Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2008
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 7A
— Year in Review —
A look back at Jackson County’s top news stories in 2008
JANUARY
•The Georgia Environmental
Protection Agency began an
investigation into operations
at Agri-Cycle. In other Agri-
Cycle news, the Supreme Court
denied the company's appeal to
be allowed to reopen its waste
processing center in Talmo.
•Jefferson city clerk Brenda
Duncan retired after 23 years
with the city.
•Complaints about the need
to upgrade facilities at Jackson
County Comprehensive High
School brought a large crowd
to a board of education meet
ing to air their concerns. School
officials were not optimistic that
funds could be found to do most
of the items on the list.
•Jefferson city leaders began
an effort to sell Radio Jefferson.
•The Jackson County Water
and Sewerage Authority
approved a $1.37 million con
tract to provide water to Cooper
Farm Road, between Nicholson
and Center.
•A $15 million bond referen
dum for recreation projects was
proposed and a Feb. 5 called
election was set on the issue.
•A traffic light was installed
at the Kroger intersection on
the Damon Gause Bypass in
Jefferson. The intersection had
been the scene of many wrecks
and three fatalities in the past
two years.
•A renovation project began at
the Crawford W. Long Museum.
•County residents held a spe
cial event to honor Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr.
•Randy Williams was named
the new police chief for Arcade.
•The Jackson County Board of
Commissioners held a three-day
retreat in Macon. Improvements
in operations of the emergency
services department, a county
recycling center and plans at the
county airport were among the
topics discussed.
FEBRUARY
•Jackson County voters shot
down proposals to allow Sunday
pouring of alcohol in unincor
porated areas and to expand the
county's recreation department.
•Andrew Criswell, 16, pled
guilty in Superior Court to
charges stemming from a bomb
incident at Jackson County
Comprehensive High School on
April 11, 2007. He was sen
tenced to serve three years in
prison.
•The Jackson County Board
of Commissioners approved a
$150,000 grant to go toward the
runway extension project.
•The Nicholson City Council
agreed to give the plot of land
the fire department and the EMS
office sits on to the department.
•An ultra-light aircraft crashed
at the Jackson County Airport.
The pilot was airlifted to an
Atlanta hospital.
•A request from the City of
Gillsville for police protection
from neighboring Maysville was
turned down by the Maysville
City Council.
•Following complaints from
parents, the Jackson County
Board of Education decided to
conduct a feasibility study to look
at costs and options for making
improvements at Jackson County
Comprehensive High School.
•Jackson County planning and
zoning director Scott Carpenter
was fired. The reasons for his
dismissal included not being pre
pared for a BOC meeting, that
he had problems with consultant
Don Clerici, that he presented
unrealistic plans for an animal
shelter and that he was not pre
pared to answer questions from
two developers about their proj
ects. Carpenter alleged favor
itism in a scathing seven-page
memo that accused key county
officials of giving favor to some
developers.
•Kubota broke ground for a
$16 million distribution center
for a facility in Jefferson.
•Rep. Tommy Benton
announced plans to introduce leg
islation to increase the school tax
exemption for senior citizens.
•United States Sen. Johnny
Isakson made a stop in Jefferson
to meet with citizens. The war
in Iraq, immigration and the
economy were among topics
discussed.
•The playground “castle” in
Pendergrass was dismantled after
structural problems and “risque”
behavior was reported.
•The Jackson County Water
and Sewerage Authority lifted its
ban of some restricted outdoor
water uses.
•Allegations of neglect at a
Nicholson kennel led to war
rants being issued for the arrest
of the operators of L.D. Farms
and Kennel. Almost 300 puppies
were removed from the kennel.
MARCH
•Former district attorney Tim
Madison was sentenced to serve
six years in prison for taking
$40,000 from the Piedmont
Judicial District.
•Rep. Tommy Benton
announced plans to seek a full
time State Court for the county.
The BOC aired some concerns
about funding the move.
•The First Baptist Church
of Jefferson announced plans
to move its food bank after a
rezoning request that would have
allowed the program to continue
was met with controversy.
•Foreclosures in Jackson
County were up 93 percent in
the first quarter of 2008 with a
record number of 220 foreclo
sures for the period.
•Vandals damaged the
Jefferson Police Department by
breaking the glass front door.
•The Jackson County Board
of Education approved a budget
plan that will increase classroom
instruction of art, music and
physical education.
•More than 50 citizens attend
ed a BOC meeting to ask for an
update on the puppy kennel case.
County leaders said a forfeiture
hearing would be held to deter
mine if the 300 puppies removed
could be adopted or would be
returned to the owners.
•A severe storm hit Jackson
County and more than 50 Arcade
area citizens sought shelter at
city hall.
•Jackson County commis
sioner Tom Crow continued to
push his fellow commissioners
to move forward to study impact
fees but his motion failed 3-2.
•The Jefferson Board of
Education held a two-day retreat
at Lake Lanier in Gainesville.
Technology and the budget were
among the topics discussed.
•TheBOC set a vision and mis
sion statement for the county in a
day-long meeting in Jefferson.
•It was announced by the U.S.
Census Bureau that Jackson
County is the 10th fastest grow
ing county in the nation.
•The Maysville City Council
approved a 2008 budget that is
eight percent higher than 2007.
The new budget calls for a 50
percent jump in city police fine
income.
•Brett Williams, the assistant
district attorney charged in con
nection with former district attor
ney Tim Madison’s theft sceme,
pled guilty to party to a crime
and was given probation and a
fine.
APRIL
•Plans of Rep. Tommy Benton
to expand State Court to full-time
were put on hold after Jackson
County leaders asked him to not
proceed during this legislative
session.
•The Upper Oconee Basin
Water Authority approved a new
cost allocation formula by which
members will be reimbursed
when one county dips into the
water or treatment capacity of
the other counties.
•The number of new residen
tial building permits in Jackson
County issued during the first
quarter of 2008 dropped more
than 60 percent compared to the
same period last year.
•A Georgia Bureau of
Investigation probe into allega
tions of misconduct by former
Arcade police chief Dennis Bell
ended and the district attorney
said there was no legal basis to
pursue prosecution.
•The Jackson County Water
and Sewerage Authority
announced plans to lower its
water rates to entice Braselton to
buy water from it instead of from
Gwinnett County.
•The City of Nicholson
approved a county marshal’s
office and hired Dan Crumley as
the marshal.
•Former Jefferson police chief
Darren Glenn filed a lawsuit
against seven of his former boss
es alleging that he was unjustly
fired in 2006.
•Two men who five near
Mike's Down Under in Jefferson
said the noise level is so loud that
it is causing them problems. But
bar owner Mike Carron said he
checks the noise level to make
sure it is under the city's decibel
maximum. The dispute led to
obscene graffiti about one of the
men being painted on the side
of the building which houses
the bar.
•A group of Jefferson area citi
zens presented a proposal to the
Jefferson City Council asking to
replace the Civil War monument
with a replica of the original.
•Whole Foods opens a distri
bution center in West Jackson.
•Skeletal remains of a woman
were found by hikers near 1-85. It
is believed that they were thrown
from a bridge.
•Superior Court Judge David
Motes ruled that puppies taken
from L&D Kennel because of
neglect be adopted instead of
returned to the owners, who were
arrested.
•Linn Jones, the wife of
former district attorney Tim
Madison, was sentenced to serve
180 days in jail for her part in
Madison's theft of $40,000 from
the Piedmont Judicial Circuit.
•A local soldier, Shaun
Whitehead, was killed in Iraq.
Parades were held throughout
the county and the funeral ser
vice was held in Maysville.
•Animal control officer
Rhonda Stebbins was fired with
insubordination, rudeness to the
public and threatening other staff
members being listed as among
the reasons for the dismissal.
MAY
•Qualifying was held for the
primary election in July. Those
to qualify were: Tony Beatty.
Ron Johnson and Hunter
Bicknell, all Republicans, chair
man of the BOC: incumbent
Tom Crow and Amanda Spivey,
both Republicans, District 1
on the BOC: incumbent Jody
Thompson and Chas Hardy,
both Republicans, District 2 on
the BOC; incumbent Michael
Cronic and Brett Schwartz, both
Republicans, Post 1 on the BOE;
and incumbent Stan Evans and
Jim Keinard, both Republicans,
sheriff. In the district attorney's
race, Donna Golden Sikes, Brad
Smith and incumbent Rick
Bridgeman qualified.
•County superintendent
Shannon Adams said the
Regional Evening School could
be closed if it didn’t get commu
nity funding.
•The Jackson County BOE
held a three-day retreat at Glen
Ella Inn at Clarkesville with the
budget among the topics dis
cussed.
•A beautification project
at Marlow Park in downtown
Jefferson got under way.
•Publix opened in West
Jackson.
•After months of controversy
about the condition and status of
Jackson County Comprehensive
High School, school leaders got
Banks-Jackson Risk Reduction
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706-336-6777
DEFENSIVE DRIVING
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Next Defensive Driving Class will be held on January 3,2009
a price tag for upgrading the
facility: $5.8 million.
•A ribbon cutting was held for
the county's new equestrian cen
ter on Wheeler Cemetery Road.
•A full-time medical unit for
the South Jackson area was
approved by the BOC.
•Local high school gradua
tion test scores for 2008 were
released with the results showing
that Jackson County, Jefferson
and Commerce school systems
are above the state average in
percentage of students passing.
•A 7-year-old child was killed
in an ATV accident in Braselton.
•Jefferson leaders being sued
by former police chief Darren
Glenn petitioned to have the
litigation moved out of the local
courts and into federal court.
•A Jefferson store owner sued
the state over the sex offender
law because he can't work at his
business which is located 1,000
feet from a church.
•The Jackson County Aviation
Authority, a group of 30 to 40
airport users, drafted a letter to
the airport authority addressing
concerns the group has about
the facility. Among the issues are
a dirt pile at the end of one of
the runways and the automatic
weather observation system.
•Jackson County officials sent
a letter to the Upper Oconee
Basin Authority threatening to
take legal action if the other
counties used some of Jackson
County’s 25 percent share of
water in the reservoir.
JUNE
•The intersection improve
ment project at State Route 15
Alternate and Apple Valley Road
began.
•Several political forums were
held across the county with can
didates in the July 15 election
speaking.
•An Atlanta crime series epi
sode was filmed at local homes
and businesses.
•Rob Russell was named the
Nicholson city attorney.
•The Jackson County Board of
Education approved a budget, as
well as a millage rate that is the
same as the current rate.
•Superintendent Shannon
Adams announced that all of
the schools in the county met
Adequate Yearly Progress.
•Puppies from the Nicholson
kennel that was shut down were
offered for adoption.
•The Jackson County Water
and Sewerage Authority asked
the Georgia Environmental
Protection Division to go to the
new level 4-A water restrictions.
•Jefferson business owner
Mike Carron filed a lawsuit
against Chris Roper claiming she
libeled him in a letter to the edi
tor in The Jackson Herald.
•A $5.3 million contract with
New South Construction to serve
as the construction manager for
Phase m of the public safety
training facility was approved by
the BOC.
•Dr. Keith Ash, the general
surgeon at BJC Medical Center
resigned and, the following day,
four former patients filed a law
suit against him over alleged
malpractice.
•A woman's body was found
in a freezer of Jefferson. An
investigation was conducted into
the “suspicious death.” At the
year's end, no charges had been
filed.
•Three people were arrested
alter a home invasion in South
Jackson.
JULY
•Jackson County students
struggled with the math part of
the 2008 CRCT, according to
statistics released from the state.
•Currie Mingledorff was the
only candidate to qualify for the
Superior Court judge position
held by Bob Adamson, who
plans to retire this year.
•The Jackson Herald launched
a new website, www.jacksonher-
aldtoday.com.
•Incumbent members of the
Arcade and West Jackson fire
departments will face opposition.
In the Post 1 seat on the Arcade
Fire Department, incumbent
Dennis Bullock and Stephen
Holland qualified. In Post 2,
incumbent Doug Martin and
Travis Bennett qualified. In the
Post 5 seat on the West Jackson
Fire Board, incumbent Elizabeth
Ash and James Henderson quali
fied.
•Winners in the primary elec
tion were: Stan Evans, sheriff;
Tom Crow, BOC District 1; Chas
Hardy, BOC Post 2; and Michael
Cronic, BOE Post 1. Two run
offs were set: Donna Golden
Sikes and Brad Smith, district
attorney; and Hunter Bicknell
and Ron Johnson, BOC chair
man.
•The rate of growth in Jackson
County’s property tax digest
dropped by one-third this year,
but the 7.7 percent increase for
2008 was still higher than many
expected.
•Rep. Tommy Benton
backed an effort to oust Rep.
Glenn Richardson as speak
er of the Georgia House of
Representatives.
•Equipment for Radio
Jefferson was sold for $4,600.
•The Nicholson City Council
approved a $678,000 budget.
•Ben Dillard resigned as the
Jefferson parks and recreation
director and took a similar posi
tion in Carrollton.
•A rezoning request for a
sports complex in West Jackson
was approved.
AUGUST
•Hunter Bicknell was elected
BOC chairman in the run-off
election; and Brad Smith was
elected district attorney.
•The Jefferson City School
System welcomed 2,580 stu
dents, a five percent increase over
last year. The Jackson County
School System had 6,933 stu
dents on the first day of class, up
four percent over the prior year.
•Gum Springs Elementary
School opened in West Jackson.
•Nicholson approved a munic
ipal court.
•The Georgia Bureau of
Investigation found no evidence
of wrong-doing in an investiga
tion into allegations of missing
items from the Jefferson Police
Department’s evidence room.
•The Jackson County Board of
Education settled a lawsuit with
a teacher who claimed he was
passed over for a head coaching
job three times based on his age
and gender.
•The Jefferson Board of
Education set the tax rate for
2009 to be the same as last year,
13.242 mills for operations and
3.3 mills for bond payments.
•Jackson County Com
prehensive High School was
sixth on the list of the state's
25 schools with most improved
ACT scores.
•The BOC and industrial
development authority approved
$3 million for an airport expan
sion project.
•The Jackson County Senior
Citizen’s Center received a
$500,000 grant for improve
ments.
•It was announced that the I.W.
Davis Detention Center would
close in October.
•Agri-Cycle and Jackson
County agreed to drop all law
suits related to the closing of
the Talmo plant and the com
pany owners agreed to no longer
accept waste at the facility.
•A ribbon cutting was held to
commemorate the completion of
the Apple Valley Road project.
continued on page 8A
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