Newspaper Page Text
Region Roundup
Grand Jury
No-Bills All
Glenn Charges
JEFFERSON - A list of 30 pro
posed indictments against former
Jefferson Police Chief Darren
Glenn were no-billed by a Jackson
County grand jury Tuesday after
noon. The grand jury’s action
effectively ends two-and-one-
half-years of investigation and
attempts to prosecute Glenn.
Tuesday’s grand jury session
was the third time prosecutors
from the Prosecuting Attorney’s
Council in Atlanta had attempted
to indict Glenn. In October, a
Jackson County Superior Court
judge threw out 30 indictments
against Glenn because prosecu
tors had failed to allow him to
make a statement to the grand
jury.
This week, Glenn did sit through
the grand jury proceedings and
he made a statement at the end
to explain his actions. Glenn said
that during the lengthy investiga
tion, no one with the prosecu
tion had ever interviewed him or
asked his side of the story.
“I’m thrilled,” said attorney
Michael Bowers, who represented
Glenn in the matter.
The Glenn matter began in 2005
when former District Attorney
Tim Madison asked for a state
probe into the JPD.
Two weeks ago, a federal court
judge dismissed a civil case against
Glenn over the demotion of a JPD
officer in 2005 that was entangled
with the state investigation.
Newspaper Web
Site Gets 1 Million
Hits A Month
MainStreetNews.com, the news
and information web site for news
papers in Jackson, Banks and
Madison counties, announced
this week that the site is now aver
aging over one million hits per
month. That translates to 324,000
page views and 107,000 unique
visitors each month.
“Through October of this year,
we averaged 1,012,925 total hits
each month,” said co-publisher
Scott Buffington. “This is a goal
we’ve been working toward for the
past couple of years but we didn’t
expect to get here this soon.
“The interest in MainStreetNews.
com has surpassed our expec
tations and continues to grow,
complementing the growth of
our printed newspapers. The site
is updated on a regular basis,
depending on local happenings.
When we started this site nearly
12 years ago, we had no idea that
the interest and readership would
ever reach these levels.”
The site is currently undergoing
a major overhaul. Beginning in
January, an enhanced classified
viewing and placement system
will be implemented. Later in
2008, a redesign will take place
that will encourage more reader
participation as well as expanded
advertising opportunities.
Eventually, Buffington wants full
online subscriptions of the entire
newspapers available for readers
who prefer an electronic edition.
“Most of our readers still want
a printed newspaper, but we are
increasingly being asked to pro
vide the entire paper electronical
ly,” he said. “And some want both.
We are working toward accom
modating those requests.”
The Braselton News already has
a full electronic edition available
at braseltonnews.com. Readers
can access the entire newspaper
in PDF format.
Meeting Set To
Form Local UGA
Alumni Group
A “Dutch treat” information
meeting on the establishment of
the Jackson County chapter of
the University of Georgia Alumni
Association will be held Tuesday,
Jan. 15, at 6 p.m.
The event will be held at Jeffrey’s
Sports Bar and Grill, located
off Ga. Hwy. 211, at 6332 Grand
Hickory Drive, Braselton.
For more information, e-mail
daniellegriceaustin@yahoo.com
or audraredwards@hotmail.com.
Jackson EMS To
Hold Toy Drive
Saturday At Tanger
The Jackson County Fire and
EMS will collect toys for children
in Jackson County.
A empty med unit will be set up
in front of K-B Toys at Tanger 2 at
Banks Crossing from 9 a.m. until
5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8. Two prior
toy drives were held but enough
toys were not collected to serve
all of the needy children in the
county.
Medical Center
Alzheimer's Class
To Meet Dec. 13
BJC Medical Center and
Nursing Facility will hold its
monthly Alzheimer’s Education
and Support Program Thursday,
Dec. 13, at 6:30 p.m.
The meeting is free and is open
to all interested individuals. This
month’s topic will be “Dealing
With Grief During the Holidays.”
The meeting will be held in the
main conference room located
next to the BJCMC cafeteria. No
RSVP is needed. For more infor-
mation, call Monica McGinnis,
Social Work Director, at 706-335
1314.
Flu Shots Still
Available Through
Local Health Clinics
Flu vaccines are still available
at the Jackson County Health
Department now for only $20.
Because many persons recom
mended for vaccination remain
unvaccinated at the end of
November, public health clinics
continue to conduct vaccination
clinics and other activities that
promote influenza vaccination.
The time to receive influenza
vaccination starts when the vac
cine becomes available in the
local community and continues
into January or later, when the
influenza season typically peaks.
Annual vaccination is particular
ly important for the following
groups:
Persons at high risk for influ
enza-related complications and
severe disease, including:
•children aged six to 59
months.
•pregnant women.
•persons aged greater than or
equal to 50 years.
•persons of any age with cer
tain chronic medical conditions.
Persons who live or care for per
sons at high risks including:
•household contacts and care
givers of persons in the above
groups.
•household contacts and care
givers of children less than six
months (these children also are
at risk for influenza-related com
plications but are too young to
receive influenza vaccination.)
•Health care workers.
Each year, on average, approxi
mately 15-60 million persons in
the United States are infected
with influenza virus; an estimated
200,000 persons are hospitalized
from influenza complications,
and an estimated 36,000 persons
die from those complications.
Influenza vaccination is the best
way to prevent influenza and
potentially severe complications.
CDC recommends that any who
wants to reduce their risk for
influenza infection should be
vaccinated every influenza sea
son.
Influenza (flu) is a contagious
disease. It is caused by the influ
enza virus, which spreads from
infected persons to the nose or
throat of others. Influenza can
lead to pneumonia and can be
dangerous for people with heart
or breathing conditions. It can
cause high fever and seizures in
children.
For more information, con
tact Jackson County Health
Department, Commerce Clinic,
706-335-3895, or Jefferson Clinic,
706-367-5204.
Braselton Wins
$500,000 Grant
For Streetscape
Braselton has been awarded a
$500,000 transportation grant for
a streetscape project on Ga. Hwy.
53 in downtown.
The project will include installa
tion of sidewalks, trees, pedestrian
lights and the burial of overhead
utility lines along the state highway
in downtown Braselton.
Braselton officials estimate the
first phase of the streetscape proj
ect will cost $1.2 million, with
$761,697 coming from local funds.
The local funds will include money
from the town’s general fund bud
get and tourism budget, since the
streetscape project will improve
an area of Braselton named on
the National Register of Historic
Places.
Winder also received a
$500,000 transportation grant for
streetscape project improvements
to Broad Street (Hwy. 53), begin
ning at Porter Street and ending at
Stephens Street. Barrow County is
in the 7th Congressional District.
The Georgia Department of
Transportation announced this
week that Braselton was one
of several jurisdictions in the
10th Congressional District
awarded with a Transportation
Enhancement (TE) program grant.
The TE program is federally-
funded and was originally estab
lished in 1991 by the Intermodal
Surface Transportation Efficiency
Act (ISTEA). The program was con
tinued by the Safe, Accountable,
Flexible, Efficient Transportation
Equity Act - A Legacy For Users
(SAFETEA-LU) in 2005. The
Georgia DOT’s Planning Office
manages the TE program in
Georgia.
This year, the Georgia DOT
received a total of 285 eligible
applications representing com
bined requests for more than $176
in federal funds from all 13 con
gressional districts. In this selec
tion round, $54.6 million in federal
funds are available for fiscal years
2008 and 2009 for distribution
statewide.
The TE program’s goal is to
enrich the transportation experi
ence of Georgians through specif
ic types of enhancement projects.
The kinds of projects funded by
the TE program include multi-use
facilities such as walking and bik
ing trails and paths; streetscaping
and landscaping projects in cities
and towns; historic preservation
of transportation-related facilities
like railroad depots; and scenic
preservation of views and scenic
byways.
Braselton’s project was nominat
ed by State Sen. Ralph Hudgens
(R-Hull), State Sen. Lee Hawkins
(R-Gainesville), State Rep. Tommy
Benton (R-Jefferson) and State
Rep. Tom McCall (R-Elberton).
Weekly Health Tip From Kim Bost
Pharmacist - Owner
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a non-contagious, lifelong skin
disease. Ten to thirty percent of patients with
psoriasis will develop psoriatic arthritis.
Psoriatic arthritis causes pain, stiffness and
swelling around the joints. The itch caused by
psoriasis can often be controlled with a cold
pack or a cool shower. If this does not work
there are many OTC products available. OTC
products for itch include antihistamines,
steroids, capsaicin, topical anesthetics, and
aspirin. Many people find that their psoriasis is
triggered by emotional stress, injury to the skin
. (sunburns and scratches), some types of
infection and reactions to certain drugs. Pain
from psoriatic arthritis can often be controlled
with OTC products such as aspirin and
ibuprofen. For more information on products
to treat your psoriasis contact our pharmacists
at Tiger Town Pharmacy or Homer Drug. Co.
706-335-0099
1939 Homer Rd., Commerce, GA
Intersection of 441 By-Pass and Homer Rd.
In Commerce Professional Park
Monday-Friday 9 - 6; Saturday 9 - 12 Noon; tigertownpharmacy@alltel.net
Help Us Make
A Child’s Chistmas!
New Patients
1st Visit Free
For The Entire
Month of December
(with your toy donation)*
Existing Patients
Free Adjustments
December 19, 2007
10 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
(with your toy donation)*
A Minimum of one or more unwrapped toys
equal to or greater than $15 in value
• All Treatments Will Be Given At No Charge!
• All Case Histories Will Be Given At
• All Exams Will Be Given At
• All X-rays (If Needed) Will Be Given At
A Value Of $250.00
Make Your Appointment
While They Last!
*Due to insurance regulations, Medicare and some
other insurance's may be excluded from this offer.
For Your Health
For Your Future
Dr. Kevin L. Strohman
30346 Hwy. 441 S.
Commerce, GA 30530
Phone: 706-335-2225
Fax: 706-335-2231
www.bulldoghealthcenter.com
Colbert May
Create Its Own
Development Auth.
Colbert might soon join the list
of Madison County municipali
ties using a development author
ity to foster economic growth in
its business district.
The city will decide in January
whether it wants to form a down
town development authority
(DDA) or not. Several area towns
have a DDA, including both
Comer and Danielsville.
Starting a development author
ity could mean more low-interest
loans and grants for those hop
ing to developing the downtown
area.
Colbert mayor John Waggoner,
who said the Northeast Georgia
Regional Development Center
suggested Colbert start a DDA,
noted a special loan program
that’s available if the city opts to
do this.
Through a DDA, a citizen can
lure government loan money
for projects that would enhance
downtown Colbert and then pay
the borrowed sum back to the
city.
For instance, an $100,000 loan
would be paid back to Colbert,
not the government lender, and
that money would enter a city
fund to be used again.
“The $100,000 we don’t have to
pay back,” Waggoner explained.
“It stays in this fund and we can
turn around and loan it to some
body else to do something in the
downtown area.”
The whole idea is economic
development, Waggoner said,
The board would be made up
of 5-7 members and report to the
city council.
Waggoner noted that a devel
opment authority, as long as no
debt is involved, can dissolve at
anytime.
In a matter related to town
improvement, Waggoner suggest
ed forming a five-member task
force to look at design standards
in the city.
Colbert leaders have reviewed
Winterville ordinances that were
handed to them several months
ago by council meeting frequent
ers Carl and Ellyn Trinrud who
suggested that Colbert formulate
its own guidelines to regulate any
thing new that might come into
the city.
While no one on the council
wanted to use the document ver
batim, councilman Jeff Roberts
suggested taking ideas from it.
“We can use this as a building
as a building tool couldn’t we?”
Roberts asked. “We can make
changes we can add or delete
whatever we wanted ... If we set
our mind to doing something like
this, we could use this as a tool to
make our ordinances the way we
want it to read.”
Ellyn Trinrud said that’s what
she had in mind when submit
ting the Winterville model to the
council.
“It’s a place to start,” she said.
“And I could see maybe develop
ing a task force or committee or
a group of people to sit down and
talk about some of these things
and develop our own document.”
Waggoner has asked for the
council to nominate community
members “who are interested
enough in Colbert to meet and
give us guidance.” City leaders will
name that committee in January.
In a more light-hearted matter,
Waggoner said (perhaps jokingly
or not) that he was also going to
form an additional committee in
January — one that would handle
Christmas decorations downtown.
The council has heard reports that
some citizens are clamoring for
better ones.
Commerce Police
DRUG
HOTLINE
To report suspected illegal
drug activity 24 HOURS
A DAY, call the Commerce
Police Department's
DRUG HOTLINE
at
335-2255
Callers may choose to give their
names or may choose not to, but
all source information will be kept
confidential.
Information about other crimes is
also welcome.
NEED PRINTING?
CALL
706-367-5233
Legal Notice
DDS Management LLC has applied for a beer and wine
license to sell malt and vinous beverages by the package at
9195 Jefferson Street, Commerce, GA 30529 with an opening
date of 01/01/2008. All history checks have been completed
and there are no negative responses. The owner of the property
is DDS Properties LLC.
FOR ONLY $5 PER MONTH,
YOU CAN LIST YOUR GROUP'S MEETINGS!
Let your members know when your group is meeting!
Call (706) 367-5233 to advertise your meeting time, place and date in...
• The Jackson Herald • The Commerce News • The Braselton News
• The Banks County News • The Madison County Journal
& UNITY LODGE
F & A.M.
No. 36, Jefferson, GA
1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m.
A. Ben Wurtz • 706-367-1400
Borders St. behind Tabo's 260
JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB
Meets Tuesdays
Jefferson City Clubhouse
12:30 p.m. • (706) 654-2237
Clay Eubanks, President
260
COMMERCE
^AMERICAN LEGION
Commerce Rec. Dept. Post 93
Carson Street - 1st Mon. night
Each Month, 7:30 p.m.
335-6400
BANKS COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.
meets first Monday each month
7:00 p.m. in the Banks Co. Historial
Courthouse at 105 U.S. Hwy. 441
North in Homer Pd.-2/2008
JEFFERSON
^AMERICAN LEGION
Albert Gordon Post 56
Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Harvie Lance, Commander
Phone (706) 654-1274 310
T* Georgia Real Estate Investors
Association, Inc. - Athens
Meets the third Thursday each month
7:00 pm at the Holiday Inn
197 East Broad St, Athens, GA 30601
Tom Hewlett - Chapter President
mailto:thewlett1@charter.net
website: www.gareia.org Pd 10/07
The Jackson Co. Republican Party
Would like you to meet us for
breakfast the second Sat. of each
month, 8:00 at The Jefferson
House. For more information, call
706-652-2967 or email
fishyglass@yahoo.com Pd.05/08
ififc BANKS COUNTY
Mi AMERICAN LEGION
Post 215
Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
Historic Highway 441 Pd.06/08
A&jfe, VETERANS OF
W ! FOREIGN WARS
Post 4872, Hurricane Shoals Convention Ctr.
Each 4th Monday, 7:00 p.m.
Mike Buffington, Commander
Phone 706-335-6532 263
JEFFERSON LIONS CLUB
Meets 2nd & 4th Monday
Jefferson City Clubhouse
6:30 p.m. • (706) 367-1400
Mark Bradley, President
260