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frir/r Region Roundup 'Obama Party' Set Thursday At Civic Center The North Jackson Committee for Change will host a “Barack Obama Convention Watch Party" Thursday night at the Commerce Civic Center. The event begins at 8 p.m. and will be preceded by a voter registration drive. The intent is to celebrate the “historic moment of his nomination acceptance speech for president of the United States," organizers said. The party will watch a live broadcast from Mile High Stadium in Denver. Refreshments will be served, and supporters of Sen. Obama are encour aged to bring the whole family. For information, call Mamata Shetty at 706-335- 2262. Anyone interested in registering to vote or volunteering to help in the Obama campaign should call Gail Cox at 706-335- 5010. Scam Alleged At Banks Co. Restaurant HOMER - An investiga tion by the Banks County Sheriff’s Office led to fel ony arrest warrants being issued for 11 employees of the Banks Crossing Applebee’s last week. Sheriff Charles Chapman said the employees, all of whom were waitstaff, were involved in a scam involving gift cards. They allegedly manipulated the cards for approximately $70,000 in a scam, which may have been going on for up to a year, the sheriff said. Four employees were arrested last weekend and two Monday morning. Warrants are still out for five additional employees. Those arrested and charged with felony theft by taking include: •Sherry Lynn Bordelon, 48, 689 County Line Road, Toccoa. • Christina Lee Greenway, 663 Union Hill Road, Homer. • CristinMarieLivingston, 25, 43 Homer Street, Maysville. •Meighan Leigh Phillips, 30, 2331 North Broad Street, Commerce. •Amy Michelle Keseler, 31, Toccoa. • Scott M. McCallister, 25, Commerce. Warrants are still out standing for Ricky Shane Folds, Madelyn Shundman, Angela Kigiah, Richard Osburn and Susan Nicole Stapp. Banks Holiday Festival Set This Weekend The 36th annual Banks County Holiday Festival will be held this weekend in downtown Homer. The theme will be “Celebrating Banks County’s 150 years." Booths will open at vari ous times Friday, Aug. 29. The Holman Autry Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, booths will be open all day. A parade will be held at 10 a.m. Former board of commis sioners chairman Milton Patterson, who served from 1986-1997, will be the chair man. Entertainment Saturday afternoon will be provid ed by the Banks County Band and Majorettes, 11 a.m.; the Banks County Twirlers, noon; doggers, 1 p.m.; square dancers, 1:30 p.m., Redemption Outreach Dance Team, 2 p.m.; karaoke, hula hoop, limbo and other activities, 3 p.m.; Apple City Cloggers, 3:30 p.m.; cakewalk, 4 p.m.; Marcus Dobbs, 5 p.m.; and Peggie Hoskins and Vertigo, 7:30 p.m. A special feature will be “Tubby," a snow-tubing activity. On Sunday, Aug. 31, gos pel music will be provided by The Browns, Georgia and The Reggie Saddler Family. Sign On 1-85 May Have To Be Taken Down A billboard on Interstate 85 may have to come down if the Quad Cities Planning Commission fol lows the recommendation of Jefferson City Manager John Ward. The Race Trac sign was recently updated to include electronic control of gas prices data that can be changed remotely. The sign has increased business at Race Trac, but it may have to be taken down because city leaders say it violates the town’s sign ordinance. Matt Varn, of Valdosta AAA Signs, appeared before the Quad Cities Planning Commission last week to ask the board to overturn the ruling by the zoning administrator. The town’s zoning admin istrator, John Ward, who also serves as city man ager, asked the QCPC not to overturn his ruling. The QCPC postponed tak ing any action until next month’s meeting, which will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, at the Jefferson Civic Center. WE DELIVER! All deliveries are Delivered and Dumped. All products available in dump truck loads and tractor trailer loads. 473 Lee Street Jefferson, GA Open 6 days per week 706-367-3862 LANDSCAPING SPECIALS! Mulches & Bark Red Dyed Mulch $25/scoop Brown Mulch $25/scoop Double Ground Hd $25/scoop Cypress Mulch $28/scoop Straw Matting for Slopes 71/2’xl20’ Reasonably Priced $40/Roll Tractor Trailer Load discounts available Delivery on 10 scoops or more free up to 10 miles from lot, then $1 per mile both ways thereafter Straw Wheat Straw/Mulch Hay $4/bale Long Needle Pinestraw $3.50/bale 100 Bales or more picked up $3.25/bale Delivery on 100 bales or more free up to 10 miles from lot, then $1 per mile both ways thereafter Coastal Bermuda Feed Hay (Great for cows and horses) Square Bales $7/Bale Top Soil & Fill Dirt Available Call for details. We Buy All Gold & Silver .(jainesoiKe mms 770-532-2592 1020 Jesse Jewell Pkwy. • Gainesville, GA Mon. -Thurs. 10-6:30 • Fri. - Sat. 10-7 Including: • Class Rings • Wedding Bands , • Coins • Broken Jewelry • Dental Gold OPENING Saturday, August 29 10:00 a.m. Noiv Hiring! ^Christian OOKSTORE & COFFEEHOUSE 706-423-9608 Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10-7, Wed. 10-5, Sun. Closed 417 Pottery Factory Drive • Commerce, GA Right behind Zaxby’s www.booksncaffeine.com m m THANK YOU Clear was the morning Woody rode out on his favorite ride a Harley bike. Little did he know that it would be his last morning with family and friends. We the family wish to thank everyone for your love, prayers, friendship, food, flowers or just spoken words of comfort. God has blessed us with his love and mercy and the promise of tomorrow. Thank you to each and everyone. The Daniel “Woody” Wood Family Varner said he met with city staff before installing the sign and was told it would meet city code. He said it was installed, even though the permit had not yet been issued. Varner apologized and said he thought the sign met the code and the permit was just a formality. Jerry Weitz, planning consultant for QCPC, said the sign exceeds the town’s height and area require ments. Varner said he believes the sign was denied because it is an electronic billboard with the gas prices chang ing. The town’s sign ordi nance doesn’t allow “multi faceted" billboards. The original sign was erected in the 1990s. The only change was to add the electronic gas price change capability. Ward said allowing the sign to remain up would impact the overall “look of the town." He added that the intent of the sign ordi nance was to not allow any new billboards. He said that replacing or adding to an existing sign would create a non-conforming use and argued that approving the request would set a prec edent for all non-conform ing signs. In his rebuttal, Varner said the changes to the sign cre ate a “more efficient way of updating gas prices." Funding Cut Kills Braselton's Grant Chances A state grant that could have helped Braselton install more wells is being suspended, due to a slump ing economy. The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) announced last Thursday that budget cutbacks will mean the suspension of a $40 million water sup ply competitive grant pro gram. Braselton applied for a grant in July, seeking $608,800 to help fund five new wells. Despite state funding no longer being an option, Braselton will continue with the project using only local funds. “We’re going to go for ward with our project any way," said town manager Jennifer Scott. Service Loan & Tax Here to meet all your loan and tax needs. Most cases you can pick up your cash in one hour or less. Call or come by today! We also have phone services, no deposit required. Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 6:00p.m. Kesha Ivory & Sandy Anderson Jeff Suggs & Connie Wood 49 Washington St. • Jefferson, GA 1730 N. Broad St • Commerce, GA 706-367-9700 706-423-9660 All applications subject to our liberal credit policies. We offer personal loans from $150.00 to $500.00/ Telephone Applications Welcome. Call or Come Visit Us Today! rg| 1816 N. Broad Street SECURITY Commerce, GA 30529 Wm (706)335-3551 'More if you qualify. All loans are subject to our liberal credit policy and credit limitations, if any. City of Commerce PUBLIC NOTICE The Mayor and Council of the City of Commerce does hereby announce that the millage rate will be set at a meeting to be held at the Commerce City Hall located at 27 Sycamore Street, Commerce, Georgia on September 11, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. and pursuant to the requirements of O.C.G.A. Section 48-5-32 does hereby publish the following presentation of the current year's tax digest and levy, along with the history of the tax digest and levy for the past five years. CURRENT 2008 TAX DIGEST AND 5-YEAR HISTORY OF LEVY INCORPORATED 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Real & Personal 127,274,894 139,077,024 147,720,309 158,856,985 177,630,311 187,145,917 Motor Vehicles 12,017,890 12,935,400 12,545,250 12,189,260 13,506,130 14,888,060 Mobile Homes 1,357,728 1,299,042 1,353,572 1,198,799 1,093,292 1,065,467 Timber - 100% 6,394 12,934 0 0 0 10,486 Heavy Duty Equipment 0 0 3,567 0 0 8,495 Gross Digest 140,656,906 153,324,400 161,622,698 172,245,044 192,229,733 203,118,425 Less M & O Exemptions 13,497,242 15,028,672 17,232,576 19,916,193 25,894,034 27,761,748 Net M & O Digest $127,159,664 $138,295,728 $144,390,122 $152,328,851 $166,335,699 $175,356,677 Gross M & O Millage 7.446 7.945 8.828 9.812 9.151 9.349 Less Rollbacks 6.206 6.265 7.168 8.152 8.091 7.849 Net M & O Millage 1.24 1.68 1.66 1.66 1.06 1.50 Net Taxes Levied $157,678 $232,337 $239,688 $252,866 $176,316 $263,035 Tax Increase $37,175 $74,659 $7,351 $13,178 -$76,550 $86,719 Percentage Increase 30.85%' 47.35% 3.16% 5.50% -30.27% 49.18% 1-85 Exit 140 presents POLARIS OF ATHENS “NIGHT AT THE RACES” AUGUST 30 Gates Open at 5:30 p.m. RACING at 7:30 p.m. Drawing at 9:30 p.m. WIN A FREE POLARIS 300 4 - WHEELER “Must be present to win!” Plus 100 Lap Georgia Asphalt Series Outlaw Late Models Toyota Tundra Super Truck Series Twin 25 Lap Mini Stocks