Pickens County progress. (Jasper, Ga.) 1899-current, June 04, 2020, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextThursday, June 4, 2020 Volume 133 Number 7 Jasper, Georgia Local News Published Weekly Former magistrate could face hundreds of additional charges By Dan Pool Editor dpool@pickensprogress.com A search warrant exe cuted by GBI agents at the home of former Pickens Chief Magistrate Allen Wig- ington on May 21st led to the seizure of numerous items, ranging from a king size mattress to a high tech ear wax remover, which they say were illegally purchased using the county credit card. The financial crimes case against Wigington, a 25-year employee of county govern ment who also served as the head of an influential state judges’ organization, has been expanding since he was initially charged in late Jan uary with the improper use of the county credit card and writing checks from the magistrate court to cover money investigators say he stole as treasurer of the Blaine Lodge. The search warrant exe cuted in late May dealt solely with Amazon pur chases investigators say Wigington made using the Allen Wigington Facebook/ Photo Photos like this one from Allen Wigington’s Facebook page, taken during a family vacation to Disney in 2018, showed investigators fraudulent hotel charges were made to the county credit card and later reported as county business. county funds. For some of while others he simply to information released by the purchases he submitted turned into the county fi- sheriff investigators, altered receipts as a cover, nance department, according The warrant, prepared by GBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Walsing- ham, stated there were “items purchased on Ama zon itemized in attachments “A” and “B” which are being possessed in violation of Georgia laws O.C.G.A. 16-8-2 Theft by Taking and O.G.C.A 16-10-20 False Statements and Writings.” Each purchase found to be fraudulent could result in an additional criminal charge, expanding the case against Wigington from the initial handful of charges to hundreds of potential charges. However, investiga tors with the local sheriff’s office and DA said the case has stalled somewhat due to the mandated court closures, leaving them unable to call a Grand Jury before August. It has also been hampered as local agencies have been working with the state attor ney general and the pan demic has slowed the work and travel of the multi agency effort. According to sheriff of fice information, the GBI See Wigington on 12A Absentee ballots could slow election results By Angela Reinhardt Staff writer areinhardt@pickensprogress.com The final week of early voting for the primary elec tion is nearly over, with the last day to cast an early bal lot Friday, June 5. Election day is the following Tues day, June 9, but the hefty amount of absentee ballots could cause a delay to final counts. The Pickens Elections & Registration Office issued 5,123 absentee ballots for this primary election, which includes the presidential pri mary and several state and local races. This is signifi cantly more absentee ballots than the election supervisor has ever issued in the past, which was at most 500 prior to this election. The state will allow elec tions offices to begin count ing ballots the morning of Election Day on June 9. However, Julie Roberts, the local elections supervisor said due to the small size of the Pickens building they See Ballots on 13A Georgia cities rocked by protests against police brutality By Beau Evans Staff writer Capitol Beat News Service Intense protesting against police brutality and racial in justice rocked several Geor gia cities over the weekend as local officials imposed nightly curfews and Gov. Brian Kemp ordered Na tional Guard members to help quell bouts of property destruction. Demonstrations in At lanta, Athens, Savannah and Gainesville coincided with nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd, a 46- year-old black man who See Protests on 15A Get your books curbside and contact-free Library’s virtual service demands skyrocket during pandemic Angela Reinhardt / Photo Pickens Library Branch Manager Emma Ingle, wearing a custom Se quoyah Regional Library System face mask, gets book orders ready for pickup through their new contactless “Sidewalk Service. ” By Angela Reinhardt Staff writer areinhardt@pickensprogress.com It couldn’t be called a stream of people by any stretch, but during the brief window I was at the Pickens County Library last week, two people picked up books curbside and two oth ers returned books they had likely had since branches closed in March. The building itself is still closed to patrons, but the local library and all branches in the Sequoyah Regional Library System have started to offer services as part of their phased re opening. Book checkouts are now being performed through a contact- free sidewalk service, and book re turns are all done through the drop box. “It’s starting to pick up as people figure out we are offering these serv ices,” said Pickens Library Branch Manager Emma Ingle. Books, movies, CDs, and other materials can be re quested through the “Sidewalk Serv ice” program. A library staff member contacts patrons to schedule a pick-up time Monday through Friday. Orders are placed near the library’s entrance and sorted by the recipient’s first four letters of their last name and the last four numbers of their library card. “Our community has given incred ible support to our digital collection of eBooks, audiobooks, and eMagazines during this period of social distanc ing,” said Sequoyah Regional Library System Executive Director Anita Summers. “With our new Sidewalk Service, we’re ecstatic to expand their options even further by reuniting read ers with our physical collection of li brary materials.” Ingle said library staff, none of whom have been furloughed at this point, sanitizes all books and other li brary materials that are checked in or checked out. People who had books checked out See Library on 15A Playground equipment on the way Audit, zoning issues, also handled by Jasper Council By Angela Reinhardt Staff writer areinhardt@pickensprogress.com Parents and children who have been missing the playground at Jasper City Park will be happy to know that the new equipment will be here this summer. Jasper City Council’s streets and parks committee member Anne Sneve gave a brief update at their Monday, June 1st meeting. She said equipment has been ordered and the city is anx iously waiting for it to be delivered and installed. Council approved purchase of the equipment earlier this year, with the winning contract going to Southeast Outdoor Solutions, not to exceed $55,000. City crews tore down the old wooden equipment in early March. The new set is expected to be deliv ered in six to eight weeks, with a two- day installation time. The new set features two ADA swings in addition to two baby swings and other elements like slides, a rock climbing wall, and monkey bars, ac cording to an artist rendering. City of ficials noted the ADA swings will be green, not red as they appear in the photo, and orientation of the equip ment could be different. The new equipment that has been ordered will See playground on 15A Inside: Morris sworn in as chief magistrate Page 12B County parks reopen Page 1B Mtn. Education student to become diesel mechanic after graduating at age 15 Page 8A Obituaries - 13A • Diane Eubanks • Eve Stapler • Michael Silvers • Tommy Estes Index Editorial 3A Letters to the Editor . ,4A Church 2B, 5B Kids 8B People 4B Classifieds 10-11B Legals 9B Follow Us Online |fl You |]j@ Contact Us 94 North Main Street Jasper, Ga. 30143 706-253-2457 www.pickensprogress.com Open for business during these hours: Mon-Thurs, 9-5, and Fri, 9-4:30

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Pickens County progress. (Jasper, Ga.) 1899-current, June 04, 2020, Image 1