Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Pickens H ERlTflGE BBSs MARBLE FESTIVAL Inside This Issue Thursday, September 28, 2023 | Volume 136 Number 24| Jasper, Georgia | 34 pages, 3 sections | Published Weekly | $1.00 Fear of big Burnt Mountain wildfire keeps Wildcat officials up at night New grant will offer some homeowners chance for free work on “ignition ” risks By Dan Pool Editor dpool@pickensprogress.com Clayton Preble, who is the presi dent of the Wildcat Community, re calls a situation several years ago, but couldn’t recall the exact date as it didn’t him out to be a major story. A downed power line in Bent Tree sparked some leaves and a fire began coming up Burnt Mountain on the west slope. “But for a change of wind, we’d have had a disaster,” Preble said. “There is not enough resources to put out a major fire on Burnt Moun tain.” Preble and John Tarantini with the Wildcat Firewise program, say the threat of a wildfire on Burnt Mountain “is what keeps us all up at night.” The Wildcat Community is a con sortium of Big Canoe, Bent Tree, Burnt Mountain Estates, Monument Falls, Sassafras Mountain Estates, Tate Mountain Estates, Tomahawk Mountain Civic Association, Wind- song and Wintermont communities. It was established in 2006 to pro mote awareness and improvement of emergency management services there. According to information pre sented to the Progress last week and then at the commissioners meeting, the western slope of Burnt Moun tain, particularly Bent Tree, is unique for major wildfire potential — uniquely bad. “When you live at the top of the ridge, you worry about what goes on below you. Fire travels quickly up hill,” said Preble who lives in the Monument Road area along with Tarantini. The problems they have identi fied further down the mountain form a recipe for fire disasters like those in Gatlinburg or Hawaii recently. The fire threat throughout northeast Pickens isn’t just high but way too high, say Wildcat Community leaders. See Wildfire on 9A Beloved husband, father, friend dies in tragic crash “If everybody lived and loved like Brandon... the world would be a better place, ” says friend of Brandon Stone Photo provided by family Brandon Stone of Talking Rock was loved by everyone he met. Friends and family say his spirit was genuine, and that his impact will be long lasting. He is pictured with wife Jamie and children Bran don Stone Jr. and Ellie Stone. By Angela Reinhardt Staff Writer areinhardt@pickensprogress.com Brandon Stone - father of two, husband to his high school sweet heart, and beloved member of the Pickens County community - died in a tragic single-vehicle crash last week. Stone was remembered for his genuine, loving heart, and for mak ing the world around him a better place. The crash that took Stone’s life occurred the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 21. The 41-year-old Talking Rock resident was driving a Polaris off-road vehicle on Highway 136 near Jones Mountain Road when he overturned. He passed away at the scene. No other vehicles were in volved. He leaves behind his wife Jamie, and children Brandon Stone Jr., 16, and Ellie Stone, 10. He was a life time Pickens County resident and worked in water utilities for many years. He worked for Utilities, Inc. and managed water treatment facili ties in Georgia and Tennessee at the time of his death. Stone’s funeral was held at Roper Funeral Home in Jasper to standing- room-only capacity. He was a mem ber of the Blaine Masonic Lodge #534. Members of his lodge and other Masonic lodges conducted his graveside service, and Kris Stancil presided over the funeral. Jason Mayfield, longtime friend of Stone and his family, made a statement about the quality of Stone’s character and the positive See Stone on 9A What’s Wanted on Main Street: More shopping & restaurants, says poll By Angela Reinhardt Staff Writer areinhardt@pickensprogress.com A recent poll about what resi dents would like to see in Jasper garnered a big response, with 250 people weighing in. The poll was developed by the Pickens Progress after members of the Jasper Downtown Development Authority expressed interest in so liciting input about what residents want to see here. The DDA wants to take that input into consideration as they move ahead with real estate and other discussions. When asked what people would like to see on Main Street, more restaurants was the top response, with specifics ranging from rooftop dining to upscale dining, to a wider- variety of dining and others. “I have not found the quality of food or selection that is offered by the restaurants very appealing,” one respondent said. “...I go to Ellijay more often because of the variety and the quality of food is better. Many of my friends and acquain tances share the same opinion.” There were a few comments made about the community not needing more Mexican or Chinese dining, and that people wished restaurants on Main Street were open more days of the week After restaurants, more stores/shopping/retail ranked a fairly close second. People want to see a range of stores and specialty shops, from clothing to home decor, kitchen, shoe repair/shoe store, bookstores, and others. “To give an overall more vibrant experience, we need a combination of unique retail — like a leather goods, comic books/collectable/out- door gear/knife shop -- so that a wide range of shoppers have enough to attract their attention and then will have a variety of restau rants to choose from,” one respon dent said. Another said, “I would love to See Jasper Survey on 9A Friday Night Lights Hot, fresh, and ready to eat, the low-country boil is being ladled from the cooker by chief chef Steve Lowe, a school board member. Helping Lowe is PHS Principal Matt Combs while Superintendent Travis Thomas looks on approvingly. By Larry Cavender Contributing Writer The glow of Friday night lights illuminate the skies above many communities every autumn as high school football teams meet in a weekly rite of gridiron competition. On Friday, September 22nd, as the Pick ens Dragons hosted the Lumpkin County Indians in their first region game, several local people tasted a different twist on this traditional sporting and social event. Those VIPs, the sponsors of the PHS football team, had the chance to feast on low country boil before the game prepared by top school officials. It was Pickens High's way of showing their appreciation for the sup port of those sponsors. This low country boil was only one of several dinners which will be held prior to each home game in a hospitality room set up in the new Barnes Agricultural Facility. Last week's feast was the product of a team of local chefs, which included School Superintendent Travis Thomas, Board of Education Member Steve Lowe, Director of Football Operations Michael Nayman, and Pickens High Principal Matt Combs. Three of the cooks gladly acquiesced to the lead ership of the chief chef Lowe, whose recipe was used. When asked about the recipe, Lowe responded, "Well, low country boil recipes are easily found on the inter net." When pressed about his personal recipe, Lowe laughed and replied, "Oh, that recipe is in my head." Whatever the source of the recipe, the result proved to be tantalizingly delicious. As the diners completed their meals they departed for the stands to cheer on the Green. File Photo With new plantings and signage, Jasper’s Main Street continues to evolve. Now the Downtown Development Authority seeks to use recent input to plan future projects. VDK kennels train serious dogs for serious jobs Page 10A Self Reliance F i k - ^ w i Marble Hill store offers homestead classes, advice & products See Fall Festival Guide Public Safety Two serious crashes leave multiple motorcycle riders injured, one fatality Page 9A Obituaries 8A • Bob Douglas • Mo Fountain • Lavada Mullins • Brandon Stone • Danny Donaldson $1.00 per copy 4879 08163" o