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Tigers continue win
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double header
SPORTS, IB
Man’s sculptures
end up on TV shows
INSIDE, 3A
WEDNESDAY I FEBRUARY 26, 2020 DaWSOflNeWS ^COITI DAWSONVILLE, GEORGIA $1.00
Body of missing hiker found
Noonkester was recovered by searchers last week in Dawson County
By Alexander Popp
apopp@dawsonnews.com
Authorities say that the body
of missing Appalachian Trail
hiker Eddie Noonkester was
recovered by searchers late
Wednesday, Feb. 19.
At a press conference held in
Amicalola Falls State Park on
Wednesday evening, Dawson
County Fire Chief Danny
Thompson reported that
Noonkester’s body was discov
ered at about 2:30 p.m. in a
rugged, inaccessible area of the
park, approximately one mile
south of the “Hike-in Trail.”
Thompson said that
Noonkester’s body has been
taken to the GBI Crime Fab for
further analysis. But according
to Dawson County Sheriff Jeff
Johnson, there have so far been
no indications of foul play with
the death.
Until results return from the
state crime lab, Thompson said
that they will not be speculating
on what occurred or the cir
cumstances that led to
Noonkester’s death.
Noonkester, a resident of
North Carolina, started hiking
the Appalachian Trail on
Friday, Feb. 14, and went miss
ing shortly after a series of
phone calls were made to
Dawson County authorities
over the weekend.
On Sunday, Dawson County
authorities received a call from
a friend of Noonkester, express
ing concern for the hiker’s
health. Shortly after that call,
Noonkester himself called
Dawson County 911 and was
interviewed by an on-duty bat
talion chief, Thompson said at
a prior press conference.
“In speaking with Eddie, it
did appear that he sounded con
fused initially,” Thompson said.
Following the interview with
Noonkester, authorities mobi
lized a search, but were unable
to find any sign of the hiker
until approximately 1 p.m. on
Monday, Feb. 17, when staff of
the Fen Foote Hike Inn located
some of Noonkester’s personal
belongings near the Hike Inn
trail.
Efforts to find Noonkester
continued through Monday
night with six K9 teams search
ing a large grid area around the
Approach Trail in Amicalola
Falls State Park, and on through
Tuesday morning until the
weather deteriorated.
The search was suspended on
Tuesday night due to weather
See Hiker 14A
‘Racing runs deep’
Jessica Taylor Dawson County News
Atlanta Motor Speedway General Manager Brandon Hutchison and NASCAR driver Chase Elliott unveil the new
AMS pace car on Feb. 19 at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame
Chase Elliott unveils Atlanta Motor Speedway pace car at GRHOF
By Jessica Taylor
jtaylor@dawsonnews.com
Staying close to Georgia’s racing
roots, this year’s Atlanta Motor
Speedway pace car was unveiled right
at the heart of stock car racings ori
gins.
A crowd of nearly a thousand people
filled the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame
and spilled out into the parking lot
Wednesday for a glimpse at the 60th
anniversary AMS pace car, and of
course, an opportunity to meet
NASCAR’s most popular driver Chase
Elliott, who was on site for the grand
unveiling.
“What better backdrop than to be
able to be right here at the Georgia
Racing Hall of Fame for the unveiling
of the 60th anniversary pace car. It’s an
exciting time for us to be here,” said
Brandon Hutchison, AMS Executive
Vice President and General Manager.
“We’re glad to be up here today as we
get ready for the Folds of Honor
QuikTrip 500 and excited to unveil the
60th anniversary paint scheme which
pays homage to Georgia racing and the
history...this is where it all started.”
Surrounded by hundreds of excited
fans, Hutchison and Elliott unveiled
the commemorative pace car, a 2020
Chevrolet Camaro SS painted red,
white and gold, drawing inspiration
from Bill Elliott’s No. 9 Coors Fight
Ford.
“The most famous person in this hall
of fame, Bill Elliott...the paint scheme
that he was most successful in was a
No. 9 Coors Fight entry and that is
very much resembling in both scheme
and color that No. 9 entry,” said
Performance Racing Network’s Doug
Turnbull. “You could tell that Chase
really liked it... that’s an iconic race
car. That’s one that people don’t for
get.”
Before signing autographs and meet
ing with fans, Elliott addressed the
crowd, thanking them for their support
and being at the Georgia Racing Hall
Arraignment
set for suspects
in Bender
murder case
By Alexander Popp
apopp@dawsonnews.com
Four men indicted in connection with
the death of Fumpkin County woman
Hannah Bender are now scheduled for
arraignment in the Dawson County
Superior Court.
On March 12, Austin Todd Stryker, 24,
Isaac Thomas Huff, 18, Dylan Patrick
Reid, 19, and Jerry Kyle Harper, 78, will
formally announce their guilt or inno
cence before Superior Court Judge
Kathlene F. Gosselin, kicking off the next
phase of the Hannah Bender murder case.
See Bender 14A
Ethics complaints
against Dawsonville
councilman dismissed
By Jessica Taylor
jtaylor@dawsonnews.com
On Wednesday, Feb. 14 the
Dawsonville Ethics Board unanimously
dismissed six allegations
of ethical violations,
which had been leveled
against city councilman
Mark French.
Following several hear
ings on the alleged ethics
violations, including a
written response made
earlier this month by
Abbott Hayes, a repre
sentative of the city, and a rebuttal from
French’s attorney Steven Feibel, the
board motioned to dismiss the com
plaints, citing a lack of evidence as their
reasoning for dismissal.
“Considering both complaints in totali
ty, not just about them separately, we dis
covered in the emails that legal had
See French 14A
See Pace car 15A
French
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Inside
Volume 4, Number 83
© 2020, Dawson County News
Dawsonville, Georgia
Church Events
3B
Classifieds
8B
Dear Abby
7A
Deaths
2A
Legals
9B
Opinion
9A
Sports
1B
Concerns
aired over
first econom
ic develop
ment plan
7A Sheriff s Office
' unveils new
drone program
NORTHSIDE
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DAWSON
81 Northside Dawson Drive, Suite 100
Dawsonville, GA 30534
Monday - Sunday: 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Call 706-216-6000 for an appointment
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Services
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• Physical exams (by appointment only)
• Sports/School physicals
