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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2010
Tree planting project gets under way in Jefferson
TREE PLANTING
The Jefferson Tree Council began planting trees on
Dragon Drive, near Jefferson Academy on Wednesday
morning. The group will be planting 110 trees in all.
Shown above are members of Legacy Landscape and
Management preparing the winged elms for planting.
THE FIRST OF the 110 trees
to be placed in Jefferson was
planted Wednesday morning on
Dragon Drive. Several local offi
cials attended, as well as those
who have led the tree project
effort.
On March 4, the Georgia
Forestry Commission awarded
the City of Jefferson $50,000 for
the project from the American
Reinvestment and Recovery Act
Stimulus funds. To date, this is
the largest award bestowed to
any municipality in Georgia.
The purpose of the grant is to
create green jobs, to stimulate the
local economy, and to improve
area ecosystems through the
planting of 110 large canopy
trees on the city’s public street
rights-of-way.
Certified arborist, Susan
Russell with the Jefferson
Heritage Tree Council, coordi
nated the selection of 20 tree
species to ensure a diverse tree
canopy. The majority of the
selections are native trees to this
region. Locations identified can
accommodate and sustain large
canopy trees. These sites were
identified during the 2009-2010
City of Jefferson Tree Inventory.
It is anticipated that all tree plant
ing will be completed within
two- to three-weeks of initial
planting.
A dedication ceremony will
be held when the last trees are
planted; that date is to be deter
mined. The final planting will
take place on Gordon Street,
across from Hughey Park, where
the City of Jefferson began its
tree planting campaign this
past Arbor Day with a Georgia
Forestry Commission “Making
the Shade” grant.
Shawn Watson, owner of
Legacy Landscape Management
in Jefferson, won the contract for
tree installation, as well as for
maintenance and irrigation for
the first year post planting. Trees
were purchased from Outdoor
Environments in Braselton,
Jacks Creek Tree Farm in
Bishop, Southeastern Growers in
Watkinsville, and Moons Tree
Farm in Loganville.
Formed in 2007, the Jefferson
Heritage Tree Council (JHTC)
is focused on the preservation,
planting and stewardship of
trees in the City of Jefferson.
The council works to promote
a healthy community forest to
encourage protection of mature,
significant and historic trees
throughout the area, to educate
the public about the vital benefits
of trees, and to actively engage
Jefferson residents in attaining
these benefits now and in the
future. In serving its community,
the council supports a compre
hensive and sustainable approach
to community forestry manage
ment and local ordinances that
protect the public tree resource.
For additional information,
contact Susan Russell, project
arborist, 706-201-7893.
Ginn to seek
Senate seat
FRANK GINN of Madison
County announced he has
qualified for the State Senate
race in Georgia’s 47th Senate
District. Ginn had announced
his candidacy in July 2009
but a family tragedy forced
him to withdraw from the
race.
“I decided to withdraw from
the race in September 2009
and was comfortable with my
decision until recently,” Ginn
said. “With the management
experience I have acquired
over the last 18 years work
ing for the taxpayers of three
local governments, I feel I can
serve as a facilitator between
local government and the
state government. Through
the years as a manager, I have
stood as a shield defending
local taxpayers from mindless
state regulations. In these
hard economic times, my
experience of providing tax
payers with the biggest bang
for their buck is needed and I
realized I am uniquely quali
fied to serve the residents of
the 47th district.”
Between the years of 1985
and 2009. Ginn served as the
director of member services
while working for Jackson
EMC. He was the first city
manager of Royston and
also served the citizens of
Sugar Hill as city manager.
Most recently, he served as
the county manager for the
Franklin County Board of
Commissioners.
“Over the past many years, I
have enjoyed meeting citizens
throughout the 47th district
and I'm honored when they
share their concerns about the
district and the state with me,”
Ginn said. “ I plan to continue
listening and I hope to serve
as their senator and improve
our state.”
Rabies clinic set May 5-8 across county
TWO VETERINARY clinics and the Jackson
County 4-H Club will host their annual series of
rabies vaccination clinics May 5-8. There will be
19 clinics at 15 locations.
Georgia law requires that all dogs and cats three
months old or older must have a current rabies
vaccine.
The shots will cost $7; other yearly vaccina
tions and testing will be available at additional
charges. The vaccinations are provided by staff
of Commerce Veterinary Hospital and Jefferson
Animal Hospital.
Keeping dogs and pets protected against rabies is
seen as the first line of defense in keeping the fatal
vims out of the human population.
Last year in Jackson County officials found five
animals (two raccoons, two skunks and a bat) that
tested positive for rabies and one person had to
undergo the expensive (and painful) post-exposure
treatment after contact with a bat that could not be
tested for rabies.
So far in 2010, two skunks and a cat were
declared rabid in Jackson County.
To test a suspect animal, it must be euthanized.
In 2009, Jackson County euthanized 19 dogs and
17 cats.
Rabies Clinic Schedule
Wednesday, May 5
Commerce Veterinary Hospital 2:00-4:00
Maysville City Park 4:30-5:15
Dry Pond Country Store 5:30-6:16
Our Store, Holly Springs 6:30-7:15
Thursday, May 6
Commerce Veterinary Hospital 2:00-4:00
Jefferson Animal Hospital 2:00-4:00
D’s Food Store, Center 4:30-5:15
Benton Elementary School 5:30-6:15
Harrisburg Fire Department 6:30-7:15
Arcade City Hall 7:30-8:15
Friday, May 7
Old Braselton Store 4:00-5:15
Hoschton Depot 5:30-6:15
Country Corner Store (Hwy. 124) 6:30-7:15
N. Jackson Elementary School 7:30-8:15
Saturday, May 8
Commerce Veterinary Hospital 9:00-11:00
Jefferson Animal Hospital 9:00-11:00
Jackson County High School 1:00-3:00
S. Jackson Elementary School 3:30-4:30
County Census response rate tops state, nation
BYANGELA GARY
JACKSON COUNTY had
a higher percentage of people
respond to the Census than the
state and national average.
In Jackson County. 74 per
cent of the residents filled out
their Census form. The state
participation rate is 69 percent
and the national average is 72
percent. This year’s participa
tion is also higher than the last
count in 2000 when 67 percent
of Jackson Countains filled out
a Census form.
A breakdown of participation
this year in each of the towns in
the county is as follows: Arcade,
74 percent; Braselton. 78 per
cent; Commerce, 76 percent;
Hoschton, 73 percent; Jefferson,
75 percent; Maysville, 74 per
cent; Nicholson, 70 percent;
Pendergrass. 73 percent; and
Talmo. 61 percent.
County residents who have
not submitted a Census form
will get a visit from a Census
worker. Beginning the first
week in May, Census takers
(also known as enumerators),
will begin canvassing homes all
over the United States to make
sure that each local commu
nity is represented as accurately
as possible in the population
count.
A Census worker should have
the following;
•an identification badge.
•a Census canvassing bag.
•a confidentiality notice.
•a handheld device.
“The only thing a Census
worker should ask you is the 10
questions on the Census form
which relate to name, age, race
and phone number,” organizers
state.
Census workers will attempt
to visit a residence up to three
times, leaving a phone number
residents can call to schedule an
appointment.
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Two to be principal at SJES
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
TWO VETERAN educators
will be principals at the same
Jackson County elementary
school next year.
Pam Johns — principal of
SouthJacksonElementary School
— and Jane Scales — principal
of Maysville Elementary School
— will share the job of principal
at South Jackson Elementary for
the 2010-2011 school year.
It’s a job-sharing position
that’s a first for the Jackson
County School System, accord
ing to superintendent Shannon
Adams.
“If there are any two who can
make it work, we feel like they’re
the ones who could,” he said
Tuesday.
The proposal — which must
be approved by the Jackson
County Board of Education
— calls for Johns and Scales to
retire and work 49 percent as
dual principals at South Jackson
Elementary School.
At Maysville Elementary
School, current assistant princi
pal Jackie Morgan will become
principal next school year and
fourth grade teacher Laurie
Hitzges will become an assistant
principal, according to Adams.
Overall, the job-sharing
proposal at South Jackson
Elementary and the adminis
trative changes at Maysville
Elementary are expected to
save the school system $64,800.
Johns and Scales won’t be paid
benefits, Adams said.
“They’ve got a very systematic
plan in place to do it.” he said.
That plan calls for each prin
cipal to work 2.5 days a week
— with both working together
for two hours on Wednesdays.
Johns and Scales will divide
responsibility for completing
reports and paperwork, along
with teacher evaluations.
They’ll both attend monthly
principals meetings, and share
duties for attending other meet
ings and extracurricular school
events.
When one of the administra
tors is sick or has to miss work
for other reasons, the other prin
cipal will work, according to the
proposal.
Johns will continue to be
responsible for budgets, sign
ing checks, spending policies
and any school funds at South
Jackson Elementary.
Johns and Scales — who each
have 30 years of experience in
education — plan to officially
retire and return to work after a
mandatory 30-day period.
For the 2010-2011 school
year, teacher pre-planning starts
on Monday, Aug. 2, and students
return to class on Thursday, Aug.
5.
Johns and Scales would be
able to work before teacher pre
planning begins and will help
South Jackson Elementary assis
tant principal Resa Brookshear
to prepare for the next school
year.
Adams said Johns and Scales
presented him with the job-shar
ing proposal.
“We had some early misgiv
ings, because it’s kind of out of
the box,” he said. “But this is the
time for that, I think.”
BOC again meets behind closed
doors; votes on property purchase
BYANGELA GARY
FOR THE second time in the
past month, the Jackson County
Board of Commissioners voted
to move forward on land acqui
sition after meeting behind
closed doors.
Monday night, the BOC met
in closed session for 15 min
utes to discuss land acquisition.
When the meeting was opened
to the public, commissioner
Bruce Yates made a motion to
move forward with “the land
acquisition discussed in closed
session.” The motion passed
and no details were given.
Two weeks ago, the BOC
met behind closed doors for
almost two hours and then
unanimously voted to move
forward with buying property.
Specific details were also not
given on where the property
is located or what it will be
used for.
That motion, also made by
Yates, was to “proceed with
the acquisition of real estate for
transportation purposes under
the terms and condition” dis
cussed in the closed session.
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RELAY
FOR LIFE
On Friday evening, June 4, 2010 the Opening Ceremonies for this year’s American
Cancer Society RELAY FOR LIFE presented by Wayne and Heather Abbs,
Wayne-Neal Chevrolet will begin at East Jackson County High School. There will be
Luminaries to line the track area. The Luminaries will be lit in memory and honor of
loved ones and friends who have had cancer. The Lighting Ceremony will begin at
9:30 p.m., and everyone is invited to attend.
We want to give everyone an opportunity to pay tribute to their loved ones and friends AND help fight
this disease that claims so many lives.
You do not need to be an actual participant in this Celebration to take part in this tribute. With your
donation the individuals you designate will be written on the luminary to be lit on Friday evening.
If you would like to participate in our candle lighting, clip and send in the form below. The sooner we
stop this disease, the more lives we can save.
Thank You.
Please light a candle in memory or in honor of my loved one/friend. I understand that the proceeds will
go to benefit the American Cancer Society. Please print legibly the following information:
In Memory
In Honor
From: (Your name and address)
Amount enclosed ($5 minimum per luminary) Number of Luminaries
Please make check payable to the American Cancer Society and mail or give to:
Gail & Larry Banks Luminary Service sponsored
1347 Lewis Roberts Rd. by Jackson EMC
Jefferson, GA 30549
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