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'Zrzar ? egion Roundup
Help With
Heating Bills
Being Offered
The Georgia Department of
Human Resources has announced
that $1.6 million in emergency
contingency funds are available
to help low-income families meet
home energy costs.
The Low Income Home Energy
Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
funds will provide households
across the state with heating
assistance for the winter months
ahead. The federally-funded pro
gram helps more than 80,000 eli
gible Georgia families with heat
ing and cooling assistance each
year.
The maximum payment for qual
ifying applicants is $250. Funds
will be distributed on a first-come
first-served basis. Individuals must
apply at the community action
agency that serves their county.
Applicants can call 1-800-869-
1150 or visit http://gcaaonline.
org to locate the nearest commu
nity action agency in their area.
To qualify for the LIHEAP
program applicants must have
a yearly household income that
meets federal poverty guidelines.
For a one-person household, that
would be $15,315; for two people
$20,535; for three people $25,755;
for four people $30,975; for five
people $36,195; for six people
$41,415; for seven people $46,635;
for eight people $51,855; and
for each additional person, add
$5,220 in household income.
Applicants must provide a copy
of their most recent heating bill
or a statement of service from
their heating provider. They must
also provide proof of household
income for the last 30 days, such
as a pay stub or letter from an
employer. Applicants are required
to have a valid Social Security
number for all household mem
bers.
Those who have a need are
encouraged to apply as soon as
possible.
New System Makes
Vital Records
Easier To Obtain
The Georgia Department of
Human Resources, Division of
Public Health, Office of Vital
Records has implemented a new
system that will significantly
reduce the length of time it takes
Georgians to obtain official cop
ies of birth and death certificates.
The Vital Events Information
System (VEIS) is an electronic
registration system of vital records
that now allows constituents to
receive copies of their vital events
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within a few days — compared to
weeks with the old paper-based
system. The system also improves
the quality and accuracy of vital
events data.
The VEIS began as a pilot proj
ect in April 2007. It was rolled out
statewide in August of 2007, with
an initial focus on birth registra
tion.
The pilot stage for death regis
tration began in November and
will be rolled out statewide in
February.
Prior to VEIS, it took as long as
six to eight weeks for births to be
registered in the system and made
available to customers. With the
new system, these vital records
are registered and produced per a
customer’s request within an aver
age of 13 days.
The new electronic system not
only focuses on reducing the time
it takes to make vital records
available to customers, but it pro
vides more reliable data as well.
Vital records data is often used by
key partners such as the Division
of Family and Children Services
and parents to help make public
health decisions for at-risk chil
dren. Accurate information is also
imperative for families who have
suffered a loss and need to obtain
death certificates for insurance
purposes.
Other features of VEIS include:
• Certified copies of vital events
now available in all Georgia coun
ties.
• Local custodians can issue
certified copies of vital records.
• Registration of paternity
acknowledgments at hospitals
without delay.
For more information about
the Office of Vital Records, visit:
http://health.state.ga.us/pro
grams/ vitalrecords/index.asp.
Red Cross Cites
Urgent Need For
Several Blood Types
ATHENS - Less than four weeks
into the new year, the American
Red Cross has a severe shortage
of several blood types. Supplies
of O negative, O positive, B nega
tive, B positive and A negative
blood are currently at less than
a day’s supply despite repeated
calls to donors to give blood over
the past month.
These levels will drop further in
the coming days without an imme
diate increase in blood donations.
It is especially crucial for type
O and type B blood donors to
donate within the next few days.
These are the most commonly
used blood types and are needed
to treat patients every single day.
O negative blood can be used for
all patients, but it is essential to
the treatment of trauma patients,
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newborns and pregnant women.
“There is a constant need for
all blood types. At times like this
when there is a severe shortage
of the most widely used blood
types on the shelves, it is felt
across the region,’’ said Randy
Edwards, chief executive officer
of the American Red Cross Blood
Services, Southern Region. “We
need people to come out and
donate.’’
The American Red Cross
encourages everyone who can
give to donate blood as soon as
possible. There are never enough
blood donations made in Georgia
to provide adequate blood for the
patients in this state. Oftentimes,
blood must be brought in from
other states to routinely meet the
needs here. However, during the
winter, donations drop and the
region’s supply of blood takes
a huge dip to dangerously low
levels.
Blood drives are being held
across Georgia at various times
and locations. Donors are asked
to visit www.givebloodredcross.
org or call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE. The
Southern Region needs 1,200
blood donations a day in order to
adequately supply more than 130
hospitals and health care facilities
in the state. Donors must be age
17 or older and weigh at least 110
pounds.
Building Permits
For Homes Down
9 Percent In '07
DANIELSVILLE - The Madison
County Building Inspections
issued 192 permits for stick-built
houses in 2007, a nine percent
drop from the previous year’s
total of 211. Meanwhile, 74 mobile
home permits were issued last
year, a 26 percent drop from the
100 issued in 2006.
Mobile home permits have dras
tically decreased over the past 12
years in Madison County, with
last year’s total only one-fifth of
the 1995 figure of 373.
Madison County
Recall Reader
Is Fined By State
DANIELSVILLE - The man
who led the failed recall effort
against Madison County District
1 Commissioner Stanley Thomas
must pay a fine for failure to
file proper campaign disclosure
reports.
Jerry Williams, chairman of
the Committee to Recall Stanley
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City Of Commerce
NOTICE OF SURPLUS PROPERTY SALE
The City of Commerce will be accepting sealed bids on the old electrical substation property
located on Hwy. 98 North in Commerce as more particularly described below. Bids must be
submitted no later than 10:00 A.M., Friday, February 15, 2008. All bids must be submitted to
the City of Commerce, City Clerk's office located at 27 Sycamore Street, Commerce, Georgia in
an envelope marked "SEAL PROPERTY BID". A plat of said property may be viewed at City Hall.
The condition of sale shall be for cash paid at closing with the Buyer paying all costs of closing.
Bids will be opened at City Hall on February 15, 2008 at 10:30 A.M. o'clock. The City of
Commerce reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids submitted or to cancel the sale.
LEGAL DESCRIPTION FOR SURPLUS PROPERTY ADVERTISEMENT
All that tract and parcel of land lying and being in the 255 District G M., City of Commerce,
Jackson County, Georgia being more particularly described as follows:
Commence at the intersection of the center line of Washington Street with the southwestern
right of way of GA Hwy. 98; thence in a northwesterly direction along the southwesterly
right of way of GA Hwy. 98 485' to an iron pin which is the TRUE POINT OF BEGINNING;
thence South 15° West 200' to an iron pin located on the northerly right of way of Peach
Street; thence North 75° West 50' along said right of way to an iron pin; thence North 15°
East 200' to an iron pin located on the right of way of GA Hwy. 98; thence South 75° East
50' to the true point of beginning, containing 0.2296 acres. The City reserves a utility and
access easement 10' in width running along and adjacent to the eastern boundary of the
property from the right of way of GA Hwy. 98 to the right of way of Peach Street as more
fully shown and delineated on a survey for the City of Commerce prepared by Ingram,
Lord and Associates, Barry D. Lord Ga. RLS No. 2641 dated December 19, 2007, which
said survey is incorporated herein by referenced thereto.
/
Thomas, signed a “consent order’’
with the State Ethics Commission,
agreeing to pay $3,500 for failing
to file campaign contribution dis
closure reports, which are required
of all recall committees. The con
sent order was officially approved
by the Ethics Commission Jan. 24.
Thomas filed the ethics complaint
against Williams.
“Respondent admits and ack
nowledges that he failed to file
the four Campaign Contribution
Disclosure Reports (CCDRs)
required of recall committees
with the Commission,’’ the order
stated.
The Ethics Commission also
found that Williams failed to
report a $2,500 contribution
by former commissioner John
Scoggins to the recall effort.
“Respondent failed to report
an in-kind contribution of $2,500
made by John Scoggins for legal
fees incurred by the recall com
mittee,’’ the order stated.
According to the order, Williams
must pay the $3,500 civil fine
within 30 days of the order.
‘The civil penalty must be paid
out of Respondent’s personal
funds and not campaign funds,’’
the order stated.
Williams was ordered last year
to pay over $7,000 in legal fees
for Thomas, who had to hire a
lawyer to defend himself against
the recall effort.
Another Madison County
case before the State Ethics
Commission is still pending,
according to Commission spokes
person Rick Thompson.
District 2 Commissioner John
Pethel alleges that board of com
mission chairman Wesley Nash
inappropriately used a coun
ty computer to print political
material during the 2004 BOC’s
chairman’s race.
A preliminary hearing before
the Ethics Commission was wai
ved in November.
“We haven’t gone any further than
that,’’ said Thompson Monday.
“We’re still working with them to
try to resolve the matter.’’
SPFOST Up
For Renewal In
Madison County
DANIELSVILLE - Madison
County voters will be asked to
offer a “Yes’’ or a “No’’ on renew
ing the county’s one-cent special
purpose local option sales tax
(SPLOST) for another six years.
Should voters give the go-ahead
to six more years of SPLOST, then
the county government will tackle
a wide array of county projects,
such as doubling the capacity of
the county jail, improving roads,
funding a commercial sewer sys
tem in Hull, improving the recre
ation department, expanding the
library, renovating the courthouse,
improving emergency commu
nications, improving municipal
water systems and more.
If voters once again approve
the tax, here is how the antici
pated $12.6 million will be divided
over the next six years: roads,
$3.95 million; jail expansion,
$3.3 million; IDA (sewage/water
sources), $1.19 million; recreation
department projects, $1 million;
library expansion, $750,000;
911 upgrades, $424,000; EMS
upgrades, $270,000; transfer sta
tion upgrades, $124,000; historic
courthouse renovations, $90,000;
Comer, $580,000; Colbert,
$269,000; Danielsville, $252,000;
Ila, $181,000; Carlton, $128,000;
and Hull, $88,000.
Health Clinics
Offering Vaccine
For Meningitis
For a limited time, the Jackson
County Health Department is
offering Menactra vaccine for
$14.75. The vaccine is offered on a
first-come, first-serve basis while
supplies last. Menactra vaccine
provides protection against four
strains of the bacteria N. meningi-
tides, which causes most cases of
bacterial meningitis. In the United
States, about 1,400 to 2,800 cases
are reported each year.
Immunization is especially
recommended for older children
and young adults (age 11 and
up). Those at risk for meningitis
include: college freshmen living
in dormitories, someone with a
damaged or removed spleen or
those with an immune system
disorder.
Bacterial meningitis is a serious
infection of the lining and fluid
that surrounds the spinal cord
and brain. The primary symp
toms are a sudden onset of hea
dache, fever and stiff neck, often
with other symptoms such as nau
sea, vomiting, sensitivity to light
and a rash. Bacterial meningitis
can result in death or permanent
disability.
The incidence of bacterial
meningitis is low compared to
other infections, and the commu
nicability is low, so vaccination is
not required for school or colle
ge. However, immunization is the
most effective way to reduce the
incidence of death and serious
permanent consequences of this
Scholarship
Okays Fee For
GED Testing
The new Georgia Fund
Scholarship pays the $95 testing
fee for all adult learners who
live in designated rural counties
across Georgia, including Banks
County.
To qualify for this scholarship,
participants must:
• reside in Banks County.
• be enrolled in GED classes at
the Banks County Adult Learning
Center.
• meet the minimum attendance
requirement (12 hours).
•achieve the status of “Test
Readiness’’ (Level 6) on a skills
test and GED practice test.
For more information, call the
Banks County Adult Learning
Center, 706-677-4302, or drop by
during regular, business hours
(Mondays through Wednesdays,
8:30 - 5:30, and Tuesdays and
Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.).
The Georgia Fund Scholarship
will be offered to qualifying stu
dents one time only. Students
must pay for second attempts at
passing the GED.
NEWS DEADLINE
4:00 MONDAYS
DID YOU KNOW?
By Preacher Clint
DID YOU KNOW THAT GOD’S
SALVATION IS AS SIMPLE AS A, B, C.
A. Admit that you are a
sinner...Romans 3:23 For all have
sinned, and come short of the glory
of God; B. Believe that “JESUS is
the only begotten son of GOD and
that he came to die for our
sins...John 3:16 For God so loved
the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. C.
Confess that JESUS is LORD.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from
the dead, though shalt be saved.
ADMIT, BELIEVE AND CONFESS...
Send comments to
Clinton Sexton
116 Ashland Drive
Commerce, GA 30529
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