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Led by Andrea Sanchez’s perfect score, the Commerce Middle School fifth grade improved the school’s score on the Fifth Grade Writing Assessment for the third year in a row. The challenge for English/language arts teacher Lori Martin and the rest of the fifth grade team was to improve over last year’s 33 percent gain. In 2008, scores ... [Full Story »] 

The Commerce Downtown Development Authority will present a free showing of the film “Hotel for Dogs” Friday evening at dusk in Spencer Park downtown. The event is part of the Fridays After Five series sponsored by the DDA and the Georgia Grassroots Foundation of the Georgia Council for the Arts. Movies have proven to be the most popular ... [Full Story »] 

A 17-year-old Commerce High School student ended his school year on a bad note. Police charged Christopher Lee Stokes of 203 Baugh Street, Commerce, with simple assault and disrupting a public school after he refused to calm down when he was sent to the office last Wednesday. The report did not indicate why Stokes was sent to the office, only ... [Full Story »] 

A stroke of the pen by Gov. Sonny Perdue means it’s full speed ahead now for the 5,000-square-foot expansion of the Commerce Public Library. Perdue signed the $18.6 billion state budget last Wednesday, exercising his line-item only three times but not on the Commerce appropriation. The $1.5 million in state money comes through the Board of ... [Full Story »] 

Local high school seniors will turn their tassels this week at commencement exercises at East Jackson and Commerce high schools. One hundred, sixty-four will graduate at ceremonies Thursday night at 8:00 at Eagle Stadium at East Jackson Comprehensive High School. In the event of rain, the ceremony will move into the gym. Graduates will march ... [Full Story »] 

Drinking alcoholic beverages before having a body piercing may or may not reduce the level of pain, but a Banks County woman found out the hard way it can certainly increase the cost. Actually, if Heatherly Lindsey Lark, 31, of 1779 Historic Homer Highway, Homer, and her passenger had just fastened their seat belts, it would have saved them a ... [Full Story »]