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About The Commerce news. (Commerce, Ga.) 1???-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 26, 2016)
Vol. 140 No. 36 24 Pages 2 Sections rpl WEDi lf\£ OCTOBE Commerce News Wednesday OCTOBER 26,2016 www.CommerceNewsTODAY.com 50 Cents COVERING THE COMMERCE AREA SINCE 1875 Nicholson librarian killed in wreck Betty E. Brock, 78, of Nicholson, died last week following an accident on U.S. 441 at Hwy. 334 at Cen ter. Brock was a librarian at the Harold S. Swindle Public Library in Nicholson. She is survived by her hus band, Marvin Odene Brock, who was also in the acci dent. Nicholson Area Fire Rescue reported that Odene is still in the intensive care unit at Athens Regional Medi cal Center where he remains on oxygen and is sedated. Other survivors include sons, Darrell Brock and Dennis Brock both of Nich olson; daughter, Donna Compton of Comer; grand children, Casey Brock, Marley Vaughn, Shannon Anderson, Derrick Brock, David Brock, Bobby Comp ton, Jesse Compton and Brock Compton; and eight great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held on Tuesday at the chapel of Little-Ward Funer al Home. The crash occurred on Oct. 16. A vehicle driven by Walter Debele Bach, 77, of Chapel Hill, N.C., was traveling south on U.S. 441 in the right travel lane near the intersection of Hwy. 334. A vehicle driven by Mar vin Odene Brock was in the left turn lane on Hwy. 441 preparing to turn left onto Hwy. 334. Brock turned west towards Hwy. 334 and was struck by the front of Bach’s vehicle in the right travel lane. According to the Geor gia State Patrol, it was unde termined if Brock failed to yield when turning left, or if Bach failed to stop at a red light. Contact Us •News: news@mainstreet- news.com, call 706-621-7238 Online B Follow us on Facebook by liking The Commerce News www.CommerceNewsTODAY.com INDEX Church News 5B Classified Ads 6-7B Crime 6-7 & 12A Obituaries 1 1 A, Opinion 4A School 10-12B Sports 1-5B Social News...9-1OA MAILING LABEL BELOW Maysville woman and daughter killed in head-on wreck Sunday A Maysville woman and her daughter were killed in a wreck on Holly Springs Road near Dia mond Hill Church Road on Sunday. Billie Regina Shockley, 30, of Maysville, was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center following the wreck and later died. Her 12-year-old daughter, Alexis, who was sitting in the back seat, died at the scene. Shockley was the driver of a Kia Optima that collided head-on with a Dodge Ram, driven by Octavio Montez, 49, of Pendergrass. Montez was injured but was not transported from the scene according to the Georgia State Patrol. Units from Plainview, North Jackson and Jack- son County EMS responded to the crash. Two people were entrapped and extricated, according to Jackson County Emergency Ser vices director Steve Nichols. Two other people were transported to NGMC in stable condition. This crash is still under investigation by the GSP Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team. Homecoming royalty CHS Miss Homecoming Karli Loggins was named Miss Homecoming during Commerce High School’s homecoming ceremony Friday night. For more photos, see Page 12A. EJCHS homecoming queen Marley Palmer was named East Jackson’s Homecoming Queen Friday during halftime of the Eagles’ game against Haralson County. For more photos, see Page 12A. Photo by Melanie Lawhorn Over 3,000 cast ballots so far in early voting Over 3,000 Jackson County residents cast their votes in the first week of early voting. Lori Wurtz, supervisor of the Jackson County Board of Elections and Voter Registration, reported that 3,142 people voted in Jackson County last week. “We have not experienced any issues at all,” she said. “The voters have been pleasant, the poll workers are very knowl edgeable and have established a great setup; no lines! But still great numbers of voters.” The largest turnout was on Friday with 733 people coming to the polls that day. Early voting continues this week at the Jackson County Elections and Voter Registration Office, with polls open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday, Oct. 28. Voting will also be held on Saturday Oct. 29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All Jackson County registered voters can vote at the location during those times. Extended early voting will be held from 7 am. to 7 p.m. from Oct. 31-Nov. 4 at various satellite sites throughout the county. These include the Braselton Municipal Court, Commerce Parks and Recreation and at the Jackson County Elections and Voter Registration Office. Windstream plans upgrades for Internet, cable TV Windstream has announced plans to upgrade its cable TV network in North Georgia to provide communities with Internet speeds of 100 megabits-per-second (Mbps). The upgrade effort, which is already underway, will allow more than 67,000 households in communities across eight North Georgia counties to access 100 Mbps. Work is expect ed to be complete by mid-2017. Jackson County is among those to receive the increased access. The communities included are Commerce, Jeffer son, Nicholson and Arcade. Many residents, especially in the City of Jefferson, have voiced concerns over the past few years about inadequate service with Windstream. “We are listening closely to the communities we serve in North Georgia and making significant changes to give our customers the experience they deserve,” said Jarroc Berkshire, president of operations for Windstream in Geor gia. “We’re committed to expanding access to fast, reliable See “Windstream” on Page 3A City planners endorse annexation request The first step toward annexing 8.3 acres compris ing four lots to be rezoned for R-l took place Monday night. The Commerce Plan ning Commission gave its unanimous recommenda tion that the request of Kyle and Erin Moore to annex and rezone the property located off Hazel Street, be approved. The Commerce City Council will act on that recommendation on Mon day Nov. 21, at 6 p.m. in the Commerce Room of the Commerce Civic Center. “My wife and I intend to build our personal home on this land,” explained Kyle Moore, a former member of the planning commission. They plan to divide the property into four lots, build a house for themselves on the largest lot, sell or deed a second lot to a family mem ber and sell two lots, prefer ably to friends. Moore said that before the lots are sold, they will place covenants on them “just to make sure what is being built around us is similar to what we build.” Moore, who now serves on the Commerce Board of Education, said he and his wife, an attorney “are Commerce-bom and raised. We are raising our kids in Commerce and want Com merce to be as good as it has been.” “I don’t see any nega tives,” observed vice chair man Andre Rollins. Neither did anyone else in the room. “If I lived next door, I would be tickled to death,” offered Jimbo Stephenson. “I see no problem,” added Melinda Davis. See “Annex” on 3A o
