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THURSDAY. JULY 20. 2023 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 9A
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Shooting
with those on social media
who had disparaged the man,
speculating that he was on
drugs or just wanting to hurt
someone, none of which is
accurate, he said.
Sheriff Craig said he
wanted everyone to know
that his heart goes out to the
family. “I really want people
to understand that he wasn’t
a bad guy but was having a
tough time. There is help
available for anyone who is
experiencing mental issues.”
According to a statement
released on the sheriff’s of
fice Facebook page shortly
after the incident Monday,
“The Pickens Sheriff’s Office
responded to 28 Ginger
Drive, Jasper, Ga. in refer
ence to a welfare check.
Upon arrival a male subject
exited the home wearing a
ballistic vest and carrying a
rifle. The subject began
shooting at deputies and they
returned fire.”
Dawson was treated at the
scene by Pickens County
EMS and taken to a local
hospital. Shortly after arriv
ing at the hospital, Dawson
was pronounced dead.”
Craig said his deputies
had “done a tremendous job
trying to de-escalate the situ
ation.”
“I watched the video with
one of our guys saying, ‘I’m
here for you.’” But then
Dawson fired. There were
three deputies on the scene
two who returned fire.
Neighbor Christy Flynn
said the situation was “so
scary.” She was outside feed
ing her and her husband’s an
imals when the shooting
occurred. There is no direct
line of sight to the home, but
she heard gunshots, officers
yelling, and sirens. “I heard
two rifle shots followed by
the sound of a smaller cal
iber, like a handgun,” she
said. “It was short and then
fire first responders arrived
quickly.”
The GBI press release
stated, “Preliminary informa
tion indicates that on Mon
day, July 17, 2023, at about 9
a.m., Pickens County 911 re
ceived a non-emergency call
from a concerned family
member about Norman Ed
ward Dawson, age 56, of
Pickens County. The caller
was concerned that Dawson
had a gun, and the caller
heard a pop during a tele
phone call with him.”
The GBI investigation is
active and ongoing. Once
complete, the case will be
provided to the Appalachian
Judicial Circuit District At
torney’s Office for review.
In Georgia, a mental
health hotline is available by
calling 988 or visiting
9881ifeline.org.
This is the 53rd officer in
volved shooting the GBI has
been requested to investigate
in 2023.
In Pickens, there was an
other officer-involved shoot
ing in March when a man
was shot and killed by
deputies after setting his
home on fire and shooting at
first responders and a neigh
bor. The man was armed with
a shotgun when deputies ar
rived at the Jay Moss Lane
home.
They were responding to a
call from a neighbor who re
ported the fire and gunshots
coming from the home. The
man was pronounced dead on
the scene and the home was a
total loss from the blaze.
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School
Board
school nurse of the year by
the Georgia Association of
School Nurses. Faucett has
been credited with saving the
life of a Hill City Elementary
School student this past year.
Several Pickens CTAE
students were also recog
nized for their accomplish
ments, including Jansen
Abner, Emily Caro, Jackson
Hosmer, Luke Quarles, Jeri
Speights, and John Carter
Wilson. Those students were
recognized for their achieve
ments in the CTAE program
which included being
awarded numerous top five
recognitions in the state as
well as several students plac
ing in the top 10 nationally in
a number of categories.
Two members of the Pick
ens Freedom Cruisers were
in attendance, and they do
nated a $5,000 check to Chief
Operations Officer Chris
Wallace for the county's
School Nutrition "Angel
Fund." Established only three
years ago, the Freedom
Cruisers are a patriotic non
profit organization of motor
cycle riders.
In action issues, the board
approved a number of items,
most notably, approval of the
fiscal year 2023 budget, a
tentative 2024 budget
amendment, approval of the
2023-24 Student-Parent
Handbook and student Code
of Conduct, as well as final
approval of the public partic
ipation and medications poli
cies. The board also
approved a student meal
price increase for the coming
year.
In his remarks to the
board, Superintendent Dr.
Travis Thomas reported that
the Pickens County School
System is now "fully
staffed," with the hiring of
five new principals whom he
then introduced to those in at
tendance.
Nurse Melissa Faucett,
who last month was named
the Georgia state Nurse of
the Year by the Georgia As
sociation of School Nurses,
is pictured here holding her
recent award. Faucett was
credited with saving the life
of a Hill City Elementary
School student last year.
Pictured here are three of the six Pickens CTAE students who were recognized by the
Board of Education for outstanding achievement. Those six students are Jansen Abner,
Emily Caro, Jackson Hosmer, Luke Quarles, Jeri Speights, and John Carter Wilson.
Two members of the Pickens Freedom Cruisers are seen here donating a $5,000 check
to Chief Operations Officer Chris Wallace for the county’s School Nutrition "Angel
Fund." Established only three years ago, the Pickens Freedom Cruisers are a patriotic
non-profit organization.
Trial
of their lives.”
They locked themselves
in the restroom at the park.
The man allegedly attempted
to lure them from the rest
room “while one juvenile
held the door closed with her
hands,” and while he repeat
edly tried to open the door.
During the pursuit the de
fendant drove at high rates of
speed on roads in Jasper dur
ing the chase, including trav
elling in excess of 70 mph on
Pioneer Road, which has a
speed limit of 30 p.m. Bailey
ran into a portion of the
Cherokee Closeouts building,
drove head-on into an offi
cer’s patrol vehicle, and also
damaged the front bumper of
a Jasper patrol unit. At one
point the man drove onto a
person’s property on Squaw
Valley Road and collided
with a Chrysler Town &
Country car on Burnt Moun
tain Road.
He is also charged with
aggravated assault for accel
erating at two separate offi
cers.
Bailey was charged for
driving in the wrong lane,
failing to stop at stop signs,
and for DUI after admitting
to officers he was on some
form of speed.
The man was convicted of
attempted sexual battery in
Florida in 1993 and served
approximately three years in
prison. He is charged with
failing to register as a sex of
fender because he did not
give the Pickens Sheriff’s Of
fice updated information
about his vehicle when he
began driving a 2005 Nissan
Pathfinder. The warrant listed
his address as an apartment
off Sanders Street. Since Au
gust of 2022, Bailey has been
held at the Pickens County
Jail.
Bailey faces 32 counts in
cluding criminal attempt to
commit a felony for the
crime of kidnapping, false
imprisonment, cruelty to
children in the first degree,
failure to register as a sex of
fender, as well as a slew of
driving charges relating to
him fleeing law enforcement.
Jury selection began Mon
day and was expected to last
into Tuesday.
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Pie in Face
The “Shop With A Hero”
Christmas event used to be
called “Shop With A Cop”
but was expanded beyond
officers and deputies to in
clude Jasper and Pickens
Fire, 911, GBI and FBI, State
Patrol, Departments of Natu
ral Resources and Correc
tions.
Each child is accompa
nied by a hero to shop for
themselves, their families
and friends. Pickens Sheriff
Donnie Craig added, “it’s
humbling to see their excite
ment because many of them
have never had this kind of
opportunity to shop.”
“We appreciate the com
munity spirit of our pie con
testants and join with them in
supporting children and our
heroes,” said Thrift Store
President Sarge Bishop.
Christmas in July is one of
four special events at the
Thrift Store which donates to
local charities beyond the
quarterly grants.
See coverage of related
comhole tournament on Page
IB and off the rest of the
Christmas in July news Page
7 A.
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MOOSE AND ANNIE
MERCANTILE
Shop the new collection at
Moose and Annie
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Mercantile is situated in historic
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shop at 4551 Hwy.
Wednesday
10:30 AM -3:00 PM
Thursday - Saturday
10:00 AM -5:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM-5:00 PM
NOW HIRING
The City of Jasper is now accepting applications for the following positions:
(1) Mandated Police Officer - Starting pay is $46,912.00 - 84 hours
within a 2- week period - paid bi-weekly, Night shift/Split shift 1 hour
incentive at regular pay per night.
(2) Part Time Mandated Police Officer - $21.43 hour/ Paid bi-weekly
(No benefits)
(1)FT Firefighter Paramedic- $56,572.78 - 24 hr on/ 48hr off schedule
paid bi-weekly
(1) Water Distribution Technician - Starting pay $16.00 hour - 40
hours a week- paid weekly, rotating 7 days on call with additional 7
hours at straight time nights and weekends required for shift
differential.
Positions will be open until filled. If your application is chosen to
move forward you will receive an email (that is listed on your
application). Email is our prime way of communication as some phone
carriers block our main line number.
Documentation is required for education and experience to
determine exact pay. All positions will be provided a uniform to work
with exception to part time admin position.
Interested applicants can find detailed job descriptions on our
webpage at www.jasper-ga.us under Human Resources. Fill out the
appropriate application (police is the only separate one- everyone else
fill out the main city application), provide a cover letter and resume.
All references, Professional and Personal, should not be related to you.
A complete and detailed application will be considered over one that
is incomplete. All positions require a valid driver's license as you will
be driving a city owned vehicle while on the clock. Police officers will
be given a vehicle to take home (with a maximum radius milage).
Benefits for Full Time positions include Medical - Tier amounts, Dental
- 100% employer paid for employee only, Vision - Tier amounts,
Short-term - 60% weekly income, Long-term - 60% weekly income
and AD&D Insurance. Employer-Paid Retirement, Employer-Paid Life
Insurance (Employee-25k, Spouse $5k, Children $2500. Per child),
Employer-Paid Police Officer Annuity and Benefit of GA retirement
and GA Firefighter Pension, Hartford Firefighter Cancer Coverage.
Accrual paid Sick, Vacation and (13) Holidays Leave.
Once you have completed these requests submit them to Stacy
Johnson, Human Resources at sjohnson@jasper-ga.us and my direct
line is 706-301-5004 if you have any further questions.