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The Commerce News
JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 $1.00 COPY
Pendergrass
Pendergrass plans: Progress or ‘overdevelopment’
A large crowd turned out
Tuesday night for two public
healings in Pendergrass over
plans to add more apartments
and townhouses to the town.
Among the proposals is a
plan to create a new downtown
with commercial space and loft
apartments and to build a new
city hall about a mile south on
Hwy. 332.
But the proposals were met
with scorn by some area res
idents who said the town had
grown enough with recent hous
ing developments, one of which
is a massive number of town-
houses under construction just a
stone’s throw from the meeting.
“What makes you think we
need more townhomes?” asked
one man who said there were
already price reductions hap
pening for existing housing de
velopments.
The Pendergrass City Council
is slated to vote on the rezonings
for the proposed developments
in December.
THE PLANS
At the center of the plans is a
project that would create three
buildings of three-stories each in
the heart of downtown, replac
ing the current city hall and the
surrounding area.
The area would cover a little
over 5.5 acres over 5 parcels
fronting Smith Bridges St. and
Glenn Gee Rd.
Two of the buildings would
have retail space on the bottom
floors with two stories of loft
apartments above that. A third
building on the south side of
Glenn Gee Rd. at Blackberry
Ln. would be for apartments
only. That project would create
around 30,000 sq. ft. of retail
space in the downtown and 117
loft apartment units.
Developers said Tuesday
night that there would be little
dedicated parking for the loft
apartments and that sheet park
ing would be “first-come, first-
served.”
Tied to the downtown project
would be a second development
on Hwy. 332 on 22 acres where
developers propose to build
a new apartment complex of
around 165 units next to the ex
isting Blakely apartments.
Just south of that new apart
ment complex, developers
would build the town a new
5,000 sq. ft. city hall on 14 acres.
In addition to those two inter
twined projects, a third project
for 70 townhomes on Hwy. 332
is also in the works.
Both that project and the
downtown project would abut
the Blackberry Farms subdi
vision and many of those who
spoke at Tuesday night’s healing
were from that neighborhood.
One man from the neighbor
ing town of Talmo also spoke
against the developments say
ing Pendergrass had become an
“eyesore” and was a “monstros
ity of overdevelopment.”
Jefferson
First Baptist Church of Jefferson
Jefferson
to break
ground for
aquatics
facility
The City of Jefferson
will hold a groundbreak
ing this Thursday, Nov.
30, for its new aquatics
center. The event will
be held at 11 a.m. at the
site on Old Pendergrass
Rd.
The $13 million
aquatics center — tech
nically a natatorium —
will be an indoor facility
with two pools. It would
be designed both for
competition swimming,
including club and
school teams, and also
for general public use.
The facility will be
located at the comer of
Old Pendergrass Rd.
and Old Swimming
Pool Rd. near the city’s
existing recreation cen
ter.
The increasing de
mand related to com
petition swimming ini
tially drove the issue to
the table, but supporters
note that it will also be
used by the general pub
lic for recreation and
exercise needs for many
senior citizens.
Area high schools
have active swim teams,
but no local facilities to
practice or hold compe
titions. Most local teams
See Aquatics, page 2A
MAILING LABEL
Turkey Can Run
The Miller family participating in the Turkey Can Run for the first time included
(L to R) Anna, Mrs. Claus, Joey, Santa Claus, Akira and Paul.
Jefferson FBC holds
First Baptist Chmch of Jefferson held
its 15th Annual Turkey CAN Run 5k on
Thanksgiving morning to benefit the church
food bank for the community.
There were 932 registered runners. The
Turkey CAN Run 5K is the only Peachtree
Qualifier in Jackson County and it’s the
largest 5K in the county.
Katherine Law was Overall Female run
ner with a time of 18:43 and J. Jeffords was
Overall Male runner with a time of 17:12.
ABOUT THE FOOD BANK
The FBC Food Bank assists hundreds of
Jackson County families every year. The
annual 5K race is an opportunity to ensure
that the mission of the Food Bank continues
to provide food to those in need throughout
the community.
From Sept. 2022 to Aug. 2023, 5,277
people were served by the food bank. Spon
sors from all over Jackson County donate
funds which goes directly to the food bank.
The Food Bank is open Monday and
Wednesdays 1-3 p.m. in the church Student
Center by volunteers from FBC Jefferson
and other local community volunteers.
annual Turkey run
Angie Sagon dressed as a turkey at
the Turkey CAN Run 2023. The event
is organized by the First Baptist
Church of Jefferson. See more pho
tos on page 5A.
Christmas schedule
Downtown Jefferson is aglow with Christmas
lights ahead of the holiday season.
Celebrate the holidays
at events across county
Commerce, Jefferson plan parades this
weekend; various other events coming up
It’s going to be a busy few weeks for Santa Claus leading up to
Christmas. Santa will make several appearances across Jackson
County over the coming weeks as various groups host Christ-
mas-related events.
Both Commerce and Jefferson plan their annual Christmas
parades this weekend. Various nativities and special Christmas
programs are also planned. Details include:
KIDS’ VICTORIAN “CRACKER!”
WORKSHOP PLANNED AT MUSEUM NOV. 30
A Kids’ Victorian “Cracker!” Workshop will be held at the
Crawford W. Long Museum on Nov. 30 from 4-6 p.m.
“Bring in Christmas with a ‘BANG! ’ Come make your own
Christmas Cracker at the Crawford Long Museum,” organizers
said.
The cost is $5 per child. Refreshments will be provided.
Call 706-367-5307 to reserve your spot.
COMMERCE BY CANDLELIGHT PLANNED NOV. 30
Commerce by Candlelight will be held Nov. 30 from 5-8 p.m.
in downtown. This evening will feature pop-up shops and other
downtown retailers, who will stay open late. There will be mu
sic, visits from Santa Claus and a tree-lighting at 7 p.m.
PICTURES WITH SANTA
PLANNED IN PENDERGRASS DEC. 1 AND 8
Pendergrass will host pictures with Santa on Dec. 1 and Dec.
8 from 6-8:30 p.m. both days.
This event will take place at 65 Smith Bridges St., Pender
grass.
BEAVERDAM BAPTIST TO
HOST LIVE NATIVITY DEC. 1-3
Beaverdam Baptist Church will host a live nativity on Dec. 1,
2 and 3 from 6-8 p.m. There will be live characters and animals,
luminaries, hot cocoa, coffee, cookies and crafts for the kids.
Other upcoming events at Beaverdam include:
•Sunday, Dec. 3 — Pre-K Christmas Program titled, “This
Little Light Of Mine” during 11 a.m. worship service
•Sunday, Dec. 10 — K-5th Grade Christmas musical titled,
“Christmas In Kid City” during the 11 a.m. worship service
•Sunday, Dec. 17 — Church Choir musical titled, “Majesty”
during the 11 a.m. worship service
•Sunday, Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve candlelight service at 5
p.m.
The church is located at 1627 Hwy. 59, Commerce.
JEFFERSON TO HOST CHRISTMAS EVENT DEC. 1
Shop downtown Jefferson by candlelight on Dec. 1 from
5-9 p.m. Downtown merchants and pop-up vendors will be set
up. There will also be music, horse-drawn carriage rides, a live
nativity, petting zoo and more.
DONUTS WITH SANTAPLANNED
AT COMMERCE CIVIC CENTER DEC. 2
Four Seasons Garden Club of Commerce will host its annual
Donuts with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 10-11:30 a.m.
This event will take place at the Commerce Civic Center on
State Street.
Donuts and juice will be available for $2 each and photo
graphs can be made with Santa for $5 each.
All donations will be used by the club to support projects such
as Christmas trees for hospice patients and planting flowers and
trees downtown.
COMMERCE TO HOST NIGHT-TIME
CHRISTMAS PARADE DEC. 2
The Commerce Christmas parade will be held Dec. 2 at 6 p.m.
in downtown.
“This year we are doing a night time parade. A Night of
Lights,” city leaders said. “Come and enjoy the parade all lit up!”
JEFFERSON PLANS CHRISTMAS PARADE DEC. 2
Jefferson’s “A Fairy Tale Christmas” celebration will be held
on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 10 a.m. A parade starts at 11 a.m. There
will also be stores and music on the square, train rides for kids,
and photos with Santa at the Crawford W. Long Museum.
See Christmas, page 2A
415 Lee Street • Jefferson, GA
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