South Arts Scholarship Grant Awarded

Press Release

Release: Immediate

Contact: Christian Hamilton, 706.898.5777

Date: 02.14.18

RE: South Arts Scholarship Grant Received

TOCCOA, GA, February 14, 2018- Main Street Toccoa is pleased to announce that it has received a Scholarship Grant from South Arts for attendance at the Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to take place on March 14 – 16.

Funds from this grant will be used to send Main Street Manager Christian Hamilton to attend classes and network at the Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit, presented in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts, South Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Creative placemaking, according to the official description from the Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit, is “about partners working together, engaging the arts and local culture to shape, revitalize, and rejuvenate places.” Main Street Toccoa looks forward to developing valuable skills to strengthen creative placemaking in Historic Downtown Toccoa.

For more information about grant funds received, please contact Main Street Manager Christian Hamilton at 706.898.5777.

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The Ritz to Host Survey-Chosen Oscar Best Pictures

Press Release

Release: Immediate

Contact: Main Street Toccoa/Sharon Crosby

Date: February 5, 2018

Re:  The Ritz Presents Best Picture Oscars

Historic Ritz Theatre announces April Oscar Best Picture Series

 & Downtown Toccoa Promotion

Toccoa, GA - February 5, 2018 - The Historic Ritz Theatre will screen three classic “Best Picture” Oscar winners, selected by the public in an online vote, choosing from ten different Best Picture-winning films. The ten Best Picture choices are:

Gone With the Wind                           1939

Casablanca                                          1942

On the Waterfront                               1954

Bridge over River Kwai                      1957

Patton                                                  1970

The Sting                                             1973

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest      1975

Out of Africa                                       1985

Gladiator                                              2000

Spotlight                                              2016

Throughout February, movie fans can go to either the Ritz Theatre website, www.ritztheatretoccoa.com or the Main Street Toccoa website, www.mainstreettoccoa.com and vote for their top three choices out of the ten movies listed above. The leading three vote-getters will be shown in reverse order of the vote tally over three different Friday evenings in April. The screening dates are April 6th, 20th, and 27th at 7 PM. The winning movie choices will be announced March 1^st. 

“We’ve always wanted to screen great classic movies at the Ritz Theatre and now we can tie our restored 1939-era theatre with a great Historic Downtown experience”, said Main Street Toccoa Special Events Coordinator Sharon Crosby

Movie-goers who spend at least $5 at any participating downtown shop or restaurant on the day of the movie screening can also get a voucher for two free admissions and two free concession items at the Ritz Theatre that evening.

The Ritz Presents promotional vouchers are available at the following downtown businesses:

·        Spa & Salon Anastasia  

·         Downtown Flowers  

·         All Things Currahee  

·         Ginger & Company  

·         Victoria’s Sweet Treats  

·         Ionosphere Travel  Agency

·         C.K. Morgan & Company  

·         X-Factor Grill/Cornerstone Restaurant

·         Threads

·         B.J.’s Family Restaurant

·         Southern Roots Salon

·         Whistle Stop Antique Market

·         Troup’s Studio & Gifts

·         Details Salon 73

Vouchers are only available at participating downtown businesses the Friday that the movie is shown, while supplies last, limit one voucher per purchase.

Tickets will also be sold at the door for $1 and concessions will be $1.

For more information, contact Sharon Crosby, Main Street Toccoa, at 706.282.3232.

Truett McConnell University String Orchestra to Perform Free Concert at the Ritz Theatre

Press Release

For Immediate Release

Contact:  Keith Kozicki, (706) 282-3232

Date: 1/29/2018

RE: Truett McConnell University String Orchestra to perform free concert at the Ritz Theatre

Truett McConnell University String Orchestra

Toccoa, GA, January 29, 2018

Main Street Toccoa, in conjunction with Truett McConnell University’s Felix Manz School of Music, will present a free concert of classical music at the Historic Ritz Theatre on Saturday, February 3^rd at 7:00 PM.

The Truett McConnell University String Orchestra (TMUSO), under the direction of Heather Strachan, will be performing works by Corelli, Handel, & Telemann.

This ensemble is a mix of Truett McConnell University students, as well as Piedmont College students, Ms. Strachan's private and former private students, and some of her colleagues and their students.  Strachan is Adjunct Strings Faculty at TMU, (teaching Applied Violin and Viola, as well as String Chamber Music and String Orchestra).  She is also Adjunct Strings Faculty and Artist-in-Residence (founding member of the piano quintet, "Piedmont Camerata") at Piedmont College.  Ms. Strachan is in her twenty-third season as member of the "GAMAC" Orchestra, (Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium), seventeen of which she has served as concertmaster.   

“It’s always been the Ritz Theatre’s goal to offer a wide range of musical genres to the people of Toccoa and the surrounding area,” says General Manager Keith Kozicki. “We are particularly pleased to be able to present this talented group of musicians in a free concert,” added Kozicki.

The February 3^rd program lineup features the following three works:  

•          Concerto Grosso No. 7, in D Major by Arcangelo Corelli
•          Concerto for Four Violins and String Orchestra, in G Major by George Philipp Telemann
•          Concerto Grosso Op. 3, No. 5, in D Minor by George Frideric Handel

For more information about the TMUSO concert, contact Keith Kozicki, General Manager, Historic Ritz Theatre at (706) 282-3232, or Heather Strachan at hstrachan@truett.edu.

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Open Mic Monday Grand Finale Winners Selected

Press Release

For Immediate Release

Contact:  Keith Kozicki, 706.282.3232

Date: 1/23/2018

RE: Open Mic Monday Grand Finale Winners

Open Mic Monday Grand Finale Winners Selected

OMM Grand Finale Winners Hailey Little & Ethan Smith

Toccoa, GA, January 23, 2018

The Grand Finale Winner for the first-ever Open Mic Monday competition was announced Monday night capping off a great evening of free entertainment at the Historic Ritz Theatre. Judges selected Hailey Little and Ethan Smith from Franklin County, Georgia as the contest’s overall winners. The pair performed a variety of classic Broadway show tunes during their time on stage.

Phil Hobbs of WNEG Radio, Tom Council of Toccoa Falls College, and Spa & Salon Anastasia owner, Rebekah Gailer, served as the judges. The event was emceed by veteran Atlanta radio personality, Kelly McCoy. 

The other contestants included previous first-round winners Marion Montgomery and Maribel Montgomery-Anderson of Danielsville, GA and Toccoa, along with Ethan Phillips and Joe Kilby of Clayton, GA, Daniel Mack and Clint Coker of Toccoa and Habersham County, and Ashley Strickland and Will Fowler from Franklin and Hart County.

“The talent level was top-notch from start to finish” noted Ritz Theatre General Manager Keith Kozicki. “We were amazed at the quality of all of the performers and the response from the crowd. We will definitely continue this event and make it even bigger in the future.”

Ritz Theatre GM Keith Kozicki with OMM Grand Finale Winners Hailey Little & Ethan Smith

Grand Finale winners Little and Smith will be paid to perform as an opening act for the upcoming Ida Cox music series performance in the summer of 2018.

For more information about Open Mic Monday, contact Keith Kozicki, General Manager, Historic Ritz Theatre at 706. 282.3232.

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City of Toccoa Receives Rural Zone Designation

Press Release

Release: Immediate

Contact:  Christian Hamilton, 706.898.5777

Date: 01/10/2018

RE: Toccoa Awarded Georgia Rural Zone

TOCCOA, GA, January 10, 2018 – The City of Toccoa is pleased to announce that the State of Georgia has designated Toccoa as one of nine inaugural Rural Zones across the state.

According to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), “The Rural Zone program was enacted by the State legislature in 2017. Portions of each community – primarily historic downtown areas – are now zoned to allow for tax credits to eligible businesses that create jobs and stimulate economic activity in these communities.” DCA Commissioner Christopher Nunn said, “The courthouse square and historic downtowns have been the lifeblood of Georgia’s rural communities. The purpose of the Rural Zone is to encourage small business investment and job creation to help preserve these small town assets and stimulate economic activity in the community.”

The City of Toccoa’s Main Street District has been designated by DCA as a Rural Zone. Should any current or prospective business or property owners wish to locate to the Main Street District and make use of Rural Zone tax benefits, the following benefits may be utilized:

•          $2,000/year/full-time equivalent job created within the zone for five years. At least two net, new full-time equivalent jobs must be created and maintained in order to qualify for the job credits or any additional credits listed below.
•          Up to $125,000 credit (claimed over 5 years) for investing in the downtown area. This is capped at 25% of the total investment cost, not to exceed $25,000 in credits claimed over five years.
•          Up to $150,000 credit (claimed over 3 years) for rehabilitating structures in the downtown area. This is capped at 30% of the total investment cost, not to exceed $50,000 in credits claimed over the three years.

In reference to this unique designation, City of Toccoa Mayor David Austin said, “We are very proud to receive this honor and designation. It is evident that the State of Georgia sees Toccoa’s downtown district as an area ripe for continued economic revitalization. The fact that, across the state, Toccoa was selected as one of only nine Rural Zones, gives us the edge to bring in businesses and retain businesses in our Main Street District. These tax credits will certainly serve as an incentive to increase the economic viability of our beautiful community.”

Main Street Toccoa plans to host a lunch-and-learn in the near future to assist current and prospective downtown business and property owners with any Rural Zone inquiries they may have.

The Main Street Office is happy to answer any questions regarding the new Rural Zone designation and tax credit incentives. Please contact Main Street Manager Christian Hamilton at 706.898.5777 for inquiries.

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