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The Commerce News
JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 $1.00 COPY
Public safety
Woman
arrested
after
violent
attack
with axe
A woman was recent
ly arrested after a violent
attack on a man involving
an axe.
Jackson County Sher
iff’s Office deputies were
initially called for a do
mestic dispute that oc
curred at 75 Lake Point
Corut in Jefferson on Oct.
10. The woman, Lea Anna
Carpenter, was booked
into the Jackson County
Jail on five felony charges
of aggravated assault, kid
napping, criminal intent
to commit a murder-fam
ily violence, possession
of a firearm/knife during
commission of or attempt
to commit certain crimes
and aggravated battery.
Carpenter faces a misde
meanor charge of criminal
trespass.
According to the report,
Carpenter was covered in
blood head-to-toe and told
officers she thought the
man was planning to kill
her. She told deputies that
the man had purchased a
machete and wouldn’t let
her leave to get a job. Car
penter said the man came
through a hall with a ma
chete and that she chased
him. She said she threw
an axe at the man and
“beat his a-.”
When asked if the man
was still alive, Carpenter
said she wasn’t sure.
Officers found the man
sitting on the ground at
a neighboring residence.
He, too, was covered in
blood head-to-toe. He told
officers that Carpenter
thought he was trying to
poison her. He said that
when he woke up that
morning, Carpenter was
at the fireplace with an
axe and hatchet and had
blocked the door with
chairs. He said she told
him to sit down and not
to move and that she was
going to hit his head with
the axe.
She reportedly threw
See Carpenter, page 2A
MAILING LABEL
Commerce schools
Superintendent Tolbert announces retirement
Commerce City Schools
Superintendent Joy Tol
bert will retire next year.
Tolbert’s retirement will
go into effect on June 30,
2024.
The Commerce Board
of Education voted Mon
day night to hire Frank
King and Associates to do
a search for a new superin
tendent.
Tolbert has been em
ployed with the Commerce
school system since 1997.
She previously taught
family and consumer sci
ences before transitioning
into administrative roles.
Tolbert was named interim
superintendent in 2013 af
ter the retirement of James
“Mac” McCoy. She was
named superintendent in
August 2013.
Tolbert began her teach
ing career in 1994, teach
ing at Lumpkin County
High School and West
Jackson Middle School
prior to coming to Com
merce. She is also a grad
uate of Commerce High
School.
Tolbert and her husband,
Scott, have two daughters.
Tolbert’s retirement will
coincide with the gradua
tion year of her youngest
daughter.
JHS
Election
Reed, Brown named Jefferson
Homecoming Queen and King
Photos by CADY Studios
Rachel Reed was crowned the Jefferson High School 2023 Homecoming
Queen Friday night. She is pictured being crowned by Alexandria Lassiter.
Rachel Reed was named the Jefferson High
School 2023 Homecoming Queen on Friday
night. Other Homecoming Queen representa
tives included: Lanier Ashley, Jayla Beasley,
KyLeigh Britt, Audrey Burton, Kyson Bute and
Gertrude Nazaroff. Sammy Brown was named
Homecoming King on Saturday. Other Home
coming King representatives included: Justin
Beatty, Ben Dorough, Jake Dorough, Owen
Primm, Caleb Rudisill and Skyler Zimmerman.
Rachel Reed was named
the Jefferson High
School 2023 Homecom
ing Queen on Friday
night. She is pictured
here with the 2023 JHS
Homecoming King
Sammy Brown, who
was crowned King at
the dance on Saturday
night.
Public safety
E J ('IIS student arrested
for having gun on campus
An East Jackson Comprehensive High
School student was arrested last Wednes
day for having a weapon on campus.
In a letter to parents, EJCHS princi
pal Matt Stratemeyer said administra
tors were told that a student had a loaded
handgun.
“The student was immediately taken
into custody by the Jackson County Sher
iff’s Office, is no longer on campus, and
will be facing disciplinary consequences
and criminal charges,” Stratemeyer said.
Neither the age or name of the student
was given, nor have any other details
been posted by the school system on its
various social media pages.
Candidate questionnaire responses inside
Read responses for the Mainstreet Newspapers’
candidate questionnaire inside beginning on page
8A.
Early voting in full
swing for Nov. 7 election
Election season is in full swing for the Nov. 7 General
Municipal Election.
Early voting opened this week and will be held through
Nov. 3. Remaining dates for early voting include:
• This week through Oct. 21, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• October 23-28, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Oct. 30-Nov. 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All early voting will be held at the Jackson County Elec
tions Office, 441 Gordon St., Jefferson.
Braselton and Commerce satellite early voting locations
will not be open for the municipal elections.
Absentee ballot requests may be submitted until Oct.
27. To access a request form, visit https://www.jacksoncou
ntygov.com/195/Current-Election-Information or visit the
Jackson County Elections Office.
An absentee ballot dropbox will be available at the coun
ty elections office during early voting hours. The dropbox
will close on Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. (the closing of early voting).
Ballots may be dropped off at the county elections office
on Election Day until 7 p.m. Absentee ballots will not be
received at the polling location on Election Day.
ON THE BALLOT
(NOTE: The candidates for Pendergrass City Council
were accidentally left out of last week’s story. They are list
ed below with the other municipalities.)
Candidates and other items on the Nov. 7 ballots include:
BRASELTON
• District 1: Becky Richardson, incumbent, and Joshua
Spearman
• District 3: Jim Joedecke Jr., incumbent, and Tom Lo
gan
COMMERCE
• City Council Ward 3: Mark Fitzpatrick (incumbent)
and Alicia Vargas
• City Council Ward 5: Roshuanda Merritt, Marty Vitug
and Ronald Silver
• A bond referendum to allow the city to issue up to $13
million in bonds to fund a double-gym recreation facility.
HOSCHTON
• Mayor (filling the unexpired term of Lauren O’Leary):
Michael Beck, Debbie Martin and Nick Sutton
• 2-year term (filling the unexpired term of Scott Mims):
David Brown, Monti Robinson and Tammy Sweat
• 4-year terms (three spots open): Christina Brown, Scott
Courier, Melba Moss, J.J. Jackson and Shannon Sell
JEFFERSON
• School Board District 1: Catherine Peer and Ashley
Wheaton Smith
MAYSVILLE
• Mayor: Richard Presley (incumbent) and William S.
McLeish Jr
• Council member Ward 4: Brodriche D. Jackson and
Roy Dean
NICHOLSON
• Mayor: Steve Nichols and Jan Webster, incumbent
PENDERGRASS
• Councilmembers (three seats up for grabs): Gabriel
Gomez (incumbent), Joshua Auten, Tara Bonner (incum
bent) and Sylvia Basak
ELECTION DAY
Voting on Election Day, Nov. 7, will be held from 7 a.m.
to 7 p.m.
Election Day Polling Locations include:
•Updated: Braselton, Braselton Police and Municipal
Court Building, 5040 Hwy. 53, Braselton.
• Commerce, First Baptist Church of Commerce, 1345
South Elm St., Commerce
• Hoschton, Hoschton City Hall, 65 City Sq., Hoschton
• Jefferson, Jefferson Civic Center, 65 Kissam St., Jef
ferson
• Maysville, StonePath Church, 8430 Maysville Rd.,
Maysville
• Nicholson, Benton Hall/Nicholson City Hall, 5488
Hwy. 441, Nicholson
• Pendergrass, Pendergrass City Hall, 65 Smith Bridges
St., Pendergrass.
415 Lee Street • Jefferson, GA
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