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Serving Braselton, Hoschton, Chateau Elan, Traditions, Reunion, Deaton Creek and West Jackson $1.00 copy
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Vol. 16 No. 18 A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. www.BraseltonNewsTODAY.com 12 pages
Braselton council approves
design for Hwy. 124 church
The Braselton Town Council approved the architectural design for a
new North Metro Baptist Church campus PAGE 3A
Tough foe for Panthers
The Jackson County girls' soccer team faces the No.
8-ranked team in Class AAAAAA in the opening round of
the state tournament
PAGE 7A
South Hall
North Carolina
man arrested in
Braselton area for
methamphetamine
trafficking
A Gastonia, North Car
olina man was arrested on
drug trafficking charges
Wednesday, April 5, after
authorities discovered a
large quantity of metham
phetamine in his posses
sion during a traffic stop in
the Braselton area, accord
ing to a press release from
the Hall County Sheriffs
Office (HCSO).
The man, identified as
John Ray Campbell, 50,
is being held at the Hall
County Jail with no bond.
Just before 4 p.m.. near
the intersection of Old
Winder Hwy. and Friend
ship Rd. in Braselton,
HCSO deputies conducted
a traffic stop on a pickup
truck displaying a tag be
longing to a different vehi
cle with no insurance.
Deputies observed open
beer containers in plain
view in the vehicle, lead
ing them to suspect Camp
bell might be driving under
the influence. The Georgia
State Patrol (GSP) arrived
at the scene to assist with
the investigation and con
ducted the field sobriety
test on Campbell, resulting
in a DUI charge.
During a search of
Campbell’s vehicle, a dep
uty discovered a backpack
in the bed of the truck and
found more than 1,000
grams of meth inside the
backpack. The estimated
street value of the illegal
narcotics is $77,000.
Braselton
Jackson Co. Schools
Gillespie approved as new JCHS principal
Melissa Gillespie has been
named principal of Jackson
County High School. Gilles
pie will begin her new role
within the school this sum
mer. She currently serves
as an assistant principal at
JCHS.
The Jackson County Board
of Education approved the
move at its April 10 meeting.
Gillespie will replace Jason
Wester, who was promoted to
Assistant Superintendent of
Student Services.
Melissa Gillespie
“Our school system is
thrilled to announce Mrs.
Melissa Gillespie as our
newest principal. The job
of a high school principal is
one that takes dedication and
ownership and Mrs. Gillespie
proved throughout the inter
view process that she is the
perfect fit for Jackson County
High School.” JCSS Super
intendent Dr. Philip Brown
said.
“I look forward to working
with Mrs. Gillespie during
her transition to principal and
supporting her as she leads a
growing, robust high school
on our west side.”
Gillespie has been with
Jackson County High School
since 2018, serving as a
teacher for one year before
moving into the role of assis
tant principal. She served as
an assistant principal at John
T. Hoggard High School in
North Carolina from 2016
— 2018, before relocating to
Jackson County.
“Steve Jobs once said,
‘Your work is going to fill a
See Gillespie, page 3A
New supermarket
Photo by Ben Munro
Aldi held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday (April 10) for its first Braselton store site. Includ
ed in the groundbreaking photo are Braselton Town Councilmen James Murphy (pictured far
left) and Jim Joedecke (second from left).
Hwy. 53 roundabout
gets DOT funding
The Georgia Depart
ment of Transportation has
awarded $3.8 million to
build a roundabout at the
intersection of Hwy. 53
at New Cut Rd. and Ed-
naville Rd. in Braselton.
Wilson Construction
Management LLC of Nor-
cross was awarded the bid.
The project was part of
22 projects awarded by
GDOT in February and
March.
INSIDE
News ... 1-3A
Opinion ... 4A
Public safety... 5A
Social 6A
Sports... 7A, 10A
Big inning pushes Pan- Obituaries... 8A-9A
thers past Gainesville Classifieds ... 11A
PAGE10A
MAILING LABEL
Aldi breaks ground on first Braselton store
By Ben Munro
ben@mainstreetnews.com
Aldi has broken ground
on a Braselton store loca
tion on Spout Springs Rd.
expected to open toward the
end of the year.
The supermarket chain
held a ceremonial ground
breaking Monday morning
at the site at 7505 Spout
Springs Rd. at the intersec
tion of Thompson Mill Rd.
in the Duncan Comers com
munity.
This store will be the
first Aldi location in Bra
selton, third in Hall County
and 77th in the state. The
12,000-square-foot brick
store will generate 15-20
jobs, according to the com
pany.
Speakers at the ground
breaking included Braselton
Town Councilman Jim Joe
decke, in whose district the
Aldi will be constructed.
“On behalf of the may
or and town council ... we
are just super excited that
Aldi is coming to be part of
our community here in Bra
selton,” Joedecke said.
Shown is a rendering of the future Braselton
store site, which will be located at 7505 Spout
Springs Rd. at the intersection of Thompson
Mill Rd.
Jackson Co. Schools
BOE approves
facilities plan
The Jackson County Board of
Education formally approved
its 5-year facilities plan on
April 10, a move that includes
plans for a new high school on
the west side and a replacement
elementary school to be built in
North Jackson.
The state-mandated facilities
plan document gives school
systems a broad guide for plan
ning needed buildings and ren
ovations. The Jackson County
document includes a number of
items the BOE has discussed in
recent years as it wrestles with
a huge amount of population
growth on the west side of the
county and the beginnings of
growth on the east side as well.
In addition to the planned two
new schools, the 5-year plan
also calls for additions at the
existing Jackson County High
School; renovations and addi
tions at East Jackson Middle
School and East Jackson High
School; and upgrades to school
security at all its facilities.
The system projects it will
have 10,870 students in 2027.
Currently, the Jackson Coun
ty School System is completing
work on a new west side mid
dle school that is slated to open
next fall and has begun work
on a new west side elementary
school.
Funding for the proposed
new facilities and renovations
will be one issue the system
faces as it begins its planning.
Construction costs have soared
in recent years and the cost of
See BOE, page 3A
The Braselton Library is closed
through April 15 for renovations.
Braselton
Braselton Library
closed through April 15
The Braselton Library will remain closed
through April 15 for renovations, and the fa
cility’s drop box will also be unavailable.
“We apologize for any inconvenience,”
library officials wrote in a Facebook post.
“All due dates will be pushed to (April) 17th.
Thank you for your patience as we continue
our growing process.”
The renovation of the main library building
comes as a two-story wing is being added to
the facility.
The library was recently closed for an un
expected two-month hiatus as the building
sustained water damage in late December. It
reopened in early March.
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