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SPORTS: Lola-Toyota wins 14th annual Petit Le Mans, 2B
Blessing of the Animals held. 3B 50¢
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012
Input is sought on DOT projects The Georgia Department of Transportation has announced public meetings on federally funded transportation projects planned in Northeast Georgia. One of the meetings will be held Nov. 1 in Jackson County. Residents will be able to look at a draft of the fiscal 2013-16 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, or STIP, Georgia’s four-year transportation and capital improvements program. Projects include highway, bridge, public transit, bike, pedestrian, railroad and other improvements as identified through the DOT planning efforts. The projects specifically will target work planned for Banks, Dawson, Elbert, Franklin, Habersham, Hart, Jackson, Lumpkin, Rabun,
Stephens, Towns, Union and White counties, which are not designated as “metropolitan.” In the 15 metropolitan areas of the state, including Gainesville-Hall County, public involvement is the responsibility of the local metropolitan planning organizations, according to the DOT. The counties in Northeast Georgia that have metropolitan planning organizations are Clarke, Forsyth, Gwinnett and Hall. Hall County projects are developed by the Gainesville-Hall Metropolitan Planning District, which maintains a long-range document, the 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, as well as the four-year Transportation Improvement Program. At the Northeast Georgia meetings, the public also will be able to look at maps of local
projects and discuss them with DOT staff. The 2013-16 plan calls for $8.6 billion in projects statewide, with a fiscal 2013 amount of $2.13 billion, according to the nearly 400page document. The funding breakdown is $6.12 billion, federal sources; $1.5 billion, state sources; and $970 million, local sources. The Draft FY 13-16 STIP IS available on the internet at www.dot.ga.gov/stip. For Jackson County, the twin bridge project in Jefferson is included with preliminary engineering slated for 2016. The bridge replacement on State Route 82 at the North Oconee River is estimated to cost $5 million. Another bridge repacement project on State Route 334 at Sandy Creek is also on the STIP list at a projected cost of $8.6 million.
A Transportation Enhancement project is planned for Highway 53 from the BraseltonHoschton city limits to Highway 124. That represents the first phase of the project and is estimated at $625,000. A railroad crossing warning project on State Route 98 is planned at a cost of $769,734 and preliminary engineering was authorized for 2012 to work toward eliminating the crossing hazard. Signal work is planned for three locations on State Route 15 and one location on Highway 11 at a projected price tag of $848,823. A Thursday meeting is set for Helen City Hall and the Nov. 1 meeting is at Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department’s Pat Bell Conference Center, 7020 Highway 82 Spur in Maysville. Both will be from 5-7 p.m.
Braselton Antique & Holiday Festival is this weekend By LEANNE AKIN lakin@clickthepaper.com The Braselton Antique and Holiday Festival will be Oct. 27-28 in Braselton Park, and vendor Debbie Turner is again looking forward to being a part of the festival. Turner will be returning to the festival which she touts as one of the friendliest festivals around because of the dealers and sweet customers who come to it. “The weather will be beautiful and I am looking forward to it,” said Turner. “I have been doing this festival for years, almost since the start of it.” This year, Turner said she will have a a blend of rustic antiques including an old mantel and old furniture to compliment her vintage jewelry which she considers her specialty. Hand-poured pewter pieces and other jewelry designs handmade from vintage pieces will be available along
See ANTIQUE FESTIVAL, page 2A
Mulberry River area is target of Rivers Alive effort
Serving up lunch Last week during National School Lunch Week, Master Sgt. Keith Bryson, donning a chef’s hat and an apron, served lunch to West Jackson Primary School kindergartners who wanted to know “What are you standing on back there?” because of his height. Byrson was among the celebrity chefs taking part in the promotion in lunchrooms across the county. At right, Gum Springs Elementary School fifth grader Rachel Brown, also sporting a chef’s hat, encouraging student to try the “healthy brownie” which was served up. See more on the celebration on Page 5A.
By LEANNE AKIN lakin@clickthepaper.com The Mulberry River is important to both Jackson and Barrow counties, and volunteers from both counties are joining forces on Saturday for a Rivers Alive cleanup along – and in – the river. Volunteers are encouraged to meet at 9 a.m. in the Community Room in the Braselton Police & Municipal Court Building, located at 5040 Highway 53. After a safety briefing, volunteers will carpool to the locations be-
See RIVERS ALIVE, page 2A
Joseph H. Booth approaches his 10th year on the bench By KATIE JUSTICE kjustice@clickthepaper.com From murder trials to divorces, Judge Joseph H. Booth has faced it all during his almost 10 years as a judge with the Piedmont Circuit. However, Booth’s career in law goes back much further than just a decade. Prior to serving Georgia’s 10th Judicial District, Booth worked almost 25 years as a lawyer. For 12 years, Booth worked at a law firm in Decatur before returning to Apple Valley. “When my daughter turned 3, a lot of things just came together, and it seemed like it was time to come home,” said Booth.
Booth grew up in Apple Valley and attended school in Commerce before going to North Georgia College. While at North Georgia, Booth was set on a career in the Army until a motorcycle accident during his junior year left him searching for other options. “My friend and classmates were going into the Army. [Law school] was a place I could go back into school. It was something I could do physically. I’ve been in a wheelchair since in was 20 years old,” said Booth. His fallback plan, developed into a 35-year career that’s still going strong.
Spotlight on our judges: A periodic series
INSIDE Church Entertainment Events Features Forum
4A 7B 6B 3B 6A
See JUDGE BOOTH, page 2A
Volume 6, Number 51 Obituaries 4A 4A Pastor’s Pen Police report 8A Puzzles 7B Sports 1-2B
Katie Justice The Paper
Judge Joseph H. Booth considers adoption hearings to be the most gratifying of his work on the bench of the Piedmont Judicial Circuit.
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