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The Paper | Thursday, September 12, 2013
Schools, health district targeting flu By KATIE GRIFFIN
klgriffin@clickthepaper.com
Jackson County Schools are partnering with Northeast Georgia Health District to provide a new state-funded program called “Stopping Flu at Schools Campaign.” One goal of this campaign is to prevent the number of flu outbreaks in schools, but to also prevent parents from having to take kids out of school to go to the doctor to get the flu shot. This program is a great opportunity for parents to not have to worry about leaving work to take their kids to the doctor to get the shot or to get treated for the flu and is a great opportunity for the children because they don’t have to leave school to go to the doctor or stay home due to illness. Another goal of this campaign is to prevent absences due to illness because the flu is a terrible sickness that no child should have to endure if it is preventable. “If we can prevent the flu outbreak then we can help attendance, which helps our kids,” said Dr. April Howard, who is serving as interim superintendent of Jackson County Schools. “Improved attendance and increased learning availability is what we hope to achieve with this partnership,” continued Howard. The shots will be administered during school hours by the nurses of Jack-
son County Health Department. There are two different types of shots that will be offered: Live/Intranasal and Inactivated/Injection/Shot. The Live/ Intranasal will be given to students who qualify for this method. If students have asthma or are around someone at home with a weakened immune system, they will not qualify for the intranasal shot. This shot is usually given to persons between the ages of 2-49. The other form of vaccination, the Inactivated/Injection is typically called the “flu shot” and will be administered by needle to those who cannot receive the intranasal vaccination or whose parents prefer this form of vaccination. Each child has received a consent form from the school that informs the parents of both types of shots and allows the parents to consent to which type of shot or to refuse the shot completely. This is an option for parents this flu season; it is not required. “This is the first time ever that the schools have been able to offer the flu shot without the parents being present,” said Ronda Brewer, Registered Nurse and Lead Nurse at Jackson County Schools. Brewer explained that in the past, staff members have been able to take their children to the Health Department to get the flu shot free of charge, but never has the Health Department been able to administer shots without the parents there. “This is a good state program that will
be offered at every school in Jackson County and is free of charge for those who do not have health insurance and for those that do have insurance, they must provide their insurance information, but there will be no co-pay,” said Brewer. Several surrounding counties have partnered with Northeast Georgia Health District in the past and have been successful in preventing absences during flu season. This will be a trial run for Jackson County Schools. “Flu strains that are predominant change every year so we can’t predict the effectiveness of each shot,” said Stephanie Mason, Registered Nurse at the Jackson County Health Department. “But by administering the flu shot, we are doing what we can to prevent the spread of the flu,” continued Mason. The staff at Jackson County Schools and at the Health Department say they are excited about this program and the benefits it will bring in preventing the flu in this community. The vaccinations are expected to be administered at the end of September. The schools are still working on getting their consent forms in with hopes of having all received by Sept. 6. For more information about this program, contact Stephanie Mason at the Jackson County Health Department at 706-367-5204 or Ronda Brewer, Jackson County Lead Nurse, at 706-654-2775.
BRASELTON Continued from 1A
In the business of the Braselton meeting, the council formalized a resolution approving filing of a Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) loan application for well improvements. An elevated copper level in the water can be addressed by a chemical feed at the Mulberry groundwater wells, according to a memo from Russ Brink, an engineer with Emgineering Management Inc., the city’s civil and engineering consulting firm. Town Manager Jennifer Dees explained said by raising the pH level, copper will not leach into the water. At the Sept. 5 work session, Dees said the WaterFirst designation through the Department of Community Affairs will allow the town to borrow the $156,000 for the project in a 10-year term situation at .7 percent interest. The town’s annual payment would be $15,053. According to Dees, it will take the town only nine days
to recoup its money if well water is utilized instead of purchased water. The council also approved the resolution for cancellation of the Nov. 5 election as qualifiers drew no challengers. Since the candidates are deemed to have voted for themselves, no election is required. Mayor Bill Orr qualified to seek another term as did District 2 Councilwoman Peggy Slappey. Rhonda Stites qualified to seek District 4, which is currently held by Dudley Ray, who did not seek reelection. Stites attended the Sept. 5 work session and was introduced. The council also considered wastewater capacity requests presented at the work session. Northeast Georgia Hospital was approved for 42,750 gallons per day for its Phase 1 plans and Braselton Court was granted 21,600 gallons per day for the 55 and up senior living community to be developed on Highway 211.
NEW JOBS
ment. “We are pleased to see Toyota’s success in the state, which also reflects highly on our robust automotive sector.” TICA announced its initial location to Jackson County in December of 2012. TICA manufactures the main parts of automotive compressors for the TACG facility and other plants. Toyota Industries Corporation supplies automotive compressors for Toyota Motor Corporation as well as Chrysler, Ford, General Motors and others. The Company is currently ramping up employ more than 300 employees. About Toyota Industries Corp. Toyota Industries Corp. was founded in 1926 by Sakichi Toyoda to manufacture and sell the automatic looms which he had invented and perfected. Since that time Toyota Industries has promoted diversification and expanded the scope of its business domains to include textile machinery, automobiles (vehicles, engines, car air-conditioning compressors, etc.), materials handling equipment, electron-
Continued from 1A forward to their continued growth in our community.” This will be the second expansion for TACG which originally located in Jackson County in 2004. Currently, the facility employs more than 400 people. TACG was established in 2004 from a joint venture between two Japanese companies, Toyota Industries Corporation and Denso Corporation, the world’s largest manufacturers of compressors for car air conditioners, controlling more than a 40-percent share of the world compressor market. Their compressors are used by car manufacturers around the globe, said Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce President. CEO Josh Fenn. “Toyota’s increasing expansions in Georgia are a prime example of how our state’s business environment helps international companies prosper,” said Chris Cummiskey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Develop-
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Jefferson sets special vote Qualifying to seek the District 5 post on the Jefferson City Council will be held three days next week. To fill the unexpired term of Roy Plott, who resigned to run for the mayor’s position, a special election will be held on Nov. 5, the same day as the other municipal races. This will be a separate balloting, noted City Clerk Priscilla Murphy, who serves as the city’s election supervisor. Qualifying will begin at 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16, and close at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, for the term which expires Dec. 31, 2015. The qualifying fee is $75. The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 5 balloting will be Oct. 7. At Monday’s meeting, Councilman Steve Quinn expressed concern that there may not be sufficient time for citizens to consider if they would like to seek election to this important council post if qualifying began on Monday. The call for the special election was approved with Quinn opposed.
Pedestrian fatality probed By Shannon Casas
The Paper regional staff
A Braselton man walking on Ga. 211 in southeast Hall County was killed in the early morning hours of Sept. 3 when he was hit by a vehicle, according to the Georgia State Patrol.The incident happened about 6:45 a.m. near the intersection of Ga. 211 and Stillwater Lane when a Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Joan Shadburn, 43, of Gainesville struck Preston Anderson, 62, according to the Georgia State Patrol. Trooper Devon Fields said Shadburn told him she thought she had hit a deer in the area that morning. “She said she had, after the collision, drove back and forth and never saw anything,” Fields said. She continued to her friend’s house but later returned to the area. A passer-by called in the incident at 8 a.m. after seeing the man lying on the side of the road almost to the tree line. Fields said he arrived at about 8:15 a.m., and Shadburn returned at about the same time. “She basically said it was bothering her. She wanted to know what she had hit,” Fields said. “And when she returned, that time is when she saw the emergency units on scene.” The investigation indicates it was dark at the time, Anderson was wearing dark clothing and the Tahoe did not leave the lane before or after the collision. The Tahoe was traveling south on Ga. 211 and Anderson was walking north in the southbound lanes. No charges are being filed. Fields said Anderson’s family was not sure where he may have been heading since he is unemployed.
DIGEST IMPACTS Continued from 1A LeAnne Akin The Paper
Rhonda Stites will fill the District 4 post on the Braselton Town Council beginning in January. No municipal election was needed in the town as there were no contested races. Braselton Acquisitions & Development LLC, which has already demolished the former church on the corner property at Highway 211 and 124, was granted 1,706 gallons per day. While the company had only requested 706 gallons
per day, staff had revised the application to increase the capacity granted to 1,706 although it is not known what will be developed there. Dees said the town still has 9,000 gallons per day of wastewater capacity available after the approvals.
ics, and logistics solutions. Toyota Industries employs more than 40,000, with a capital of approximately $1 billion and net sales of approximately $18.5 billion in its 2011 fiscal year. With production bases in North America, Europe, and Asia (China and India), as well as a worldwide sales network, centered around the Materials Handling Equipment and Textile Machinery Segments, the operations of the Toyota Industries Group span the globe.
ber of Commerce can help you grow your business. The Chamber serves as the official economic development arm of Jackson County and its nine municipalities. Visit jacksoncountyga.com or call 706-387-0300.
About the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce The Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit business member organization serving the needs of the community in the Jackson County area. Through Access, Opportunity and Relationships, the Jackson County Area Cham-
Jackson Comprehensive High School was only given $34,000 for learning supplies this year. But there is some good news: Schools are doing much better in tracking spending. Every dollar spent is being tracked to determine if there are areas in which money can be saved. For example, Jackson County Schools spent $12,913 in August for substitute teachers. That compares favorably to $30,000 last August. This year’s annual budget for substitute teachers is $250,000 so spending is on track to stay within budget. Another area of concern is school transportation. There are six fewer bus drivers this year than last year so some bus routes are longer this year than they’ve ever been. With diesel prices on the rise, the cost to run school buses is not getting cheaper. It’s very difficult to pay for extracurricular activities, but monetary savings will be looked for elsewhere. Jackson County Schools are being forced to operate with less money although there is a larger student population. To add to the frustration, teachers and administration are taking home less money due to the increase cost of healthcare. Such frustrations were very evident in Thursday’s meeting. LeAnne Akin contributed to this article.
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