DRUGS, JOBS CREATE CRITICAL CHALLENGES

The two biggest challenges facing Toccoa-Stephens County are
highlighted with stories in this issue of The Toccoa Record.

The community's biggest, most prolific and perhaps, most long-lasting
problem remains the drug culture that has gained a solid foothold.

Law enforcement officers this week announced the arrest of six people
on drug-related charges. That brings the total to 18 people who have
been arrested on drug-related charges since Feb. 1.

The latest offensive in the war on drugs in our community reminds us
of the multitude of arrests made by law enforcement officers last
summer - 45 in the six or seven weeks from mid-June to Sept. 1.

The recent arrests simply re-emphasize to us that Toccoa-Stephens
County has a major drug problem and it affects everything from the
efforts to recruit new industry to our community to teaching our next
generation of children.

Toccoa-Stephens County will not return to its historic place as the
economic hub of northeast Georgia until we conquer our drug woes.

Waging war against drugs is a long, hard, dirty journey which will
contain some setbacks and disappointments.

But, the longest journey starts with the first step and the first
step in ridding our community of the drug affliction is to go after
the mid-and-high level street dealers.

Community residents may sometimes disagree with the tactics of law
enforcement in waging this bitter war, but it is a necessary if we
are to conquer our affliction.

The community's second greatest challenge is luring more jobs to
Toccoa-Stephens County.

Unemployment hovering above the 10 percent mark is handicapping the
community's economic recovery.

With precious few jobs coming into Toccoa-Stephens County, every
plant closure and job layoff announcement only raises the collective
anxiety level of our community.

Last month, it was the news that NAMPAC would close and take with it
90 key jobs. This week Toccoa Falls College announced it is laying
off 12 employees out of a workforce of 200 proving that higher
education is not immune to the fallout of a sluggish economy.

Toccoa-Stephens is trying to lure jobs to the community as witnessed
by the caravan of local people who attended Toccoa-Stephens County
day at the state capitol last week.

Chamber of Commerce and industrial development authority folks
glad-handed state officials under the Golden Dome and visited with
Gov. Sonny Perdue among others.

All this was an effort to have state officials remember
Toccoa-Stephens County the next time decisions are being made about
bringing a new, large industry into Georgia.

We hope the Atlanta trip pays off - and soon.

We need new jobs in the worst way.

Drugs and jobs, two major challenges that face many communities
throughout America.

And, the reports this week are that our community is not standing
still in addressing both issues.

We hope the hard work quickly returns dividends.