Newspaper Page Text
THE
ACKSON
w
H Wednesday, September 16, 2009
ERALD
www.JacksonHeraldTODAY.com
VOL. 135 NO. 13 50 PACES 4 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 75<J COPY
— Inside —
Area news:
•Nicholson hires new
city attorney in split
vote
page 3A
Op/Ed:
•'Another town
abuses SPLOST'
page 4A
Sports:
•Dragons beat Fannin
County page 1B
Features:
•Jefferson marks 9/11
anniversary with special
service
page 1C
Other News:
•Public Safety
page 6A
•Legals
pages 6-28 C
•Church News
page 5B
•Obituaries
page 10A
•School News
.. . .pages 9A, 11-12A
Vote set Monday on beer/wine in Maysville
Majority of crowd at hearing opposed to ordinance
LARGE CROWD ATTENDS MEETING
More than 120 people crowded into the Maysville Fire Station Monday
night for a hearing on a proposed beer and wine ordinance.
BYANGELA GARY
MORE THAN 120 people filled
the fire station in Maysville Monday
night, with all but a handful opposed
to a city council proposal for beer and
wine to be sold in the small town on
the Banks-Jackson county line.
Public hearings have now been held
in all four districts in Maysville with
the majority of residents attending
being opposed to the sale of beer and
wine in the town. The public hearing
held this week was for the first reading
of the ordinance. The council will vote
on the issue at a called meeting set for
7 p.m. Monday at the public library.
One of those pushing for the ordi
nance said Monday night that she
wouldn’t stop until she got a beer and
wine license for a sports tavern she
plans to open.
“We will not stop until we get the
beer and wine,” said Debbie Atkins.
“We will continue to work hard ...
and we will serve beer and wine in our
sports tavern.”
Gary and Brandy Freeman want
“The majority of the peo
ple have spoken a loud
no that we don’t want
alcohol in our town.”
— Richard Presley
to serve alcohol at their restaurant,
Sarah's Restaurant, and also spoke in
support of the ordinance.
“I have to compete with what is out
there,” said Mrs. Freeman. “I’m not
opening a bar ... This doesn’t mean
I don't believe in God. I'm a good
Christian. I'm a good woman.”
She said that her staff has received
harassing phone calls since this issue
arose and that her home has been
“stoned.”
Mr. Freeman also spoke: “I want to
talk about freedom of choice. We can-
continued on page 8A
School board ponders cost-cutting moves
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
WHEN THE numbers set
tle out, the Jackson County
School System figures its pro
posed 2010 budget will have a
$2 million deficit.
That's the equalivent of
salaries and benefits for 30
teachers, according to assis
tant superintendent for finance
and information services Jeff
Sanchez.
“It's getting to be kind
of difficult now because if
we talk about reducing pro
grams — vocational or fine
arts — you still have to have
those people there to make up
a schedule so that you’ll have
kids in classes,” he said.
The Jackson County Board
of Education is continuing to
work on its proposed 2010
budget, while it learns about
additional state funding cuts
or furloughs.
While the school system ini
tially thought it would start the
2010 budget with $908,000 in
the red, an additional $2.9
million drop in revenue now
leaves the district with an
anticipated $2 million deficit,
Sanchez said.
As currently proposed, rev
enue for the school system is
expected to reach $87 mil
lion, while expenses will total
$88.2 million in the 2010 bud
get. In June, the board of
education approved a tentative
2010 budget for $89.3 million
and is expected to adopt a
finalized budget in October.
One cost-cutting solution
may be taking a second look
continued on page 2A
Art in the Park coming this weekend
THE 19TH ANNUAL Art in the Park festi
val will be held at Hurricane Shoals Park Sept.
19-20.
The booths will be open from 10 a.m.
to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, and from
12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20.
Entertainment, concessions and youth activi
ties will also be offered both days.
The Spirit of the River miniature golf course
will also be open. The cost is $2 for kids and
$3 for adults.
Children’s activities will include puppets, a
petting zoo, ponies, moonwalk, giant slide and
obstacle course.
At the Grist Mill, visitors will be able to see
the water wheel turn com into fresh ground
cornmeal, which will be sold. Entertainment
will be on the mill porch with Pee-Wee Garrison
and Family and The Blue Billy Grit Bluegrass
Band. Cornbread, beans and sausage will be
sold in the Pethel Cabin.
Heritage Village will be open and visitors
will be able to tour the chapel and log cabins
that date back to the 1800s. The country store
will be open and tours of the cabins will be
offered. Also in the Heritage Village, there
will be an arrowhead display, blacksmith and
basket weaving.
The Tumbling Waters Society booth will
be located on the Maysville side of the park.
Ducks for the Duck Dash and corn meal will
be sold.
The Georgia Infantry Civil War Re-enactors
will be camped out and will perform drills
and battles. Civil War church services will be
performed at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20, in
the chapel.
The 5K Mill Race will be held at 3 p.m. on
Sunday. A one-mile fun run or walk will take
place at 2:30 p.m. For more information on
either race, call Keith Ariail at 706-335-5519.
An antique cruise-in will be held during
the two-day festival. Antique cars will be on
display.
The finale will be the Duck Dash planned
for 5 p.m. on Sept. 20. Ducks can be adopted
for $5 each or five for $20. Prizes will be
awarded.
Admission and parking are both free. The
East Jackson Comprehensive High School
ROTC will assist with parking.
Hurricane Shoals is located on the Hwy. 82
Spur between Jefferson and Maysville.
The Tumbling Waters Society organizes the
annual event. All proceeds from the event are
used to maintain and improve the park.
For more information, go to www.hurricane-
shoalspark.org.
Schedule of events
SATURDAY, SEPT. 19
•10 a.m.: Festival opens
•11-11:45 p.m.: Entertainment at stage hosted
by Crystal River Bluegrass Gospel Band - The
Lamberts performing
•11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: John and Carmen Ayers
performing at stage
•12-1 p.m.: East Jackson High School Jazz Band
performing in amphitheater
•12:30-1:15 p.m.: The Southern Travelers perform
ing at stage
•1 p.m.: Civil War battle in Heritage Village with
18th GA Jackson Co. Volunteer Infantry and
“Cobb's Legion”
•1:15-2 p.m.: Crystal River performing at stage
•2-3 p.m.: Pianist Sean VanMeter performing in
amphitheater
•2-2:45 p.m.: The Lamberts performing at stage
•2:45 p.m.: Children’s art winners announced over
park P.A. system
•2:45-3:30 p.m.: The Southern Travelers perform
ing at stage
•3:30-4:15 p.m. Crystal River performing at stage
4:15-5:00 p.m.: John and Carmen Ayers perform
ing at stage
6:00 p.m.: Festival closes for day
SUNDAY, SEPT. 20
•NOON: Park open for runners - Jefferson entrance
only
•12-12:45 p.m.: The Southern Travelers perform
ing at stage
•12:30-5:30 p.m.: Festival opens
•12:45-1:30 p.m.: Kyle Long Pickers performing
at stage
•1:00 p.m.: Period church service in Miles Wilson
Matthews Chapel with GA Battalion Chaplain Joey
Young
•1 p.m.: Registration and Check-in for Fun Run/
Walk & 5K Mill Race in Pavilion #4
•1:30-2:15 p.m.: John and Carmen Ayers perform
ing at stage
•2-3 p.m.: In MWM Chapel, Pianist Sean VanMeter
performing
•2:15 PM: Maysville entrance closed for races
•2:15-3 p.m.: The Lamberts performing at stage
•2:30 p.m.: Fun Run/Walk begins
•3:00 p.m.: 5K Mill Race begins
•3-3:45 p.m.: Crystal River performing at stage;
Gospel Bluegrass in MWM chapel
•3:45-4:30 p.m.: The Journeymen performing at
stage
•4 p.m.: Race awards in Amphitheater; in MWM
Chapel - Pianist Sean VanMeter performing
•5 p.m. The Duck Dash , foot bridge over Shoals
•5:30 p.m.: Festival closes.
Clark pleads guilty to
murdering grandchild
Sentenced to life in jail without parole
BYANGELA GARY
A COMMERCE man pled
guilty Monday to murdering
his 6-year-old grand
son in June.
Clark, who
appeared before Judge
Joe Booth in Jackson
County Superior
Court, was sentenced
to serve life in jail
without the possibil
ity of parole. If he
had pled not guilty,
the state could have sought the
death penalty.
Michael Levigne, a kinder
garten student at Commerce
Primary School, was killed
by a gunshot wound to the
chest in the Troy
Street, Commerce,
home of his grandpar
ents. Police say Clark
shot his wife, Linda
Dale Clarke, 58, in the
chest/stomach area
before he himself was
shot by police officers
after he fired a weap
on at them. Police
believe Clark shot and killed
continued on page 2A
j
CLARK
LaRocque hired in Pendergrass
THE CITY of Pendergrass
has reportedly hired former
Jefferson police investigator
Robert LaRocque as the town’s
new police chief to replace
Rob Russell.
LaRocque was working in
Pendergrass on Thursday, but
exactly when he was hired
isn't clear. The Pendergrass
City Council has not held a
legal public meeting over the
past week.
LaRocque's hiring comes
amid turmoil in Pendergrass as
the GBI investigates the pos
sible misuse of city funds and
the city’s court comes under a
state review.
In addition, the town has
been sued by The Jackson
Herald newspaper over secret
meetings and the refusal to
turn over public records.
There is also a movement in
the town by a large group of
citizens to recall Mayor Monk
Tolbert.
District Attorney Brad Smith
said this week he had not heard
back yet from the GBI or the
judicial council investigations.
Foreclosures remain high
FORECLOSURES in
Barrow and Jackson counties
remain high for the upcoming
October sale date.
In Barrow County, 231
properties face foreclosure
in October, up from 203 in
September and 182 in August.
Barrow’s record month was
in July when 245 properties
faced foreclosure.
In Jackson County, a record
150 properties are up for fore
closure in October, the same
as in September.
So far in 2009, Jackson
County has logged over 1,200
foreclosure actions while
Barrow has had over 1,800
filings.
Jackson County proposes
balanced budget for 2010
BY KRISTI REED
WITH THE first hearing
just two weeks away, the
Jackson County Board of
Commissioners was briefed
Monday night regarding the
status of the 2010 budget.
County finance director
John Hulsey said he planned
to visit with each commis
sioner during the next week
to discuss the proposed bud
get.
According to Hulsey, the
2010 budget will be balanced
without the use of reserve
funds and without a tax
increase.
“We have accomplished
that through being able to
refinance the county's debt,”
Hulsey said. “We have imple
mented the furlough days; the
other thing we have done is
that we are recommending
we suspend contributions to
the county's defined contri
bution plan.”
Commission chairman
Hunter Bicknell asked if the
continued on page XA