Entries by Staff Writer

As the Georgia General Assembly gets into full swing next week, Rep. Tommy Benton is working to get two pieces of legislation from last year made into law. Benton (R-Jefferson) represents House District 31, which includes most of Jackson County. One is his House Bill 40, which would require the addition of bitter tasting chemical denatonium ... [Full Story »] 

A power pole on Zion Church Road apparently caught on fire — although no blaze was found, according to an incident report from the West Jackson Fire Department. A crew from Jackson EMC was on the scene in Braselton when firefighters arrived. A power pole looked as though as it had been on fire, but there was no blaze or ground fire and ... [Full Story »] 

A retired dentist has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that the City of Arcade has developed a speed trap targeting drivers with false charges.

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Two people have been arrested by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office in connection with an armed robbery Thursday at a rural country store.

Shaun Fortson, Elberton, and Keri Ann Mullins, Hull, were charged with armed robbery and kidnapping in the incident that took place at Stop-and-Shop store on the Jefferson-Commerce road in the Harrisburg community.

Officials said two people wearing masks, a white male and white female, entered the store with a handgun, tied up a store clerk with duct tape and took money from the cash register.

A Jackson County Sheriff's Office deputy happened to be in the area and saw a black Mitsubushi car traveling at a high rate of speed on the Brockton-Thyatira road, according to officials. After stopping the vehicle, the deputy arrested the two occupants and discovered some items connecting them to the robbery. As search warrant was being executed Thursday afternoon for other items in the car.

One of those charged reportedly confessed to the robbery, officials said.

Governor Sonny Perdue joined with Systemax Inc. and local officials in Jackson County Monday afternoon to celebrate the grand opening of the company’s facility. Systemax, a Fortune 1000 company and one of the nation’s leading electronics retailers, opened a distribution center, TigerDirect retail store and business sales office in Jefferson. The company is investing $15 million in the facility and expecting to hire approximately 400 full-time local-area employees over the course of the coming five years. [Full Story »]