The Paper April 16, 2015 Edition

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Growth impacting Jackson Co. schools

By LEANNE AKIN

lakin@clickthepaper.com

The West Jackson area is the grow and parents want to know more about how the Jackson County Board of Education intends to deal with overcrowding.

Crowded classrooms and the likelihood of modular units to house students until new facilities can be built were concerns expressed by some attending Monday’s school board meeting held on the Jackson County Comprehensive High School campus.

The alternatives for the future of the current West Jackson Primary School were presented to begin the discussion of whether demolition and new construction – with an estimated price tag of $15.5 million to $15.8 million – was a better investment than a $14.5 million renovation of the existing structure

with an addition that poses some challenges while not addressing all the needs for a new middle school.

School Superintendent April Howard said initial sharing of information with school councils had prompted interest among some parents who attended and questioned the board about schools on the east side with low student populations. Some questioned the wisdom in keeping open Benton Elementary when it seems to come at the expense of the county system as a whole.

Benton had been proposed for repurposing next year, however, the emotional outcry from the Nicholson area resulted in there being no consensus among board members to opt for utilizing the Benton campus for a purpose other than a small elementary school.

Parents on the west side said they would rally to see that what they consider a costly

injustice not be repeated.

Those parents were not the only ones expressing concerns about the impact of small schools. For example, the state-appointed facilities survey team which visited the system on April 2 provided five comments including the following: “The team understands the benefit of maintaining small community schools; however, the team is concerned about the negative financial impact on the system’s budget, equity and access for all students, as well as safety and operational challenges in maintaining such schools. To maintain fiscal responsibility and to meet the needs of today’s learners, the team supports the continued review of the number of facilities as an overall surplus of instructional units can negatively impact state entitlement. Current population trends within the county should continue to

be a factor in considering any reductions or additions in instructional units across the system.”

In addition, the team also “recognizes the challenges that Jackson County faces in its uniqueness with three school systems in one county.”

During Monday’s board session which was devoted primarily to recognitions and the West Jackson growth issue, Chairman Michael Cronic and Assistant Superintendent Jamie Hitzges said they hope the current upswing in development permits will have a positive impact on the tax digest.

The school system was further financially crippled this year when the projected 1 percent growth in the tax digest was actually a 2 percent decline, noted Hitzges.

See SCHOOLS, 2A

Braselton hosts part of International VIP tour

PINWHEELS PREVENTION for

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and those providing social services to families of Jackson, Barrow and Banks counties are attempting to bring special attention to the observance. The annual Pinwheels for Prevention involves the display of colorful pinwheels and each pinwheel which catches the wind symbolizes a confirmed case of child

abuse. Unfortunately, when members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson County placed pinwheels in the pocket park in downtown Jefferson on Monday, there were 160 pinwheels – meaning the incidence of child abuse rose last year.

See the second in a series about the agencies collaborating to address the issue of child abuse on Page 3B.

Braselton will be one of seven host counties for the 2015 International VIP Tour, an annual event hosted by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD).

The VIP Tour is taking place April 15-17.

“The international diversity found in Georgia elevates the state as an ideal place to live and work,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Commissioner Chris Carr.

“The ability to showcase Georgia’s multi-faceted economy to influential leaders from 28 countries keeps Georgia’s tourism opportunities and overall quality of life on the radar of the international business community.”

The 2015 International VIP Tour is a three-day event that showcases the northeast region of Georgia to the Consular Corps. This year, the itinerary includes a traditional tourism and economic development tour of the following communities: Dawsonville, Dahlonega, Young Harris, Sautee Nacoochee, Cornelia, Gainesville and Braselton.

“Braselton is honored to be selected for the tour and to have a chance to showcase the Chateau Elan Resort, our industrial community presence and our vibrant historic downtown,” said Braselton Town Manager Jennifer Dees.

See BRASELTON, 2A

Braselton is honored to be selected for the tour and to have a chance to showcase the Chateau Elan Resort, our industrial community presence and our vibrant historic downtown.

Braselton Town Manager Jennifer Dees

Hoschton mayor wants arrests in depot arson fire

By LeAnne Akin

lakin@clickthepaper.com

With three arson fires still unsolved but under investigation in Jackson County, Hoschton Mayor Theresa Kenerly acknowledges she is concerned about what could happen next.

Her fears come after the March 6 fire which investigators including the State Fire Marshal’s Office determined to be deliberately set.

Another arson was reported in Arcade and another suspicious fire is being investigated on Waterworks Road in unincorporated Jackson County, said Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum, who also expresses concern that the final pieces of the evidence puzzle will soon come together in the depot fire case.

A reward of up to $10,000 has been offered

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in the depot arson case by State Insurance and Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens. The state arson hotline number is 800-282-5804.

The historic Hoschton Depot which Kenerly has called “the heart of Hoschton” because of the number of community activities and celebration which have occurred in and around the structure.

“I want to know who did this,” said Kenerly.

“This was a historic building that belonged to the government and the community has done so much through the years to restore, preserve and protect it.”

Kenerly said donations from the community continue to come in which will go toward the restoration of the depot, and she has been talking with Sheriff Mangum and District Attorney Brad Smith about the case. She admits she is anxious for the arrest and prosecution of thiose responsible.

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According to state law, “a person commits the offense of arson in the first degree when, by means of fire or explosive, he or she knowingly damages or knowingly causes, aids, abets, advises, encourages, hires, counsels or procures another to damage” structures.

“We are continuing the course and following the leads – and we are right out there on it but need a little more,” said Mangum. “We are hopeful someone will use our anonymous tip line – 706-367-3784, which is not a traceable line but a recording where someone who may not want to get involved can give us the little bit of information to get us over the top.

“There may be someone who may not want to be tied into it as they would to secure the reward with an arrest and conviction but they may can clear their conscience,” said Mangum, noting someone may have overheard something that may be helpful.

Got a news tip? Call 706-658-2683 or e-mail editor@clickthepaper.com Want to advertise? Call 706-658-2683 or e-mail dpurvis@clickthepaper.com Delivery questions? Call 770-532-2222 or e-mail circulation@clickthepaper.com

While the arson cases to not appear to be connected, having several unresolved arsons is bothersome, said the sheriff.

The burden of proof needed to secure an arrest warrant from a judge and is even higher when a case is presented to a grand jury and then a trial jury so having solid evidence is desired before a case moves forward.

Kenerly said she fears that the suspects may be emboldened and make another move.

What if a fire is set at a building next time and someone is inside and is injured – or worse, Kenerly asks.

“Please remember that you can provide information without being involved or identified by contacting the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office’s anonymous tip line at 706367-3784 to report any criminal or suspicious activity,” said Sheriff Mangum.

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The Paper | Thursday, April 16, 2015

Board discusses new school for South Hall area

LeAnne Akin The Paper

Jackson County School Superintendent April Howard thanked those who attended Monday’s meeting of the Jackson County Board of Education to ask questions about how the school system plans to cope with the growth which is impacting the western portion of the county. Sitting on stage for the session which lasted more than two and a half hours was (L-R) Assistant Superintendent Jamie Hitzges, board member Celina Wilson, chairman Michael Cronic, Superintendent Howard and board members Lynne Massey-Wheeler, Tim Brooks and Steve Bryant.

SCHOOLS

Continued from 1A Cronic, who asked to gain appointment to the Jackson County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) in an effort to represent the school board’s position on matters related to tax abatements and their impacts, said he was “slapped in the face and told no.”

With a new chief tax appraiser now onboard, Howard said she feels confident the discrepancies that were suspected will be addressed. Responding to a question inquiring about the status of the school board’s request for an audit related to the tax digest concerns, she reported there had been no audit.

The impact of lower than anticipated ad valorem tax revenues meant further belt-tightening for the school system including calendar reduction days and personal action.

That will continue somewhat. The financial crisis has not yet passed as the system continues to “face significant budgetary restraints in its anticipated revenue an expenditures for the 2015-2016 school year” so additional cost-cutting measures are being taken.

The central office will still feel the impacts of furloughs, a reduction in force will eliminate the Early Children Education program which will be offered by Lanier Tech and some other personnel reductions are taking place.

Several other positions are also being through attrition due to resignations, retirement, contract nonrenewals or transfers to other vacant positions including media resource specialist, elementary P.E. and administrative positions. Also, the assistant superintendent will be taking on duties of human resources as current HR Director Jason Wester is opting to return to the classroom and to coaching.

Personnel recommendations The Jackson County Board of Education is preparing for the 2015-16 school year with Monday night’s acceptance of district and school administration recommendations.

During the board’s April 2 work session, Superintendent April Howard thanked the school board for providing a full calendar for the 2015-16 school year which is easing the task of securing returning and new teachers.

While other school systems had returned to a full calendar for teachers,

the financial situation of the school system had not allowed elimination of calendar reduction days until recently.

The recommendations of central office and school administration are being made in April with plans for the teacher recommendations to be finalized at the May meeting because of “logistical dominoes,” said Howard. A work in progress is how she decribed the process to ready staffing for the next school year.

Recommended to be a part of the district administrative team for next year is Bob Betz, Todd Shultz, Linda Bell, Amity Hardegree, Annah Dodge, Debra Morris, Dennis Patrick, Elaine Gunter, Teresa Strickland, Jamie Hitzges, MaLissa Hill and Miranda Storey.

At the school level, administrators will include Pam Shields, Michelle Archibald, who is transferring from West Jackson Primary School to be the new Maysville Elementary School principal Pete Jones, Dale Simpson, Jennifer Halley, Cheryl Poponi, Alisa Hanley, Tim Nichols, Amy Wright, Resa Brooksher, Kendra Phillips, Joe Cobb, Karen Rodenroth, Todd Nickelsen, Allyson Pennington,Troy Johnson, Chanda Palmer, Joe Lancaster, Tiffany Barnett, Mary Ann Hale (80 percent), Kim Johnson, Stephen Greene, Jamie Dixon, Sandy Akin and Shawn Lindsey.

Also at the Monday session, the board approved the following personnel action items:

EJCHS Theresa Easter, Bus Driver, WJPS Eleanor Lynch, Bus Driver, WJPS Taryne Mingo, Counselor, SJES Oscar Narvarez, Spanish Teacher, JCCHS Adrienne Robinson, K-3 Teacher, MES Cathy Thompson, School Nurse, System Transfers Michelle Archibald. Assistant Principal, WJPS to Principal, MES John Canupp. Principal, MES to 50% Assistant Principal/50% Instructional Coach & Student Support Services, WJES Bressa Crocker, Math Teacher, EJMS to EJCHS Matt Gibbs, Health/PE Teacher, BES to BESIEJCHS Verdi Huffman, Media Resource Specialist, JCCHS to IT Department System Sara Mixon, Media Resource Specialist (100%) to Media Resource Specialist (50%), NJES Jennifer Saine. API, GSES to Media Resource Specialist, JCCHS Don Sorrells, Health/PE Teacher, NJES to NJES/MES Jason Wester, Human Resources Director, System to Social Studies Teacher. JCCHS Wesley Wheeler, Special Education Teacher, EJMS to EJCHS Retirement Shirley White, assistant principal, Benton Elementary

New hires effective for the 2015-16 School Year Blair Armstrong, PE Teacher, JCCHS Andy Briscoe, Math Teacher, EJCHS Wayne Brooks. English Teacher, JCCHS Donald Byrom, Social Studies Teacher, EJCHS Christina Curtis, Science Teacher, JCCHS Tucker Duke, Math Teacher, JCCHS Craig Ellis, Social Studies Teacher, JCCHS Terrence Miller. English Teacher.

EJCHS Jocelyn Newell. Math Teacher, EJCHS

Jefferson City BOE meeting on personnel actions

Resignations/Terminations Jeff Algard, PE/Health Teacher, JCCHS Katie David, PE/Health Teacher,

The Jefferson City Schools Board of Education is also considering personnel appointments for the 2015-16 school year.

A lengthy executive session held April 9 concluded with the board to set a called meeting, possibly on April 17, to take up the matter school administration.

Superintendent John Jackson said Tuesday that the anticipated called session had not yet been scheduled.

Concerns about leadership at one school has prompted parents and staffers to communicate with the superintendent and board members.

However, others say the situation is merely an attempt by the Jefferson power elite to manipulate the leadership structure within the close-knit small city school system.

April 30 registration round-up

Foothills Education Charter High is offering second chance Registration round-up for Foothills Education Charter High School, a new evening school opening in August to give students a second chance to graduate, will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, at Southside Church, the former site of South Jackson Elementary School on Highway 129.

The event will provide information on the school and refreshments will be served.

Rachael Parr and Mary Ann Hale will be the site directors for Jackson County’s Foothills Education Charter High School location which will oc-

cupy a wing at East Jackson Comprehensive High School. The school will be able to accommodate 150 students from Jackson and surrounding counties.

Applications are available online at www.foothillscharter.org or from Hale at EJCHS. For more information, call Hale at 706-423-5108 or email maryann.hale@ foothillscharter.org. You can also call Parr at 706423-5110 or email Rachael. parr@foothillscharter.org.

Foothills is offering an answer to the region’s dropout problem by offering a unique opportunity to any student who wishes to earn

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an accredited Georgia high school diploma. With multiple locations, Foothills has a full range of high school courses in a convenient, flexible, self-paced format.

All classes are held in the evening, making it convenient for those who work during the day.

Tuition is free for fulltime Foothills students who can take as many or as few courses to successfully complete coursework. To better

meet the different learning styles of students, Foothills offers a variety of course formats including textbook and web-based instruction.

Visit www.foothillscharter.org where you can also learn about employment opportunities at the school.

Barrow County also has a Foothills location at 54 W. Star St., in Bethlehem. Call 770-867-1711. Site administrators are Bill Kruskamp and Jason Smith.

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Possible changes discussed include realigning grades at Flowery Branch and Johnson

By KRISTEN OLIVER

Regional staff

The southern portion of Hall County is booming, and the school board is planning for growth.

The Hall County Board of Education discussed the need for more classroom space at Johnson High School and Flowery Branch High School at the board’s work session Monday. It floated the possibility of realigning the grades in schools in those districts and opening a new school.

“Looking at our enrollment and our growth, it is crystal clear to us — though this could change on a dime and sometimes does — we are really short on classroom space in grades six through 12 in the Flowery Branch district and in the Johnson district,” said Hall County Superintendent Will Schofield.

“So we’ve talked about getting enough classroom space in those two areas growing so rapidly.”

One possible solution to the growth in the area, Schofield said, is the creation of an eighth- and ninth-grade transition academy. This would not only alleviate the need for space in the area, but it would be an asset to ninth-graders in the district, according to Schofield.

“We’re really excited about what we’ve discussed and looked at as a possibility,” Schofield said. “And that’s looking in the Flowery Branch and Johnson areas at a sixth and seventh configuration, an eighth and ninth transition academy

and (grades) 10-12 (for) high schools. We think if we did that, we could use existing space and build one new school in the Johnson district for sixth and seventh.”

The board approved a resolution Monday to withdraw its Fiscal Year 2016 Capital Outlay Application as part of its five-year Facility Plan.

This originally included additions to Johnson High School and Flowery Branch High School and was submitted in 2014. Schofield said since then, the district has become increasingly aware of the need for realignment affecting all grades six through 12 in the Flowery Branch and Johnson area, and the originally planned additions would likely not suffice.

Next school year, Johnson is projected to have 1,500 students, Schofield said.

Facilities director Matt Cox said the earliest the new facility could be open would be 2018.

School board member Craig Herrington said there is definitely going to be some additional growth in South Hall with the addition of the new Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton.

“The growth is coming,” he said.

Board chairman Nath Morris agreed.

“That’s definitely where the growth is,” Morris said.

“It slowed down in 2008, but I think it’s starting to catch more momentum again…. If we don’t start planning now, we’re going to get caught behind the eight-ball.”

If we don’t start planning now, we’re going to get caught behind the eightball.

Nash Morris Hall County Board of Education chairman

BRASELTON Continued from 1A

Last year’s International VIP Tour had Jackson County and the City of Jefferson serving as one of the host communities with the Crawford W. Long Museum as one of the tour stops.

The International VIP Tour is the only event that brings the bulk of Atlanta’s diplomatic community together with Georgians in these communities. The Georgia Department of Economic Development has organized the annual three-day tour since 1985.

“Every year the International VIP Tour shows off a ‘slice’ of Georgia to our Consular Corps,” said Ember Bishop, GDEcD’s deputy commissioner of international relations. “The tour creates an opportunity to familiarize our VIP Tour

guests with destinations they might not have otherwise seen, as well as create long-lasting friendships and business connections within these thriving communities.”

Follow the conversation and stay up-to-date with the three-day VIP Tour by following #GAVIPTour About the Georgia Department of Economic Development The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) plans, manages and mobilizes state resources to attract new business investment to Georgia, drive the expansion of existing industry and small business, locate new markets for Georgia products, inspire tourists to visit Georgia and promote the state as a top destination for arts events and film, music and digital entertainment projects.

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The Paper | Thursday, April 16, 2015

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For The Paper

Jackson County Government held its eighth annual service awards program on March 25 and honored employees with five, 10, 15, 20, 25 and even 30 years of service. After years of furlough days and more merit increases, the county commission recently approved a pay supplement plan for county employees for Fiscal Year 2015 which will put between $250 and $250 on the May 21 paycheck of employees.

Jackson County employees recognized for service Jackson County Government held its eighth annual service awards program on March 25 and honored employees with five, 10, 15, 20, 25 and even 30 years of service.

County Manager Kevni Poe welcomed those gathered for the occasion and acknowledged the employees have a combined total of 590 years with the county.

Chairman Tom Crow was also involved in the employee recognition ceremony which also included breakfast.

Those recognized included: Department Heads Don Moore 30 Tom Page 25 Camie Thomas 15 Gina Roy 5 Senior Center Hope Loggins 5 E-911 Karen Slater 15 Barbara Adams 10 Sarah Green 5

Correctional Institute Harold Shadburn 15 Terry Shadburn 15 Kevin Hand 10 Linda Ward 10 Parks & Rec James Anderson 10 Roads Aaron Dove 10 Misty Burns 5 Joey Harvey 5 Fleet Herman Hunt 15 Solid Waste Lucy Miller 20 Jimmy Whitlock 10 Public Development Kathy Holloway 5 Tax Commissioner Linda Ingram 5 Jaci Pritchett 5 District Attorney Connie James 10 Juvenile Court Victoria Moore 10

EMA David McCoy 10

Magistrate Court Sherri Smith 20

EMS Donnie Young 25 Adam Harris 20 Matt Parr 5

Solicitor Melanie Kilburn 15

Buildings & Grounds Billy Burdette 5

Clerk of Court Sue Whiddon 15 Crystal Gordon 10

Sheriff Kelly LaCount 20 Charlie Timms 20 Dale Arnold 10 Julia Faucher 10 Scott Harrison 10 John Pursley 10 Elizabeth Rudell 10 Mitchell Blinn JR 5 Roger Boswell II 5 Tim Burke 5 Richard Hemphill 5 David Larkins 5 Clayton Lowe 5 James Simmons 5 Michael Stanifer 5 Jeff Tyson 5 Robert Yates 5 Jail Ronnie Banks 10 Latanja Mattox 10 Pam Veal 10 Ginger Edwards 5 Larry Phillips 5 Steve Streetman 5 Jessica Ward 5 Randall Wilbanks 5 At the April commission meeting, the board accepted the recommendation of the county manager and will be providing county employees who have not received an across-the-board merit raise or cost of living adjustment for nearly seven years.

In a memo to commissioners, Poe said, “During the previous four years, employees were required to take furlough days. Fortunately, the BOC was able to eliminate furlough days for calen-

april 21 lunch and learn

Jackson Area Chamber spotlighting promotion of employee wellness The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce will host a Lunch & Learn on Tuesday, April 21, at Beef O’Brady’s in Jefferson. Lisa Leedahl, RN from Northridge Medical Center, will give the program titled “Promoting Employee Wellness.”

The cost is $10 for chamber members and $15 for nonmembers, which includes lunch, networking and the program from noon to 1 p.m.

“The Lunch & Learn is a great opportunity to network within the business community and benefit from programs that will help small businesses with issues that affect them every day,” said Josh Fenn, president of the Jackson County Chamber.

“This event will help businesses learn ways to improve their operations while talking with others that can relate to the same issues.”

The format for the Lunch & Learn will be 20-20-20: 20 minutes of networking, 20 minutes for the program and lunch and 20 minutes of more networking and dis-

cussion. A door prize will be awarded at random and business cards will be distributed to all attendees.

To register or for more information, call Economic

Development project manager Briana Burgess at 706387-0300, email bburgess@ jacksoncountyga.com or register online at www.jacksoncountyga.com by April 20.

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dar year 2015 and the funding necessary to do this was incorporated in the adopted FY 2015 budget.”

For the past two years, the board has approved a one-time pay supplement in the amount of $300 or $250 based on the employees’ base salary.

Poe said the county’s financial condition appears brighter. He noted the audti of FY 2014 is now under way.

“We will start 2016 in bet-

ter shape,” said Poe. “Since it looks like we will start FY 2015 in better shape than expected, I would like to recommend that the BOC amend the FY 2015 budget to allow for one-time pay supplements to be issued again this year,” said Poe, not noted the cost of his recommendation will be $138,000 with those with a base salary of less than $35,000 receiving $350 and those making more than that base salary getting

$300. Department heads will receive $250.

“I wish we could do more,” said District 4 Commisisoner Dwain Smith, noting some employees “have hung in there with us.”

District 1 Commissioner Jim Hix echoed other commissioners and noted the awards program showcased the number of years of service to the county. “Our people have been loyal and this is well deserved,” he said.

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The Paper | Thursday, April 16, 2015

Obituaries Carl Atkins Jr.

Died April 5, 2015 Carl Atkins Jr., 84, of Elberton, died Sunday, April 5, 2015.

Survivors include his wife, Linda Kennedy Atkins; son, David Carl Atkins; brother, James Croft; and sister, Joyce Martin.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, April 8, 2015, in the Lawson Funeral Home Chapel with Chaplain Dennis Duck officiating. Interment followed in the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church Cemetery in Auburn.

Lawson Funeral Home, Hoschton The Paper, April 16, 2015

Jeff Bell

Died April 9, 2015 Jeff Bell, 55, of Buford, died Thursday, April 9, 2015.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Leon D. Bell Sr., and Margie Nell Roper Thomas; brother, David Bell; and father-in-law, Jack Smith.

Survivors include his wife, Lisa “Lee Lee” Smith Bell; children, Tabatha Bell Burke and husband Chris Burke, Andi Bell Jenkins and husband Kenny Jenkins, Lauren Bell and Alyssa Bell; grandchildren, Calli Buttrey, Camryn Buttrey, Brant Bell, Chase Ingram, Cain Ingram, Lawson Peevy and D. J. Jenkins; mother-inlaw, Faye Richey Smith of Sugar Hill; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Debra and Mike Donnelly of Americus; brothers-in-law and sistersin-law, Bryan and Mylinda Smith of Dawsonville and Skeeter and Janet Smith of Hoschton; and several nephews and cousins.

Born March 4, 1960, in Atlanta, he was a 1978 graduate of Buford High School. He was a former construction manager for International Banking Technology and a member of Lakewood Baptist Church in Gainesville.

Funeral services were held Sunday, April 12, 2015, in the chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Hamilton Mill Memorial Gardens in Buford.

Flanigan Funeral Home & Crematory, Buford The Paper, April 16, 2015

Bill Berger

Died April 1, 2015 William “Bill” Berger, of Hoschton and the Deaton Creek community, diedWednesday, April 1, 2015.

Survivors include his wife of 31 years, Joyce Berger; children, Kathleen Shaver and husband Mike of Hunt Valley, Md., William Berger Jr., and wife Chris of Novato, Calif., Gary Berger and wife Joan of Cockeysville, Md., Janeen Berger of Tybee Island, Derek Berger and wife Ayako of Alpharetta, Diana Dowd and husband Robert of Dallas; stepchildren, Ronald Moeller and wife Paty of Glendora, Calif., Scott Moeller and wife Paulette of Oceanport, N.J., and Diane Hoxie and husband Jack of Grayson; 18 grandchildren; and brother, Richard Berger and wife Jackie of Timonium, Md. Born in Baltimore, Md., he was retired from TRW Customer Service Division after 30 years of service. He attended Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church in Dacula.

A memorial service was held Monday, April 13, 2015, at Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jason Mincey officiating.

Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center, 2150 Limestone Parkway, Suite 222, Gainesville, GA 30501.

Flanigan Funeral Home & Crematory, Buford The Paper, April 16, 2015

Frances Richardson Black

Died April 9, 2015 Frances Richardson Black, formerly of Commerce, died Thursday, April 9, 2015.

Survivors include her husband of 66 years, Andrew Parks “A.P.” Black; daughters and sons-in-law, Carol (Carper) and Charlie Langford of Gainesville and Ann and Bob Coley of Hendersonville, N.C.; granddaughter, Erica Flory, and her husband, Kyle, and their children, Sean and Bethany, all of Pineville, N.C. She retired from SunTrust Bank and will be remembered as honest, confident and always having a compassionate heart. Her unwavering faith and positive outlook

on life helped her graciously accept the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

The service was held Tuesday, April 14, 2015, in the chapel of Northside Chapel Funeral Directors in Roswell. In lieu of flowers, perform a random act of kindness and perhaps it will be paid forward over and over or donate to the charity nearest to your heart, or Aberdeen Place Hospice, 700 Old Roswell Lakes Parkway, Suite 110, Roswell, GA 30076, who provided such wonderful care.

Northside Chapel Funeral Directors, Roswell The Paper, April 16, 2015

Mike Carter

Died April 10, 2015 Mike Carter, 61, of Auburn, died Friday, April 10, 2015.

A native and lifelong resident of Barrow County, he was a son of the late Robert L. and Mary Edwards Carter. He was an employee of Johns-Manville.

Survivors include his son, Chris Carter of Auburn; daughters, Selena Carter of Watkinsville and Tiffany Brooks of California; eight grandchildren; and sister, Lena Brown of Auburn.

The funeral service was held Monday, April 13, 2015, in the chapel of Carter Funeral Home. Interment was in the Appalachee Baptist Church Cemetery.

Carter Funeral Home, Winder The Paper, April 16, 2015

Doyle Casper

Died April 6, 2015 Doyle Casper, 58, of Winder, died Monday, April 6, 2015.

He worked as a carpet installer for Howard’s Carpet for most of his career. He was preceded in death by his father, Winfred “Red” Casper; mother, Helen Hayes Price; brothers, Darrell Casper and Dan Casper; and a sister, Rena Adams.

Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Beverly Casper; brother, Don Casper of Winder; sister, Rita Lumley of Winder; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, April 8, 2015, in the chapel of Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. Terry Casper officiating. Interment followed in Barrow Memorial Gardens. Memorial contributions may be made to The Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support in Athens Smith Funeral Home, Winder The Paper, April 16, 2015

Jeremiah Wade Dills

Died April 12, 2015 Jeremiah Wade Dills, 28, of Jefferson, died Sunday, April 12, 2015.

Mr. Dills was employed by Kubota. He was talented in playing and writing music.

He enjoyed playing pool as a hobby.

He was preDills ceded in death by his brother, Daniel Dills.

Survivors include Jerry W. Dills of Jefferson, Perry L. Burgess of Jefferson and Angie Marie Burgess of Jefferson; brothers Jesse Roy Looney of Jefferson, Josiah Burgess of Jefferson and Ricky Dills of Winder; sisters, Christy Thurmond and Lori Fields of Jefferson; and nephews, Jesse Reece Looney and Lyndolyn Tripp Looney.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, April 15, 2015, in the Lawson Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Raymond Hardy of Lighthouse World Outreach in Monroe officiating. Interment followed in the Bethany Methodist Church Cemetery in Jefferson.

Lawson Funeral Home, Hoschton The Paper, April 16, 2015

Bill Fagan

Died April 9, 2015 Bill Fagan, 82, of Duluth, formerly of Winder, died Thursday, April 9, 2015.

Born in Winder, he was a son of the late Carl and Mary Fagan. He was a United States Air Force veteran.

He was the retired general manager of government sales and marketing with the Noritsu Corporation.

A funeral service was held Wednesday, April 15, 201, in

the chapel of Carter Funeral Home.

Survivors include his son, William Ashely Fagan of Washington, D.C.; and daughter and son-in-law, Samantha Allison and Bradley Walker Griffin of Duluth.

Carter Funeral Home, Winder The Paper, April 16, 2015

Dr. Gary L. Farrow

Died April 7, 2015 Dr. Gary L. Farrow, 63, of Hoschton, died Tuesday, April 7, 2015, at Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton.

Born in Benton Harbor, Mich., he was a son of the late Richard Farrow and the late Wilma FarFarrow row. He was dedicated to the Lord, his wife and family. He was a member of St. Simons First Baptist Church and a watch care member of Gainesville First Baptist Church. An optometrist, he owned an optometry practice connected to Lenscrafters where he practiced optometry in the Snellville area. He was well known by his staff and fellow colleagues to be an outstanding optometrist. He held a B.S. degree in Biochemistry and a Doctor of Optometry degree from Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia.

Survivors include his wife of 25 years, Rebecca Ray Farrow; brothers, Michael Farrow and wife Suzanne of Nevada, Leslie Farrow of New York, Don Farrow and family of Virginia and Bob Farrow of California; sister, Laurie Anton and family and Barbara Garrison and family, all of Florida; nieces, Shawn Mazelin and family of Indiana and Tiffany Newton of Florida; nephews, Mark Farrow and Mike Farrow, both of Florida and Bret Farrow of New Jersey; and a host of other relatives.

Funeral services were held Friday, April 10, 2015, at Celebration Church in Hoschton with the Rev. Mike Day and the Rev. Allen Mazelin officiating. Interment was held Saturday, April 11, 2015, at Sunset Cemetery in Murphy, N.C. Memorial contributions may be made to Celebration Church or to the MD Anderson Foundation at mdandersonfounation.org.

Lawson Funeral Home, Hoschton The Paper, April 16, 2015

Juanita Harbin

Died April 6, 2015 Juanita Harbin, 89 of Winder, died Monday, April 6, 2015.

She worked at Carwood Manufacturing for 47 years and was a member of Union Baptist Church. She is preceded in death by her parents, Benjamin “Boyd” and Fannie Healan Harbin.

Survivors include a brother, Joe Harbin of Winder; sisters, Grace Coyle and Lucille Segars, both of Winder; and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral service was held Wednesday, April 8, 2015, in the chapel of Smith Funeral Home in Winder.

Memorial donations may be made to the Union Baptist Church Building Fund, 527 Union Church Road, Winder, GA 30680.

Smith Funeral Home, Winder The Paper, April 16, 2015

Debi Simmons Hojdail

Died April 11, 2015 Deborah “Debi” Lee Simmons Hojdila, 62, died Saturday, April 11, 2015, surrounded by loved ones.

She was the retired office manager of the Hall County Health Department. She was preceded in death by her adoptive and most loved parents, Betty Plance and Norman Simmons, and her biological parents, Mary Berkey and Karl Nordinger; and sister, Angie Wilkenson.

Survivors include the only man she truly loved, John “Bernie” Hojdila, to whom she was married for nearly 45 happy years; children, Jennifer (Michael) Reed of Flowery Branch, Michael (Jacki) Hojdila of Orlando, Fla., and Christine (Greg) Dalton of Jefferson; grandchildren, Spencer Hojdila, Danielle Mick, Hunter Reed, Brooke Reed and Logan Hojdila; brother, Marty Massic; and sisters, Theressa Massic, Bonnie (Dave) Leahy and Donna Rudar.

A memorial service was

held Tuesday, April 14, 2015, at Little & Davenport Funeral Home. Memorial donations can be made to either The Humane Society of Northeast Georgia, 845 West Ridge Road, Gainesville, GA 30501 or the Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation (ednf. org ) to continue the research and assistance for those who suffer with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which greatly impacted her life.

Little & Davenport Funeral Home, Gainesville The Paper, April 16, 2015

Anita Joyce Kelley

Died April 8, 2015 Anita Joyce Kelley, 62, of Commerce, died Wednesday, April 8, 2015.

Born in Athens, she was a daughter of the late Peggy Evans and the late James Kelley. She was a sales associate for Wal-Mart. She was also preceded in death by her son, Rodney W. Brown.

Survivors include her daughter, Kimberley Keller of Jefferson; stepfather, Alonzo Evans of Bogart; sisters, Deborah Buffington of Barnwell, S.C., and Brenda Cox of Watkinsville; brothers, Doug Howard of Lexington, Kenny Howard of Winterville and Jeffery Evans of Comer; grandchildren, John Garrett, Jimmy Garrett, Adrian Garrett, Miguel Garrett, Kayla Garrett, Eric Torres and Christian Brown; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service was held Sunday, April 12, 2015, in the chapel of Evans Funeral Home with burial following in Evans Memory Gardens.

Evans Funeral Home, Jefferson The Paper, April 16, 2015

Nick McElreath

Died April 3, 2015 Hubert Lee “Nick” McElreath Jr., 29, of Danielsville, died Friday, April 3, 2015.

Arrangements are being handled by Lawson Funeral Home, 4532 Highway 53, Hoschton, GA 30548, www. lawsonfuneralhome.org, 706-654-0966.

The Paper, April 16, 2015

Jerry James Manning

Died April 8, 2015 Jerry James Manning, 66, of Dacula, died Wednesday, April 8, 2015.

He was employed for more than 20 years as a mechanic with the Gwinnett County School System. He was preceded in death by his mother, Louise Manning Mangrum; stepfather, Dan Mangrum; son, Patrick Manning; and sisters, Marjorie Strickland and JoAnn Calhoun.

Survivors include his children, Veronica Michelle Manning of Philadelphia, Pa., Sherry Summerour of Atlanta, Robert Montgomery of Buford, Molly Manning ofCommerce and Natasha Crotsley of Jefferson; former wife, Neldan Stringer Manning of Philadelphia, Pa.; one grandchild; brothers, Joe Manning of Jose, Calif., and Henry Eugene Manning of Suwanee; brother-in-law, Robert Strickland of Dacula; special niece, Shaun Rogers of Buford,; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at noon on Saturday, May 2, 2015, in the chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home with the Rev. Judy Taylor of Suwanee Worship Center officiating.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Saturday, May 2, from 11 a.m. until the service.

Flangian Funeral Home & Crematory, Buford The Paper, April 16, 2015

Jessie Belle Murray

Died April 7, 2015 Jessie Belle Murray, 81, of Commerce, died Tuesday, April 7, 2015.

She was the daughter of the late Willie and Gertrude Hardy Culpepper. She was also preceded in death by her husband, James Murray.

Survivors include her daughters, Judy (Brent) Williams of Commerce and Jan (Edward “Peanut”) Dorsey, both of Commerce; grandchildren, Heather (Jeff) Pearce, Will (Nikki) Dorsey and Megan (Ben) Henderson; and four great-grandchildren.

Services were held Thursday April 9, 2015, at Mt. Zion Baptist Church with the Rev. Douglas Duncan and the Rev. Jeff Pearce officiating.

Interment followed in the church cemetery.

Ivie Funeral Home, Commerce The Paper, April 16, 2015

Rebecca Sailors

Died April 8, 2015 Rebecca Sailors, 73, of Maysville, died Wednesday, April 8, 2015.

Born in Hoschton, she was a daughter of the late Grady and Geraldine Cash Langford. A graduate of Young Harris College, she was a a retired teacher / parent coordinator with Head Start. She was a member of Dry Pond United Methodist Church.

Survivors include her husband, Larry Sailors; son, Richard Sailors and his wife Paige of Maysville; daughter, Pam Sailors of Springfield, Mo.; grandson; Ashton Sailors of Maysville; sister, Christa Sue Pickett of Albany; and special friend of the family, Lauren Laughlin.

Funeral services were held Saturday, April 11, 2015, at Dry Pond United Methodist Church. Burial followed in the Dry Pond United Methodist Church Cemetery with Mark Pickett, Scott Pastor, Roger Cash, Dwight Langford, Albert Sailors, Phillip Merk, Ed Adams and Ashton Sailors honored as pallbearers.

Memorials may be made to the Dry Pond United Methodist Church Cemetery, 90 Plainview Road, Maysville, GA 30558.

Evans Funeral Home, Jefferson The Paper, April 16, 2015

Sandra JoAnn Stevens

Died April 9, 2015 Sandra JoAnn Stevens, 66, of Hoschton, died Thursday, April 9, 2015.

She loved to read andenjoyed listening to music sung

by Johnnie Cash and watching the cartoon Stevens S p o n g e Bob Square Pants. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Lisa Ann Stevens; and brothers, William Thomas Paine and Jerry Lee Paine.

Survivors include her husband Michael Vern Stevens Sr.; son Michael Vern Stevens Jr., of Illinois; grandchildren, Christina McDaniel and fiance Donald Ivey of Hoschton and Tracy Stevens and Tyler Stevens, both of Illinois; great-grandchild, Levi; and a host of other relatives.

Funeral services were held Sunday, April 12, 2015, at Lawson Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Gary Carlyle officiating. Interment followed in the Mt. Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Pendergrass.

Lawson Funeral Home, Hoschton The Paper, April 16, 2015

Russell Red Tullis

Died April 10, 2015 Russell Ted Tullis, 69, of Jefferson, died Friday, April 10, 2015.

Born in Buford, he was a son of the late Henry Early Tullis and the late Mary Simpson Tullis. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, a member of the Maranatha Baptist Church and a Volkswagen Mechanic. He was also preceded in death his sisters-in-law, Linda M. Tullis and Cindy Whitlock; and brother and sister-in-law, Kenny and Mary Edwards.

Survivors include his wife, Martha Whitlock Tullis; sons and daughter-inlaw, Russell Darin Tullis of Belize and Richard Darrell (Amanda) Tullis of Jefferson; daughter, Deidre Mallick of Land O Lakes, Fla.; brothers and sister-in-law, Richard D (Kay Harper) Tullis of Buford and Oscar and Ann Morrison of Jefferson; sister, Sharon (Scott) Kinsey of Lula; brother-in-law, Jimmy Whitlock of Jefferson; grandchildren, Brianna Crumbley, Sarah Tullis, Dylan Tullis, Amber Tullis, Nathan Thaxton, Kendra Gasperson, Blakey Mallick; and one great-grandchild, Carson Gunter.

The funeral service was held Monday, April 13, 2015, in the chapel of Evans Funeral home with the Rev. Lamar Purcell, the Rev. Terry Hagwood and the Rev. Zach Watson officiating. Burial followed in the Broadlawn Memorial Gardens in Buford with James Murphy, Caleb Edwards, Andy Edwards, Mark Edwards, Brian Bullock, Jimmy Wilson and Dylan Tullis honored as pallbearers.

Evans Funeral Home, Jefferson The Paper, April 16, 2015

Wayne Wood

Died April 9, 2015 Wayne Wood, 65, of Winder, died Thursday, April 9, 2015.

Born April 5, 1950, in Gainesville, he received his education at North Gwinnett High School. He was a construction worker and member of Woods Grove Baptist Churchin Auburn. He was preceded in death by his father, Vernon Dean Wood; and grandparents, Dilmus and Mae Spain Wood, and Walter and Ollie Marr.

Survivors include his children, Buffy Wood McElhannon and husband Chris ofWinder and Nakia and Kayla Wood of Dawsonville; grandchildren, Kylee Smith, Blake Wood, Chandler Wood, Hunter Waters, Caryson Tate, Conner Wood, Makana Tate, Arabella Wood and Max Wood; mother, Lois Marr Wood of Buford,; sisters and brothers-in-law, Gayl and Billy Ray Kirkpatrick of Hoschton, Sheila and Ronald Jackson of Auburn and Marilyn and Larry Goddard of Nicholson; special friends, Joel and Vicki Davis; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral service were held Sunday, April 12, 2015, in the chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home with the Rev. Ken Anderson officiating. Interment followed in the Woods Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Auburn.

Memorials may be made to Flanigan Funeral Home to help with funeral expenses.

Flanigan Funeral Home & Crematory, Buford The Paper, April 16, 2015

Harry Orbell Yates III

Died April 8, 2015 Dr. Harry Orbell Yates III, 83, of Gainesville, died Wednesday, April 8, 2015.

Born May 15, 1931, in Camden, N.J., he grew up in nearby Merchantville.

He was the son of the late Gertrude Gray Yates and Harry O. Yates Jr. He served as a commissioned officer from 1955-1957 in the United States Army with 702nd Armored Infantry Battalion of the 1st Armored Division.

He attended Juniata College earned a B.S. Degree in Forestry from the University of Maine 1954 (Sigma Chi), M.F. Degree in Forestry from Duke University and Ph.D. (Entomology) from Ohio State University in 1964.

He was a supervisory research entomologist with the Southeastern Forest Experiment Station of the U.S. Forest Service before to retiring in 1994 after 39 years of service. In Athens, he was a past president of the Green Acres Community Association. He was a long-time member (1981-2008) and past president of the Athens Chapter of the American Heart Association. In 1984, he organized and served as the first president of the Athens Chapter of Mended Hearts, Inc. He was a volunteer with the Athens Regional Medical Center in the coronary care unit for 18 years, past chairman of the Urban Tree Advisory Committee, a volunteer with Friends of the Library (Café au Libris) and a charter member of the Friends of Oconee Hill Cemetery, where he served as its first treasurer (1999-2009). A member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, he was a past vestry member and Senior Warden.

Survivors include his wife of 58 years, JoAnn Nordstrom Yates; children, Col. (Ret.) Harry O. Yates IV (Orbie) and his wife Margie of Valley, Ala., and grandson Harry O. Yates V (Quint) of Houston, Texas, Mark Douglas Yates and his wife Lanora of LaGrange and Rebecca Logan Yates Knight and her husband, William S. Knight Jr., of Jefferson, and grandchildren, Logan Elizabeth Knight and William S. Knight III (Will). He is also survived by a sister, Lisbeth Yates Adams, and her husband, Rev Frank Adams, of Chestertown, Md., brother-in-law, John E Nordstrom, and his wife Jo of Grove City, Pa.; three nephews; and a niece.

The memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 17, 2015, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Athens.

Family burial will follow at Oconee Hill Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Athens Regional Medical Center or to the National Arbor Foundation’s Trees in Memory (shop.arborday.org/content) Evans Funeral Home, Jefferson The Paper, April 16, 2015

church

The Paper | Thursday, April 16, 2015

CHURCH NEWS Hoschton United Methodist Church will hold worship service in the sanctuary at 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 19, with children’s Sunday school in the church classrooms and adult Sunday school in the fellowship hall at 10 a.m.

Women of Faith will meet at 2:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall.

Enjoy dinner at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, followed

by Bible study at 7 p.m.

PrimeTimers Bingo and lunch will be at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, April 24, in the fellowship hall.

On Sunday, May 3, at 2:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall, Women of Faith invite you to Celebrate Moms with guest speaker Hilda Fletcher, a missionary who has traveled the world spreading His Word.

Refreshments will be served. sss Arbor Pointe Church Pastor Brad Greene is hosting a six-week video based study group which begins April 16.

This study, drawn from Kyle Idleman’s book “Not A Fan,” seeks to draw people from being merely a fan of Jesus to being a completely committed follower. To sign up to be a part of this study group, visit the church’s website (www. arborpointe.org) and click the “Sign Up” tab.

The weekly worship service is at 10:30 a.m. Adult Sunday School and a youth class are offered before the service; children’s Sunday School and nursery are offered during the worship time. sss Abundant Treasures Women’s Event. Come join New Community Church for an amazing night of encouragement with guest speaker ReAnn Ring, a Christian TV and radio host and entrepreneur. All women are welcome from high school on up. The event will be from 7-9 p.m. on Monday, April 20, at New Community Church, located at 526 Merchants Walk in Hoschton.

sss First Baptist Church of Jefferson has begun a new sermon series entitled “Prone to Wander.” On April 19, the focus is wandering because of discouragement. On April 18, FBCJ will have a crew cleaning up Old Pendergrass Road between Kroger and the Rec Department. Please join us. The FBCJ Preschool is taking applications now for August 2015. The church food bank is open from 1-3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Contact the church for more information on any of these events. The church is located at 246 Washington St., in Jefferson. Visit www. fbcjefferson.org. sss Pastor Cory E. Sexton and The Church of Hoschton would like to invite the community to a free concert. Squire Parsons will be performing at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, at the church’s current location at 99 E. Jefferson St., in Hoschton.

Homecoming and a fellowship meal will be on Sunday, May 3, at the pavilion at the church’s future location at 380 Sam Freeman Road in Hoschton. Freddie Smith will provide the music to the 10:30 a.m. service with missionary Ron Barnes bringing the message. Barnes is general director of Source of Light Ministries International, is a world-wide, disciple making, church planting ministry that uses Bible studies for all ages, not only written, but digital formats to reach its goals. Barnes will be sharing more about his ministry in the Sunday evening service at 6 as well as for the spring Bible conference starting at 7 p.m. through May 6.

Regular service times at The Church of Hoschton are 9:30 a.m. Bible Study, 10:30 a.m. worship with Sunday evening service at 6. For more information, call the church office at 706-654-8415.

5A

The Vine Church will host May 2 meeting to address statewide foster care crisis This Sunday, The Vine Church is publicly launching the “Our Community Our Kids” initiative.

“It’s a program designed to bring awareness to the foster care crisis, particularly in our region in Georgia, as well as connect the community with ways we can all get involved and help,” says Holly Avera, director of outreach and inreach at The Vine Church, located on Highway 211 near Highway 124.

Among the ways a family could be part of the solution is to become foster parents, help with cooking meals and transportation and bybecoming an approved babysitter, for example.

As of March, Barrow and Jackson counties had 164 kids in foster care. There are only 14 foster homes and they have zero space available. Meaning if a relative or other home cannot be found in our area then the children have to be placed elsewhere.

“Right now, 81 percent of kids have to be placed outside their county. That’s a lot more stress on them after already going through a lot to be in foster care as well as pressure on public and private agencies to provide long-distance care,” said Avera.

“This is a huge problem right here at home. But we believe the community, together, can actually be a part of the solution,” said Avera.

The Vine is hosting an informational meeting from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, to bring attention to the foster care crisis.

“It is free and open to everyone, food will be provided,” said Avera.

Olivia Chandler will be heading up this community program.

For more information, contact Holly Avera at holly@connecttothevine.org or visit www. connecttothevine.org. The Vine,

located at 1897 Highway 211 inHoschton, holds worship services are at 9 :15 a.m. and 11 am.. on Sunday.

Second Saturdays The Vine is continuing its Second Saturdays of outreach efforts.

In January, the church did a Bless Your Local Servers day where the church went out to restaurants and prayed for their servers and left extravagant tips – all to show God’s love is abundant. In February, the church gave away 500 boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts 100 percent for free at intersections in the area to demonstrate God’s love is free and available to all, no exceptions.

For March, The Vine partnered with iServe Ministries and helped hand out more than 25,000 pounds of food to 200-plus families.

In April, the church partnered with Good News at Noon in Gainesville for a work project day to help their children’s program.

Galilee Christian readies for annual volunteer effort May 2 More than 200 volunteers from Galilee Christian Church, led by Minister Nick Vipperman, will be heading out into Jackson County on the morning of May 2 to take on a massive one-day service project meant to Serve the City.

These volunteers will be teaming up to tackle approximately 30 projects large and small across the county in an effort to serve the people of Jackson County. Galilee Christian Church and the Serve the City project’s goal is to reach out and impact the people of Jackson County in a powerful way.

Several volunteer teams will serve at many of the Jefferson City Schools and Jackson County Schools by helping take care of long-needed lawn maintenance, trash pickup and flower planting jobs.

Other teams will be located in

the historic city center focused on beautification of green-spaces in historic downtown Jefferson where teams will be preparing flower beds for the spring season, spreading mulch and pruning trees. Teams will also be at two of our local historic cemeteries, Paradise AME and Woodbine Cemetery, diligently preserving historic cemeteries.

Further teams will be volunteering at homes across the county for applicants with needs such as building a wheelchair ramp, lawn

maintenance and painting projects as well as taking care of some plumbing and electrical needs.

Galilee Christian Church is a non-denominational congregation open to all believers, made of people of all walks of life and social backgrounds with one uniting belief in Jesus Christ. For more information on Galilee Christian Church, visit Galilee.org. For additional information, contact Nick Vipperman at Galilee Christian Church at 706-367-8072 or email Nick@galilee.org

National Volunteer Appreciation Week April 12 – 18, 2015 “I commend The Medical Center Auxiliary for donating more than 1.7 million hours of service and $7.3 million to enhance Northeast Georgia Health System. The tremendous dedication of Medical Center volunteers is an outstanding example of the spirit of volunteerism in our community.”

Carol H. Burrell, President & CEO, NGHS

During National Volunteer Appreciation Week, Northeast Georgia Health System thanks our dedicated volunteers for all they do to support services provided to patients, family members and visitors throughout the organization.

To learn more about Medical Center volunteer opportunities, visit nghs.com/auxiliary.

The Medical Center Auxiliary, Inc. an affiliate of Northeast Georgia Health System 770-219-1830 | nghs.com/auxiliary

Thursday, April 16, 2015

forum

6A

Escape into Georgia

A

few weeks ago, I was standing on the porch of someone’s home in the mountains. As the sun was going down, I looked out at the beautiful peaks that decorate the northern part of our state.

We are blessed with beautiful mountains and a picturesque coast. In between, we have towns and cities both unique and historic. We have fertile farmland and rolling rivers. This is a beautiful state.

When the television cameras began broadcasting the golf tournament known as The Masters, they showed the millions of viewers one of our state’s most beautiful sights.

Augusta National Golf Club is a paradise of beautiful azaleas and the finest grass our state can produce.

Some of the grass comes from the south central portion of our state. I have seen where it grows, and it is like a carpet of soft green blades of grass as close to perfect as you can get.

The tournament winner gets the coveted green jacket. Tailors at the tournament make sure the winner dons a coat that looks as if it were made for him. It’s the male equivalent of Cinderella’s glass slipper.

Decorum is the rule of the day at Augusta. The crowd politely claps at a good shot and no one rings a cowbell or blows an air horn. It is civility at its finest.

I don’t live in the delusion all of Georgia looks like Amen Corner at Augusta National, but I do like the notion this is how the world is seeing my state for just a moment.

Just outside the gates of Augusta National, the world comes back and heaven goes away. Aging shopping centers and convenience stores dot the roads nearby.

The same is true for

Harris Blackwood places such as Churchill Downs in Louisville. Just outside the steepled grandeur of the home of the Kentucky Derby is a residential neighborhood in need of a little TLC. The track where the sport of kings takes place is meticulously groomed.

The street outside has a few cracks and potholes.

But when the Derby or the Masters is on TV, you forget all that for a little while.

For some reason, the televised version of Georgia today includes people who used to be rich, people who pretend to be rich and poor folks who, well, come off as poor folks.

Reality TV is seldom flattering on any community it features.

One show is about a couple out West who buy rundown houses. The houses are rough and in disrepair.

The couple spends the next hour arguing over how much money they can spend to fix them up and recover their investment.

I think I like the kind of TV that takes me away to a town where folks love one another and their sheriff doesn’t carry a gun. I like shows where families are nice and the show has a moral or life lesson at the end.

I think The Masters on TV is a little escape to a more civilized time. If the people get the impression all of Georgia looks or behaves like that, it’s OK with me.

Harris Blackwood is a Gainesville resident whose columns appear weekly.

Not all of Georgia looks like Amen Corner.... Just outside the gates of Augusta National, the world comes back and heaven goes away.

Letters policy Send letters to editor@clickthepaper.com; fax, 706658-0177; or P.O. Box 430, Hoschton, GA 30548.

Please include name, hometown and phone number.

Letters should be limited to 300 words on one topic and may be edited.

Finding the time to make a living It was somewhere near the end of summer when it just came to me that perhaps my writing days were over. That it was time to just give up the ghost and move on from making a living as a writer and just settle into handling daily problems.

It was a summer of aggravations and distractions though each morning had brought the promise that my day would be clear of hassles so I could write. But then, in the flash of a moment, problems accumulated, the kind of normal interruptions that send us all off to fixing something — stolen credit cards, broken water faucets, flat tires, laptops that sputter and so forth. Before I knew it, each day had ended and I had accomplished nothing.

Mama was big on reflecting back on her day and deciding what worth she had squeezed from it. She would say things like, “I have gone full steam ahead all day and I still ain’t accomplished one thing” or “It’s been a good day. I got so much done.” I learned it from her so I always take an accounting of a day’s work.

Ronda Rich Repeatedly I said, “I haven’t stopped all day, yet I’ve gotten nothing done.”

Putting out fires became a full-time job.

When someone would ask, “Are you working on a new book?” I would simply stare stupidly as though the thought of a new book had never crossed my mind.

Because it hadn’t.

One morning I went for a run, boldly planning all that I would write that day.

I was full of confidence that finally a day had dawned when time would be all mine and I would work at the craft that has made my living for many years.

Do you know what the Bible says about such arrogance? It says something to the effect of “don’t stop at the mailbox during your run, pick up your mail and look at

Congress shall make no law respecting establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

P.O. Box 430 Hoschton, GA 30548 9924 Davis St., Suite 8, Braselton, GA 30517 www.clickthepaper.com

Publisher Charlotte Atkins General Manager Norman Baggs Editor LeAnne Akin

man in front of Tink’s chair and placed my elbows on my knees.

“I’m distressed. Do you think I should just give up writing and manage the Rondarosa full-time? I can’t write for handling all the problems that come along.”

I may not have time to write drama but I certainly have time to perform it.

He laughed. He deals with our problems, too, but somehow he still gets his writing done. That makes one of us.

With no helpful advice from him, I padded down the stairs and sat down to my laptop to write. I had written five far-from-brilliant lines, when Tink came in with a pair of dress pants in hand.

“Baby, could you sew this button back on these before I send them to the cleaners?”

For some reason, I don’t think that Mark Twain had distractions like this. And if he had, he would have found a story in them.

Ronda Rich is the best-selling author of several books.

Sign up for her newsletter at www.rondarich.com. Her column appears weekly.

Child abductions and atTEMPTED ABDUCTIONs

Beware of predators: Teach your youngsters about stranger danger

By Jackson County Sheriff Janis Magnum

Guest columnist

The First Amendment

the water bill.”

I bought Mama’s house when she died, which I now use as my office. The water bill there never runs more than $10. However, on that morning of my stupidly inflated arrogance, it was $409. Did you know that a toilet that has been running for 10 days can use thousands of gallons of water?

My heart dropped. I ran to the water meter in the ground, dropped to my knees and pulled off the heavy lid. I cleaned the dirt from the face of the meter and leaned closer in to read it. Five seconds later, my right hand and arm started stinging madly. My hand was plopped down in the midst of an ant hill and let’s just say they were not happy to be disturbed.

Two hours later after doctoring the ant bites and fiddling with other inconveniences, I made lunch for my husband and then headed to the vet clinic to pick up our kittens who had been neutered. I could understand how they were feeling.

When I came home, I dropped down on the otto-

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children collects information about attempted abductions, short term “abduct and release” incidents and other types of suspicious incidents involving children. They have analysts that proactively track and collect data concerning attempted abductions in an effort to identify possible patterns and provide technical assistance and resources to law enforcement.

From February 2005 through January 2014 ,there were 9,000 confirmed attempted child abductions by someone unknown to the child. Seventythree percent involved the suspect driving a vehicle, 34 percent occurred between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., 32 percent happened when the child was going to or from school or a school related activity, 18 percent involved sexual assault or indecent exposure, 68 percent involved a female child, and 39 percent involved children between 10 and 14 years of age.

Fifteen percent of perpetrators arrested were registered sex offenders at the time of the incident.

More than 100 different methods were used in the 9,000 attempts. The five most often used methods of attempted child abduction are: ■■ 34 percent offered the child a ride ■■ 12 percent offered the child candy or sweets ■■ 10 percent asked the child questions ■■ 8 percent offered the child

money, and ■■ 8 percent used an animal (offering, looking for or showing).

Statistics can be very boring, but these are very important. People this is happening all over our Country. We certainly don’t want this to occur in Jackson County, endangering our children.

In watching the news in recent weeks) there have been two attempts of the abduction of children. You may have heard about this, it sure catches my attention when I hear about incidents like this with children.

I believe the two occurrences were in Woodstock and Fayetteville, Cherokee and Fayette Counties.

In both incidents the children were approached by men who asked them if they wanted to see their pretty puppies or ask them to come to their vehicle for another reason. Children love animals, candy, ect., but I know in Cherokee County, the little girl was very wise and said no thank you and went off on her scooter and told someone.

Neither of the counties this occurred in is that far away from us here in Jackson County. We have to be vigilant when it comes to protecting our children from predators. Also, the predators that attempted this with these children may not have lived in these counties, they could go county to county in an attempt to abduct children.

I frequently speak to children at our schools and day care centers and I always talk to them about stranger danger. I specifically tell them that someone may stop while they are playing and asked them if they want to see their puppy or offer them candy and I

We have to be vigilant when it comes to protecting our children from predators. tell them to say no and run to the nearest adult who they know and trust to help them and to call 911 to report this.

Summer is approaching and school will be out. Children will be playing in their neighborhoods, at city parks, Hurricane Shoals, community swimming pools and other locations. Predators are constantly lurking around trying to find innocent children to prey upon.

I am asking all of our citizens to beware of any suspicious vehicles in your neighborhoods. If you see something suspicious, call 911 immediately. Let me emphasize, you don’t have to meet with a deputy. Explain to the 911 operator the description of the vehicle and occupants if possible and the location so this can be relayed to the deputy.

Citizens are encouraged to notify their local law enforcement agencies of any suspicious persons, activity, crimes or other relevant information by calling 911. You also can call the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 706367-8718 or the anonymous tip line at 706 467-3784. Please know that for immediate attention to suspicious activity involving children, please contact 911.

Information and statistics for this article was obtained from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Thank you very much and God Bless all, especially our children.

business

The Paper | Thursday, April 16, 2015

7A

Lineman Appreciation Day: Special significance after wintertime storms Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) is again celebrating National Lineman Appreciation Day. And while the cooperative appreciates the work done by these employees every day, the historic ice storm that slammed the EMC’s entire operating area in February makes this year’s April 13 celebration all the more special.

In the days following the Feb. 16 storm, Jackson EMC linemen joined by linemen from 24 other EMCs in Georgia, Alabama and Florida restored power to 128,638 customers, replacing 182 broken power poles in the process. Bundled in heavy clothing to protect them in temperatures as low as 11 degrees, those lineman coped with winds that gusted to 39 mph, bringing down additional trees and limbs, and sometimes tearing down lines which had just been repaired.

“We are tremendously proud of the work done by our linemen and those from the family of EMCs that came to our aid. The work they do around the clock in dangerous conditions to keep power flowing to our members and protect the public’s safety was never better illustrated than during this storm,” said Jackson EMC President/CEO Chip Jakins. “Our linemen, as well as those across the nation, truly deserve this special day of recognition, and I invite our members to take a moment to use #ThankaLineman to show their support.”

In recognition of the work done by the cooperative’s linemen, the Jackson EMC board of directors has adopted the following resolution: “WHEREAS, Jackson EMC linemen leave their families and put their lives on the line every day to keep the power on; and WHEREAS, Jackson EMC linemen work 365 days a year under dangerous conditions to build, maintain and repair the electric infrastructure; and WHEREAS, Jackson EMC linemen are the first responders of the electric

Farah Bohannon The Paper

On hand to welcome Lizzie’s Pantry to downtown Braselton were members of the Braselton Downtown Development Authorty and town council members. On hand was (L-R): Jennifer Kidd, Cheri Huff, Robbie Bettis, Nickie Summers, owner Liz Carter, Councilwoman Peggy Slappey, Cindy Phillips, Councilman Tony Funari and Sally Beggs.

For The Paper

Jackson Electric Membersjip linemen joined with other coop personnel and contractors to replace 183 broken power poles after the Feb. 16 winter storm that hit the area.

cooperative family, getting power back on and making things safe for all after storms and accidents; and WHEREAS, there would be no electric cooperatives without the brave men and women who comprise our corps of linemen; THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Jackson Electric Membership Corporation Board of Directors recognize the contributions of these valuable men and women to Jackson Electric Membership Corporation and the communities served

by Jackson Electric Membership Corporation.”

Lizzie’s Pantry is now in downtown Braselton

By FARAH BOHANNON

fbohannon@clickthepaper.com

Lizzie’s Pantry, a country store with a healthy twist, has recently moved to Braselton from Merchant’s Park in Hoschton.

Liz Carter, owner along with husband Eddie Carter, and baker, says she is thrilled to be a part of the downtown Braselton family and is ready to serve the town by offering healthy items.

Lizzie’s pantry provides premium food products, gifts and baked goods that are chemical and GMO free. GMO free food items are free of genetically-modified organisms, and Carter’s merchandise is all free of this.

Everything is affordable and not overpriced in the least bit, so it is easy to eat healthy after shopping at Lizzie’s Pantry.

Flours, hot cereals, granolas, baking ingredients, spices and oils are a few of the items that can be purchased at this shop.

“Healthy ingredients create healthy and yummy food,” says Carter, “and we use only premium whole grains, flour, wheat,

GMO-free and chemical-free. You’ll taste the difference in your baking, and your body will thank you.”

On April 9, Lizzie’s Pantry hosted a ribbon cutting with the Braselton Downtown Development Authority (DDA) with Braselton Town Council members Tony Funari and Peggy Slappey present to help welcome them to town.

Carter offered a fresh wheat berry salad, chocolate zucchini bread and cookies.

Funari purchased two jars of garlic seasonings as well as a bottle of olive oil. Funari said he was excited to try out his purchases in the kitchen.

“I am so excited to be a part of Braselton,” said Carter. “I absolutely love our new store and location.”

The store is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 706-684-0071 or visit www.lizziespantry.com Lizzie’s Pantry is now located at 56 Henry St., adjacent to Still Point Photography and near the West Jackson Primary School gymnasium.

Braselton Bash

Public Safety Awareness and Law Enforcement Day

Bentley Assisted Living is NOW drop-off location site Bentley Assisted Living at Northminster is proud to announce the Jefferson facility is the newest drop-off site for Nutrition on Weekends, or NOW. The Jackson County Family Connection works with local churches and organizations to collect nonperishable food. The food is then discreetly dispersed through school counselors and staff into school backpacks of children who might not otherwise have food over the weekend.

It is estimated that 27.9 percent of Georgia families are “food insecure.” That means they do not know where their next meal is

coming from. The children who are fed breakfast and lunch at school may not eat again when they leave on Friday until they return to school on Monday.

NOW was designed to bridge that gap.

Bentley at Northminster will be accepting donations seven days a week for Nutrition on Weekends.

Suggested donation items include: granola or Nutrigrain bars, rice, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, beef stew, soups, Ravioli, popcorn, fruit cups and crackers.

If you have questions or need directions, call 706387-7000.

Live Music Wednesday Nights!

Open Sun – Thur 11am-10pm: Fri & Sat 11am – 10:30pm

Tuesdays - $1.00 12 oz draft beer Wednesdays - $2.75 12 oz Margaritas Mixed Drinks, Beer & Wine Served Everyday 55 Freedom Parkway, Hoschton 30548

706-824-0209

www.lagunamexicangrill.com

Buy 1 Lunch Combo with 2 soft drinks and get 1 FREE No substitutions Mon. - Sat.Cannot be combined with any other offers.

Expires 6/30/15

1 FREE Small Cheese Dip with the purchase of 2 Dinner Entrees and 2 soft drinks Cannot be combined with any other offers.

Expires 6/30/15

April 18, 2015, 3pm - 7pm

Events & Exhibits:

Car Show

Participant vote car show with awards to the top three. $5 minimum donation for car show entry. All makes and models of cars and trucks are welcome.

Burnout Exhibition Vendor Row Lindsay’s Legacy Mentoring Meet ‘n Greet Kids Area Braselton Police Department Gainesville Police Department Interactive DUI Demonstration West Jackson Fire & Rescue

Food Vendors:

Stonewall’s BBQ Braselton Woman’s Club Free parking and admission for spectators.

No alcoholic beverages permitted.

1-800-932-7663 For more information, or in case of rain, visit yearone.com.

Location: YEARONE

Braselton TechCenter Hwy. 53, east of I-85 Exit 129

Blood Drive Supporting: Thanks to all our Annual supporters:

Braselton•Hoschton Commerce•Cornelia•Clayton Cleveland•Clarksville

Upcoming YEARONE Events:

Saturday, May 16 3pm - 7pm Car Show Saturday, June 20 8am - 12pm Morning Car Show Saturday, August 15 8am - 12pm Morning Car Show Saturday, September 19 12pm - 7pm Foose Select & Participant Vote Car Show Saturday, November 21 1pm - 5pm Christmas in Braselton Car Show Tentative Schedule/ Times subject to change

8A

The Paper | Thursday, April 16, 2015

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CMYK Thursday, April 16, 2015

Sports

B

BASEBALL: Rain Doesn’t Cool Off Dragons

Doug Chellew The Paper

LEFT: Jefferson’s Jake Franklin connects on a hit during game one of a two-game double header last Friday against the Jackson County Panthers. The Dragons won both games. RIGHT: Jefferson’s Taylor Wilkes (20) is greeted by teammates after scoring a run during last Friday’s two-game doubleheader against the Jackson County Panthers.

Jefferson puts together a 6-run sixth inning to beat Panthers in game one of doubleheader; Franklin records 8 strikeouts in game 2

BY CHARLES PHELPS

cphelps@clickthepaper.com

I’m not sure.”

Knight said things in baseball are contagious, like, hitting, good and bad defense, and they were looking for someone to spark the team with a big hit. That someone was Christian Hutch.

Hutch’s hit in the fifth inning brought the game-tying runs home (Jared Bates and Hunter Thompson).

“We talked after (last) Tuesday that ‘Somebody has got to get a big hit. Somebody has got to make a play to get us going. Who’s it going to be,’” Knight explained. “Christian Hutch was the one that did it tonight and just got everything flowing for us.”

The Dragons’ momentum carried over into the sixth inning as Taylor Wilkes smashed a single that brought two runs home (4-2). Later in the inning, Jake Franklin hammered two more runs across the plate and bumped the lead to 6-2. Ethan Garner followed Franklin and hit two more runs home with a single and the lead was 8-2.

Jackson County’s Joel Ellis knocked home both Panther runs in the first inning with a single.

In game two, Jefferson’s Jake Franklin gave up one hit over six innings and recorded eight strikeouts. It was Franklin’s first start on the mound this season.

JEFFERSON – After dropping game one of a three-game series last Tuesday to the Jackson County Panthers 2-0, the Jefferson Dragons were stuck in the same position in the top of the fifth inning in game one of a two-game doubleheader last Friday at Jackson County.

Down 2-0, and with Jackson County pitcher Coleman Barbee being virtually unhittable, the Dragons found relief in the form of two weather delays. Once the delays ended, it looked like a new Dragons’ squad had stepped into the batter’s box as they put two runs on the scoreboard in the inning and added six more in the sixth inning to take game one 8-2.

The Dragons won game two 6-1.

“It’s baseball and you can’t explain it,” Jefferson head coach Tommy Knight said after the two victories. “We were a different team after the rain delay.

“I don’t know why. I don’t know what happened, can’t explain it. We talked, but just talked about coming out and trying to finish this game (game one). The team that (finished the game), after the rain delay and (handled) the circumstances and the atmosphere and all that the best was going to win this ball game, and I guess that was real, but See baseball, 2B

Doug Chellew The Paper

The Jefferson Dragons look on during last Friday’s action against rival Jackson County.

GOLF: Dragons finish 4th in region, make May 4 sectionals

Dragons, Lady Dragons take tri-match against Morgan Co. and Commerce

BY CHARLES PHELPS

cphelps@clickthepaper.com

Charles Phelps The Paper

Jefferson’s Cooper Young hits a tee shot on the par-4 11th hole at Double Oaks Golf Course during Monday’s Region 8-AAA tournament. Young shot 73. The Dragons finished fourth with a score of 335 and will play in the May 4 sectionals in Waycross, Ga.

BY CHARLES PHELPS

cphelps@clickthepaper.com

COMMERCE – The Jefferson Dragons boys’ golf team clinched a spot in the state sectionals after finishing fourth in the Region 8-AAA tournament on Monday at Double Oaks Golf Course.

The Dragons scored a team total 335 to clinch the fourth and final spot for the sectionals, which takes place May 4 in Waycross.

“I thought it was great for us to qualify (for sectionals),” Jefferson head coach Tom Parker said. “We knew that we were going to have to play well in this region to qualify.

“We kind of set our goals and we were pretty close, if not right at shooting our best scores all year today. That’s what you want.

You want your kids to (come out) and shoot their best scores all year when you get them

See golf, 2B

JEFFERSON – The Jefferson High School boys’ and girls’ track and field team is working towards peaking when the Region 8-AAA meet comes around.

After a week away for Spring Break, both groups knocked off the rust and even put up new season-best times last Wednesday against Morgan County High School and Commerce High School.

The Dragons scored 136 points to take the boys’ meet. They bested Morgan County by 115 points. Commerce scored 13 points.

“It was good to get a meet in,” Jefferson boys’ head coach Tim Corbett. “We did some good things. We had some season best.

“We had some season best-matching in pole vault and had a kid get on a pole that had been struggling a little bit, so that was nice.”

Corbett added he wants to keep seeing good effort from his squad.

“Like we (the coaches) keep preaching, days like today are the best practice we can have,” he said. “No matter what kind of motivator I am I’m not going to get that kind of effort on a practice day, unless they are out here competing in front of a group of people and against other schools. Good stuff.”

He said the team’s goal is to keep everyone healthy going into the region meet (April 23-24).

The Dragons took first-place honors in 15 of 16 events.

200-meter dash: Taylor Jones (22.93) 400-meter run: Gage Lawson (53.22) 800-meter run and 1,600-meter run: Max Higgins (2:07.05 and 4:45.70) 3,200-meter run: Addison Cochran

(10:40.09) 110-meter hurdles: Alex Mason (16.19) 300-meter hurdles: Dalton Hill (41.34) 4x100 meter relay: Boys’ ‘A’ team (43.54) 4x400 meter relay: Boys’ ‘A’ team (3:34.93) High jump: Luke Wells (6-00.00) Pole vault: Taylor Jones (13-00.00) Long jump: Blake Wright (18-05.00) Triple jump: Tradd Porter (39-09.00) Shot put: Jackson Bowen (42-06.50) Discus throw: Donte Wilson (139-09) The Lady Dragons scored 82 points en route to a win. Morgan County finished second with 48 points.

The Lady Dragons won eight of 16 events.

400-meter run: Tashauna Smith (1:03.37) 100-meter hurdles: Mariah Starks (15.86) 300-meter hurdles: Mariah Starks (48.90) 4x100 meter relay: Girls’ ‘A’ team (50.74) 4x400 meter relay: Girls’ ‘A’ team (4:10.59) High jump: Mackenzie Wells (4-08.00) Pole vault: Magan Greer (7-00.00) Triple jump: Tashauna Smith (31-10.00) “Good things, coming back and you expect to have a drop off and we didn’t have that much,” girls’ head coach Chad Cheatham said.

He said he thought every girl “ran their guts out,” in the win.

After this week’s county championships, Cheatham says he will sit down and get “real specific” on who will go where in the region meet to try and maximize as many points as they can.

“There’s more to this than just running around in circles and throwing things and jumping,” he said. “There’s a math and an art to it. That’s what we like to do, that’s why we (the coaches) love it.”

LOCAl swimming

local GYMNASTICS

local sports

Sea Dragons registration closes Friday

Four-day gymnastics camp

Local sports action this week

Registration closes tomorrow, April 17, to be part of the Jefferson Sea Dragons swim team this summer. Cost is $135 for a city resident and $170 for a non-city resident.

The season begins June 8 and finishes July 25. Practices will be Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 5-8:30 p.m.

Swimmers will be divided up by skill level. For more information on how to register, visit: www.jeffersonrec.com, or call the Jefferson Parks & Recreation Department at 706-367-5116.

A four-day gymnastics summer camp takes place June 1-4 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Jefferson Parks & Recreation Department gym. Cost is $85. The camp is for kids ages 6-12. Registration is open until May 29. The participants will learn new skills and brush up on old skills. Each participant will be instructed at their own individual level. Beginners are welcome to join. For more information, visit: www.jeffersonrec.com, or call 706367-5116.

Lacrosse: Mill Creek girls’ lacrosse team hosts Kennesaw Mountain today at 7:30 p.m. and Grayson on Monday, April 20, at 7:15 p.m. The boys will host North Gwinnett on Tuesday, April 21, at 5:30 p.m.

Soccer: The Jackson County Cup soccer tournament takes place Saturday, April 18, at Jackson County Comprehensive High School. Jackson County, Jefferson and East Jackson will compete. The tournament starts at 8:45 a.m. with the Lady Panthers and Lady Eagles.

2B

sports

The Paper | Thursday, April 16, 2015

Lady Dragons soar past Commerce on Senior Day; Dragons fall 3-2 Chiara Pate/Abby Wood swept their opponents in straight sets as well. Perry and Wessels defeated the Lady Tigers’ duo of Asia Jones and Morgan Partin 6-2, 6-1. Pate and Wood didn’t drop a game in their 6-0, 6-0 victory over Alyssa Griffin and Vanessa Hernandez.

The boys’ lone victories came off the racquets of seniors Jackson Howard and Justin Harrison. Howard dropped only one game in his dominant 6-1, 6-0 win over Commerce’s Ricki Orozco.

Harrison won a hard-fought first set (6-4) over Brevin Knox, but quickly put the match away in the second set, winning 6-1 to get the Dragons their second and last point of the match.

Commerce’s Dalton Flint upended Tim Deremer 6-2, 6-0. Cody Weaver/Cade Ridley defeated the Dragons’ tandem of Blake Harkins/Hal Jarrett 6-1, 6-2 and KJ Jones/ Logan Jackson made quick work of Alex Loven/Caleb Tyler 6-0, 6-2.

“It has been one of the winningest teams in Jefferson history,” Jefferson head coach Allen Thompson said, “and it’s a very accomplished senior class. So, they earned the right to play.

“We wanted them all to Doug Chellew The Paper have the opportunity to play.

Jefferson’s Olivia Yates delivers a serve during last Thursday’s match against the Commerce I was proud of how some of the kids stepped up (because) Lady Tigers. Yates won her match 6-0, 6-0. some of them hadn’t played all year really at all.”

BY CHARLES PHELPS 5-0. Thursday was also Senior Day, and He added the team’s goal of getting cphelps@clickthepaper.com seniors Charley Beatty and Olivia Yates out of Region 8-AAA and clinching a performed well. Both won in straight berth in the state playoffs is still “very sets. Yates didn’t drop a game in her JEFFERSON – With the Region 6-0, 6-0 rout against Morgan Pyrzenski. much obtainable.”

“I feel like if we can really come out 8-AAA tennis tournament looming this Beatty defeated Chandler Klugh 6-2, 6-2. and work and have the right mindset week, the Jefferson Lady Dragons’ tenJunior Cailyn Dianni (No. 1 player) nis team looks to be trending upward extended the Lady Dragons’ singles the next couple of days, we will do that, and a berth in the Class AAA state play- dominance as she swept Commerce’s and then, we will move forward and see where we are for the playoffs and begin offs is very much within reach.

Maddie Lumpkin in straight sets 6-4, 6-2. that next part of the season,” he said.

Last Thursday, the Lady Dragons The Lady Dragons’ doubles tandems The Region 8-AAA tennis tournament romped the Commerce Lady Tigers of Kadi Perry/Rheagan Wessels and takes place at Oconee County.

Soccer: Dragons, Lady Dragons down Elbert Co.

BY KYLE FUNDERBURK

sports@clickthepaper.com

JEFFERSON – In a game prolonged by two lightning delays, the Jefferson Lady Dragons’ soccer team didn’t let that take away from its focus, which was just to win.

Led by senior Kayla Brown’s two goals and two assists, the Lady Dragons defeated their region rival 6-2 on senior night.

The home win is also possibly the last one for the team’s four seniors.

“We worked on a lot on passing and in different formations, and I feel like we did a really good job with that today,” Brown said. “We knew we had to take a lot of quick shots. They were crowding the inside and we did that successfully.”

Head coach Jeff Williams said of Brown, “Fantastic player all through high school. Great attitude, you couldn’t ask for a better player than her.”

Ten yards in front of the goal, Maryanne Kilgore was on the receiving end of Brown’s first assist just 90 seconds into the game to give the Lady Dragons a 1-0 lead.

Brown’s next assist came 25 minutes later when her corner kick was headed in by Briana Rosales, spreading the Lady Dragons’ lead to 2-0.

The Lady Blue Devils got on the scoreboard a couple minutes later with a goal by Sonia Guaddarrama, cutting the lead to 2-1.

With 10:13 remaining in the first half, lightning struck the area and play was delayed for nearly an hour.

“It made it hard on us to go into the locker room for 30-40 minutes at a time and then come back out and pick up where you left off,” Williams said about the delays. “I think after that second stoppage, they really came out ready to play.”

A few minutes after play resumed, Brown’s corner kick went off target, but the ball made its way to Karen Rubio, who took the shot and propelled the Lady Dragons’ lead back to two goals (3-1).

The score remained the same at halftime.

Early in the second half, lightning struck again, postponing play for 30 minutes.

Clinging to a two-goal lead with 15 minutes left to play, Brown scored her first goal of the game when she took the ball into the box herself, swerving and cutting through defenders to get a wide-open shot from seven yards out. The Lady Dragons led 4-1.

“It’s not really uncommon for me to do that,” Brown said.

“It just feels really good when you’re able to do that. It always feels like the first time.”

With eight minutes to go, a long pass left Guaddarrama all alone behind defenders, allowing the Lady Blue Devils to cut the lead to 4-2. Twenty-eight seconds later, Rubio added her second goal for the Lady Dragons to bring the lead back to 5-2.

GOLF

With just over three minutes remaining, Brown scored her final goal of the game when she took a shot from 30 yards away and put the ball in the bottom left corner of the net to finish the game with the 6-2 win.

Brown called the 30-yard goal one of her best and favorite moments of her high-school career.

Jefferson 6, Elbert County 2 The late start time didn’t seem to have any affect on the Dragons’ energy and readiness to play as they put up six goals against the Blue Devils.

They played a nearly perfect first half, and some were led with great leadership by some departing seniors late in the game.

“At the beginning of the game, these guys were ready to play,” Jefferson head coach Casey Colquitt said. “It was their senior night and they were out their representing their fellow senior Mason Porras, who couldn’t be here tonight.”

Diego Tello didn’t waste any time giving the Dragons an early lead as he put a 25-yarder past the keeper in a mere 49 seconds.

Less than five minutes later, Nikolas Poling put a spin move on the keeper around the middle of the penalty box to score on an empty net and put the Dragons ahead 2-0.

Later in the first half, Richard Mendoza found an open Devin Malone from six yards away, giving the Dragons a 3-0 lead at halftime.

The big lead began to slip away during the first 17 minutes of the second half. First a penalty kick went past Robert Morsut seven minutes into the half (3-1). Ten minutes later, a shot from 25 yards out went between Morsut’s outstretched hand and the crossbar (3-2).

Then, the upperclassmen stepped up and took the game over. With less than 20 minutes left to play, Poling kicked a perfect pass across the field into Mendoza’s chest. Three steps later, Mendoza fired a shot past the keeper to give the Dragons some breathing room and a 4-2 lead.

“My goal would not have gone in without the fantastic cross of Nikolas Poling,” Mendoza said. “As a captain, I take a lot of responsibility. I try to give a little motivation to my team. It’s something I like to do and will do as I keep playing.”

Colquitt said Mendoza, “always gets a goal. He got the fourth goal today to break their (Elbert County) spirits, and Richard always seems to be able to do that, as a captain should.

“And, that cross was fantastic, Nikolas’ cross, and Richie’s ability to finish doesn’t get any better than that.”

A minute later, Poling slipped past defenders and made a shot beside the goal to bring the lead to 5-2. Rodney Cain sealed the game with 11:17 to go when his shot from just inside the box went beyond the keepers reach (6-2).

“We put in a few key players at the end to get everything opened back up; we had to put some back in to get everything under control,” Colquitt said.

County will join Jefferson at sectionals.

The East Jackson Eagles finished fifth with a score of 343. Mason Walker shot an 80 and advances to sectionals peaking at this time. We are really included a chip-in eagle on the par-4 as his score was the lowest out of the happy with that and we get the chance 16th hole. non-qualifying teams (East Jackson, to play some more golf and move down Morgan County finished in second Jackson County and Elbert County). to the sectionals.” place with a score of 296. Hart County “I was really proud of our guys Cooper Young fired a one-over-par finished third with 325. Oconee County today,” East Jackson head coach Mat73, while Charlie Jarrett carded an 81, is automatically into the Class AAA thew Gibbs said. “We knew it would be Aaron Garner recorded an 87 and Jonstate tournament. Morgan and Hart a dog fight with us, Jefferson athan Williams rounded out and Jackson (County) just the Dragons’ top-four scores based on the results from the with a 94. year. Our kids played real con“Cooper had a great round sistent.” with a 73,” Parker said.

Jake Golob carded 83, Jesse “Thought that was a great Norton fired an 89 and Samuel day for him. That’s his best Benton shot 91 to finish the round competitively for us.

Eagles’ scoring.

Aaron Garner shooting an 87, “If you had told me that was I’m proud of him. That was our scores coming into today, his best score all year for us.

I would’ve said, ‘We’ll take our “Jonathan Williams came chances with that,’” Gibbs exin with a 94 and that was his plained. “Credit Jefferson for best score all year. To have coming out and putting down guys do that, that’s great. the score they put, and also the That’s what this game is winners. Goodness gracious, about, get out here and peak that’s some good golf being at the right times and do played out there. those things.”

“Congratulations to Mason Oconee County took the Walker, shooting 80 today, region crown with a team that’s tough. That’s his best total of 288. Oconee CounCharles Phelps The Paper score all year.” ty’s Ben Huckaby finished East Jackson’s Mason Walker hits a tee shot at the par-3 Jackson County finished as low medalist, firing a seventh with a score of 362.

13th hole at Double Oaks Golf Course on Monday. seven-under-par 65, which Continued from 1B

Doug Chellew The Paper

Jackson County’s Coleman Barbee delivers a pitch during last Friday’s game against the Jefferson Dragons.

BASEBALL Continued from 1B

“He threw extremely well,” Knight said about Franklin’s performance. “That’s the first time all year he’s been extended. He’s been closing for us, and tonight, we switched it up a little bit and let him try to start a ball game.

“Even his bullpens haven’t been nearly that long. He’s a workhorse and we couldn’t have asked for more than what we got out of him.”

The Dragons wasted no time in getting on the board in game two. Hutch scored on an error, Zack Boobas brought Franklin home on an RBI single to set the score at 2-0 after the first inning. Boobas was the only Dragon in game two with multiple hits.

Hutch’s offense continued to roll for the Dragons as he brought home a run with a double in the second inning to bump the score to 3-0. The Dragons added another run in the third after an error by the Panthers’ defense (4-0).

The Panthers finished the game with five errors.

Micah Carpenter finished

the Dragons’ scoring in the fifth inning as an error allowed Carpenter to reach base and allowed two runners to score (Joshua Hutch and Wilkes).

The Panthers’ lone run came on a wild pitch in the seventh inning.

“Both games, it was different stuff that we did, it doesn’t matter who you are playing, you don’t deserve (to win) when you do that kind of that stuff,” Jackson County head coach Tommy Fountain said. “Overall, we got the first one. We got one.

“Like I told our guys, ‘We didn’t have anything to lose in this series. Nobody expected us to do as well as we did, even in game one, or in the first (12) innings.’ At the end of the day, you have to overcome things that you can’t control, and that’s what baseball is about a lot, overcoming things you can’t control.”

In game one, the Panthers walked six batters in the fifth and sixth innings.

Barbee gave up two hits and recorded eight strikeouts in game one for the Panthers.

Jase Latty recorded nine strikeouts on the mound in game two.

Youth Football Camp at Jefferson Parks & Rec

Charles Phelps The Paper

Former Jefferson High School and University of Georgia football player Lucas Redd, along with former UGA teammate Michael Bennett and others put together a one-day football youth skills camp at the Jefferson Parks & Recreation Department last Sunday. The camp was for youth ages 6-14. Kids went through drills that football players go through, like, running the ladder, running the cones, learning to catch and much more. There was also silent auction benefitting the Jefferson Recreation Scholarship Account.

TOP: Former University of Georgia football player Michael Bennett helps kids during a drill last Sunday. MIDDLE: Former Jefferson Dragon and University of Georgia football player Lucas Redd watches a kid run the ladder last Sunday.

BOTTOM: Kids run the cones at youth football camp.

CMYK Thursday, April 16, 2015

features Spring into Recycling is April 25 in Jackson Co.

3B

‘Fur’ the love of animals

Volunteers make it happen when it comes to keeping Jackson County beautiful No doubt about it, volunteers keep the wheels turning for Keep Jackson County Beautiful.

From the volunteer board, headed by chairman Mike Faulkner, to the people who volunteer hours planting in the Helping Hands Garden to those who pick up trash on the Adopt-A-Road mile hundreds of bags of trash, hundreds of flowers and plants and miles of river during River’s Alive would not be done.

KJCB sponsored its first volunteer appreciation event in Jackson County’s Hurricane Shoals Park to recognize those who give of their time.

“It was nice to meet so many of our volunteers,” said Faulkner. “We’ll be holding another of these on May 16 and we’d like to encourage as many volunteers as possible to attend.”

For The Paper

John Barry Lavender, his wife Dee and brother and sister-in-law Conrad and Hilda, who have been keeping Lavender Road clean for more than a decade, received the Susie Litter Award last year. They “have been cleaning Lavender Road for much longer than the 10 years Keep Jackson County Beautiful has been certified,” said KJCB director Susan Trepagnier. “Keep Jackson County Beautiful would have a hard time coordinating successful projects without volunteers like the Lavenders.

Annual recycling event offers chance to help others with donations Keep Jackson County Beautiful will sponsor the annual Spring into Recycling on April 25, said Director Susan Trepagnier.

“We’ve had to make a few adjustments this time around and I hope it doesn’t cause our citizens problems.”

She said they have always taken things out of attendees’ cars such as vacuum cleaners, wooden speakers and other items the electronics company doesn’t take.

“We take it to the transfer station after the event, but after the Fall event, we had about eight truckloads of stuff to discard,” said Trepagnier. “It will cost citizens to go over to discard at the Transfer Station, but I can’t ask our volunteers to continue working an hour or so after the event.”

Along with electronics, document shredding is a popular part of that event.

Also collected will be fluorescent lightbulbs, household batteries, auto batteries and used auto oil, paint, good used clothing, softbound and hardback books.

“We are asked quite often why we charge for certain items. Jackson County pays Atlanta Paint Recycling to pick up, transport and recycle the paint. Jackson County allows for five5 gallons of paint. After that we charge $2 per gallon,” said Trepagnier. “If someone brings in a five-gallon bucket, we allow that one bucket, but everything after that is a charge. We will take quarts, but after a gallon, we have to charge no matter what.”

She said some of the big box home improvement stores will take the bulbs in for recycling, but fewer are doing that because companies are charging more to recycle that sort of item, “but everything else we are still taking at no charge.

“I think the funniest question I receive is about document shredding. People want to know if they have to come and put their papers through a shredder, or they think we are taking their documents to transport to

See RECYCLING, 5B

Pet Fest and Fur Ball raise money for Humane Society of Jackson Co. The Humane Society of Jackson County closed last October on the Jefferson acreage which is where president Cheryl Iski says she envisions the mission of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization ultimately coming together.

The community came together recently for a successful annual Fur Ball fundraiser at the BraseltonStovre House which featured Doug Thompson’s Tribute to Elvis and a casino night of fun and fundraising.

“What a spectacular night thanks to the Fur Ball chairperson Laura Collier who runs the Braselton-Stover House and to the committee for all the hard work involved in this accomplishment,” said Iski.

“What an event it was! Great success for the Humane Society of Jackson County as we stepped back in time to the 1960s Vegas style,” said

See HUMANE SOCIETY, 5B

LeAnne Akin The Paper

Elvis was a “Hunka Hunka Burnin’ Love” and he just wanted to be your teddy bear at the Humane Society of Jackson County’s annual Fur Ball when he was joined by dancing girls who assisted in handing out the prize teddy bears.

Archives, welcome center and future courtroom

Historic Courthouse: A ‘gem’ of Jackson County you should visit

By LEANNE AKIN

lakin@clickthepaper.com

Step back in time when you step inside the Jackson County Historic Courthouse.

Two rooms serve as the welcome center for the community and have furnishings which had been used by elected officials who served the public through the years.

Tours – which offer the unique stories of the courthouse and special connections with the past -- are available and organizations are conducting meetings or hosting special events in the historic courthouse. The facility is available for rental as a wedding or other special venue as well.

The educational center shows the courthouse is alive –

its heartbeat can be felt in the stories to be shared and the knowledge to be gained.

The historic courthouse honors and pays tribute to the past and offers new possibilities for exploring a wealth of information preserved in the historic archives.

To celebrate National Preservation Month, the Jackson County Historic Courthouse is holding a free event on May with an open house with free tours of the second floor courtroom from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

An archive specialist will also be onsite to offer free advice and minor book repair to help preserve precious documents and books.

Call 706-387-7685 for more information or to reserve a tour time.

LeAnne Akin The Paper

The Jackson County Welcome Center – where Sloane Meyer is the coordinator – and the Historic Archives are open inside the Jackson County Historic Courthouse in downtown Jefferson and a special event is planned for May 9. The Historic Courthouse, which is featured on the “Gems of Jackson County Tours” being offered on Tuesdays by appointment through August, is also included in this session’s Brenau University Learning & Leisure Institute (BULLI) Braselton course entitled “From the Indians to the Internet: The Historical Journey of Jackson County, Georgia.”

Tax digests dating back to 1797 and the vault which houses family paperwork as well as governmental documents and

a research room with a policy for usage allows visitors to con-

See COURTHOUSE, 5B

4B

features

The Paper | Thursday, April 16, 2015

Dealing with pain

Physician shares insight into pain management

By FARAH BOHANNON

fbohannon@clickthepaper.com

Dr. Tennent Slack, from the Northeast Georgia Physicians Group Department of Interventional Pain Medicine, spoke at the Braselton Woman’s Club April meeting where he discussed chronic back pain and what available to control it — everything from medications to therapies to surgery — that one in particular being a last resort.

Slack said that chronic low back pain is extremely common, and a majority of heads nodded in agreement as he made that statement. It can be caused from anything, and Slack’s main purpose is to help others figure out the source of the pain and how to effectively manage it.

“The number of adults in the United States who experience some kind of a chronic pain problem is roughly 100 million,” said Slack.

“The United States population is around 300 million, so about one third of Americans are currently Slack experiencing pain.”

A majority of the 100 million people dealing with chronic pain have problems in the spine, a very complex part of the human body — a jungle of bones, nerves, discs and more. Slack says a majority of people’s problems occur in the lower lumbar or sacral portions of the spine, what everyone refers to as the lower back. Spinal nerves that are irritated cause leg pain, commonly known as sciatic pain.

The second major source of pain is arthritis originating from the spinal joints — stiffness can occur as well, which can be just as uncomfortable as extreme pain. Disc pain is also common since there are several nerves that run into them. As a person ages, the discs lose their shape, which can irritate those nerves — ouch. The last source of pain discussed was sacroiliac joint pain.

“When the sacroiliac join is irritated, many people say they are experiencing hip pain,” said Slack. “It hurts to cross legs, walk upstairs, sit and stand from a sitting position.

That and the other three sources of pain are where a majority of low back pain comes from.

“Unfortunately, the course of low back pain is incredibly unpredictable, but my job is to do what I can to figure out where the pain comes from and how we can manage it appropriately,” he said.

Slack said he constantly sees patients who complain about back, hip or leg pain that came about suddenly after never undergoing any problems, and want to know what caused it. He said it is difficult to find the cause most of the time because many of the cases are not due to a disc herniation or something of the like. Most of the time, pain is caused from disc degeneration that became symptomatic.

It is important to understand that chronic back pain can be a “beast” as Slack said, also unpredictable and difficult to diagnose. After all, there is a lack of correlation between the spine and the complaint in many cases.

Sometimes an MRI will not give the answers that one may be searching for — managing the pain, and not curing it is usually the only answer that is available.

Luckily there are doctors who spend their

days researching and helping their patients find the pain management program that works for them.

“The typical issue I see is degeneration,” said Slack. “Even I have it. When a patient comes to me with degeneration of the spine, we look at a management plan. There is no fix. The patients really do not like hearing that, but there is a way to manage their pain.

There is no cure for diabetes, but it can be managed. The same concept goes for chronic back pain and degeneration.”

Slack says in these cases, he makes a concerted effort to find out where the patient’s pain comes from to create the best management program — that way, he can figure out what to do other than administering and taking strong pain killers or medications such as Lortab, Percocet, Cymbalta, Methadone and even those that are over-the-counter. There are benefits to these, but if there is something else that can be done — great.

Another important factor to consider is the specific patient’s pain perception. Different people feel pain in different ways, and that can be attributed to factors such as emotional state, genetics, mood/anxiety disorders or cultural background to name a few. It is a complicated phenomenon, but will never be forgotten thanks to doctors like Slack.

Slack did mention he is not anti-medication, but activities like physical therapy, water aerobics, yoga, massage, acupuncture and chiropractic visits have all been very helpful in chronic back pain management.

After all, medications do come with intense side effects and some even have the potential of being addicting.

“Addiction to pain medications has become a huge problem in the United States, and unfortunately deaths from overdoses have risen significantly,” said Slack. “That is another lecture for another time, but it has gotten worse.”

Patients must weigh the benefits and the side effects before making a decision on a pain management regimen. Slack says that he is all about “every tool in the toolbox” while treating back pain because nobody has the one answer. Everyone is different and handles pain differently, and pain management doctors like Slack are eager to help their patients find relief.

To make an appointment with Dr. Slack, call 770-219-0023.

About Dr. Slack Born and raised in Gainesville, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He received his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine, where he also completed a residency in Anesthesiology. He practiced Anesthesiology in Atlanta for 14 years before completing a fellowship in Pain Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia. In 2009, Dr. Slack returned to Gainesville to practice Pain Medicine exclusively. He is a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the International Spine Intervention Society, the American Medical Association and the Georgia Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.

Dr. Slack is board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology in both Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology.

Second in a series

Court Appointed Special Advocate: A day in the life of a special volunteer A Court Appointed Special Advocate gets ready to advocate for their assigned foster child through the Juvenile Court System by first preparing a report for the Judge.

The Juvenile Court Judge helped to start the CASA program here in Jackson, Banks and Barrow counties. Before each hearing, he wants a report with current information about the child and their family so he’ll have the background he needs to interpret the testimony he hears.

The Judge will hear testimony from the Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS) case manager, possibly their supervisor, the parents and any other witnesses that the DFCS attorney and the parents’ attorney(s) want to call, just like in any trial.

The CASA report has to be distributed to all the attorneys and the Judge and filed with the clerk several days before the court hearing.

To write the report, the CASA relies on the relationship they have built with the child and the information they have gathered about the family and child to form recommendations in the best interest of the child.

What does that mean? In training, the CASA learns that the best interest of the child may be different at different times during their stay in foster care. Thinking about best interest takes into account the child’s problems and concerns, what the child has told the CASA and what the CASA knows about the child.

How is the child responding to being in foster care, to having their needs met? Has the child talked to the CASA about what the child thinks would be best for them? Most often, children in foster care want to return home, no matter how bad their home situation has been.

The CASA, being a specially trained adult, realizes that the child’s wishes are important, but their wish to return home may not be the right choice for them at that moment in time.

How are the visits going with family members? To make well thought out recommendations to the Judge, the CASA has to have current information about their family.

Is the family making the changes needed to bring the child home so that child will be safe? Is the family receiving all the services that they need to make these changes?

Before writing the report, the CASA has met with the parents and with the DFCS foster care case manager and others involved in services for the child and family

YOUR OUTDOOR BAR-B-Q PLACE!

Big Green Egg

Braselton Woman’s Club convening on May 6 The Braselton Woman’s Club will meet at noon on Wednesday, May 6, at Country Inn & Suites Hotel, located at 925 Highway 124 in Braselton, with Fern Meyer as guest speaker.

A Georgia resident for 28 years, she moved from New Jersey in 1987 and to Jackson County in 2002. She is a wife of 40-plus years, mother of two grown children and a grandmother of five. After numerous careers, including customer service, pro shop owner, consignment store owner and high end decorative painter, she went to college for the first

time at age 55 and graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Certified as a holistic health coach by the American Association of Drug Free Practitioners, she is also a wellness advocate and essential oil expert with doTERRA essential oils. She is in the business of promoting wellness with real food and natural medicine.

Meeting admission is free and light refreshments will be served at no cost. Learn more by visiting the Facebook page at Braselton Woman’s Club, or call 706-654-9266.

to talk about the child’s case, to air concerns and to discuss solutions. The CASA will have met with the child’s teacher and reviewed school records. The CASA will have reviewed any pertinent medical records and have discussed them with medical providers.

So the day of writing the report comes and with it the responsibility of setting out the facts and circumstances in the case that are important for the Judge to know.

Following that, comes the recommendations.

When the court hearing date arrives, the CASA knows that they are prepared, their report has been read and they are ready to testify if requested.

There may have been a few sleepless hours when the CASA wonders if they are prepared as much as possible. Is their report as accurate as possible? Have they included all pertinent information?

Luckily, CASA volunteers don’t bear this burden alone. Their CASA volunteer coordinator has been there to help them, to provide them with a sounding board, to read their report and to make suggestions to strengthen the report.

The volunteer coordinator goes to court with the CASA volunteer. The CASA volunteer coordinator and volunteer are eager to hear what will happen in court and whether or not the Judge after hearing testimony will rule as they have recommended in the report. The Judge is always grateful for a well written report, and yet things don’t always turn out the way CASA hopes.

The Judge has to make a decision based on the law and the testimony he hears.

The excitement of seeing a child reunified with family or being present at an adoption makes up for the sometimes stressful preparation and work.

The system is a good one, and allows community members who know their community to speak on behalf of one of the community’s children.

Training opportunity New CASA volunteer training begins May 7 at The Tree House in Commerce, 6-9 p.m.; anyone who wants to know more about CASA is welcome to attend the first session. For more information, call 706387-6375 or go to www.piedmontcasa.org.

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Backdoor Roth IRA: Appropriate Or Not? This paid advertisement written by Jeff Cutter, Investment Advice by Scott Moore.

Last week I received a phone call from a very nice young woman, Stephanie.

She is a faithful Moore Weekly reader who wants to stay financially fit.

Stephanie wants to contribute to a Roth IRA. She is concerned about taxes rising in the future and she does not want to bear that burden. Smart gal. The problem is that she earns too much money to contribute to a Roth IRA. Stephanie asked her broker about any solutions available to her that will allow her to contribute to a Roth under her current situation. She told me that her broker advised her to do a “backdoor Roth IRA.” Hmmmm . . . not so fast.

A backdoor Roth IRA can be a solution for investors who make too much income to qualify for normal Roth IRA contributions, and want to increase their retirement savings in taxadvantaged accounts. This is because with a Roth IRA your hard-earned money grows tax-free, and you are allowed to withdraw those funds taxfree in retirement (don’t forget, you do pay tax up-front in that you contribute with after-tax dollars because you don’t get a tax deduction when you make the contribution). Furthermore,

unlike traditional IRAs, there are no required minimum distributions for Roth IRAs and they can be passed on to one’s heirs. This allows the funds to grow tax-free over many years, and offers tax-free compounding and withdrawals. However, there are limits and complications involved with “backdoor Roth IRAs.” Stephanie’s broker advised her to begin a two-step process for her to create a backdoor Roth IRA. He suggested that she first, contribute to a (nondeductible) Traditional IRA because unlike a Roth IRA, a traditional IRA has no income ceiling for contributors.

Next, after the funds clear, he suggested she convert the traditional IRA to a Roth IRA in order to never pay taxes again on her investments. He told her that since no time elapses between the contribution to the Traditional IRA and the conversion to the Roth IRA, there are no earnings on those funds and it is a non-taxable event, unlike if she were to convert pre-tax IRA funds, (tax deductible IRA money and earnings which have not been taxed yet) into a Roth IRA, in which case all gains are taxed on the conversion at current rates. Sounds great!

Not so fast.

Bring in the “pro rata tax rule.” The pro rata rule is the factor that can

complicate a backdoor Roth IRA, even if it otherwise sounds like it might be for you. This is how it works: if there are any pre-tax IRA funds in any other IRA (for instance, an old 401k that you have rolled over), the conversion of any contributions becomes a taxable event which will result in taxes being paid on the conversion. Generally you can’t convert just that nondeductible IRA contribution tax-free when you have other IRA funds.

Stephanie was very surprised to hear this because she was told that since any contribution to a backdoor Roth comes from an immediate conversion from a nondeductible IRA, it is a nontaxable event. Although generally speaking that is true, there is a big exception: if you own any pre-tax IRA, including SEP and SIMPLE IRAs. If Stephanie owns IRAs with both nondeductible and pre-tax funds, then each dollar withdrawn (or converted) from any of her IRAs will contain a percentage of tax-free and taxable funds based on the percentage of after-tax funds to the entire balance in all her IRAs. She cannot just withdraw (or convert) the nondeductible IRA contribution and pay no tax. Stephanie also has about $95,000 of pre-tax IRA money being held in various accounts with her broker. And even though these funds

are held in separate accounts, the IRS looks at them as one IRA. So, let’s assume Stephanie contributes $5,000 into a nondeductible traditional IRA, and soon after converts that $5,000 into a Roth IRA, utilizing the backdoor Roth strategy. If Stephanie had no other IRAs, the conversion to the Roth IRA would be taxfree. However, since she has other IRA assets, well, we have a problem.

The pro rata rule requires Stephanie to aggregate all of her IRA money that has not been taxed yet and views the $5,000 as a percent of the total IRA pool of (non-taxed) funds. The $5,000 converted to a Roth is considered 5 percent of her total IRA assets ($5,000/$100,000). Her percentage of pre-tax funds in her IRA is therefore 95 percent, and upon conversion of the $5,000, she will be taxed upfront on $4,750 of the $5,000. As you can see, the backdoor Roth is not as advantageous a strategy for Stephanie as it may be for others and I advised her against it.

Given the benefits outlined above, backdoor Roth IRAs are certainly something to consider when you are charting your course for retirement savings. Specifically, if you have already maxed out other retirement

savings options, you are willing to leave the money in the Roth for at least five years, and you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in retirement than you are currently, it is something to consider.

Folks, backdoor Roths are not for everyone, so if you do consider it, make sure you carefully contemplate all the ramifications. If you already have any traditional IRAs or can contribute to any other retirement savings vehicles, make sure to do the math to see if a backdoor Roth IRA is for you.

I finished the call with Stephanie by advising her to make sure she seeks her retirement solutions from a retirement specialist. It could save her a small fortune. I advise you to do the same.

For answers to these questions, contact Scott Moore 770-535-5000.

In addition to being a fiduciary, Scott is an Ed Slott Master Elite IRA Advisor.

210 Washington St. NW, Suite # 106 • Gainesville, GA 30501 • 770-535-5000 • 12600 Deerfield Parkway, Suite # 100 • Alpharetta, Georgia 30004 • 678-566-3590 www.MooresWealthManagement.com Investment advice is offered by Horter Investment Management, LLC a Registered Investment Adviser: Insurance and annuity products are sold separately through Moore’s Wealth Management. Securities transactions for Horter Investment Management clients are placed through Pershing Advisor Solutions, Trust Company of America, Jefferson National Monument Advisor, Fidelity, Security Benefit Life, ED&F Man Capital Markets, and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. This content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by radical promoting and their editorial staff based on the original articles written by jeff cutter in the falmouth enterprise. This article has been rewritten for Scott Moore and the readers of the Moore’s Weekly Column. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security

features

The Paper | Thursday, April 16, 2015

5B

HUMANE SOCIETY Continued from 3B

For The Paper

Volunteers who helped to set up the archives in the Jackson County Historic Courthouse included. Seated: Linda Aaron; First row (L-R): Sharon Stanley, Betty Ann Mathis, Shirley Wilson, Charlotte Mealor ; Second row: Jerry Legg, Boniface McDaniel, Sydney Mathis and James Mathis. Sydney Mathis was the youngest member of the team.

COURTHOUSE

Iski. “The room was filled with action and fun; dancing, blackjack, roulette, silent auction, live auction, delicious food and drinks filled the night away. The Humane Society of Jackson County would like to thank all the sponsors, attendees and supporters as we grossed over $20,000.”

Monica Reams, who handles outreach on behalf of the Humane Society of Jackson County, said, “I think the committee and sponsors did an excellent job with Fur Ball 2015. What a wonderful way to be involved in the community, have a great time and help animals at the same time. I was very excited to see the amount of interest in the Fur Ball of the Humane Society of Jackson County. Good people working together can do great things.”

Collier said, “From my perspective, this year’s Fur Ball was more fun and interactive, which makes for a better guest experience. “And Elvis was certainly a big hit.”

The photo link is now up on the humane society’s website for Fur Ball photos to purchase. Visit www.hsjc.com. Also see more scenes at ClickThePaper.com

Gems of Jackson County

Continued from 3B

Tours avaiLabLe Tuesdays

April – August • 10:00 A.m. – 3:00 p.m.

duct research. Voter registration records, picture books, military records, Census documents, voting tally sheets, jury lists, mortgage records, court dockets, prescription records when required and tax records.

The courthouse serves as a gateway to the past, present and future.

“We want to be good stewards of this historic place,” said Charlotte Mealor, who chairs the Jackson County Historic Preservation Committee. She has found many interesting documents of her family inside the archives holdings.

Outside the courthouse are several memorial markers and engraved bricks which pay tribute to families and individuals whose lives have touched Jackson County in some way.

A committee has been formed to help develop new and fresh ideas for fundraising and how to continue the next project – restoration of the upstairs courtroom.

A structural study will be needed and architectural fees will need to be raised and grant opportunities will be explored. Donations will be solicited from the community.

The goal is to restore the courtroom to serve as a community meeting area – as it

RECYCLING

$25 per person • sack lunch and frozen yogurt dessert included!

(Please specify any special dietary needs.)

Treat yourself to an amazing day! With only one admission fee, you will tour three historical ‘gems’ of Jackson County.Your personal tour guide will introduce you to each historical location.

1.

Your first stop will be The Jackson counTy hisToric courThouse.

Built in 1879, this beautiful Italianate-style building was the fourth courthouse to serve Jackson County and served this purpose until 2004. It has been restored to the glory of 1908 and now functions as the Jackson County Welcome Center and the Historic Archives.

2.

Your next stop will be the Shields-Ethridge Farm. What better place to enjoy a tasty sack lunch?! While eating lunch at the covered pavilion, you will enjoy listening to family stories and viewing historic documents from the family’s rich history. Afterwards you will be taken on a guided tour of the historical farm buildings.

3.

Your last stop will be at the

Crawford W. Long M

U

S

E

U

M

crawford w. Long MuseuM, our homage to the doctor who was the first ever to use anesthesia during a medical procedure. The museum displays items from Dr. Long’s life and work as well as fascinating medical exhibits and the preserved ‘country store’. As a bonus, you will also be able to tour the museum’s Harrison Hotel exhibit.

There will be a short walk to Swirlee’s Frozen Yogurt for dessert after leaving the Museum.

was used for early Jackson guide will highlight each hisEMC annual meetings, and torical location as the “gem” charteredwhich tour group must have minimum of 12 people. re-enactments ofYourtrials ita is.

We are happy to provide transportation for groups of 12 – 18 people. were held in the courthouse remember that For more information or to reserve a tourAlso date, please contact the welcome at 706-387-7685another or the Crawford Long Museum 706-367-5307. where Jackson theycounty hope tocenter restore tourism treasure the judge’s bench near to its available is the Jackson original look.

County Heritage Geocache “We appreciate every dol- Trail which earned the “Top lar,” said Mealor. of the Mountain Award” for “Gems of Jackson County” development and promois a Tuesday day tour offering tion of new tourism attracwhich includes the Jackson tion presented by the NorthCounty Historic Courthouse, east Georgia Mountains Shields-Ethridge Heritage Travel Association. The Farm and the Crawford W. trail committee, chaired by Long Museum. Tours are Anne Poe, will be making offered from 10 a.m. to 3 plans for 2016’s Trail 2. If p.m. on available Tuesdays, you haven’t tried your hand through August. The cost is at this geocache experi$25 per person and includes ence which has gotten rave a sack lunch and frozen yo- reviews from veterans and gurt dessert. A personal tour novices alike, drop by the Crawford W. Long Museum to pick up a passport or go to www.geocaching.com.

Continued from 3B another location,” said Trepagnier.

“No, the large American Security Shredding truck is located on site and they will take the paper from the person’s vehicle and shred right there. If someone would like to get out of their vehicle and watch, they are welcome to do so,” she said.

There is a limit – only two copy paper sized boxes from each vehicle, said Melissa Childs, a board member that works in the paper recycling industry. Childs is one of the people who will be helping in the document shredding area.

Sadly all newspaper recycling bins have been picked up from around the county.

Trepagnier said SP Recycling had always provided the bins and servicing the bins free of charge, but when the sale of paper became such a small amount, the company filed for bankruptcy.

“At one time, paper sold

LeAnne Akin The Paper

for $120 a ton. Now you can hardly give paper away. We are working on a solution to bring paper recycling back to the county, but bins won’t be located in as many places – most probably just at the transfer station,” she said. “You have to pick and choose how you do business, especially when we are using taxpayer monies.”

Faulkner reminded the board is seeking a few new members and would like anyone interested in volunteering to contact Trepagnier at strepagnier@jacksoncountygov.com “We are a working board.

Sean Ryan, Donna Hut, Childs, Darrell Chaisson, Jack Legg, Mark Wichman and I have a definite interest in the environment, but more than that, we are interested in making Jackson County a cleaner and more beautiful place to live and work,” said Faulkner.

Call Keep Jackson County Beautiful at 706-708-7198.

Your Home Deserves The Best In Craftsmanship!

Humane Society of Jackson County president Cheryl Iski thanked all who supported Fur Ball. The gaming tables were busy as guests (top and below) had fun.

Pet Fest is Saturday On the heels of that successful fundraising is Saturday’s Pet Fest at Crow’s Lake in Jefferson.

The fun-filled day will start at 9 a.m. with a fun run. Entrance to the fun run is a donation of cat food, dog food or cat litter.

The remainder of the day will be filled with more fun activities for children – make a pupPET, face painting, crazy hair and other fun games. Each activity will be for a $1 donation each. Funopolis is providing an air cannon as well.

The StarWars Storm Troopers and HSJC mascots, Whiskers and Wags, will be onsite for photo opportunities.

Pets are also welcome to join us for activities designed for them as well. The main stage will feature Musical Squares, Pet/ Parent look-a-like contest, Best Kisser, Best Tail Wagger and Most unique bark contest.

Prizes will be given to the winners after each competition.

Galilee Veterinary Services will offer microchipping and rabies vaccines. Nail trims will be offered by Doggie Stylers. These services will be for cash only.

Winners of the local school’s art contest and the winner of the chili cookoff will be announced during the 2 p.m. Two bands will be rocking the main stage during the day as well.

Visit the HSJC website at www.hsjc.com or call 706-367-1111.

Up next: What is the status of the Humane Society of Jackson’s plans for an animal shelter

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6B

events

The Paper | Thursday, April 16, 2015

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS Night of Wine and Roses at the museum. On Thursday, April 16, the Crawford Long Museum will hold an after-hours painting party “A Night of Wine and Roses” from 7-9 p.m. with instruction from Belinda Harris of Belinda Harris Arts. Learn to paint roses on wine glasses with step-by-step instructions, including how to bake them in the oven at home.

Attendees will enjoy wine and light appetizers. No experience necessary. This is fun art, not fine art. Preregistration required and space is limited. All supplies and refreshments included in registration fee. Cost is $25 for museum members and $30 for non-members.

Additional glasses may be purchased for $2 each. For further information and to make reservations, contact the museum at 706-3675307. Museum operating hours, Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Open air market at ShieldsEthridge Farm. The Cultivators’ Market at the ShieldsEthridge Heritage Farm gets under way April 18. The open-air market encourages homesteading practices with the goal of bringing the community together with local farmers, growers and entrepreneurs in a festival atmosphere on the grounds of the 200-year-old working farm. It will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on the third Saturday of every month from April through October.

There will be live music and experts on various homesteading practices. Visitors will be able to purchase fresh produce and handmade products while touring the farm located at 2355 Ethridge Road in Jefferson.

YearOne Braselton Bash Public Safety & Awareness Day. On April 18, YearOne is hosting its first car show of the year from 3-7 p.m. with the focus on public safety. YearOne is located at 1001 Cherry Drive in Braselton.

Hoschton community yard sale.

On Saturday, April 18, Hoschton will host a community yard near city hall. The event will allow sellers to apply for a booth and hopefully sell unwanted household goods. It is $15 to reserve a booth and will run from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Not-forprofit trucks will arrive at the close of the day to take items that did not sell that sellers do not wish to take home.

Help for Adventure Bags. Helping Hands Poker Run will be held April 18 as a fundraiser for Adventure Bags, a local organization that provides a bag filled with necessities and items of comfort for children who are being removed from their homes and placed in foster care.

Sponsored by ABATE of Georgia – Fifth District North and Sonic Drive-In of North Georgia, the poker run will begin at Sonic in Bogart, located next to Cycle World of Athens. Registration is at 9 a.m. with the first bike out at 10 a.m. First hand is $15 with additional hands for $5. Call Allen Kennedy at 770-2314824.

Art gallery show. The Georgia Piedmont Arts Center

is announcing the “Color of Spring” gallery show to be held at their new location, 122 W. May St., in Winder.

The opening reception will be from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, April 17. The gallery will also be open on Saturday, April 18, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and thereafter on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday from noon to 3 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ribbons will be awarded for Best of Show, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and honorable mention in 2D and 3D. There will also be a gift shop for the purchase of handmade items. The mission of Georgia Piedmont Arts Center is to cultivate, facilitate and promote a community in which all forms of art can thrive cooperatively to enrich all citizens through excellence in cultural education, participation, appreciation and enjoyment. If you would like more information or an application to participate, go to the website at www.georgiapiedmontartscenter.com Braselton Downtown Merchants Mixer. All Braselton downtown business owners and operators, staff and stakeholders are invited to the downtown merchants mixer set for Wednesday, April 22, at Country Inn & Suites. The Braselton Downtown Development Authority plans a relaxed evening of networking with great food, wine and door prizes. RSVPs

by April 16 are requested by Downtown Director Amy Pinnell at 706-68400369 or apinnell@braselton.net Braselton Antique & Garden Festival. On Friday, April 24, through Sunday, April 26, the Braselton Antique Festival Association will host this spring festival which fills Braselton Park as well as has vendors around the Harrison Street area and beyond. The festival begins at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.

UGA Vet Clinic for llamas and alpacas. Kim Kyst’s Chelian Farm in Jefferson will be hosting a UGA Vet Clinic starting at 8 a.m. on Friday, April 24, with Dr. Lisa Williamson with UGA Field Services overseeing the day’s activities and procedures which are by appointment only. Contact Kim Kyst at kim@kyst.org or 678-4813759 to schedule animal procedures. Dr. Williamson says, “If we get started in the morning or early afternoon, we could most likely double the number of castrations we could handle. Estimated cost for each is $30 to cover drugs, sterile gauze, sterile gloves and suture material. I can call this a laboratory and waive trip fee and professional fees. Folks need to know senior students do the castrations with faculty supervision. Several students scheduled to be on the rotation in April were just on a regular rotation with me, and we gelded a group of alpacas, so, they are seasoned.

Golf Club in Commerce. Cost to enter is $100 per person or $400 per team. There will be a closest to the pin prize as well as for longest drive.

A 50/50 raffle and a hole-inone chance is also offered.

For details, contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 706-367-8718. You can provide information about suspicious persons, crimes or other relevant information without being involved or identified by contacting the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office’s anonymous tip line at 706-367-3784.

Earth Day Celebration. Whole Foods Market’s Braselton distribution center is hosting its sixth annual Earth Day Celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 25.

The event, which includes hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and soft drinks as well as a community car wash, door prizes and open house tours, benefits the Whole Planet Foundation. A kids’ zone area will features inflatables, games, planting classes and more. You can enjoy live music and watch the folk life rodeo competition for Whole Food employees.

Relay For Life of BraseltonHoschton community meeting.

You are invited to be a part of the organizational effort for this year’s Relay taking place on Aug. 15 in Braselton Park.

Teams are already collecting money to benefit the American Cancer Society and its work with research and survivors and their families.

You can volunteer, form a team and be part of another successful Relay year. Please attend a Monday, April 27, gathering beginning with a 5:30 p.m. social at Braselton Park and the adjacent community center with the session under way at 6 p.m. with committee chairman Joanne Gentile and Amy Richardson, senior manager with Relay For Life. Contact Gentile at 770-789-1972 or email her at jgentile62@gmail.com.

You can each Richardson at 678-232-7610 or amy.richardson@cancer.org Jefferson Garden Club tour.

The Jefferson Garden Club tour will be held rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 2. This year’s tour features five area gardens.

Tickets are $15 advance, $20 day of tour with children under 12 free. Tickets available at Jefferson Public Library or call 706-367-8704.

Race for Williams. The fifth annual Race for Williams will be held at Crow’s Lake in Jefferson on Sunday, May 3. The 5K fundraiser will raise money for the Williams Syndrome Association while also raising awareness about this rare genetic disorder.

There will be lots of activities for an afternoon of family fun by the lake. You can

participate in the Fun Run/ Walk 1-mile event at 2:30 p.m. or the 5K trail race at 3 p.m. or donate if you want to contribute, but can’t attend.

Come out and enjoy all of the free kid activities that will begin at 1p.m. such as face painting, fair hair, bounce house, inflatable slide, dunking booth, balloon clowns and more. The concession stand will be available from 1-5 p.m. so come out for lunch. Go online now at www.williams-syndrome. org/jefferson to guarantee your T-shirt with registration.

Encore Azalea Festival. The City of Arcade is the Encore Azalea City and this year’s Encore Azalea Festival is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, (rain or shine) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Arcade City Park. Singer Kristin Tinsley will headline a full day of music at the park, along with more than 30 arts and crafts vendors, festive food and kids’ fun. Other performers include Tracy Maxwell, Colin and Chloe Chandler, Patti and Daddi and the Hooch Holler Band. Best of all, the festival is free. Call 770-9653340.

Come and learn square dancing.

Jug Tavern Squares Dance Club is offering free beginner square dance lessons from 7:30-9:30 p.m. beginning May 5 at the Winder YMCA. No Y membership is required. The first three lessons are free and then donations are appreciated. To sign up, contact Buddy or Sharon Davis at davisrm11@att.net or 678-471-7274 or Boyd and Teresa McLocklin at 770-540-3341 or bmclock@ bellsouth.net The YMCA is located at 50 Brad Akins Drive in Winder.

Celebrating mentors. Lindsay’s Legacy Mentoring will hist its 10-year Mentoring Celebration Luncheon on May 6 at the Jefferson Civic Center. Learn more about the role mentoring plays in the Jackson County community and volunteer opportunities, visit www.LindsaysLegacyMentoring.org or call executive director Lisa Stephens at 706-410-5525 Spring Jam. The Jackson Spring Jam, set for Thursday, May 7, at Bouchard Farms, will boast a $10,000 for one lucky winner, dozens of raffle prizes, networking opportunities, food, drinks and music. General admission is $10 and raffle tickets for the $10,000 prize get you into the event. Sponsorships are available and Peach State Federal Credit Union also already a silver sponsor.

Historic Courthouse tour. The Jackson County Historic Courthouse is celebrating National Preservation Month. On May 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., free tours of the courthouse including the upstairs courtroom will be offered. An archive spe-

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Cultivators’ market kicks off Saturday

The Cultivators’ Market at the Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm, an open-air market that encourages homesteading practices, will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

The market’s goal is to bring the community together with local farmers, growers and entrepreneurs in a festival atmosphere on the grounds of the 200-yearold working farm. The markert will be on the third Saturday of every month through October.

Beginning at 9 a.m., Gene England will demonstrate who to plow and plant using a mule and at a soil and planting seminar will be presented at 11 a.m. by Jackson County Extension Agent Greg Pittman. Enjoy music of The Sunroom Gang from 10-11 a.m.

During the market, there will be activities for kids including games and all ages will enjoy seeing and

purchasing organic stoneground grist and cornmeal milled onsite by Tom and Alice Mills.

Vendors will offer honey, fresh eggs, quilts, goat milk soap and other products, heirloom plants and vegetables, bitters and tinctures anre more.

The Jackson County Historical Society will have a booth selling “Portraits of a Southern Place” for $25 and more.

“We’ve been wanting to have an open air market on the grounds for many years and are so pleased that this is finally going to happen.

We want families to come and spend a few hours out in the fresh air while learning about this historic farm and participating in games, enjoying live music and learning new skills from our guests speakers,” said Susan Ethridge Chaisson.

The farm is located at 2355 Ethridge Road in Jefferson.

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What’s the buzz? A May 21 lunch and learn will be hosted at the Crawford W. Long Museum in Jefferson. Bobby Chaisson, certified beekeeper of Blue Sky Honey, will be sharing information about the bees and the hive atop the museum. Bring your own lunch or pre-order a sack lunch of a chicken salad sandwich, chips and tea from Sugar & Spice for $6 by calling 706367-5307 by May 20. Gather at 11:30 a.m. for lunch in advance of the noontime program.

Lights, Camera, Relay.

The 2015 Braselton-Hoschton Relay For Life which had been announced for Saturday, May 16, in Braselton Park is being rescheduled for Saturday, Aug. 15.

With the upcoming departure of American Cancer Society representative Mandy Ryan and the desire to tie the theme in with the Town of Braselton’s Movies Under the Stars, the date change is being announced. The theme is Lights! Camera! Relay! so think movies and TV for your campsite and team theme. A family-friendly day with games and activities for children is planned with the focus on the reasons we Relay: survivors and continuing to raise funds and awareness and reflecting on those lost. Call committee chairman Joanne Gentile at 770-789-1972 or email her at jgentile62@gmail.com.

Cathy’s Boutique

Songbird Haven Bird Baths, Houses & Feeders Squirrel Proof Feeders & Unique gifts for all seasons!

Banks County Speedway driver reunion and car show. This track, located at 325 Springs Road in Baldwin, saw the greatest drivers of the era. Come out from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, and see a part of racing history (19551970). There will be vintage cars, race cars, show cars and Rat rods on display. All cars welcome and there is free admission. BBQ chicken plates and concessions will be available .Contact Bobby Irvin at 706-201-8762.

Memorial Day parade. Planning is under way for the Jackson County Memorial Day Parade to be held Monday, May 25, in downtown Jefferson. The parade will start at 2 p.m. Main Street Jefferson is coordinating; contact Beth Laughinghouse at blaughinghouse@ cityofjefferson.com or call 706-367-5714. Visit www. mainstreetjefferson.com

We also consign Jewelry, Purses, and Sandals.

Sheriff’s golf tournament. The Jackson County Sheriff’s second annual Charity Golf Tournament benefiting the Georgia Sheriff’s Youth Homes will be held Friday, April 24, at Doubles Oaks

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cialist will also be onsite to offer free advice and minor repairs to preserve your precious documents and books. Reserve a tour time by calling 770-387-7685 Visit www.jacksoncountyhistoriccourthouse.com for more information.

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CMYK The Paper | Thursday, April 16, 2015

7B

ENTERTAINMENT

Bridezilla says best friend made bad choice Dear Carolyn: I’m getting married in seven months and my best friend just told me she is pregnant with her second child and can’t come to the wedding because it is during her no-fly window.

By way of background, she moved overseas 12 years ago. I went above and beyond to help her plan her wedding because it ended up being a last-minute, DIY backyard wedding. I was happy to be there for her, and I felt like her wedding made us even closer. I also did it without expecting her to do the same for me.

Also, I’m an older bride (mid-30s), and I go back and forth feeling like I’m too old for all the pomp and circumstance in the big white dress with a gaggle of girlfriends around me. I can recognize the important thing is the marriage, and I’ve settled on splitting the difference by having a lower-key wedding and my best friend as the

longer excited about the wedding. Help! — Missing My Maid of Honor

Carolyn Hax only member of my wedding party.

I don’t know how to get over the hurt I feel. First, I won’t have my best friend there for me, and it makes me feel quite lonely. Second, while I know the world doesn’t revolve around me, I’m hurt that she didn’t delay trying for this baby for a little bit longer so she could make it to the wedding.

Third, this is amplifying my original feelings — that I feel ridiculous wearing a big white dress when my friends are focused on their families.

I want to throw in the towel and just get married at a courthouse because I’m no

Fourth, please make this the last time you ever say out loud that she should have postponed her baby.

I’ll assume your disappointment left you temporarily deranged, because the alternative is too depressing.

And I’ll assume this bout of bridezillus horrificus has run its course, meaning by now you’ve reminded yourself that women in their mid30s — or of any age, really — who want children don’t “delay trying” except for reasons of personal, relationship or financial health. Even when they love their bride-tobe best friends to bits.

I’m assuming too because I don’t want your overreaction to swamp your valid points.

I don’t think it’s properly understood, or even particularly cared about, how it feels to be the last of your friends

to hit a big life milestone.

It’s like a marathon: The front-runners have a cheering crowd three or four rows deep, enjoying the novelty and excitement. Then the hours pass and the crowd goes home to its other priorities, except for the loved ones of the people still trickling across the line.

And now you’re in your big dress without the one person you counted on to cheer you across. It’s not a calamity, but it’s lonely, yes.

If I were advising your group of friends, I’d remind them this is momentous still for you, and that caring about you means opening up to your joy.

Advising you is more complicated. Yes, you’ve set your date, but ask anyone who pulled the plug at the altar: You are not wedded to your wedding. You can flex your maturity and rethink your whole plan with your partner. What do you want, who

WORKING IT OUT

do you want, and why?

Then: Can you satisfy these ... next weekend at the courthouse? Four months from now, best friend in attendance? On the planned date but with updated expectations and a killer cocktail dress?

Hi, Carolyn: We’re recently engaged and planning our wedding. However, my fiance’s older brother proposed to his girlfriend first, despite knowing my thenboyfriend was planning his proposal.

When the brother’s fiancee began wedding planning back in December, she mentioned how upset she would be if I chose the summer of 2016 since it would be too close to her wedding (that July). She was even more upset when I mentioned I had always wanted a June wedding. She exclaimed my date idea “pissed me off” and told me to reconsider.

My fiance and I have decided on the venue and are shooting for June 2016. Do you think I should reevaluate my date? Or carpe diem, and book it anyway? — J. She sounds charming.

But not clever, since her threat is tempting you to stick on principle to an inconsiderate wedding date.

Of all the possible dates, you need one 30-ish days from his brother’s? Especially if key family members have to travel, that’s a needlessly me-centric move (by someone under a cloud of suspicion from that my-guythought-to-propose-first assertion, as if it matters).

So choose a better principle, one as warm, inclusive and decent as your future sister-in-law’s was bullying, then pick a date.

Chat with Carolyn online at noon each Friday at www. washingtonpost.com.

About The Paper What do you like about your paper? Send an email to editor@clickthepaper.com or call 706-658-2683, or send a letter to The Paper, P.O. Box 430, Hoschton, GA 30548.

You can also stop by and drop it off at The Paper office now located at 9924 Davis St., Suite 8, in Braselton.

You can also submit community announcements, church news, school happenings and more to editor@ clickthepaper.com

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Announcements Notice ATTENTION CLASSIFIED CUSTOMERS The Times Classified Department asks that you verify and proof your classified ad(s) the first day that it is scheduled to print.

If any corrections need to be made, please contact our department, Monday through Friday, before 3pm.

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The Comprehensive Care program at The Longstreet Clinic, P.C. is expanding due to the needs of our patients and the communities that we serve by opening a new location in Oakwood, Georgia.

We are seeking LPNs to support this expansion.

Hours available will be day, evening and Saturday. Previous experience in an urgent care facility or emergency department is highly desirable.

The Center for Laser & Aesthetic Services at The Longstreet Clinic, P.C. in Oakwood, Georgia is recruiting a part time nurse practitioner or physician assistant with neurotoxin experience.

This position is 1 day a week with a potential to grow.

The Orthopaedic Specialist Department at The Longstreet Clinic, P. C. in Braselton, Georgia is recruiting a full time CMA/RMA. Previous orthopaedic/ surgery experience is preferred.

The Longstreet Clinic, P.C. is one of the largest private medical practices in North Georgia. With over 600 employees, we offer competitive compensation and generous benefits.

Please visit our website at: www. longstreet clinic.com to apply. Click on the Careers tab to review the employment opportunities and to submit your application

Misc. Help Wanted 770 Bam Tree, Inc. is growing . . . . . Hiring experienced Foreman/ Driver, groundsmen experienced preferred.

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Contact: 770-597-4177 EEO/AA/VETS/DISABLED

Professional Experienced Executive Assistant to the President Must be nice & have excellent customer service skills, professional, detail-oriented and very organized. Must be very proficient in Word, Outlook, Excel & Transcriptions. FT with benefits. E-mail Resume: gainesvillecompany@ gmail.com International Affairs Counselor (Cleveland, GA): Facilitate counsel’g sessions to prepare students & faculty for short-term & long-term int’l mission assgnmts sanctioned by the college.

Reqs Bachelor’s Deg (or frgn deg equiv) in Counsel’g, Psych., Ed. Psych., or clsly rltd fld. Must have three academic yrs of exp. providing counsel’g to school-aged children in an ed. setting. Must have one academic yr of exp. in a secondary (or higher) ed. setting provid’g course instruction to students or faculty. Must have exp. plann’g and organiz’g short-term or long-term group int’l mission trips for religious or ed. institutions. Salary is at least $31,699 per yr depending on exp. 40 hours per week. Please mail résumés to Dr. Brad Reynolds, Vice President, Academic Services, TruettMcConnell College, 100 Alumni Drive, Cleveland, GA 30528.

Technical CCTV TECH Background Check Clean DMV Positive attitude Cust svc skills E-mail only theboss@braseltonsafe. com Local Manufacturing Co seeking qualified candidate for Electrical Assembler position.

Candidates must be able to read & draw schematics. Exp. assembling control panels and Allen Bradley programming is a plus.

Email resumes & salary requirements to cindy. fendley@mpequipment. com.

POOL TECHNICIAN Experienced. Full-time, year-round. Call 770534-1417

Trades Seeking experienced Locksmith or Apprentice.

Training Position $10/hr Exp’d Locksmith DOQ We offer: Competitive wages, benefits, in-service training. We require: Honesty, team player, clean criminal & driving background. No phone calls please. E-mail ONLY theboss@braselton safe.com Shasta Beverages, Inc. MAINTENANCE MECHANIC 3 Openings. Visit www. nationalbeverage. com Careers page for more details. Send resume to: hpratt@ nationalbeverage.com

Truck Drivers DRIVER POSITIONS Morgan Concrete in Buford, Jefferson, Athens. Start now. Paid orientation and training to be concrete delivery pro. Great starting pay/ benefits. Must have 2yrs exp using CDL. See morganconcrete.com careers tab or call Mel at 800-448-2830 EXP’D. CLASS A CDL DRIVER/OTR Full & P/T Needed.

678-997-3386 FT/PT CLASS A-CDL DRIVERSto haul live chickens in Gainesville, GA. $1500 Sign On Bonus Must have 2 years verifiable experience, good MVR. Night Shift, local positions, home daily, benefits. Call Johnny, 770-530-3157 or 804-784-6166 RESPECT & REWARD Now Hiring CDL-A Drivers Company Driver position Dedicated Account $50,000 to $65,000 Yearly Weekly Guarantee Pay Paid Weekly – Every Friday Excellent Full Benefits Low Out-of-Pocket Costs Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical rates as low as $25/ single $38/family Consistent Home Time Full- or Part-Time Schedules Quarterly Safety Incentives earn up to $1,500 a year

855-231-3535 www.driveforaim.com Trantham Services, Inc. needs Local Drivers in Gainesville, GA. Class A CDL required. 2yrs driving experience required. Feed hauling experience a plus.

Top pay and benefits.

All applicants should apply online @ www. tranthaminc.com or call 1-800-648-2017

Stuff Appliances WASHER & DRYER Kenmore. Exc Cond. $250. 770-983-1507 Washer/Dryers Stoves & Refrig.

Mattresses.

Refrig $125-$550.

Washers/Dryers from $125. Stoves $150. We do Appliance & Service Calls! 678-714-0493

Furniture

Dream Baby Deluxe BATH SEAT, blue, exc. condition, $10.

S. Hall area. 770-5615308 ENCLOSED TRAILER6x12, barn doors, single axle with brakes. $1700/ obo. 440-309-6765

Fisher Price Aquarium Baby BATHTUB, great cond., $15. S. Hall area.

770-561-5308 PIERCE’S PINE STRAW - We now have fresh fallen #1 Slash Straw @ $3.25 per bale. Picked up $3.50 per bale delivered. We also now have #1 Savannah Long Leaf Straw. Pickup up $4 per bale. $4.50 delivered. Order while it is new & beautiful.

We are looking for Professional Spreaders.

Call me for pricing at 678-617-0403 or Margie, 678-677-6352 Call for orders after 6pm.

Thank-You Pierce’s Pinestraw We will spread!!

1507 Martin Luther King Blvd. Gainesville, GA UTILITY TRAILER 6’x10’, tilt bed, adjustable hitch height, very heavy construction. Very Good Cond. $685. 678822-2653 WIRE WELDER, $100; Spray rig, $150; Honda Garden Tiller, $400; Onan Generator, $400; Cement Mixer, $100; Pressure Washer, $50; Horse for sale, $200 2000 Toyota Camry, $3,000. 470-201-7833

Pets & Supplies 3 ADORABLE BLACK KITTENS - 1 male, 2 fem. 5wks old. Litter box trained. Needs good home. 706-367-7291 CHOCOLATE LAB. male, 8 mos old. All papers.

All shots 770-534-3708; 678-9361622

The Paper Thursday, April 16, 2015

Homes & Real Estate

Investement Property

Acreage For Sale

Dawson Cnty. 9+ acres.

3 Homes. $259,900. 706216-1793

OCONEE RIVER 10 acs, 880’ river frontage, Driveway to river. Owner.

404-313-1188 OCONEE RIVER 30 ACRES Also 1500’ creek frontage.

Level. Wooded Great interior roads. $4,500/ac. Owner 404-313-1188

Farms & Farm Land

BANKS CO: 8.8 Acre Horse Farm-Very well kept property with a 3/2BR, 2BA brick 1500 sq. ft. +/- home, 8 stalls in three barns, hay storage, shop, tack & feed rooms, 120 X 220 lighted arena, pastures fenced and cross fenced, close to Hwy 441 & Commerce. Priced below appraisal @ $242,000.

Bob Hennig Southern Heritage Land Co. 770-540-2243 Owner Agent

HOME GYM EQUIPT. FOR SALE All commercial quality Buy all or by the piece.

Octane Elliptical Trainer, New: $3400; Now: $1200 Pro formTreadmill.

New:$1500; Now $800 Hydraulic Stair Stepper New: $1500; Now $800 Deluxe Health Rider w/ custom seat, New: $225 now $100. Will deliver within 25 miles for $40.

Call Dennis, 770-8560579

HABERSHAM CO.: 16.5 Acre Horse FarmHuge 4 BR, 2 1/2 BA double wide, 40 x 120 13 stall barn, customer boarders tack room, owner’s tack & feed room, bath in barn, 60 x 200 riding arena, 60 round pen, pastures are fenced and cross fenced, stream, tractor & hay storage bldg., 3000 gallon rain storage system. Great Opportunity to get into the horse business and generate additional income. $350,000.

Bob Hennig Southern Heritage Land Co. 770-540-2243

HALL CO.: 24.3 Acre Cattle/Horse Farm -located in Clermont 3BR, 2BA Ranch style partially finished daylight basement, 2 fp, sun room, Mtn View, Little River at back boundary, pasture, barn, shop, gated entrance, paved drive, spring, close to Hwy 129.

This is a very well kept property. $383,000.

Bob Hennig Southern Heritage Land Co. 770-540-2243

Vintage Cherry Dining Room Table, plus 2 extensions & pad. $125.

China Cbnt- Pecan $125; 6 High back Oak Chairs $125. 770-7123577

Lawn Equipment 54 in. Ariens COMMERCIAL RIDING MOWER, 25HP, Kohler, like new, 60 hrs, residential use only, Cost $3,200 new.

Must sell $1,800.

Please call 770-654-3694 Snapper Riding Mower- 12hp, 28” cut.

Very Good Cond. $400.

I Buy Snapper Riding Mowers Not Running.

Flowery Branch, 678617-5012

Misc. For Sale 2 Abu Garcia Reels w/7ft. Poles. 1 Reel silver, Ambassador type.

Model#4600 C3. $30; 2nd Reel Red, Ambassador type. model #6000. $30; Cross bow cover/Carrier $40; Luggage/Duffel Bag. New $20. Boxing Equipt $110. Stand w/ heavy bag, 1 small bag, 2 sets of Gloves.

Bone Dry Fishing Waders, size 11. $40; Charcoal Propane Grill $40. Turkey Decoy Hen/ $7. Call Mon thru Fri 4-8pm. 678-828-7416

BED Queen Pillow Top Mattress Set-NEWstill in plastic. $200 706-347-4814 Can Deliver

MOVING SALE Dining room table & chairs w/ matching China hutch, assorted hand power tools, furn., kitchen items.

Sat., April 18th, 8a-3p.

2580 Bald Cypress Dr., Braselton.

Mulberry Park Sbdv.

Yard Sale- 600+ homes.

Hwy 211 & Friendship Rd. Fri & Sat, Apr. 17 & 18, 8am-2pm.

YARD SALE- Whitaker Downs sbdv. on McNeal Rd., April 18th, 9-4pm.

Rain Out- April 25th, 9-4pm. Great Deals!

Homes-Rentals

Recreation Boats & Marine BASS BOAT, Venture, 180 Tournament Pro Bass Boat, Mercury XR6 2.5L 150 HP, CMC Power Lift, Venture Trailer, showroom cond., like new, $5,100.

678-822-2653 BOAT DOCK by Wahoo. All aluminum construction. Double slip, party deck. 32’x32’ Corps permit required.

On Lake Lanier. $33,000.

Call Jim, 770-718-3121 BOAT TRAILER, Magic Loader, aluminum I-beam, single axle, $685. 678-822-2653 KAYAK BOAT TRAILER Equipped for 3 Kayaks, 17.5’. Asking $1200.

770-532-9778 lve msg

HALL CO.: 50.5 Acre Horse Farm- Lula area, 10 stall barn with full bath, office, shop, tack & feed room, hay & equip storage, 2 BR 2BA living space above barn, fp, screened porches, pastures fenced and cross fenced, creeks, rental mobile home, separate 2/stall barn with feed and tack room, 1/2 mi from GA 365. $750,000 Bob Hennig Southern Heritage Land Co. 770-540-2243 Owner Agent

STEEL DOCK- 24x24.

Party deck, view windows, 10x10 cover top, storage boxes, cleats, newly stained. $5000. 404-693-4066

RV’s/Travel Trailers 2006 StarCraft Pop-up Camper model 2107.

Sleeps 7. A/C, heater, 3-way refrigerator. Great Condition. $4000. 678971-1501

Wheels Antique Cars/Trucks

1981 Mercedes-Benz 380SL Roadster. Silver, 2-dr Convertible V8.

New soft top, tires; Garaged auto; 109K miles. $9500. Call 571-527-9794.

FORD 1976 Step-side Truck. Black, Very Good cond. No rust. 302, auto, Runs Good! $4300 678822-2653

Auto Parts

Condominiums For Rent 3BR/3BA- All appls incld W/D, Swim, Gym, G’Ville College area. $850/mo 770-639-1201

Duplexes For Rent

WHITE CO.: 3.6 Acre Horse Farm- 2BR, 1BA log Home, back deck, fp, 4 stall barn, feed & tack room, small storage building, 5 mi to Helen, 7 mi to Cleveland, pasture is fenced and cross fenced, creek. $139,900. Bob Hennig Southern Heritage Land Co. 770-540-2243

Pine Forest- Oakwood 2BR/1BA $740/mo. 770287-1456 callapartments.com

Houses For RentUnfurnished

Gainesville, S/N Hall 1-3BR $85 & up, per wk No app fee. 1 week free 770-534-7596

WHITE CO.: Sautee area cabin in the mountains 2BR,2BA, upgraded kitchen w/granite counter tops. 1.9 Acres, two additional storage bldgs., fenced pet yard, a back porch to die for with mountain views, extremely well cared for. $135,500.

Additional 6 Acres next door available for $35,000.

Bob Hennig Southern Heritage Land Co. 770-540-2243

Roommates Wanted

House For Sale-Hall County

Private Rooms w/bath.

Fully furnished w/cable) No dep/util fees. $125/ wk. 678-328-9980

N. HALL, 5BR/3BA, 27 acres, huge kitchen, pvt, streams, great for animals, $650K. 678316-3891

Apts/Homes. General Property Mgmt.

770-287-1456 www. callapartments.com

Mobile Homes For Rent 2BR/1BA $115/wk Lrg priv lot. No pets.

678-936-1643

OLDS 2000 Intrigue. Full pwr & air, strong eng & trans, Exc tires. $2450 678-617-0186

Import Cars

TOYOTA 2010 Yaris, $9,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

TOYOTA 2012 Avalon LTD, $21,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

Motorcycles HONDA 2010 Accord, V6 EXL, $12,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

HONDA 2010 Civic, low miles, $12,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

HARLEY 2008 FatBoy Anniversary.

Copper/Black.

New tires, brakes & service. 17000 mi.Lots of standard chrome. Nice bike, needs a new home. Trade value is 9000, asking 8000 obo. I work evenings, so please leave a message @ 706-968-2637 YAMAHA 2009- Touring V-Star 950 . 1 owner.

9500 mi. Garage kept, $4900. Serious Buyer Only! 770-855-4381

Sport Utility Vehicles KIA 2009 Spectra SC, $7,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

KIA 2010 Forte, $8,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

KIA 2011 Rio, $10,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

KIA 2014 Optima LX, 11K miles, $18,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com MAZDA 1997 Miata.

143k, new paint/tires, auto, Exc Cond. $3000/ obo. 440-309-6765 MERCEDES 2000 E-320. AWD. 121k miles.

Loaded. Exc Cond. $5500. 404-910-2960

FORD 2010 Edge SEL, $14,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

KIA 2015 Sorento LX, 21K miles, $21,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

NISSAN 2012 Xterra, $18,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

NISSAN 2014 Murano, $18,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

Trucks NISSAN 2008 Sentra, $7,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

CHEVY 1988 Monte Carlo. Super Sport 350 eng. 400 hp, 700R4 trans. Midnite black. custom whls. Make Offer. 706-809-1145; 770-983-7810 ask for Kevin Butler

CHEVY 2010 Impala, $9,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

DODGE 2010 Charger, $11,989.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

NISSAN 2010 Rogue, AWD, $14,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

NISSAN 2012 Versa Sedan, $11,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

NISSAN 2013 Cube, 18K miles, $12,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com TOYOTA 1996 Camry. lavender, 4cyl, 140K miles, $2,000. 706949-4688

Don’t see the vehicle that “revs” your engine?

— Visit www.

CarriageNissan.com/ used.

There are more than 175 quality pre-owned vehicles listed with corresponding monthly payment amounts and financing options.

FORD 2005 Mustang, $10,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com FORD 2006 Mustang Convt. V6, auto, low miles, $7,800. 706-2654349

CHEVY 1985 Custom 20 3/4 ton, straight body, good tires. Blown head gasket. $1200/ Firm.

678-343-8534 FORD 1987 Cab Over Grapple Truck. 17’ bed, Ready to work! $12,500.

678-316-8927

Autos For Sale

ApartmentsUnfurnished Oakwood - 2/1.5, yard very safe, H/A $690$740. 678-357-5044

MERCURY 2006 Grand Marquis 31,000 miles.

Exc cond. $7900. Paul, 678-492-0202

PONTOON BOAT 1998 24’ , 125 Mercury eng, with Like New Trailer. $8,000. 706-878-6025

BUICK 2004 LeSabre, $6,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

Yard Sale

ENTERTAINMENT CENTER & TV has 2 doors & 3 shelves behind glass; TV is NON-flat screen 32” Sharp TV, still in great cond.) honey colored, Chestnut Mtn. Area, $85.

770-561-5308

FSBO. 1.59 acres, 14x70 2BR/1BA Renovated.

Covered porches, workshop, well septic. $65k. 678-602-2289

Single Slip Dock Good Condition $1000.00 OBO Ph. 678-696-5158

TOY POODLES, CKC, Shots/wormed.

(1) female, $450; (2) males $350. 706865-1640

Sporting Equipment

Mobile Homes For Sale

MERCURY 2004 Grand Marquis, $6,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

TOYOTA 1993 PICK-UP. 4 cyl. w/camper, white, 135K mi. $3900. Ask for Cliff 404-520-0933

TOYOTA 2007 Tacoma, auto, $10,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

TOYOTA 2011 Tacoma, $13,987.

All Credit OK Carriage Nissan 770-532-6335 carriagenissan.com

Vans NISSAN 1998 Quest, mini van, must sell, $1,500 obo. Call after 4pm. 770-771-2685.