Liquor Referendum Makes the Ballot - At Last

Clarence Stowers casts deciding vote.

The Sunday beer and wine sales referendum will be on the ballot in November! The decision came Tuesday morning at the Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners' meeting, with Commission Chairman John Raber breaking a 2 - 2 tie by voting YES to the referendum.

Commissioner Clarence Stowers, who had voted twice against the referendum, switched his vote to YES, joining Commissioner Bill Lewis on the YEAH side. Commissioners Tim Bowden and Clarence Grindle voted NO, as they had done previously when the issue was before the Board.

The pressure has been on the commissioners for months as Lumpkinites (including D&B) argued that the commissioners had denied voters the right to vote.

That public pressure seemed to be what changed Stowers' vote. When asked by The Dahlonega Nugget why he switched his vote, Stowers said he had not changed his mind on Sunday sales, but that he had changed his vote because "of the attacks," including attacks on his wife and mother. Some county employees had trouble doing their jobs because of all the calls on the Sunday sales issue, he said.

No matter what his reasons may have, Dahlonega and Beyond says, "Thank you, Mr. Stowers, for joining Mr. Lewis and Mr. Raber in giving the vote back to the people."

The Nuts Are Coming to Town

Yep. That's right. Nuts are coming to town - Alabama nuts to be exact. The Jim Lovell family is opening the first franchise of The Nut Shop, an uber popular Alabama nut business right here in Dahlonega.

Nut Shop products - from peanut and pecan brittle to roasted and boiled peanuts - are currently only available online, at Alabama and Mississippi convenience stores, and at University of Alabama's Brant-Denny Stadium. In fact, Nut Shop peanuts are the official peanuts for U of A athletics.

It took some convincing of the original Nut Shop owner, Cecil Williams, to franchise his brand, especially out-of state. After several months of conversation between the Lovell family and Williams, a deal was struck. Besides the store in Dahlonega, the Lovells also have the rights to wholesale their products throughout Georgia.

We're not sure all the 60 products found in the Alabama Nut Shop will be available in the Dahlonega store. So a trip to the Dahlonega Nut Shop is a must do. We need to see firsthand if the Lowells will have almonds, pecans, mixed nuts, chocolate covered nuts along with the beloved peanut.

While neither D or B can stand boiled peanuts, we're anxious to taste the shop's roasted peanuts and some of the shop's infamous pecan brittle. After all, will the Alabama peanut be as tasty as a Georgia peanut? Only a taste test will tell for sure.

We've Got Readers

Sometimes as a blog writer, you wonder if anyone out there is reading your blog....and then it happens. You introduce yourself and the person say, "You write that blog about Dahlonega, don't you?"

Guess that means that the blog is getting noticed. One person we met even commented that there had been an absence in blog entries. (Which was true - It's hard to write a blog when you are sailing the high seas or spending a week in small town Louisiana.)

So to the small but mighty group of Dahlonega and Beyond readers, thank you. Stay tuned for more musings from a North Georgia lover. Better yet, how about signing up as a follower?

Let the People Vote

The Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners has a giant decision to make Tuesday night, July 17. Should they, or should they not, let the Lumpkin voters vote on Sunday liquor sales?

In two other 'Should the Voters Vote' decisions, three of the four county commissioners said NO. Only Commissioner Bill Scott voted to let citizens decide on the sale of beer and wine on Sunday.

The hope of an ever growing group of Lumpkinites is that at least one of the Negative Three will switch his No vote to Yes. If that happens, the tie breaker goes to Commission Chairman John Raburn, who has publicly stated that he supports the referendum.

The pressure is on the commission. Last month, the Dahlonega City Council voted to put the liquor referendum on the ballot for voters WITHIN the city of Dahlonega. If the city's referendum passes, then county businesses. This fact was acknowledged by all four commissioners in last week's issue of The Dahlonega Nugget.

D&B are not the only ones who feel that our right to vote is being held hostage by three men. The Nugget's editor Wayne Knuckles, in a strongly worded editorial in the same issue of the Nugget, urged the commissioners to "let the people have the final say." After all, he wrote, "The proper course of action, the fair thing to do, is to put the question before the voters."

D&B will be part of the crowd Tuesday night to see just what the commission decides.

It's time, commissioners, to let the people vote.

Potato Chips in a Pie? Oh yeah!

Lay's Wavy Potato Chips and Ghirardelli chocolate in the same recipe? You know that combination is going to be a winner...and that's just what the Sweet and Salty Chocolate Pie was.

Baked to perfection by Christopher A. Taylor, the melt-in-your mouth combination of potato chips and bittersweet chocolate took first prize recently in the Lumpkin County Pie Squared Event sponsored by Lumpkin Literacy.

I'd show you a picture of that yummy pie, but by the time I got to taste a sample, the pie plate was empty. But I did get the recipe!

Sweet and Salty Chocolate Pie

by Christopher A. Taylor (Atlanta, GA)

Crust and Topping

6 oz Ghirardelli Bittersweet (60%) Chocolate

10 oz potato chips (I prefer Wavy Lays, but Ruffles work, too)

Filling

4 oz Ghirardelli Bittersweet (60%) Chocolate

4 oz Ghirardelli Extra Bittersweet (70%) Chocolate

3 eggs

5-1/4 oz (3/4 cup) sugar

2 tbsp water

1 cup heavy cream (I prefer 40% pasteurized, not ultra-pasteurized)

Garnish

1 tbsp large flake sea salt (I prefer Maldon sea salt flakes)

1 cup chocolate curls

Directions

From the potato chips, select and set aside about 12–15 whole chips to use as the garnish.  

Crush half of the the remaining chips.  The baker prefers to place the chips in a sealed Ziploc-type bag and lightly beat the bag with a rolling pin. You don’t want the chips to turn to dust. Stop bashing the chips when they are about 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch in size. Empty the chip pieces into a bowl.

Melt the 6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate in the microwave (stirring every 20 seconds) until it is completely melted.

Add the melted chocolate to the chip pieces a spoonful at a time and stir the chips and chocolate after each addition. Stop adding chocolate when the chips are thoroughly coated and the mixture begins to hold together when lightly smooshed into the side of the bowl.

Pat the chocolate-chip mixture evenly into a 10-inch pie plate. Make sure the mixture is even across the bottom and up the sides. The mixture will be thickest where the bottom of the pan meets the sides. Press into this area with your thumb to thin out and push the mixture up the sides. The edges of the crust may seem ragged, but we’ll cover them up with the chips later.

Place the crust into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set before you begin preparing the filling. Dip the remaining whole potato chips into the remaining melted chocolate, gently shaking off any extra chocolate. Place the dipped chips on a sheet of wax paper to set at room temperature.

For the filling, chop both chocolates and melt in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds until melted.  Set aside.

For the filling, heat a 1/2-inch of water in a sauce pan until simmering. Combine the eggs, sugar, and water in a small bowl.  Place the bowl over the simmering water ensuring that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat the egg mixture over the simmering water until the mixture is thick and fluffy and temperature reaches 160˚F, 5–10 minutes.

When the mixture reaches temperature, remove the bowl from the heated water and continue to beat the egg mixture until it reaches warm temperature, about 5–10 minutes more.

Once the mixture is cool, add the melted chocolate and stir until combine. Whip the heavy cream until it reaches stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula or whisk (I prefer a whisk) until no streaks remain.

Add the filling to the crust and smooth. Immediately place the chocolate-dipped potato chips into the filling along the crust of the pie allowing the chip to curve over the edge of the pan.

Allow the pie to set in the fridge for several hours. Sprinkle the salt and chocolate curls evenly over the top of the pie before serving. (Adding the salt earlier risks it dissolving into the filling.)

Slice a piece and enjoy that yummy combination of sweet and salt!

1.         

Say No to Tim Bowden

No Bowden signs throughout Lumpkin County.

Tim Bowden, who is running for re-election to Lumpkin County Board of Commissioners, District 2, is not a popular man. That is if the signs posted throughout the county recently are indication on his popularity.

Why the Bowden animosity? The primary reason is that he has been the strongest voice on the County Commission against the referendum to vote for Sunday wine and beer sales. Bowden voted at least twice to keep the referendum off the ballot and was the most vocal against proposal.

The overwhelming opinion in the county seems to be that the people want to vote on the issue. It's what the voters in dozens of counties across Georgia have done. But Bowden says No.

His contention, according to his public statements and articles in the Dahlonega Nugget, is that Sunday liquor sales will cause an increase in highway accidents and put a burden on our public service officers. Really, Mr. Bowden?

Fortunately, Bowden has an opponent in the upcoming July 31 election, Carlton Smith, who supports giving the public the right to vote on the referendum. Smith, like others who are running for the commission this year, believes that such an important decision should be up to the people, not by three commissioners.

What Makes A Great Teacher?

My daughter, a new parent, asked me a tough question the other day - What Makes A Great Teacher? Guess she thought that I would have the answer, after all I had been a classroom teacher, a parent volunteer, PTA officer, and a student myself. I should know something about teaching, right?

That's when I started building my list and came up with the D&B Ten Traits of a Great Teacher list. A great teacher - 

1. Realizes that he/she is teaching young people first and the subject second. (Just wish more teachers followed this rule.)
2. Has a good command of the English grammar. (Nothing says 'Not so good" when a teacher says, "ain't' and "they is" or "Me and him" . I could go on and on and on, but you get the idea.)
3. Stops, looks and listens to students. Sometimes you are the child's real life line, the one that can see the bullying, the abuse, the sadness.
4. Maintains discipline in the classroom. A child can not learn in chaos. Unfortunately not enough teachers know how to efficiently 'run' a classroom.
5. Isn't afraid to come early, stay late, or even skip lunch to help a child learn. Teaching is not a 9 to 5 job. If that's the kind of job you want, don't be a teacher. 
6. Is creative. 'Thinking outside the box' is what outstanding teachers do.
7. Doesn't teach 'behind the desk.' Teachers need to circulate, not hide behind a desk.
8. Open to new ideas. "I've always done it this way" doesn't work in a classroom.
9. Knows his/her subject thoroughly and stays current. Like students, teachers should always be learning, always be reading, always expanding knowledge.
10. Communicates with parents. Talking to and listening to parents are so important. Wish more teachers were more parent-proactive and parent-understanding.

One more thing - if you've had a great teacher, one who made a different, be sure to tell him. 

Political Debates - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

In this famous debate, Nixon sweats and loses.

The uncertainty and anticipation of what can happen make debates entertaining, and that was why the Lumpkin County Republican Candidate Debate this week was worth attending.
While we've been to political debates before, the Lumpkin debate was the first time we had ever seen anyone debating over the office of Coroner. One candidate even told us that he had covered two murders. Guess if you are a coroner, you need to know how to deal with dead people.

The big hot button for Lumpkin was discussed - Whether voters should have the right to vote on the referendum for Sunday Beer and Wine sales. Guy LaBoa, Carlton Smith, Chris Dockery, Bill Scott, and Doug Sheridan all agreed that the issue needed to be voted on by the people. The only negative - and this comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with this issue - came from Tim Bowden, the current Commissioner from District 3. (By the way, Carlton Smith is running against Bowden. Not going to think too long about which one will get our votes.)

The only cheap shot of the night came from County Commission Chairman candidate Dockery. After LaBoa passionately explained why he went to Iraq to help our soldiers, Dockery made an off the cuff remark that sounded to many in the audience as a direct insult to LaBoa.

Retired Lt. General LaBoa was too much of a gentleman and soldier to respond. Let's hope that at the next scheduled debate on June 14, that everyone is on their best behavior. As Laurence Sterne once said, “Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners.”

Three Gold Rushes, One Miner and Now a Movie

Georgia's Green Russell loved hunting for gold. In fact, he is one of just a handful of prospectors who panned or mined gold in three major gold rushes in the U.S. - The North Georgia Gold Rush, California Gold Rush, and the Alaska Gold Rush.

Russell's unique role in history is about to be the subject of a $50 million dollar movie on America's rush for gold. In fact, according to the Dawsonville News, movie scouts are negotiating with Dawson County property owners to film part of the movie at Russell's old home place, near the Etowah River.

"If they can work it out with the property owner, [the film officials] want that to be one of the main sites for the film," says a local resident involved in the location selection.

Other sites considered for the film were on the Yahoola Creek, Chestatee River, and Dahlonega's Consolidated Gold Mine and old Woody's store in Auraria, off Castleberry Rd. in Lumpkin County.

We're Back!

Dahlonega and Beyond has been missing for a few weeks. D&B spent a good bit of that time, traveling way beyond Dahlonega, visiting family and friends in Arkansas and Louisiana.

One of our stops on our trip west was Little Rock and Bill Clinton's Presidential Library. While the building is horrendous looking (sort of like a giant trailer on a platform), the information inside is truly interesting and even entertaining.

Displays included major milestones during Clinton's career, from a place called Hope to the White House and beyond. Also there was a replica of the Oval Room as it was during Clinton's tenure. It's amazing to think how many world-changing decisions are made, and have been made, in that one room in the White House.

One tends to forget how much happened in the eight years he served as president - some good, some really not good. There was even space devoted to the impeachment (Alas, no blue dress was on display.)

Lumpkin's Gang of Three Vote NO Again

Well, the Lumpkin County Commission did it again. In their April meeting, the infamous Gang of Three (Tim Bowden, Clarence Stowers and Clarence Grindle) decided the referendum for Sunday Liquor Sales would NOT be on the November ballot.

The three commissioners didn't exactly vote NO on allowing the vote. What they voted on in meeting was to remove the topic from the meetings' agenda. "If we just don't talk about it," they surmise, "maybe this whole 'let the people vote' issue will just go away."

Unfortunately, Commissioners Bowden, Stowers and Grindle, the issue is NOT going away. The people of Lumpkin want the right to vote. If anyone doubts that, just pick up the latest issue of the Dahlonega Nugget, read the paper's news story on the meeting, and then read the angry Letters to the Editor.

Lamar Bates spoke out at the meeting and also penned one of those angry letters. In his speech to the commissioners, he challenged the Gang of Three to let the people decide. "It looks like you're scared to death to let the people vote," he said. "Church and state are to be separate, but not here in Lumpkin. You are interjecting your own beliefs into the issue. Put it out there and then let us (the voters) decide."

Lamar's letter, believe it or not, was even stronger. "Personally, I am embarrassed," he wrote, "by the recent Gang of Three - Bowden, Grindle, and Stowers - and their actions at the commission meeting. Their arrogant attitude let to the imposing an oligarchical government on the country."

But Lamar isn't the only 'Let the people vote' voice in the county. In another Letter to the Editor, Brad Musgrove wrote, "The simple fact that this issue continues to garner attention from both sides is reason enough to hand the issue to the voters of Lumpkin County."

Deborah Hunt's letter was just as pointed: "As someone recently said to me, 'The heritage of this county is alcohol, moonshine to be exact.' So does the heritage an history of this county cover seven days a week, or do we exclude Sundays? Come on commissioners, step into the 21st Century and put the matter on the ballot and let the people of the county. choose."

Bowden, Stowers and Grindle - Are you listening to the voters - or more importantly, do you read the local newspaper?

Gardening in North Georgia

When we moved to Dahlonega and Beyond, our yard went from .5 acres to 2.5+ acres. Now to be honest, woods do make up a good portion of the yard, but, in the past two years, we have turned a wasteland of weeds into a beautiful garden area. We planted flower gardens, rows of azaleas, a vegetable garden, a fruit orchard and even some grass in the non-wooded area.

Gardening in North Georgia is quite a bit different from gardening in suburban Atlanta. Thank goodness we had help from our Master Gardener friends Myron and Pam, from the men and women of Home Depot, and from a really informative online gardening newsletter. 

The e-newsletter, Gardening Tips, is filled with valuable, 'this really works' information and 'how-to's.' Produced by Art of Stone Landscaping, the newsletter is written by Suzanne Albright, one of the company's owners and a Master Gardener. (An article on Crepe Myrtle Murder last fall definitely saved the lives of four crepe myrtles in our front yard this year. Thank you, Suzanne.)

In the most spring issue of Gardening Tips, Suzanne writes about the when and why of watering and explains how to remove the ants in your plants. Do like we did and sign up for Suzanne's newsletter. Just go to Facebook and LIKE the Art of Stone Landscaping Facebook page.

BEFORE AND AFTER SHOTS 

What the yard looked like when we moved in.

Lots of bark and landscaping bricks make a big impact.

Roses, roses, and lots more roses.

Nine Year Old Attacked by Pit Bull

It's happened again. This time to a nine year old girl in Gainesville, Ga. Little Adrinna Adkins was attacked in her family's apartment by a friend's pit bull.

The third grader had just returned home from school. She was cradling her cat in her arms when the pit bull forced open a bedroom door and attacked Adrianna and her cat. The little girl, trying to shield her cat from the vicious dog, became the pit bull's victim. The dog attacked the girl's arms over and over again. Finally, she was able to escape from the dog and run  to safety.

Adrianna, who was airlifted to an Atlanta children's hospital, is in stable condition after several surgeries. Doctors report that once the child's arms heal, she'll have to undergo physical therapy and probably plastic surgery.

Pit bulls are just too unpredictable to be family pets. Take the dog in this attack. According to news reports, Adrianna's mother said she was shocked by the attack "because the dog seemed to be a well-behaved and loving animal, playing with the children and even sleeping in their beds."

Pit bulls are NOT dogs that you allow to sleep with your children. Pit bulls are NOT dogs that should be living in an apartment. And, most importantly, pit bulls are NOT dogs bred to be family pets.

For more complete coverage of this pit bull attack, read the full story in the Gainesville Times.

Have you read the 30 World Book Night books?

Today, or make that tonight, the U.S. celebrates its first World Book Night. Even Dahlonega is throwing a World Book Night party, hosted by the Lumpkin County Literacy Coalition, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Dahlonega Chick-Fil-A.

On the official World Book Night web site, 30 books are listed as must-reads. After a quick look at the list, to my surprise, the list wasn't filled with books by Shakespeare or Tolstoy. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Michael Connelly's Blood Games were on the list, but so were Maya Angelous' I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany (which just happens to be a D&B all-time favorite read.)

One thing for sure. We've got a lot of reading to do to check off all the books on the World Book Night list. How many have you read?

The Fiddlesheads release new album

The Fiddleheads, fan favorites on last summer's America's Got Talent, have launched their first studio album, appropriately titled, Goodbye LA. Plus rumor has it the Fiddleheads are working on their first music video, shooting scenes right here in Dahlonega.

Even better, the Fiddleheads are playing in Dahlonega for a fundraiser for the Holly Theatre @ the theatre, Thursday April 26.

The Fiddleheads are a bluegrass-inspired, genre-crossing musicians from Dahlonega, who got their start playing together at North Georgia College and State University.

From there, the band went on to play a number of venues in North Georgia and even in Nashville, too. Their big break came when they won a spot on America's Got Talent and then wowed audience with their unique musical style.

D&B is hoping that the Fiddleheads will continue to build their fan base and one day receive the same accolades as another Dahlonega popular musical group... the Grammy Award Winning Zac Brown band.

Where will you be on World Book Night?

If you love reading, then you'll want to be part of World Book Night, a celebration of reading and books taking place across the U.S. on April 23, the official World Book Night.

This is the first year that World Book Night, which originated in the U.K., will be celebrated in the U.S. Supporting this event are such corporate entities as Barnes and Noble, Ingram, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Random House, UPS, International Paper, Scholastic and more.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to celebrate reading on this night of books, according to organizers. Here in Dahlonega, the celebration is sponsored by the Lumpkin County Literacy Coalition and local Chick-Fil-A restaurant.

Part of Chick-Fil-A's Family Night Series, the Dahlonega World Book Night will be an opportunity to showcase the work the LCLC does to promote literacy and the importance of reading. The Dahlonega World Book event runs from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Chick-Fil-A on Morrison Moore Parkway.

FYI... April 23 is not just any random date for book lovers. That day just happens to be the date of William Shakespeare’s and famed Spanish writer Cervantes' deaths.

LaBoa for Lumpkin Commission Chairman

Let's be honest. D&B are new to Lumpkin County and new to Lumpkin County politics. Yet, even a relative newcomer can see that Lumpkin County is suffering from economic pains, financial restrictions and lots of leadership in-fighting. The county government needs a leader with strong leadership skills, a long term vision and definitely the ability  to 'work well with others.'

Guy LaBoa, who is running for Lumpkin County Commission Chairman, definitely fits that description.  First, he's a retired three star U.S. Army General with an impressive military record that includes four Silver Stars and three Purple Hearts. Anyone with that kind of background is what we call a real leader.

After 35 years of military service and a stint as a corporate executive, Guy and his wife Pat could have retired anywhere. They chose Dahlonega where Pat had graduated from North Georgia State College. Since they moved to Dahlonega, Guy has quickly became part of the community and local politics. He served on the Northeast Regional Boy Scouts Executive Committee, the Chestatee Regional Hospital Board, and Board of Directors of the Dahlonega Rotary Club. He was even elected to the Dahlonega City Council.

Now he is running for Lumpkin County Commission Chairman. He has our vote. Not just because of his leadership experience (and the fact that we graduated from the same college in Louisiana), but because he has the vision that Lumpkin needs. We encourage you to support Guy LaBoa.

Finding the Right Vet is Like Finding the Right Pediatrician

This Scottie Dog Loves Her Vets.

Pet parents know how hard it is to find that perfect veterinarian, the one who treats your pet like a patient, not like an animal. And if you have a hard-headed, extremely spoiled 3 year old Scottie, then that search is even more difficult.

Scotties aren't easy pets to vet. In fact, one vet we took one of our Scotties to, actually insisted on putting a muzzle on the dog  because, as he said, Scotties have a reputation of 'biting' vets. (Needless to say, that Scottie never returned to that vet.) Some groomers even refuse to cut a Scottie's hair or trim the nails without muzzling the dog.

Because the beloved Nessie the Scottie dog is more people than pet, finding a vet who would treated Nessie with love and care was paramount. And, we did find that veterinarian. In fact, we found two -  Dr. Rebecca Babcock and Dr. Karen Donovan - at The Red Barn Veterinary Clinic in Dahlonega.

Both Dr. Babcock and Dr. Donovan have treated Nessie, and if all the licks Nessie gives them is any indication, Nessie loves them. In fact, the dog actually jumps out of the car and seems to eagerly head to the Red Barn front door each time she visits.

You won't find many vet clinics as well equipped, well staffed and exceptionally spotless as Red Barn. And pets are treated as patients here, which is oh so important.

Lumpkin Commissioners to Consider Sunday Liquor Sales AGAIN

The people spoke, and obviously the Lumpkin County Commission listened...this time. In a meeting Tuesday, the commissioners agreed to ANOTHER hearing on a vote for Sunday Wine and Beer Sales.

For those of you who haven't been following the Great Sunday Liquor Sales controversy in Lumpkin, in February the County Commissioners voted 3 to 1 AGAINST a referendum to allow Sunday sales of beer and wine. After the commissioners' vote, people across the county were 'riled up', angry that they had been denied the right to vote on this issue. (A 2011 act by the Ga. Legislature allows local voters to decide on Sunday Liquor sales in their communities.)

One of the Commission's No Votes, Commissioner Tim Bowden, argued that if Sunday sales are allowed, Lumpkin would see 'possible and even probable' increase in DUIs and domestic violence incidents.

The lone Commissioner who wants Lumpkin voters to decide on this controversial issue is Commissioner Bill Scott. For his support of a public referendum, Commissioner Scott has been criticized by many in the county. Alternately, many (such as this writer) strongly support Commissioner Scott (who describes himself as a tea-teetotaler) for his belief that 'the people should decide'.

Dahlonega and Beyond will be attending the Tuesday, April 17, Commission meeting when the topic of a Sunday Wine and Beer Sales referendum is discussed again. Maybe this time, more proponents of the vote will be in attendance and those commissioners who voted NAY last time will be more OPEN to discussion. We're hoping the NO will become a YES.

Dawsonville bids Eastwood, Timberlake Goodbye

Movie Crew Packs Up (Gainesville Times Photo)

After over a week in Dawsonville, Ga., the cast and crew of "Trouble with the Curve" have packed up and moved out...leaving behind a partly remodeled motel and quite a few starstruck people.

The movie's main star and producer, 81 year old Clint Eastwood, wowed the citizenry with his normalness....shopping in the local grocery store, eating at the local restaurants and warmly conversing with locals. In fact, on his last day in town, Clint was spotted in front of a deli on the town square, patiently signing autographs and talking to fans.

Most Dawsonvillians and other star-struck fans who came to town weren't able to meet-on-one with Clint or his co-stars Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake and John Goodman. However, a fortunate few residents actually interacted with the cast and crew. Dawson County Sheriff deputies helped guard the celebrities as part of the movie's security team, and local restaurant servers and caterers provided the food day-after-day. (Rumor has it that on the final day of shooting, the Dawsonville Pool Room served over 200 of their world famous Bully Burgers for the crew's last meal in town.)

D&B weren't able to capture any first-hand pictures or video of the movie's filming. Every time we were in Dawsonville, all we saw was traffic backed up from the movie set. BUT, others were lucky to video the stars on set, filming in front of the Amicalola Lodge, which was renamed the Grey Squirrel Motel for the movie. (Word of caution: These videos aren't quite movie theater ready.)

• Justin Timberlake and Amy Adams Outside of the Grey Squirrel
• Clint Eastwood Goes to Mustang
• Justin Timberlake and His Bodyguard