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Responding to a $240,000 reduction per year in local option sales tax revenue, interim city manager Tom Berry laid off three city employees Friday afternoon. And he warned that other staff cuts are expected. The employees included Timmy Anglin, Public Works Department, Ernie Savage, Recreation Department, and Edna Carr, the nighttime dispatcher ... [Full Story »] 

Jackson County and municipal leaders reached an agreement on the distribution of local option sales tax (LOST) revenue. Jackson County will receive 60 percent of the sales tax revenue and the cities will divide the remaining 40 percent based on a formula that takes into consideration population, the tax digest and general fund expenditures. The ... [Full Story »] 

Commerce and Jackson County law enforcement officials are looking for a woman who passed off rolls of metal washers as quarters in at least two locations. The clerk at the Corner Station, Jefferson Road, told police that a “regular customer,” a heavy-set white female,” pumped $10 worth of gasoline into a vehicle and paid for it with a ... [Full Story »] 

The Commerce Police Department announced the arrest last week of a man they say cashed a series of forged checks earlier this month. Alvin Bernard Wright, 52, 301 Sunrise Court, Union City, faces four charges each of forgery and fraudulent use of a driver’s license. The incident reports indicate that Wright cashed forged checks from Lanier ... [Full Story »] 

What to do when the well runs dry is exactly what the Nicholson Water Authority discussed at length at a meeting last week. The city’s largest water supply — the Spud Palmer well — is only pumping at 25-30 percent of its normal capacity and has had issues including water discoloration and iron deposits in its fixtures for some time. The ... [Full Story »] 

Could the rental of space on utility poles to Windstream provide new revenue for Commerce? That’s part of the reason the city council voted Monday night to sign a contract with Electric Cities of Georgia, Inc. (A previous story indicated incorrectly that the agreement was with the Municipal Electric Association of Georgia). “They’re ... [Full Story »]