Newspaper Page Text
THE
ACKSON
r ',y
MW.
H Wednesday, June 1, 2011
ERALD
www.JacksonHeraldTODAY.com
VOL. 136 NO. 51 48 PACES 4 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 75<t COPY
— Inside —
Area news:
•IDA wants to attract
more retail business
page 2A
•Airport author
ity talks about building
design page 2A
•Nicholson man in
critical condition after
fire page 3A
Op/Ed:
•'The illusion of suc
cess' page 4 A
Violations continue
BY SHARON HOGAN
VIOLATIONS AROUND the Bear
Creek Reservoir continue to be a concern
of the Upper Oconee Basin Authority.
At a meeting Thursday morning in
Athens, Jackson County public develop
ment director Gina Mitsdarffer reported
there were 28 property owner violations in
2010 and there are 18 violations so far in
2011, with 12 of those being repeat viola
tions from 2010.
The property owner violations include
lights, tables, chairs, boats, hammocks,
picnic tables, boat launch areas and sand
beach areas in the reservoir buffer
Mitsdarffer said violators are mailed
a letter about the violation first, then 30
days from the date of the letter a verbal
warning is given either in person or by
phone, and then the matter is turned over
to Jackson County Magistrate Court and a
fine is imposed.
In 2010, four violations were sent to the
magistrate court, Mitsdarffer reported.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business:
•Mitsdarffer presented a status update
on the boat ramp improvements at the res
ervoir. The boat dock with a 15-foot gang
way, a 5-foot sidewalk from the parking
area to the boat dock and a bridge from
the boat ramp over to the sidewalk have
been completed. An additional 10-foot
gangway will be completed soon making
the gangway 25-feet. Mitsdarffer said the
project is scheduled to be complete in
to plague reservoir
the next two weeks. The cost
estimate for the project was
$23,174. The cost to date is
$19,658, Mitsdarffer said. “It
should come in under budget
by about $2,000,” she added.
•Jackson County Parks and
Recreation Director Ricky
Sanders presented a report on
the usage of the boat ramp and fishing
area. “Usage is up,” Sanders said. “We
have had two days where the parking
area was full, 40 boat trailers is all we can
handle at one time,” he added. Sanders
reported the number of permits sold are:
seven property passes totaling $245;
107 yearly passes totaling $3,754; 951
regular $6 daily passes totaling $5,706;
and 440 Veterans/seniors/kids $3
passes totaling $1,320; for a total
of $11,016 in revenue for 2011.
Sanders stated the revenue figures
were through May 18.
•a nominating committee was
chosen to come up with a slate of
officers for 2012. The committee
includes: Amrey Harden, at-large
member: Bob Snipes, Deputy Manager
Athens/Clarke County Utilities; and
Myron Garrett, Director Barrow County
Water and Sewer Authority.
•Hill Baughman, employee of the
reservoir management company, JJ&G
Services, Inc., reported that the safe dams
inspection is completed and the boat house
has been re-enforced to the boat dock.
MITSDARFFER
Sports:
•JCCHS player could
be taken in MLB draft
page 1B
Features:
•Corner-Stone plans
Community Garden
page 1C
Other News:
•Public Safety
pages 6-7A
•Legals
pages 8-24C
•Church News
page 11B
•Obituaries
page 9B
•School News
pages 5-6B
Memorial Day in Jefferson
TALKS WITH VETERANS
Congressman Paul Broun talks with World War II veteran William Douglas
Pugh before the Memorial Day ceremony held at the historic courthouse in
J effe rs o n M o n d ay. Photos by Andrea Briscoe
Paul Broun speaks at annual event
BY ANDREA BRISCOE
THE SECOND annual
Memorial Day ceremony was
held at the historic courthouse
in Jefferson Monday with
Congressman Paul Broun, a
former Marine and member
of the American Legion, as
the keynote speaker.
Broun spoke of “cold
stones” referencing the
Vietnam memorial where his
former classmate is honored
and the memorial in down
town Jefferson, and described
how even though the stones
were cold, they could still
provide warmth.
The message he wanted
attendees to take home was to
become knowledgeable and
to remember why soldiers
have died.
Calling America's liberty
“the greatest experiment of
mankind.” he said the great
est thing to do for our soldiers
is to read the Constitution,
know what our liberties are
and to not let those who sac
rificed their life die in vain.
After Broun addressed
the audience, the American
flag was lowered by Jackson
County Comprehensive High
School junior ROTC mem
bers while “Amazing Grace”
was played over the loud
speakers.
Members of the American
Legion, Post 56 read off the
names of those in Jackson
County who died while serv
ing in World War I, World
War II, Korea, Vietnam and
Iraq.
BROUN SPEAKS
Congressman Paul Broun,
the keynote speaker at the
Memorial Day ceremony
held in Jefferson, speaks
about the importance of
remembering why soldiers
have died.
Relay for Life set Fri. at
Gresham Motorsports
THE JACKSON County Relay for Life will kick off with the
opening ceremony
Friday at Gresham
Motorsports Park,
Lyle Field Road,
Jefferson.
“Plan to attend to
cheer the survivors,
join in the activities,
hear the wonderful
entertainment, take
part in the lumi
nary service and,
overall, have fun,”
said Sandra Fite,
one of the organiz
ers. “What better
fun could you have
while you are help
ing us raise money
to fight cancer?”
Survivors are
invited to participate
in the Survivor’s
Walk. They can
arrive at the track around 6 p.m. to register and then enjoy food and
drinks in the survivor area. One caregiver can join each survivor.
‘This is your time to let people know that cancer can be beat and
you are here to prove it.” Fite said. “If you know of other survivors,
please invite them to come with you. We want you to come to the
Jackson County Relay even if you have attended other relays in the
area.”
Fite invites the community to make a donation to the effort.
‘To those of you that are not survivors, please support this relay,”
she said. “I know that you have been affected by cancer in some
way, either through family, friends, co-workers or others and this is
your time to help us as we raise funds for research to find a cure.
We want a cure in our lifetime and researchers are so close on some
particular types of cancer now. Your donation might be the one that
tips the scales for a cure.”
Fite, who is a cancer survivor, said it is “a truly devastating feeling
to be told that you have cancer.”
“The first thing you think about is whether you are going to five
and why this terrible disease is happening to you.” she said. “The
next thing is, what are we going to do about it, and finally you say,
whatever needs to be done, we are going to do it. You want a cure
so badly and you pray that there is some surgery, medicine or treat
ment that is available for your particular type of cancer. I know
what it is like as I am a 36-year cancer survivor. I don’t want people
to continue to go through this terrible ordeal. I want a cure. Help us
fund research to find that cure.”
5:30 p.m.
Event Schedule
Survivor Hospitality Area Opens
6 p.m.
Luminary sales begin
Team tents open
Chuwl Joy Dance Ministry
“Begging Baby Buggy” contestants
6:15 p.m.
2010 Pageant Queens introduced
Amy Bullock
7 p.m.
Opening ceremonies
7:45 p.m.
Colors presented
Survivor, caregiver, team lap
Baby buggy winner announced
7:50 p.m.
Lisa Martin - Patsy Cline Tribute
8:15 p.m.
Glory Road
8:45 p.m.
E. B. Reese
9:30 p.m.
Luminary Service
9:45 p.m.
ReGeneration
10:30 p.m.
Ms. Relay Pageant
11:30 p.m.
Kim Armstrong
12 a.m.
Games begin
6:45 a.m.
Clean-up lap
7 a.m.
Closing ceremony
Commerce city students fall short on graduation test
CITY OF Commerce 11th Graders had
only a 71 percent passing rate on all four
sections of the state graduation test this
year, ranking the school system 94th in the
state.
City of Jefferson students had an 84.8
percent passing rate ranking it 23rd in the
state while Jackson County School System
students had a 74.2 percent passing rate
putting that system at 74th in the state.
Oconee County was the strongest in the
area with a 92.1 passing rate while Banks
County had an 87.3 percent passing rate on
all four sections of the test.
Clarke County was the area’s worst with a
57.9 percent overall passing rate.
Both Jefferson and Jackson County stu
dents’ weakest area was in social studies
while Commerce students struggled with
math the most.
Individual high school results haven’t
been released yet by the state. The gradu
ation test is currently being phased out by
the state as more emphasis is being put on
end of course tests.
Graduation Test
11th Graders, 1st Time Test Takers
N EGA Area School Systems
Rank
School
Pass
ELA
Math
Sci
Soc
State*
Svstem
All%
EM
EM
EM
EM
11
Oconee
92.1%
2.9%
2.2%
1.1%
6.0%
17
Banks
87.3
3.8
7.0
.6
6.3
23
Jefferson
84.8
6.8
9.9
3.1
11.0
26
Gwinnett
83.8
6.0
9.6
4.4
12.4
29
Franklin
83.1
6.0
6.6
3.6
17.1
47
Hall
79.1
5.9
9.7
3.3
15.2
74
Jackson
74.2
11.1
12.5
4.9
19.8
83
Walton
72.5
9.4
13.8
6.7
22.2
88
Madison
71.8
12.5
16.6
9.1
21.4
93
Barrow
71.1
11.4
17.0
8.5
21.8
94
Commerce
71.0
8.5
20.2
2.2
19.1
110
Habersham
68.8
12.4
21.4
8.4
21.7
120
Oglethorpe
66.4
8.5
15.6
8.6
29.1
160
Clarke
57.9
18.5
23.1
15.2
33.4
*State rank is from 1-187 by system, not individual high schools.