Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 3A
50 Years Ago
Devoted to the Vragrrtt of Jnckfon County
Jackson Herald
V"
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF JACKSON COUNTY
jrrFrRSON. Georgia, jagkson county. ao540
Wednesday, Sept. 27, 1967
COURT SET: GRAND JURY MAY
EYE JACKSON UNDERWORLD
* Mlicitor general of
■** Judicial Circuit.
r Channcll of Win
take two adilrnsrs
* County next week,
at the Jack-
Junior Chamber
Tuesday night
’ lo d will address
Kiwanii Club
\ * T W. Wheeler
* been attributed
1 carbon monox-
« the Jefferson
, , operator
r Auto about
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Results of the recent election
of ASC community committee-
men in Jackson County were
announced today by Terrell
Benton. chairman. Jackson
County Agricultural Stabiliza
tion and Conservation Commit
tee.
The elections were held by
mail and ballots were tabulated
publicly by incumbent ASC
county committee on Septem
ber 22 at the Jackson ASCS
County Office.
Farmers elected to the com
mittees include:
Attica Redstone Community:
Walter Martin. chairman;
Worth Brock, vice-chairman;
Albert Archer, third regular
member; J. N- Kinney, first
alternate; and Boyce William
son. second alternate.
Newtown-Center Community:
Thomas liowington. chairman;
Virgil Brooks, vice chairman;
Jcwdl Barnett, third regular
member; J. E. Scagraves. first
alternate; and Henry Baxter,
second alternate.
Jefferson Community: Dover
Gooch, chairman; Charlie Sail
ors. vice-chairman; Scott Wed
dell. third regular member;
L J. Legg. first alternate; and
P. J. Roberts, second alternate.
Harrisburg Community; Hoke
Arthur, chairman; O. E. ~ *
ncll. vice-chairman; S. H. Bol
ton, third regular member.
George E Merk. first alter-
nate; and B. K Massey. «econd
alternate. . r
Hokchton - Randolph - Porter
Community: B W. Cash, chair
man; If. P DeLaPerrlero. Jr .
vice-chairman. !L W. Summer-
our. third regular * **"
Sam H. Freeman, first
by giving
aim *». » »**“ - . _
nate; and J. E- Collins, second
alternate.
Wilson Miller Community: «
A Langford, chalrnun. W
Marlow, vice-chairman;
Parks, third regular member.
George Deadwryler. first alter-
nate; and R. T. Griffith. a~«nd
alternate.
Minl.h Community. J * ck
Dutton chairman. H» k «
nrr. vkorhatrman. C. L 11*™
m.„. third regular membe r
Harry Chasteen. ftmt '
and Bennie Adams, second si-
lornate.
Talmo - Cunningham Com-
— ,Ii‘IS*
11. J. Cook, third
Jefferson Service
To Highlight 4-H
Sun. For Jackson
Jackson County 4-H'er* will
observe 4II Sunday on Octo
ber 1 with a county-wide serv
ice at the Jefferson First
Methodist Church, at 8 pm.
Fnur-H'ers. parents, leaders,
and all citizens are invited to
attend, leaders stale
Virgil Adams will be the
speaker, his topic being. "Four
I Is Equal Hope.*'
This 4-H Sunday observance
will bo a highlight of National
4-H Club Week. September
30 • October 7. Four H mom
bers of Jackson County will
participate in this service.
Goal Is $2725
Girl Scout
Fund Drive
Underway
The annual Jackson County
Girl Scout Fund Drive got
underway this week. The goal
is $2,725.
George Evans, chairman of
Business, Professional, and
Civic Club gifts in Commerce,
announced that he is being as
sisted in the drive by Henry
Slocum. Howard Frix, Dr. W.
A. Owensby. Allen Phillips.
Don Burchett, Thomas Benton
and Boh Tcasley.
Mrs. Forrest Hagan and
Mrs. Bruce Barron, co-chair-
men of residential solicitations
in Commerce, have appointed
the following section chair
men Mrs. Grady Brown. Mrs.
Buford Perry, Mrs. Nell Se
grest. Jr . Mrs. K. D. Lord.
Mrs. Swayne Anderson, Mrs
Bruce Barron, Mrs. Francine
Stephens. Mrs Nclda Stephen
son. Mrs. Gartrcl! Andrews,
and Mrs. George Short
Fred Dickerson. Jackson
County Chairman, urges citi
zens to help this organization
56 Join Chamber
In Jefferson
Fifty »ix firms nr individ
lials have Joined the Jefferson
Cli;imher of Commerce this
year, it was reported at the
eondusiMi of the membership
drive Iasi week
Burton Sparer, director of
the Northeast Georgia Area
Plamiiut,' and Development
Commission, was guest spea*
vr for the »«•' .o n lie discus
setl the numbering of all
houses in Jefferson and the
erect ion of street *ign»
The Christmas Promotion
and Christina* lidding contest
were discussed. with G. T
Kcsler named chairman of the
promoting ami Garnett Sprat
liu as chairman of the lighting
contest
Luncheon To
Aid New Dawn
Workshop
The Commerce Woman's Inv
I'.owwent Club will sponsor
a luncheon at 12 30 p m. TUea-
dey. (l |. 3. at the Presbyter-
irn Church for the benefit of
the New Dawn Workshop.
The New Dawn Workshop
was established by the club
»c- era! year: ago to aid men-
tally retarded children. Its ex
igence is dependent to a
large extent on public contri
butions.
Mr*: I.itnar Baird, New
Dawn director, will be guest
.* p< ii!<er at the luncheon and
will describe the program and
accomplishments of the school.
Iu-servatkns should bo made
not later than Monday, Octo
ber 2. by calling Mr'. Jerry
Spear, Mental Health Chair
man. at 333 5574. or Mrs.
RSChel Hoover. Public Affairs
Chairman, at 54558. Tickets
are $1 80.
The grand jury will convene and Jackson 9 .
Superior Court will open on Monday, Oct. 16, LCrOUlQ 111 I
for a two-week run.
There is speculation that even if the Hoard
case is not solved by the date of court opening,
the grand jury may be asked to look into the
total crime situation in the county.
Sol Gen G. Wesley Chan
nrll, who succeeded Hoard,
told The Herald today that the
entire situation is being in
vcf.»‘gated by himself and the
Georgia Bureau of Investiga
tion and that if there is any
information which it is felt
the grand Jury* should have,
it will be presented
"1 will not do anything to
hide anything that needs the
attention of the grand jury. It
is their county and they need
to know in order to help me.
I will not withhold anything.
I will not protect anyone.
Neither will I persecute any
one."
The solicitor went on to
point out that it is possible
something “could be brewing
and not quite ripe by Octo
ber," but could be handed to
the February grand jury. He
emphasized he was not saying
this could happen but said it
is a possibility.
Judge Mark Dunahoo of
Wilder Judge for the Pied
mont Circuit. Tuesday signed
the order calling for the court
term. He had indicated earlier
this step was tentatively plan
ned. Court had been recessed
on Aug. 7. the day Sol. Gen.
Floyd Hoard was killed.
Optimism
In Hoard
CAKE SALE
Girl Scout troops in the
Benton School area will spon
sor a cake sale. Saturday. Oct.
7. hymning at 9 a.m. at the
KithoLon Courthouse.
JCHS News
Column Starts
Th* Jackson County
High School n*ws column
makes Its debut this week.
You may find it on
page S, written by Diene
Dalton, Tho Herald's Bra*-'
elton correspondent and
a student at JCHS.
This column, and news
columns from ell four
high schools In tho coun
ty, will be presented from
time to time by Tho
Herald.
chairman;
chairman;
jr., aeeon.)
BUYING LIONS MOP, BROOM—Jim and Cathy Parr ar*
•hewn with Y. D. Maddo* Jr., Jefferson Lion, as ha called
at their home Monday night during tho annual Lions*
Broom Sal*. Cathy Is especially pleased ever her child's
broom. Tho broom sol* will continue neat Monday night.
Martin Still
At Large
Charlie Martin, who escaped
with Wayman Patrick from
the Jackson County jail, re
mains at large, the sheriffs
department said Tuesday aft
ernoon.
Martin was being held on
charges of burglary of Hos
ier's Clover Farm and Bell-
grade Mfg. Corp.
Help Sought
Day Care
Centers To
Open In County
Under the guidance of the
Galnesville-IIall County Office
of Economic Opportunity, day
care centers will open at Jef
ferson and Commerce within
the next 30 days.
The primary aims of the
Centers will be excellent care
and developmental experiences
for pre-school children, 6
months to 8 years of age. dur
ing the day for working par
ents, It was stated.
Applications are now being
received for the following posi
tions: Teachers, teacher** aides,
cooks, maids, custodians and
director*.
Anyone interested in apply
ing may contact Mr*. Vera
Ncidenbach. Gainesville • Hall
County Office of Economic Op
portunity. Inc.. Room 4. Feder
al Building. P. O. Box 458.
Gainesville. Ga. 30501.
Mrs. Ncidenbach will be In
Jefferson Friday. ScpL 29.
from 9 to 11 a m. In the Grand
Jury Room to receive applica
tions and Interview applicants.
Grand Jury
List Told
The :.mc grand jurors ami
petit jutOi» drawn lo serve in
Aucu't will serve In Ihc forth
coming term of couri. of finals
slate.
The grand Jurors drawn
were:
Hal M Nix. William Wright.
P J Roberts Jr . Ezra liiland,
John M Johnson. Harold G
Wardlaw. Forrest I*. Hagan.
Morgan Adams, Quillian Smith,
Alien S Phillips and S. R.
Blackstock.
Verncr Seabolt. John Q.
While, Arthur W Riddle, W.
W Daniel, Grady Smith, Paul
Hogan. Cus Johnson. Hoyt Har
bin. I, P Bright. Bill N.
While and Hoyt Purcell
Hoyt Fleming. S. M. Shan
kle. Joseph O Waters Sr.
Jack J. Ward. Garnett L Mar
tin. J. A. Barnett, J. S. El
lington. Elmon Farmer. Jos
hua F. Pirkle. John R. House.
J. D Wilson. J Walter Shields
and Thad P Pirkle.
Hilda Johnson To
Head Jefferson 4-H
Hilda Johnson has been
elected president of the Jef
ferson High 4-H Club.
Karen Freeman is girls’ vice
president; Harold Jarrett, boys*
vice president; Judy Garret!.
secretary; Linda Johnson,
treasurer; Johnny Spence, re- m
porter; and Ann garrison, par- ® | >rove
^Sorne*58 "members attended ’ l . hcy jj*
the first meeting of this club. UMjrta hat arc pWble*nd
which is the largest local club they re zeroing in on
in the county. Channell said he had not
seen the GBI in a couple of
days.
The solicitor general veri
fied rumors that the total
crime situation in Jackson
County is being investigated
However, Major Ragsdale gave
a “No comment” reply to a
question on this.
Neither w-ould speculate on
whether the case may be
solved by the Oct. 16 date set
for the delayed term of Jack-
son Superior Court and con
vening of the grand Jury'
Capt. J E Carnes, who is
heading the team of invcstlga
tors working out of Jefferson,
was out of town much of Tues
day and Wednesday and un
available for comment Whelh
er he was out of town in con
nection with Ihe Hoard case
or simply taking off a few
days from hi* gruelling task
was not divulged by investi
gators remaining in Jefferson
High
Case
A high note of opti
mism runs among offi
cials investigating the
Floyd Hoard case thia
week, but if there are
any new developments
they are being closely
guarded.
“I am very optimis
tic,” Major Barney
Ragsdale, head of the
Georgia Bureau of In
vestigation told The
Herald today, stressing
the “very.”
When asked if he thought
the crime would be solved.
Major Ragsdale replied: “1
definitely think it will he
solved."
Sol Gen. G. Wesley Chan
nell of Winder echoed Major
Ragsdale's viewpoint.
“Oh. yes. I'm optimistic. I'm
not kidding about that." said
the new solicitor. “1 keep re
minding myself that in the
Gwinnett County killings It
took a year or so. There are
millions of possibilities and
you have a massive process of
elimination. You have to check
out everything and narrow it
down. It's one thing to 'think'
something. You next have to
'know' it and then you have
to ‘prove* it.”
Asked if investigators al
ready “think" or “know"
something and are now trying
it, Channcll
plied:
Girl Scout Meeting
Jackson County Girl Scout
leaders held their September
neighborhood meeting at the
home of Mrs. Thomas Benton
of Commerce Tuesday even
ing. Sept 12.
Attending were Mrs Swaf-
yne Anderson. Mrs. Jimmy
MacDonald. Mrs Al Minlsh.
Mrs. Fred Dickerson. Mrs Ben
McClure. Mrs. Benny Hawk
ins. Mrs. Tom McMullan. Mrs.
Boyd Daves. Mrs Bobbie Ar
cher and Miss Carolyn Keesec
The field director. Miss
Sammir Maxwell of Athens,
brought leaders up to date on
special scouting events, regis
tration. the fall fund drive,
and sponsorships.
Refreshments were served
hy Mrs. Benton
Church Page
May Be Found
On Page Five
Your monthly church
listing run* thi* week in
Th* Herald.
This is more then a list
ing — it not only tell* th*
hour* of **rvices but also
feature* a different Jack-
ton County church each
month.
Th* page it mad* pos
sible by e group of Jack-
ton County firm* and you
ar* urged to tupporl them.
Turn now to page 5 and
read th* listing, et well as
th* information about
the Nicholson Baptist
Church.
County Schools
To Bd Checked
On Standards
School* in the Jackson
County system will soon be
evaluated cn whether they
meet tlic new state standards.
A trio of State Department
of Education evaluators will
be In the system Oct. 3. 4. 6
and 17. Supt M. L Holliman
said today.
The three evaluators are:
Bobby Todd. Electa Wofford
and Martha Nell Almond.
Neither the Jefferson nor
Commerce super mtcndcnls
could be reached Wednesday
for comment on when their
exaluations would be made.
Supt. Holliman received his
notice today on the visiL
CD Rescue
Class Set Sun.
The JcffersonJackson Coun
ty Civil Defense unit will start
a 22 hour rescue class at 8
a.m. Sunday. Oct. 1, Jack
Scott, director, announce*.
It will be held at the court
house in Jefferson.
All interested persons are
invited. The class will include
rescue techniques, ropework.
first aid. water operator, fire
fighting and traffic.
AT JACKSON FARM BUREAU MEET—Here
ar* seme ef th* dignitaries wh# were *n
hand Thursday night far the meeting *# th*
Jacksen Ceonty Farm Bureau at Jacksen
BMC. They er* (left te right) Mart Ewing,
direefer ef field *ervke*. Covlngten. Geor
gia Farm Bureau Federation; Braxton Harri
son, Canton. Farm Buroau field representa
tive; Ralph Murphy, Hoschten. president ef
the eeunty unit; Dr. Till M. Husten ef the
University of Georgia faculty, guest speaker
for the evening who shewed tome slide* ef
th* poultry science department at th* Uni
versity; and Ben Long, full-time Insurance
agent ef th* Jacksen County Farm Bureau.
<
Jefferson approves hike in property taxes
By Mike Buffington
Although the Jefferson City Council voted Monday
night to keep its millage rate the same, the city will see
its largest jump ever in property taxes.
Due to a 15 percent increase in the city’s tax digest
because of new growth and higher property values, the
city will net $479,000 more from property taxes this year
than last year. The city will take in $3.6 million from
property taxes this year, up from $3.1 million last year
with a millage rate of 6.185 mills.
But the move to keep the city’s tax rate the same led
to a split council vote with councilman Mark Mobley
opposed. Before the final vote. Mobley made a motion
to roll the millage rate back to 6.0 mills, but that died for
the lack of a second.
“It would be a good thing for us to help our citizens
out,” Mobley said about his move to cut the rate.
One point Mobley argued was that the city was
under-budgeting the actual amount of property taxes it
would get. The city only budgeted a 92.5 percent col
lection rate for its property taxes, but Mobley said that
historically, the actual collection rate had been 94 percent
or higher.
“We’re going to exceed this amount (of revenues),” he
said.
At a 100 percent collection rate, the city would net $3.6
million in property taxes, but it only budgeted to collect
$3.3 million.
Earlier Monday at a city budget hearing, citizen and
real estate agent Roc Feeman also argued that the council
should lower the tax rate, saying the city was in a large
growth mode.
“Put some money back in our pockets,” he told the
council.
Before Monday night’s vote, former councilman and
current mayoral candidate Steve Quinn also said the
council should lower the city’s tax rate. Quinn pointed to
the large amount of cash reserves the city has on hand.
“Quite honestly, the city’s in the best financial shape
it’s ever been in,” he said. “If now isn’t the time to show
the citizens we care about them, that we think about them
first, now is the time to do that.”
But councilman Don Kupis said Mobley’s move to
lower the rate would only save taxpayers $1 or $2 per
month.
“This is only a small amount,” he said. “I prefer to keep
it (the tax rate) the same.”
Councilman Malcolm Gramley made the motion to
keep the rate the same. He was joined by Kupis and
councilman Steve Kinney in voting for the motion while
Mobley voted against.
BUDGETS ALSO APPROVED
In addition to the general tax rate, the council also
voted 3-1 to approve a 2.031 mill city fire district tax
rate; its FY2018 general fund budget; and its 2018 water
& sewer fund budgets.
The city’s general fund budget was set at $10.2 million,
up 10 percent from last year’s budget. Mayor Roy Plott
said Monday that the budget included four new positions
in the city and a three percent pay hike for employees.
The budget also includes spending $1.5 million on
capital projects and debt service.
Among the proposed capital spending projects are:
$70,000 for new city “gateway” signs: $100,000 for a
new playground at the city park; $100,000 to match a
grant of the same amount for a walking trail at the city
recreation department; $80,000 for soccer field and park
ing lights; $145,000 for a new brush truck; $255,000 for
road repairs; $162,500 for a fire department ladder truck;
setting aside $100,000 of a total $420,000 for a new roof
on the city civic center; $19,400 to engineer the design
of an amphitheater; and $85,000 for 2 new police depart
ment SUV trucks.
WATER & SEWER
In addition to its general fund budget, the city also
approved a $7.8 million budget for its water and sewer
department. That is a 21 percent increase over FY2017.
Among water & sewer projects, the city expectes to
spend $1 million for land acquisition for the Parks Creek
Reservoir and $1.5 million for the west side sewer proj
ect.
Commerce DDA
to apply for grants
By Kyle Funderburk
Commerce’s Downtown Development Authority
plans to put in a Rural Development Zone application
to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is the first
time that Commerce will qualify.
The application is for towns under 15,000 residents
and is used for building renovations and includes tax
credits.
If accepted. Commerce could get up to $125,000 over
a five-year period to invest in the downtown area. The
town could also receive $150,000 over a three-year peri
od for rehabilitating the downtown area.
Natalie Thomas of the DDA is working with the
Northeast Georgia Regional Commission to complete
the application, which is due on October 31. The cost to
apply is $1,500.
The money would be given to business owners instead
of the property owners in downtown Commerce.
Only 10 applications will be accepted.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the DDA’s recent meeting, the
board:
• learned that Thomas is showing the Oxford Building
to a prospect this coming Wednesday. The unnamed
prospect has been doing market studies on the feasibili
ty of a hotel in the building.
• learned that Thomas recently gave a chef a tour
around town to help him pick out a space for a restur-
ant. The chef told her that he planned on bringing some
investors with him back to Commerce to look at a cou
ple of places to purchase.
• approved new prices for rooms in the civic center to
go into effect at the beginning of 2018. The security fee
is going up from $25 an hour to $35. Every room will
now be more expensive with the biggest change coming
to Harmony Grove, which is increasing from $950 to
$1,200. The rest of the changes are no more than $100.