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Thursday, October 5, 2023 | Volume 136 Number 25 | Jasper, Georgia | 24 pages, 2 sections | Published Weekly | $1.00
Jasper gets $1 million grant for
long-planned amphitheater
Preliminary design plans for Perrow Park, developed by Goodwyn
Mills Cawood. The park will be located on South Main Street in Jasper.
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@piekensprogress.com
It’s not often that a city council
meeting erupts into a round of ap
plause, but after it was announced
Jasper has been awarded a $ 1 million
matching grant to build an amphithe
ater and park in downtown Jasper,
that very thing happened at the Oc
tober meeting.
The Perrow Park project, the seed
of which was planted nearly a
decade ago, will be located at the
green space at the comer of Spring
Street and South Main Street.
The matching grant was awarded
by the Appalachian Regional Com
mission. The city of Jasper will pro
vide $1.3 million in matching funds
for Phase I, which will include an
amphitheater, restrooms, and other
features.
Northwest Georgia Regional
Commission (NWGRC) Executive
Director Boyd Austin applauded city
leaders for their efforts, and com
mented on the impact a project like
Perrow Park can have in a commu
nity. He said Jasper leaders “ex-
press[ed] foresight for their future”
by pursuing the project.
“Your dedication as a council and
as a staff working with the engineers
has gotten you to the point now
where you received this $1 million
award,” he said. “We see these types
of requests quite often and we know
from experience in other communi
ties. . .these are the types of projects
that draw people in. It enhances the
quality of life in your community for
your residents, but it also draws
those tourists in that spend money
locally and cause your downtown to
thrive and builds your tax base and
builds your name. You’re to be com
mended.”
He added that projects like Per
row Park attract a work force and
“help tie the whole economic bundle
together. [People] have quality of
life. They have a good job locally.
They have access to the major mar
kets of Atlanta and Chattanooga, but
See Perrow Park on 11A
Bethany-Salem Firefighters Training
Groundbreaking for $13.6 million
expansion held at local hospital
A groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 27th, was attended by Piedmont officials and key members of the com
munity. (L-R) Jasper City Council Member Sonny Proctor, M.D.; Jasper Mayor Steve Lawrence; Pickens Cham
ber President Amberle Godfrey; Piedmont Mountainside Board Member Richard Hubbard; Piedmont
Mountainside President <6 CEO Denise Ray; Piedmont CNO Michele Breitfelder; Piedmont Mountainside
Board Member Jason Smith, Piedmont Mountainside Board Member Richard Hedelius, M.D.; Piedmont Moun
tainside CFO Lindsay Gard; and Piedmont HR Anna Mareau.
“Just
Awesome”
Marble
F estival
coming this
weekend
By Dan Pool
Editor
dpool@pickensprogress.com
Not wanting to jinx it, but heading
into this weekend’s annual Ga. Mar
ble Festival, organizers expect the
best weather they have had in several
years with cool temps and no rain in
the forecast. A stark difference from
the previous years with heavy rains
and threats of hurricane that actually
didn’t hit but may have kept people
from planning to attend.
The festival is located in Lee
Newton Park in Jasper and runs Sat
urday 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sun
day 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. There is also
a parade in downtown Jasper at 10
a.m. and a road race at 8 a.m. Quarry
tours are available but require ad
vance registration as they tend to sell
out quickly. See ad on Page 5A for
more information or see georgiamar-
blefestival.com
“Just awesome,” is how Pickens
Chamber Marble Festival &
Tourism Director Michelle Kuriger
See Marble Fest on 11A
City of
Jasper
candidates
to appear at
Oct. 16th
forum
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
The Pickens Progress will host a
forum for candidates in Jasper’s
mayoral and city council races. The
public is invited to attend.
The forum will be held on Mon
day, Oct. 16th at 7 p.m. in the Pick
ens County Administration
Building. It will be on the lower
level in the Pickens Room.
The Progress will supply ques
tions for candidates, and questions
will also be taken from the floor.
Candidates will have a time limit to
respond. Candidates will also have
the opportunity to give a brief intro
duction and closing statement.
The Pickens County Sheriff’s Of
fice will provide security.
All candidates have been invited
to attend and participate in the
forum and talk with voters after
wards. City of Jasper voters are en
couraged to attend as with three
council positions and the mayor’s
Construction on $15
million cancer
treatment facility to
begin in December
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
Piedmont Mountainside Hospital
will increase its total bed number and
expand intensive care and medical
surgical capacity now that a $13.6
million expansion project is under
way.
The 11,000 sq. ft. expansion will
increase the local hospital’s licensed
bed capacity by 14, up to 76 licensed
beds in total. Construction has
begun, with the project expected to
be completed by mid-2024.
“This expansion furthers our pur
pose to make a positive difference in
every life we touch and demonstrates
real change, impact and commit
ments to our community,” Denise
Ray, Piedmont Mountainside Presi
dent & CEO, said in a public state
ment. “It will enable us to provide
even greater access to health care
services for generations to come.”
Ray later discussed more details
about expansion of services.
“The new unit expands our capac
ity for intensive care patients as well
as medical surgical patients,” she
said. “Piedmont Mountainside cur-
See Hospital Expansion 11A
Kirk Raffield
announces
candidacy for
Jasper mayor
Page 7A
Jim Looney
seeks re-election
to Jasper council
Page 7A
John Foust
seeks re-election
to Jasper council
Page 8A
Brandon
Hannah runs
unopposed for
Jasper
council seat
Page 7A
Obituaries 10A
• Catherine Finn
• Gene Jones Sr.
• Cynthia Latimer
• Barbara Price
• Barbara Roper
• Sandra Thomason
• Lora Tilley
$1.00 per copy
See Forum on 11A
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