Newspaper Page Text
The
Commerce News
PAGE 2A • MAY 27, 2009
Region Roundup
'PetFest' Set
This Saturday
In Braselton
The Humane Society of
Jackson County will hold
PetFest 2009 from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Saturday at The
Birdhouse, 1866 Hwy. 211,
Braselton. The event is a
fund-raiser for the Humane
Society.
In its fourth year, the
event will include micro
chipping of pets, a “canine
good citizen testing" dem
onstration, a kids’ area,
food, music from two
bands, pet-related ven
dors, arts and crafts and a
celebrity dunking booth.
There will be raffles and
a silent auction, door priz
es and a number of pets
up for adoption.
The Pet Parade will kick
off the contests at 2. Prizes
will be awarded in the cate
gories of owner/dog look-
alike, most school spirit,
Uga look-alike, best cos
tume, best kisser, best talk
er and more. Games for
dogs, including Bobbing
for Balls," are also includ
ed, and a photographer
will shoot portraits of pets
with their owners.
There will be a llama
exhibit from Chelian
Farms, demonstrations
with champion bird dogs,
obedience, guide dogs and
police dogs.
For information, e-mail
petfest@bigstickradio.com
or petfest2009@live.com
or call 706-658-6974 or 706-
768-2002.
Some To Get
Reassessment
Notices Soon
Some Jackson County
property owners will be
getting reassessment
notices in the mail within
the next week.
Chief tax appraiser Cathy
Johnson said Tuesday that
9,058 notices will be sent
out in the coming days.
Johnson said she has no
way of determining how
many of these are down
in value and how many
are up.
However, two new state
laws will impact the reas
sessments. First, HB233
caps property at current
values for two years, unless
there have been improve
ments to the property.
Another new law man
dates that county asses
sors consider the impact
of foreclosures on sur
rounding property values,
meaning that some prop
erty owners could see a
decrease in their assessed
values this year because of
the high foreclosure rate in
Jackson County.
Officials are expecting
the county’s overall tax
digest to be stagnant this
year following several
years of massive growth.
The county’s tax digest is
the total amount against
which the county levies its
millage rates. Those rates
won’t be set until this fall.
Jackson County
Ends Fiscal
Year In Black
The Jackson County gov
ernment finished 2008 in
the black and with some
$7.7 million in undesignat
ed reserves. While that puts
the county in a stronger
position financially than
some of its peers, the weak
economy and earlier pre
recession commitments
by the county continue to
loom large in the overall
picture.
For one thing, the coun
ty’s overall debt service as
a percent of expenditures
climbed to a new high
in 2008 of 17.7 percent.
According to county finance
director John Hulsey, the
county’s biggest challenge
is managing its debt and the
capital projects that debt is
paying for.
The county has already
postponed opening the new
county jail because of the
projected personnel costs
associated with the facility.
Hulsey said the county will
also have to be cautious in
how it manages $45 million
in road bonds in the coming
WILBANKS
—-Law Firm, P.C. —
Trial attorney and counselor at
law - Straight answers to your
legal questions.
Dylan E. Wilbanks
1237 South Elm Street, Suite B
Commerce, Georgia 30529
(706) 335-2355
(706) 243-6464 Fax
«
Apple Specialist
N
Graduation is here
(May we suggest a gift?)
The new iMacs, MacBooks and MacBook Pros make perfect graduation gifts.
peachmac
macs • ipods • software • service
1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy (across from Lowe's) • Athens • 706-208-9990
visit peachmac.com • also in Augusta!
I
year.
For 2009, the Jackson
County Board of
Commissioners budgeted
to use up nearly $2 million
of its reserves to balance
the budget. But even that
may not be enough if sales
taxes remain significantly
under budget.
Sales Taxes
Down 12%
For 1st Quarter
Sales tax receipts for
the first quarter of 2009
were down 12 percent in
Jackson County.
Local Option Sales Taxes
were $1.23 million on the
quarter, down from $1.4
million in the first quarter
of 2008.
County officials had
budgeted $5.8 million for
2009, but if the current
trend continues the county
could be $880,000 under
budget by year’s end.
Comer Man
Dies In
Auto Accident
A Comer man was killed
Saturday afternoon in a
one-car wreck on Audie
Porterfield Road, four
miles east of Danielsville.
According to the Athens
Post of the Georgia State
Patrol, Jason Dove, 34,
died after he was partially
ejected through the sun
roof of the vehicle he was
a passenger in. He was
reportedly not wearing a
seatbelt.
The driver of the vehicle,
Teisa Robin Lipscomb,
52, 2622 Duffell Martin
Road, Comer, was charged
with first degree vehicu
lar homicide, as well as
one count each of reck
less driving, DUI/drugs,
failure to drive within a
single lane and possession
of marijuana less than an
ounce.
WJJC's Colgate
Country
Showdown Set
WJJC Radio is look
ing for budding country
music artists who think
they deserve a shot at the
big-time.
WJJC will hold its
annual Colgate Country
Showdown Friday, May 29,
in the Commerce Cultural
Center. The local contest
has produced state and
regional champions and
national finalist Dustin
Wilkes, who performed
on Nashville Star on the
USA Network.
The Colgate Country
Showdown is the larg
est country music talent
search in the country, and
contestants will be com
peting for a $100,000 cash
grand prize that will be
awarded to the national
winner at the televised
special. The entry fee is
$15 and forms are avail
able at WJJC Radio or
via the Internet at www.
WJJC.net. Contestants
can bring the application
to the station, fax it to
706-335-1905 or mail it
to WJJC Radio, Colgate
Country Showdown, P.O.
Box 379, Commerce, GA
30529.
Designed to find the
most promising coun
try music talent in the
United States for the
past 26 years, the Colgate
Country Showdown gives
aspiring artists a chance
to launch their profession
al careers. Local winners
advance to state contests
for cash prizes and the
opportunity to compete
in the regional competi
tion in the fall.
For further information
call 706-335-1270 or email
WJJC@windstream.net.
Bray Construction, Inc.
• New Homes • Remodeling • Vinyl Siding
• Masonry Work • Concrete Finishing
(706) 789-2313
W
THANK YOU
Thanks to everyone who was involved in any
way with the Tony Blalock Cancer Benefit. We
appreciate all the kindness more than we can
say. Cod bless each of you.
Tony and Elaine Blalock
Did not get in State
Pre-K?
Commerce First United
Methodist Church Preschool
Limited Spaces Available
• Half Day Preschool for ages two thru four
• Curriculum • A BEKA (encourages early reading.)
• Music and Movement Classes
• Chapel and Bible Time
• Computers in classes
• Playground and Gym
• Experienced and Loving Staff
Tuition range from
$120 to $160 a month
Registration Fee - $140
Call 706-335-9589
$50 For The Building Fund
Annabel Seltzer, president of the J.E.B.
Stuart Chapter of the United Daughters of the
Confederacy, presents a check to the former
Commerce library director Susan Harper. The
money will buy a brick with the chapter’s name
on it to support the library in its expansion fund
raiser.
Wilkes Reunion Set June 7
The descendants of Aaron Hale Wilkes are invited to
a reunion and lunch Sunday, June 7, at Bethany United
Methodist Church on Hwy. 335 approximately 4.5 miles
outside Jefferson in the Brockton community.
Family members are also welcome to attend and wor
ship at Bethany, and after the last church service at noon
will meet for a covered dish lunch in the fellowship hall.
Participants are asked to bring food and drinks enough
for their family. All paper products will be provided.
For more information, call Sonya at 706-769-6829.
McFaddin Completes Army Training
Army National Guard Spec. Norman J. McFaddin has
graduated from basic infantry training at Fort Benning,
Columbus.
During the nine weeks of training, McFaddin received
training in drill and ceremonies, weapons, map read
ing, tactics, military courtesy, military justice, physical
fitness, first aid, and Army history, core values and
traditions. Additional training included development of
basic combat skills and battlefield operations and tactics,
and experiencing use of various weapons and weapons
defenses available to the infantry crewman.
He is the son of Norman and Bettie McFaddin of
Commerce.
Reckling Completes Navy Training
Navy Seaman Recruit Daniel T. Reckling, a 2005 gradu
ate of Commerce High School, recently completed U.S.
Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great
Lakes, IL.
During the eight-week program, Reckling completed a
variety of training, which included classroom study and
practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefight
ing, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft
safety. An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness.
The capstone event was “Battle Stations," an exercise that
gives recruits the skills and confidence to succeed.
$roo
Ticket Of‘2CP° Or More. Valid with coupon Mon.-Thurs. only.
5 00 0FF
La Hacienda Commerce
173 Steven B. Tanger Blvd.
706-335-7458
La Hacienda Braselton
5391 Highway 53
706-654-0070
The Original Mexican Restaurant! Not affiliated with any other restaurant.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
TO OUR ANGEL
CHAD
5/31 /76 - 3/26/08
We love and miss you,
Dad, Joan and Grandmother
• Three nutritious good "Home Cooked" meals per day plus homemade desserts.
• Affordable customized quality care with unlimited visitation.
• Located on 8.77 acre environment in scenic North Georgia.
• Highly trained associates certified in CPR and First Aid.
• Large private rooms with full bath and kitchenette.
• Door monitoring system for safety.
• Beauty/Barber shop available.
• In-house physician visits. • I landicapped Rooms.
• Supervised medication. • All inclusive pricing.
258 College Avenue • Maysville, Georgia 30558
Office: 706-652-2600
Cell: 706-247-3241
Mention this ad and receive 1/2 off admission fee
and 1/2 off first month rental fee.
For more information, stop by, call or visit us at
www.southernpinesassistedliving.com
Take 1-65 North/Take Exit 147
Turn Left/Approx. 4 Miles
Turn left onto College Ave.