Pickens County progress. (Jasper, Ga.) 1899-current, February 09, 2012, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextCOPYRIGHT-THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012 • VOLUME 124 NUMBER 41 • JASPER, GEORGIA • 500 Gail Brown seeks re-election as Clerk of Superior Court Page 6A Stanley Morris enters race for District 1 Commission seat Page 20A Marty Callahan enters race for District 1 Commission seat Page 10A If you would like to subscribe call 706-253-2457 or fill out a form at pickensproaress.com State to begin weighing students Parents may see reports by end of academic period By Dan Pool Editor dpool@pickensprogress.com With administrators making it very clear the ac tion comes by state law, Pickens schools, like all public schools in the state, are set to begin weigh ing and recording the weights of P.E. students. The SHAPE program mandated by the state leg islature requires schools to weigh all students in classes taught by certified physical education teach ers. This means in Pickens County all elementary students and most middle school students will face the scales at least once each year. High school stu dents are only required to take P.E. once during high school’s four years, so they will only be sub jected to the new rules once. The younger elementary school students’ won’t see their weights recorded or anything sent home. But older students will have their weights, heights and overall BMI (Body Mass Index) entered into a computer program (Fitnessgram) by their P.E. teacher, and this will generate a report to be sent home along with suggestions to improve eating/ex ercise habits if the student is overweight. The scale results should be confidential. The weight/height recordings are part of a larger fitness test that includes push-ups, flexibility, run ning and other measured exercises. Like any new state program, there is still a good bit to figure out as officials begin the process in local schools. Assistant Superintendent Tommy Qualls said this is an effort of the state legislature to address Georgia’s chronic and growing childhood obesity problem. Georgia ranks 49th in childhood obesity across the United States. While Qualls said he understands the need to do something, he wasn’t confident this weigh-in pro gram is the answer. “Is this a good idea? Absolutely the intent is good,” Qualls said. “They are saying that this is a problem we need to address.” Qualls said the educators he has discussed this with are “apprehensive” over implementing the program, particularly with issues of weighing chil dren. See Weight on Page 17A Pickens High School wins at reading bowl The Pickens High reading bowl team raises the first place trophy Saturday after winning the regional Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl. The event, which pits teams from 28 school systems across north Georgia in a battle of the bookworms, was held at Chestatee Academy near Gainesville. Pickens High will advance to the division 1 competition, along with Harmony Elementary, on February 25. The Harmony team finished second in their age group (see story and photo on page 3A). Jessica Adams, the PHS media specialist who coaches the team, wrote in an e-mail, there were 20 books from which questions were posed to high school readers. Adams said she encouraged team members to specialize in some of the books on the list and di vided the selections among the team. “They were ‘experts’ on their set of books,” she said. “Of course, all of these students are fan tastic readers and most of them read almost all twenty books anyway.” When asked the favorites among the 20, Adams said, “I believe most of our students would put The Maze Runner by James Dashner, Bruiser by Neal Shusterman, Jane by April Lind ner, or Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien in their top five. Though, of course, all twenty books are award nominated and very good reads.” Last year PHS finished second at the regional level and they hope to continue the winning tra dition, Adams said. See page 3A for other teams which partici pated. Amanda Rogers, Blake Wilson, Katie O'Shields (under the trophy), Allison Kiewel (in the back), Kristina Jarrett, Andrew Haygood, Lindsay McNatt, Coach Jessica Adams and Dovie Greene - team captain hold up their first place trophy. Yellow Creek character area creates “firestorm” among residents Officials say misinformation to blame SR 53/Tate Hwy/Yellow Creek Rd Character Area By Angela Reinhardt Staff writer areinhardt@pickensprogress.com County officials are postponing a presentation from the Georgia Department of Community Af fairs in regard to a “character area” study for the Foothills area. Officials say the meeting has been pushed back in order to streamline it with the development of a state-mandated five-year county development plan happening later this year. But talk of the proposed character area study already has residents in the area stirred up. Many Yellow Creek residents have made angry calls to the county planning and development office complaining that implementation of additional zon ing requirements would be unfair to property own ers there. These officials say, however, that unrest among these residents is by and large a result of misinformation. The area off of Steve Tate Highway was one of 17 “character areas” identified in the Pickens County Comprehensive Plan prepared by the North Georgia Regional Development Center in 2008. These areas were identified because they have either unique features that need to be preserved, they have potential for evolution into unique areas, or because they require special attention due to “unique development issues.” See Character on Page 17A m Legend Hydrology □ SR 53/Tate/Yellow Creek Rd Existing Land Use. 2007 □ Agriculture Commercial r i Forestry □ Industry □ Multo-famrfy Residential [=□ Pubic-Inst tub cxi at □ Parks, Recreation. Conservabon i i Single Family Residential WM Trans . Comm. UtiCes wm Undeveloped Water Above is the proposed boundary for the “character area ” at Yellow Creek/Foothills in the eastern end of the county. If the zoning overlay area is passed, additional requirements would be imposed on parcel owners there. Jasper Council overturns planning commission decision Downtown road closures also approved By Angela Reinhardt Staff writer areinhardt@pickensprogress.com Putting an end to years of battling between residential property owners off Green Valley Farm Road and the Trust Company of Kansas, the Jasper City Council voted unanimously to overturn a decision by the Jasper Planning Commission and grant a re quest to rezone two parcels off of Hwy 515 to general commercial. Rezoning of the Trust Company of Kansas’ 30-acres has become a heated issue, because, while the prop erty sits along the Hwy 515 corridor where the city is actively and vocally working to develop commercially, the surrounding property has been a res idential area for the past 25 years, and residents there say a commercial de velopment would destroy their way of life. At this month’s council meeting, held Monday, Feb. 6, Jasper Planning Commission Chair Tim Ghorley told See Council on Page 13A With new chairman in place, elections board gets to business By Jeff Warren Staff writer jwarren@pickensprogress.com Probate Court Judge Rodney Gibson swore in Jack Barnes as the new chairman of the county elections board Tuesday, February 7. The swearing occurred at the start of the board's scheduled monthly meeting at 11:30 a.m. that Tuesday. The four-member board deadlocked during its January meeting over the choice of a new chair person. Former chair Pat Holmes resigned at the end of 2011. Candidates for Holmes’ replacement were Sheron Nardo (supported by board members Tom Cramer and Paul Lindsey) and Jack Barnes (sup ported by members Kathy Boutwell and Carolyn Childers). The two-two vote threw the choice to Judge Gibson, who selected Barnes to serve. With Barnes installed as chairman, the board got to business. Its first concern was the elections office budget, it having been reduced at the county's financial office from amounts originally called for. "It doesn't make any difference what figure you put down, it gets cut to pieces," Lindsey said. Board members appointed Chairman Barnes and Lindsey to approach the county about bolster ing the amount of money assigned for elections work, this being a major elections year. Of particular concern was the amount budgeted to pay contract poll workers. But also cut were funding for board member training and money for technical support, that being voting machine tech nicians needed on election days. Initially $42,000 was requested to pay for these technical services, but the county later reduced that amount, it was reported. Worse still, the elections office operated most of last year without a pub lished budget, the board lamented. "We're working blind, and you can't do that," Lindsey said. Board members noted the elections office is bound to meet requirements imposed by state and federal government, regulating voting procedure, but depends on county government for funding to accomplish that. Elections Supervisor Julianne Roberts an nounced early voting begins February 13, ahead of the Georgia presidential primary March 6. Federal regulations now also require an open polling place on a Saturday prior to any election that involves federal candidates, she said. Locally that polling Saturday will be February 25 with the Elections Office open for voters from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. With new districts for Pickens County's con gressional seats (two now) and the county newly divided into two State Senate districts, plus resi dent interest in new commission districts, board member Boutwell predicted district maps could be "a hot item" in coming days. The board agreed that maps made available through the elections office will be sold at what it See Election on Page 17A No Main Street Mania this year Due to liability and safety issues created by construction on the Pickens County Courthouse, the Jasper City Council voted to forgo all Main Street Mania shows for this year. It was noted, however, that funds budgeted for Main Street Mania may be used for other events. Main Street Mania became a popular warm-weather affair in the city, one that brings music, food and other vendors to Main Street once a month. Obituaries - Page 15A Herman Brooks Jackie Richards Jerry Appleton Joyce Kerns Steve Greiner Sybil Underwood www.PickensProgress.com www.facebook.com/PickensProgress www.Twitter.com/PickensProgress Part of this newspaper is made up of recycled newsprint and is recyclable.

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Pickens County progress. (Jasper, Ga.) 1899-current, February 09, 2012, Image 1