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.
-
One Month Later: Staff Reflect on New Jackson County School
Legacy Knoll Middle School is the newest addition to the Jackson County School District. In addition to months of construction and preparation, the school cost $38 million to build. With the school year in full swing, Joe Kopsho visited Jackson County’s newest and most costly public middle school to see…
-
Biker Group Travels Highways of Georgia Delivering Narcan to Law Enforcement
Opioid-related deaths have doubled from 2019 to 2021, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Health. This means the demand for Narcan has also gone up — but it’s not so easy to come by. “It should be widely available; it isn’t necessarily so,” said Orion Mowbray, associate dean…
-
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Tackles School Zone Speeding
Speeding in school zones is an increasing problem in Jackson County, but the Jackson County Sheriff’s office is hoping to make a change. Flashing blue police lights can be seen in most Jackson County school zones before and after school hours, and the sheriff’s office wants people to know that…
-
Jefferson Community Hosts 5K to Raise Money for Teacher with Breast Cancer
Heather Backer has spent 24 years of her life teaching in Jackson County schools, and as she fights a second battle with cancer, the schools are giving back to her. Backer, a physical education teacher at Gum Springs Elementary School, was diagnosed with two types of breast cancer in 2015.…
-
Jackson County School System Adapts to Growing Student Populations
Due to significant population and economic growth, the Jackson County School System is looking at plans to expand and build new schools to alleviate overcrowding. At a called meeting on Sept. 16, the Jackson County Board of Education unanimously approved the general budget and millage rate for the current fiscal…
-
Local Football Star Focused on Legacy Over Limelight
Jefferson, Georgia. isn’t necessarily known across the country as a hotbed for high school football talent. Malaki Starks is an exception. While he’s committed to play college football at the University of Georgia for Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs, Starks says he is first committed to his Jefferson High School…
-
Plan After Graduation? Jackson County Schools Prepare Students For Life After High School
The question that haunts seniors everywhere — what are your plans after you graduate? Many seniors in Jackson County said they feel more prepared to answer that question after numerous efforts and initiatives by the school system. With a graduation rate of 93.5%, the Jackson County School System has been…
-
Jackson County Economy To Benefit From Tech Industry Agreement
Two South Korean tech industry giants came to an agreement over the weekend that could mean huge economic growth for Jackson County. SK Innovation and LG Energy Solution reached a $1.8 billion global settlement of a trade secrets case, allowing construction of the new $2.6 billion electric vehicle battery manufacturing…
-
World Education Program Comes to Jackson County School System
Junior Michael Howard is taking six International Baccalaureate (IB) classes this year at Jackson County Comprehensive High School. His cohort is the first to study this new curriculum after the school became an authorized IB World School in October 2019. “I noticed that it is a good bit more rigorous,”…
-
Addiction Recovery Can Be More Challenging During Coronavirus Isolation
While people around the world mask up and social distance from one another, the addiction recovery community is doing everything they can to stay close and connected. The increased isolation of the pandemic has made the recovery journey more difficult than ever, according to Katie Pope, outreach coordinator and certified…