Newspaper Page Text
Know where to go and when to be there through our Marble Festival special section inside.
SAT scores for Pickens drop
Latest SAT scores for 2009-2010 school year
Gilmer County
Fannin County
Dawson County
Pickens County
Students taking test per county:
Pickens, 138 - Dawson, 99 - Fannin, 92 - Gilmer, 87
As more students here take
test, average score falls
By Dan Pool
The Pickens County school system
would be grounded if average SAT scores
just released were shown to a parent.
For the first time in years, Pickens’ av
erage SAT score fell below all nearby
counties, the national average, the state av
erage and scores achieved by Pickens
County seniors last year.
But, school officials say, there is a sec
ond number that must be considered to un
derstand why Pickens test-takers dropped
below nearby counties. That second num
ber is the number of students taking the
test.
In scores for 2009-2010 test takers, re
leased earlier in September, Pickens stu
dents posted a 1429 average on the SAT.
That is below the state average of 1442 and
below the average score posted by Gilmer
County (1487), Fannin County’s average
(1456), and Dawson County’s average
(1446). The national average score among
all test takers was 1509.
Assistant School Superintendent
Tommy Qualls said Friday, “For the first
time in a while, we were not above the
state. We went down some.”
Last year, Pickens students had an av
erage SAT score of 1456.
On the three-part test, with each section
having a possible 800 perfect score, Pick
ens students averaged 476 this year on ver
bal, 489 on math, and 464 on the writing
section. Qualls said math scores of local
students improved over last year’s while
scores fell in the other two test sections.
Qualls said he has confidence in the
curriculum at Pickens High and that when
he saw Dragon SAT efforts fall below sur
rounding schools he did some digging. He
said he couldn’t believe Pickens wasn’t on
par with other systems nearby.
What he discovered is that in the other
counties a growing number of students are
now taking the alternate ACT, with fewer
taking the SAT.
For example, Pickens led the way in
SAT participation with 138 students here
taking the test. The test is used for students
who wish to apply to college, but it is up
to students to decide whether to take it or
not. In Pickens, only 14 students took the
ACT. All colleges in Georgia will accept
SAT scores for admission, and about 90
percent will also take the ACT, Qualls said.
According to Qualls’ research, in
Gilmer County (with a similarly sized stu
dent body) only 87 students took the SAT,
and 37 took the ACT. Fannin saw 92 take
the SAT and 56 take the ACT. Dawson had
99 take the SAT, while 30 took the ACT.
Qualls would not speculate as to why
other systems see more students try the
ACT instead of the SAT. ACT results do
not draw the national attention that SAT
scores do.
Qualls was emphatic that research
shows the more kids you have taking the
test - the lower the average score will be.
Qualls said in any year, there are “x
number of students” who will do well on
the test, and when you get more than that
taking the test, the results will drop. He
said people can do the math and see that it
takes several high scores to bring up one
very Continued on Page 16A
Doubts raised on assault/rape
Victim sticks to story
A statement from the GBI
Monday raised doubts on a re
ported home invasion and rape in
Jasper last week. GBI spokesman
John Bankhead said, after confer
ring with local officers, they
wanted to make a statement to
“allay community fears” about
the possibility of a random at
tacker in Jasper.
“On September 22, 2010, the
Jasper Police Department re
quested the GBI to assist with an
investigation into an alleged rape
and home invasion. During the
investigation, agents and officers
developed several inconsisten
cies in the victim’s statement.
The victim in the case is no
longer cooperating with law en
forcement,” read the statement in
its entirety.
The Jasper police received a
call at approximately 8:30 a.m.
last Wednesday from a 25-year-
old mother who told officers her
home was broken into by a 6-foot
tall man wearing all black who
raped and beat her with a base
ball bat.
Bankhead said the case re
mains open, but there is no rea
son to believe there is a random
attacker or rapist in Jasper.
City of Jasper Police Capt.
Greg Lovell, who will be taking
Chief Harold Cantrell’s place fol
lowing his retirement, briefly
commented on the case.
“Basically what we had was
officers canvassed the area,”
Lovell said. “We interviewed
neighbors and one potential sus-
Continued on Page 17A
Sheriff to hold town hall
meetings starting Oct. 5
Sheriff Donnie Craig will
hold a series of town hall meet
ings beginning with a commu
nity-wide forum October 5th at
the Chamber of Commerce
building at 7 p.m.
Sheriff Craig said this will
be followed by smaller forums
in different communities in
cluding one already scheduled
for Big Canoe on October 11th
at 7 p.m. and one in Talking
Rock on October 20th at 6 p.m.
at their city hall.
Future meetings are being
planned for Tate and the Yellow
Creek area.
Craig said at the first meet
ing he will present his current
state of operations and his pro
posed budget for next year.
Next year he will cut his budget
slightly from $5,124,588 down
to a proposed $5,055,923.
He said this cut will come
Continued on Page 16A
From the commissioner’s meeting
Residential water connections
plummet over 3-year period
By Angela Reinhardt
At the September commissioner’s meeting, the
Pickens County Water and Sewer Authority offered
yet another insight into the grim state of the econ
omy.
According to Pickens County Water Director
Larry Coleman, his department has completed just
20 residential connections in 2009, down 88 per
cent from 2007.
The most recent peak for residential connec
tions was 165 in 2005. In 2004, the department
made 77 connections, up from 38 in 2003.
Surprisingly, Coleman said the department has
been able to stay under budget despite the decline
in revenue.
According to Coleman, the authority has taken
in $ 1.3 million in revenue to date and has expended
just $850,000.
“This is the first year ever that the water depart
ment has been in the black, and I’ve been here 33
years,” Coleman said.
Coleman said, while his department is taking in
less money, they have adapted well by cutting back
wherever they can.
“We haven’t let people go, but if they retire or
change jobs, we haven’t been hiring anyone new,”
Coleman said. “We are operating with a skeleton
staff, 14 for the office and the field. We are using
older trucks instead of upgrading. You know,
things like that.”
Georgia Forestry identifies
high-risk areas here
According to Pickens County Fire Chief Bob
Howard, the Georgia Forestry Commission has
identified eight areas in Pickens County that are
high-risk for fires.
These findings are part of a fire hazard mitiga
tion study being conducted by the GFC for all
Georgia counties. The Pickens County study is
now awaiting the signature of Sole Commissioner
Robert Jones.
“The USDA Forest Service and cooperating
state agencies de- Continued on Page 17A
Know before you vote
Guide to Nov. 2 ballot amendments
By Angela Reinhardt
Early voting has already begun for the Novem
ber 2nd General Election, but voters who enter the
booth without doing their research will likely be
confused about some questions on the ballot.
This year voters will be asked to answer “yes”
or “no” on five constitutional amendments and one
statewide referendum.
Here is a quick guide to help you enter the booth
more informed.
State Representative Rick Jasperse recently ex
plained these amendments at a League of Women
Voters forum held at the Pickens County Library,
where some of the Continued on Page 16A
What’s Inside
Union County's sole commis
sioner sounds off on multi
person board
Sole Commissioner Lamar
Paris says a change of govern
ment is not what Pickens needs.
Inside you can read what Paris
has to say about sole commis
sions and the multi-person com
mission question that will
appear on the November ballot.
Page 3A
Winners for Nelson special
election confirmed
Two winners for Nelson's Sep
tember 21st special election
have been announced. These
winners will fill seats left vacant
by the death of councilman Jim
Ingram and councilman Willie
Pye. Find out who won inside.
Page15A
4-H Horse Club trotting off to
success
After just one month the Pickens
County 4-H Horse Club has had
numerous equine-related
speakers and clinics, from doc
tors to horsemanship experts.
Group organizers say feeding
children's love of horses will
help them become more confi
dent and determined young
adults . Kids age 9-19 can join
in on the fun by becoming a
member, but hurry, because the
deadline for applications is fast
approaching. Page 20A
Search begins for Golden
Deed
Do you know a selfless human-
itarian-like 50-plus Pickens res
ident? If so, consider nominating
him or her for The Pickens
County Retired Educators 25th
annual Golden Deed Award.
Learn more about what you
need to do to nominate your fa
vorite do-gooder inside.
Page 4A
Final week of voting for Most
beautiful pet contest
The last chance to cast a vote
for your favorite dog, cat, horse
or goat will be this weekend at
the Marble Festival. The num
ber of contestants has in
creased by a wide margin for
this year’s Pickens Animal Res
cue pet beauty contest.
Page17A
Mortgages on jail, admin, building paid off and torched
By Angela Reinhardt
The bum ban will be in effect
until October 1st, but that didn’t
keep Commissioner Rob Jones
and Sheriff Donnie Craig from
torching two mortgages at the
Pickens County Administration
Building Friday.
In front of a sea of county
workers, Pickens County Fire
and EMS vehicles, Jones and
Craig held up photocopies of
closing certificates on the County
Administration Building and the
Pickens County Sheriff’s Adult
Detention Center while Pickens
County Chamber of Commerce
President Denise Duncan put a
lighter to the documents.
“I don’t know how to express
my excitement to the fact that we
get to burn two mortgages
today,” Jones said.
“I am tickled to death that we
are able to do this.. .especially in
such an economy,” Jones added.
Sheriff Craig echoed Jones’
sentiments, saying, “Having a jail
that’s debt-free is something to
brag about.”
The original loan for the ad
ministration building was $3.2
million. The original loan for the
county jail was $8.2 million.
The installment loans, to
gether totaling nearly $92,000 in
monthly payments, were repaid
using voter-approved SPLOST
money.
The jail was paid off in five-
and-a-half years; the administra
tion building was paid off in
approximately four years.
According to Pickens County
Finance Director Mechelle
Champion the remaining long
term debt for the county is prima
rily comprised of capital leases
for equipment for the road de
partment, a $924,000 note for the
Georgia State Trooper Building
and $389,000 for eight patrol cars
purchased in the summer of
2009.
GETTING ALL FIRED UP - Sher
iff Donnie Craig and Commis
sioner Rob Jones put the fuel to
the fire with two county mort
gages that have recently been
paid off. Damon Howell / Photo
t?
\ ,r
jj:
* MW
Deaths
Sandra Hicks
Annie Hampton
John Barclay
Lela Gilreath
Tim Parks
Robert Ray
Ray Parker
Olen Parker
Leisa Ballew
Roy Watkins
OBITUARIES, Page 9A
Weather
By WILLIAM DILBECK
HI
LOW
RAIN
Tuesday
91
66
.00
Wednesday
91
65
Trace
Thursday
87
64
.00
Friday
86
63
.00
Saturday
85
64
1.64
Sunday
66
61
1.04
Monday
73
54
.04
The Progress is
printed, in part, on
recycled newsprint
and is recyclable.
Letters to the Editor 8A
People 19A
Sports 1B
Legals 6B
Classifieds 12B
0
