Revitalization group buys historic hotel
A historic hotel in Hogansville has been bought by a group that seeks to revitalize the town.
Pioneer Hogansville told The LaGrange Daily News that it has bought Hogansville's Grand Hotel and adjoining buildings. Public records show the group paid $1.65 million.
Pioneer co-founder Tim Morgan said the group aims to renovate and reopen the 11-room hotel, a cornerstone of the town's downtown. Also included is a restaurant, bar, covered patio and two retail spaces spread across four parcels.
Hogansville is about 60 miles southwest of Atlanta.
The group said it will seek grants and other ways to finance renovations. Morgan said the current decor is dated and older items such as televisions need to be replaced.
“We are really excited because we see the potential, not only for the Grand Hotel but all the shops,” Morgan said.
Pioneer earlier helped start a coffeehouse in Hogansville's former train station, as well as a pub.
Kennesaw man dies during Florida dive trip
Sheriff’s investigators say a 43-year-old man from Kennesaw, Ga., fell and hit his head on a charter boat after a dive off Florida’s Atlantic Coast.
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s officials said in a news release that a boat captain from Jupiter Dive Center requested assistance Saturday afternoon regarding a diver in distress.
Florida Fish and Wildlife officers put the unresponsive man on their boat and took James Ligon of Kennesaw to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Detectives said Ligon showed no signs of distress after the dive. He swam back to the boat, climbed the ladder and stood on the deck, where he collapsed, hitting his head on the floor.
An investigation continues. No additional details were available.
Fire at peanut warehouse
Firefighters battled a fire last week at a South Georgia peanut warehouse.
Coffee County Fire Chief Steve Carver told The Associated Press that firefighters arrived at the warehouse Wednesday in Douglas to find flames leaping through the roof of the facility, where shelled peanuts are pressed into peanut oil. Premium Peanut, the farmer-owned cooperative that owns the facility, said it is the largest peanut-shelling plant in the world.
Exactly when the fire began remained unclear.
Carver said the fire started before dawn Wednesday. Premium Peanut CEO Karl Zimmer said in an email, responding to an AP query, that the blaze started last Tuesday. Zimmer said there were no injuries and that the oil mill was not damaged. Operations at the plant were scheduled to resume.
Firefighters worked to remove 11 million pounds of peanuts from the warehouse, cutting off the supply of fuel for the fire, Carver said. He said the warehouse and the peanuts are total losses, but firefighters saved separate buildings, including the peanut oil press and a receiving building. The warehouse had no sprinklers, according to Carver.
The state Fire Marshal's Office is investigating.
— This report was compiled by ArLuther Lee / The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
About the Author
