Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, October 7, 2021 | Volume 134 Number 25 | Jasper, Georgia | 26 pages, 2 sections | Published Weekly | $1.00
270-unit apartment
complex tabled
by developer
Page 10 A
MATH
3rd Grade
Mommim
75% |
84%
88%
82%
79%
75%
4th Grade
81% |
89%
86%
82%
87%
79%
5th Grade
62% S’
61%
72%
75%
71%
67%
6th Grade
i~pp!Bn 3
78% £
87%
84%
82%
77%
73%
7th Grade
75% |
77%
82%
79%
80%
81%
8th Grade
76% 0
2
78%
77%
80%
76%
78%
Milestone scores
down, but better
than expected
Page 14A
PHS Court
pictures
Page 12B
Disease
bearing
tick found
in Pickens
4-4
Graham Hickling, UT Insti
tute of Agriculture / Photo
The smaller Asian
longhorned tick (left)
compared to the common
Lonestar tick.
“If an animal has one
tick, it’s probably our
common Lonestar tick; if
a cow show’s lip with hun
dreds of ticks on it, we ’re
going to be very suspi
cious (of Asian long-
horned ticks), ” expert
says
By Michele Hatcher
CAES News
As of Sept. 21, an inva
sive and dangerous pest,
the Asian longhomed tick,
has been confirmed in
Pickens County. Experts
are warning livestock pro
ducers and the public to be
on the lookout, as the ticks
can kill an animal by at
taching to a host by the
hundreds.
The Haemaphysalis
longicornis tick was dis
covered on a cow on a cat
tle farm in Pickens
County, marking the first
Georgia case of the inva
sive tick, which has been
found in 16 other U.S.
states so far.
“Currently, I would not
be at all surprised to find
that the tick is already
well-established (espe
cially in wildlife) in other
counties in Georgia, as
well,” warned Nancy Hin
kle, University of Georgia
entomologist and UGA
Cooperative Extension
See Tick on 12A
Junior High
ag center “for
generations
to come”
says Supt.
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
Members of the Pick
ens Board of Education,
school Superintendent
Tony Young, and mem
bers of the construction
and architectural firms
held a ground breaking for
the new ag facility at the
Pickens Junior High
School Campus on Mon
day, Oct. 4.
“This is not something
that’s going to be here for
five years or 10 years, it’s
going to be here for gen
erations and have a posi
tive impact on students...
and the board is to be
commended,” said Young.
“It’s going to be a facility
to be proud of once it is
done. The vision of our
last couple ofboards.. .has
made us a district that
people come to look at
when it comes to facili
ties.”
Chris Erwin of Carroll
Daniel Construction Com
pany, also a former super
intendent and current
member of the House of
See Ag on 12A
Big leadership changes
at city hall, police
More: Special events, Gennett Drive bridge, downtown tasting room
Retiring Jasper Police Chief Greg Lovell was honored for his service. Dixie Street will be renamed to G.G. Lovell
Street in recognition of his time with the department. Jasper Asst. Police Chief Matt Dawkins was appointed interim
police chief. (L-R) Council members Kirk Raffield, John Foust and Sonny Proctor, Chief Lovell, interim Chief
Dawkins, Jasper Mayor Steve Lawrence, and council members Anne Sneve and Jim Looney.
Brandon Douglas, center, has resigned as city manager. Jasper Mayor Steve Lawrence, third from right, will tem
porarily serve as interim city manager until a permanent replacement can be hired.
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
City council members approved
changes to two top leadership positions
at their Monday, Oct. 4 meeting. Fol
lowing the recent resignation of city
manager Brandon Douglas, Jasper
Mayor Steve Lawrence was temporar
ily appointed to serve in that role.
Matt Dawkins, who has served as
assistant police chief, was also ap
pointed as interim police chief in antic
ipation of Greg Lovell’s retirement
from a 34-year career in law enforce
ment at the end of the month.
Lovell retires,
Dawkins appointed interim
Council honored outgoing Jasper
Police Chief Greg Lovell for his long
time service with their department by
renaming Dixie Street to G.G. Lovell
Street. Lovell was noticeably surprised,
and in a rare change to his stoic de
meanor, all smiles.
“I’ve seen Lovell smile more today
than ever,” said council member Jim
Looney, laughing.
Lovell has served in law enforce
ment for over three decades, first with
the Atlanta Police Department, then be
ginning in 1996 with the city of Jasper
as a patrol officer. Lovell rose through
the ranks and became Jasper’s police
chief on October 18, 2011.
Lovell also served in the U.S. Army.
In his outgoing speech, he quoted a les
son taught to police chiefs.
See Changes on 12A
On four-year anniversary of death,
beloved PHS student remembered
“He didn’t know a stranger, ” says grandmother
PHS student Shawn Mask died
four years ago on October 6. He was
15 at the time. The family holds me
morial events each year to honor his
memory. This year, the memorial will
be held on the anniversary of his
death at Sunrise Memorial Gardens.
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
Chris Coker, grandmother of the
Pickens High student killed four years
ago this week, fluctuated between tears
and pride as she spoke about her grand
son.
Coker’s eyes brightened when she
recalled the accomplishments Shawn
Mask made during his short 15 years of
life, and as she described a personality
that inspired everyone around him. Not
only was Mask a highly accomplished
athlete - sought after by several col
leges for baseball, and also a football
player - his family, teachers and friends
describe him as well-loved, compas
sionate, and genuine. Mask was on the
path to great things, it was agreed, and
also the kind of guy who looked out for
the underdog.
“A student Shawn went to school
with came up to me at his funeral and
said he was getting bullied, but that
Shawn - who was popular with his
peers - gave him a pat on the back one
day and asked what the two of them
were going to do later, right in front of
those kids who were bullying him. That
was just the kind of guy he was. He
was always smiling and never knew a
stranger.”
Mask, son of Wesley and Jenny
Mask, died Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 after
school at around 7 p.m. He was riding
a dirt bike near his home on Thompson
Lane in west Pickens and was struck by
a passing vehicle. His father was in the
house at the time of the accident and
saw him thrown into the air.
“My son had his three-year-old in
his lap and jumped up and went out
side,” the grandmother said. “He found
him out there, and screamed and
begged God to have them change
places. He told me he couldn’t bury his
son. It was the day after the family got
together for a birthday party for my
mom. That day he died, I had seen him
just an hour before - we were always
together.”
Mask’s 9-year-old brother at the
time, was outside when the accident
happened. Coker said it was supposed
to be his turn to ride the dirt bike when
his brother was hit, and he wished it
would have been him.
“When he told me that, I told him
that’s not what Shawn would have
wanted,” the grandmother said. “He
would want you to be here and alive
and happy.”
The Cokers thank the high school
community, and the community at
large, for their overwhelming love and
support over the last few years.
“I just can’t brag on them enough,
and all they did,” she said. “The school
was so amazing.”
Pickens High School Principal
Chris Wallace said in his five years as
lead administrator there, Mask’s death
was the most difficult issue he has dealt
with. He remembers vividly that night
when he got the call from the sheriff’s
office as he was pulling up to an away
football game in Dalton. Mask played
football on the JV team, but did not
travel with the varsity team that night.
“It was devastating,” Wallace said.
See Mask on 13A
Inside this Edition:
Marble Festival
Road Race
pictures Page 2B
County offices
lose phones,
internet for
three days
Public officials working to
return messages this week
By Dan Pool
Editor
dpool@pickensprogress.com
Beginning last Wednesday
through late Friday, county
offices in the administration
building, courthouse and
jail/sheriff’s office were with
out phone service and at
about 50 percent internet/e
mail capacity due to an out
age that began with one
failing server.
At no point was the 911
center or the ability to com
municate with first respon
ders compromised as they are
on a separate system.
Commission Chair Kris
Stancil said they recognize
this was “a major inconven
ience” for citizens calling
government offices but at no
point did it create any danger
ous situation.
See County on 13A
Obituaries - 5A
• Ann Duncan
• Arthur Turgeau
• Clyde Ballew
• Cynthia Hensley
• Danny Ryder
• Gino Raymond
• Karla Richards
• Mark Morris
• Pamela Yaremko
• Richard Burrell
• Ronnie Turner
• Stewart Kumbert
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