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Robbie Bettis is helping to guide the new Hoschton Heritage Art Council as it works to make Hoschton an arts destination.

Imagine artists traveling from all across the country to descend on the West Jackson area to be a part of an Plein Air event.

Consider the possibility that a historic local property could become the headquarters for a vibrant calendar of heritage happenings — from quilting bees to sharing the longheld practice of canning jellies and jams.

Or stretch the mind to see a local venue where performances including theatre and concerts could be presented.

Continue reading Keeping Hoschton’s heritage growing

New gym, fine arts facility to be built on JCCHS campus

The hardhats and shovels are ready for the groundbreaking for the Panther Project.

That is what Kendall Dutton and Keith Watson of the contractors and construction management firm of Bowen & Watson of Toccoa told members of the Jackson County Board of Education at the Feb. 9 work session.

On Monday, the school board gave the word for the construction of a new gym and fine arts facility on the Jackson County Comprehensive High School campus to move forward.

Continue reading Panther Project gets school board go-ahead

Weather permitting, a traffic operations shift is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 28, on State Route 124 in Braselton.

The ongoing work on roadways in Braselton drives toward another phase of completion.

Continue reading Braselton traffic project moves ahead

Rezoning approved with conditions in 3-2 vote

Vital concerns were raised at the Braselton City Council work session last Thursday by members of the community. On behalf of the Spout Springs Partners, LLC, Jeff Mahaffey presented the case for a rezoning of what is currently zoned a General Commercial property to a Planned Unit Development.

This project is located at the southeast corner of Thompson Mill Road and Spout Springs Road. The developers aim to utilize the 17.89 acres to construct an 278-unit upscale apartment living community with added retail space.

In his argument, Mahaffey made assertions that the vision of the property is to promote retail and commercial development as well to create jobs.

Continue reading Traffic a major concern with Spout Springs apartment proposal

Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Shane Short stopped to admire one of the two compact tractor models that will be manufactured at the new Kubota plant being built in Jefferson.

JEFFERSON – Two bright orange Kubota compact tractors – models to be coming off the assembly line by next year – were parked outside the tent erected for Tuesday’s groundbreaking for the new American Tractor Project facility to be constructed next to the existing Kubota presence at 1001 McClure Industrial Drive.

The Japanese company is making a $73 million investment into a new 500,000-square-foot plant which will have an annual capacity of 22,000 compact tractors. The successful partnership developed with the State of Georgia since 2004 when plans for the first Kubota plant in Jefferson were coming together made the project possible, according to Kaz Monodane, President of Kubota Industrial Equipment (KIE).

Monodane said that partnership extends to the local community where the company plans to continue to grow and prosper. Two hundred will be employed at the new facility which will allow the company to provide increased production and customer satisfaction.

Continue reading Kubota breaks ground for American Tractor Project