CommerceNewsTODAY

Former UGA star coming to East Jackson

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:28:00 -0500

Ex-Bulldog and Falcon D.J. Shockley hosting camp May 26

FORMER Georgia quarterback D.J. Shockley knew there would come a point in his life when he’d want to impart the knowledge he’d gained from careers both in college and professional football.

Now he’s doing that with a series of camps, one ...

Chuck Bell resigning as middle school principal

nospam@example.com (Staff Writer) — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:32:00 -0500

Commerce Middle School principal Chuck Bell announced his resignation Monday night at the regular Commerce Board of Education meeting.

Bell will leave at the end of the school year to take a position with Northeast Georgia Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) where he will work with several school systems throughout Northeast Georgia to improve achievement and graduation rates.
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CHS, EJCHS graduations are Friday

nospam@example.com (Staff Writer) — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:30:00 -0500

Eighty-eight high school seniors are scheduled to turn the tassel Friday night signifying their graduation from Commerce High School.

The graduation ceremony will take place at 8 p.m. at Tiger Stadium. It will be moved into the CHS gym in the event of bad weather.

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OPINION: There are ways to reduce student debt load

nospam@example.com (Mark Beardsley) — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:00:00 -0500

As high school graduations loom locally, the $1 trillion in student debt nationwide is becoming a frequent topic on the news and in politics as the potential next threat to a weak economy.

Last week, a study was released showing that the average college graduate accepting a diploma has $20,000 in student debt and just a 50-50 chance of finding full-time employment. Total student debt is rapidly increasing, in no small part to the proliferation of for-profit schools with high tuition and low graduation rates, but also because the recession has affected parents’ ability to fund their children’s education and tuitions have gone up in response to recession-induced cuts in funding to higher education.
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Local man arrested in connection with Elbert burglary

nospam@example.com (Staff Writer) — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:00:00 -0500

A Commerce man faces theft by receiving stolen property charges in Commerce and possibly additional charges out of Elbert County after he sold a stolen wood splitter to a Commerce businessman.

He is Ronson Westmoreland, 57, of 904 Old Harden Orchard Road, Commerce.
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Cale Pirtle wins state in 3200

nospam@example.com (Ben Munro) — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:00:00 -0500

It was a final lap that Cale Pirtle will remember for the rest of his life.

The East Jackson senior standout covered the final 400 meters of the oh-so-close Class AA 3,200 finals in just 63 seconds Friday to run down Westminster’s Jordan Flowers and win in a photo finish.
Pirtle wasn’t afraid to leave everything on the track.

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Hardy to play college baseball at Savannah St.

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:42 -0500

CALEB HARDY said he eats, sleeps and breathes baseball. The East Jackson standout will now continue that diet for four more years.

Hardy has accepted a non-scholarship offer to play for Division I Savannah State with a possibility for scholarship money next year.

“This is just exceptional,” said Hardy at ...

Football: East Jackson coach enthused after spring ball

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:50:41 -0500

IT’S ONLY spring football, but coach Brian Smith hopes the offseason session generated some momentum.

The Eagles — coming off a 3-7 season — wrapped up workouts Thursday, which were much to the second-year coach’s liking.

“We’re really pleased with everything,” Smith said. “We felt like our kids ...

Baseball: 15 local players named to 8-AA South team

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:37:23 -0500

FIFTEEN LOCAL baseball players were named to the recently-released All-Region 8-AA South teams.

Jackson County led the list with first-team four selections — Andy Williams (third base), Trey Sorrells (catcher), Jesse Tallent (utility) and Jalen Banks (pitcher). That tied the Panthers with North Oconee for the most first-team ...

Former UGA star coming to East Jackson

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:26:34 -0500

Jackson deputies make 35 arrests

nospam@example.com (Staff Writer) — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:34:25 -0500

Thirty-five people were charged by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office last week, including the following:

•David Junior Barrett, 53, 68 Thurmond Road, Statham, probation violation.

•James Edward Dykes, 26, 360 Barnett Shoals Road, Athens, failure to appear.

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Photos: Boys' state track meet

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Sun, 13 May 2012 13:25:30 -0500

OPINION: Punishing advocates of austerity

nospam@example.com (Mark Beardsley) — Sat, 12 May 2012 08:27:00 -0500

U.S. markets were expected to tumble this week after elections in Greece and France showed very strong opposition to efforts to solve their debt crises. It’s a warning shot that will also be heard by American politicians trying to resolve our own issues with debt.

Voters in Greece backed two parties opposed to that nation’s strategy for reducing debt. They’re responding to spending cuts imposed by the European Union. Meanwhile, voters in France elected as president a Socialist candidate who had been critical of France’s austerity program.
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City council postpones vote on 'overlay' district

nospam@example.com (Mark Beardsley) — Sat, 12 May 2012 08:18:00 -0500

The Commerce City Council has decided it wants to think about the East Jackson Overlay another month before taking action.

The council struck that item from its agenda for Monday night’s 6:30 meeting at the Commerce Civic Center following a discussion at its work session this past Monday night.
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Track: Pirtle wins Class AA 3,200 meters in thriller

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:32:31 -0500

EAST JACKSON'S Cale Pirtle, running in the last race of his high school career, won the Class AA 3,200 meter state title in a photo finish Friday night at Jefferson.

Pirtle ran a 9:45.99 — setting a new personal record by 23 seconds — to beat Westminster's Jordan Flowers by two hundredths of a second.

Check ...

Track: Pirtle wins state 3,200 meters in thriller

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:32:31 -0500

IT WAS a final lap that Cale Pirtle will remember for the rest of his life.

The East Jackson senior standout covered the final 400 meters of the oh-so-close Class AA 3,200 finals in just 63 seconds Friday to run down Westminster’s Jordan Flowers and win in a photo finish.

Pirtle wasn’t afraid to leave ...

Pirtle wins state 3,200 meters in thriller

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:32:31 -0500

Council hopes to finalize budget Monday

nospam@example.com (Mark Beardsley) — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:14:00 -0500

The Commerce City Council will attempt to balance its 2012-13 budget in a work session Monday night following the council’s regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Commerce Civic Center.

After a two-hour work session this past Monday night that was mostly about the budget, the council finds itself $154,000 in the red in the General Fund budget. Its enterprise fund budgets are balanced.
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Builder challenges bid on EMS facility

nospam@example.com (Angela Gary) — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:00:00 -0500

A longtime Jackson County builder is challenging the way the county government recently handled bids for a new EMS station, saying the process was unfair.

Keith Hayes, accompanied by his attorney, Mitch Musser, told the Jackson County Board of Commissioners Monday night that there were irregularities in the handling of the bid proposal by county officials. The BOC is slated to vote on the bid May 21.

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OPINION: Those moving experiences

nospam@example.com (Susan Harper) — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:00:00 -0500

By Susan Harper

At the very moment I’m writing these words, our Commerce library is embarking on a move into temporary quarters in the former Video Warehouse, next door to Mary’s Fashion Corner, so that the library’s expansion project can go forward quickly and without impediments.

I can’t tell you — and perhaps I don’t have to — how strange it all feels to me: the whole idea of moving the library’s many functions, not to mention its books and all its “bits and bobs,” into a different environment, and the concomitant idea that I am missing such a pivotal event in the library’s life.
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Jackson deputies make 45 arrests

nospam@example.com (Staff Writer) — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:00:00 -0500

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office charged 45 people last week, including the following:

•Terry Ray Alewine, 158 Church Street, Nicholson, public drunkenness.

•Michael Shane Bell, 452 Jimmy Reynolds Drive, Jefferson, terroristic threats and acts, disorderly conduct and simple assault.

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State track round-up, Day 1: East Jackson's Pirtle third in 1,600 meters, Jefferson's Hamrick misses out on pole vault title

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Thu, 10 May 2012 21:12:02 -0500

THE OPENING day of the boys’ state track meet in Jefferson Thursday included third-place finishes from two local athletes.

East Jackson’s Cale Pirtle took third in the Class AA 1,600 meters (4:28.51) while defending Class AA pole vault champion Mason Hamrick of Jefferson also placed third in his event with a vault of 13-6.

State track round-up, Day 1: East Jackson's Pirtle takes third in 1,600 meters

nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) — Thu, 10 May 2012 21:12:02 -0500

East Jackson’s Cale Pirtle took third in the Class AA 1,600 meters (4:28.51) Thursday on the opening day of the boys' state track meet in Jefferson, just missing a second-place finish.

Pirtle was running second on the final lap but Decatur’s Joey Ronca caught him and beat Pirtle by a stride.

“I really wanted ...

Commerce Library closed for move

nospam@example.com (Mark Beardsley) — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:00:00 -0500

The Commerce Public Library is closed through next Tuesday for relocation to a temporary site on North Elm Street during the construction of a 5,000-square-foot addition to the facility.

The temporary location is at 2319 N. Elm Street — the former Video Warehouse location. The library will open at that site on Wednesday, May 16.
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