Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

SEE PAGE IB The Tigers Enjoying Late Season Surge SEE PAGE 8A Education 'Bus Tour' Stops At E.J. Elementary Vol. 133 No. 38 20 Pages 3 Sections Nicholson To Revisit Starting A Police Force By Sharon Hogan Once again, the Nicholson City Council is being asked to start a police depart ment. Deloris Chambers made an emotional plea to the council last Thursday night to form a police depart ment. She said the city has a problem with kids being out at all hours of the night. “Little girls unescorted, kids on 4-wheelers, 2-wheel- ers, motorcycles are out at night," Chambers said. “I think we need to see some laws in our little town. I don’t want to be someone’s next victim." A meeting was set for 7 p.m. Nov. 10 with city offi cials and residents to dis cuss the matter further. Chambers said she could Please Turn to Page 3A THURSDAY, NOV. 6 Sunny: Low, 47; high, 76; 0% chance rain FRIDAY, NOV. 7 Showers: Low, 47; high, 71; 60% chance rain SATURDAY, NOV. 8 Partly cloudy: Low, 38; high, 65; 20% chance rain SUNDAY, NOV. 9 . Sunny: Low, 36; high, 64; 0% chance rain Reservoir Levels Commerce: 697.6 (full) Bear Creek: 686.49 (8.51 feet below full) Rainfall this month 0 inches Rainfall This Year 40.27 Inches INDEX Births 7B Church News .... 6B Classified Ads.... .. 1-4C Calendar 3 A Crime News 6A News Roundup .. 2 A Obituaries 5B Opinions 4A School News .... ...7-8 A Sports ...1-4B Social News ..7-8B 50 Cents COVERING THE COMMERCE AREA SINCE 1875 McCain. 17.772 Obama, 4,947 Burchett, 49 Chaney. 65 Hill, 34 No Surprises: Jackson Solid For McCain; Broun Bests Saxon, Chaney Wins Ward 1 America may have elected Barack Obama president in a landslide Tuesday, but the Democrat’s coat tails did not extend to Georgia, and certainly not to Jackson County. The county remained overwhelm ingly red, handing John McCain a 17,772-4,947 win. Jackson County backed incumbent GOP Senator Saxby Chambliss 15,765-5,414 over Democratic challenger Jim Martin and helped incumbent State Rep. Paul Broun beat challenger Bobby Saxon 16,166-5,964 as Broun carried 61 percent of the vote districtwide. State Senator Ralph Hudgens won Jackson with a 13,275-4,715 margin over Democrat Tim Riley as he carried the 47th District with 65 percent of the vote. More than 65 percent of Jackson County voters went to the polls. Former Commerce resident Lauren “Bubba" McDonald finds himself in a runoff for the Public Service Commission. McDonald won 48 percent statewide, with Democrat Jim Powell at 47 percent. Libertarian Brandon Givins’ five per cent put McDonald (R-Cumming) into the runoff with Powell. Commerce Special Election Former city councilman Archie D. Chaney Jr. won the Commerce City Council special election to fill the unexpired term from Ward 1. He won with 65 votes in a race that drew only 34 percent voter turnout. Keith Burchett received 49 votes and Aretha Hill 34. City voters approved the increased homestead exemption on school taxes for low-income elderly resi dents by a 290-91 margin. Eat Mor Suckers Ridge Love, 2, of Nicholson took a break from Downtown Trick-or-Treat activities Friday afternoon to enjoy a sucker. He came dressed as a cow. Photo by Mark Beardsley DOT Re-Evaluating Local Road Projects Local road projects are on hiatus as a result of the economic slowdown and its effect on state funding. Department of Transportation spokesper son Teri Pope said that all projects in the preconstruc tion process “are being reviewed based on a cost benefit analysis." Among them are the addi tion of two lanes to Interstate 85 and the improvements to the intersection of Maysville Road, B. Wilson Road and W.E. King Road near the Quality Foods Shopping Center. According to Pope, the Please Turn to Page 3A Blood Drive Next Tuesday The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive Tuesday, Nov. 11, from noon to 6:00 p.m., at the First Baptist Church of Commerce Family Life Cen- ter, 1345 S. Elm Street. The American Red Cross provides blood services to all area hospitals, including BJC Hospital, Athens Regional Medical Center and the Gainesville and Atlanta hospitals. Potential donors must be 17, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health. All donors will receive a Chick-Fil-A coupon and have their names entered in a drawing for a $1,000 shopping card. Nicholson Approves Its First Zoning Ordinance By Sharon Hogan The Nicholson City Council approved its first- ever zoning ordinance Monday night but not before it changed the proposed zoning on 11.43 acres. City attorney Rob Russell said at Thursday’s work session the city’s new zon ing ordinance has four clas sifications, and the map leaves all property zoned in accordance with how it’s currently being used, he said. “We are not asking anyone to change the use of their property," Russell added. The zoning classifications are: ARR1, agricultural; R2, residential-manufactured homes; Rl, residential-stick built homes; and commer cial/business. Russell said one reason the council is adopting the zon ing is because the county could object to any annexa tion into the city without the zoning in place. In a related move, Larry Farmer asked the council to change the zoning on his property on Cabin Creek Drive at J.S. Williamson Court from ARR1 to allow him to subdivide the prop erty. “I am asking for the change before the zoning becomes law," Farmer said. “There is no zoning at this time, cor rect?" Mayor Ronnie Maxwell said, “I don’t see any prob lem with changing the map before it is adopted." When asked by council man Howard Wilbanks what his plans were for the property, Farmer said he intended to sell a portion to his nephew for a manu factured home or a site-built house. Wilbanks said he would rather see a zoning change for a site-built house. But Farmer said it wouldn’t be fair to limit it to a site-built house because manufac tured homes are already in the area. The zoning ordinance was approved with the stipulation that Farmer’s property be changed from ARR1 to R2. Mayors Would like To See County Oversee All Municipal Elections Should Jackson County be in charge of all municipal elections in the county? The mayors of the county’s nine municipalities appar ently think so. Commerce Mayor Charles L. Hardy Jr. report ed to his city council last Monday night that the mayors will “start pushing" for the county assuming that role. Currently, each municipal ity conducts its own elec tions. For example, while the county was conduct ing the General Election Tuesday, both Jefferson and Commerce had separate special elections. The issue came up at the monthly “mayors’ meeting," said Hardy, where some one pointed out that in Barrow County, the county is responsible for all elec tions. Hardy said all of the mayors present expressed interest in having Jackson County take care of all elec tions. Erecting A Gymnasium The floor has been poured and the steel is going up on the new “practice gym” at Commerce High School. The building, which will provide conces sions and rest room areas for Tiger Stadium as well, is the first phase in the construction of a new high school. The practice gym will be used by the wres tling and basketball programs until a second and larger gym is built adjacent to where the tennis courts are currently located.