Top News Stories for 2012: Carter's, Mayfield, Mayor Denney

The announcement that Carter’s would locate in Braselton, the reopening of the visitor’s center at Mayfield Dairy and the resignation of Hoschton mayor Erma Denney were the top stories of the year in 2012 for the West Jackson area.

An announcement came in early April from Gov. Nathan Deal that Carter’s Inc., a children’s clothing manufacturer, would be locating in Braselton and hiring 600 to 1,200 new employees. The company plans to invest $50 million, approximately $30 million of it for the one-million-square foot former Progressive Lighting building. The clothing company will use the building to fill online orders, retail orders and wholesale orders.

HOSCHTON MAYOR
In September, Hoschton Mayor Erma Denney announced that she will resign, effective Oct. 31. She said that her new job has a legal agreement that prohibits her from serving as mayor. Denney was sworn into office in late 2009.

The Hoschton city charter calls for the mayor pro tem to act as mayor in the event of the absence or disability of the mayor. Council member Theresa Kenerly is the mayor pro tem. A special election will be held in March to fill the mayor’s unexpired term which expires in November 2013.

MAYFIELD
In October, Mayfield Dairy Farms announced that the company’s visitor center in Braselton would reopen on Nov. 9. The center closed last fall while the company looked for ways to make it more economically viable.

The reopening was held with more than 100 area officials, school children and guests attending, as well as company spokesman Scottie Mayfield.