Publisher's Blog

Holiday events planned across county

Tuesday, November 23. 2010
As the holiday season approaches, a number of special events are being planned throughout Jackson County. They include:

NICHOLSON
The annual tree lighting in Nicholson will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4, at the Nicholson Community Center.
The Rev. Theodore Braswell, Jones Chapel Baptist Church, will read scripture. Ricky Fitzpatrick, New Hope Baptist Church Choir and The Maxwells will be singing Christmas songs.
Santa will be set up in the community center for the children. A live nativity will be held and light refreshments will be served.
“We hope you will join us for some great Christmas music and refreshments at the Nicholson Community Center,” leaders state. “There will be hot chocolate and coffee available on the patio to keep you warm.”
The annual Christmas tree trimming party will be held at noon on Saturday, Dec. 4, at the Harold Swindle Public Library, Nicholson. [Full Story »] 

Hopkins not seeking judgeship

Tuesday, November 23. 2010
Jefferson attorney Ronnie Hopkins has taken his name out of consideration for the State Court judgeship in Jackson County.

Hopkins serves as the chairman of the Jefferson Board of Education and state law doesn’t allow a person to hold two elected positions.

Those who remain on the list include: Scott Tolbert, Donna Golden Sikes, Nick Primm and Jeff Perry. They will be interviewed on Dec. 7 by the Judicial Nominating Commission for the State of Georgia led by chairman Michael Bowers.

The commission will then select and recommend to the governor those found to be “qualified” to a short list of up to five people for the position. The governor will make the appointment.

The position is vacant following the death of Judge Jerry Gray.

Smith asks for details on BM&K

Wednesday, November 17. 2010
Commissioner Dwain Smith asked Monday night that a discussion on BM&K, the company owned by Don Clerici that provides engineering and construction management services to the county, be added to the agenda.

The other commissioners didn’t agree for this to be added to the agenda. Smith then asked if he could make a comment on the matter and BOC chairman Hunter Bicknell told him “no.”

“We will take this up in December,” Bicknell said.

So far this year, Jackson County has paid $1 million to BM&K.

Police close vandalism probe

Wednesday, November 17. 2010
No criminal charges will be filed in the vandalism at a locker room at the Jefferson High School Memorial Stadium following a football game against East Jackson Comprehensive High School.

The Jefferson Police Department closed its investigation after JHS officials decided not to pursue charges against East Jackson players or coaches over the incident.

“We are placing our confidence and trust in the administration of EJCHS to appropriately deal with these individuals and coaching staff to ensure this does not happen again in the future,” said JHS principal Kevin Smith in an e-mail to JPD officers.

But the investigation of the incident reveal some details of what happened that night:

• In addition to breaking name tags off of lockers, EJCHS players also drew a penis in dust and stole a JHS uniform and bag from a locker. The uniform and bag were later returned.

• That Coach Frank Caputo declined to discuss the matter with a JPD investigator at an interview and asked for a lawyer when read his Miranda Rights.

• That in “a fit of rage,” Caputo had kicked a water carrier holder during the game’s halftime and broken it in the locker room. The carrier belonged to EJCHS.

• One player told investigators that the coaches were more upset about having been defeated by JHS than they were about the broken name plates in the locker room. The coaches were also said to have cursed at the boys during halftime.

• That two EJCHS students broke off the sink in the visitors restroom, but that it may have been an accident from the boys trying to sit on it.

Seven players and Caputo were not allowed to participate in the last EJCHS football game of the season due to the incident.

“Vandalism of any kind is not acceptable and will not be tolerated,” said EJCHS Principal Pat Stueck after the event. “I hope that we can move forward and have this evolve into a healthy rivalry with good sportsmanship prevalent on both sides.”

Glenn loses 4-3 in Supreme Court ruling

Saturday, November 13. 2010
The Georgia Supreme Court ruled 4-3 against former Jefferson Police Chief Darren Glenn in his lawsuit against city officials.
The state Supreme Court reversed a Jackson County court decision. According to briefs filed in the case, the city manager fired Glenn in 2006 following allegations of wrongdoing, including that he improperly used police computers to check motor vehicle records. [Full Story »] 

Parent discusses busing issues with school board

Tuesday, November 9. 2010
When it comes to transporting kids to school, one parent is asking the Jackson County School System to make some changes — and provide better customer service, too.

Cindy Phillips, an insurance agent in Braselton, has two children — one attends West Jackson Middle School and the other is a student at Jackson County Comprehensive High School.

But in the decade that her children have been attending Jackson County schools, Phillips said she has noticed some problems with its bus transportation system. And when she has raised those concerns — including speeding buses — with officials at the district, Phillips said she was met with laughter.

“I felt that if I called with a concern or a complaint, I was the enemy — and that my concerns or complaints were not taken seriously or were not taken in the light that they were given,” Phillips told the board of education on Thursday.

Phillips said she believed that school buses weren’t being used to their fullest extent, because many parents have said they don’t feel safe putting their young children on the same bus as older students.

The Jackson County School System uses an “express” bus system that includes shuttling older students on the same bus as younger students, after the bus stops at a school.

Phillips also said some buses are picking up children around 6:30 a.m. and getting to schools at 7 a.m. — only to wait in the parking lot until 7:30 a.m., when facilities are open and supervised. She believed that bus schedules were being arranged with those extra 30 minutes to give hourly-paid drivers additional income. [Full Story »] 

Caputo, 7 players out of last EJCHS game

Tuesday, November 9. 2010
Jackson County School System Superintendent Shannon Adams declined to confirm that East Jackson Comprehensive High School football coach Frank Caputo and several players had been suspended from last week’s football game following a vandalism incident Oct. 29 at Jefferson High School. [Full Story »] 

Arrests made in armed robbery

Thursday, November 4. 2010
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.

EJCHS football team probed over vandalism

Wednesday, November 3. 2010
A locker room used by the East Jackson Comprehensive High School football team Friday night at rival Jefferson High School Memorial Stadium was found trashed after the game.

Thirty-five name plates of JHS football players were damaged in the locker room after having been ripped off locker doors. Several of the tags were used to form the letters “EJ.” Several lockers had an unknown gel or lotion on the inside, several toilets had been intentionally stopped up and the water fountain had what appeared to be urine in it, according to police reports.

JHS principal Kevin Smith said Tuesday that the damage is being repaired and an investigation is under way to identify those responsible for the vandalism.

“There has been a police report submitted and they are in the process of investigating,” he said. “I have been in contact with Pat Stueck, East Jackson principal, and her administration is also in the process of investigating as well. There is no place for this type of damage in high school athletics. Our message is that this will not be tolerated and I want this message to be received by our students as well in case there are thoughts of retaliation in the future. If this type of thing is not stopped and continues to escalate, it can result in serious property damage and even violence.” [Full Story »] 

Five seek State Court position

Wednesday, November 3. 2010
As of Wednesday, five people had applied or been nominated for the State Court judge position in Jackson County and the deadline is Monday.

Those on the list are: Scott Tolbert, Donna Golden Sikes, Nick Primm, Ronnie Hopkins and Jeff Perry.

Applications and nominations are being taken for the State Court judge position in following the death of Judge Jerry Gray.

The Judicial Nominating Commission for the State of Georgia, led by chairman Michael Bowers, is accepting applications for the judgeship. Each person who applies or is nominated will receive an application package to be completed and sent to the commission by Nov. 23.

The commission will meet to interview the applicants on Dec .7. The commission will then select and recommend to the governor those found to be “qualified” to a short list of up to five people for the position.

The governor will make the appointment.
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