Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- June 19, 2009

Volunteers and $25,000 will keep Gold Museum open 7 days/week

Last week, Dahlonega’s Mayor hosted a meeting with the State Director of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Sites to discuss keeping the Gold Museum open every day rather than having to close it Mondays and Tuesdays to meet DNR budgetary requirements.  Options were discussed, but it boiled down to Dahlonega and Lumpkin County having to fund part-time help and furnish volunteers to assist with the Gold Museum programs.

All of us at the meeting agreed to help.  Friends of the Gold Museum, Historical Society, Downtown Development Authority, merchants, and others are preparing to support this effort.  We will need your time, money, and moral support to make it work.

With the prime tourist season upon us, it is imperative that we keep the Gold Museum a focal point of downtown Dahlonega and not just another place to visit.  While the Gold Museum is the third most visited historical site in the State, we need to make it number one and more self sufficient.  We can do that by working together to help one another.  When you talk to customers and tourists, ask if they have visited our Gold Museum and encourage them to do so.

The Legislative session may be over but the work has only slowed a little bit.  I recently attended the Bio 2009 International Convention in Atlanta.  One of the interesting features of the Convention was the number of foreign visitors and their exhibits.  For example, I have always associated Bayer (Germany) with aspirin, but I discovered that Bayer is a world leader in the areas of crop protection, pest control, and seeds and plant biotechnology.  The company is also a leading manufacturer of polymers and high-quality plastics.

All of my life I have heard of the three R’s, but at Bio 2009, I heard of the three P’s—Pig Parts for People.  It reminded me of Lewis Grizzard telling about his heart valve replacement with a pig valve.  Pigs are being genetically engineered to provide parts that may save human lives.  If it was good enough for Lewis, it is good enough for me.

Several sessions explained that animal biotechnology can provide practical benefits to mankind.  Genetically engineered (GE) agricultural animals are being developed to transform and improve public health.

There were several sessions dedicated to biofuels, mainly discussing methodologies and costs.  Biofuel companies face two fundamental challenges:  the food-versus-fuel debate and volatile fuel markets.  To resolve the first, biotechs are now using low-value biomass products like switchgrass, algae, and trash rather than corn and sugarcane.  Using corn and sugarcane as the primary product in biofuels was a major cause in the price of corn, wheat, and other grains doubling in the past three years.  Much of the biofuels research is being done at Georgia Tech and UGA.

Biotechs must question whether they can prove that their technology works economically, and if they can find the financing to scale up the process.  Even if you have an interesting technology, you still have to build that first $20-to-$50 million plant.

Volatility in oil prices is a huge problem for development of biofuels.  Biofuels must be cost competitive in the market--at what price a renewable solution can compete with current oil prices.  For now, investors, scientists, and the public wait to see which renewable biofuels will pull ahead, relieving our dependence on fossil fuels.

My legislative duties will have me attending several conferences for much of July.  If you have trouble contacting me in July, try calling my assistant at the Capitol, Rebecca Hammond: 404-656-7857.  She has a lot of experience helping solve constituent problems.  Regularly, I can be reached at 689 N. Chestatee Street, Dahlonega, Georgia 30533; phone 706/864-6589; e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Or you can contact Gerald Lewy, my Communications Director, at 706/344-7788.  He’ll know how to get your message to me.  Remember, the secret of good government is a well-informed electorate.

For more information contact:                 
Gerald Lewy                                 
Communications Director
House District 9 – Amerson
471 Cloudland Road
Dahlonega, Georgia 30533
Phone/fax: 706/864-4613
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it