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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2017
PLAINVIEW EMS STATION OPENED
Jackson County E.M.S. opened a new med station on Plainview Road in
Maysville. Med 5 previously based its operations in the Parks family home
on Holly Springs for several years while awaiting the new EMS station to
be built. The Plainview Recreation Board worked with Jackson County on a
land agreement and the new facility held its grand opening July 15. Pictured
are: (L-R) county manager Kevin Poe, Doug Waters, commissioner Jim
Hix, Paramedic Underwood, Chris Hensley, Karen Ragan, BOC chairman
Tom Crow, Captain Randy Ragan with the Plainview Fire Department and
Michael Barnes, Jr., with the Plainview Fire Department.
Commerce DDA talks 1-85
signs, newcomer magazines
By Kyle Funderberk
The Commerce Downtown Develop
ment Authority is looking for ways var
ious ways to advertise downtown Com
merce. That made up the bulk of its July
meeting.
A few months ago, the DDA requested
a new sign for downtown Commerce
on 1-85. Specifically, the DDA wanted
a green or brown interstate sign that
read “Historic Downtown Commerce,
exit 147”.
The DDA approved buying a $200
quarter-page advertisement in Lake Life
magazine, which goes to people around
Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair. The
DDA decided that in the ad, it would
include upcoming events and update
them for each issue.
The DDA is also working on a new
comer's magazine and a mock-up was
presented during the meeting. The mag
azine will include history of downtown
Commerce, information about places like
the Civic Center and other useful infor
mation for people new to Commerce.
The authority also discussed creating
a mobile phone app for the downtown
area with a map and information about
each place. Placing a calendar of events
into the utilities bill of each citizen was
discussed as well.
In other business, the DDA learned:
•the building at the corner of State
Street and Broad Street was recently sold.
That building contains five retail spaces
with two lofts upstairs.
•work is being done at the Fred’s shop
ping center and a new business is expect
ed to come into the building separate
from the building Fred’s occupies.
•upcoming events downtown include
the 2nd Time Around Band performing
on August 4. State Street Bicycles is
holding its Dirt Demo on August 19, peo
ple can come to ride a bicycle for free on
a dirt trail. Food will also be served. And
Tigers on the Town will be on August 24.
Most county schools top state
test in elementary, middle grades
Most elementary and middle schools in the county topped the state average on the
2016-17 Georgia Milestones, but some schools still struggled.
The Georgia Department of Education released results from the state standardized test
in July. End of grade tests are given to students in third-eighth grades and scores students
as: beginning, developing, proficient or distinguished learners.
Most schools in Jackson County had fewer “beginning learners” than the state in third,
fifth and eighth grades. Still, some schools fell below.
Maysville Elementary School scored worse than the state in all but one subject area in
third and fifth grades. It scored above the state average in third grade math.
Benton Elementary School was below the state average in third and fifth grade EL A.
Both North and South Jackson elementary schools scored below the state in third grade
English and math. SJES was also below the state average in fifth grade ELA.
Commerce was below the state average in fifth grade English and social studies.
In eighth grade, the only school to score below the state average was East Jackson
Middle School. It was below the state in math and social studies.
School-wide percentages of students in the bottom category (beginner learning) were:
2016-17 EOG THIRD GRADE
PERCENT IN THE BOTTOM CATEGORY
ELA Math
State
30%
20%
Benton
30.6
18.4
East Jackson
16.7
1.2
Gum Springs
24.1
11
Maysville
41.9
18.6
North Jackson
40.9
28.9
South Jackson
33.3
20.8
West Jackson
27.3
15.6
Commerce
11.1
6.5
Jefferson
17.5
7.9
2016-17 EOG FIFTH GRADE
PERCENT IN THE BOTTOM CATEGORY
ELA
Math
Science
S. Studies
State
26%
25%
31%
26%
Benton
29.5
11.4
25
18.2
East Jackson
17.5
11.3
25
17.5
Gum Springs
19.7
24.4
24.4
18.9
Maysville
36.7
38.8
40.8
42.9
North Jackson
18.6
16.9
23.7
15.5
South Jackson
28.1
23.7
24.7
17.7
West Jackson
21.8
10.6
17.6
15.5
Commerce
28
18.7
19.6
26.2
Jefferson
8.8
9.2
15.1
10.4
2016-17 EOG EIGHTH GRADE
PERCENT IN THE BOTTOM CATEGORY
ELA Math Science S. Studies
State
21%
21%
35%
25%
East Jackson
20.9
21.3
33.3
25.1
West Jackson
10
8.8
23.2
6.9
Commerce
10.9
13.2
26.4
20.9
Jefferson
5.2
2.2
13.1
7.5
Pendergrass considers alternatives
for minor criminal offenses
By Kyle Funderberk
A draft for the new Pendergrass Pre
trial Diversion program was read to
the Pendergrass City Council during its
meeting Tuesday morning.
The pretrial diversion program is
meant to give an alternative to prosecu
tion for minor offenses if it’s an individ
ual’s first offense. It will also offer an
alternative to people who are unable to
pay their fines.
Pendergrass created a diversion pro
gram because the state is asking towns
to start such an effort.
In other action, the city council
approved a new budget for FY2018.
The town expects a total of $338,950 in
expenses year.
Commerce has planning commission vacancy
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Commerce is accepting applications for
a vacant seat on the planning and zoning
commission.
The planning commission is a five-mem
ber board appointed by Commerce City
Council.
The commission typically meets at 7
p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month.
Applicants must live in the city limits of
Commerce.
Its duties include hearing and making
recommendations to council on rezon
ing, annexations and special use permit
requests and reviewing amendments to the
Zoning Ordinance; the commission also
decides on proposed waivers to the city’s
development regulations and architectural
standards.
The commission makes recommenda
tions to city council.
Applications will be accepted at Com
merce City Hall until Aug. 26, 2017.
RECEIVES SERVICE AWARD
Sen. John Wilkinson (R-Toccoa) was recently named the Outstanding
Service Award winner by the Georgia Vocational Agriculture Teachers
Association (GVATA) at its Summer Leadership Conference.
Wilkinson receives service award
Sen. John Wilkinson
(R-Toccoa) was recently
named the Outstanding
Service Award winner
by the Georgia Vocation
al Agriculture Teachers
Association (GVATA) at
its Summer Leadership
Conference.
He was also named the
Region V national award
winner by the National
Association of Agricul
tural Educators (NAAE)
and will be formally pre
sented with the award at
the NAAE national con
ference in December.
“I am humbled and
honored to be chosen as
the recipient of this award
and thankful for GVATA
and NAAE’s commitment
to promoting and support
ing excellence in agricul
ture education,” said Sen.
Wilkinson. “As a for
mer agriculture educator
myself, I know first-hand
the resources these asso
ciations provide for agri
culture educators across
Georgia and the United
States. Agriculture is an
integral part of Georgia’s
past, present and future,
and I look forward to
working with both the
GVATA and NAAE to
continually support agri
cultural education in any
way I can.”
The Outstanding Ser
vice Award recogniz
es current and retired
GVATA and/or NAAE
members who have made
significant contributions
to agricultural education
at the state, regional, and
national levels with the
Outstanding Service Cita
tion.
Sen. John Wilkinson
serves as Chairman of the
Agriculture Committee.
He represents the 50th
Senate District which
includes Banks, Franklin,
Habersham, Rabun, Ste
phens and Towns counties
and portions of Hall and
Jackson counties. He can
be reached by phone at
404.463.5257 or by email
at john.wikinson@senate.
ga.gov.
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