Newspaper Page Text
THE
ACKSON
r ',y
MW.
H Wednesday, September 15, 2010
ERALD
www.JacksonHeraldTODAY.com
VOL. 136 NO. 14 52 PACES 4 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 75<t COPY
— Inside —
Area news:
•Chamber continues
to promote SPLOST
page 2A
•Woman fined in
Apple Valley kennel
case page 2A
•Jefferson's proposed
budget up, but millage
rate to stay same
page 3 A
Op/Ed:
•'Weak leadership
led to bank's demise'
page 4A
Sports:
•Jackson County, East
jackson to meet for the
first time on the gridiron
page 1B
Features:
•Jefferson man sings
bass for international
gold-winning quartet
page 1C
Other News:
•Public Safety
pages 6-7A
•Legals
pages 6-27C
•Church News
pages 10-11B
•Obituaries
page 11A
•School News
. pages 8-1OA, 12A, 12B
o -S
Judge, solidtor push for full-time State Court
County manager recommends court continue as part-time
BYANGELA GARY
JUDGE JERRY GRAY and state
solicitor Don Moore believe the
Jackson County State Court sys
tem needs to move to full-time but
county staff is recommending that
it continue to operate as a part-time
court.
The Jackson County Board of
Commissioners heard a recommen
dation from county manager Darrell
Hampton Monday night that the
court remain part-time. Gray and
Moore also spoke and said the court
needs to be full-time. The BOC will
vote on the issue when it meets at 6
p.m. Monday at the courthouse.
At the meeting this week,
Hampton said he has reviewed the
State Court operation and believes
it should continue to operate as
part-time.
“In reviewing case load informa
tion provided by the State Court,
for the years 2005 through 2010,
it appears that the need, or in this
instance case load, has not increased
to the extent that it would warrant
a change in how this service is
provided,” Hampton wrote in his
recommendation to the BOC.
continued on page 3A GRAY MOORE HAMPTON
RAISING THE FLAG
Members of the Jefferson High School JROTC presented and raised the colors at
Saturday’s salute to America’s heroes honoring the victims and heroes of the ter
rorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. See page 5A for the story and more photos.
Photo by Katie Huston
BOE to wait on JCCHS project
$10.6 million estimate causes close look at finances
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
THE BALL won’t start rolling
yet for a construction project to
bring a second gym—and a new
chorus and drama building — to
Jackson County Comprehensive
High School.
Jackson County School
System superintendent Shannon
Adams asked the board of edu
cation to approve a notice to
proceed with the construction
project after hearing an overview
from its architect on Monday.
The school board members,
however, were clearly uneasy
at spending an estimated $10.6
million in sales tax revenue for
the project when the district has
recently pulled out of a deficit.
“We need to protect finances
and the fund balance that every
one has worked so hard to build,”
said board of education chairper
son Kathy Wilbanks.
continued on page 3A
LOOKING AT JCCHS PLANS
Jackson County School System superintendent
Shannon Adams and board chairperson Kathy
Wilbanks look over plans to bring a new gym, and
a chorus and drama building to Jackson County
Comprehensive High School.
Photo by Kerri Testement
Jefferson BOE OK s
long-awaited budget
Budget down 2.2 percent;
millage rate to
BYBENMUNRO
AFTER MONTHS of hav
ing to enact spending resolu
tions to continue operation of
the school system, the Jefferson
school board was finally able to
approve a $17.25 million budget
Thursday.
The budget is down 2.2 per
cent from the $17.63 million
Jefferson Schools spent last year.
The 2010-2011 spending plan
calls for $139,000 — or 2.3 per
cent — less in local taxes.
The school system had to
operate without a budget since
July due to uncertainty surround
ing state funding. That meant
the BOE had to approve a series
remain same
of monthly spending resolutions
in the interim until it received
the financial numbers it needed
from the state.
There were no changes in the
spending plan voted on Thursday
and the proposed budget pre
sented to the Jefferson Board of
Education Aug. 11.
City school leaders also voted
Thursday to keep the millage
rate at 13.283.
That rate will draw $15,000
less per mill this year than last
year due to a decrease in the
county tax digest.
The BOE also voted to keep
continued on page 3A
JHS graduate serving in Navy
credited with saving two men
BYANGELA GARY
SHANE NEAL, a
Jefferson High School
graduate who is serving in
the Navy, has been cred
ited with saving two men
in Japan.
Neal, who serves aboard
the U.S.S. Louisville sub
marine, has been in the Navy for
20 years. His father, Tommy
Neal, received a letter on his
son’s service that declared him
a hero for his efforts to save two
men. It reads in part, “A note to
tell you that your son is a true
hero.”
“When Shane first called me
about it and I got the letter from
the commander, it was a real
emotional thing,” Mr. Neal said.
“I choked up every time I read
it until about the 12th time. I
thought it was great. The com
mander that said it was one of
the scariest moments in his life.
It was pretty neat the way he
explained it all.”
Neal risked his life to save two
fellow sailors when their sub
was preparing to leave port in
Japan and a tropical storm came
through. The waves
knocked two men into
the water.
One of the sailors
was about to be dragged
under water by some
very heavy cable and
another man was about
to be thrown into some
metal beams under the pier.
The commanding officer
wrote how Neal jumped in free
ing the first man, so he could
make it to the sub and then sav
ing the second.
“It was truly amazing to wit
ness the calm and decisive man
ner in which your son performed
these acts in order to protect
and save his shipmates and the
ship,” the commander wrote. “I
am truly honored to have him
onboard the Louisville. I know
that you are probably more
proud than I am of his accom
plishments. On behalf of a grate
ful nation, I thank you for your
continued love and support of
your son that have enabled him
to perform at the level he does
and to have accomplished these
truly heroic acts.”
^
NEAL
20th anniversary Art in the Park festival planned Sat.-Sun.
Weekend schedule of events for festival at Hurricane Shoals Park and Heritage Village
SUNDAY
•12 p.m. - Park open for all runners
THE 20TH ANNUAL Art in the
Park festival will be held Saturday-
Sunday. Sept. 18-19.
On Saturday, Sept. 18. from 10
a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 19,
from 12:30 - 5:30 p.m.. the Tumbling
Waters Society of Jackson County
is hosting the festival at Hurricane
Shoals Park, located off Highway
82 Spur between Jefferson and
Maysville in Jackson County.
“Art in the Park provides a week
end at a beautiful and historic recre
ational facility with entertainment for
the entire family,” organizers state.
A wide variety of edibles - includ
ing BBQ, hamburgers, bratworst,
fried pies, funnel cakes and boiled
peanuts and more - will be for sale
continued on page 3A
SATURDAY
•10 a.m - 6p.m. - Festival opens; Heritage Village
activities begin
•11 a.m. - At Pickin’ Stage - Debut/Dedication of
“Down by the Water’s Edge” by Ricky Fitzpatrick
•11:30 a.m. -5:15 p.m. - At Pickin’ Stage, enter
tainment hosted by Crystal River Bluegrass
Gospel Band with The Lamberts, The Southern
Travelers, John and Carmen Ayers
•11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. - Pickin’ on Grist Mill porch
with Pee-Wee Garrison and Family and The
Blue Billy Grit Bluegrass Band
•11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.- East Jackson
Comprehensive High School Band performs at
amphitheater
•2:45 p.m. - Children's art winners announced
•12:30-5:30 p.m. -Festival, Heritage Village open
•12:30-5 p.m - At Pickin’ Stage, entertainment
hosted by Crystal River Bluegrass Gospel Band
with The Lamberts, The Southern Travelers,
John and Carmen Ayers
•12:304:30 p.m - Pickin’ on Grist Mill porch with
Pee-Wee Garrison and Family and The Blue
Billy Grit Bluegrass Band
•12:45-1 p.m. - Moment of prayer at TWS
Memorial Bench across from TWS Table
•1 p.m. - 1860s church service in Miles Wilson
Matthews Chapel with GA Battalion Chaplain
Joey Young
•1 p.m. - Registration, check-in for Fun Run/Walk
& 5K Mill Race in Pavilion #4/Jefferson side
•2-2:30 p.m— Dedication of Wood Cabin in
Heritage Village
•2:15 p.m. - Maysville park entrance closed for
races
•2:30 p.m.- Fun Run/Walk begins in Heritage
Village
•3 p.m.- 5K Mill Race begins in Heritage
Village
•4 p.m. - Race awards in amphitheater
•4:30 p.m. - Golf tournament awards at “Spirit of
the River” Golf Course
•5 p.m. - The Duck Dash, view from foot bridge
over shoals
•5:30 p.m. - Festival closes
For directions or more information on the park
or village, visit www.hurricaneshoalspark.org.
•6 p.m. - Festival closes for the day