Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, January 27, 2022 | Volume 134 Number 41 | Jasper, Georgia | 22 pages, 2 sections | Published Weekly | $1.00
He "took a bullet meant for me"
Shooting survivor honors friend
Photo courtesy of family
Sean McNeal, who was shot last week and is now recovering, pictured
with his three children Anna Kate, Macy Jean, and Blake.
Photo from Facebook page
“A BRIGHT LIGHT” - Mike Maillet, left, was killed in a double
shooting last week. He was known for his love of music and generous
personality.
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
Pickens resident Sean McNeal,
who is recovering from shots to the
abdomen and head in a deadly inci
dent in Jasper last week, doesn’t
want to be seen as a victim. He
wants to make the most of the sec
ond chance he feels God has given
him. He wants to encourage people
to get those with mental health issues
the help they need. And he wants
people to remember his friend Mike
who lost his life and who “took a
bullet meant for me.”
The double-shooting occurred on
Thursday, Jan. 20 shortly before 6
p.m. Deputies responded to a shots
fired call at a home off Golden
Springs Drive, near Dollar General
on West Church Street.
According to Pickens Sheriff’s
Detective John Cagle, McNeal, 37,
and John Michael Maillet, 53, were
found shot in the kitchen area. Cagle
said the two were in the house with
another friend when the sole suspect,
See Shooting on 11A
Ranger
couple
dies from
carbon
monoxide
poisoning
Staff Reports
A Ranger couple was
found dead in their home
last week, with the prelim
inary investigation point
ing to carbon monoxide
poisoning as probable
cause of death.
Sammie Hammond,
67, and Martha Ham
mond, 69, were discov
ered in their Family Acres
Road home on Thursday,
January 20 at around 7
p.m. The power was out
when the responding
deputy arrived, and there
were several propane and
kerosene heaters inside, as
well as propane tanks. The
See Couple on 11A
County
shifts gears
on Roper
Park after
being
“blindsided
Progress seeking “list”
for airport hangar rentals
In an informal gathering, Progress staff met with pilots on a cold night on Thursday, January 20 in Hangar 15.
The pilots discussed a number of issues they have with the Pickens Airport Authority expansion plans. The Progress
has filed several open records requests, including one for the list ofpilots seeking T-hangar leases.
Staff Reports
Last week the Pickens Progress
filed several open records requests re
garding hangar rentals at the airport.
The “list,” as it has come to be
known around the Pickens airport, is at
the center of contention involving some
pilots and the airport authority. The
issue revolves around the order pilots
have and will get to lease the T-hangars
the county is building and has built.
Specifically, the Progress sought
any and all lists determining the order
hangars would be assigned; who is
leasing the county T-hangars; and who
actually has planes based in each of the
hangars. There has been some concern
among pilots about sub-letting hangars
for profit.
The list once hung on the airport of
fice wall available for all to view, but it
was taken at down at some point for
reasons unclear to most involved.
Several pilots have vocally con
tended that people are being skipped
over on the list and that there has been
favoritism in assigning the leases. T-
hangars are a hot commodity in short
supply, allowing pilots to store planes
indoors.
One person, with knowledge of the
situation, told the Progress that there
may be as many as four different lists,
with at least one on a computer spread
sheet and others handwritten.
Commission Chair Kris Stancil said
late last week that the airport’s recently
hired administrative assistant had a
case of COVID serious enough that it
left her physically unable to come into
See Liat on 11A
Champagne dreams,
beer budget, rec
director says of park
plans
Cloth masks no longer permitted
at Piedmont Mountainside Hospital
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
County recreation offi
cials have developed a
new, scaled-back strategy
for making improvements
to Roper Park after esti
mates from a design firm
came in over four times
their budget.
For many years the
park has been considered
outdated and inadequate
for the community’s needs
- then last May the county
announced Roper Park
See Park on 11A
Only
medical
masks
allowed
now
Hospital Press Release
Visitors and patients at Piedmont
Mountainside Hospital must now wear
medical masks, as opposed to cloth
masks, when at the hospital.
The goal of the updated masking
policy is to prevent the spread of the
highly contagious omicron variant of
COVID-19. The new ride applies
across the Piedmont system to visitors,
patients and staff.
“We know that the filtration effec
tiveness of cloth masks is lower than
that of medical masks and respirators,”
said Moiz Master, Chief Medical Offi
cer at Piedmont Mountainside. “Not
only is it lower, it also varies widely. In
addition, the fit of cloth masks de
creases their effectiveness. While they
are a suitable alternative for public use
when medical masks are unavailable
See Masks on 11A
Inside this Edition:
Read Sheriff’s
Beat on last
week’s calls
Page 7B
Earthquake
causes small
“shake up” in
north Georgia
Plans
DDA looking to
add events in
Jasper this year
Page 2A
Sports
PHS Nettes
bring 14-game
streak into
matchup with
Heritage
Page 1B
Obituaries - 9A
• Amanda Matthews
• Anthony Cox
• Jeanette Grizzle
• Marie Krafcik
• Martha Hammond
• Nise Cook
• Sammie Hammond
• Sara Goss
• Varan Sheats
• Walter Silver
• Willis Payne
Contact Us
94 North Main Street
Jasper, Ga. 30143
706-253-2457
www.pickensproaress.com
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