Braselton gets jobs and investment from national pet chain

A national pet products company announced it will locate a new distribution center in Barrow County. PETCO will open a 500-square foot facility in Braselton, which will serve the southeastern United States.

The Governors’ office says the center will bring an infusion of 33 million dollars and up to 277 jobs when running at full capacity.

PETCO is based out of San Diego, and has more than 200 stores nationwide—15 in Georgia.

'08 Tour de Georgia gets 5 new stops

Next year’s Tour de Georgia includes some new cities on the race course, but comes at the expense of other major stops from previous years.

The cycling event will have five new cities in the week-long race next April. Tybee Island will host the start, and is followed by newcomers Statesboro, Washington, Braselton, and Suwanee. Returning host cities include Atlanta, Augusta, and Brasstown Bald.

Cities left out for 2008 include Macon and Rome. Event director Chris Aronhalt says crafting the new route only had to do with letting residents in other communities share the Tour experience .

"It has nothing at all to do with the support. In fact the race would have loved to go back to those communities like Macon and Rome".

Tour organizers also had to be mindful of the route’s mileage, and incorporating mountain and coastal stages.

Aronhalt says the race expects to be financially healthy, with new headline sponsors to be announced at the start of the year.

DOT hearing on project in northeast Georgia

The state Department of Transportation held a public hearing yesterday on their proposal to widen 'Georgia 53' in northeast Georgia. The plan calls for widening a six-mile stretch of road to four lanes--from 'Georgia 211' in Hall County to Interstate-85 in Braselton in Jackson county. Construction costs are estimated at over 27-million dollars.

DOT-officials say the project is needed to alleviate growing traffic. The road passes the site of a planned hospital and medical center, residential subdivisions, and Road Atlanta.