Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Take Part The Banks County News wants to involve you in coverage. Here’s what we are looking into and how you can take part. Christmas recipes If you have any favorite Christmas recipes, please send them to us. You can also send a photo of you and/or your favorite dish. Be sure to tell when you serve this dish and what your family thinks about it. Send information toAngieEditor@aol.com. Christmas traditions What does your family do for Christmas? Do you have a unique holiday tradition, display or col lection? Send information to AngieEditor@ aol.com. New Year's Plans Do you have special New Year’s traditions? What is your resolution for the new year. Send informa tion on either of these topics, to AngieEditor @ aol. com. The New turns 40 — Page 5A — www.BanksNewsTODAY.com — 504 • Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 20 Pages, 2 Sections Plus Supplements • Vol. 40 No. 1 BOC suspends alcohol license for MVP Cafe BY SHARON HOGAN In a hearing on Monday, the Banks County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the suspension of the alcohol license through Dec. 31 of this year for MVP Cafe, located on Highway 441, Commerce. The violation involves the business being open after midnight, allowing people to bring their own alcohol, serv ing alcohol after midnight and being open on Sunday, which are violations of the county ordinance. Commissioner Joe Barefoot made the motion to revoke the alcohol license until Dec. 31,2008, for MVP Cafe and place the business on probation until June 30, 2009. Commissioner Rickey Cain seconded the motion. BOC Chairman Gene Hart was absent from the meeting. The probation begins on Dec. 1,2008. Cain told Jeewoo Jun, manager, MVP Cafe, he would keep his busi ness license and he could re-apply for a beer license in January. “But you can either have pool tables or beer in the cafe, you cannot have both,” Cain said. Banks County Sheriff's Office Chief Investigator Kyle Bryant said Jun was served notice that the license was being pulled on November 20. The violations to the alcohol ordi nance came to the attention of the sheriff’s office on November 17 when a fight was reported in the parking lot. Bryant said, “It came to our attention continued on page 2A Holiday season arrives in Banks this weekend Visits with Santa, musical presentations among plans The Christmas season will arrive in full force over the weekend with holiday events planned in Homer, Maysville and Baldwin. The first annual Christmas Bazaar planned by the Banks County Chamber of Commerce will be held on Friday, December 5, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, December 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A Christmas parade starts at noon on Saturday. “We anticipate the town square to be lined with children and adults who have come out in the chilly weather to celebrate the holiday season,” said cham ber director Tara Fulcher. “We look forward to many local busi nesses, clubs, marching units and organizations to participate in the parade. We are also ask ing parade participants to collect canned goods for the local food bank, Generous Hearts, which will enable them to feed people who are in need over the holi day season. Shoppers can enjoy the many arts and crafts booths available along with holiday music and carols.” The lighting of the Christmas tree will also take place at dark in front of the historical court house. “This is an evening to bundle up the kids and come celebrate the holiday season with the entire community,” Fulcher said. ‘This event is planned so the com munity can gather together for visiting old friends, making new friends, drinking hot chocolate, watching the parade, enjoying the lights, singing carols, stroll ing from booth to booth doing your Christmas shopping. This is to be an exciting holiday event filled with community spirit for all ages.” Chamber leaders are seek ing volunteers to assist with the parade. Contact the Chamber office at 706-677-2108 for more information or for vendor appli cations. TOWN OF HOMER The Town of Homer will hold its 9th annual Christmas Celebration on Sunday, December 7, at the Historic Courthouse at 6 p.m. Choirs from area churches will perform holiday music. MAYSVILLE The Maysville Community Club will hold Christmas in the Park Saturday evening at dusk, with Santa on hand for photos from 4 to 8 p.m. The annual event includes booths, entertainment, Santa on his sleigh, a hayride and refresh ments. Keith Davis will play Christmas carols on his Native American flute. A Christmas Tour of Homes will be held in Maysville from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13. Organizers hope the tour will again include six or seven homes. The tour will start at the public library, and $15 tickets will be available there the day of the tour, as well as at local busi nesses in advance. BALDWIN The Town of Baldwin’s tree continued on page 2A FROM THE LINE Basketball season is underway for Banks County High School. The varsity teams face Rabun County this Friday on the road before hosting Jackson County on Saturday. See page 1B for more on Leopard basketball. Photo by Justin Poole News -2-3A •DOT seeks input on Lula bridge — page 2A •Auction house gets OK for Banks Crossing — page 2A •School board plans tax increase — page 3A Final deadline set Friday for Christmas kids photos THE deadline for accept ing photos for MainStreet Newspapers’ annual chil dren’s Christmas section has been extended to Friday, Dec. 5, at 5 p.m. No photos will be accepted or published after that time. \ No photos will be taken after 5 p.m. Friday The special section will be in the news stands of The Jackson Herald, The Commerce News and The Banks County News on Wednesday, Dec. 24. The newspapers will be accept ing photographs of children age 8 years and younger. The child must live in Jackson or Banks counties. Photos of grandchildren will be taken only if the child resides with the grandparents (which must be stated when submitting the photo). Please submit the following informa tion along with the child’s photo: The continued on page 2A Krispy Kreme burglarized Banks County Sheriff Charles Chapman said on Monday deputies were called out in the early morning hours to the new Krispy Kreme Doughnut Shop located in the business section of Interstate 85 to a reported burglary. Chapman said someone entered the building by pry ing open the back door. “The stores security camera did pick up what appears to be a stocky- built Caucasian male entering the building,” Chapman said. But the person is unidentifiable as he pulled what appears to be a stocking cap over his head and face, Chapman added. Once inside the building the subject, with the use of a prying continued on page 2A Chambliss wins runoff Saxby Chambliss was re elected to the United States Senate in a runoff election Tuesday. State-wide, incumbent Chambliss (R) had 1.2 mil lion, or 57 percent of the votes. Challenger Jim Martin (D) had 905,637 votes. In Banks County, Chambliss was also the winner with 2,964 votes, while Martin had 598 voters. Voter turnout for Banks County was 41 percent. In the Public Service Commission, Lauren “Bubba” McDonald (R) won state-wide with 1.1 million, or 56 percent of the vote. Jim Powell had 870,195 votes. In Banks County, McDonald had 2,791 votes, while Powell had 623. In the Court of Appeals Judge race, Sara Doyle was the state wide winner with 883,707, or 52 percent of the votes. Mike Sheffield had 823,462 votes. In Banks County, Doyle had 1,305 votes and Sheffield had 1,801 votes. • ‘Long campaign season comes to an end’ — page 4A Other news • Social News — 7A • School News — 4&10B • Public Safety — 6A •Legals — 5B •Church — 9A •Obituaries — 8A Unemployment numbers continue to climb in NEGA Banks County’s rate up to 5.1% Banks County had the low est unemployment in the area at 5.1 percent, although that was higher than the county’s 3 percent in October 2007. Barrow County had the highest unemployment rate in the heart of Northeast Georgia in October with a rate of 7.4 percent. That was higher than the state average of 7 per cent and higher than all of the Northeastern Georgia area which was at 7.3 percent. In addition, Barrow saw its unemployment insurance claims jump in October from 230 in 2007 to 526 in October 2008, a 129 percent increase. Jackson County was also hard hit in October’s employment rates with an unemployment rate of 7 per cent compared to 4.1 percent the year before. While lower in raw numbers, Jackson’s initial unemployment insur ance claims rose faster than Barrow’s in October with Unemployment Rates Area Oct. 2008 Oct. 2007 State 7.0% 4.5% NEGa. 7.3 4.4 Barrow County 7.4 4.2 Jackson County 7.0 4.1 Madison County 5.9 3.7 Banks County 5.1 3.0 Clarke County 6.7 3.6 Hall County 6.3 3.5 Gwinnett County 6.3 3.9 Unemployment Insurance Claims Area Oct. 2008 Oct. 2007 Change% State 72,627 41,506 75% Barrow County 526 230 129% Jackson County 382 165 131% Madison County 227 132 72% Banks County 81 46 76% Clarke County 680 282 141% Hall County 1,141 550 107% Gwinnett County 3,639 1,994 82% a 131 percent climb over Madison County was a compared to 3.7 percent the October 2007. little higher at 5.9 percent year before.