Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, February 11, 2021
Volume 133 Number 43
Jasper, Georgia
24 pages in two sections
Published Weekly
Utility work around Jasper
will continue for months
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@piekensprogress.com
While originally slated to be
completed by this January, the Geor
gia Power utility project that has
snarled traffic in Jasper for many
months has a new completion date of
May, according to the Georgia
Power project website.
This project is part of Georgia
Power’s Grid Investment Plan that is
“a multi-year initiative to enhance
service and reliability in communi
ties across Georgia. The company is
investing $1.3 billion over the next
three years as the initial phase of our
multi-year grid investment plan,” the
site states.
The local project area is north
Jasper, areas on Burnt Mountain
Road and in Talking Rock, and in
cludes “undergrounding” powerlines
and automated line devices. When
powerlines are underground they re
duce the number of outages experi
enced because they are not prone to
being hit by trees, affected by
weather events, or damaged by vehi
cles. Automated line devices isolate
outages to smaller areas on the line
so fewer customers lose power, the
website states.
Jasper officials have little to no
control over when and where Geor
gia Power crews or their subcon
tracted crews work. The city was
originally made aware of the large
project in August. There have been
some issues with subsurface
breeches of other utility lines, which
was anticipated when the project
began.
Jasper City Manager Brandon
Douglas said, “The city has worked
as closely with [Georgia Power] as
possible to minimize disruptions and
will continue to do so as this project
progresses forward. The contractors
and their subs have been supportive
of assisting us when there have been
errors and we look forward to the
successful completion of this proj
ect.”
The Georgia Power project web
site that shows the new May comple
tion date was updated on February 5.
The Progress attempted to contact
Georgia Power but they could not be
reached before press time.
Georgia Power is utilizing sub
contractors, including Pike Contrac
tors and Flagger Force that have
been seen locally.
Man dies after
using gasoline
in burn barrel
Jasper Farmers Market FB / Photo
Floyd Allen Reed, who passed
away after sustaining severe
burns, was a well-loved vendor at
the Jasper Farmers Market.
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@piekensprogress.com
A west Pickens man passed
away overnight Monday, February
8 after burning over 90 percent of
his body when he attempted to
start a fire with gasoline.
According to the incident re
port, on Monday, Feb. 8 at approx
imately 10:28 a.m., Pickens
deputies responded to a medical
call of a person on fire and badly
burned on Moores Gin Road. Of
ficials said his wife made the call
to 911.
Upon arrival to the scene, the
responding officer could smell
flammable liquid from a bum bar
rel that contained cut limbs. There
was melted rubber in the barrel
and burnt clothing on the ground,
the incident report states. The vic
tim, Floyd Allen Reed, 79, told
EMTs he attempted to start the fire
with gasoline. A medical unit
transported Reed to Pickens
County Fire Station #12 where he
was airlifted to WellStar Cobb. He
was transported in critical condi
tion but succumbed to his injuries
overnight.
Reed was a well-loved vendor
at Jasper Farmer’s Market, where
he was known as “The Birdhouse
Man.” In a Facebook post on the
Jasper Farmers Market page, or
ganizers said they were “saddened
to hear of the passing of an always
nice and very talented man. ‘The
See Burns on 10A
Chamber gives yearly awards
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR — Quick Burger Restaurant was named the Pickens County Chamber of Com
merce 2021 Business of the Year. Quick Burger, owned by Joan and Donald Hoy, has been a Chamber member
since 2015. The restaurant has helped numerous organizations in Pickens County. Quick Burger sponsors
Pickens High School sports and activities, they have providedfood for Pickens County teachers, for Mountain
Ed and banquets for students free of charge. They provided meals to Piedmont Mountainside hospital, donate
to Toys for Tots, and sponsor the Pickens County Chamber’s Youth Leadership Program.
named the Chamber’s 2021 Citizen of the Year.
“Margy has helped thousands of families in Pickens
County since she founded Prevent Child Abuse Pickens
in 1995,” said Amberle Godfrey, president of the Pick
ens Chamber. “Even working without pay for several
years after losing funding to ensure the program con
tinued and Pickens County families continued to be
served, her loyalty and determination allowed the or
ganization to exist today. ”
Even after retirement in 2018 Margy continues to
volunteer for non-profits and personally visits and
helps families.
Above, Lohman was delivered her award by Am
berle Godfrey and Parish Lowrie, while at home recov
ering from a wreck, see story Page 2B.
AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR — Sheri Crowe was
named the 2021 Ambassador of the Year for the Pick
ens County Chamber of Commerce.
“Sheri is a true asset to our Chamber and to our
community,” said Amberle Godfrey, Chamber presi
dent and CEO. “She serves as secretary of the Ambas
sadors and president of the Professional Women of
Pickens County. She always goes the extra step to sup
port our members and our community and does so
with a giving attitude. ” Sheri, a native of Tate, has
been described by many as dependable, reliable, and
consistent. We are very fortunate to have Sheri as an
Ambassador of the Pickens County Chamber of Com
merce.
Sheri celebrated her 30-year anniversary with the
Pickens County Progress in November of2020 where
she now serves as the newspaper’s general manager.
Dobbs recognized for 30 years
Pickens Chief Tax Ap
praiser Roy Dobbs, cen
ter, with (L-R) Pickens
Commissioners Jerry
Barnes and Becky Den
ney, wife Debbie Dobbs,
daughter Kayla Kinzer,
and Pickens Commission
Chair Kris Stancil
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
Pickens’ Chief Tax Ap
praiser Roy Dobbs was rec
ognized for three decades of
employment with the county
government. At a called Pick
ens Board of Commissioners’
meeting on Thursday, Feb. 4
Commission Chair Kris Stan
cil read a resolution marking
Dobbs’ service.
“Whereas, since the for
mation of Pickens County in
1853 our citizens have relied
See Dobbs on 10A
Raven & Bear brings new
unusual retail to Jasper
If you need a Tarot reading, love spell or protection
crystals, Raven & Bear on S. East Street is ready to
help and if you have no idea what any of those things
are, they still welcome you to the “most bubbly” busi
ness in town. Page 10A.
Inside:
PHS wrestlers
headed to State
Page 1B
GBI investigates
officer involved
shooting in
Pickens County
On Monday, February 8,
at approximately 2:45 p.m.,
the Georgia Bureau of Inves
tigation was requested by the
Pickens County Sheriff’s Of
fice to conduct an officer in
volved shooting
investigation, according to a
GBI press release.
At approximately 2:30
p.m., the Pickens County 911
Center received a request for
a welfare check on a man
that was expressing suicidal
thoughts at a residence on
Dianne Street. The man was
reportedly armed with a
replica gun and expressed a
desire to die at the hands of
law enforcement. The man
was identified as Chris
Childers, 46, of Jasper, Geor
gia, the release states.
“The Pickens County
Sheriff’s Office responded to
the residence to check on
Childers, when they encoun
tered Childers armed with a
gun. Repeated verbal com
mands were given to
Childers to drop the weapon.
Childers put the gun down
and then picked the gun up
again, at which time he was
shot by the responding
deputy. The deputy and an
additional responding deputy
rendered aid until EMS
could arrive. Childers was
See Shooting on 10A
Obituaries - 7 A
• Bonnie Pierce
• Daryl Skaggs
• Hank Jenkins
• Yvonne Pless
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
