About The Banks County news. (Homer, Banks County, Ga.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 22, 2023)
PAGE 6A BANKS COUNTY NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2023 Public Safety Travel trailer fire near Alto Council displaces mother, two small children A house fire Tuesday on Gainesville Highway at Smokey Road near Alto with flames as high as 30 feet displaced a mother and two small children. Dispatchers paged out Habersham County Emer gency Services, Baldwin Fire Department, and Lee Arrendale State Prison Fire Department, along with the Habersham County Sher iff’s Office. Habersham County Emergency Ser vices Engine 12, Med 12, Battalion 1, Captain 1, and PIO responded, along with Baldwin Fire Department Engine 42, the Lee Arren dale State Prison Station 24 Fire Team, Alto Police De partment, and units from the Habersham County Sher iff’s Office. When Engine 42 arrived, the crew report ed a fully involved travel trailer in the back yard of a mobile home. “No injuries on the fire,” said Habersham County Emergency Services Battal ion Chief Dwight McNally. “Everyone was outside of the residence, and it was a complete loss, unfortunate ly. There was no damage to other structures,” McNally said. “It was contained to the travel trailer of origin.” A supply line connected to a fire hydrant across the street required that Gaines ville Highway be shut down between Grant Mill Road and Smokey Road. 1 \ j ; itjf- | j J J tnfjinWra j .. _ ttr _ Photo by Rob Moore Firefighters continue to spray water to ensure the fire in the travel trailer is fully extinguished. Habersham County Sheriff’s Office units protect the supply line providing water to Haber sham County Emergency Services Engine 12 from the hydrant across Gainesville Highway. New pilot program aimed at helping prison inmates find jobs following release Incidents reported to sheriff’s office include shoplifting, disputes Incidents reported recently to the Banks County Sher iff’s Office includes the following: •speeding and driving under the influence of intoxicants (DUI) at an 1-85 location. •possession of drugs at a Highway 51 North, Homer, ad dress. •shoplifting at a Banks Crossing business. •theft at a Highway 441, Commerce, address, •possession of marijuana at a Sweetwater Way, Lula, lo cation. •shoplifting at a Highway 441, Commerce, address, •stalking against a Homer resident. •domestic dispute at a McEver Road, Commerce, loca tion. •theft and driving violations at a Highway 441, Com merce, address. •theft by shoplifting at a Highway 441, Commerce, busi ness. •speeding at an 1-85, Commerce, address. •domestic dispute at a Highway 51 South, Lula, address, •abandoned vehicle found at a McDonald Circle, Com merce, location. •abandoned vehicle found at a Berlin Road, Homer, ad dress. •simple battery at an Otis Brown Road, Baldwin, loca tion. tf r- i b im A ;./i - IK3 1 LOCKDOWN DRILL AT SCHOOLS The Banks County Sheriff’s Office recently conducted a lock- down drill at Banks County High School and Middle School. To ensure school safety, the H.E.R.O. Unit, Banks County K9 Deputies and Helen Police Department assisted the schools with the drills. Georgia legal services offered By Dave Williams Capitol Beat News Service Incarcerated Georgians about to leave the prison system will get a leg up on landing a job through a new pilot program unveiled Wednesday. The Walking the Last Mile Reentry Program, to be administered by the Georgia Department of La bor in partnership with the state Department of Correc tions, will provide inmates transitioning back to society individualized skills assess ments, help them develop those skills based on their needs and interests, and assist them with job place ment. Key components of the initiative will include re sume building, mock inter views, and connections to potential employers looking to fill open positions. “The Walking the Last Mile program will help break the chains of incar ceration by equipping par ticipants with the skills and resources necessary for a successful reentry into so ciety,” state Commissioner of Labor Bruce Thompson said dining a news confer ence at the Chatham County Detention Center in Savan nah. “This innovative program is where opportunities be gin for those who are seek ing to embrace a fresh start and rebuild their lives.” Recidivism rates in Geor gia and throughout the nation have long been a challenge to public policy makers, due in large part to a lack of job opportunities and support for those re entering communities after being released from pris on. “By investing in rehabil itation and removing barri ers to employment, we are creating opportunities for successful reentry,” Thomp son said. The program will launch next month from the Metro Reentry Facility in down town Atlanta. “Our goal is to give every person in the program the tools and support needed to land a good job,” said Joe Argo, who will manage the initiative for the labor de partment. “By tapping into people’s strengths and pro viding targeted assistance, we aim to help returning citizens find work and be come productive members of society.” To assess the program’s effectiveness, the labor department will monitor participants’ employment status at key milestones, in cluding the number with job placements upon release, the rate of job retention within six months to a year, and the reduction in recidi vism among participants. The assessments will guide the agency in expand ing the program to other lo cations around the state. The initiative is getting PUBLIC MEETINGS... FOR ONLY $5 PER MONTH you can list your groups meetings! Banks County News • Jackson Herald Madison County Journal • Braselton News Call 706-367-5233 to list your meetings! COMMERCE IP AMERICAN LEGION Post 93 • Meets 2nd Thurs., 7:00 p.m. Wayne Brown, Commander Phone (404) 310-7177 Commerce Civic Center, Commerce, GA 12971 MADISON COUNTY DEMOCRATS Meet Monthly For Time, Date & Location: Facebook: MadisonC ountyGaDemocrats Or mcgademocr ats .wixsite .com/mcdp JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB Meets Tuesdays 12:00 Noon Jackson County Historic Courthouse 85 Washington St., Jefferson Traci Bledsoe, President 678-227-8417 ,2626 4660 1 St. Catherine Laboure Catholic Church Mass Schedule: Sat, 4:00 p.m, Sun, 10:00 a.m, Tues, 12:10 p.m, Mon.,, Wed., Thurs. & Fri. 10:00 a.m, Spanish Sun. 0:00 a.m. 1 Website: www.stcatherinelabourega.org 706-367-7220 BANKS COUNTY ' 3 “ HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. Meets first Monday each month 7:00 p.m. in the Banks County Historical Courthouse at 105 U. S. Hwy 441 North in Homer, GA csl 12972 JL, ROCKWELL rwK LODGE F& AM No. 191, Hoschton, GA 2nd Tues. at 7:30 p.m. • Dinner at 6:30 p.m. www.rockwelllodgel91.com Two blocks behind Larry's Garage West Broad at Hall Street 12969 . ^ Tri-County t Shrine Club 3rd Thurs. of each month 7:30 p.m. Rockwell Lodge 191 12619 gSk JEFFERSON IjP AMERICAN LEGION Post 56 • Meets 3rd Tues., 6:30 p.m. Joe Ruttar, Commander Phone (860) 949-4037 309 Lee St., Jefferson, GA KIWANIS OFJEFFERSON Meetings every 2 nd & 4 th Monday at Noon Cream & Shuga Contact Darryl Gumz at 770-605-6656 for more info. Pilot Club of Jefferson Meets 3rd Tuesday of each month, 6:30 p.m. Jefferson City Clubhouse 706-367-9313 or 706-693-4715 ,2625 support from various busi ness organizations, includ ing the Georgia Association of Manufacturers and the Associated General Con tractors of Georgia. The program will work in tandem with the state’s Work Opportunity Tax Credit program, which of fers businesses tax credits for hiring qualified people who face barriers to em ployment. Free legal services are available to low-income clients throughout the state of Georgia from the Georgia Legal Services Program (GLSP). GLSP offers civil legal services to Georgians with low incomes who reside outside metro Atlanta in 154 of the state’s 159 counties. ” The legal services are based on case type and financial eligibility, according to program leaders. Leaders also note that the program does not handle crim inal cases. For an appointment and initial consultation, call 1-800- 745-5717 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., on Mondays through Fridays, leaders state. For further information about the program, visit the web site at https://www.glsp.org/
