Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Volume 133 Number 2
Jasper, Georgia
Local News Published Weekly
Wigington
case both
expands
and stalls
By Dan Pool
Editor
dpool@pickensprogress.com
The case against Pickens’
Chief Magistrate Judge
Allen Wigington is expand
ing in the investigation of
possible financial miscon
duct, but at the same time
has come to a standstill due
to COVID-19 restrictions.
Sheriff officials con
firmed last week that the
case has grown from the
original credit card misuse
and suspicious checks that
led to charges against the
chief magistrate in January
to now include all the finan
cial activities of the magis
trate court.
But closed offices, fur
loughed staff, and state in
vestigators unable to travel
here have stalled work, even
as “the case is very much ac
tive,” said Sheriff Donnie
Craig.
The Progress sought in
terviews with Sheriff Craig
and Chief Deputy Jeff Hall
last week to get updates on
the case, which has been
mostly out of public sight
since Wigington, a 25-year
employee of Pickens County
government, was arrested in
late January for financial
crimes. The charges at that
time were for misusing a
county credit card for hotel
nights on three occasions
and writing checks from the
magistrate account to reim
burse Blaine Lodge for
money investigators say he
had improperly taken from
them while serving as their
treasurer.
Sheriff Craig said Friday
the case is “complex and
time consuming.” He noted
See Wigington on 10A
Sirens,
CodeRED
system
put to test
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
A recent test of the
county’s tornado warning
sirens showed that two are in
need of repairs, with a third
to be revisited for retesting.
The county has also been
in contact with the
CodeRED company after
some local complaints with
that emergency alert system.
Here are updates on the two
very different alert methods.
Sirens still used, but
“probably not the best alert
system out there ”
According to county pub
lic information officer
Tucker Green, the county
typically tests outdoor sirens
the first Wednesday of each
month, “but that’s not al
ways the case, there are
times there could be discrep
ancies.”
Green said the sirens are
not tested if there is bad
weather that day “to avoid
unnecessarily scaring peo
ple,” or if there was an event
the sirens were set off in the
immediate days surrounding
that Wednesday due to an
actual weather event.
The county currently has
16 outdoor alert sirens in its
arsenal and one lightning de
tector at Roper Park. Of
those, two sites did not work
properly on the Wednesday,
April 22 test- the site in
Talking Rock did not work
at all and the site in the
Jerusalem area was muffled
See Sirens on 10A
COVID-19 business
restrictions ease up
Angela Reinhardt/ Photo
This couple drove from Canton to eat at Rocco’s Pub on the first day restaurants were allowed to open dining
rooms with limited seating. Staff at restaurants are required to wear face masks as one stipulation of opening.
Still, most local
restaurants keep
dining areas closed
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
The vibe was light and happy in
side Rocco’s Pub on Monday, the first
day in a month restaurants have been
allowed to have dine-in guests. Smil
ing customers were staggered at every
other table to comply with social dis
tancing rules, having what was likely
their first meal in a restaurant since re
strictions were put in place in March.
One couple had driven up from Can
ton to eat at the popular restaurant off
Highway 515. At another table, two
men said they came out for the food,
yes, but especially to have a cold beer.
Rocco’s was by no means packed,
but there were enough tables to keep
servers and kitchen staff busy - and it
was just after 5 p.m., not quite late
enough for the dinner rush. One server
said she was grateful and happy to be
back at work after a month off.
Unlike many other restaurants
which offered curbside and delivery
service, Rocco’s closed completely
when establishments were required to
shut their dining areas.
“It just wasn’t worth it for us to
stay open during that time,” said
Rocco’s owner Dan Ciorrocco.
“We’re glad to be back.”
Despite Gov. Brian Kemp lifting
some restrictions for restaurants be
ginning April 27th, Ciorrocco is one
of just a very few restaurant owners to
open his dining area to guests that day.
Most Pickens restaurants have de
cided to maintain curbside and to-go
orders for a while longer for a variety
of reasons, with owners facing chal
lenges of balancing budgeting and
staffing issues, safety, social distanc
ing and sanitation mandates, and hav-
See Restaurants on 11A
Local governments look to state
for business reopening guidelines
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
Pickens and Jasper leaders are
“holding tight” with their executive
orders regarding COVID-19 restric
tions, abiding by state mandates that
supersede any local acts, and waiting
for cues from Gov. Brian Kemp to see
what moves to make next.
Pickens Commission Chair Rob
Jones said at this point they will keep
their local State of Emergency decla
ration, enacted March 24, in effect
until April 30, “but we could extend it
to May 13,” which would coincided
with the last day of Gov. Kemp’s State
of Emergency declaration (the state’s
shelter in place orders expire April
30th). “I wouldn’t have a problem let
ting it run on into May and then re
grouping and see if we need to re-do
it. I am curious what the governor will
do. I’m also wanting to see if he is
going to open up his state offices or
keep them closed until June. Right
now our county offices are open, the
public just can’t go inside.”
Jones commented on the gradual
opening of some businesses, and said
they would keep an eye on the number
of COVID-19 cases over the next few
weeks and make future decisions
based on that.
“Our cases went up to 21 last I
checked, and Gilmer is more than us
now,” he said. “We will continue to
monitor those numbers as we move
ahead.”
Jasper Mayor Steve Lawrence,
See Guidelines on 10A
Inside:
Top educators
review
distance
learning
Page 2A
Arrests made
in arson cases
Page 7A
County
backpedals on
water
appointee
Page 7A
Obituaries - 5A
School superintendent hired in 3-2 vote
Dan Pool/ Photo
Probate Judge David Lindsey administers the oath of office to new school superintendent Dr. Rick Townsend
(center). School Board Chair Tucker Green was asked to hold the Bible in the ceremony as Mrs. Townsend could
not make the trip here from their home in Brunswick due to shelter-in-place restrictions.
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
Dr. Rick Townsend was sworn in
as Pickens County superintendent
Monday morning, April 27 after the
school board hired him in a split 3-2
vote the week before.
During the swearing in ceremony
held on his first day on the job, Dr.
Townsend said he was happy to be
joining the Pickens system because he
feels it is in good shape with many
available resources, and added that he
would be getting to work immediately
by meeting with administration and
staff.
The split vote was unsettling to
some who thought dissenting board
members Sue Finley and Steve Smith
may have issue with the incoming su
perintendent, but both said they have
no problem See Supt. on 11A
• Dolores Mallernee
• Drew Dover
• Kenneth Stargel
• Leonard Millsap
• Mary Lawson
• Odell Crook
Index
Editorial 4A
Letters to the Editor . 5A
People 8A
Church 2B
Kids 4B
Legals 5B
Classifieds 6-7B
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