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Serving the communities of Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Mill Creek, West Jackson and South Hall Member of the Georgia Press Association 250 copy Wednesday, December 26,2007 Vol. 3 No. 36 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. BraseltonNews.com 18 pages, 3 sections Inside BARROW COUNTY •Planners approve gated retirement community page 2A •Santa makes a stop at WJPS for students page 6B Sports: •Mill Creek takes fifth in Kentucky tourney page 1B •Winners named for pet photo contest page 8A Opinion: •‘Time to set ‘08 goals’ page 4A Public safety: •Donated money not being used for son, fam ily tells police page 2A •Church events page 3A •Obituaries page 5A Braselton’s YearOne rebuilds a legend BIG MOVER YearOne has gone all out to make their Burt Reynolds Edition Trans Am one that everybody wants to catch. Photos provided by YearOne East Bound and Down THE BANDIT Burt Reynolds signed off on all the plans for the car, including the interior, and the ‘screaming chicken’ emblem on the hood. BY BRANDON REED n May of 1977, everybody wanted to be “The Bandit.” That was when the legend ary film “Smokey and the Bandit,” starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed and Jackie Gleason, hit the big screen. But the real star of the film, in the minds of many, was Reynolds’ car - a black and gold 1977 Pontiac Trans Am. Now, 30 years later, that legend ary car is again on the market, this time as a custom-built hot rod being done by Kevin King and the folks at YearOne in Braselton. “Backin 1979, everybody wanted one of these cars,” said YearOne’s Brad Ocock. “Kids, and dads, too. How many dads went out and bought one of these cars because they saw Burt Reynolds and Sally Field driving down the road in one. It was a great movie.” The movie revolved around a Georgia trucker who accepts the challenge to bring 400 cases of Coors beer, which at the time was illegal east of the Mississippi, back to Atlanta from Texas in 28 hours. The hero, named “The Bandit,” drove a blocker car for a trac tor-trailer loaded with the illegal brew. Along the way, the heroes encounter a pretty runaway bride, as well as an angry, foul-mouthed Texas sheriff. Needless to say, high speed mayhem, fdmed completely in the state of Georgia, ensued. The rest is history. “Smokey and the Bandit” was second at the box office that year. Only “Star Wars” knocked it out of the number one slot. REYNOLDS APPROVAL It’s no surprise that YearOne wanted the Bandit himself, Burt Reynolds, involved in the design of the new “Bandit” cars. After all, when you’re redesigning an icon, it’s best to have another icon help ing you. “He came out and we showed him all the plans and diagrams,” Ocock said of Reynolds’ help. “We got everything signed off by him. He had some input on the interior, and on the ‘screaming chicken’ on the hood. It was real important to him that it stay on there, and that some of the gold accents and trim stay on it. He leant his likeness to the inserts on the interior.” Unless you’re an enthusiast, when you look at the car you can’t See BANDIT on page 3A PUTTING IT TOGETHER Construction is ongoing on several of the Burt Reynolds Edition Trans Ams at Year One’s Braselton facility. Doctor with Braselton ties to help with new medical campus BY KERRI TESTEMENT When Dr. James Jackson was grow ing up in downtown Braselton, cows still roamed the area. Braselton was a one stoplight town of 250 people where every body knew each other, he said. “It was just a small town,” Jackson said. Today, the town spans four coun ties with thousands of residents living in the greater Braselton area. The dynamic growth in the area prompted the Northeast Georgia Health System to select Braselton for its new medical campus on Thompson Mill Road, which will include a 100-bed hospital. And that’s where Dr. Jackson fits into the mix — he was recently named the health system’s new medical development director for the greater Braselton area. Dr. Jackson already has deep ties to Braselton including his grand father, Lewis Braselton, a former mayor and mother Pam Jackson, a former council member. Dr. Jackson and his wife have three children: daughter, Darby, 17; and sons Braz, 11, and Billy, 10. Dr. Jackson earned his medical degree from the Emory University School of Medicine and complet ed his internship and residency at Emory University and affiliat ed hospitals, according to the health system. For 16 years, he practiced internal med icine at the Northeast Georgia Diagnostic Center, Gainesville, before deciding to move his practice to Braselton — where he said a large number of his patients already lived. “It always makes you feel good if you can come back, and have a small part in trying to make things a littie better,” Jackson said. Just a short distance from the new medical campus — dubbed River Place — is the Braselton Clinic, where Dr. Jackson and Dr. Gary Dailey established the facility in February 2006. Since that facility opened, it has already been expanded to twice its size. Each month, up to 2,400 patients walk through the doors of the Braselton Clinic, where 10 specialty practices also welcome patients. “We’ve been very fortunate with the support of the community and the health system,” Jackson said. In his new role as medical devel opment director, Jackson will help See DOCTOR on page 3A JACKSON Council OK’s budget changes BY KERRI TESTEMENT The Hoschton City Council approved one last amendment to the 2007 budget, before ending the year. During a called meeting on Dec. 19, the council approved changes to the 2007 budget — largely due to carryover funds from the 2006 bud get. The 2008 budget was approved by the city council on Dec. 3. Last week’s public hearing was the third such meeting for the latest round of amendments to the 2007 budget. Previously, the council approved changes to the 2007 bud get in October, when city officials learned that anticipated revenue was not generating as many funds as expected. The recent vote amended Hoschton’s 2007 general fund bud get from $798,808 to $831,858. That amount excludes $147,200 in sales tax revenue. The city’s water/sewer budget was amended from $3.71 million to $3.74 million. That amount includes $2.6 million for a state loan to fund improvements to the city’s wastewater treatment facil ity. Shop with a Cop HOLIDAY HELP Hoschton Police Department officer Jeremy Howell helps Dustin Hulsey pick out a shirt at Wal-Mart Thursday. The officer was paired with Hulsey for the annual “Shop With A Cop” event held for needy children in the area. Each of the 44 children chosen to participate were given $200 to spend at the store on clothing and toys. Photo by April Reese Sorrow