Newspaper Page Text
THE
ACKSON
W
ml
H Wednesday, January 7, 2009
ERALD
www.JacksonHeraldTODAY.com
VOL. 133 NO. 22 44 PACES 4 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 50c COPY
5 taken to hospital after bus rollover
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
Two adults and three students in
Jackson County were transported to
area hospitals after a school bus
reportedly rolled over on Tuesday
afternoon. The injuries were not life-
threatening, and all but one adult had
been released by Wednesday.
The Jackson County School
System bus was traveling north on
Marlow Road just south of its inter
section with Deadwyler Road in the
Plainview area when it crossed the
centerline into a shallow ditch.
Initial reports said the bus flipped
over and landed on its wheels, but
the Georgia State Patrol believes the
bus would have sustained more dam
age in that scenario, according to
Shannon Adams, superintendent of
the Jackson County School System.
Instead, troopers believe the bus
hit an embankment, which prevented
it from flipping over, Adams said.
However, one witness at the scene
said the bus appeared to flip before
coming to rest on its wheels.
“Oh my, judging by the appear
ance of the bus — there is every
reason to believe it could have been
much, much worse,” he said.
Of the five patients taken to area
hospitals, all but one adult was dis
charged by Wednesday morning,
Adams said.
An aide on the special education
bus was admitted at an area hospital
for a cracked rib and possible spleen
damage, Adams said.
Of the students — including one
who was in a wheelchair — the most
serious injury was a minor concus
MAJOR BUS WRECK
One of three students on a bus that wrecked Tuesday afternoon is removed through a window on
a backboard. The wreck on Marlow Road in North Jackson happened about 4 p.m. after the driver
diverted to an unfamiliar road due to a bridge in the area being underwater from recent rains. The
wreck happened just north of a long curve in the road.
sion and stitches in the head, Adams
said. The other students had minor
scratches and bruises. The students
attend Kings Bridge Middle School.
The bus driver — who has been
employed with the Jackson County
School System for almost two years
— was released from a hospital, but
may require additional treatment for
minor back trauma, Adams said.
Heavy rains in the area had flood
ed nearby fields and one bridge
nearby was said to be underwater.
The shoulders of Marlow Road were
muddy and soft at the time of the
wreck.
Since Dixon Bridge Road was
closed due to flooding, the driver
took an alternate route on Marlow
Road. The driver was unfamiliar
with the roadway, Adams said.
“It was a serious accident,” he
said. “School buses are about as
steady of any vehicle on the road and
it suffered significant damage.”
Plainview Fire and Rescue units
responded to the scene, along with
Jackson County EMS, Jackson
County Sheriffs Deputies and neigh
bors who lived near the accident.
Some of the injured were removed
from the bus through side windows.
Three ambulances transported the
five people from the scene.
Adams thanked the first respond
ing units from the Plainview Fire
BOC approves $219,668 for engineering
BICKNELL PRESIDES
Newly-elected Jackson County Board of Commission chairman Hunter Bicknell
(C) presided over his first BOC meeting Monday night. Also shown are: (L to R)
commissioners Dwain Smith and Bruce Yates, county manager Darrell Hampton,
county attorney Julius Hulsey and commissioners Chas Hardy and Tom Crow.
Photo by Sharon Hogan
Crossing
— Inside —
Area news:
•Hoschton holds a
scarecrow celebration
page 2A
•BJC Medical Center a
"no go" page 2A
Op/Ed:
•'Every parent's night
mare' page 4A
Sports:
•JHS clinches last-sec
ond win page 7 B
Features:
•Family survives can
cer: Living to tell it
page 5B
Other News:
•School News
page 8B
•Public Safety
pages 6-7A
•Legals
pages 3-24C
•Church News
page 7B
•Obituaries
page 10-11A
Q -R
8 ll,B 0 4 8 7 9 1 4 1 4 0 2
O
BY SHARON HOGAN
IN A unanimous vote at
Monday's Jackson County
Board of Commission meeting,
approval was given to spend
$219,668 to get orthophotogra
phy and contour elevations of
the county.
A contract was approved
with PhotoScience Geospatial
Solutions for this project. The
funds will come out of the eco
nomic development bond pro
gram.
Joel Logan, Jackson County’s
GIS manager, said the last time
the county had this scope of work
done was in 2001. He added that
the information is needed for the
county's transportation plan and
to design and engineer upcom
ing road projects.
Logan said the project would
also provide an economic devel
opment benefit to the county.
GIS, 911 and many other county
departments will benefit from
this as well, Logan added.
“This project will be benefi
cial in helping to analyze and
select future reservoir locations,”
Logan said.
BOC member Dwain Smith
asked if the project will be com
pleted in 2009. Logan said it
would.
Logan said June 31 is the date
for all of the orthophotography
to be completed. The comple
tion date for the contour model
ing will be in November, Logan
added.
Logan said a nationally-
advertised request for proposal
was issued on this project and
PhotoScience scored the highest
due to its relevant experience
and ability and equipment neces
sary to complete the work.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at Monday's
meeting, the commissioners:
•approved the 2009 BOC
meeting dates and times. All
meetings will be held at 6 p.m.
in the Jury Assembly Room of
the Jackson County Courthouse,
on the first and third Monday of
each month unless the meeting is
re-scheduled due to a holiday or
other conflict.
•authorized the appointment
continued on page 3A
guard to aid
WJ students
STARTING next Wednesday,
a crossing guard will begin
assisting students who need
to cross Gum Springs Church
Road to get and to from Gum
Springs Elementary School and
West Jackson Middle School.
Crossing guards will assist
students at designated times.
Students are discouraged from
crossing Gum Springs Church
Road while a crossing guard is
not available. School officials
say it's unsafe to cross the road
without assistance.
In the morning, crossing
guards will be available from
7:40-8 a.m. for elementary and
middle school students.
In the afternoon, crossing
guards will be available for
GSES from 2:25-2:40 p.m., and
from 3:30-3:45 p.m. at WJMS.
Also, the Jackson County
Sheriff’s Office will be training
and certifying school system
employees to direct traffic at
the newly-installed crosswalk
across from the bus drive at
GSES.
Nicholson
holds reading
of new charter
By Brandon Reed
THE NICHOLSON City
Council held the first readings
of two resolutions Monday
night at its first meeting of
2009.
The first was a resolution
for a local emergency opera
tion plan. The plan essentially
maps out the combination of
resources throughout the coun
ty in the event of an emergency.
The plan also coordinates what
agencies will work together if
an emergency, such as a natural
disaster, were to occur.
Each city has to approve the
continued on page 3A
O
The start of a new year
ELECTED OFFICIALS SWORN IN
Elected officials sworn in on New Year’s Day at the courthouse in Jefferson included: (L-R) state solicitor Don
Moore, tax commissioner Don Elrod, county board of education member Lyn Wheeler, Superior Court judge
David Motes, board of commission chairman Hunter Bicknell, board of commission member Chas Hardy, mag
istrate judge Billy Chandler and state court judge Jerry Gray. Probate Court judge Margaret Deadwyler is shown
leading the loyalty oath. See page 12A for more photographs. Photo by Angela Gary