The Paper July 24, 2014 Edition

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CMYK Thursday, July 24, 2014

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Brandon Mosley shares NFL story. 1B

Perdue, Hice win primary runoff races From The Paper staff reports

With the primary runoff wrapped up except for finalizing official vote tallies, voters and candidates can now look ahead to the Nov. 4 General Election Businessman David Perdue, who called himself “the conservative outsider,” has defeated longtime Rep. Jack Kingston in the Republican runoff for Georgia’s U.S. Senate nomination, setting up a general election matchup against Democrat Michelle Nunn. In Jackson County, Perdue won nearly 60 percent of the vote to go toward his apparent statewide victory – 50.88 percent to 49.12 percent with 156 of Georgia’s 159 counties reporting. Perdue was still edging out Kingston in the Republican primary runoff as the last

remaining counties were submitting their results to the Georgia Secretary of State at deadline. In Jackson County, Perdue received 2,408 votes to Kingston’s 1,657 votes. In Barrow County, Perdue won 58.18 percent to 41.82 over Kingston by a margin of 2,575 to 1,851. Also on the fall U.S. Senate ballot will be Libertarian candidate Amanda Swafford from Flowery Branch. In the Republican State School Superintendent race, Richard L. Woods received 50.06 percent to edge out Michael L. Buck, who got 49.94 percent statewide. In Jackson County in that contest, the majority of voters selected a Republican ballot, choosing between the top vote-getter Woods and Buck. Woods received 1,884 for 53.1 percent of the vote in Jackson

County to Buck’s 46.9 percent. Buck received 1,664 votes. In Barrow County, only 40 votes separated the duo in the race as Woods got 50.54 percent to Buck’s 49.46. Statewide in the Democratic State School Board race, Valarie D. Wilson got 54.34 percent with 155 of 159 counties reporting. Alisha Thomas Morgan got 45.66 percent. Woods and Wilson will faceoff in November. Of the 123 votes in the Democratic primary runoff for school superintendent, Jackson County voters made Wilson its top vote-getter with 56.1 percent, or 69 votes. Morgan got 54 votes for a 43.9 percent of the balloting. In the U.S. Representative District 10th race, pastor Jody Hice got 54.32 percent of the ballots compared to 45.68 percent for business Mike Collins. Across the 10th Con-

gressional District, Hice had 26,959 vote to Collins’ 22,673 after all 25 counties had reported. In Barrow County, Hice won by a substantial margin – 3,038 to 1,408. In the Barrow County District 1 Board of Education runoff, challenger Debi Krause ousted incumbent Randall Holland by a margin of 53.85 percent to 46.15. Krause garnered 392 votes among the four precincts compared to Holland’s 336 votes. In Hall County, Board of Education incumbent Brian Sloan has beaten upstart challenger Mark Pettitt in the runoff for the Post 2 school board seat. Sloan garnered 50.48 percent of the vote to Pettitt’s 49.52 percent with only a 100-vote difference between them. Oct. 6 is the voter registration deadline for the General Election.

Highway 53 project to cost more than first estimated By LEANNE AKIN

lakin@clickthepaper.com

The Jackson County Heritage Trail, sponsored by the tourism committee of the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce, has been a tourist magnet for geocachers from 10 states to date. Committee members Anne Poe, chairman Andy Garrison,Tom Muprhy and Gail Daly attended Monday’s meeting of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners to share an information update about the Heritage Trail. Jackson County joined with the municipalities of Arcade, Braselton, Commerce, Hoschton, Jefferson, Maysville, Nicholson, Pendergrass and Talmo in sponsoring the Heritage Trail. The trail is bringing people into Jackson County to experience what Garrison called “an adult scavenger hunt” which families can enjoy together. Thirty caches or treasures await those who get their passports and collect the stamps to acquire the geocache coin. Garrison acknowledged it was the amount of volunteerism required for the Heritage Trail which makes the ongoing endeavor so special. With a $1,500 budget, the Heritage Trail has already generated $11,805 as visitors have purchased meals, gas and more. The committee challenged commissioners to try their hand at a puzzle cache. While this Heritage Geotrail will remain active for at least a year, the members are already looking ahead for a mega event for next year. – LeAnne Akin, The Paper

Road improvements to be made to Highway 53 from Interstate 85 to Johnson Road in Braselton will cost $375,222 than originally projected. It was noted in the memo to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners that much of the increase in the cost was due to certain design criteria being required by the Georgia Department of Transportation that were not originally anticipated. However, at Monday’s county commission meeting, County Manager Kevin Poe provided additional explanations when questioned by commissioners. The Town of Braselton is serving as the lead agency of the project which received $630,000 in funding from GDOT toward the projected $900,000 total cost. It was anticipated that the town and Jackson County would each put into $135,000. Since the project was put together 20 months ago, some escalation in cost was anticipated but commissioners questioned the $218,552 difference between the original estimate and the $1,275,222 bid price. Poe said mast arms being installed at the town’s direction is partly responsible for the added cost along with consulting engineer’s miscalculation on grading costs and the thickness of paving surface required by GDOT. “So it’s an engineering mistake,” noted Commission Chairman Tom Crow. RaceTrac, which will be constructing a new facility on Highwy 53 adjacent to Cracker Barrel, has offered $25,000 to go toward the Highway 53 project cost. Poe proffered several options to make up the needed funds unless the commissioners could come up with yet another possibility. He said the county and Braselton could split the additional cost on a 50-50 basis and split any additional overruns or split the current overrun on a 50-50 basis and cap the county’s expense at $175,000. Commissioners voted unanimously to put in $175,000 – but no more – on the project.

Rabid fox attacks walker near West Jackson Park By LEANNE AKIN

lakin@clickthepaper.com

A 76-year-old Hoschton man is undergoing treatments after a rabid fox latched onto his ankle in the early evening of July 17. The man and his neighbor, who have asked not to be identified by name, were walking for exercise at West Jackson Park near their residential neighborhood. As the pair parted, the man crossed into the street to begin walking home when he spotted a small gray fox approaching him. The man said he attempted to dodge the fox but the animal continued gaiting toward him, turned its head and clamped down on his ankle. The man said he grabbed the animal by the back of the neck and “spiked” it to the ground as you would a football. The stunned animal scrambled away but was pursued by the man who grabbed the fox and held it down while getting out his pin knife. The man plunged the long blade under the animal’s rib cage twice and pierced its heart. The bite victim and his neighbors want the community to learn from his experience which has a health safety message and some humor. The man cannot help but laugh now as he

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retells part of the fox experience. Another neighbor heard the man yell out when he was attacked and she looked from her yard to see the 76-year-old down on the ground on all fours. She came running over and began calling 911, assuming her neighbor was suffering a heart attack. In the excitement, she was relaying what she thought he was saying when he requested DNR. While he was wanting the Department of Natural Resources to be notified, she thought he wanted any responding medical personnel to know he did not want to be resuscitated. An order of that nature is referred to as a DNR. DNR, along with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Jackson County Animal Control, was notified, but it is the Jackson County Environmental Health Office which is responsible for sending specimens to the Georgia Public Health Lab, Virology Section in Decatur to be tested for rabies. Shad Slocum of Jackson County Environmental Health responded to the emergency call and was advised on Monday that the fox – as suspected – was rabid. Within minutes of the attack, the victim was driven to Barrow Medical Center by his wife. He said he received immediate and ex-

Volume 8, Number 39 Obituaries 4A Police report 2A Puzzles 6B School News 5A Sports 1-2B

cellent care and will continue treatment for several more weeks. He said he learned from his attending physician that the first course of action after an animal bite should be to wash the area with soap and water – or just water if not soap is available. Getting the wound clean is a priority. The walkers say they worry about ladies walking their dogs as well as anyone else who may come into contact with another animal that may be rabid. Communication of the attack quickly went out to the neighborhood as well as surrounding neighborhoods involved in the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Neighborhood Watch Program. “We want the locals to know there was a confirmed rabies case. I was glad I was able to do what I was able to do,” said the man, who noted there were a lot of missing links in communication related to a possible rabid animal. He said this was only the second gray fox he has seen in his lifetime and he hopes it’s the last. The incidence of rabies is down this year from previous years but Slocum said people should be wary of nocturnal animals seen

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during daylight. This rabies confirmation is the fifth positive this year with the first being in March on W.H. Hayes Road involving a raccoon. A rabid skunk came into contact with some dogs near the Banks County line in April and a raccoon reported on Curt Roberts Road was likely rabid although June tests were inconclusive due to the condition of the animal. Results on two stray kittens and raccoon are being awaited. Slocum stresses the importance of taking care of your pets. Making sure that pets and livestock are vaccinated against rabies is an important part of being a responsible pet owner. Rabies vaccinations are available from local veterinarians, and the Humane Society of Jackson County is offering a rabies and microchip clinic on Friday, Aug. 15. See more information about the upcoming clinic on Page 5B. Rabies inoculations are available for $10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday at the Hall County Animal Shelter, located at 1688 Barber Road in Gainesville, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Humane Society of Northeast Georgia, located at 845 W. Ridge Road in Gainesville.

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