Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, August 10, 2023 | Volume 136
Number 17 | Jasper, Georgia | 20 pages, 2 sections | Published Weekly | $1.00
What does downtown Jasper need?
Take online poll to let
DDA leaders
know what
you want
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
Jasper’s Downtown Development
Authority met last week during a
called meeting to discuss real estate
in the downtown area. While the
meeting was in executive session
and not open to the public, Jasper’s
future is on the DDA’s mind and
they want to hear from you.
The authority would like to know
what residents and business owners
want here so that input can be taken
into consideration as they move
ahead with real estate and other dis
cussions.
One member of the DDA told the
Progress a driving goal of theirs is to
make Jasper a place to be proud of
and a place residents want to bring
friends and family to visit. J Cor
nelius, DDA secretary and treasurer,
said the authority is “working to
make downtown a cleaner and more
enjoyable place to live, work, and
play for the people of Jasper.”
Cornelius believes that part of
creating a thriving downtown is un
derstanding what local people want,
and going from there.
“I’m convinced we need to figure
out what’s best for the community
and work to make that happen,” he
said.
There are no guarantees the DDA
can make those desires a reality, Cor
nelius said, but knowing what they
are will help the authority know
what direction to focus their efforts.
“We can't promise everything, but
we can be effective if we understand
and are aligned with the long-term
goals of citizens and business own
ers in the community,” he said. “We
all need to cooperate and support
each other for Jasper to be great. I
believe in Jasper, and I believe we
can do it together.”
Several buildings in the area -
some of which are in highly-visible
locations - are of key concern be
cause they are vacant, underutilized,
and/or unattractive and don’t support
the DDA’s trajectory.
Supporting and encouraging local
ownership of downtown real estate,
rather than sending money out of
town to businesses and property
owners who don’t live here or sup
port the community, is also impor
tant for Cornelius and the DDA
board, he said.
If you want weigh in about what
you want to see in downtown Jasper,
visit the Pickens Progress, Picken-
sProgress.com, or on Facebook or
Instagram to take a survey.
The mission of the DDA is to
“foster and encourage cooperative
public-private efforts to design
spaces and landscapes where people
can appreciate the jewels of shared
historic heritage in order to sustain,
grow, See jasper Poll on 7 A
PHS Sports
Meet the
Dragons
Pages 1B, 2B
Fall sports
schedules
Lightning
blamed for
Bent Tree
house fire
photo/Pickens Fire
Residents in the area of Bent
Tree’s back-gate reported a deafen
ing rumble and boom from thunder
around the time this home caught
on fire.
From Pickens Fire Dept, reports
Monday evening, around 6:39
p.m., Pickens Fire was dispatched to
a reported residential fire in the Bent
Tree Community. First arriving units
from Bent Tree Fire Rescue reported
smoke showing from a two-story res
idence.
Initial assessment indicated the
fire may be in the basement and pos
sibly extended up into the main liv
ing area. The initial fire attack line
was directed into the interior of the
basement with a second line directed
to the main living area.
Firefighters were hampered with
See BT Fire on 7A
McDowell
hired as
new county
CFO
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
Pickens County has hired Mi
randa McDowell of the Pickens
Sheriff’s Office as their new chief fi
nance officer after Charlene Bunch
resigned to take a position with an
audit firm.
The announcement came directly
after Bunch presented her final finan
cial report for the county at their Au
gust 3 meeting.
Pickens Commission Chair Kris
Stancil said Bunch approached him
the week before and told him she ac
cepted another position. Her last day
with the county was the day after the
commissioners meeting on Friday,
Aug. 4.
“After getting over the shock of
it...we are very proud and very ex
cited for Charlene,” said Stancil, who
applauded Bunch and said too often
strides made in the finance depart
ment get overlooked.
“I know over the last two years
the amount of work that she has pro-
See County CFO on 7A
Photo/Provided by Family
The Fountain twins (L-R) Lonnie and Donnie, with the biggest catch of the Bill Dance Mississippi River
Monsters Mega Bucs Pro Series Catfish Tournament, netting the Pickens brothers a $50,000 payday.
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
Lonnie and Donnie Fountain of west Pickens
County reeled in the largest payout in catfish tourna
ment history last week. The twin brothers took first
place at the Bill Dance Mississippi River Monsters
Mega Bucs Pro Series Catfish Tournament, and a prize
of $50,000.
The Fountains won with just over 146 pounds of
catfish, and caught the See Big Cat on 7A
The big catch
Brothers win biggest payout in catfish tournament history
^ Good Vibes
“Trash walking is
my jam, ” says
Nancy LaChance
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
“Trash” and “joy” aren’t words that are typically
associated with one another. But for Nancy LaChance
they’re like peas and carrots. Like salt and pepper.
Like an Adopt-A-Road volunteer and one of those
long trash-grabbing claw things.
“I just can’t put into words how much pleasure it
gives me to pick up trash,” said LaChance, whose hap
piness emanates from her like light reflecting off an
old pie tin when she talks about garbage. “It’s one of
the most joyful things ever.”
LaChance is an Adopt-A-Road volunteer with Keep
Pickens Beautiful, but she’s taken her volunteerism to
the next level. She spends two to three hours every sin
gle day collecting garbage on the side of several roads
in Pickens County. She estimates it’s around 20 miles
worth.
The passionate “trashwalker,” as she refers to her
self, tries to get in five miles a day, but if the road is
especially dirty it takes longer. She even separates
what she picks up into recyclable and non-recyclable
materials.
Since 2016 Keep Pickens Beautiful logs show that
LaChance has collected over 20,000 gallons of trash
and spent nearly 1,100 hours of manpower on the job.
“I’m 69 this year so my goal is to pick up 6,900 gal
lons of trash,” she said. “I’m about halfway there right
now, and I’m going to make it happen.”
LaChance sees it as a way to reduce litter, beautify
the county, stay active, and also a way to be in nature
and experience her community from a different per
spective.
“This county is just beautiful,” she said. “It’s not
like other places. Here I don’t think there’s a road
that’s not nice. I love walking and enjoying it, seeing
the gorgeous vistas and forests and plants, and the
Photos/Angela Reinhardt
Nancy LaChance picks up a stretch of road in
downtown Jasper near the Keep Pickens Beautiful
building. This year alone she has picked up nearly
3,500 gallons of trash off the sides of roads in Pick
ens County. She says “trashwalking is such a de
light.”
cows and horses and donkeys.”
She said she’s befriended cows on one road and re
called watching two bugs push a piece of vegetation
across the road in another. A kudzu patch in one area
reminds her of a giant man.
LaChance pulled out her trashwalking set up she’s
more or less perfected after so many miles. A Camel
Bak pack that holds water and is stocked with bug
spray, a visor, sweat rag, and bags she clips on the
straps - one on the See Good Vibes on 7A
Page 12B
Proud Resident
County’s
newest citizen
says living
here is a
blessing
Page 3A
Law & Order
Sugar in the
gas tank, dog
attacks and
other calls
Page 3B
Obituaries 6A
• Marilyn Hannah
• Joyce Kinsey
• Jayne Robinson
Contact Us
94 North Main Street
Jasper, Ga. 30143
706-253-2457
pickensprogress.com
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