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Thursday, April 6, 2023 | Volume 135 Number 51 Plans shaping up for large new commercial development on fourlane Demolition at former Lawson Chevrolet site will make way for grocery store chain, restaurants By Christie Pool, Reporter christie@pickensprogress.com A new 50,000 square foot devel opment on Hwy. 515 at the old Law- son Chevrolet property is set to roll once demolition of the old facility is complete. Gateway Crossing Development spokesman Will Cobb, with Norton Realty, said Monday they hope to begin demolition in 60 days and con struction to take approximately one year on the 12,000 square feet of shop space and five outlots on the property. ‘‘It’s going to be a great develop ment,” Cobb said. “Hopefully we’ll bring new restaurants to town that aren’t in the market yet - including both fast food and sit down.” Cobb said along with restaurants, a large grocery store chain will an chor the facility. Cobb said, “Jasper’s been great to work with. It’s a great town.” He cited supply chain issues with materials, including elevators and electrical equipment, have caused some delays already. “Everything has been, and contin ues to be, a challenge,” Cobb said. “We’ll start the grading and the site work and we are already ordering material now but some of the stuff, especially electrical components, is 250 days out.” Cobb said COVID showed that “everybody needs to buy groceries and gas and have access to drive- thrus.” See related story on Jasper Coun cil prepares water line to serve this area at bottom on page. Lawrence, Jessie Wells, Am- berly Haines. (Back Row l-r): Stephanie Hall, Jennifer Halko, Jacque Elwarner, Kristy Bone, Heidi Smith, Rachel Hamrick, Jamie King, Pickens Commis- Photo/Angela Reinhardt sioner Kris Stancil, Josh Holt. See story on page 9A. Eviction order enforced at Jasper homeless shelter photo/Dan Pool As a light rain fell Monday morning, homeless residents, shelter supporters and deputies watch as workers hired by the building owner remove the personal contents of the homeless shelter residents fol lowing a court order upholding the eviction. The city fire marshal has also determined the shelter space is unsafe for residential use. The shelter had originally been evicted in a January court hearing. By Dan Pool Editor dpool@pickensprogress.com The continuing saga of the Refuge in Jesus homeless shelter ended Mon day morning, at least as far as the downtown location is concerned. Executing an eviction order origi nally issued in January, Pickens deputies with Jasper police also on the scene, saw that the basement building was cleared of individuals and stood by while a crew contracted by the building’s owner removed the posses sions. Sheriff Donnie Craig said there were no issues with removing the dozen to 17 people there. It was hard to gauge the exact number as during the morning, even as a light drizzle fell, people arrived and congregated while crews moved the material. Southeast Street was barricaded at both ends with Jasper police watch ing. Some of those who came recorded the proceedings on cell phones while one shelter leader preached and spoke about the evic tion. One of the homeless residents, David Howard of Canton, said he wanted everyone to know that they weren’t bad people or “dopeheads.” Howard, who was in a wheelchair, See Eviction on 9A “If we kissed the gold ring of those in power, we could be in the building,” shelter leader responds By Dan Pool Editor dpool@pickensprogress.com Following the eviction of the homeless occupants from their Southeast Street building Monday, shelter leader Stephen Lovell said they were preparing to take legal action on numerous is sues they have with the county, the permitting process and for civil rights violations in keeping them out of their Martin Road lo cation they have leased. Of immediate concern, he said all the people they were housing had been provided rooms in private houses and he believes these arrange ment are good for at least 30 days. He said in regards to the eviction itself, “It is un believable that you can roll people in wheelchairs out of a building into the rain and then put what few posses sions they have in the street.” In the 30 days the home less people will stay in the private homes, Lovell be lieves a legal team they are assembling, including some with strong ties in Washing ton, can turn the tale of this sequence of events. Lovell, who is chair of the board for Refuge in See Response on 9A Jasper Council prepares water line to serve new commercial area Downtown parking and other business discussed April is Child Abuse Awareness Month County, city and school leaders, as well as members of the North Georgia Family Partners, Boys & Girls Club of North Georgia, DFCS, Family Connections, the Ap palachian Judicial Circuit, and Beverly Speaks attended the proclamation signing for Child Abuse Awareness Month. (Front Row l-r) Beverly Lewis, Kelsi Watson, Ashley Marcello, June Ash, Pick ens Superior Judge Brenda Weaver, Jasper Mayor Steve Angels on Horseback open house Page 10A Jessi Griffin aims high Page IB What’s happening? See local events at our community calendar Page 6-7B By Dan Pool Editor dpool@pickensprogress.com While saying he couldn’t say the name, Jasper City Council Member Sonny Proctor said the city had spent months defining a deal between the city and a devel oper to locate a major com mercial project including a well-known chain establish ment at the site of the former Lawson Chevrolet dealership on Highway 515. Speaking during a council work session Thursday, Proc tor said it had been incredibly complicated as it had evolved over the past year and in cludes both local issues and state DOT requirements for the entrance onto the four- lane. Rumors have swirled for months that Publix was com ing to the parcel, but the As- See Council on 9A 911 Operators Weeks (Front l-r) Kristy Easterwood, Connie Willingham, Christy Fisher, Brittany Weaver, Tonya Parks, Jordan Rhys; (Back: l-r) Assistant Jasper Police Chief Mike Davis, Sheriff Donnie Craig, Jasper Fire Chief John Sheerer, Mayor Steve Lawrence, Assistant Jasper Fire Chief Ian Norton, Commission Chairman Kris Stancil, Jasper Police Chief Matt Dawkins, County Public Safety Director Sloan Elrod. Public Safety Telecommunica tors Week honors work of the county s 17 911 employees On Monday, Pickens Commissioner Kris Stancil and Jasper Mayor Steve Lawrence proclaimed April 9-15 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. In support of our local public safety telecommunica tors, Lawrence and Stancil signed a proclamation noting 911 telecommunicators as the “true backbone of the 911 system” and recognizing the 17 telecommunicators in the Pickens County 911 Commu nications Center for their pro fessional and unending See 911 Operators on 9A Obituaries 8A • Eleanora Battles • Cynthia Bemiller • Aaron Richards Contact Us 94 North Main Street Jasper, Ga. 30143 706-253-2457 pickensprogress.com $1.00 per copy 8 "*0 4 8 7 9 08163" o