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PAGE 8A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. APRIL 22. 2021
Continued From 1A
Wigington
sioner, and had an unsuccess
ful attempt running for lieu
tenant governor of Georgia.
Skandalakis later became
part of a federal investigation
into comiption in the Fulton
County government, which
led to the attorney’s disbar
ment in 2005 and a six-
month prison sentence.
Skandalakis has since been
reinstated as an attorney.
Deputy Attorney General
John Fowler went through
each count individually in the
Pickens Courtroom D Mon
day morning, providing brief
details about each charge for
the judge. The vast majority
of those counts involve per
sonal and household items
that were purchased with the
county card through Amazon
and other stores, as well as
charges for hotel rooms and
food. Many of those personal
items - which included things
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Elections
the Pickens elections office
in February 2002 and became
the head of the office in 2007.
Roberts said she felt she
has been unfairly blamed for
problems with the November
2020 elections that relate to
the condition of the elections
office on Pioneer Road. She
said despite the solid Trump
showing here, lingering
anger by some over the elec
tion’s outcome also plays a
factor.
Roberts was shown an e-
mail which listed complaints
about the office that included
everything from the weather
to lack of bathrooms. But she
argues that all the complaints
relate to the building and
were out of her control.
“I have been unfairly
blamed and the board has
been unfairly blamed,” she
said. “People think that we
have control of where we are
located.” The elections office
was moved to the Pioneer
Road location in 2011, when
issues arose with it being
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Meeting
“I tried to leave again,
and he beat me with a broom
until it broke, then picked up
the broken end and beat me
until he got too winded to
hold it....When [my daugh
ter] was a baby I tried to
leave again and he punched
me in the face while I was
holding her.”
She went into several
other graphic details about
the domestic abuse that took
place in her family behind
closed doors. Her children
witnessed several of these
events and Ashley said, “...
there were prayers to God
my children wouldn’t see
me die.”
“You like to think it does
n’t happen here in our
county but it does,” said
Pickens Sheriff Donnie
Craig, who gave a summary
of the afternoon Derek
Cooper was shot on Septem
ber 19, 2020.
Pickens Deputy Andrew
Plemons was dispatched to
the Twin Mountain Lakes
house where Ashley and
their children were hiding
with family. Derek had been
arrested the week before in
Bartow County on domestic
violence charges including
threats to kill his wife, and
was out on bond. The re
sponding deputy found
Derek in the back yard and
gave him verbal commands
to put down the weapon
when Derek brandished a
firearm and fired at the
deputy before attempting to
enter the house. Plemons
like faucets, an oriental rug, a
mattress, kitchen items,
clothing, bathroom items,
and electronics - were recov
ered from Wigington’s resi
dence when the GBI
executed a search warrant
last year.
There are also charges in
volving the misuse of funds
at Blaine Lodge where he
was treasurer. In addition,
Wigington has been accused
of paying for training on the
county card and filing for re
imbursement for that training
through the Institute of Con
tinuing Judicial Education
and pocketing that money.
Other details that emerged
during the plea hearing in
cluded information about one
theft by taking charge involv
ing a local attorney who
oversaw the Pickens High
School mock trial program.
According to deputy attorney
general Fowler, one student
was not able to pay for a suit
for the trial. The local attor-
housed near the county of
fices where incumbent candi
dates worked.
Also, she said there were
accusations that they turned
down other sites for early
voting in the fall of2020, but
she was not offered another
site until early voting had
begun and complaints were
mounting. She said the con
dition of their building had
never been discussed by
commissioners before the
early voting complaints
arose.
“If I had been offered an
other site and turned it down,
then this would have been on
me,” she said.
She also responded to crit
ics, that Pickens fared no
worse than other Georgia
counties in the November
election with new voting ma
chines, and volunteers not
available due to COVID and
the massive turnout.
“There was nothing iso
lated to Pickens,” she said.
Pickens is facing a com
plaint with the attorney gen
eral regarding the
handicapped access.
ney offered to pay for it if the
student applied to several
colleges. Wigington took
$200 from the attorney and
insisted he make the trip to
purchase the suit. Fowler said
Wigington pocketed the $200
and charged both the stu
dent’s suit and a suit from
K&G for himself on the
county card.
In one count his wife
Rosemary is charged in re
garding a Microsoft com
puter purchased from Best
Buy, Fowler explained that
there was a series of text
messages between the former
judge and Mrs. Wigington re
lating to the purchase. One of
the two defendants stated in
the text exchange that the
computer was not in the
household budget, and the
other asked if it could be in
the county budget.
Two other counts that
name Mrs. Wigington, a
teacher in the Pickens school
system, involved a charge for
In a written statement,
Roberts stated, “It has been
my absolute pleasure serving
the voters of Cobb, Cherokee
and Pickens for the past 25
years. I have been fortunate
to serve under wonderful
board members over the
years that truly love the com
munity. I will miss the many
poll workers that I was
blessed to work with. We
have some of the best poll
workers in the state and I will
always cherish their friend
ship.”
Interviewed while check
ing the closed office on Pio
neer Road Monday, Election
Board member William Bell,
who has been a vocal critic of
the re-establishment plan,
said the legislation to re-es
tablish the board is expected
to take effect on July 1 but
until then, the current board
remains in charge.
Bell said the situation is a
little more complicated as
Elections Board Chair Jack
Barnes is out with a medical
issue and another member
has moved away with the re
placement not sworn in.
Commissioners recognized Pickens Fire Chief Sloan
Elrod for his 20 years of service. In a post on Pickens
County government’s social media page it states, “Mr. Elrod
demonstrates distinguished and outstanding strengths and
qualities as Pickens County Fire Chief...He serves Pickens
County with a commitment to excellence, which includes
his many civic duties and participation. Pickens County is
privileged to have a fire chief with such character and in
tegrity as Mr. Elrod. ”
then fired at Derek, who
died later in the hospital as a
result of his injuries.
“It is without question
that Deputy Plemons’ ac
tions that day saved many
lives,” said Sheriff Craig.
“In the 12-and-a-half years
I’ve been sheriff I’ve never
given this award.”
Ashley thanked Deputy
Plemons for his bravery and
for saving her family’s lives,
and said she hoped her story
would help other victims
seek help they need and let
them know there can be a
light at the end of a very
dark tunnel.
In other news
from the meeting:
•A rezoning application
for nearly 280 acres in Talk
ing Rock off Big Ridge
Road was tabled until the
Longarm Quilting Services
for all Quilts
Computer guided edge to edge quilting
Amelia Broussard
Phone: 706-692-5663
or e-mail: broussardcol@msn.com
next commissioners’ meet
ing. The applicant, RLF
Talking Rock LLC, is re
questing the parcel be re
zoned from Agricultural to
Rural Residential to build
single-family homes. The
project could bring 80
homes to the area. The issue
was tabled because commis
sion chair Kris Stancil was
not in attendance due to a
family medical situation,
and vice chair Becky Den
ney said she would prefer
the entire board to be there
to vote on an issue of such
importance.
One resident expressed
concern that there had been
significant supplementation
added to the original appli
cation, specifically to the
way water would be sup
plied to lots, and that he felt
the public should have an
opportunity to speak in an
open meeting regarding
additional concerns. Com
missioners will hold a
called meeting the same
day as their May work ses
sion to vote on the matter.
•Commissioners declared
April Sexual Assault
Awareness Month.
•Commissioners declared
April as Child Abuse
Awareness Month.
training that was paid for on
the county card and also re
imbursed to Wigington
through the Board of Educa
tion; as well as a plane ticket
to Naples, Fla.
It was noted that the Ama
zon account used to make
purchases was linked to Mrs.
Wigington’s email address.
Regarding one of the
unauthorized clothing pur
chases, Fowler said Wiging
ton was seen wearing one of
the shirts in a Facebook post.
There were also several
charges for probiotic cap
sules; Fowler said Wigington
would give those capsules
away to people in and out of
the courthouse.
After hearing the state’s
details of Wigington’s
charges, Judge Colston said
she felt the state was being
“magnanimous” over some
of the concessions they
made.
Towards the end of the
hearing, the judge said that
Bell, Tara Cannon and
Paul Lindsey remain active
on the board and will serve
until June 30th.
The board faces several is
sues including a national po
litical group’s open record
request seeking all e-mails
between elected officials and
the office staff regarding the
reestablishment plans; a
local recall effort against two
school board members; city
elections coming this fall;
and a complaint at the state
level over the handicapped
accessibility of the elections
office.
Bell confirmed that the of
fice’s second employee,
Cathy Connell, is certified to
do most things in the office,
but she is expected to be out
for some time on medical
leave.
Bell said the meeting with
the other board members and
input from the secretary of
state’s office will clarify how
they proceed. “We can do
what we need to get done,”
he said. “Is it ideal? No.”
Pointing to the closed of
fice, Bell said, “Those who
wanted to abolish this board
completely and then re-estab
lish it, I guess they can see
their wishes come true.”
by entering a guilty plea it
would revoke Wigington’s
bond. This appeared to take
the defense somewhat by sur
prise.
“You look stressed,” the
judge said.
Judge Colston told attor
neys if they had a document
she could sign the bond could
be extended. She said it could
be handwritten, but that it
needs to be “like now,” or
that Wigington would have to
be taken into custody. De
fense attorneys drafted a
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Dumping
Thrift Store, Craig said his
officers and the county mar
shal began taking a hardline
stance against anyone leaving
anything at the gate in front
of the store. The entrance is
on a public road and drop
ping stuff there after hours is
illegal dumping, not donat
ing, as one of the offenders
tried to claim, the sheriff said.
Another common problem
is people mixing plain house
hold garbage in with dona
tions to leave.
People have long left
household goods in the
store’s parking lot before the
chain was put up, but then
began leaving them at road
side. As Bishop has said pre-
Continued From 1A
Vaccine
the Pickens County Recre
ation Department, 1329
Camp Road, Jasper.
“We wanted to go ahead
and allow folks who were
having any issues with
scheduling an appointment to
come on and get vaccinated,”
King said regarding the
walk-in option.
She added that people
who receive a vaccine in
Pickens County have been
travelling from all over Geor
gia, and are not just locals.
Good Samaritan Health &
Wellness Center in Jasper has
administered 1,400 vaccines
and also said they have
ample supply and appoint
ments are available.
handwritten document in the
courtroom that extended the
bond because sentencing was
being withheld until a later
date.
Wigington’s sentencing
date was scheduled for late
May. Both state and defense
estimate that they will need
between an hour to an hour
and a half to present during
the sentencing.
Prior to his arrest in Janu
ary of 2020, Wigington had
been an employee of county
government for 25 years.
viously, even if it’s a nice
couch or clothing, no one
wants it when it sits out in the
rain overnight.
Craig said anything left in
that area, not directly given to
Thrift Store volunteers when
they are open will be consid
ered illegally dumped.
“We are just not going to
tolerate this,” the sheriff said.
“That is a public roadway
and especially people who
put their household garbage
there. It just isn’t going to be
tolerated.”
The fines for the citation
are set by the Magistrate
Judge, not immediately avail
able.
The Community Thrift
Store on Samaritan Way is
open Tues.-Sat, 10 a.m., until
1 p.m.
Bell’s Family Pharmacy
in Tate has administered be
tween 1,300 and 1,500 vac
cines, and has appointments
available as well, which can
now be made on their web
site www.bellsfamilyphar-
macy.com.
“We haven’t stopped since
March 1st,” said pharmacist
and owner Katie Bell. “I’d
say we’re averaging between
30 and 50 a day.”
Contact the NGHD to
schedule your vaccine at 1 -
888-457-0186 or visit them
online at www.nghd.org.
Schedule your vaccine at
Good Samaritan Health &
Wellness by visiting
www.goodsamhwc.org/covid
-19. They can be reached at
706-253-4673.
Brownell, Whaley winners
in Chamber’s raffle
Congratulations to Eddie
Whaley and Ronnie
Brownell, the Grand Prize
winners of our Lucky 8 Re
verse Raffle.
The Pickens Chamber of
Commerce would like to
thank our community volun
teers, board members, and
ambassadors who make this
event a huge success. With
out the help of all of you, this
would not be possible. Thank
you to all the businesses who
donated door prizes, Jasper
Coca-Cola and Pepsi Bever
ages Company for providing
drinks, Shade Tree BBQ and
Deb’s Bakery for the deli
cious meals and desserts, and
especially to all those who
purchased tickets. We tndy
appreciate each and every
one of you.
Ronnie Brownell is pictured with Chamber representatives Michelle Kuriger, Amberle
Godfrey and Jenna McQueen receiving his winnings from the Chamber’s annual Lucky
8 Reverse Raffle.
Eddie Whaley is all smiles here with Kuriger, Godfrey and McQueen as he receives his
check from Saturday’s drawing. Whaley and Brownell had the last two tickets to be drawn
for the night’s raffle, choosing to split the prize.