Newspaper Page Text
o
o
THE
ACKSON
H Wednesday, March 22, 2023
ERALD
VOL. 148 NO. 41
24 PACES 2 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS
Merged in 2017 with
The Commerce News
A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA S0549 $1.00 COPY
Jefferson
County planners
Photos by Wesleigh Sagon
Lyla Mann, 11, is shown at Holte Gardens during the 13th annual Spring Foliage Fest. The event was held
at the Jefferson Clubhouse and Park on Saturday, March 18. The event presented by the Jefferson Tree
Council works to educate the community on the importance of trees.
The Red Oak Southern Strings band entertained
during the 13th annual Spring Foliage Fest. Shown
from (left to right) are Mike Harrison and Jeff Buck-
ley. The band is based out of Athens.
Lola Atkins with the Jefferson Middle School wild
life habitat and outdoor classroom speaks to visi
tors about a wooden frog noise maker during Jef
ferson’s Spring Foliage Fest.
V -Ipf i
■PC - * '1
The Jefferson Tree Council hosted its 13th annual Spring Foliage Fest on Saturday, March 18, at the
Jefferson Clubhouse and Park.
State
Rep. Persinger sworn into office
Index
News
1A-3A, 5A
Opinion
4A
Public safety.
6A-7A
School news
8A-9A
Social news
4B-5B, 12B
Sports
1B-3B
Classifieds
6B
Obituaries
11A
legals
7B-11B
MAILING LABEL
State Representative Holt
Persinger (R-Winder) was
sworn into office as a mem
ber of the Georgia House of
Representatives on Monday,
March 6, marking his first
day of the 2023-24 legisla
tive term. In addition to be
ing officially sworn in. the
Georgia House of Represen
tatives’ Committee on As
signments named Rep. Pers
inger to the Budget & Fiscal
Affairs Oversight. Economic
Development & Tourism
and Natural Resources &
Environment committees.
“It’s a privilege and an hon
or to serve as a strong, honest
voice for my constituents in
House District 119.” said Rep.
Persinger. “I look forward
to spending our remaining
weeks of session ensuring that
sound, conservative bills re
ceives final passage and make
it across the finish line to Gov
ernor Kemp’s desk.”
Rep. Persinger was sworn-
in on Legislative Day 28, also
known as “Crossover Day.”
The House Committee
on Assignments, chaired by
House Speaker Jon Bums
(R-Newington), is charged
with making all House com
mittee assignments for the
members of the Georgia
House of Representatives.
Representative Holt Pers
inger represents the citizens of
District 119, which includes
portions of Barrow and Jack-
son counties. He was elected
to the House of Representa
tives in 2023 and currently
See Persinger, page 2A
First hearings set on
truck stop request
The Jackson County
Planning Commission is
slated to hear a package
of rezonings and special
use requests at its March
23 meeting that would all
for a track stop at Hol
ly Springs Rd. and Bill
Wright Rd.
According to a develop
ment of regional impact
(DRI) submission, the
project is planned on two
parcels totaling approx
imately 16 acres at the
comer of Bill Wright and
Holly Springs roads.
The project includes
construction of a 7-Eleven
convenience store with 16
regular fueling locations
and four diesel semi-truck
See Hearings, page 2A
Commerce
More discussion planned
before decision on
Commerce rec dept, future
By Alex Buffington
alex@mainstreetnews. com
Commerce leaders plan
to have more discussions
about the future of the
city’s recreation depart
ment. Mayor Clark Hill
gave an update on the rec
department issue during
his annual State-of-the-
City address on Monday
(see next week’s paper for
the full story about the ad
dress).
The decision comes
down to two options: Turn
over the city’s recreation
department to the Jack-
son County Recreation
Department, or make
smaller-scale facilities
improvements and retain
city ownership, a move
that would require a tax
increase.
City leaders have been
working over the past
several years on plans
to expand the city’s rec
department. The depart
ment has seen an increase
in participation over the
years and new sports of
ferings have been added
See Commerce, page 2A
Jackson BOE
JCSS announces district
leadership changes
The Jackson County
School System has an
nounced a trio of chang
es to district leadership
positions, following the
March Board of Educa
tion meeting.
JCSS announced Lisa
Ellis as the new Director
of Elementary Education,
while Jason Wester will
serve as the Assistant Su
perintendent of Student
Services. The system also
announced Taylor Blake
as the new Director of
School Nutrition.
Ellis is in her second
year as the principal of
Gum Springs Elemen
tary School. Wester has
served as the principal
of Jackson County High
School since 2019. Ellis
and Wester will begin
their new positions on
July 1. The search for
new principal hires will
begin immediately.
“Mrs. Ellis and Mr.
Wester have been huge
assets to our school sys
tem. serving in a multi
tude of positions, most
recently as principals of
two of the largest schools
within our county. I am
looking forward to work
ing with them in their new
positions as they contin
ue their work to benefit
the students within our
system,” Superintendent
Philip Brown said. “We
welcome Ms. Blake to
Jackson County and look
forward to relying on her
expertise in school nutri
tion to ensure we provide
our students with a vari
ety of choices for school
breakfast and lunch.”
Blake comes to the
Jackson County School
System after serving as
the Assistant Director
for School Nutrition for
Forsyth County Schools.
She previously served
in Gwinnett County
Schools as a Coordinator
of Nutrition Support. She
holds a degree from Le
Cordon Bleu College of
Culinary Arts and bache
lors and masters degrees
from Georgia State Uni
versity. Blake will begin
her new position April
10.
4 8 7 9 1 4 1 4 0 2
piggly wiggly
WE CASH CHECKS!
INCOME TAXES PAYROLL INSURANCE SSI
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SETTLEMENT MONEY ORDERS