Newspaper Page Text
o
o
Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Reunion, Deaton Creek and West Jackson $1.00 copy
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
Vol. 16 No. 3 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 12 pages
Local agencies receive grants
Jackson EMC grants have been awarded to multiple
service agencies in the area
PAGE 7A
Four arrested
on meth charges
Four people were recently arrested on meth
charges in West Jackson
PAGE 6A
Holiday helping hands
Photo by Ben Munro
Skippi Smith fills a plate for a guest during Hoschton’s community holiday dinner Friday (Dec. 23) at
the Hoschton depot.
LOOKING
BACK AT
Here’s a look back at the
headlines from 2022 in the
Braselton-Hoschton area:
JANUARY
•New councils sworn
in: Both Braselton and
Hoschton saw new officials
take office in January.
In Braselton, 60% of
the council was new. Kurt
Ward was sworn in as the
town's mayor, while first-
term councilmen Richard
Harper and James Murphy
were sworn into their posts
in Districts 2 and 4, respec
tively.
Hoschton welcomed a
new mayor as well as Lau
ren O’Leary was sworn
in. The city also added
two council members —
Fredria Carter Sterling and
Scott Mims — as Hoschton
grew from a five to sev
en-member council.
•Hoschton City Coun
cil nixes planning board
revival: The Hoschton City
Council shot down an effort
to revive the town’s plan
ning commission during a
Jan. 20 meeting.
In a 4-2 vote, the council
agreed to take a planned
discussion about the plan
ning board off its agenda.
The move didn't sit well
with some citizens who
were critical of the lack of
discussion about the plan
ning board.
The city abolished its
planning commission in
2021 and created a down
town development author
ity.
FEBRUARY
•300-year-old Braselton
tree taken down: A Bra
selton tree estimated at
300 years old died in early
2022 and was taken down
in February. The pecan tree,
located at Mulberry Park,
was a Braselton landmark
and at one time designated
as the largest pecan tree in
the state.
See 2022, page 3A
The Jackson County wres
tling team took second in
a holiday tournament last
week PAGE 6A
INDEX
News
1-3A
Opinion
4A
Public safety
5A
Social news
7A
Obituaries
8A-9A
Classifieds
11A
Hoschton
New Hoschton City Hall
slated for completion in April
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews. com
Hoschton’s new city
hall building is moving to
ward a spring completion
with city staff potentially
occupying their new office
spaces by summer.
The $2.3 million facility
is under construction on
City Square on what was
Hoschton’s city green.
“They’re telling me that
it should be done around
April,” Interim City Man
ager Jennifer Kidd-Har-
rison said. “As far as us
Photo by Ben Munro
Construction of Hoschton’s new $2.3 million
city hall complex on City Square should be
complete in April.
THE HIGH NOTES OF 2022
Brandon Mann, of the Hipshack Band, sings
out a note during an April 1 performance as
the much-awaited $6.28 million Braelton Civ
ic Center opened.
MAILING LABEL
Braselton
South Hall
Flowery Branch man
arrested on child
pornography charges
Public hearings
ahead to discuss
Braselton comp plan,
water projects
The Town of Braselton
will hold a pair of public
hearings on Jan. 5 to discuss
water supply projects and
proposed amendments to its
comprehensive plan.
Both public hearings will
be held at the Braselton Po
lice and Municipal Court
Facility located at 5040
Hwy. 53.
The comprehensive plan
public hearing will inform
the public about the amend
ment proposals and allow for
public comment. Copies of
the proposed amendments
can be viewed or download
ed at www.braselton.net/
departments/planning/plan-
ning_documents_and_ap-
plications_.php.
For more information
about the proposed changes,
contact Braselton Planning
and Development Director
Kevin Keller at 706-654-
5797 or via email at kd-
keller@braselton.net.
The hearing over water
supply improvement proj
ects — funded through the
See Hearings, page 3A
Investigators with the
Hall County Sheriff’s Office
(HCSO) and Georgia Inter
net Crimes Against Children
(ICAC) Task Force began and
culminated a child pornogra
phy investigation this week,
arresting a Flowery Branch
man on Wednesday morning,
Dec. 21, according to a press
release from the HCSO.
Investigators took the sus
pect, Markus Tyler Skelton
Stevens, 25, into custody
following the execution of a
search warrant at his residence
in the 7000 block of Spout
Springs Rd. He is charged
with two counts of sexual ex
ploitation of a minor, one each
for possession and distribu
tion of the pornography.
According to the initial in
vestigation, Stevens commit
ted the crimes on Sept. 19 at
his home when he uploaded at
least one video of child sexual
abuse material to his Snapchat
account. Investigators do not
believe the video depicted a
local victim.
Agents began the inquiry
on Monday, Dec. 19, when
they received a cybertip from
the National Center for Miss
ing and Exploited Children
(NCMEC). The case remains
under investigation, and ad
ditional charges are possible
pending the forensic pro
cessing of electronic devices
seized from the home.
‘0 4 8 7 9
1 4 5 4 0
