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THE
ACKSON
H Wednesday, January 25, 2023
ERALD
VOL. 148 NO. 33
20 PACES 2 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS
Merged in 2017 with
The Commerce News
A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 $1.00 COPY
Election
Election
Day is
Tuesday
for State
House 119
Election Day is coming
up Jan. 31 in the special
election to fill the State
House District 119 seat va
cated by Rep-Elect Danny
Rampey. House District 119
covers a small portion of
Jackson County in the Bra-
selton-Hoschton area.
Details include:
•Election Day voting:
Jackson County residents in
District 119 will cast their
vote on Election Day, Jan.
31, at the Braselton Police
and Municipal Court build
ing. Polls will be open from
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on that date.
•Candidates: Seven
candidates are vying for
the seat, including Charlie
Chase, Republican, Wind
er; Shelbey Diamond Alex
ander, Democrat. Winder;
Joseph Grodzicki, Repub
lican. Winder; Renee Lord,
Republican, no city listed;
Holt Persinger. Republican,
no city listed; Joe Price,
Republican, no city listed;
and Bill Ritter, Republican,
Statham.
•Early voting: Early
voting continues this week
through Friday, Jan. 27,
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
at the Ponchie Beck Elec
tion Center, located at 441
Gordon St., Jefferson.
•Absentee ballots; A
drop box will be avail
able for absentee ballots
at the Ponchie Beck Elec
tion Center (located inside)
only during all early voting
hours. The drop box will
close on January 27 at 5 p.m.
Ballots may be dropped off
on Election Day, Jan. 31, un
til 7 p.m. to the election staff
located at 441 Gordon Street
in Jefferson. Absentee ballots
will not be received at the poll
ing location on Election Day.
•Runoff date (if need
ed); If necessary, a runoff
will be held Feb. 28.
Jefferson
Investigation continues into body found in road
Officials continue to investigate
the circumstances around a body
that was found on a road in Jeffer
son last week.
The body of Joshua Wick, 19, of
Hall County, was found on Holder
Siding Road between Benton Road
and Long Farm Road in Jefferson
around 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20.
Officials said the body was not
due to an accident and that they
don’t believe Wick died at the
scene where his body was discov
ered.
The Georgia Bureau of Investi
gation was called to a scene by the
Jefferson Police Department.
The JPD said there was no dan
ger to the general public related to
the incident.
—
Jefferson
State Duals
Champions
Photos submitted
The Jefferson High School Wrestling Dragons were crowned 5A
Duals State Champions over the weekend. The Dragons went 3-0
at Jones County this past weekend, defeating Cass High School
in the finals, achieving the state title in a new classification for
this year. See coverage on page 1B.
Jefferson High School Dragon Creed Thomas wrestles against
Cass High School’s Kriegc Roe.
Commerce
Work slated to start in
March on Commerce
Civic Center renovation
By Alex Buffington
alex@mainstreetnews.com
Work is set to begin in
March on a major reno
vation to the Commerce
Civic Center. The project
includes a total rehabilita
tion of the large, historic
building which will house
civic center event space
and a new city hall.
Downtown Develop
ment Director and Main
Street Manager Natalie
Thomas gave an update on
the project at the Down
town Development Au
thority’s Monday (Jan. 23)
meeting.
The town announced
earlier that it won’t be
taking any event book
ings for the civic center
this year as construction
begins. While city lead
ers had hoped the project
could be done in phases,
Thomas said it doesn’t
look like that’s a feasible
option.
The renovations will
convert the civic center
space into a multi-use
building, housing the civ
ic center and a new city
hall. That move will help
address repairs needed at
the civic center and will
also help alleviate over
crowding in the city’s
See DDA, page 2A
Jackson BOC
Benton named to
county water board
Former Rep. Tommy on Jan. 23 to fill an unex-
Benton hasn’t exited pub- pired term on the Jackson
lie service quite yet. County Water & Sew-
Benton was appointed erage Authority. Benton
by the Jackson County
Board of Commissioners See BOC, page 2A
Jefferson
Qualifying set for
Jefferson election
By Hannah Barron
hannah@mainstreetnews. com
Jefferson has announced the qualifying dates, times
and fees for the Nov. 7 General Municipal Election.
The city council approved the details at its Jan. 23
meeting.
Offices up for election include: councilmember
District 1 (currently held by Steve Kinney), coun
cilmember District 3 (currently held by Cody Cain)
and councilmember District 5 (currently held by Clint
Roberts). Jefferson Board of Education seats on the
See Jefferson, page 2A
MAILING LABEL
Index
News 1A-3A
Opinion 4A
State news 5A
Public safety 6A-7A
Social news 8A
Sports
Classifieds
Obituaries..
Legals
School
1B-3B
9B
10A-11A
4B-7B
12Aand 12B
Inside
West Jackson Mid
dle School marked
its ninth year host
ing its Nickels for
the NICU fundraiser.
See page 12A
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