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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2010
Memorial Day program set at old courthouse
Early voting to begin June 7
A MEMORIAL DAY pro
gram will be held Monday,
May 31, at 9 a.m., at the historic
Jackson County Courthouse in
downtown Jefferson.
The Albert Gordon, Post
56, of the American Legion,
Jefferson, is hosting the event,
which is expected to be com
pleted at 10 a.m. Jackson
County residents are welcomed
to attend.
The ceremony will feature
the posting of the colors by
the Jefferson High School Air
Force JROTC, the singing of
Maysville to
honor veterans
THE CITY of Maysville
invites the public to attend
a salute to all veterans as a
Memorial Day celebration.
The event will be Monday,
May 31, at 11 a.m. at the
Maysville City Park.
Offices closed
THE JACKSON County
government offices and
courthouse will be closed
on Friday, May 28, due to a
furlough day.
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
A MOVING day may be in
the works in Nicholson for an
old house that could end up on
city property.
Mayor Ronnie Maxwell
reported to the city council on
Thursday that a property owner
has approached him about pos
sibly donating a house on her
land to Nicholson.
In exchange, the city would
have to pay for moving the
house from Berea Church Road
to a park behind city hall.
While he doesn't have all of
the details yet. Maxwell esti
mates the house is one of the
oldest residences in Nicholson.
“I wouldn't doubt it if it was
the oldest house in Nicholson
now, other than the school
house that we're trying to
restore,” he said.
But moving the wooden
house — which doesn't have
plumbing and not even a coat
of paint — would cost an esti
mated $10,000, Maxwell said.
The city would also have to
renovate the building.
Maxwell pitched the idea of
negotiating with the property
the National Anthem by Brooks
Benton, a prayer by chap
lain Jim Wofford (retired Air
Force) and comments by Post
56 Commander Harvie Lance
(retired U.S. Marine Corps).
It will also include the reading
of the names of war dead on the
monument at the courthouse,
the lowering of the American
and POW/MIA flags by the
JHS Air Force JROTC, a 21 -gun
salute by the Jefferson Police
Department's color guard, and
a performance of “Taps” by
Michaela Thomas, a 12-year-
ARTIFACTS FROM the
late Roy Smith's walk to
freedom, a journey of 1,300
miles over five months from
China to India during World
War II, will be on display at
the Harold S. Swindle Public
Library, Nicholson, in honor of
Memorial Day.
Items on display include the
original rice-paper map the
men used on their journey, var
ious pictures from their time in
China, rare money from occu
pied China, Smith's military
picture and medals, and other
owner for the house. No one
on the council voiced opposi
tion — or support — for the
venture. Maxwell assumed that
means he can talk to the prop
erty owner and bring back a
potential deal to the council.
The mayor also reported
that he plans to negotiate with
another property owner to pos
sibly buy more land for the
city’s Daisy Festival.
The estimated two-acre lot
is located next to the three
acres where Nicholson holds
the annual festival.
Maxwell said the city coun
cil tried to purchase the land
two years ago, but the deal fell
through when real estate prices
rose too high.
“(The land) is filled up on
festival days,” Maxwell said.
“We need expansion room for
parking and other stuff.”
OTHER BUSINESS
The Nicholson City Council
will hold its next meeting on
Monday, June 7, at 7 p.m.
In other business on
Thursday, the city council:
•met in a closed-door meet
ing for 15 minutes to discuss
old middle school student.
Capt. William R Hayes, com
manding office of the Navy
Supply Corps School in Athens,
will be the featured speaker.
Hayes has served in a vari
ety of key leadership positions
afloat and ashore.
At sea, he served as the first
officer in charge, deploying
in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom. He has also served
as a supply officer and assistant
supply officer.
Ashore, Hayes has served in
a number of positions, includ-
artifacts Smith brought back
from his journey.
On September 8, 1944,
Smith and his fellow B-29
bomber crew members were
shot down over Japanese-
occupied China after com
pleting a bombing mission
in Manchuria. After being
discovered by members of
the Communist Militia (the
Chinese resistance,) the men
embarked on a harrowing
1,300-mile journey over five
months to India and freedom.
A copy of “China Walk,” an
personnel. Mayor Maxwell
said the council discussed
three employee evaluations.
The council took no action on
Thursday, but Maxwell said
a motion on the matter may
be made at the council’s next
meeting.
•heard from Maxwell, who
said he will ask the council to
approve a budget amendment
at its next meeting. Maxwell
said the budget doesn’t include
the costs for the city to pay
for membership fees and dona
tions. He said the council left
$5,000 to be a partner in edu
cation, but left no money to
donate to the senior center and
others. A $4,000 allocation that
was cut from the library will be
moved to administration.
•heard from Donna
Strickland, who addressed
water drainage issues on her
property on Willard Pittman
Drive. Maxwell said the road
is ready to be resurfaced and
the city may possibly install
new ditches when it repairs
the road.
•heard from East Jackson
Comprehensive High School
ing budget execution officer,
commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet,
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, among
other duties.
His personal awards
include Meritorious Service
Medals (four awards), Navy
Commendation Medals (four
awards ) and Navy Achievement
Medals (two awards) and a
number of unit and campaign
awards. Hayes is qualified as a
Surface Warfare Supply Corps
Officer and a member of the
Navy Acquisition Professional
community.
account of the journey written
by one of the crew members,
is available for in-library view
ing for anyone interested in
reading the story, said Kelli
O’Clare, library manager, who
said she is available for any
discussion of the story.
“The library would like to
thank Beulah Smith — Smith's
wife — and the entire Smith
family for allowing us use of
their materials and memories,”
O’Clare said.
Contact the library at 706-
757-3577.
assistant principal and athletic
director Johnny Tucker, who
asked the council to consider
supporting the school as a part
ner in education for another
three years. The council has
provided $5,000 a year for
three years to be partner in edu
cation at EJCHS. The council
will vote on the proposal at its
next meeting.
•heard that Dan’s Food Mart
wants to place an advertise
ment sign on the city’s play
ground. Mayor Maxwell will
negotiate a price for the store
to place the sign,
•learned that an amateur
radio club wants the council to
adopt a proclamation at its next
meeting naming June 20-26
as Amateur Radio Week in
Nicholson. The organization is
planning to hold another emer
gency amateur radio camp in
the city this summer.
•learned that the Georgia
Municipal Association (GMA)
still has classes open for its
annual convention in Savannah.
Nicholson also hosted 30 cities
during a recent district GMA
meeting, Maxwell said.
BY ANGELA GARY
EARLY VOTING for the July
20 election will be held June 7
through July 9.
Voters may cast a ballot from 8
a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through
Fridays in the Administration
Building in Jefferson.
The only local race is in the
West and North Jackson areas
for the District 5 seat on the
Jackson County Board of
Education. Steven Bryant and
Randall Skelton are both seeking
this seat. Incumbent Jill McEver
is not seeking re-election.
The State Senate District 47
seat that covers Jackson County
will also be on the ballot. Those
to qualify were: Kelley Gary,
Shane Coley, Doug Bower and
Frank Ginn, all Republicans,
and Tim Riley, a Democrat.
Incumbent Ralph Hudgens (R)
is running for state insurance
commissioner.
In the State Senate District
49 seat that covers a portion of
Jackson County, Butch Miller
and Jimmy Norman, both
Republicans, qualified.
QUESTION ON
REPUBLICAN BALLOT
The Republican ballot will
also have the following ques
tion on it: Do you support an
amendment to the Georgia State
Constitution so as to provide
that the paramount right to life
is vested in each human being
from the earliest biological
beginnings until natural death?
STATE-WIDE RACES
Among those to be on the bal-
ON MAY 21, the Northeast
GeorgiaRegionalCommission
named City of Jefferson City
Manager John A. Ward 111,
the 2010 Local Government
Administrator of the Year.
Ward has served as city
manager of Jefferson since
2007. In addition to serv
ing as city manager, Ward
also serves as the director/
zoning administrator for the
consolidated Planning and
Development Department for
the Cities of Jefferson and
Talmo.
Prior to being appointed as
city manager, Ward served
Jefferson as assistant city
manager and interim police
chief.
During the award presenta
tion, Executive Director of
the NEGRC, Jim Dove, high
lighted some of Jefferson’s
recent accomplishments
which include:
•the city's strong financial
lot for state-wide races include:
•Governor: Jeff Chapman,
(R) Alpharetta; Nathan Deal,
(R) Gainesville; Karen Handel,
(R) Alpharetta; Eric Johnson,
(R) Atlanta; Ray McBerry, (R)
McDonough; John Oxendine,
(R) Norcross; Otis Putnam, (R)
Brunswick; Thurbert Baker,
(D) Atlanta; Roy Barnes, (D)
Marietta; Bill Bolton, (D)
Marietta; Carl Camon, (D) Ray
City; Randall Mangham, (D)
Decatur; DuBose Porter, (D)
Dublin; David Poythress, (D)
Atlanta.
•Lieutenant Governor:
Casey Cagle, (R) incumbent,
Gainesville; Tricia Carpenter
McCracken, (D) Augusta; and
Carol Porter, (D) Atlanta.
•Attorney General: Sam
Olens, (R) Marietta; Preston W.
Smith, (R) Rome; Max Wood,
(R) Macon; Ken Hodges, (D)
Smyrna; Rob Teilhet, (D)
Smyrna.
•State Superintendent of
Schools: John D. Barge, (R)
Rome; Richard Woods, (R)
Tifton; Beth Farokhi, (D)
Marietta; Joe Martin, (D)
Atlanta; Brian Westlake, (D)
Decatur.
•Commissioner of Agri
culture: Gary Black, (R)
Commerce; Darwin Carter,
(R) Alma; and J.B. Powell, (D)
Blythe.
•Labor Commissioner: Mark
Butler, (R) Carrollton; Melivn
Everson, (R) Snellville; Terry
Coleman, (D) Eastman; and
Darryl Hicks, (D) Fayetteville.
situation.
•the award of multiple
grant-funded projects that
total over $2.5 million.
•recognition of several
of the city's departments as
being among the best in the
state.
•the strong collabora
tion between Jefferson,
Jackson County and the
Jackson County Chamber of
Commerce in securing eco
nomic investment and creat
ing jobs.
NEGRC serves 12 coun
ties and 54 municipal gov
ernments in the Northeast
Georgia Region. The
Northeast Georgia service
area encompassed by NEGRC
is 3,260 square miles with
an estimated population of
438,300.
For more information,
contact Jim Joiner, City of
Jefferson Mayor, or Ward, at
706-367-5121, extension 4.
Planners deny proposal for personal care home
WWII display planned at Nicholson library
Exhibit includes artifacts from Roy Smith’s walk to freedom
Property owner wants to donate house to city
Ward named Local Government
Administrator of the Year by NEGRC
Jefferson City Council to consider request June 14
BY ANGELA GARY
A REZONING request to
locate a personal care home
in a subdivision in Jefferson
was recommended for deni
al Tuesday, May 18, by the
Jefferson-Talmo Planning
Commission.
The Jefferson City Council
will consider the request from
Kale and Mary McMillan when
it meets at 6 p.m. on Monday,
June 14, at the civic center.
The voting session of the city
council will be held at 6 p.m.
on Monday, June 21, at the
civic center.
At the city planning meet
ing last week, Mr. McMillan
presented plans for the personal
care home that he would like
to locate at 92 Storey Porter
Road. The request is to rezone
the 1.39 acres fromR-1 (single
family residential) to O-I (office
institutional).
“It would be for people who
need daily assistance,” he said.
The home could accommo
date up to six people ages 18
and up. One caregiver would
be on the property 24 hours
a day. The McMillans would
not live on the property. Mrs.
McMillan, who is a school
nurse for the Jefferson School
System, would serve as the
administrator.
Two residents of Storey
Porter Road spoke in oppo
sition to the plans, including
Mark Duke, who said the pro
posal is not an appropriate busi
ness for a residential area.
“Having six people who need
assistance from a caregiver is
not suitable for our neighbor
hood,” he said. “It is a single
family residential neighbor
hood. ..It would create an iso
lated zoning district.”
Greg Bartek, also a resident
of Storey Porter Road, also
spoke against the plans and pre-
*(
•«
T
RELAY
FOR LIFE
JACKSON COUNTY RELAY FOR LIFE
East Jackson County High School
June 4-5
Relay For Life - Jackson County 2010
Light a Lantern - In Honor or In Memory
Minimum $10.00 Donation
At the 2010 Relay For Life, Sky Lanterns will be lit at the luminary service and released to remember and
honor our loved ones and friends that have battled cancer. Pre-orders are being taken. Get yours while
supplies last. Limited quantity. They will be sold onsite as quantity permits.
I would like a Sky Lantern that I or a family member will release during the luminary part of Relay. I
understand that I will be responsible for picking up the lantern that I have reserved at the luminary tent at
the Relay before 9 p.m. No specific color can be reserved, first come first served basis.
Total Number of sky lanterns: (Minimum of $10 Donation)
Total amount enclosed $
Ordered By: Team to be credited
Address: City:
State: Zip: Phone #:
Make checks payable to: American Cancer Society
Mail to or (give to your team captain):
American Cancer Society, Attn: Victoria Patrick. 1685 Barnett Shoals Rd„ Athens. GA 30605, 706-549-4893
sented a petition with the sig
natures of seven families in the
neighborhood who are opposed
to the personal care home.
“I’m concerned about the
noise,” he said. “We don’t
want a business in our residen
tial area.”
In his rebuttal comments,
Mr. McMillan said, “There is
a business within site of the
house...There are also plenty
of these personal care homes in
subdivisions.”
EJES wins state ag award
EAST JACKSON Elementary School won a state agriculture
award for the second year in a row.
The school received the Agricultural Awareness Week
Observance Award.
The East Jackson students, led by Dawn Brock and Charlotte
Gilman, learned about Georgia agriculture through several proj
ects. Students participated in the Aggie Club, with the projects
including an adopt-a-chick program, a school gardening pro
gram, equipment safety, forestry programs, and biotechnology.
The EJES Aggie Club has 85 student members this school
year.
Are you a Cancer Survivor?
or do you know someone who is? If so...
We Need You!!
On June 4, 2010, at 7:00 p.m
Relay For Life Survivor Activities will Kick Off!!!
The Jackson County Relay For Life presented by Wayne and Heather Abbs. Wavne-Neal Chevrolet will be
held on June 4 & 5 at East Jackson County High School. Opening ceremonies will begin at 7:00 p.m. and the
Survivor's lap shortly thereafter. Please meet at the track between 5:30-6:30 p.m. to receive your free T-shirt
and survivor packet. The survivor’s lap and survivor activities are sponsored by The Pendergrass Flea
Market. After your lap, you are invited back to the hospitality tent to visit with other survivors and to enjoy the
relay in comfort. Your participation costs nothing...we are there to honor you! Help us show our community
that people do survive Cancer. You can make a difference. Your presence as a survivor will give others hope.
Please join us and let us honor your courage, strength and victory. Invite your family and friends. The Relay
is open to the public.
Please complete the form and return to the address below so that we can have your correct T-shirt size.
Look forward to seeing you on Victory Lap. For more information, call Denise @ 706-654-7934.
YES, I would like to participate in the survivor’s reception and survivor’s lap at the Relay For Life.
This is the name of a cancer survivor. (Please contact)
Name T-shirt size (please circle)-. Y S M L XL XXL XXXL
Address Telephone
City, State, Zip
Please complete and mail to:
Denise Doss, Relay For Life, 74 Eagle View Dr., Jefferson, GA 30549
Survivor Lap and survivor activities sponsored by The Pendergrass Flea Market