Entries by Mike Buffington

Five people were sentenced on drug charges in recent Superior Court proceedings in Jackson County, including the following: [Full Story »] 

Jackson County unemployment rate climbed in January to 10.8 percent, up from 10.3 percent in December. [Full Story »] 

A Jefferson Middle School student apparently brought some unusual food to share with her friends earlier this week.

The student reportedly made some homemade pancakes and gave to friends before the school day began Monday. The problem was, she had laced them with a “little bit” of marijuana.

School officials said Wednesday that teachers found out about the situation from other students. After questioning, the girl reportedly admitted to having put a “little bit” of pot in the pancakes.

She was suspended pending a tribunal hearing, but officials said her mother later withdrew her from the school, saying they would be moving to another state.

No one was hurt or sick from the incident.

Police officials were called to the scene, but no report was filed. The evidence had all been eaten, officers said.

A Judicial Nominating Commission has interviewed the five applicants for the vacant State Court judgeship in Jackson County and sent a “short list” to the governor of its top choices to fill the seat.

But Governor Nathan Deal declined to release the names on the short list to The Herald this week.

“I understand the curiosity in Jackson County with this state bench slot but we won’t be releasing information until a decision has been made,” said Stephanie Mayfield, spokesman for the governor’s office.

The five Jackson County attorneys who applied for the judgeship were: Rob Alexander, Jeff Perry, Donna Sikes, Scott Tolbert and Nick Primm.

Last year, applications were taken and Perry and Primm were named to a short list and sent to former governor Sonny Perdue. However, Perdue decided not to name anyone as his term in office was ending. The process started over this year with a new Judicial Nominating Commission being named.

The State Court duties have been handled by visiting judges since the fall when Judge Jerry Gray died.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has released the updated sex offender registry. Those listed and their address include:
•Dontez Manuel Armstead, 405 Cooper Bridge Road, Braselton.
•Richard Arnett, 289 Downing Street, Hoschton.
•Randy Cleve Baker, Incarcerated, Commerce.
•Joshua Bentley, 405 Feldspar Drive, Jefferson.
•Brandon Dwayne Berner, 182 Kendall Creek Drive, Jefferson.
•C.D. Booth, 938 South Broad Street, Commerce.
•Dustin Matthew Bourchier, 5689 Meadow View Drive, Jefferson.
•Jason Allen Brannon, 183 Hoot Owl Hollow, Pendergrass.
•Stephen Paul Brock, 88 Garner Road, Braselton.
•James Dennis Brown, 4955 Highway 53, Braselton.
•Omar Sharif Bush, 439 Ivey Creek Drive, Nicholson.
•Christopher Lee Butler, 7667 Jefferson River Road, Athens.
•Johnny O. Cain, Incarcerated, Jefferson.
•Abel B. Candia III, 390 Reisling Drive, Braselton.
•Steve Dwight Canup, Incarcerated, Jefferson. [Full Story »] 

In a move that could spell the end of litigation, Jackson County was handed a major legal victory this week in its lawsuit against the Upper Oconee Basin Water Authority.

The Georgia Supreme Court refused Monday to overturn a lower court ruling that had said Jackson County’s suit against UOBWA could proceed. UOBWA had earlier filed a motion for the courts to dismiss the lawsuit, but that was denied by the local Superior Court, the Court of Appeals and now the Supreme Court.

The issue in the litigation is over recalculating the amount of water contained in the Bear Creek Reservoir. Jackson County argues that the original calculations of the reservoir’s capacity are wrong by as much as half the amount.

A joint project of Jackson, Athens-Clarke, Barrow and Oconee counties, the reservoir, opened in 2002, was supposed to yield 58 million gallons per day in water. Jackson contends the real amount is closer to 24 mgd. [Full Story »]