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The Commerce News
JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 $1.00 COPY
Public safety
Deputy
passes
out after
exposure
to fentanyl
during
traffic stop
A Jackson County
Sheriff’s Office deputy
passed out and was taken
to the hospital after be
ing exposed to fentanyl
during a traffic stop in
North Jackson.
Deputies stopped a
woman on Mountain
Creek Dr., Pendergrass,
on June 22 after the driv
er failed to stop at a stop
sign. The driver also
didn’t have a license.
The woman reportedly
jumped out of the vehicle
during the stop and asked
why she was pulled over.
Officers saw a baggy next
to her feet. The substance
inside that baggy tested
positive for fentanyl.
At one point during
the traffic stop, a deputy
said she was feeling hot,
that her mouth was dry
and that she was feeling
light-headed. The dep
uty passed out, but was
caught by another officer
on the scene before she
fell to the ground. Offi
cers administered Narcan
to the deputy.
The deputy was treat
ed by EMS and taken to
Northeast Georgia Med
ical Center Braselton for
exposure to fentanyl.
The woman who was
arrested during the traf
fic stop was charged with
possession of metham-
phetamine; tampering
with evidence-felony;
possession of Schedule
II drags; driving while
license is suspended or
revoked; failure to stop
at a stop sign; and going
inside guard line with
weapon, liquor or drags.
She admitted to consum
ing methamphetamine
and fentanyl that day.
The woman had a baggy
containing methamphet
amine in her bra, which
was found at the jail.
She asked that an of
ficer tell the deputy who
who was exposed to the
fentanyl that she was sor
ry.
MAILING LABEL
County BOC
BOC to study homestead exemption changes
But move
would not impact
school taxes
By Mike Buffington
mike@mainstreetnews. com
The Jackson County
Board of Commissioners
has agreed to study a possi
ble change in its homestead
exemptions.
Dining a June 26 plan
ning meeting, county lead
ers discussed raising the
county’s homestead exemp
tion rates for the county part
of the local property tax
system. The plan does not
call for any changes to local
school system homestead
exemptions, something that
has become a popular cause
celebre among many of the
county’s senior citizens.
There are a number of
both state and local home
stead exemptions with most
having income caps. Over
time, the inflation of hous
ing values has caused many
exemptions to have much
less of an impact since the
exemption amounts have
stayed the same as values
have risen.
Currently, Jackson Coun
ty only offers the state’s
standard homestead exemp
tion of $2,000 off a home’s
40% valuation. That is
available to all homeown
ers regardless of income.
Officials are looking at
possibly adding a local
standard exemption on top
of that $2,000. But before
agreeing to any chang
es, several BOC members
said they wanted more data
about how various levels of
exemption would impact
the county financially.
The board is also looking
at possibly adding a local
exemption for senior citi
zens aged 62. The county
only offers the state 62+
See BOC, page 2A
Fourth of July
Photos by Wesleigh Sagon
The City of Jefferson celebrat
ed its annual Freedom Festival
on Saturday, June 24. Officials
estimated there was a crowd of
10,000 attending the event. The
celebration included live music,
games, vendors, food and fam
ily fun. Visitors donned their
patriotic attire and face paint as
they celebrated Independence
Day at Jefferson’s annual Free
dom Festival. See additional
photos from the Freedom Fes
tival event on page 5A.
Independence Day celebrations
continue across county
Independence Day is coming up on Tuesday, July 4.
Jefferson hosted its Independence Day celebration over
the weekend. Commerce, Maysville, Nicholson, Pend
ergrass and Braselton all have upcoming celebrations
planned. Details include:
COMMERCE JUNE 30
Commerce will host Summer in the City on June 30
with music and fireworks.
The movie “Jaws” will be screened on June 30 at
10 a.m. at the Cultural Center. Attendees will get a pass
to the pool for the day, which can be used from 1 -5 p.m.
Back hi Time Band will perform at the Summer in
the City event, starting at 6 p.m. at Spencer Park. Ven
dors —including food vendors—will also be on hand.
Afireworks show will be held around 9:30 p.m.
Keep up-to-date with the details on the Commerce
Main Street Facebookpage.
MAYSVILLE JULY 1
The City of Maysville will present fireworks at dusk
on Saturday, July 1, at the new city park.
NICHOLSON JULY 1
The City of Nicholson will host its Independence
Day event on Saturday, July 1.
There will be food and craft vendors, inflatables, a
train ride, a mechanical bull, music by Whiskey Rose
Band and fireworks.
The event will be held from 3-9:30 p.m. at East
Jackson Park, located at 225 Lakeview Dr., Nicholson.
PENDERGRASS JULY 1
Pendergrass will host its Freedom Block Party on
July 1 from 5-10 p.m.
The City of Pendergrass will host a variety of food
and entertainment vendors and Reflect Mercantile will
host vendors to set up booths.
Live music will be performed by Chris Hamrick.
The fireworks show will begin at 9:30 p.m.
See Celebrations, page 2A
Jefferson
Jefferson
approves
Elder Dr.
projects
By Mike Buffington
mike@mainstreetnews. com
After two months of con
troversy and a number of
public hearings, the Jeffer
son City Council gave final
approval for a 3 2-lot subdi
vision on Elder Drive at its
June 26 meeting.
The council voted unan
imously to approve the de
velopment by RWH Homes
on 34.5 acres.
During several months of
back-and-forth discussion,
the project was downsized
from 48 lots and a R-2 zon
ing to 32 lots with a R-l
zoning, along with several
conditions.
The project had been
opposed at both planning
commission and previ
ous council meetings by
nearby residents, especial
ly those from Lakeshore
Woods which abuts the
property on the north side.
Although a proposed sec
ondary entrance from that
development was scrapped,
some residents opposed the
project fearing that it might
have runoff that would neg
atively impact Lakeshore’s
Lake Emily, which feeds
into the city reservoir.
The proposal came be
fore the city twice, first
with the R-2, 48-lot plan
See Jefferson, page 2A
Legacy Knoll
Middle School
ribbon cutting
set for July 29
Jackson County school
leaders will host a ribbon
cutting for Legacy Knoll
Middle School, a new mid
dle school on the county’s
west side, on Saturday, July
29, at 10 a.m.
See School, page 2A
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