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Area fire departments responded in full force Thursday morning after smoke filled the B hall at Jackson County Comprehensive High School. The cause turned out to be an AC until belt, officials said. Students were evacuated from the building at around 9 a.m. Thursday.

A 15-year-old girl who police say shot her mother in their Braselton home will appear before Gwinnett County's magistrate court on Friday. At that point, Gwinnett District Attorney Danny Porter said, he may have a decision on whether she will be prosecuted as an adult. "I will wait for the police reports and GBI reports to make a decision," ... [Full Story »] 

THE JEFFERSON School System plans to unveil new flooring in the elementary school classrooms at the start of next school year and is already prepping for the overhaul. School leaders are currently accepting bids for the job, which calls for new floor tile in each room that still has old carpeting. “That’s going to be a major undertaking, ... [Full Story »] 

The Arcade Planning Commission canceled a public hearing set for Tuesday night. The commission didn’t have a quorum of its members attend the hearing set on a rezoning request and two variance applications for General Property Group, LLC. John Swaim, commission chairman, and John Motley, commission member were the only two members present ... [Full Story »] 

The Jackson County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously at Monday’s meeting to have Interim County Manager Leonard Myers investigate the alleged forced resignation of a county department head in March.


Commissioner Tom Crow made the motion after reading a prepared letter about questionable actions by former county manager Darrell Hampton.


Crow stated, “It appears that because of my efforts to gather information one of our department heads was forced to resign. The instruction (from Hampton) to have resignation tendered by March of 2011 was given during fall of 2010 after this department head had answered questions from me.”


Crow said the department head had an outstanding work record.


For the full story, see the April 20 issue of The Jackson Herald.

Hamilton State Bank, based in Hoschton, had a busy week as it paid off its TARP funds and purchased a failed bank in Bartow County. Hamilton had recently raised over $230 million in funds to buy other banks and Friday evening, purchased all the deposits of Bartow County Bank in Cartersville. As of December 31, 2010, Bartow County Bank had ... [Full Story »]