JacksonHeraldTODAY http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/ en Serendipity 1.3.2 - http://www.s9y.org/ Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:03:00 GMT http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/templates/mainstreetnews/img/s9y_banner_small.png RSS: JacksonHeraldTODAY - http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/ 100 21 Jacksonheraldtodayhttp://feedburner.google.com Kelley grabs ASA win at Lanier Nat’l http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/Wtf0ITU7svk/2198-Kelley-grabs-ASA-win-at-Lanier-Natl.html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2198-Kelley-grabs-ASA-win-at-Lanier-Natl.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2198 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2198 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports)
But despite the nice stat line, Kelley had his hands full in taking his second win of the season.

After battling the heat and Casey Roderick for the first half of the event, Kelley spent the rest of the 100-lap race fighting Dacula’s Russell Fleeman for the victory.

“It wasn’t easy,” said Kelley, who opened the season with a win at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. “It was so hot out there and then I had pressure from Casey and Russell all night.”

After leading all but one of the first 40 laps, Kelley briefly heeded to Fleeman’s pressure, losing the lead on a double-file restart.

“That happens a lot on double-file restarts,” said Kelley. “He had the outside, which is the preferred line at Lanier. He got around me, but I started to pressure him back. I wasn’t trying to pass him; I’d dive to the inside to let him know I was there. Then I saw him starting to slip a little. I think he burnt his rear tires off.”

The slip was the first sign of weakness shown by Fleeman all night.

Fleeman, who started 11th in the 30-car field, methodically worked his way through the pack before taking the lead away from Kelley just before the halfway mark.

“Our car was good,” said Fleeman, who led the next 40 laps. “We qualified 11th, which wasn’t where we thought we’d qualify. But once the race started, I knew we had a good car. I was able to get by Paul on that restart, but my car started to get free when I’d get on the gas late in the race.”

Knowing there was still time to take back the top spot, Kelley didn’t force the issue.

“I thought there’d be another caution, so I was just saving my stuff,” said Kelley. “If there wasn’t another caution, I would’ve had to lean on him a bit.”

Kelley didn’t have to use the chrome horn after a caution reset the field for the final double-file restart with 20 laps remaining. This time, Kelley had the preferred, outside line. And he made the most of it.

“We just lined up and got back around him,” said Kelley. “It was a special win because I consider Lanier to be my home track. We have a big following and it’s always fun to talk to them after the races, especially when you win.”

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald or The Braselton News. ]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:03:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2198-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2198-Kelley-grabs-ASA-win-at-Lanier-Natl.html Jefferson racer gets “Night of Fire” victory http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/BL0PnxL2C8s/2192-Jefferson-racer-gets-Night-of-Fire-victory.html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2192-Jefferson-racer-gets-Night-of-Fire-victory.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2192 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2192 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports)
Cole Wood, age 11, and Salina Shanks, age 12, both of Jefferson, raced in the 8-12 Junior Dragster final. Shanks wrapped up the run with a -.011 foul, while Wood cut a .020 green light. Shanks made the run bittersweet with a dead-on finish in 8.98 seconds at 72.55 mph, as Wood finished with an 8.89 ET on an 8.92 dial-in, at 74.37 mph.

Wood, a seasoned junior racer in a self-proclaimed slump, found his way back to the top tonight in an all-or-nothing fashion.

“I’ve gone out every first round this year,” Wood said after claiming his first Night of Fire win. Wood thanked his family following the event.

In the Super Pro final Don Brown, Sr. of Buford lined up against former junior racer Jeremy Hancock of Commerce. Both men were dialed at 4.95, keeping the race old school with a promise of some tight competition. Brown hit the tree hard with a .007 green, Hancock following closely with a .020 reaction time. Hancock ran dead-on the dial at 137.58 mph, but Brown’s reaction time took the win after crossing the line in 4.96 seconds at 139.73 mph, with a .004 margin-of-victory.

After winning the last two points races, Chad Brewer was fired up to stay on a roll as he faced Randall Roop in the Pro finals. Both boys out of Canton meant business at the starting line, Brewer launching first (dialed at 7.29) with a .040 light, but Roop (dialed at 6.46) pulled a .007 green, making the chase neck-and-neck. Brewer finished in 7.30 seconds at 94.69, but Roop won with a .008 margin-of-victory, crossing the finish in 6.49 seconds at 104.11.

Josh Richardson of Canton and Mickey Morris of Ellenwood faced off in the Sportsman final. Richardson was dialed-in at 16.45 seconds, while Morris predicted a 13.01 second run for his car. Richardson left first with the handicapped tree, with a respectable .051 green light; Morris couldn’t take the anticipation and jumped the amber too soon with a -.024 foul, running way under his dial in 12.14 seconds at 112.46 mph. Richardson cruised the track a winner, finishing with a 16.34 ET at 84.72 mph.

The Motorcycle category pulled an impressive 33-bike count, giving regulars plenty of competition to flaunt their skills. Points leader Jay “Bird” Rhyne of Athens made it to the final round against Jeff Hackney of Ranger. Rhyne had the handicap on the tree, leaving first on his 12.41 dial-in with a .040 reaction time. Hackney left the starting line too soon, fouling with a -.024 red on his 13.01 dial-in. Hackney ran it out, finishing in 11.02 seconds at 121.58 mph, while Rhyne sailed to the finish with a 12.37 ET at 103.30 mph.

The girls dominated the 13-17 Junior Dragster category, with Bailey Denton age 15 of McDonough, and Valerie Clements, age 16 of Central, S.C. in the final round. The two dragsters were dialed closely together, Denton with a 7.91, Clements with a 7.97, making the launch difference nearly indistinguishable. Denton left the line with a .059 green light, slightly better than Clements’ .076 reaction time. Their finish was just as close – Clements ran 7.98 seconds on her 7.97 prediction at 82.38 mph, while Denton closed in with a 7.93 second run at 82.36 mph. Denton took the win with her sharp reaction skills, maintaining her top position in points with her third Summit ET win of the 2009 season, and sixth win overall this year.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald, The Commerce News or The Banks County News. ]]> Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:42:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2192-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2192-Jefferson-racer-gets-Night-of-Fire-victory.html Panthers wrap up summer baseball http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/MvUuchEAG9Q/2191-Panthers-wrap-up-summer-baseball.html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2191-Panthers-wrap-up-summer-baseball.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2191 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2191 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports)
The Panthers’ red team went 3-0-1, with pitching performances from Ken Miller, Austin Robinson, Larry Evans and Jon Florentine.

Evans threw eight innings on the weekend without giving up a hit.

The Panthers’ black team wasn’t as successful, picking up just one win in the tournament.

“We were able to get a bunch of guys their first ever experience against varsity teams and still get them one win with the black team,” said coach Tommy Fountain. “Ryan Shekey really surprised us on the mound in relief for the black team.”

Fountain said the JV team allowed them to have five upcoming eighth graders, three incoming ninth graders and four riding tenth graders get more experience than they have had all summer.

“We have got to get more consistent with those guys but they had moments where they looked okay,” Fountain said. “Offensively, they produced runs, but they kind of ran out of pitching because of the nature of having three teams.”

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald and The Braselton News. ]]> Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:35:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2191-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2191-Panthers-wrap-up-summer-baseball.html County prepares for World Series action http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/RrSJpEq02JI/2190-County-prepares-for-World-Series-action.html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2190-County-prepares-for-World-Series-action.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2190 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2190 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports)
Officials estimate between 30-40 teams from around the southeast will be taking part in the event. Already confirmed are teams from Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi and Virginia.

That includes two Jackson County teams and one from Jefferson.

The tournament is for Dizzy Dean 11-year-old league teams from 13 states. The league is named in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Jay Hanna “Dizzy” Dean, who went on to become a broadcaster after his playing career.

The main venues for the World Series will be the fields at Lamar Murphy Park and East Jackson Park.

Jackson County Park and Recreation director Rick Sanders says he and his staff have been preparing for the event since last fall.

“On the fields, we’ve been beefing up our turf a little with some fertilizer and trying to get our fields in tip top shape,” Sanders said. “They always stay in good shape, but they’re going to take a pounding on those five days. You’re talking about six or seven games per day on each field. We’re building clay mounds for the World Series.”

Sanders said that he and his staff have been meeting every couple of weeks to make sure they are on the same page. They’ve discussed concession menus, logistics, plans for the opening ceremonies, design of the World Series logo, the event program and answering questions.

“It’s a lot of planning,” he said. “It’s a little bit different from planning a regular recreation program. These teams are coming from out of the area, so there’s a lot more involved as far as directions, information, using the web correctly and communicating with people who don’t know anything about our community. It’s really a lot more disseminating information than anything else.”

Sanders said that preparation for the event has taken about three to four times the planning that a normal recreation program would take.

The logo for the 11-year-old Dizzy Dean World Series.
“We’re dealing with about the same amount of kids and participants as we would for a regular baseball season, but they’re here for five days. You don’t have a ten-twelve week season to do that.”

Sanders said his department has worked for the last six to eight months to inform businesses in Jackson County about the influx of business the World Series will bring to the area.

“We’ve been working with the motels some in the area about accommodations. The hotel reservations are a big thing. This is going to benefit (the businesses), and in turn, benefit the community. The big beneficiaries will be the hotels, the restaurants and some of the shops up at the Tanger outlets, at Jefferson and some of the convenience stores. Those are the big winners.”

Sanders said hosting the event brings a lot of excitement for the area.

“It’s exciting for me because we get to show off our community, our parks and what a great place Jackson County is to live,” he said. “Some of the folks that come in might decide to relocate here, or maybe a business might choose to come here.”

“The exciting part is first getting to help the local community that supports us and also showing off our programs here,” he added.

The Dizzy Dean World Series is the first of this type to be held in the county in about 23 years, Sanders said.

“Commerce held a Babe Ruth World Series back in 1986, I believe,” he said. “So it’s been since then that we’ve had an event of this size. We’ve had some state tournaments and some district tournaments, but nothing like a World Series like this.”

Jackson County Park and Recreation has worked with Dizzy Dean for the last five years, hosting district and state tournaments.

And the community is lending their support. Gresham Motorsports Park, formerly Peach State Speedway, announced that they were coming onboard as the presenting sponsor of the event.

“It is great to have Gresham Motorsports Park as our presenting sponsor and we look forward to working with them on this event as well as others in the future,” Sanders said in a press release last week.

Any businesses interested in the sponsorship program can contact Sanders at 706-367-6350. Individual sponsorships are also available for $25, which will get the sponsor a tournament pass and recognition in the program.

Sanders said volunteers are also needed.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald or The Commerce News. ]]> Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:15:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2190-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2190-County-prepares-for-World-Series-action.html Braselton court clerk arrested for stealing $15,000 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/7SWLRFSBX30/2187-Braselton-court-clerk-arrested-for-stealing-15,000.html Public Safety http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2187-Braselton-court-clerk-arrested-for-stealing-15,000.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2187 1 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2187 nospam@example.com (Mike Buffington)
Continue reading "Braselton court clerk arrested for stealing $15,000" ]]> Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:27:54 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2187-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2187-Braselton-court-clerk-arrested-for-stealing-15,000.html Jackson County tax digest growth flat http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/R3whKl4qdqQ/2186-Jackson-County-tax-digest-growth-flat.html News Top Stories http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2186-Jackson-County-tax-digest-growth-flat.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2186 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2186 nospam@example.com (Mike Buffington)
But this year, a preliminary county report indicates the digest may grow by only one percent — and that may be a high estimate given the large number of assessment appeals being filed.

The deadline for assessment appeals is July 13. So far, 512 appeals have been filed.

Continue reading "Jackson County tax digest growth flat" ]]> Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:19:22 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2186-guid.html taxes http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2186-Jackson-County-tax-digest-growth-flat.html FDIC issues order on CB&T; Habersham Bank also under state order http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/VEJxujSkmuU/2185-FDIC-issues-order-on-CBT;-Habersham-Bank-also-under-state-order.html News http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2185-FDIC-issues-order-on-CBT;-Habersham-Bank-also-under-state-order.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2185 3 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2185 nospam@example.com (Mike Buffington) Continue reading "FDIC issues order on CB&T; Habersham Bank also under state order" ]]> Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:16:09 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2185-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2185-FDIC-issues-order-on-CBT;-Habersham-Bank-also-under-state-order.html EDITORIAL: Court should have tossed Voting Rights Act http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/CEwq84cZKpQ/2172-EDITORIAL-Court-should-have-tossed-Voting-Rights-Act.html Opinions http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2172-EDITORIAL-Court-should-have-tossed-Voting-Rights-Act.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2172 1 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2172 nospam@example.com (Mike Buffington) Continue reading "EDITORIAL: Court should have tossed Voting Rights Act" ]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:35:42 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2172-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2172-EDITORIAL-Court-should-have-tossed-Voting-Rights-Act.html Clark charged with murder of grandson http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/M276H2yfUWg/2171-Clark-charged-with-murder-of-grandson.html News Top Stories http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2171-Clark-charged-with-murder-of-grandson.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2171 5 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2171 nospam@example.com (Mike Buffington) Continue reading "Clark charged with murder of grandson" ]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:28:48 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2171-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2171-Clark-charged-with-murder-of-grandson.html Simpson, Hill record wins at Lanier http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/1A4NtsLsiX4/2165-Simpson,-Hill-record-wins-at-Lanier.html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2165-Simpson,-Hill-record-wins-at-Lanier.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2165 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2165 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports)
The event was stopped by a lengthy red flag after the cars of James Nealis and Shane Chastain crashed on the front stretch. After the cleanup, Greg was able to hold off Shawn for the win, with Braselton’s Shane Sawyer finishing third, Trey Poole fourth and Dwayne Buggay fifth. Jeremy Rice, Dalton Grindle, Tom Schuette, Will Prance and Cale Langford rounded out the top ten.

In other action Saturday, it was another trip to victory lane in the Super Truck division for Paul Antley. Antley beat out Mark Wilbanks, James Davidson, William Hoose, Larry Vasser and Ronnie Wehunt.

The Mini-Stock event proved to be a wild one, as William Earnest collided with leader James Nash on the last lap. Earnest was disqualified by officials, giving the win to Jefferson’s Steve Hill. Nash would recover for a second place finish.

Jason Bates came away with the win in the Open Wheel Modified division, with Winder’s Darrell Bryson finishing second. Jeff Chadwick won in the Sportsman division, with Mark Caudell, Jon Martin and Jackie Sportsman rounding out the top four.

Mike Davidson won in the Iceman division, beating out Chad Atha for the victory. Mike Childers won the Street Stock event, holding off Joey Trivett and Lanny Fergueson.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald or The Braselton News.
]]> Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:31:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2165-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2165-Simpson,-Hill-record-wins-at-Lanier.html Several Sea Dragons take first at Gainesville meet http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/EaRVpEIi5uM/2164-Several-Sea-Dragons-take-first-at-Gainesville-meet.html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2164-Several-Sea-Dragons-take-first-at-Gainesville-meet.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2164 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2164 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports)
Several of Jefferson’s swimmers brought home first place finishes, while several others placed in the top ten, with some events having over 100 swimmers take part.

Ryan Childress took first in the Girls 25 10-under Freestyle. Gregory Prozorovskiy took first in the boys’ 6-under Backstroke. Heather Perry took first in the girls’ 10-under Breaststroke.

The team of Haley Bartoletta, Olivia Axelberg, McKenzie Klinck and Ally Kate Navas took first in the girls’ 8-under 100 Freestyle relay.

The Girls 10-under team also won by a wide margin, but was disqualified for an early take-off.

The Sea Dragons also saw several top tens from team members, including Camille Porter, Erica Hughes, Lauren Hughes, Maggie Lamb, Avery Mixon, Jacob Musgrove, Lucas Carreno, Heather Perry, Bree Hanson, Lilli Blackstock, C.J. Guzman, Jackson Lamb, Trent Novicki, Jacob Sealock, Audrey Mixon, Avery Nelms, Caroline Mitchell, Haley Bartoletta, Jackson Lamb, Trent Novicki, McKenna Lee and Collin Harkins.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald. ]]> Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:13:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2164-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2164-Several-Sea-Dragons-take-first-at-Gainesville-meet.html Park and rec baseball tourneys continue http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/onw0x0ey2kQ/2163-Park-and-rec-baseball-tourneys-continue.html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2163-Park-and-rec-baseball-tourneys-continue.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2163 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2163 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports)
The Jackson County Diamondbacks came out on top of the 7-year-old division tournament over the weekend. The Diamondbacks started by defeating Dawson County, and then moved on to defeat another Jackson County team.

It was yet another Jackson County Park and Rec team that stood between the Diamondbacks and victory, but in the end, the Diamondbacks came away with the top spot on the weekend.

In the 10-year-old division, Jackson County opened with a loss to Jefferson on Friday. They moved on to defeat Barrow County in the losers’ bracket on Saturday, then to face Commerce on Monday.

Results from Monday were unavailable at press time.

In the 11-year-old division, after defeating Hall County on Friday, the Jackson County Bullets faced off against the Jackson County Force on Saturday.

The Force picked up the win moving on to face Union County. The Bullets moved to the losers’ bracket, where they were slated to face Jefferson.

In the 12-year-old division, Jackson County lost to Barrow County in Friday’s opener, then moved on to face Towns County in the loser’s bracket.

Towns came away with the win, eliminating Jackson County from the tournament.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald or The Braselton News.
]]> Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:04:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2163-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2163-Park-and-rec-baseball-tourneys-continue.html JCCHS to host tournament Thurs. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/MBIiJC1eB6k/2162-JCCHS-to-host-tournament-Thurs..html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2162-JCCHS-to-host-tournament-Thurs..html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2162 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2162 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports)
East Jackson, Commerce and Banks County will also be host sites for the weekend, as 20 teams travel to the area to participate.

“This is the first time we’ve ever hosted a summer tournament, but we believe it’s one of the things we needed to do to help get our program where we want it to be,” said JCCHS head baseball coach Tommy Fountain. “We’re so excited about the teams coming in and are looking forward to a great weekend.”

“We believe that this thing will grow over the next couple of years and become a staple of summer high school baseball in Northeast Georgia,” Fountain added.

Fountain also thanked Coach Joe Lord from Banks County, Coach Steve Cottrell from Commerce, and Coach Josh Gandy from East Jackson for letting them use their facilities as well during the tournament.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald, The Braselton News or The Commerce News. ]]> Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:23:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2162-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2162-JCCHS-to-host-tournament-Thurs..html Jefferson wins district Dizzy Dean title http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/OKHY7_CY4XA/2161-Jefferson-wins-district-Dizzy-Dean-title.html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2161-Jefferson-wins-district-Dizzy-Dean-title.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2161 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2161 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports) Jefferson to host tourney Friday

Jefferson’s park and rec baseball teams saw success in several places, and teams traveled around the area to take part in the Dizzy Dean district tournaments over the weekend.

Jefferson started out the 10-under tournament by defeating Jackson County Saturday morning, then moving on to defeat Towns County Saturday afternoon. Jefferson then fell to Fannin County on Monday, and was slated to faced Hall County in the losers’ bracket Tuesday evening. Results of that game were unavailable at press time.

In the 11-under division, Jefferson started their tournament with a loss to Union County. That put them against Jackson County in the losers’ bracket. Results were unavailable at press time.

Jefferson began a strong run in the 12-under division by defeating Commerce on Friday, then defeating Dawson County on Saturday.

Jefferson then moved on to defeat Lumpkin County twice en route to becoming the division champs.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald. ]]> Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:00:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2161-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2161-Jefferson-wins-district-Dizzy-Dean-title.html John B. Brooks Rd. to be closed at times for project http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/NVsjsd9niD4/2158-John-B.-Brooks-Rd.-to-be-closed-at-times-for-project.html Public Safety http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2158-John-B.-Brooks-Rd.-to-be-closed-at-times-for-project.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2158 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2158 nospam@example.com (Mike Buffington) John B. Brooks Road — located between U.S. Hwy. 129 and Ga. Hwy. 332 in north Jefferson — includes some of the county’s largest industries, such as Mission Foods, Seydel, Spectrum Brands and Hitachi.
Continue reading "John B. Brooks Rd. to be closed at times for project" ]]> Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:52:03 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2158-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2158-John-B.-Brooks-Rd.-to-be-closed-at-times-for-project.html BJC may have Tenn. buyer http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/7zdBIKSBWJw/2157-BJC-may-have-Tenn.-buyer.html News http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2157-BJC-may-have-Tenn.-buyer.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2157 10 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2157 nospam@example.com (Mike Buffington) BJC Medical Center may have found the white knight to rescue it from its financial difficulties. The Commerce-based facility announced Tuesday that it has entered a letter of intent with Restoration Healthcare, a Tennessee-based operator of hospitals, that could lead to the sale of BJC Medical Center.
Continue reading "BJC may have Tenn. buyer" ]]> Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:49:07 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2157-guid.html bjc http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2157-BJC-may-have-Tenn.-buyer.html Jefferson Freedom Festival ahead Sat. in downtown http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/LMF8_TI_nVY/2156-Jefferson-Freedom-Festival-ahead-Sat.-in-downtown.html News Top Stories http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2156-Jefferson-Freedom-Festival-ahead-Sat.-in-downtown.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2156 3 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2156 nospam@example.com (Mike Buffington) Fireworks, music, kids’ activities and food vendors will highlight the Freedom Festival slated for 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 27, in downtown Jefferson. The fireworks show will begin around 9:30 p.m.

“Kiddieville,” sponsored by Jackson EMC and the Jefferson Area Business Association, will include inflatables and “much, much more,” said Main Street Jefferson director Beth Laughinghouse. “This is probably going to be our biggest festival to date.”

Mark Garrison and family will perform from 5 to 7 p.m. BlueBilly Grit, a Jackson County-based bluegrass band, is also on the music list for the evening. The Shade, including Jefferson resident Mark Starnes, along with three friends, will be on the lineup with classic rock and roll.
Food vendors will offer barbecue, hotdogs, hamburgers, bratwurst, ice cream, cotton candy, fried pickles, watermelon, boiled peanuts and more.

“The fireworks promise to be the best ones ever,” Laughinghouse said. “Bring your chairs and your family and friends and join us downtown for all the fun.”
]]> Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:46:56 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2156-guid.html Jefferson http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2156-Jefferson-Freedom-Festival-ahead-Sat.-in-downtown.html Track renovation continues at Gresham Motorsports Park http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/25HmmA1-4nQ/2134-Track-renovation-continues-at-Gresham-Motorsports-Park.html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2134-Track-renovation-continues-at-Gresham-Motorsports-Park.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2134 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2134 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports)
For Dan Elliott and the rest of the Gresham Motorsports Park renovation team, the hope is that the saying rings true.

“Things are going to slow down now because we’re into the details of the project,” Elliott, the General Manager of the all new Jefferson motorsports and community activity center, stated. “We’ve done quite a bit, but the changes we’ve done so far have shown us that a little work looks like a lot. We’ve moved a lot of dirt, which basically makes it look like we’ve done a lot. Now we’re getting into the hard part – getting our data sources, plumbing, electrical, air conditioning, buildings. We’re working hard on getting all the details in place. It’s kind of like building a house. You get the roof on and it seems like you’ve accomplished quite a lot. In reality, we’re not even halfway done. If we’re going to be finished on time, we have to keep rolling even though the details are going to slow things down a bit.”

Since the renovation of the old Peach State Speedway started in March, the famed race track has had a total overhaul. When completed, GMP will be a fresh facility featuring a new racing surface, fencing, lighting and retaining walls for the half-mile oval. Additional scheduled improvements will also include a new aluminum grandstand – now to be located on what used to be the back straight of the Peach State track - and a lowered infield pit area for better sight lines and fan viewing. Other improvements scheduled are a quarter-mile Legends track on infield of the half-mile oval, new restrooms and concession areas and trackside parking.

Many of the projects, like the track and infield excavations along with the main grandstand construction, are well under way. Meanwhile, the plumbing and electrical services have been roughed into the Infield Command Center area.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald. ]]> Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:26:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2134-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2134-Track-renovation-continues-at-Gresham-Motorsports-Park.html Column: Defining Sports http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/sJYq167RI2s/2133-Column-Defining-Sports.html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2133-Column-Defining-Sports.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2133 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2133 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports)
Basically, it boils down to three criteria: which event has the most local connection to readers, are there photos of the event or participants, and how recent was the event.

The hard thing to explain is why one item runs and another is held until a later issue. The answer to that quandary is which will better fit the space available on the page. Your local sports editor would love to have every submission placed in each week’s paper, but the space is finite and is usually a first come, first serve basis.

On that note what is definable as a sport to be included inside the sports section is sometimes debatable.

Strictly defining the term according to the Merriam-Webster sitting on my desk, it means, “a source of diversion or a physical activity engaged in for pleasure.” That is a very broad limit to define something by, since there are hundreds of activities that can fit the description.

In fact, a quick Internet search for sports reveals that competitive video gaming is considered an alternative sport.

I wonder how many local schools would consider awarding a varsity letter in Nintendo baseball or a scholarship based on competitive Tetris building?

While there were studies done some years back on the improvement shown between hand-eye coordination due to video games, I can’t imagine the board of education springing for an X-Box lab at the high school, despite how many students would sign up for that elective.

I don’t think there is much argument that the stick and ball games, wrestling, track or swimming are clearly recognized as sports, but there are differences of opinions on other activities.

Cheerleading for example, meets the dictionary definition of a sport, but is left out sometimes because it is seen as more of a component of the sidelines not as its own event. Yet, the cheerleaders hold practices, risk injury and show up for games. There are also competitions and scholarships awarded for performances. The argument for including cheerleading fully under the sports headline is similar to another sideline group. So, what about the band?

According to a study released by the American College of Sports Medicine in May, marching bands show similar physical requirements to those demanded by the team on the field. Also, the band goes to every game, runs practices and camps just like the more athletic counterparts who are on the field.

Both the band and the cheerleaders are a component to a good Friday night during football season and the students in both put as much work in as the players. A little recognition probably isn’t such a bad thing after all.

Justin Poole is the sports editor for The Banks County News and for The Commerce News and is a reporter for MainStreet News. He can be contacted at justin@mainstreetnews.com. ]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:46:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2133-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2133-Column-Defining-Sports.html Crane takes seventh at Michigan http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/SvRQ6gm3nh0/2131-Crane-takes-seventh-at-Michigan.html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2131-Crane-takes-seventh-at-Michigan.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2131 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2131 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports)
One would have never known such at day’s end as Crane brought home his #51 Phoenix Construction Dodge seventh in just his second series start.

After Thursday’s qualifying and practice session got washed out due to heavy rains, Crane was forced to a twenty ninth place starting position and only fifty minutes of practice race day morning to get accustomed to the two mile track and his James Finch owned race car. After quickly getting used to the track, Crane posted the fourteenth quickest time during the abbreviated session.


From the drop of the green flag Crane had his work cut out for him coming from the rear of the field. Crane and fellow short track racer Brian Ickler worked in tandem slicing their way through the forty one car field. Early on, Crane did an excellent job dodging an accordion style restart which saw several cars stack up and spin just missing the #51 machine.

“We had a pretty decent day I thought,” Crane, who currently calls Panama City, Florida home, said. “Each lap I was learning something new and learning on communicating with the team on what the car needed to make it faster."

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald. ]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:36:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2131-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2131-Crane-takes-seventh-at-Michigan.html Storm slams Jackson; area remains under severe thunderstorm watch until 6 p.m. Thurs. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/sU6vyGCDxvw/2130-Storm-slams-Jackson;-area-remains-under-severe-thunderstorm-watch-until-6-p.m.-Thurs..html News Top Stories http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2130-Storm-slams-Jackson;-area-remains-under-severe-thunderstorm-watch-until-6-p.m.-Thurs..html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2130 1 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2130 nospam@example.com (Mike Buffington) High winds, heavy rain, massive lightning and dime-size hail hit areas of Jackson County around 1 a.m. Thursday morning. The storm downed some large trees, knocked out power for several hours and caused two fires.

One of the hardest hit areas with wind damage appeared to be along Lyle Field Road between Jefferson and Commerce where a number of trees, some over 100-years-old, were blown over. Whether the damage was from straight line winds or a tornado wasn’t clear.

According to Steve Nichols, director of Jackson County Department of Emergency Services, 16 trees were reported down across county roads.

In addition, an old chicken house caught fire on B. Wilson Road in Commerce during the storm and a barn on Birch Street in Nicholson also caught fire. No injuries were reported.

Jackson EMC reported 15,000 customers out of power during the night, but only 64 remained without power as of 9 a.m. Georgia Power reported 215 customers without power early Thursday morning.

]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:28:14 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2130-guid.html tornado http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2130-Storm-slams-Jackson;-area-remains-under-severe-thunderstorm-watch-until-6-p.m.-Thurs..html Swim Dragons open season at Winder http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/SFlnSMD6kRU/2129-Swim-Dragons-open-season-at-Winder.html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2129-Swim-Dragons-open-season-at-Winder.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2129 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2129 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports)
The meet was unique in that only the North Georgia Swim League’s top swimmers, 261 kids out of over 1,000, get to compete.

Swimmers must compete in all four individual stroke events, and then compete in the Individual Medley, which requires the swimmer to swim one lap of all four strokes.

Jefferson had their first overall winner in the four-year history of the program. Heather Perry took first in the 9-10-year-old girl age group.

Ryan Childress placed second in his age group, winning three individual events. Breen Hanson competed for the title by finishing a close fourth, and Lilli Blackstock and Caroline Mitchell turned in top ten performances.

Abby Richardson, McKenna Lee and Lindsey Kelly also competed in the 9-10 age group, turning in competitive times.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald. ]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:09:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2129-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2129-Swim-Dragons-open-season-at-Winder.html Jefferson’s Beck drafted by Cleveland Indians http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/VAKYCgVhigw/2128-Jeffersons-Beck-drafted-by-Cleveland-Indians.html Sports http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2128-Jeffersons-Beck-drafted-by-Cleveland-Indians.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2128 0 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2128 nospam@example.com (MainStreetNewsSports)
That was the day the Major Leagues came knocking.

The Cleveland Indians drafted Beck in the 35th round, pick number 1,055 of the draft.

Beck was the first player from Jefferson to be drafted.

Beck said he didn’t even know about the big news until he checked his Facebook page.

“Somebody wrote me a message that said congratulations, and I had no earthly idea what they were talking about,” he said. “So I checked MLB.com, and saw that I had been taken by the Indians.”

Beck said the reality of the news didn’t sink in for a while.

“I was sitting there with my friends, and said ‘I just got drafted to the MLB draft.’ My dad said ‘You’re 18 years old. This doesn’t happen every day to every other 18 year old.’ It was a moment that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

It’s the latest in what’s been a big year for Beck. In 2009, he was part of a Dragons team that went 22-5 and picked up the Region 8-AA title in their first year in that region.

Beck went 8-2 for Jefferson, with 118 strike outs in 61 1/3 innings pitched. He was also a formidable opponent for all comers at the plate, batting .338, including eight home runs on the year and 26 RBIs.

“In one of our first conversations I ever had with Chris he said he wanted to be a professional baseball player,” said Jefferson High School baseball coach Tommy Knight. “It’s great to see how his hard work has paid off for him. Even if he chooses to go to Georgia Southern and play he will get another chance to play pro ball later on in his career. We are very happy for him.”

Beck signed last November to play for Georgia Southern.

He said he was “90 percent sure” that he will be attending Georgia Southern unless something comes up.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald. ]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:51:00 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2128-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2128-Jeffersons-Beck-drafted-by-Cleveland-Indians.html LETTER: Says Bear Creek rules discriminatory http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Jacksonheraldtoday/~3/eSI0RWlkgbA/2125-LETTER-Says-Bear-Creek-rules-discriminatory.html Opinions http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2125-LETTER-Says-Bear-Creek-rules-discriminatory.html#comments http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/wfwcomment.php?cid=2125 10 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/rss.php?version=2.0&type=comments&cid=2125 nospam@example.com (Mike Buffington)
Jackson County is taking the lead in the development and operation of the access park and ramp for the Bear Creek Reservoir. This 5-acre park and launching facility, which includes bathrooms and a guardhouse, is being financed by the four county Bear Creek Reservoir partners (Clarke, Jackson, Oconee, and Barrow). Its current cost is over $300K.
Continue reading "LETTER: Says Bear Creek rules discriminatory" ]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:42:31 -0400 http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2125-guid.html http://www.jacksonheraldtoday.com/archives/2125-LETTER-Says-Bear-Creek-rules-discriminatory.html