Jackson County
Reporting about Jackson County, Georgia. Some stories will be republished in the Jackson Herald with Mainstreet News as part of a news-academic partnership with Grady Newsource.
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Local Entrepreneur Builds Thriving Market for Small Businesses Without Storefronts
Cars line the edge of a family farm in Maysville as visitors make their way toward rows of white vendor tents. Music from a small stage carries over the hums of conversation, as people find repurposed handmade goods, home decor and jewelry. This is what H&H Homestead has become. Helena…
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High School Sports in Jackson County Get a Marketing Makeover
His sequined jacket glistened under the stadium lights as Wesley Johnson grabbed the mic. “That’s right, folks! You know ’em… you love ’em… head to the concession stand for our world-famous JaxCo nachos! A recipe dating back to the Mexican-American War!” Fans laughed and cheered, eager to grab a plate…
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A Strawberry Legacy is Replanted at Merk Farm
Early summer Saturday mornings at the Merk Farm in Commerce, Georgia, have taken on a whole new meaning after Ali Merk introduced strawberry season. After waking up before the sun and fueling with coffee, Ali doesn’t have a moment to sit. She handles the full load of daily labor: watering…
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Denied Jackson County Rock Quarry Underscores Growth Vs. Groundwater Concerns
The fight over a proposed rock quarry in Jackson County has grown from a local zoning dispute into a broader debate over groundwater protection and drinking water, something far more personal to residents in affected communities. In May 2025, a Jackson County Superior Court judge upheld the county’s denial of…
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Easter Services, Egg Hunts and More: How Jackson County Churches Plan to Celebrate Holy Week
With Holy Week now here, Jackson County churches of all sizes are creating ways to foster community and celebrate. Good Friday and Easter Sunday services, egg hunts and multi-church celebrations are on the calendar, with some congregations planning to accommodate larger crowds. Antioch Church Easter Sunday will focus on a…
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Population Boom Boosts Jackson County Volleyball Team
The halls at Jackson County High School are growing busier each year, and so is the volleyball court. As the county’s population surges, more students are filling classrooms, lockers and tryout lists. The squeak of sneakers and the thud of volleyballs echo through the gym as coaches call out drills,…
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‘Toughness Doesn’t Have a Gender’: Jefferson Going All-In on Girls Wrestling
Ava Catledge, Paola Swancey, Peyton Hawkins, Anna Ramirez and Kyndal Brown go through drills as coach Nick White calls them out. (Photo/Lily Grace Kilgore) The sound of sneakers squeaking on mats echoes through Jefferson High School’s wrestling room as a dozen girls warm up for practice. Sweat drips, laughter…
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Lasting Impact of Virtual Learning: How Georgia Schools Are Confronting Learning Disabilities, Developmental Delays
As classrooms across Georgia return to full-time, in-person learning, educators and families are grappling with a challenge that has only grown in recent years following the COVID-19 pandemic: a noticeable rise in learning disabilities, particularly in early readers and students with developmental delays and disabilities. Nationwide, approximately 7.5 million students…
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Nicholson City Council Fails to Agree on Water Board Nominee
The Nicholson City Council failed to appoint a member to the Nicholson Water Authority board at its meeting last week, with three separate motions dying for the lack of a second. Council members considered nominees Roger Brock, Larry Turner and Walter Barnett during their Dec. 1 meeting, but none of…
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Groundwork: Stories of Sustainability in Northeast Georgia
A team of 20 student journalists created a news special responding to the needs of Northeast Georgia counties. Reporters traveled to five counties, spoke with residents, uncovered environmental gaps, and highlighted the solutions communities are building. Watch to see what they discovered and the solutions taking root. This is Groundwork:…