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f„ N r Region Roundup
Study: Jackson
Teens Having
Lots Of Sex
Jackson County’s teen
birth rate is higher than the
teen birth rates in Europe,
Mexico, the United States,
Georgia and surrounding
counties.
Although most Jackson
County adults (88 percent)
feel that unmarried teens
should not be sexually
active, 70 percent of stu
dents in the local schools
are sexually active by their
senior year.
In addition to teen preg
nancy, young people are at
a higher risk for sexually
transmitted infections like
HIV. A recent CDC study
found that one in four girls
have a sexually transmitted
disease. To make matters
worse, 38 percent of all
sexually active high school
students in Jackson County
have already had three or
more partners.
The community over
whelmingly supports more
education and services
for young people to pre
vent teen pregnancies and
sexually transmitted infec
tions, according to a recent
survey. The study by the
Northeast Health District
found that the majority of
Jackson County residents
(87 percent) believe that
sexually active teens should
be using birth control, how
ever only a quarter (26 per
cent) believe the communi
ty as a whole would support
this. In addition, the survey
found that 90 percent of
residents support more edu
cation in the schools on
how to prevent pregnancy
in the first place including
information on both absti
nence and birth control.
Teens surveyed said that
parents are the biggest influ
ence in their decision about
sex and yet a quarter of
students in Jackson County
(26 percent) feel the adults
in their lives do not spend
enough time talking to them
about important issues such
as alcohol, drugs, sex, per
sonal feelings or problems.
These numbers were
taken from the Community
Opinion Survey (2007),
GA Vital Statistics (2005),
Jackson County School
District BART Report
(2004), the CDC (STD infor
mation), and the National
Campaign To Prevent Teen
Pregnancy (2006 With One
Voice National Survey).
BOC Meets
With Its
2 New Members
Outgoing Jackson County
Board of Commissioners
chairman Pat Bell cautioned
those who will join the BOC
in January to follow the
correct process in interact
ing with County Manager
Darrell Hampton. Bell, who
at times during her BOC
tenure found herself at odds
with county managers, said
that when a BOC member
asks Hampton to do a task,
it should be in writing and
the other BOC members
should be made aware of
the request.
That relationship between
the BOC and its county
manager was one of the key
areas of discussion during a
recent daylong meeting of
the board with staff and the
two incoming BOC mem
bers.
Bell said the purpose of
the meeting was to help
make the transition for the
new board members as
smooth as possible Jan. 1.
“I don’t want any surpris
es for this board like the
previous board faced,” Bell
added.
County consultant and
former interim county man
ager Leonard Myers dis
cussed the county’s vision
statement, mission state
ment and core values with
the group.
“To support your mission
statement and vision state
ment you developed your
core values,” he said.
Incoming member Chas
Hardy said, “I know that
you took some knocks on
doing a mission statement,
vision statement and core
values, but I admire you for
this. You need to look at
these every day.”
The group also reviewed
the role of the commission
ers and the chairman as
set forth in the charter and
reviewed the history of the
commission-county man
ager form of government
since 2000.
“I think over the last four
years, this board has devel
oped some trust of the citi
zens,” said commissioner
Tom Crow. “We have start
ed some teamwork with
the cities and some other
boards.”
The group also set its
goals for 2009. The top
eight administrative proj
ects the board would like to
accomplish in the coming
year include developing a
five-year capital improve
ment program for large
county projects; review
ing all revenue-generating
departments to make them
more profitable; developing
a master plan for the court
house campus; developing
an inventory of projects for
future funding from Special
Purpose Local Option Sales
Tax (SPLOST) revenue;
working with the Jackson
County Water and Sewerage
Authority to identify addi
tional water sources; pursu
ing airport improvements;
working on the census; and
working on a process to
adjust the county budget if
needed.
Commissioner Bruce
Yates said he would like to
see a monthly report on
these goals.
Census Bureau
Looks For
Good Counters
The U.S. Census Bureau
is looking for people who
can count.
Early next year, the bureau
will hire 100,000 people
nationwide to help update
its address list. Those work
ers will use GPS-equipped
hand-held computers to ver
ify, add and delete address
es. There are other jobs to
be offered, including cleri
cal staff and recruiters.
Applicants will take a
30-minute exam with 28
questions and must have
two forms of identification.
Testing will take place
at the Commerce Public
Library, South Broad Street,
mdA cf ikt rttai
Yl
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Congratulations
Martha Martin .
Jackson EMC and the Jackson County
Area Chamber of Commerce
wish to congratulate all the finalists
for the 2008 Woman of the Year Award
2008 Award Finalists
Pictured Left to Right: Donna Golden Sikes, Dee Lavender,
Sandra Fite, Martha Martin, Robbie Bettis, and Jennifer Dees.
Not Pictured: Pat Bell
JACKSON jackson county
J ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP ^CORPORATION ” ■ M AR£A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Power to Improve Your Life
from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00
p.m. Lriday, Nov. 14, and
Wednesday, Nov. 19.
Applicants will be paid
during training. To apply,
call 1-866-861-2010.
Infant Items
Needed For
Homeless Shelter
The Athens Area
Association of REALTORS
is organizing an infant care
drive to benefit the Athens
Area Homeless Shelter,
Athens Battered Women’s
Shelter and Athens-Clarke
County DLACS.
Committee members are
collecting infant care prod
ucts, such as diapers, baby
wipes, baby wash and baby
lotion. Monetary donations
will also be accepted.
The infant care drive will
be held through November.
Donations may be
brought to Athens Area
Association of REALTORS,
1720 Meriweather Drive,
Bogart; Athens Classic
Properties, 1690 S. Lumpkin
Street, Athens; Keller
Williams Realty-Greater
Athens, 1361 Jennings Mill
Road, #101, Bogart; Paine
Insurance and Realty, 240 E.
Washington Street, Athens;
and Prudential Blanton
Properties, 524 Hill Street,
Athens.
March Of Dimes
To Start Fund
Drive Nov. 19
The Jackson County com
mittee of the March of
Dimes, an organization that
promotes healthier begin
nings for babies, announced
its forthcoming kick-off. The
event will be held Nov. 19 at
the Jefferson Club House
at noon.
Wendy Mingus, chair
woman of the committee,
said that the group hopes to
attract new teams, sponsors
and individual participants
this year.
“We are excited about the
2009 event and we’re start
ing early to make it the best
yet,” Mingus said.
Kick-off attendees will
receive information con
cerning sponsorships, team
fund-raising efforts and how
they can become involved
individually. Lunch will be
provided by Franks BBQ.
Companies and individu
als are invited to learn more
about the March of Dimes
and its work in Jackson
County, said Mingus.
Traditions to
Hold Benefit
'Tour Of Homes'
Traditions of Braselton
will hold its first annual
Tour of Homes Saturday
and Sunday, Dec. 6-7.
Six houses in Jackson
County’s largest residen
tial golf community will
be open to the public and
decorated for the holiday
season.
Tours will be held Saturday,
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.,
and Sunday, from 1-5 p.m.
Guests are asked to park
at West Jackson Middle
School, which is located
next to Traditions.
Tickets are $20 in advance
and $25 at the door.
Proceeds will benefit the
Amanda House, a foster
home in Nicholson for girls
ages 10-18.
Tickets are on sale at
the Braselton Antique
Mall and both Hometown
Community Bank locations
in West Jackson.
Traditions of Braselton is
located off Ga. Hwy. 124,
near the intersection of Ga.
Hwy. 332.
For more information,
to purchase tickets or to
inquire about advertising in
a tour book for the event,
call Jean Hales Beck at 770-
527-6059.
For additional informa
tion, visit www.traditions-
tour of homes .com.
'Best Christmas
Pageant EveT
To Be Staged
The Young Actors Studio,
Athens, will present Barbara
Robinson’s adaptation of the
Christmas favorite ‘The Best
Christmas Pageant Ever.”
Performances will be held
Dec. 5 and Dec. 12 at 7:30
p.m.; and Dec. 6 and Dec.
13 at 2 p.m. at the Seney-
Stovall Chapel, located on
North Milledge Avenue,
next to the Varsity.
Tickets are $10 for adults,
and $8 for children and for
groups of 10 or more.
For more information, or
reservations, email youn-
gactorsstudio@gmail.com.
NEED PRINTING?
CALL
706-367-5233
The Children’s
Wear Outlet
WAREHOUSE SALE
4 days only!
November 5 th - 8 th
Wed, Thu, Fri -10 AM to 7 PM
Saturday -10 AM to 5 PM
Call (770)534-8420 for more information.
Name brands you love up to
70 % off department store prices!
Cash & Charge Only. No Checks Please.
www.thechildrenswearoutlet.com