About The Banks County news. (Homer, Banks County, Ga.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 2024)
o o $1.00 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3,2024 Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 12 Pages,1 Section Plus Supplements Vol. 58 No. 3 Past N e wsmakers of the Year Past Newsmakers of the Year include: 2022 Lula Ladies com munity group 2021 Scott Ledford, Banks County Develop ment Authority chairman 2020 Ann Hopkins, Banks County School Sys tem superintendent 2019 Tim Harper, Banks County clerk of court 2018 Hannah Mullins, Banks County economic developer 2017 Bob Waldorf, Banks County extension 2016 Jimmy Hooper, BOC chairman 2015 Leslie George, Keep Banks County Beautiful 2014 Brad Day, economic developer 2013 Carlton Speed, sher iff 2012 J.H. Brooks Family/ Farm 2011 Deidra Moore, 911 director 2010 Jerry Neace, Bald win mayor 2009 Milton Turner, Lula mayor 2008 Jim McLendon, Ho mer UMC pastor 2007 Robin Trotter, Fam ily Connections/Generous Hearts 2006 Gene Hart, BOC chairman 2005 Doug Cheek, Ho mer mayor 2004 Rep. Jeanette Ja mieson 2003 Chris Erwin, super intendent 2002 Jack Banks, Devel opment Authority 2001 Bonnie Johnson, CVB 2000 Charles Chapman, sheriff 1999 Mark Reed, Bald win mayor 1998 Gary Freeman and Danny Maxwell, BOC 1997 Bo Garrison and Dock Sisk, BOE chairman and superintendent 1996 Milton Patterson, BOC chairman Inside This Issue News—Page 2-3 Opinion-Page 4 Sports-Page 5 Crime—Page 6 Church/Social-Page 7 Obits-Page 8-9 Classifieds-Page 10 Legals-Page 11 MAILING LABEL Newsmaker of the Year Kipp Jackson leads students to state, national honors Kipp Jackson (first on right) is shown with one of his award-winning student FFA teams. Banks County High School agriculture teacher Kipp Jackson has led many student teams to state and national championships during his time as an edu cator. Over his career, Jackson has been a part of over 33 FFA state-winning teams spanning from forestry to poultry judging and has also received national recogni tion with a forestry career development team. Jackson, who is the Dis trict Teacher of the Year, has been named Newsmaker of the Year for the impact he has had and continues to have on young people in Banks County. Superintendent Dr. Ann Hopkins states, “Mr. Jack son’s honor is not only a reflection of his agricultural expertise but also the mag nitude of his character.” She adds, “His dedica tion, underlined by humility and integrity, has been piv otal in shaping our students. We are fortunate to have him in the Banks County family.” Assistant principal Will KIPP JACKSON Foster emphasizes Jack son’s significant role in the Banks County High School faculty. “The impact Mr. Jackson has on our students is monu mental,” he said. “He serves humbly and is a valued part of our school and com munity. His impact on our students daily is evident in how much our students and faculty admire him.” Paycee and Payton Jack- son, Jackson’s daughters, shared their excitement over his recognition, “Our father has always been our guid ing star. His unwavering commitment to his students’ welfare resonates in and out of the classroom.” Jackson’s passion for ag riculture is not just a profes sion but a mission to ensure every student recognizes its importance, not just for today but for future gener ations. His goal, as an educator and now as a contender for the state-level Teacher of the Year, remains to amplify the significance of FFA and agriculture to each student across the state and the na tion. Jackson, a teacher at the high school, has been an ed ucator for 23 years, with 19 of those being in the Banks County system. After graduating from Jackson County High School, he pursued his Bachelor of Science in Ag riculture Education at the University of Georgia and obtained his Masters in Agricultural Leadership. Furthering his education, Jackson secured a specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Lincoln Memorial University. Jackson is a member of the GVATA (Georgia Voca tional Agricultural Teach ers Association) and PAGE (Professional Association of Georgia Educators). Jackson will compete at the state level for Georgia Teacher of the Year. The state-level Georgia Teach er of the Year Banquet is scheduled for May 30 and 31 in LaGrange, Georgia. News Story of the Year County leaders push for move out of Piedmont Judicial Circuit Banks County Board of Commission chairman Charles Turk speaks on the reasons to move out of the Piedmont Judicial Circuit. Rep. Chris Erwin is also shown. Banks County leaders have not backed down in their push to move out of the Piedmont Judicial Cir cuit and into the Moun tain Judicial Circuit. The board of commissioners has sought legislation to make the change, passed a resolu tion in support of the action and even cut county funds allocated for the Piedmont Judicial Circuit. The effort by Banks County leaders to leave the Piedmont Judicial Circuit has topped the headlines throughout the year. It is likely to be in issue when the legislative session kicks off in January. Several meetings and hearings were held on the matter including a state committee hearing that was held in Banks County. Banks County leaders say this is the first time such a hearing has been held in the county. State leaders also said it is rare for legislative committee hearings to be held outside of Atlanta. This effort by the BOC to move into the Mountain circuit has been named the News Story of the Year. The hearing in Banks County was the second state committee hearing on the proposed legislative bill to take Banks out of the three-county Piedmont cir cuit. Ten people spoke in sup port of the plan, including Rep. Chris Erwin, Sen. Bo Hatchett, Banks Coun ty Board of Commission chairman Charles Turk and Sheriff Carlton Speed. Gina Roy, assistant county man ager for Jackson County, and Pat Graham, chairman of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners also of fered their support to Banks County leaders in making the change. No one spoke in oppo sition to the move at this meeting. However, at the earlier legislative commit tee meeting in Atlanta, Pied mont Judicial Circuit judges Joe Booth and Currie Min- gledorff spoke in opposition to Banks moving out of the circuit. They did not speak at the hearing in Banks County, however Judge Mingledorff and district attorney Brad Smith were present in the audience. Rep. Erwin said on the issue, “Banks fits in better in the Mountain Circuit. It is more like our systems. We are looking at where we fit best as a slow-growing county. It is nothing person al” but that Banks County citizens feel their voice is not heard.” “He added, “There has never been a Banks County citizen elected as the district attorney or judge,” he said. “The people feel like their voice isn’t heard. Banks County is a better, natural fit, geographically and cul turally, to the Mountain cir cuit.” Sen. Bo Hatchett said he has talked to judges in the Mountain circuit and they are willing to take on Banks County’s court caseload. State leaders said if the action is taken it would be “precedent-setting” because there has never been action to take a county out of one circuit and put it into anoth er one. Among the comments made by BOC chairman Turk was to compare the population to the counties in both circuits. He pointed out that Banks is more similar to Habersham, Rabun and Stephens counties. He also spoke on Banks not having a “voice” in the Piedmont circuit. “We can’t swing an election one way or another so they don’t care about us,” he said. “...I don’t think they care if we are here or not.” Sheriff Carlton Speed said, ‘This has been going on for a long time. Citizens of Banks County feel like their voices aren’t being heard.” While the circuit change didn’t take place in 2023, the Banks County BOC did cut funds for court services. At the budget hearing, Turk told a representative of the Piedmont Judicial Circuit: “We had legislation to get into the Mountain Ju dicial Circuit. Y’all fought it. It passed the Senate. It didn’t get out of the House committee. It would have cost $180,000 to go into the Mountain circuit. Your cost (Piedmont circuit) is $388,420. The commis sioners are willing to give $180,000 and that is it.” SHOPPING WITH A HERO One of the shoppers in the Shop With A Hero program looked through clothes. See Page 6 for article and more photos. Extension Office offers tax help The Banks County Extension Office is offering tax assis- tance.The process consists of two appointments. In the first, you will meet with the tax preparer and give them all the documentation and information they need to prepare your return. About a week later, you will return for your second ap pointment, in which you will review, sign, and file your return. Appointments will begin February 1. Schedule by call ing the Banks County Extension Office at 706-677-6230. There are limits on which kinds of returns we can prepare, so be sure to call ahead of time. Questions can be directed to susie.burton@uga.edu. 14 14 3
