Dragons defeat Bobcats in season opener

     Tate Elementary Principal Stephanie Hall, left, and Pickens Superintendent Rick Townsend, right, greet State School superintendent Richard Woods and his wife Lisha at Tate Elementary School Thursday.

The state school superintendent made the rounds of several schools in north Georgia Thursday seeing how different campuses are handling COVID restrictions, including Tate Elementary School.

State Supt. Richard Woods told school officials plus State Rep. Rick Jasper and wife Marcia that he must get a little ways outside the metro Atlanta to find schools holding in-person classes. 

“It’s really different place to place,” Woods said. In the metro area, it’s mostly digital but in most of the other counties, it’s about 70 percent in person and 30 percent virtual.

Bottom Row:  Karen Benson, Lynette Bridges; Middle row:  Bill Cagle,    Kathy Thompson; Top Row: Thelma (Bay) Cagle, Justin Davis

By Bill Cagle, Thelma Cagle, Karen Benson, Lynette Bridges, Justin Davis, Andrea Johnson

On June 7, 2020, a Black Lives Matter protest to raise awareness about racial inequality was held on Main Street in Jasper. Protesters chanted “black lives matter,” “no peace/no justice,” “I can’t breathe” and waved signs reading “stop apartheid in the USA,” “reinstate Kaepernick,” and “it could be my kids.” Speakers using a megaphone faced a large gathering of supporters on the courthouse lawn. Some spoke of their experiences as a black person living in a predominantly white community. Some shared experiences their relatives had handed down about segregation practices in Pickens County prior to 1966. Others declared their support for their black friends and expressed contrition for their white privilege.  

photo/Eric Darracq

  SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (Sept. 8, 2020) – Hunters ready to stock up the freezer with some venison will get to take to the woods beginning this Saturday, Sept. 12, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

  Last year, nearly 80,000 archery hunters harvested almost 40,000 deer. Statewide, hunters can use archery equipment throughout the entire 2020-2021 deer season. 

    The Pickens government will resurface over 11 miles on 28 county roads. Officials opened bids for the large paving project on Thursday, Aug. 27. 

There were five bids, ranging from just over $1 million to around $1.3 million. The paving will be funded by the 2014 SPLOST. 

Pickens Commission Chair Rob Jones said the project will wipe out most of the 2014 SPLOST monies earmarked for paving, “but there’s a little left in there for the sheriff and for some water projects” 

        See full story including list of roads in this week's print or online editions.