About Pickens County progress. (Jasper, Ga.) 1899-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 7, 2008)
A place o f their own Efforts are underway to build a group home for developmental^ disabled residents PAGE 6A- Briefly ... BRAG riders to pedal in Everything is set for the second annual BRAG SummerRide with organ izers expecting to see some 200 bicyclists hit ting the roads of Pickens County this weekend. Page 10A More Mania Main Street Mania returns to downtown Jasper this Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m. The featured performers will be Walkin’ Joe. Page 7B so den t; fee oilTit School’s in, so don’t be out A local group working with the school system is discussing ways to improve attendance. Their goal is to build communi ty support and earn an “exemplary” designation. They’re kicking off a campaign: “School’s In, Don’t Be Out!” Page 3A Singing Convention revived A committee is at work reviving the Pickens County Singing Convention. In years past, this event brought big crowds to Jasper, and organizers hope the group singing will be heard once again come September. Page 5A Weather By WILLIAM DILBECK HI LOW RAIN Tuesday 92 68 .05 Wednesday 87 69 .39 Thursday 85 69 .71 Friday 85 70 .00 Saturday 90 66 .11 Sunday 87 62 .00 Monday 89 64 .00 Deaths Ronnie Fountain, Sr Hazel Mosley Laurie Lovett Gregory Zairis Wayne Willingham Jerry Youmans OBITUARIES . ..See Page 11A The Progress is printed in part on recycled newsprint and is recyclable 8 16 3 THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2008 • VOLUME 121 NUMBER 14 • JASPER, GEORGIA • 500 Books, books, books - Kelly Howell’s third grade class at Jasper Elementary is pictured on their first day of the 2008-09 school year. More than 4,300 students headed to class Tuesday to kick off another school year. Superintendent Mike Ballew said officials accurately estimated the number of students who would be reporting to class this year and had the correct number of classrooms and teachers ready to go. Ballew said there were 2,202 students in local elementary schools, 958 in middle school and around 1,190 at the high school. Elementary enrollment is up by 79 students while middle school enrollment is down by 45, accord ing to first day of school numbers. “We anticipated the elementary school numbers going up this year,” Ballew said. “I do think our num bers will go up by the end of the week. We’re looking forward to and anticipating another great year.” First meeting scheduled for August 8 Advisory Commission invites public to discuss future of SPLOST-approved courthouse By Angela Mitchell The newly formed Pickens County Courthouse Advisory Commission (Pickens CAC) is asking all interested members of the public to attend the first of several meetings in which the commission will discuss Pickens County Courthouse renovations to be funded by the 1-cent sales tax exten sion approved in February of this year. The first meeting will be held on August 8, 2008 at 1 p.m. in the Appalachian Technical College Education Center, Room 318, and will be, according to commission head Dr. Sanford Chandler, an “establishment meeting” that will set the groundwork for future discussion of the $17 mil lion upgrade. Speaking on behalf of the CAC, Dr. Chandler (also president of Appalachian Technical College) said, “We want everyone in the community to have the opportunity to be heard and give input, and we want the com mission to represent their desires.” Dr. Chandler said the commission is not entering into the public meet ings with any preconceived ideas about the future of the project and expects the commission’s direction to firm up after CAC meetings begin. Any member of the public who wishes to address the commission will be asked to state their name and address (to ensure Pickens County residency) and will be given three minutes to voice their concerns and suggestions. “The public may come up with ideas we haven’t,” Dr. Chandler said, “and we want to hear what they have to say.” The CAC was created following discussions between Commissioner Robert Jones and the previous Pickens County Grand Jury. The Grand Jury recommended a four-person advisory commission be created to provide guidance and input to the commis sioner’s office as the courthouse is planned and constructed. The Pickens CAC directives include monthly reports to Commissioner Jones on project progress, reviewing all requirements and plans for the facility with the Continued on page 13A Family asking community for prayers and support Pickens couple drowns in Panama City “Exceptional” daughters left motherless A photo of Laurie Lovett and Gregory Zairis taken just two days before their drowning death off the coast of Panama City Beach. The photograph was taken by Lovett’s 15-year-old daughter, Lydia Lingerfelt. By Angela Mitchell “All I can say is that she died with the man of her dreams,” said Dori Lovett, family member to a Pickens County couple who drowned last Wednesday after being pulled into the Gulf of Mexico by a strong riptide off the coast of Panama City Beach. Laurie Lovett, 43, and fiance Greg Zairis, 54, who left behind four daughters (two from Pickens County), disregarded double-red flags and verbal warnings before venturing into waters The Panama City News Herald sources described as “swirling” and “choppy” near the scene of the accident. Double-red flags warn all swimmers to stay out of the water. The bodies were spotted float ing face down in the water by someone on the beach. On the day of the drownings, beach officers responded to six calls and assisted more than 15 swimmers in distress, according to a report in The Panama City News Herald. The couple, who had been together for three years and made the trip to Panama City Beach an annual event, was accompanied on their vacation last week by Lydia Lingerfelt, Laurie’s 15 year-old daughter who currently lives in Pickens. Twenty-year old Christina Graves, Laurie’s oldest from Pickens, was not on the trip. According to Dori, Lydia and Christina’s aunt, Lydia remained in the hotel room while her moth er and Zairis went to the beach to swim. “Laurie loved to swim and was a strong swimmer,” Dori said. “Greg had been through two liver transplants and his health wasn’t the best, so we don’t know why they went in. It’s just a different dynamic when you are with some one you love.” Lydia received a telephone call from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office on her cell phone after they found the number in her mother’s phone, which had been left near the couple’s beach chairs. “Lydia was the last number that called her mom, so that’s why they called her,” Dori said. “She was getting worried.” Dori and her husband, Jonathan Lovett (Laurie’s brother) were en route to Panama City Beach the same day to meet up with the fam ily when they received a telephone call from Lydia at about 4 p.m. Continued on page 13A Craig wins Sheriff runoff By Dan Pool Donnie Craig was elected sheriff of Pickens County in the primary runoff election Tuesday, taking 62 percent of the vote with a turnout much higher than expected by election officials. Craig received 2,797 votes to Britt Massey’s 1,711 votes in the Republican Party election. In all 4,513 voters cast ballots giving Pickens a 29.64 percent turnout. In an odd twist, the candidates were able to determine the results using cell phone contacts at polling precincts far ahead of the official vote count at the Admin Building. The candidates’ actions announced the results even as the offi cial total only showed the early votes, absentees and one precinct reporting. With nothing happening officially, Craig and Massey who had been seated next to each other stood up, shook hands and Massey left with a few pats on the back while Craig received hand shakes, congratulations and hugs from a large number of supporters. Following the victory, Craig said, “It’s hard to explain how I feel. It’s a humbling experi ence.” Craig thanked Massey and his family for running a clean, competitive campaign. Craig attributed his victory to grassroots campaign work. The candidate had been praised Continued on Pagel6A Independent weishs in Vincent McPherson in run for commissioner Down on Main Street—Vincent McPherson collected more than 800 sig natures of registered voters to qualify himself as an independent candidate for sole commissioner of Pickens County. At the general election, November 4, voters get to choose between installing McPherson or returning Robert Jones to the office. By Jeff Warren Though Robert Jones won in the Republican primary, July 15, and no Democrat even qualified to challenge him for the job of sole county commissioner, the final decision on who fills that role, come 2009, still hangs in the air. That is because an independent candi date, Vincent McPherson, has entered the race to contend for the office, allowing voters to cast the final say during the general election, November 4. Born in Cherokee County, McPherson grew up at Ball Ground. Today his home is at Tate (since 2005) with wife, Dina, and daughters, Kristen and Chloe. For 22 years, McPherson has worked with local governments—first nine years with Woodstock's water and sewer department, then two years at Canton in a similar capacity, and now 11 years with Forsyth County in its roads and bridges department. McPherson said he supervises one of four county crews in Forsyth County that mills up old asphalt and puts down new. He directs 16 employees daily, he said, and is entrusted with county equipment and materials valued at over a million dollars. McPherson said he entered the commis sioner race to make a change in his life, to expand the scope of his public service. And he wants to improve Pickens County, he said, “to move the county forward.” Continued on page 13A On www.pickensprogress.com/ Visit the Progress Message Board and discuss local news with your neighbors
