Dalton officer presented with Award of Merit

DALTON, Ga. — A Dalton police officer was honored with the police department’s Award of Merit during the Public Safety Commission meeting on Tuesday. Officer Richard Cook was recognized after he disarmed a passenger who had a concealed handgun during a traffic stop when Cook was assisting another officer on Jan. 1. Police Chief Cliff Cason said in his commendation letter, “The actions you took to quickly disarm the suspect prevented serious injury to the suspect and the officers on scene. Your actions and performance reflect positively on you and the entire department.”

Thomasville receives 2019 Main Street accreditation

The City of Thomasville again has been designated as an accredited Georgia Exceptional Main Street (GEMS) program by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and the National Main Street Center. According to Main Street and Business Development Director April Norton, this distinction means that Thomasville’s main street program is ranked among the best in the state of Georgia. For 2018, Downtown Thomasville welcomed a net growth of 19 new businesses representing 130 new jobs to the community. “This is above the state average of 10 new businesses and 26 new jobs,” said Main Street and Business Development Director April Norton. “Thomasville also reported 18 building rehabilitation projects, which shows that the private sector supports the revitalization efforts of restoring historic buildings downtown,” Norton said. “Locally, we’ve invested $7.5 million in public and private dollars into our downtown district, well above the state average of $4.6 million. These figures illustrate not only the support we receive from our community, but also the importance of downtown as an economic engine for our local economy.” It is this community support that Norton said helps set Thomasville’s main street program apart. “We have 115 main street cities in Georgia. To be named a GEMS community is quite an honor for our program as it recognizes the exemplary commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street approach,” she said. Thomasville’s Main Street Program began in 1981 and was one of the first in Georgia. In 1998, Thomasville earned the National Great American Main Street Award. “It’s the generations of visionaries and leaders who have paved the way to Thomasville’s success,” Norton said. “Since our program was founded, there has been a net gain of 308 businesses and more than 1,180 jobs in the downtown business district. It is this kind of success that has made Thomasville the example other communities often emulate.” 

Rail crossing replacement postponed

LIVE OAK, Fla. — The railroad crossing replacement scheduled to close U.S. Highway 129 has been postponed. The Florida Department of Transportation project in conjunction with CSX, was scheduled to begin April 3 and shut down U.S. 129 until April 20. However, the project has been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, according to FDOT. FDOT still plans to rebuild the rail crossing, although there is no date set for when construction will now begin. An FDOT spokesperson said an announcement will be made when the rescheduled date is set. When work does start, the railroad tracks are expected to be raised by a half-inch and the current crossing surface will be replaced by a new heavy duty concrete panel crossing surface. Additional work will include milling and resurfacing of the roadway near the railroad tracks and some sidewalk work. The total cost of the project is approximately $350,000. The railroad crossing surface was last replaced in October 2007.