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"The best thing we can do is be a servant of God.
It does good to stand up and serve others."
Rev. Fred Shuttleswoith
• Opinions
• Community
Views
• Good Old
Common Sense
The Progress
Editorial
February 16,2023
From the Staff
Readers’ thoughts on
our county’s roads
Last week we used the editorial space
to comment on upcoming GDOT roads
projects (roundabout at Dragon Drive and
a big one on Highway 53 leading into
downtown), and also on other Pickens
roads/intersections that need attention. And
we conducted a roads poll on social media
about spots in the county readers find
problematic/dangerous.
The poll garnered 79 responses, many
of them thoughtful, so we’re giving the ed
itorial space this week to them.
Intersections along 515 without traffic
signals were identified as most dangerous
(RaceTrac and Worley Crossroads topped
the list). Of respondents, 65.3 percent
would support more traffic signals on
Highway 515 and 34.7 percent would not.
Here are a few of the long-answer re
sponses we received:
• The crossover at 515 to go to 372 is
insane. No one should have to cross traffic
going 70+ in a turn. Also, way too many
people use the intersection at Worley
Crossroads with the new subdivision.
There has to be a traffic light installed.
•AW Lawson Blvd. should be used as
eastbound Hwy. 53 into town with one or
two cut throughs to westbound 53. Ban
non-local truck traffic through town and no
left turns. Convert Hwy. 515 into [a] con
trolled access highway - expensive but
necessary.
•At the end of Harmony School Road as
you turn right onto the interstate it’s like
there’s oil or something on the road. When
you go to pull out onto the interstate you
also spin and lag trying to go forward. It’s
been like this for years. I’m always sur
prised that people don’t get rear-ended
daily.
• Limit all of the new subdivisions ac
cess to 515 to major intersections with traf
fic lights.
• Put a light at Worley Crossroads be
fore someone dies and fix the stupid pot
holes throughout the county.
• Speed limit [on 515] needs to be low
ered back to 55. Traffic signals at the Race
Trac, as well as at Harmony School Road.
• The hospital light needs done away
with, an access road to Jeep place, and
place a light there. Why have all these
spread out lights on hills? While you’re at
it how about the railroad crossings being a
bit smoother... what is it going to take a
whole school bus of children getting seri
ously injured or worse coming from Har
mony School crossing the interstate?...
More red lights and slow the traffic down
or limited access roads.
• Hwy. 515 between Philadelphia Road
and Hwy. 108 [the] speed limit should be
reduced to 40 mph; And the installation of
traffic lights at 515 and Salem Church
Road/AW Lawson Blvd. and also at 515
and Allred Mill Road/Harmony Road.
• Either red lights or access roads along
side the interstate. I’ve traveled a lot and
many places have access roads that run
alongside the highway. They’re definitely
better than anything here.
• Hwy. 515 - Make it limited access
only with bypasses, no red-lights.
• More roundabouts. And educating
people on how to drive around them.
• At RaceTrac and 515 - Need a road to
Hwy. 108 - no left turn out of RaceTrac
going northbound on 515. Long accelera
tion lane out of RaceTrac to come up the
hill. Dragon [Drive] and Hwy. 53 - there
are answers, but very costly. Not sure a
roundabout will solve the issue.
• Pipes are bursting on back roads; Hen
derson Mountain is half a gravel road now;
Other backroads towards Hill City are
falling apart - but I believe the issue is with
the pipes bursting. If more money or edu
cation can be put into pipe repair most of
the back grounds wouldn't breakdown as
bad as they do.
• [Hwy.] 108/515 needs [an] overpass
so that traffic on 515 continues similar to
Browns Bridge and GA400.
• Hill City Road and Hwy. 53 West - a
light is needed.
•More lights in areas. Caution lights in
places. Speed lowered too.
Thanks to all our readers who took time
to offer their thoughts. It's clear, a lot of
thought went into this.
Tell us your thoughts with a letter to the editor. E-mail to news@pickensprogress.com
See letter submission guidelines on the Letters to the Editor page or call us 706-253-2457.
Ponderings of a Simple Man
&y Caleb Smith
‘Rona:
Round 2
My body ached liked I
had been beaten by a herd of
wild horses armed with base
ball bats and driving a steam
roller. It’s a mixed metaphor
but at the time, my addled
brain, it was all I could come
up with.
My throat was sore, eyes
scratchy and dry, and I barely
had the strength to call out
for hot soup.
I immediately chalked it
up to spending the previous
afternoon doing light work in
the yard. As most of you
know, I am not in the best of
shape for a man my age (al
though the doctor assures me
I am doing great for a 105-
year-old).
But when I checked my
temperature, It clocked out at
an even 101.
I immediately began
drafting an updated will and
calling my family members
to tell them I loved them.
Most of them are used to
it, I’ve been known to start
window shopping for funeral
homes after a particularly bad
bout of allergies.
One of them suggested I
take a test for “The Virus”. I
scoffed.
“I’ve already had it once.”
I said, “My body is a well
oiled machine, there’s no
way it would let those germs
in again.”
“Your body is like a World
War II fighter jet that’s been
sitting in the ocean for 80
years.” They said dryly, “But
without the salvage value.”
Mostly to placate my
loved ones, I subjected my
self to the ten second brain
probe that is a test for Covid.
Almost immediately, both
lines showed up. I stared at it
for a long moment in disbe
lief then down at my body
accusingly. Well, most of my
body. The top of my belly is
all I’ve been able to see with
out a mirror for some years
now.
“Have I not been good to
you?” I whispered, betrayed.
“I’ve given you everything
you asked for! All the sweets,
trans-fats, fried foods, and
soda that you could ask for!
And did I ever make you eat
a vegetable? Not once, trai
tor!”
My body didn’t answer,
aside from a rumble in my
belly at the mention of fried
food. I sighed and set about
quarantine preparations.
Namely, locking myself in
my room with enough snacks
and drinks to feed the French
Foreign Legion. Or, as I like
to call it ‘Weekend Prepara
tions’.
Ultimately, I fortunately
had a very mild case. After a
week of aches and fever, and
only spending $10,000 on
food delivery, I was back to
my old self. But I haven’t for
gotten the betrayal. My body
doesn’t know it yet, but
tonight we’re having Kale for
dinner.
That’ll show him.
[Caleb Smith is a resident
o f a ramshackle cabin on an
undisclosed mountain top.
He can be reached at jcaleb-
smith90@yahoo.com.]
(USPS 431-820)
Published by Pickens County Progress, Inc.
94 North Main Street, Jasper, GA 30143
(706) 253-2457
www.pickensprogressonline.com
DAN POOL
Publisher/Editor
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#lbe School
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Other Voices
Statistics about teen dating violence are shocking,
says N. Ga. Mountain Crisis coordinator
By Joyce Dorian
Sexual Assault Advocate/ Pre
vention & Education Coordi
nator, North Georgia
Mountain Crisis Network, Inc.
Being a parent in today’s
world is challenging. Being a
teen in today's world is
equally challenging, but also
can be scary, overwhelming
and sadly filled with a myriad
of negative experiences.
February is Teen Dating
Violence Awareness Month
and the statistics about Teen
Dating Violence are shock
ing, scary and something that
should never be happening to
any of our children.
Nationwide, youth aged
12 to 19 experience the high
est rates of rape and sexual
assault. One in twelve high
school students experience
dating violence and one in
twelve experienced sexual
dating violence in the last
year. This also includes on
line platforms, social media
and other electronic forms of
communication.
Cyberstalking, non-con-
sensual distribution of sexual
and intimate images are also
forms of sexual violence that
today’s teens are dealing
with.
Without help and positive
intervention, trauma from
any of these events can have
huge negative long-terms ef
fects. This includes impact
ing their schooling,
friendships, psychical and
mental health and all of their
aspirations in like.
Additionally, other nega
tive impacts stemming from
teen dating violence include
suicide attempts, eating dis
orders, and drug use. Trauma
from dating violence can also
negatively impact their future
relationships and increase the
likelihood of future violence
in their lives.
Our goal at the North
Georgia Mountain Crisis
Network is to shine a light on
this problem, raise aware
ness, teach students about
healthy relationships, how to
spot the red flags, teach about
what consent is, and what
consent is not, start the con
versations that need to be
had, leave no one sitting
alone hurt and in silence,
Spot an error,
let our editor know.
dpool@
pickensprogress.com
706-253-2457
WEATHER
By William Dilbeck
HI LOW RAIN
Feb.
07
64
44
.00
Feb.
08
67
53
.00
Feb.
09
61
41
.17
Feb.
10
56
40
.00
Feb.
11
52
37
.20
Feb.
12
43
31
.00
Feb.
13
59
55
.00
FEBRUARY IS
DATING VIOLENCE
AWARENI
MONTH
Together we con
dating violence in our
community
J^HCWC
clear up confusions, answer
questions, provide resources
and support all who need
help.
The number for the Na
tional Dating Abuse
Helpline is 1-866-331-9474.
They operate a 24/7 text,
phone, and live chat services.
The texting function of the
Helpline allows for users to
text the Helpline advocates
24 hours a day, seven days a
week about anything ranging
from questions about healthy
dating to raising red flags
about relationships.
Locally, serving Fannin,
Gilmer and Pickens is the
North Georgia Mountain Cri
sis Network’s which main
tains a 24 hour hotline at
706-632-8400.
Answering the phones are
trained, caring advocates
ready to help. If you, a friend
or loved one has been im
pacted by teen dating vio
lence we are here to help you.
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