Newspaper Page Text
THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS. WEDNESDAY. APRIL 30. 2008 - PAGE 11A
In this photo provided by the Georgia is shown how it helps to prevent crossover
Department of Transportation, a cable barrier wrecks.
No, Those Won't Be Sidewalks
Being Built Along Interstate 85
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Movie Draws A Crowd
The Downtown Development Authority’s free
“Bee Movie” showing Friday night attracted
more than 325 people to Spencer Park. The
movie was part of the Friday’s After 5 series.
The next event will be a concert Friday, May 9,
at 6:00 featuring Boss Laura and Jimmy T, a
classic Southern rock group.
Photo courtesy of the Commerce DDA
Cable Barriers Designed To Stop
Deadly Crossover Acddents
By Kerri Testement
Motorists are being warned:
Come late summer, those won’t
be sidewalks being installed in the
median of Interstate 85.
Instead, those two-foot wide con
crete pads will run under a new
cable barrier system designed to
prevent deadly crossover wrecks.
Already, the Georgia Depart
ment of Transportation is receiv
ing plenty of “silly questions’’
related to a similar project in For
syth County, where crews are in
stalling 13.3 miles of cable barrier
along Ga. Hwy. 400, according to
spokesperson Teri Pope.
“It’s not sidewalks. It’s illegal to
walk on (1-85) and we don’t en
courage anyone to walk on (1-85).
This is to improve safety,’’ Pope
said.
The Georgia DOT will install a
cable barrier system along 41.3
miles along 1-85 from Ga. Hwy. 20
in Gwinnett County, through Bar-
row, Jackson and Banks counties.
The $6.1 million project will end
at the Franklin County line, where
cable barriers along the interstate
now extend to Hart County.
Construction — which will also
include replacing some guardrails
— is expected to start by late sum
mer or early fall, Pope said.
The cable barrier system is
viewed as a life-saving tool.
“It used to be — when cars
weren’t so powerful and speeds
weren’t so high and cars didn’t
weigh as much — vehicles couldn’t
cross that really wide grassy me
dian,’’ Pope said. “It was enough.
It’s not enough anymore.’’
And that’s why the DOT is in
stalling cable barrier systems
along some of Georgia’s limited-
access roads to prevent crossover
wrecks.
The cable barrier system in-
Group Plans Restoration
Of Historic Courthouse
By Angela Gary
A citizen committee planning
a restoration of the historic
courthouse in Jefferson envi
sions a multi-use facility with
a welcome center, archives
storage area, research center
and county museum. Another
recommendation is to locate a
community meeting room in the
restored upstairs courtroom.
Committee members met
Monday at the historic court
house to discuss their upcom
ing presentation to the Jackson
County Board of Commission
ers next week. The committee
will present its recommenda
tions on the project at 6 p.m.
Monday at the new courthouse
in Jefferson. The restoration
will be funded with $2 million
in bond revenue.
“I want to see it become a fo
cal point for Jackson County,’’
member Buz Ward said.
There have been several pos
sible uses discussed for the fa
cility, including offices for the
Jackson County Chamber of
Commerce. Chamber President
Shane Short was at Monday’s
meeting and said the organiza
tion is still interesting in look
ing into locating its offices in
the courthouse. However, he
said the meeting room planned
for upstairs in the courtroom
would not be feasible for the
chamber’s use if it has the old
benches that are in the origi
nal courtroom. There was also
some discussion on whether
the facility would offer any ad
ditional space for the chamber.
The square footage is only a lit
tle more than the chamber has
at its current location.
Recommendations from the
committee on the restoration
include leaving the 1966 addi
tion in place, restoring the 1879
floors and returning the upstairs
courthouse to the way it was in
1907. Other recommendations
will include restoring the clock
tower and making it more ac
cessible for group tours. The
first priority will be stabilizing
the roof.
The committee is also looking
for photos of the historic court
house and any original furnish
ings.
“The committee is looking for
old photographs of the outside
or inside of the historic court
house,’’ committee chairman
Charlotte Mealor said. “And
if you have been given any of
the old furniture, signage or fix
tures, we would greatly appre
ciate your gifts of these items
back to the county for use and/
or display when the restoration
work is completed.’’
Anyone with these items
is asked to call Mealor at
706-757-2471 or committee mem
ber Buz Ward at 770-330-8027.
DID YOU KNOW?
By Preacher Clint
DID YOU KNOW THAT
“GOD’S NOT WILLING
THAT ANY SHOULD
PERISH.” (2nd Peter 3:9)
GOD Sent HIS SON into a sin cursed
world in a body of flesh (Jn. 1:14) just
like you and I have, tempted in all
points as we are, (Matt. 4:) Yet He did
not sin. He lived a life of obedience to
His Heavenly FATHER. HE Knows how
we feel and HE understands our
circumstances. But GOD still requires
our obedience. GOD’S will for our life
is that we believe on HIS SON (Jn.
6:40) When you reject JESUS you reject
GOD. (Jn. 10:30) JESUS came in the
flesh, died in the flesh, and arose from
the grave with a visible body and
ascended back into Heaven to give us
hope. HE DIED FOR US, HE LIVES FOR
US, AND ONE DAY HE IS COMING
BACK FOR US.
Send comments to
Clinton Sexton
116 Ashland Drive
Commerce, GA 30529
3 More Fridays After 5 Events Set
eludes four steel cables pulled
tightly together by a series of posts
anchored by a concrete pad, Pope
explained.
State transportation officials
have said the cable barriers have
helped prevent vehicles crossing
the median and striking vehicles
going in the other direction. In
May 2007, the DOT said the cable
barrier in Franklin and Hart coun
ties stopped four potential cross
over wrecks in a single weekend
on 1-85.
Nationwide Fence and Supply
Company of Chesterfield, MI, is
the contractor for all of the bar
rier projects.
Hoping to bring people into
the downtown, the Commerce
Downtown Development Au
thority will offer three more free
family events Friday evenings
this spring.
“Fridays After 5’’ events include
two free movies and two free
concerts, reports Hasco Craver,
the DDA’s executive director.
The series is funded by a Geor
gia Council for the Arts’ Grass
roots Arts Program grant.
The first, a showing of “Bee
Movie.’’ was held last Friday
On Friday, May 9, and Friday,
May 23, the DDA will host con
certs at 6:00 in the park.
“We plan to have some food
vendors from local restaurants,’’
said Craver. “People can also
bring a picnic and eat at the
park.’’
Boss Laura and Jimmy T, a
classic Southern rock group, will
perform May 9.
The bands will perform from
the gazebo.
The final event is Friday, June
6, when the G-rated movie
“Surf’s Up’’ will be shown. It’s
an action-comedy behind-the-
scenes look at the annual Pen
guin World Surfing Champion
ship featuring Shia LaBeouf,
Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel
and Jon Heder.
“These should be great family
events,’’ Craver said.
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