The wintry weather as of late has been treacherous, confusing and unpredictable. Take this week alone – rolling thunderstorms created torrential downpours early in the week, clear skies with highs in the 70s for mid-week wrapping up with a cold front producing tornadic winds on Friday evening turning into a wintry mix of snow for Saturday. If winter is this bad, what will spring bring?

The story in Douglas County is that a mini-supercell tornado jumped around in the south-central part of the county damaging the Kroger grocery store, at the corner of Central Church Road and Chapel Hill Road, and neighboring homes. At least one home in the Brookmont subdivision sustained a large amount of damage with its rear wall collapsing.

Check out the photos below of the damage that was found around the area. More photographs are available on Losing Georgia’s Flickr Photostream.

It has been about a two month hiatus since the Losing Georgia Project concluded as an acting art project and documentary. Since that time I have been able to observe life without Losing Georgia, reflecting on the successes that came about and what goals were left behind on the drawing table. In the end, the Project is completed and will not return.

Yet some things die hard. Maybe its time for a comeback that allows Losing Georgia to return, but in a new way. People are still commenting on stories and web traffic is still at a reasonable rate, thus justifying an interest in this website.

During this “off” time I have noticed that the West Georgia region lacks an online resource or outlet for information. Sure there are a few online newspapers in each county, government websites and the occasional forum, but not all these sites allow RSS feeds or community feedback (comments).

I am considering that Losing Georgia become an outlet of information for West Georgia, first experimenting with news and government covering Douglas, Paulding, and Carroll Counties – much like an aggregator but on a more personal level – while incorporating stories and photographs from my art trade.

This is strictly an idea. So all you readers out there (if you still are out there), what do you think? Is this something you would like to see for West Georgia? What improvements would you like to see in the website?

I want to know what you think. Its funny, I kind of miss Losing Georgia myself.

Although the Losing Georgia Project has concluded, I feel obligated that readers should be aware on an issue that has recently occurred involving work related to the Project. A free local magazine, B Scene, took it upon themselves to publish copyrighted photographs that I had taken in winter of 2006, during the documentation of the county school system, without my strict written consent. Obviously this is a problem.

The irony to all this is that the magazine inquired about a popular article I had written back in December via e-mail. They wanted to republish the article, but I did not give them permission and told them I would respond only after I had a chance to review their publication. Not only until a few days ago had I finally picked up their publication at the local Border’s book store.

Come to my surprise there were three photographs of mine printed alongside an article about the school system. The article was not mine, yet the photographs were. Suddenly, and very abruptly, I was not happy. I immediately called the publisher, Larry Weaver, where the phone rang until an answering machine picked up where I left my message of concern.

Weaver returned my call a few moments later inquiring about my message. An argument broke out over the origin of the photographs, Weaver first claiming they were stock photographs that were purchased, then they were provided by the Chamber of Commerce and lastly resorting to the Google search adage. All of which were completely wrong.

None of the photographs from the Losing Georgia Project have ever been sold to any stock company, given to the Chamber of Commerce or the school system, and only one of the three photographs can be found in a Google image search, which oddly enough links to the article that was asked to be republished and has a copyright notice.

In a third phone call that included Weaver and an associate who first inquired about my article, both claimed that the images could be found on Google (which had already been refuted) using a keyword search of “Douglas County Schools”, that the school system’s website were hosting the images, then could not name the original source where the photographs were downloaded, had lost their e-mails and that the article in question was found on ArticleCity.com.

Once again these claims are all false. The Douglas County School System is not hosting my images nor uses them on their website as claimed, considering the fact I have never been asked by the system for usage of the photographs. Secondly ArticleCity.com does not retain any articles referring to Douglas County, my article or even the West Georgia region for that matter.

In this wild goose chase I have resent the original e-mail conversation to the magazine which, believe it or not, originated from the contact page on this website and referred to my article I had written. Weaver has agreed to print a retraction in the magazine’s next issue which should come out in March.

As for the photographs, they were stolen from Losing Georgia’s flickr account – as this is the only place all three photographs were published online for archival purposes. All three images retained a copyright notice with my name in the EXIF data. As a precaution all photographs on flickr have been closed out from public viewing for the time being. I regret that this action had to occur, but stealing intellectual property is an entirely different matter.

If these photographs or any other works related to the Losing Georgia Project are published without my explicit consent, then legal ramifications could ensue. I have contacted an attorney and will take legal action if necessary. I will not tolerate those who steal my artistry and claim it to be theirs under any circumstances.

To all local photographers using flickr, you might want to check the various free publications out there just as a precaution.

After much thought and deliberation over the future of the Losing Georgia Project, I have come to the conclusion that the Project will no longer continue as of today, December 31, 2007. It has been an experience of a lifetime to take an original idea from scratch and develop it into a blossoming persona that has grown by leaps and bounds.

Over the course of the two plus years I have gained a respectable knowledge of the history and coherency that is my home, Douglas County, Georgia. Although not all have agreed with my personal views on development and growth, it was refreshing to know that there were many people out there that shared the same ideals in some fashion or another.

Out of this experience came three award winning Google Earth tours, several newspaper publications and awareness for the community. Much of the work for Losing Georgia was on my own time, done voluntarily, and at my own expense. I wish to continue on with the Project, however I can no longer financially nor have the passion to do so considering the current conditions that I have to face.

With a warm heart, I thank those profusely for the support provided in donations, e-mails, and comments. I have considered of continuing on with posting the local government meetings agendas and possibly the news snippets. If there is a demand for this service, then I will try my best to keep up with the information, however priorities now reside elsewhere with project Saving Hunter.

Those who want to keep apprised of my work can visit my blog, Trade Relic, or my photography website, Ashford Photography.

Thank you to all.

Sincerely,
Andrew A. Powell

Slater Mill Creek is an ageless center of tales and growth. The many shoals along the short creek provided a plentiful current to power grist mills to grind wheat and corn. There were at least three mills on the creek at some time: Presley Mill, Slater Mill, and Greenup Christian Mill.

However mills are no longer prominent sites on the creek as it is now a bystander from populous growth, being tugged on by a trailer park, subdivisions, and a transportation center. Slater Mill Creek flows into Anneewakee Creek, which is one of the three major basins for Douglas County.

As for the historic north Georgia drought, water levels are have dropped beyond those seen during last winter. Shoals that were usually underwater from the currents can be crossed with ease. Small tributaries that feed into the creek from springs are dried out.

Last month’s community poll asked the question of whether Losing Georgia should continue. A majority of votes, 73% out of 106, catered for the Project to carry on. For the entirety of 2+ years, Losing Georgia has been the byproduct of my selfish work habits to describe a story of a growing community in the shadow of metro Atlanta.

Like an unfinished painting, Losing Georgia is a piece of art taking on different colors to explore a defining picture. Starting out with following new development to digging up forgotten history, there is always a story to tell. That is why today I am rolling out a new effort to help expand the Project with your help.

You voted for Losing Georgia to continue and here’s your chance to do it personally. Over the past few weeks I have had people e-mail me on how to help out, wanting to submit photographs and articles about a story that they want out. Already posted by contributors are work from Michael Moore and Sebastian Llano.

So here’s the question: what does the term “Losing Georgia” mean to you?

Is it the loss of the Southern hospitality and culture that once was prevalent? The loss of history and sense of place? A community growing up too fast too soon? Or is it something personal?

I am asking for your stories because, frankly, I’m all out of storytelling from the past two years and opening up this webumentary to the community. Topics do not have to be about Douglas County, but about Georgia itself. Take in the emotion, breathe with your eyes and the story will tell itself.

Send your work to contribute@losinggeorgia.com

Guidelines

• paragraphs between 2-5 sentences
• photographs optional, but welcome
• no foul language, bigotry or discrimination

Word on the street is there are at least two major developments that are in disarray, meaning that they might not actually manifest into a completed project. These developments may sound familiar depending on what part of the county you live in. First is the Douglasville Depot that has been graded at the intersection of Highway 92 and Lee Road.

In a previous post about the Highway 92 corridor, there was speculation that Kroger or Wal-Mart would become the anchor store for the Douglasville Depot development. As of the latest news, it sounds that Wal-Mart was going to become the anchor but has decided to opt out of the development.

Wal-Mart has been looking around Douglas County to build another facility near Riverside Parkway for a few years. A source knowledgeable of the development suggested that the Lee Road extension would not be completed due to the fallout of the anchor store. This causes a bit of complication since the newly proposed roadway was part of the LCI application.

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Rodgers Creek does not hold a significance of providing water for consumption, never close to a reservoir. Instead it is a natural creek located in south Douglas County that weaves south from Post Road down to Highway 5, linking up with Hurricane Creek. The setting is natural and serene, prominent with white tail deer and red tail hawks.

But the north Georgia drought has affected this creek as well. Easy access to Rodgers Creek comes via the Whitestone subdivision, located off of Highway 5, where walking trails have been cut along the creek with several bridge crossings.

Instead of sandy beds there are coaxing pebbles that have dried out. Soil near the banks has weakened to a point where small trees have toppled over in several places. At the main roadway of the subdivision the creek would usually flow into a concrete culvert of three. However today it flows into one while vegetation covers the other two.

Further downstream a small tributary has disappeared beneath a thick covering of fallen leaves. Nowadays it takes on the shape of a trail off the beaten path. The creek meanders slowly to the rocky shoals that can be seen from Highway 5. What should be a cascading fall is a stream of water following the shallows of the shoals.

Today on Veterans Day, I am proud to announce the debut of my secondary project, Saving Hunter – the website companion into the research of 1st Lt. Robert Gerald Hunter and the legacy that has bestowed him. Since November of 2006, I have been actively seeking information about Lt. Hunter that has led me as far as Hawaii and as close to home as the library.

All the research efforts will be compiled into a book that will detail the life of the young lieutenant, the rescue by Master Sergeant Charlie Jones, and the legacy that became of the fallen officer. Detailed information about the history of Hunter Memorial Park and the Veterans Memorial will be prominent on the website.

Also available is a tour for Google Earth that tracks the research efforts globally. Eventually more individual tours will be produced that will follow the history of F-105Ds 59-1746, the aircraft Lt. Hunter bailed out of, and 61-0164, which is on display at Hunter Memorial Park, and the life of Lt. Hunter.

The future of the project is very promising with the intent to become a non-profit organization. Please check out the website, SavingHunter.org, to find out more.

By contributor writer Mike Moore for Veterans Day

Those that fought World War II have been called the greatest generation for many reasons. They survived the collapse of the banking system and stock market that resulted in the great depression. These same kids came of age as their fathers built immense public works projects that helped to not only electrify rural areas but to create lasting memorials to the ingenuity of man through agencies such as the Tennessee Valley Authority and others. The mothers of these kids did what most mothers do best – love, care and provide for their families despite times that were at best both difficult and trying.

Perhaps it is best not to look at the times that made these men and women of this generation heroes, but to look at the years that they came of age in. They were formed much like the smelted ore that became the weapons that eventually conquered tyranny, these men and women of our greatest generation were borne by times that did indeed try the collective soul of our nation. Duty and responsibility were not marketing buzzwords, but a method of survival.

As Hitler’s army continued a blitzkrieg through Europe in general and France in particular, these men and women that would become our greatest generation heard the cries of innocence begging to once again sense the quenching taste of freedom on their parched and starved lips. Many of our countrymen heard that cry and rallied to action – forsaking their own safety to uphold our nation’s creed – the rights of individuals to breathe from freedom’s sacred winds.

Albert and Pearl Koob were two of the kids that heard not only the cries of the innocent, but the call of their countrymen to defend liberty at all costs. Al Koob was a tall, slender lad of nineteen when he was whisked away to the shores of England to muster with his countrymen in freedom’s name. This muster was nothing the world had yet seen – a mobile, amphibious assault against some of the most strident fortifications that modern materials could produce. Perhaps this mission was suicidal. Perhaps it was a call to duty. Perhaps it was a calling by something greater than man alone to defend the innocents trapped by the barbarous regime. Whatever compelled men like my wife’s granddad to raid the beaches at Normandy and climb those cliffs of shale into improbable small arms and artillery fire will never be fully understood by those of us that were not there.

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