Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY. AUGUST 10.2023 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 7A
Continued From 1A
BT Fire
the attack on the main living
area because the floor already
burned away. It took a short
while to finally get the fire
under control, but the stub
born fire was completely ex
tinguished around the 9 p.m.
One resident was home at
the time the fire started. Pre
liminary indications are that
a lightning strike was the
cause of the fire, resulting in
extensive damage to the
home.
The occupant, along with
several nearby residents, re
ported hearing the deafening
lightning strike in the area.
There were no injuries to
the occupants or firefighters
operating at the scene. Re
sponding units were Bent
Tree Fire Rescue, Pickens
Fire Engine 51, Engine 11,
Med-5, Med 11, Several
Bethany Salem (Station 8)
personnel and Rehab 8,
County Fire Marshal, 1101
and Pickens County Sheriff’s
Office.
Photo/Pickens Fire
When the first units ar
rived, smoke was already
visible with the Monday
evening fire.
Continued From 1A
photos/Angela Reinhardt
During the commissioners ’ meeting, a promotion ceremony was held for Don Grant
and Larry Stephenson of Pickens County Fire & Rescue Department, (l-r) - Pickens Public
Safety Director Sloan Elrod, Commissioner Josh Tippetts, Pickens Fire Battalion Chief
Don Grant, Commission Chair Kris Stancil, Pickens Fire Lt. Larry Stephenson, Commis
sioner Josh Tatum, and Pickens Fire & EMS Chief Tim Prather.
Photos/Angela Reinhardt
Commission Chair Kris Stancil with the county’s new
Chief Finance Officer Miranda McDowell, who has worked
for years as the Pickens Sheriff’s finance manager.
Commissioner Josh Tippetts, outgoing Pickens CFO
Charlene Bunch, Commission Chair Kris Stancil, and
Commissioner Josh Tatum.
County
CFO
vided to the county, the team
she’s built in the finance de
partment and the accomplish
ments she has made have not
been noticed because you
don’t get to see what’s going
on behind the scenes,” he
said. “That’s just not some
thing that every day you get
to look at and see the chal
lenges.”
Stancil read a proclama
tion recognizing Bunch, who
began work in Pickens
County in June 2021. The
proclamation outlined
Bunch’s accomplishments
and identified her as “an out
standing leader in the finance
department.”
Instead of conducting a
national search, commission
ers hired Miranda McDowell,
who has worked as the Pick
ens County Sheriff’s Office’s
finance manager for several
years. She took other respon
sibilities there as well, in
cluding in the human
resources department.
McDowell has also
worked as finance director
for the city of Nelson. She
has completed Level 1 and 2
Level training to be a certi
fied finance officer through
the Carl Vinson Institute of
Government and has a degree
in business management.
“We’re excited to be able
to work with Miranda,” he
said. “Anyone who has had a
chance to get to know her
knows she’s a fun person to
be around, a fun person to
work with and extremely
knowledgeable in her skills.”
Firefighters promoted
During the commission
ers’ meeting, a promotion
ceremony was held for Don
Grant and Larry Stephenson
of the Pickens County Fire &
Rescue Department.
Don Grant was promoted
to the rank of battalion chief
from the rank of captain. He
was recognized for 18 years
of service. Grant began work
in Pickens County EMS in
2005 as an EMT, and was
promoted to paramedic.
Grant was also a full-time
employee in Woodstock until
he retired last year with 15
years of service.
Firefighter Larry Stephen
son was promoted to lieu
tenant. He was also
recognized for 16 years of
service with the fire depart
ment. Stephenson started
work in Pickens as an EMT
and advanced to paramedic.
Stevenson is also employed
full-time in Cherokee
County.
Pickens Fire & Rescue
Director Tim Prather also
recognized Commissioner
Josh Tippens and Pickens
County Fire & Rescue Exec
utive Assistant Megan
Leathers for receiving their
firefighter certification.
Leathers is a volunteer fire
fighter in the Bent Tree com
munity.
“It’s an honor to be able to
have such incredible men and
women that are serving,” said
commissioner Stancil.
There were several fire
fighters from Pickens and
other agencies to support the
men and women honored.
Other news
•2020 SPLOST collec
tions have shown an increase
over the last three years. Col
lections for June 2023 were
$742,604. Collections in
June 2022 were $707,857;
and in June 2021 $601,831.
Total collections this year are
$4,205 million. That’s com
pared to January-June of
2022, $4,048 million; and
2021, $3,407 million.
•Stancil and other leaders
applauded county employees
who worked around the clock
during and after tornadoes
and severe storms damaged
Pickens County. Work is ex
pected to continue for several
weeks as crews clear debris.
The county EMA director
said damage was likely not
widespread enough to re
ceive funding from the Geor
gia Environment
Management Agency.
Pickens Fire & Rescue
Chief Tim Prather recognized
E-911 Director Kristy Easter-
wood for exemplary work as
calls came into the center
during the storms.
•Pickens Roads Depart
ment Director Kirk Anderson
said regular maintenance
would be put on the back-
burner while crews continue
storm cleanup. Upcoming
paving projects have been
pushed back a few weeks due
to contractor delays, which
the county has no control
over.
•Pickens Rec. Director
Brian Jones reported the
county pool closed Aug. 6,
and will be drained this
week. Flag football will
begin mid-August.
Continued From 1A
Jasper Poll
develop, and enhance economic prosperity
and community well-being. The purpose of
the DDA is to develop and promote trade,
commerce, industry and employment oppor
tunities within the central business district.”
The DDA is made up of Jasper business
owners and citizens. Cornelius owns the First
Mountain Tasting Room.
Visit the DDA online atjasperdda.org.
Photo/Provided by Family
Brothers Lonnie (left) and Donnie Fountain receive their $50,000first place prize in
the Bill Dance Mississippi River Monsters Mega Bucs Pro Series Catfish Tournament.
This is the largest payout in catfish tournament history.
Big Cat
biggest fish of the day that
weighed in 58.3 pounds.
Lonnie caught the biggest
fish just four minutes before
the end of the tournament,
and during prequalifying
caught a 96 pounder.
“All the years of hard
work and commitment have
finally paid off,” said Don
nie. “To fish with the world’s
best and come out on top is
awesome. We give God all
the glory for our many bless
ings. This is tndy a blessing
from Him.”
Cherie Martin, a family
member of the Fountain
brothers, said, “These men
are a legend in how they fish
and how they treat others.
Two of the best. Lonnie and
Donnie are both amazing
men with a heart of gold and
never forget to give God the
glory.”
She said they learned to
fish as little boys to put food
on the table, and are charita
ble in their daily lives.
“Every year they raise
money to buy gifts for local
nursing home residents,” she
said. “These are tndy two
fine men and Pickens County
should be proud they are two
of our own.”
The tournament was held
in Vicksburg, Miss, the
weekend of August 5-6. The
brothers were crowned
champions on Sunday.
Good
Vibes
Adopt-A-Road volunteer Nancy LaChance collects
garbage in 13-gallon bags then picks them up in her car
to take to the Pickens County Recycling Center.
left shoulder and one on the
right shoulder to separate
trash into recyclable and non-
recyclable.
Her main drag is Big
Ridge Road where she col
lects along all eight miles,
and that’s also where her fa
vorite spot in the county is lo
cated - as well as her friends
the cows. One man on the
road occasionally gives her
$20 for her do-goody efforts.
Most of the items LaChance
collects are what you would
expect - food and drink con
tainers. The most common
are empty beverage cans and
bottles, and oddly enough
empty poppy seed containers
on one road.
“I have no idea what peo
ple are doing with all those
poppy seeds,” she said,
laughing.
Most items go to the recy
cling center, but she’s found
a few she liked enough to
keep. One is an old metal
pitcher she took home and
lacquered, the other is a ce
ramic chicken.
You wouldn’t think it, but
the KPB volunteer and em
ployee wasn’t always eco-
minded or active. In fact for
most of her life it was quite
the opposite.
“I was a computer nerd to
the core and was not athletic
at all,” said LaChance, who
helps KPB with some com
puter work and mans their of
fice on Main Street.
When she was a child
LaChance had to be excused
from physical activity for a
health issue, and in later life
has issues with pinched
nerves and sciatica, but she
doesn’t let it stop her. It was
n’t until after her husband
passed away in 2013 - just
months after they moved to
Pickens County - that she
started walking. After she
saw an Adopt-A-Road sign
around 2016 the rest is his
tory.
“If I can’t trashwalk I’ll be
in a grumpy mood,” she said.
“There is something about
the trees and nature and expe
riencing that that makes you
a better human, and the satis
faction of seeing a clean
road.”
LaChance wants to spread
her own joy with others, and
multiply the number of trash-
walkers in the world.
“I want to challenge other
people to try it and see if they
like it,” she said. “It’s the
most joyful thing ever. If
every human picked up 152
pieces of garbage the world
would be clean. I hope every
one gives it a try.”
Visit Keep Pickens Beau
tiful online at keeppickens-
beautiful.org to learn more
about the Adopt-A-Road pro
gram.
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