR ROBINS
taylor@newnan.com Te v i n B r o w n , a 2 0 1 5 East Coweta High School g r a d u a t e a n d s e l f- p r o fessed “weather nerd,” is busy studyi ng t he atmosphere in Costa Rica. T h e D u k e Un i ve r s i t y s t u d e n t r e c e i ve d g r a n t funding through a leadership progra m at Duke to do a project that involves atmospheric science. “Ever since I can rememb e r I ’ ve a l w a y s b e e n a huge weather nerd,” said Brown. “I love everything about the atmospheric science f ield. A nd that was really inspired by being in Georgia and seeing a lot of storms. It helped keep my interest on what was going on above us.” Brow n lef t la st week for Costa R ica , where he’s studying t he m icromet rolo g y of t he a re a’s cloud force a nd how t he
water cycle works there. He’ll be i n Costa R ica until the end of July. “I’m super excited to go back ,” sa id Brow n about his trip. “The way that the environment is viewed in Costa Rica is very different than how it’s viewed here. I feel like there’s a lot more respect for t he environ ment t here. So being in a com munity where t he env i ron m ent is placed first for its econom ic va lue a nd its cultural value is very different t h a n some places i n the states.” L a s t s u m m e r, B r o w n took his first trip to Costa R i c a w it h 1 1 o t h e r s t ud e n t s t h r o u g h t h e pr o gram Duke Engaged. The group took on a reforestation project. “ T h is project wa s to
BROWN, page 3
taylor@newnan.com T he Master Ga rdeners, an extension volu nteer pro g ra m for UG A , a nd the Boys & Girls Club of Ne w n a n- C owe t a c a m e to g e t h e r o n e last time for the school year for their I Ca n G a rden C lub open house and pizza party on Wednesday. The party was the fruit of the children’s labor. Participants of the Boys & Girls Club worke d for mont h s learning about nature and how to plant and ca re for a ga rden . T he k ids got to use the ingredients they g rew i n t he back of the Boys & Girls Club to make pizzas. O n We d n e s d a y, Su sa n Cu lpepper, a UGA Douglas County extension coordinator, came to teach the children about nutrition and how to make a pizza.
The youth at the Boys & Girls Club worked hard to grow pizza ingredients, with the help of the Master Gardeners,that they then picked and used at a recent pizza party.
“ It ’s h a nd s on ,” said Culpepper about the children’s exper ience . “ T he y h ave spent months of time that the volunteers have been here.
They’ve learned more because this h a s been h a nd s on . T hey wa nt to pl a nt tomatoes and pepper at home.” Cu lp epp er t aug ht
the youth how pizza can be a healthy choice. She also talked to them about
CLUB, page 3