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Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Reunion, Deaton Creek and West Jackson $1.00 copy
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
Vol. 16 No. 2 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 2 sections, 16 pages
New NGHS leaders
announced
Northeast Georgia Health System recently announced new
leaders in key positions
PAGE 3A
Porch thief caught
The Jackson County Sheriffs Office has arrested
a man accused of stealing multiple packages off
the front porches of West Jackson neighborhoods
PAGE 3A
Budget
Hoschton passes
$4.82 million budget
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews. com
Hoschton's general-fund
budget will grow by over 50%
as the city council approved a
$4.82 million spending plan for
fiscal year 2023.
The council approved the
budget with a 5-0 vote Monday
(Dec. 19).
Expenses are up by $1.74
million or 56.7% over the 2022
budget. The increase includes
big-ticket items such as a new
public works facility, comple
tion of the new city hall build
ing, multiple park plans, road
repairs and three potential em
ployee hires (a police officer, a
public works employee and a
building-department employ
ee).
On the revenue side, the
city will collect a projected
$750,000 from a newly-imple
mented property tax and ap
proximately $2.42 million from
700 building permits, about
double the number of permits
from 2022.
Resident Howard Borsa
questioned the budget saying
the percentage increase in ex
penditures seems “substantial.”
“That’s usually something
only the federal government
gets away with,” Borsa said.
Councilman Tracy Cras-
well said the increase “fits the
growth of the city.”
The council also approved a
$7,175 million water and sew
er budget, down 1.2% from
2022.
Hoschton DDA
Restaurant-retail
market, cocktail lounge
coming to Hoschton
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews. com
Hoschton residents could be
looking at more dining, drink
ing and shopping options fol
lowing a pair of proposals ac
cepted by the city’s downtown
development authority (DDA).
The Hoschton DDA on
Monday (Dec. 19) accepted a
$950,000 bid from Cole Hud
gens to purchase the Larry’s
Garage property — owned by
the city — to transform it into
a restaurant and retail develop
ment. In a separate move, the
DDA accepted a lease bid from
a local group using the name
Four Brothers to operate the
city depot as a cocktail lounge.
The DDA made both moves
following a closed-session dis
cussion for real estate.
DDA members Tracy Jor
dan and Sri Kumar recused
themselves from the depot
See Bids, page 7A
INDEX
News
Opinion
Public safety
Social/School
State round-up
Features
Classifieds
Obituaries
1-3A
6B-7B
The Jackson County boys’
wrestling team placed
sixth at a tournament in
Making spirits bright
Photo by Ben Munro
Emma Watson, 3, of Hoschton, reacts as a group of carolers sing a Christmas song for her at Satur
day’s (Dec. 17) Jingle Mingle in downtown Hoschton. See more photos on Page 1B and 2B.
Holiday event
'Come and enjoy a meal with us’
Hoschton
community lending
a helping hand with
holiday dinner
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Two local women
sought a way to spread
some holiday cheer around
Hoschton, and a large
Christmas meal chock full
of comfort foods was the
answer.
Spearheaded by Debbie
Martin and Stevie Ledbet
ter, a free dinner is planned
for Friday, Dec. 23, from
6-8 p.m. at the Hoschton
depot. Those in Jackson
County in need of a meal
A holiday dinner is planned for the Hoschton depot on Friday, Dec. 23,
from 6-8 p.m.
or alone for the holidays extend a helping hand to about family and children,
are invited to eat. families during the Christ- and I am as well,” said
Martin said she and mas season.
Ledbetter both wanted to “She (Ledbetter) is all See Dinner, page 7A
MAILING LABEL
Barrow Co.
High school football
Rep-elect Danny
Rampey arrested
Danny Rampey,
the District 116 State
Representative-elect
was arrested Dec.
15 and charged with
burglarizing a resi
dence he manages at
Magnolia Estates of
Winder Assisted Liv
ing Center.
According to Bar-
row County Sher
iff’s Office (BCSO),
Rampey, 67, of Statham, broke
into the residence and took a
quantity of a controlled sub
stance from the unit.
Rampey has been charged with
one count of each of the follow
ing:
• Unauthorized
distribution or
possession of a
Controlled Sub
stance
• Burglary
• Exploitation
and intimidation
of disable adults,
elderly persons
and residents
BCSO was made
aware of suspicious
activity involving missing medi
cations within the last two weeks
and initiated an investigation into
the allegations. Surveillance op
erations were used to assist in the
See Rampey, page 7A
RAMPEY
JCHS hires
new football
coach
new head football
coach at Jack-
son County High
School during a
called meeting on
Monday. Mobbs
will officially be
gin his tenure with
the Panthers on
Jan. 3.
“After going
MOBBS
The Jackson County Board of Educa
tion approved the
hiring of Korey
Mobbs as the
See Mobbs, page 7A
