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RAIN 6 INCHES SHORT IN 2008 December Wet, But Rainfall Still Under Average For Year - Page 8A DUELATTHE DUALS Tiger Wrestlers Win Amicalola Classic, FHead Into Area Duals - Page 1B Vol. 133 No. 47 16 Pages 2 Sections www.CommerceNewsTODAY.com ^ The - iani Commerce News Wednesday JANUARY 7, 2009 50 Cents COVERING THE COMMERCE AREA SINCE 1875 Walgreens Sets March 8 Opening Date The tentative open ing date for the new Walgreens is March 8, with an official grand opening celebration set for April 19, a Walgreens official says. “Of course, this could change," observed Lori Kaskowitz Kenward, a Walgreens official charged with dealing with print media and grand open ings, in a response to an e-mail query. The building, located at the intersection of North Broad Street and Homer Road diagonally across from CVS, appears to be almost completed. Its parking lot is paved and the outdoor lighting is installed. “They haven’t turned the building over to Walgreens yet," noted David Zellner, director of planning and development for the city. Zellner confirmed Monday night that the Walgreens contractor is also shooting for a March 8 opening. “They were moving stuff into the building today," he said. THURSDAY, JAN. 8 m Partly cloudy: Low, 32; high, 55; 10% chance rain FRIDAY, JAN. 9 Sunny: Low, 35; high, 56; 0% chance rain SATURDAY, JAN. 10 J ' Showers: Low, 39; high, 60; 40% chance rain SUNDAYJAN.il Partly cloudy: Low, 31; high, 52; 10% chance rain Precipitation this month 1.88 inches Precipitation this year 1.88 Inches City To Back Down From Ordinance Ordinance Oversteps State Law On Video Poker Machines By Mark Beardsley Score one for the video poker industry. Less than a month after Commerce approved an ordinance aimed at controlling pool halls and game rooms, the city finds itself backing down sharply. City Manager Clarence Bryant told the city council at Monday night’s work session that an Atlanta firm representing the video gaming industry fired off two letters to the city over its ordinance threatening legal action. “It looks like we can’t do a lot of stuff we wanted to do," said Bryant, who later added that the ordinance “was probably going to be whittled down a good bit." The ordinance was drafted by City Attorney John Stell and apparently drew heavily upon a similar Winder ordinance. Stell, said Bryant, would “send over the language" necessary for fixing problems with the document. The city could approve the changes at Monday night’s meeting, which takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the Commerce Room of the Commerce Civic Center. The ordinance was the city’s not-so-subtle attempt to eliminate video poker machines altogether by levying a $500 fee per machine. It also defined pool halls and game rooms, slapping annual fees on billiard tables and video games. The gaming industry did not take the chal lenge lying down. Cont. on Page 3A Commerce’s efforts to eliminate video poker games ground to a halt after attorneys for the gaming industry got involved. Jackson County Regime Change Elected officials sworn in New Year’s Day at the courthouse in Jefferson included, left to right, state solicitor Don Moore, tax commis sioner Don Elrod, county board of education member Lyn Wheeler, Superior Court judge David Motes, board of commissioners chairman Hunter Bicknell, board of commissioners mem ber Chas Hardy, magistrate judge Billy Chandler and State Court judge Jerry Gray. Probate Court judge Margaret Deadwyler leads the oath. Economy Cools Group's Interest In Acquiring BJC Medical Center By Mark Beardsley The slumping economy appears to have put the brakes on negotiations by a group of doctors to acquire BJC Medical Center. Representatives of both sides confirmed that the nonbinding letter of intent between the Commerce medical facility and Doctors Hospital of Georgia was withdrawn. Finances appeared to be at the root of the setback. “Some of the language in the letter required them to show proof of the ability to finance and the avail ability of funds," explained BJC CEO Jim Yarborough. “There was a win dow of opportuni ty they needed to show proof. They were not able to meet that require ment within the deadline." Doctors Hos pital of Georgia is an investment group that hoped to acquire BJC Hospital and build a new version at the Maysville Road medical complex being developed by Atlanta podiatrist Dr. James Bouchard. Bouchard is not a part of Doctors Hospital, but he had offered to donate land for a hospital at the site. Yarborough thinks the would- be buyers ran into the credit crunch. “As we all know, (lending insti tutions) have a tight hold on funds," he commented. “I think they (Doctors Hospital) found out the hard way how tight that hold is." The withdrawal of the let ter of intent does not neces sarily rule out some future agreement, but it indicates the difficulties caused by an economy in recession. First, the economy has hit BJC Medical Center hard. Its bad debt and uncompensated care have put operations deep into the red. Secondly, a tight er credit market makes it more difficult for groups like Doctors Hospital to borrow money. According to Yarborough, the medical center had provided a lot of its cur rent financial data to the Cont. on Page 3A Jim Yarborough City To Take A Hard Look At Finances By Mark Beardsley Like most businesses and families, the city of Commerce is keeping a close eye on its finances. Facing a deep recession and declining revenues, the city council will get a more detailed financial summary than usual when it meets Monday night at 6:30 in the Commerce Room of the Commerce Civic Center. “We will be taking a very close look at our financials in the next couple of days," reported City Manager Clarence Bryant at this past Monday’s work session. Bryant went into few details, other than to report that the Electric Department has been doing well and that while the Gas Department had a “fantastic" November, the current warm weather is not helping. “It’s going to be tough (this) year," Bryant concluded. The good news for cash flow is that during December the bulk of city property taxes came in. However, at a rate of 1.5 mills, that doesn’t amount to a lot of money — about $260,000. The city enacted a “spend ing freeze" last fall, in the face of declining revenues. Monday night’s agenda is short. The council stands poised to amend its bud get to pay for a $38,000 Cont. on Page 3A INDEX Births 3B Church News 7A Classified Ads 6-7B Calendar 3A Crime News 6A News Roundup 2A Obituaries 8B Opinions 4A School News 3B Sports 1-2B Social News 3B Nicholson Finalizing New Charter By Brandon Reed The Nicholson City Council held the first read ings of two resolutions Monday night at its first meeting of 2009. The first was a resolution for a local emergency oper ation plan that maps out the combination of resources throughout the county in the event of an emergency. The plan also coordinates what agencies will work together if an emergency, such as a natural disaster, were to occur. Each city must approve the plan by resolution. The second reading and a vote on the resolution are expected at the council’s next meeting. The council also had the first reading of a resolution to make changes to the city’s charter. The new 28-page charter will provide for the incorporation, boundaries, power of the city, election terms, as well as ordinances and procedures. It also spe cifically delineates powers between the mayor and the Cont. on Page 5A Blood Drive Next Tuesday The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive Tuesday, Jan. 12, from noon to 6:00 p.m., at the First Bap tist Church of Commerce Family Life Center, 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 pair of airline tickets.