Newspaper Page Text
o
O
Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Reunion, Deaton Creek and West Jackson $1.00 copy
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Vol. 14 No. 2 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 12 pages
First vaccines arrive
Hospital leaders urge continued caution during upcoming holiday
It’s the best Christmas gift
anyone could wish for this
year. COVID-19 vaccines
have arrived in the Bra
selton area.
Northeast Georgia Health
System received its first
batch of vaccinations on
Thursday morning, Dec.
17. The hospital system re
ceived 5,000 doses of the
Pfizer vaccine and vaccinat
ed its first seven employees
on Thursday evening.
“It feels like Christmas
came early.” Carol Burrell.
NGHS president and CEO.
said. “It’s been a long eight
months for our organization
and our community, as we
continue to see record num
bers of COVID patients.
We still have a long journey
ahead of us, but simply hav
ing a vaccine in our hands is
a tremendous and positive
step forward.”
While there’s a sense of
excitement and hope sur
rounding the arrival of the
vaccine, hospital leaders
stress the need to continue
practicing COVID safe
ty precautions, especially
during the upcoming Christ
mas holiday.
“It’s certainly a big. pos
itive milestone, and several
of our staff have said they
hope it’s the beginning of
the end for the pandemic,”
said Tara Jernigan, chief
nursing officer at NGMC
Braselton. “That said, we
still have several months to
go, and I don’t think there
will be a true sense of re
lief until we start seeing
less COVID-positive pa
tients in our hospitals. We
really hope people in our
community don’t let their
guard down during Christ
mas. because another spike
after the holidays could be
catastrophic. Please, please
- celebrate safely.”
FIRST
DOSES GIVEN
The first employees
vaccinated Thursday eve
ning were Rachel Brunner.
RN, Critical Care Nurse
at NGMC Gainesville and
Braselton; Andy Cason.
RRT, Respiratory Therapist
at NGMC Gainesville; Ta-
mika Johnson, RN, Charge
Nurse in the Mobile Medi
cal Unit at NGMC Gaines
ville; Elizabeth Larkins.
MSN, RN, Director of Crit
ical Care at NGMC Gaines
ville; April McDonald. MD.
Pulmonology and Critical
Care Medicine Physician
with Northeast Georgia
Physicians Group, practic
ing at NGMC Gainesville
and Braselton; Terry Phil
lips. Environmental Ser
vices Technician at NGMC
Gainesville; and Seth Scott.
RN, Nurse in the Emergen
cy Department at NGMC
Gainesville.
As of Monday, Dec. 21.
NGHS has administered
nearly 1,000 doses. Hospital
leaders hope to have the first
batch administered by the
end of the month and expect
to receive the next Pfizer
shipment and first Moderna
shipment — which was ap
proved last week — by the
end of the month.
“We hope other
COVID-19 vaccines devel
oped by different compa
nies and research groups
will receive federal approval
Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton staff began receiving COVID-19
vaccines last week. Northeast Georgia Health System had vaccinated nearly
1,000 employees at the end of Monday, Dec. 21.
soon, which would allow us Supriya Mannepalli, MD, announcement of the Mod-
to vaccinate our workforce NGMC’s medical director ema vaccination approval),
and people in our communi- of Infectious Disease Medi-
ty, faster than planned,” said cine, on Dec. 17 (prior to the See Vaccine, page 2A
Man dies in
Hoschton
trench
collapse
A man was killed when
a trench collapsed near
Hoschton on Dec. 18.
The 42-year-old man
was working in a sewer
age drain line for a sub
division at 128 Morris
Creek Dr., off of Hwy.
332, Hoschton.
According to coroner
Dean Stringer, workers
dug the man out, but he
was dead from his injuries.
Jackson County EMS. fire
and rescue responded to
the scene.
The man worked for
Balance Site of Norcross.
OSHA, the Jackson
County Sheriff’s Office
and Jackson County Coro
ner’s Office are continuing
to investigate the incident.
WALK-THRU CHRISTMAS DISPLAY IN BRASELTON
Diane Donaldson submitted this photo of a large Christmas display at 5434 Old
Winder Hwy., Braselton. This walk-thru Christmas lights display is open from dark
until 10 p.m. (weather permitting). Nightly viewings are open through Dec. 30. The
display features over 35,000 lights and holiday decorations, along with a a 24-foot
synchronized light tree.
Court rejects
Kolter injunction
against Hoschton
The Jackson County Superior Court has
rejected an effort by the developers of Twin
Lakes to stop impact fees imposed by the
City of Hoschton.
The move paves the way for the town to
begin imposing fees on new homes and busi
nesses. Funds will be used to pay for fire,
police and recreation facilities in the town.
The suit, filed by developer Kolter Homes,
had sought to stop the city from imposing
the fees since they will push up the price of
housing being built in its Twin Lakes com
munity. The fees were rushed into place by
the city over the summer in order to capture
as many hew homes in Twin Lakes as pos
sible.
Judge Currie Mingledorff ruled against
Kolter, saying the company would not suffer
harm if the fees are put into place.
“If injunctive relief is not granted, Plain
tiffs will face an increased financial burden
due to the fee,” said Mingledorff. “However,
if the injunction is granted, Defendants will
not have the funding available to be able to
provide the allegedly necessary public ser
vices and facilities for the developing area.”
MAILING LABEL
Hoschton approves
townhomes plat
Hoschton budget calls
for police department
and new city hall
Hoschton plans to start up
a police department in 2021
and also build a new multi
use facility and city hall.
Those were some of the
highlights in the proposed
2021 city budget that the
Hoschton City Council will
vote on Dec. 28. A public
hearing on the budget was
held Dec. 21 at the council’s
regular monthly meeting.
Overall, the budget calls
for a 13% increase in spend
ing over the budget ap
proved for 2020. The city
anticipates $1.8 million in
General Fund revenue and
$1.6 million in spending
next year.
BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
Some highlights are:
• The city is budgeting
$89,250 for a police de
partment, although the city
council hasn’t formally
voted to create a police de
partment. The idea has been
discussed at several city
council meetings, a public
forum and at the council’s
retreat meeting. But creating
a police department would
likely lead to the town im
posing a property tax to
help pay for it. “I am always
open to options, but if the
citizens want it, they will
See Budget, page 2A
Work could soon begin
on 300 new townhomes
in Hoschton following ac
tion by the Hoschton City
Council on Dec. 21.
The council approved
the preliminary plat for
Cambridge at Towne Cen
ter. a move that should al
low Rockhaven Homes to
begin work on the project.
Zoning and other approv
als were given in 2019.
The action came as the
council began to wind
down 2020 and gear up
for 2021.
Among the items ap
proved by the council
were:
• the swearing-in of Jo-
esph Hayes as the town’s
code enforcement offi
cer. The city had earlier
worked out a deal with
the Jackson County Mag
istrate Court to hear city
ordinance violations. Of
ficials said the town is
now positioned to be more
aggressive in citing city
codes.
• transmitting the city’s
comprehensive plan up
date to the Northeast
Georgia Regional Com
mission for review. The
update will then come
back to the council for fi
nal action.
• a hearing of the city’s
2021 budget. Nobody
See Hoschton, page 2A
'0 4 8 7 9
1 4 5 4 0
