The Commerce news. (Commerce, Ga.) 1???-current, November 02, 2016, Image 1

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The Commerce news., November 02, 2016, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextVol. 140 No. 37 24 Pages 2 Sections rpl WED l \\£ NOVEMI Commerce News Wednesday NOVEMBER 2,2016 www.CommerceNewsTODAY.com 50 Cents COVERING THE COMMERCE AREA SINCE 1875 Jobless rate 2nd lowest in Georgia If figures released last week by the Georgia Department of Labor (DOL) are accurate, Jackson County has the sec ond-lowest unemployment rate in Georgia. The county’s jobless rate for September was pegged at 4.3 percent. That’s a tenth of a percentage higher than its rate for August, but second only to Forsyth County’s 4.2-percent unemployment rate. Meanwhile, Georgia’s seasonally-adjusted unem ployment rate for September was 5.1 percent, up from 4.9 percent in August. It was 5.6 percent in September 2015. Northeast Georgia’s rate also climbed three tenths of a per cent to 5.3 for September. Unemployment numbers are estimates based on con tinually ongoing household surveys conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with data regarding unemployment benefits and calls to employers about job numbers factored in. The DOL’s jobless rates for September for surrounding counties include: •Banks, 4.8 percent, down from 4.9 percent in August •Barrow, 4.9 percent, up from 4.6 •Athens-Clarke, 6 percent, up from 5.4 •Madison, 5.4 percent, up from 4.7 Oconee County which held the state’s lowest jobless rate for over two years before losing that distinction in September to Forsyth County saw its rate increase to 4.4 percent from 4.1 percent in August. Clay County located on the Alabama line in southwest Georgia, contin ued to have the state’s highest jobless rate at 9.7 percent, two- tenths of a percent lower than its August rate of 9.9 percent. 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 8B Classified Ads... 9-1 OB Crime News 6-8A Obituaries 11A Opinion 4A School 5-7B Sports 1-5B Social 9A & 12A MAILING LABEL BELOW Decision Time Clinton-Trump overshadows local races in Tuesday election; 9,800 already voted absentee or early A bitter presidential election on the ballot next Tuesday overshadows the few local issues as voters head to the polls for the General Election. While Georgia — and Jackson County — are reliably Republican, polls continue to suggest that Hillary Clinton is the odds-on favorite to capture the presidency over Donald Trump, although the race appears to be tightening. Gary Johnson will be on the ballot as a Libertarian candidate for the presidency. That contest — minus Johnson — has sucked all of the oxygen out of the election process, domi nating the news and public interest for months in an uncharacteristically bitter and ugly campaign. Locally, the only contested race is between incumbent sheriff Janis Mangum (R) and chal lenger Randy Moore (D), although incum bent U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson faces Democrat Jim Barks dale and Libertarian Allen Buckley; and incumbent public service commission er Tim Echols (R) is opposed by Libertarian Eric Husking. So far, almost 9,800 Jackson County residents have taken advantage of absentee or early voting, which continues through Friday at the Commerce Parks and Recreation Department office at 204 Carson Street, at the Jackson County Board of Elections and Voter Registration office at 44 Gor don Street in Jefferson, and at the Braselton Police and Municipal Court Building, located at 5040 Hwy. 53, Braselton. Voting takes place at all three locations from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday as well. Commerce voters should note that voting will take place at two locations, North Minish (at the recreation center office) and South Minish (at the Public Safety Complex). A heavy turnout is anticipated. Amendments On Ballot Voters statewide will be asked to vote on four proposed amendments to the Georgia constitu- See “Election” on Page 3A Where To Vote For a list of voting precincts, includ ing their address es, see Page 3A Serving above and beyond the call of duty The Hometown Hero Award recipients are, left to right, Georgia State Trooper Major Patterson, Jefferson police officer Taylor Grizzle, Jackson County deputy Tom Trudnak, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office communications director Cindy O’Barr and West Jackson volunteer fireman Will Davis. Photo by Angela Gary Public safety professionals recognized at awards luncheon BY ANGELA GARY Two law enforcement officers who risked their lives while keeping citizens safe and apprehending a suspect, a police officer who rescued a wreck victim, a firefighter who led a fundraising effort to get equipment for his department and a sheriff's officer who leads community relations were all named ‘Hometown Heroes” in an awards program last week sponsored by the Jackson County Area Chamber of Com merce. Hundreds of public safety professionals, including firefight ers, law enforcement officers and emergency personnel, were the special guests at the program, which included a catered lunch, remarks from area officials and patriotic music from the East Jackson Comprehensive High School Chorus. The public safety personnel signed a Hometown Heroes banner as they left the program and were given mementoes and cards of thanks from area school children. ‘Today is a special day in which we can come together as a community to honor and recognize those who put their lives on the line every day, Jackson County's first responders, our community’s police, firefighters and emergency services personnel.” said Jim Shaw, chamber president. Gold Medal Of Valor The Gold Medal of Valor was presented to Jackson County deputy Tom Trudnak for his part in apprehending a suspect in an armed robbery in May that resulted in a shooting. Trudnack arrived at the scene where the suspect had been stopped and negotiated with him. The Gold Medal of Valor is the highest level of valor awarded and recognizes exceptional heroism and bravery. It recognizes an act of bravery involving extreme personal risk that is clearly above and beyond the call of duty, placing his or her life in danger of serious harm or death while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. “Sergeant Trudnak observed the driver with a gun under his chin,” Mark Valentine said when presenting the award. “Ser geant Trudnak willingly engaged in intense negotiations with the driver to keep him focused on him for almost two hours until the Georgia State Patrol SWAT team arrived. Sergeant Trudnak even walked up to the driver’s side window, putting himself in extreme harm's way, in attempt to keep the driver from shooting himself. Sergeant Trudnak was able to get the See “Heroes” on Page 3A lackson gov't Sales tax collections now ahead of budget After trailing budget requirements most of the year, Jackson County’s pro ceeds from the local option sales tax (LOST) are now running two percent ahead of budget. Finance director Trey Wood reports that the coun ty received a $505,771 LOST distribution last week from the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) represent ing sales made primarily in September. “Our budgeted FY 2016 goal for local option sales tax receipts is $5,600,000,” Wood wrote in an email to county officials. “The ninth month of LOST revenue for FY 2016 is up $142,648 over the same period last year. Overall, collections are ahead of the budget by 2 percent or $85,503 through the period.” For the first seven months of the year, LOST income was slightly under budget. The revenue caught up to (and surpassed) the budget with last month’s distribu tion, which was for sales made primarily in August. Should the trend continue, Jackson County would wind up with a $112,000 surplus in the LOST revenue line item. The county also received from the DOR a distribution from its special purpose local option sales tax in the amount of $841,900. “We are now 88 percent or 63 months into the six See “LOST” on 3A Commerce resident in 2nd major battle against cancer Brent Call first fought cancer when he was 3 years old, but the 48-year-old Commerce resident now faces perhaps his most diffi cult challenge. Call is in North Carolina where he expects to get five to six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham for stage three colon cancer. He’s confronted long odds before. Call was diagnosed with bladder cancer at age 7. Over the next three or four years, he underwent a series of operations, including the removal of the bladder and the con struction of a new bladder from his large intestine. “I was probably one of three that survived back when I first got bladder cancer,” Call said. He was cancer-free for 40 years, but got the bad news about his colon cancer at the end of August. Treatment at Duke means staying in Durham five to six week, which adds to the significant medical expenses he faces. “The bills are starting to pile in,” Call con ceded. “My wife, Valerie, is going to have to take more time off of her job.” Hoping to help with those costs, a friend helped Call create a GoFundMe page at www.gofundme.com/brentcall with the goal of raising $5,000 to help offset the travel, See “Brent Call” on Page 3A Getting cancer treatment Brent Call of Commerce has stage three colon cancer and will spend 5-6 weeks at Duke University Medical Center receiving treatment. A GoFundMe page has been created to raise money to offset the expense of travel, lodging and food.