Entries by Angela Gary

Gov. Nathan Deal joined local and company officials Monday to celebrate the grand opening of Kubota’s new $73 million manufacturing facility in Jefferson. The plant brings 200 jobs to Jackson County.

The 522,000-square-foot plant on the 88-acre site recently began production of Kubota’s 30- to 50-horsepower compact tractor models.

“Georgia is proud to join with Kubota today in celebrating one of our state’s greatest business success stories,” Deal said. “Kubota’s record of consistent growth has contributed to the quality of life for countless Georgia families as well as the overall health of our economy. This expansion will further help to make Georgia the No. 1 place in the country in which to do business.”

For the full story, see the April 10 issue of The Commerce News.

Earlier this year, commissioner Chas Hardy called for a meeting of the board of commissioners to uncover who chairman Tom Crow accused of “hiding money” in the process to build a new EMS station in West Jackson. After almost four hours of questions and information presented by Crow on Monday night, there was no clear answer to Hardy’s question.

Crow had eight large display boards across the front of the meeting room and he used a long wooden ruler to point out questions and concerns he has about the West Jackson EMS station project, but he insisted that he is not accusing anyone of any illegal activity. He also said, after being questioned by members of the audience, that he does not want the station that is already under construction to be torn down or moved. More than 60 people, many firefighters and county and city officials, attended the meeting, which lasted until 10:30 p.m. Monday.

[Full Story »] 

Danny Joe Fowler, 53, was arrested Tuesday by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office following a chase and manhunt after a deputy attempted to pull him over for a traffic violation.

Fowler, the driver of a Chevrolet S-10 pickup, proceeded to drive away from the traffic stop before the deputy made contact with him. [Full Story »] 

Is the county “hiding” expenses on the West Jackson EMS station? Is it improperly using SPLOST money?

At the request of commissioner Chas Hardy, the Jackson County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday night at 6:30 at the courthouse to discuss allegations made by chairman Tom Crow and member Dwain Smith in a series of newspaper ads. Crow is also behind a suit filed by three citizens alleging misuse of SPLOST funds.

At a board of commissioners meeting last month, Hardy questioned a newspaper ad purchased by Smith and Crow alleging that someone in county government is “hiding money being spent.” This led Hardy to call for a meeting with all of the information to be presented.

The meeting will also address concerns related to a lawsuit about the EMS station in West Jackson and the use of SPLOST money.

A newspaper ad purchased by commissioner Dwain Smith and chairman Tom Crow alleging that someone in county government is “hiding money being spent” angered fellow commissioner Chas Hardy and led him to call for a meeting with all of the information being presented instead of “misinformation and half-truths.”

The board of commissioners did not act on Hardy's suggestion. [Full Story »] 

New Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum made several staff changes during her first few days in office, including naming Daniel Thomas as chief deputy and Clayton Lowe as jail commander.

Major Thomas, who retired from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation after 30 years and also worked with the Georgia State Patrol, replaces David Cochran as chief deputy. Cochran has been reassigned as a lieutenant in the jail division.

Capt. Lowe, who served as sheriff of Madison County for 12 years and worked for the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, replaces David Savage as jail commander. Savage has been reassigned to the patrol division.
[Full Story »] 

When Stan Evans was elected to sheriff of Jackson County in 1985, he was the youngest sheriff in Georgia. As he steps down at the end of this year after 28 years of service to the citizens of the county, he has one of the longest running careers as sheriff in the state.

As Evans started to pack up his office last week, he took time to reflect on a career that has changed over the years and brought him lots of joy, as well as some challenges.

While that first race in 1985 was close, Evans has won every race since then without a problem and many believe he could have continued on as sheriff as long as he wanted. While he has been tough on crime, he has treated everyone, from the victims to those accused to their families, with respect, which has led to his success. He is often stopped by people he sent to jail who thank him for treating them fairly. [Full Story »] 

For the second meeting in a row, citizens used the comment portion of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners meeting to verbally attack commissioner Tom Crow for his role in a lawsuit filed by four citizens to stop work on the new West Jackson EMS station.

Superior Court Judge David Motes ruled earlier that work could resume on the EMS station. Albon Gilbert, Jerry Tate, James Lyle and Doug Waters claim the county has not lived up to the terms agreed to in the 2010 SPLOST, which is funding the EMS station. [Full Story »] 

Work can resume at the new EMS station in West Jackson following action by Superior Court Judge David Motes Monday morning to dismiss a temporary restraining order that halted the project on Nov. 20.

Four county citizens, Albon Gilbert, Jerry Tate, James Lyle and Doug Waters, filed the lawsuit to stop the project, claiming the county has not lived up to the terms agreed to in the 2010 SPLOST, which is funding the EMS station. The suit says that the county hasn’t appointed committees and filed annual reports, as required.

But Motes ruled that these issues are “not sufficient reasons to maintain the restraining order.” He added that the project has been “on the table” for several years. County officials reported that $430,000 has already been spent to construct the EMS station on the site. [Full Story »]