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Jimmy Johns to open in Covington by end of summer
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As a child, he waited tables in his mother’s restaurant. Since then, John Nissan, 25, has worked every station in food service, most recently as a server at Cheddar’s Casual Café in Columbus; Locos Grill and Pub in Athens; and Buffalo Wild Wings in Kennesaw.

Every position, he said, except management.

That’s changed. With two silent partners, Nissan is the owner of the Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich Shop franchise, opening in Covington by the end of the summer.

He admits that being management is different. “Instead of having someone else who has the answers, I’m the one who needs to have the answers,” he said. “I’ve worked at a number of places where I thought management could make some improvements. Now, I’m the one who needs to make the changes and improvements.

“You never want to be the manager that isn’t willing to be the hardest worker on the shift,” he said. “You want to be someone employees look up to and inspire.”

That philosophy seems to blend well with Jimmy John’s views. Nissan said that after looking at a number of different franchises, he was impressed with the sandwich shop’s seven-week training program and interview process.

He was also impressed with the product. “I will find myself eating their sandwiches maybe four or five times a week, and craving them in between,” he said. The Beach Club No. 12 is one of his favorites. “It’s got pretty much everything we have—lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, turkey, provolone.”

And then there’s the Gargantuan sandwiches, and the even larger versions that appear only on the restaurant’s secret menu.

Born in Victorville, California, and raised in Warm Springs, Nissan discovered Covington and Conyers when he began driving through the area driving to and from Athens, where he was attending school. “We found out there’s a lot hidden [here],” he said. “We didn’t know about the movie connections.”

Nissan said the chamber and economic development office have gone above and beyond the welcome him to the business community. “Everybody’s been nice to the new kid in [town].” he said.

Construction began in April, and won’t be finished until later in the summer. Now, Nissan said, they are beginning to hire staff to fill the 30 open positions, including cashiers, drivers, sandwich makers and managers. Those interested can send Nissan a resume at manager@cclsubs.com.

According to company spokesperson Nathan Louer, Jimmy John’s gives customers a “great product in an energetic atmosphere and do it with a smile. If you can’t get out of the home or office give us a call, if you are within our delivery area we will deliver as little as one sub right to your doorstep. Our combination of speed and service is what sets us apart.”

There are currently over 2,000 Jimmy John stores opened nationally.

Eastside High School announces Top 10 graduates for Class of 2025
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Eastside High School has announced the names of the top ten graduates of the Class of 2025. Leading the way are valedictorian, Ian White, and salutatorian, Malachi Scharf. Each of the top ten graduates have exciting prospects ahead of them as they prepare for life after high school.

Eastside High School’s 2025 Top 10 Graduates are:

• Ian White—The valedictorian, Ian plans to attend college and obtain a doctorate in chemical engineering. He selected Mr. Elijah Clark as his top teacher.

• Malachi Scharf—The salutatorian, Malachi plans to major in chemical engineering at Georgia Tech. He chose Mr. Michael Poor as his favorite teacher.

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Malachi Scharf (left) and Ian White (right) are Eastside High School’s 2025 Salutatorian and Valedictorian. - photo by Courtesy of Newton County School System

• Kaiden Blazina—Kaiden plans to attend Georgia College and State University to study biology with plans to become an anesthesiologist or a missionary. Kaiden selected Mrs. Haley Dawkins as his honored teacher.

• Abby Malcom—Abby will be attending Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in the fall to major in agribusiness. Her goal is to run a floral business. She selected Ms. Sara Beth Hammond as her top teacher.

• Shelby Moore—Shelby plans to attend Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College to pursue a degree in agricultural education. She selected Ms. Alisa Echols as her top teacher.

• Annalie Parker—Annalie will attend Georgia College & State University with plans to obtain a doctorate and pursue a career in the scientific field. She selected Dr. Catrina Pollard as her favorite teacher.

• Chandler Shurtz—Chandler plans to attend Georgia Tech to study industrial engineering. He selected Mrs. Kelly Elder as his honored teacher.

• Robby Thomas, Jr.—Robby will attend Georgia Tech to study aerospace engineering and astrophysics. His goal is to work for NASA. Robby chose Ms. Kayla Stoddard as his honored teacher.

• Anna Underwood—Anna is attending Georgia State Perimeter to study her core classes with plans to transfer to the University of Georgia. Her career goal is to become an elementary school teacher. She selected Mr. Eric Adams as her top teacher.

• Benjamin Weaver—Benjamin is attending Newberry College to play soccer and study in their pre-vet program before moving on to veterinary school. He selected Mr. Caleb Watson as his honored teacher