New traffic signals spruce up downtown but extended curbs may create traffic problems

Database tracks opioid use; Pickens above state average  

According to landmark data analysis recently released by The Washington Post, over 10.3 million opioid pills were legally sold in Pickens County as the deadly opioid epidemic surged between the years of 2006 and 2012.  

The data is part of a database maintained by the Drug Enforcement Administration that was made public after a year-long legal battle the media outlet had with the DEA and the U.S. Justice Department. The DEA was forced to release the database, which tracks every pain pill manufactured in the United States. 

Ralph O. Dennis

Contributing writer

The Nelson City Council approved a new seal for the city at their called meeting Thursday, August 15. 

The old seal that had a depiction of the marble quarry in the center is gone. The new seal will have a depiction of two men facing each other with tools in their hands prying apart two blocks of marble. In the background is a mountain. This seal is more related to the “mill” in Nelson than the quarry in Tate. The council also adopted new signage for the city limits and the buildings.

There are several local elections that will appear on the ballot this November. Here is the slate of candidates who qualified at the Pickens County Elections Office by press time Tuesday afternoon. 

Qualifying runs through Friday, August 23. 

Jasper: Mayor – Steve Lawrence; City Council – Jim Looney (seat currently held by Tony Fountain); City Council – Kirk Raffield (seat held by Kirk Raffield); City Council – John Foust, Jr. (seat held by John Foust, Jr). 

GDOT responds to citizen concerns

Several RCUTs have already been installed and proven to be effective in 

reducing crashes at the intersections 

Photo/Angela Reinhardt

Work is still underway at the Highway 515/Antioch Road intersection, but should be wrapping up soon. 

Changes to Highway 515 at Antioch Church Road are 90 percent complete. The Georgia Department of Transportation anticipates the project will significantly reduce the number of crashes at that intersection. 

The state-funded project will bring an RCUT (also called a “U-Turn,” or “J-Turn) to the intersection. The design will change how traffic from a minor roadway (in this case Antioch Church Road) crosses a major highway (Highway 515). Antioch Road traffic will have to make a right-hand turn on the highway and use a U-turn located further down the highway to fully cross the