Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2009
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 5C
Unemployment benefits increased by $25 a week
THE GEORGIA Department of
Labor has begun mailing an additional
$25 per week to more than 180,000
jobless Georgians who have a valid
unemployment insurance claim with
the Georgia Department of Labor.
“The weekly supplement to unem
ployment insurance benefits comes at a
good time,” said Labor Commissioner
Michael Thurmond. “This recession
is expected to last longer than many
economists and the Federal Reserve
initially projected. The additional $25
each week will help the many thou
sands of Georgians who've lost their
jobs through no fault of their own bet
ter weather this economic downturn.”
The action is the result of an agree
ment signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue
and Commissioner Thurmond to allow
unemployment Georgians to receive the
additional funds in federal unemploy
ment insurance benefits. Unemployment
insurance recipients are eligible for
the additional benefits beginning the
week ending Feb. 28. And, more than
180,000 payments were released the
week ending March 7.
The additional benefits, paid from
a U.S. Department of Labor trust
fund, are provided through a program
called Temporary Federal Additional
Compensation (FAC). In order to
qualify for the added benefits, claim
ants must be receiving benefits on
a valid claim filed with the state’s
Regular Unemployment Insurance
Program, Extended Unemployment
Compensation, or Trade Readjustment
Assistance. The additional benefit will
be a separate weekly payment of $25.
In addition to those now receiv
ing unemployment insurance benefits,
others eligible for the FAC program
include those who file a valid claim
before Jan. 1, 2010. The FAC program
ends July 3, 2010. The new law chang
es the exhaust date for extended unem
ployment compensation from March
31, 2009, to Dec. 31, 2009, and the
payment phase-out date from Aug. 29
2009 to May 29, 2010.
Also, under the new law, federal
income tax will be temporarily sus
pended on the first $2,400 of unem
ployment benefits paid to each claim
ant.
10th annual Leap Into Literacy Spelling Bee a success
By Katie Norton
THE 10TH annual Leap into
Literacy Spelling Bee for the
Jackson County Adult Literacy
Program and the Work Based
Learning Program got off to a
great start on February 12 in the
facility of the headlining spon
sor, Jackson EMC.
Susan Harper of the
Commerce Public Library
called words to the teams.
The judges’ table, composed
of representatives from the
Commerce Lanier Tech site, Dr.
Howard Ledford, a Work Based
Learning Advisory Council
member, Connie Taylor, and
Pendergrass City Clerk and
Chairperson of the Certified
Literate Community Program
Advisory Council, Katherine
Rintoul, checked the spelling of
the words.
The first round started with
the Jackson EMC team spell
ing the word “anchor.” The
Braselton Antique Mall came up
dressed in sharp Shakespearean
swag and made it through suc
cessfully with their spelling
of “canine.” They also were
awarded the best dressed team.
Round two proved to be a
little difficult for our first team
of Jackson EMC with a mis
spelling of the word heyday.
The team paid a fine of one
hundred dollars to stay in the
contest. The next nine teams
passed through this round with
out hesitation.
All 10 teams headed into
round three. First team up,
Jackson EMC, misspelled
“blithe” and became the first
team to spell out.
As a consulation prize, each
team member was rewarded a
dictionary donated by Baker &
Taylor Books. Our fifth team,
Braselton Antique Mall fol
lowed the Jackson EMC team
and misspelled “germane.” The
next team of First Commerce
Bank had a correct spelling of
“judgment.” The team to fol
low, Jefferson Area Business
Association, wasn’t as lucky
and was out of the spelling bee
with “mischievous.”
With seven teams entering
into the fourth round, it was
the City of Jefferson team that
was first up. Unfortunately
they misspelled “soliloquy.”
The East Jackson High School
team returned to the classroom
with the incorrect spelling of
“cemetery.” The fourth round
wasn’t over and continued to
be difficult. The next word was
“cypher” and was incorrectly
spelled by the team of Tanger
Oudet. The last team to trudge
to the podium of round four
was Toyota. They delivered the
wrong spelling of “abscess”
and redeemed themselves with
a $100 pass.
With only four teams left
standing, we took a small inter
mission. The audience was able
to participate in a spelling bee of
their own. Spelling cards were
sold to the audience for a dollar
with the proceeds benefiting the
Work Based Learning Program
and Adult Literacy Program.
As the audience took then-
seats, The Adult Literacy Team
was first with First Commerce
Bank following. Both teams
spelled correcdy allowing the
final two teams of Jefferson
City Schools and Toyota to take
their turns.
All teams spelled correctly
for the fifth round and dove
straight into round six. First
up, Jefferson City Schools went
out by misspelling their word
“picayune.” Round seven rolled
around and proved fatal for the
Toyota team as they went out on
the word “ecologic.”
With the two teams Adult
Literacy and First Commerce
Bank left, no one was going to
give up without a fight. Round
eight was going to challenge
both teams as Adult Literacy
was first up with a misspelling
of “impostor.” First Commerce
Bank had no choice but to spell
their word correctly, but unfor
tunately were unable to do so.
Because both teams had mis
spelled, the Adult Literacy team
was back to the podium with
a new word and the correct
spelling of “profligate.” First
Commerce Bank was right up
behind them, but as a team they
delivered the word “chimera”
with the wrong spelling.
The Adult Literacy team was
required to give the correct
spelling and successfully deliv
ered it to the waiting judges.
Now all that was left was to
spell the final word of “archi
pelago.” As the breath of many
was held, the judges checked
the spelling and announced the
Adult Literacy team the win
ners of the Spelling Bee.
The 10th annual Spelling Bee
was yet again a success. During
the event, members of the audi
ence were able to buy baked
goods and participate in a silent
auction with proceeds benefit
ing the Work Based Learning
Program as well as the Adult
Literacy Program. Items for the
auction were donated by local
businesses. With the help of the
community we reside in, we
were able to raise the awareness
of the Adult Literacy Center as
they work toward their goal to
eradicate illiteracy in our com
munity.
Katie Norton is an East
Jackson Comprehensive High
School 11th grade Work Based
Learning student apprentic
ing in business with Top Gear
Motorsports.
‘Mentor Idea Swap’ planned for March 25 at JEMC
LINDSAY’S LEGACY
Mentoring Program will hold
another “Idea Swap” from
noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday,
March 25, at Jackson EMC
in Jefferson.
Those who plan to attend
should RSVP Lisa Stephens,
mentor coordinator, by March
23 atjacksonmentors@yahoo.
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SECURITY Commerce, GA 30529
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com or 706-410-5525.
Small groups will discuss
mentoring ideas.
Lunch will be provided
with a reservation, and dona
tions of around $5 will be
accepted to cover the cost.
A mentor appreciation
Luncheon will be held from
noon to 1:15 p.m. Wednesday,
May 13, with a catered lunch
at the Jefferson Civic Center.
Stephens urges mentors to
“save the date.”
Library friends plan events
THE FRIENDS of the
Braselton-West Jackson Library
have announced plans for sev
eral events in April.
•Annual meeting: The group
will hold its annual meeting on
Tuesday, April 14, at 7 p.m., at
the Hoschton Depot. The guest
speaker will be Alan Harkness,
Piedmont Regional Library
director. Refreshments will be
served.
•”Luau for Library”
Fundraiser: The group will
hold a silent and live auction
at the Braselton-Stover House,
located on Ga. Hwy. 53, on
Thursday, April 23, at 6 p.m.
The cost is $30 per person.
The menu will include pork
barbecue, baked beans, cole
slaw, wine, beer, soft drinks,
Hawaiian fruit and coconut
cake. Entertainment will be
provided by singer Tiffany
Milargo.
To purchase tickets, or donate
items, call Robyn Matthews
at 770-967-5115 or e-mail
Roberta071861 @ msn.com.
•Shakespeare program by
Marty Barrett: The group will
host a free Shakespeare pro
gram for those in at least fifth
grade and adults.
Students will get into the
“groove” of iambic pentameter
and put on a performance of the
haunting scene from “Richard
m.”
Register at the library or call
the library at 706-654-1992.
Braselton to celebrate
Georgia Cities Week
Deadlines coming up in March
THE TOWN of Braselton will
celebrate Georgia Cities Week
—April 19-25 — with a number
of special events.
Some of the events require
that participants submit informa
tion to town officials by dead
lines in March.
•March 19: Georgia Cities
Week coloring activities for
children up to age six will be
available on the town’s website
— www.Braselton.net — or at
town hall. Those submitted by
Thursday, March 19, will be on
display during the 100th birth
day celebration of town hall on
April 20.
•Saturday, April 18: The
Jackson County Area Chamber
of Commerce will hold its annu
al chili cook-off from 3-6 p.m. at
YearOne, located at 1001 Cherry
Drive, Braselton. YearOne will
also hold one of its Braselton
Bash events from 3-8 p.m.
•Monday, April 20: Tours will
be given from 10 a.m. to noon
at the Braselton Town Hall —
which is celebrating its 100th
birthday. Birthday cake will be
served and artwork from chil
dren submitted for Georgia
Cities Week will be on display.
Braselton Town Hall is located
at 4982 Ga. Hwy. 53.
•Thursday, April 23: The town
will hold a mock council meet
ing where students in grades
9-12 will serve as council mem
bers. Applications are available
on the town’s website — www.
Braselton.net - or at town hall.
Applications must be returned
by Friday, March 27.
•Friday, April 24: A rain gar
den will be featured at town hall.
Visitors will be told how to install
a rain garden at their home.
•Saturday, April 25: The
Braselton Mulberry RiverWalk
Cleanup will start at 9 a.m. at
the wooden bridge on Silk Tree
Pointe in the Mulberry Walk
subdivision. Town staff and
volunteers will walk along the
Mulberry River to clean up the
area. “Thank yous” will be pro
vided.
Founder’s
Corner
by
Buhl Cummings
EAGLES MOVE ON ...After
winning the Region 8-A
championship, the Eagles moved
on in the State playoffs by winning
over North Georgia Cobb Christian
School on Wednesday evening in
the 'Sweet Sixteen' game, 77-68.
They now move on to the 'Elite
Eight’. The next opponent will be
Greenforest Academy from Region
7-A, on Saturday (March 7) at
Marietta High School.
The Eagles, under Head Coach
Ron Link, have had a great season
and are now 27-2. The boys have
worked very hard and the hard
work has paid off.
In our academic, athletic, and
fine arts programs at ACS, the
students learn the “work ethic”, so
important to future success in life.
ATHENS
CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
“Affordable Quality Education Since 1970”
K3-12TH CALL (706) 549-7586
www.athenschristian.com
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Savings/Week
Infants (6 Weeks - 9 Months)
$ 150
$ 180
$ 30
Young Crawlers (9 Months -16 Months)
$ 130
$ 180
$ 50
Young Toddlers (17 Months - 24 Months)
$ 123
$ 175
$ 52
Toddlers (2 Year Olds)
$ 115
$ 168
$ 53
Pre-School (3 Year O ds)
$ 110
$ 165
$ 55
Pre-K (4 Year Olds)
$ 110
$ 165
$ 55
Before Or After School Only (School Age)...
$ 40
Not Offered
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Before And After School (School Age)
$ 53
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401 Zion Church Road • Braselton
706-658-0014
23!