Pickens County progress. (Jasper, Ga.) 1899-current, June 20, 2024, Image 4

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Pickens County progress., June 20, 2024, Image 4

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Newspaper Page Text“Denial is the heartbeat of racism, beating across ideologies, races, and nations. It is beating within us.” - Ibram X. Kendi Opinions & -- Community I Views The Progress Editoria T Page June 20, 2024 Beware of Festival Fatigue Old School By Dwight Henderson A couple of weeks ago there were two big events in Pickens on the same weekend, the popular Jasper Downtown Live now in its third year, and the brand-new Bronco Stampede in Talking Rock. It’s unusual to have two on the same weekend, but the way new events are popping up left and right in our community we’re not surprised. If we think back to say 15 years ago, we had the old faithfuls - Georgia Marble Fes tival, Heritage Days, Tate Days, Fourth of July, and the Night of Lights Christmas pa rade, and that was pretty much it. For a few years, the city of Jasper tried a New Year’s Eve event but that fizzled out mainly be cause people didn’t like standing in the cold so long and attendance plummeted. There were also Main Street Manias for a while, but those ended as well, and some sporadic arts events. In the last few years events are growing like wildfire - you can hardly throw a rock without hitting one. In addition to those oth ers we just mentioned, we’ve now got the huge Sheriff’s JeepFest, Jasper Downtown Live, and ArtWalk Jasper - which are both several times a year - Bronco Stampede, BBQ and chili cookoffs, comhole leagues, and a rodeo. And these aren’t to mention special holidays and times of the year when organizations host their egg hunts or trunk- or-treats or movies under the stars, etc. Jas per also has funds for a new amphitheater on South Main Street, a dedicated spot for music and performance. We believe successful events help a com munity in several ways — they bolster the economy by bringing people in to spend money with local vendors and businesses. We had at least two Main Street business owners tell us the new events on Main Street are critical to their bottom line. Events also enhance the culture of a town and make it feel alive and vibrant; they can give us a reputation outside of town, the whole “putting us on the map” thing. Jeep Fest does this with most of their attendees traveling from out of town and quite a few from out of state. There are plenty of reasons we love events in town, but we also know there’s a tipping point where events take over and lo cals can’t enjoy their public spaces anymore. We’re not at that point now, but there’s no question our pool of happenings is growing. Reports from the most recent Downtown Live are that numbers were down some, and with Bronco Stampede on the same week end, maybe we showed our limits with two events at the same time, especially with both offering concerts at the same time. An NPR article from 2013 talks about how small towns that host big events have been boons to the local economy, but resi dents in some of those places grow tired of the tourism that keeps them from enjoying their own public spaces. The article cites Traverse City, Mich., which has hosted fes tivals since the 1920s, including the Cherry Festival and others that give their residents “festival fatigue.” A tourism researcher told NPR about a tiny Michigan town, Caseville, that started a cheeseburger festival in the ear ly 2000s. The town of 800 first drew 5,000, and in 2012 they sold 300,000 cheeseburg ers. He said, “Festivals like this fit with the way Americans are vacationing now: shorter trips with less advance planning.” Every year when JeepFest rolls around we have members of the public who com plain about Jeeps taking over and getting roads muddy for Labor Day weekend. We’ve heard complaints about other ongo ing events taking up public space as well. We disagree. These events are a major boon to our community but “festival fa tigue” is something to keep in mind as we continue growing in Pickens. That being said, we think well-planned, well-spaced-out, and well-timed events are essential for our community. We just don’t want to get to a point of too much of a good thing down the road. Agree or disagree? Give us your thoughts with a letter to the editor. 400 words or less, sent to articles@pickensprogress.com. We strive to include voices from all our community. Hugh Pendley unsupervised with a word processor Tempus Fugit There was a poster at home when I was growing up with a picture of a pedes tal with Tempus Fugit on it and I thought, “Why would you put that on a bird bath?” Perhaps it’s a bit appropri ate as the washing basin for winged creatures to have Time Flies inscribed in Lat in. While I knew the Latin, I didn’t realize until later it was a sun dial, not a bird bath and so Tempus Fugit is an appropriate thing to say. Although if you are tracking time by sun dial, it certainly doesn’t fly. When I was 10, it took forever for Christmas to roll around. And summer vaca tion lasted forever. Have you heard peers say, “This year has flown by!” There is logical reason to feel that way. When you are 10, a single year is 1/10 (10 %) of your entire life. When you’re 15 it’s 6.6% of your life. When you are 30, the same year is only 3.3 % of your life; at 60 it’s a measly 1.66%. And at 70, (which I am turning this year) a whole long year only amounts to 1.42% of your life. There have been events I can recall, (like John F. Kennedy being elected and Marilyn Monroe dying, and then President John F. Ken nedy being assassinated) that I have to reflect, “What decade was that...” So as the big 7-0 draws near there is good reason to know time does seem to be non-linear. It sure doesn’t feel like it is moving on a steady straight path; no it travels like a rocket ship, gaining more speed the lon ger it goes. The Romans knew some thing when they said, “Time Flies.” To close, let me offer a poem of my own: “After the Sun Set. ’’ As darkness falls, as I rest in the Yard, The blue mountains fade from Sight, Then the trees beyond the Pasture, Are gone in the Night. Suddenly the trees about Me Fade from Sight. I do not fear to go Gentle, Into that Dread Dark Night. (Job 10:21-22) For I know o f the next Dawn, (Ps. 17:15c) And a New Brighter Light. (John 8:12) (I thought about just put ting “Lordy, Lordy, Hugh- ie’s 70” but the rhyme is not right). Hugh Pendley is a pub lished author who grew up on a chicken farm on Cove Road in the 1960s. (USPS 431-820) Published by Pickens County Progress, Inc. 94 North Main Street, Jasper, GA 30143 (706) 253-2457 www.pickensprogressonline.com DAN POOL Publisher/Editor Published each Thursday at Jasper, Pickens County, Georgia. Entered at the Post Office at Jasper, Georgia 30143 as Mail Matter of Second Class. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS, 94 N. Main St., Jasper, GA 30143. One Year Subscription: $45.00 for residents of Pickens County or the cities of Ball Ground, Fairmount, and Ranger; $57.00 for all other Georgia residents; $68.00 out of state residents. Other Voices Hopeful and Hopeless I’m hopeful and hopeless All you guys better open your eyes get us out o f this g****ned mess And fight for the hopeful and hopeless - Reb Fountain By Jim Brescia When I first heard this song I was somewhat con fused but something within it resonated within me. The lyrics work on two levels. Hopeful and hopeless as two distinct groups and hopeful and helpless as two feelings within the same person. It is the latter concept of compet ing feelings within the same person to which I strongly relate. This “bi-polar” swing from a hopeful frame of mind to a hopeless frame of mind, while it does not reach a level that would be clinically significant, is prompted by what I perceive around me. I feel crushed when hopeless and invigo rated when hopeful. There are forces at work in this country that appar ently, want to change the very values upon which this country was founded. The Constitution empowers Congress “to establish an uniform Rule of Natural ization.” But an Executive Order has been used to give us open borders with an endless influx of unvetted immigrants. The First Amendment guarantees free speech but violent groups regularly prevent speakers from ex pressing their views. The Second Amendment grants “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms.” But there are misguided people who think limiting the rights of all gun owners and there by limiting our ability to de fend ourselves, will some how stop bad people from doing harm to others. Men and women who made great contributions to the establishment and main tenance of our freedoms are cancelled because of some thing in their history that is frowned upon by todays standards. If one has a family to feed and or needs to commute a long distance to work, they are being crushed by infla tion. Our country is running up debt to a level that nei ther we nor our children will be able to pay back. Just when I am about to throw up my hands and scream “It is hopeless!,” something won derful happens. It usually happens in some chance meeting with a stranger or a routine interac tion with someone I already know. Perhaps it occurs be cause the above topics are often on my mind or perhaps it occurs because the above topics are often on the mind of the other person. The conversations get very animated when the oth er person is a veteran who is disillusioned by what they perceive as happening to the country they served. My hopefulness is re newed by my interactions with the many kind and ge- rerous people I meet who will help you even though they have nothing to gain from the interaction. I meet so many business owners, entrepreneurs, clerks and service people who b elieve in the values upon which this country was founded. It is not “My country right or wrong.” It is “My country and let’s fix what ever is wrong.” They are sympathetic to the needs of others without having their own political agenda. They are generous with both their time and their money. I am perhaps, most hope ful on election days when I work at a polling place. The voters come in from all walks of life and every so cioeconomic level. People with one arm or one leg. Elderly couples arm in arm supporting each other with a love and devotion that has stood the test of time and survived life’s turmoil. Election day is the day when all of the people speak. Election Day is when we should join Reb Fountain in demanding that those whom we elect “open your eyes, get us out of this mess and fight for the hopeful and hopeless”. [ Jim Brescia is an Army combat veteran, certified school psychologist and has 45 years of corporate exec utive experience. He can be reached at vet!96.strong@ gmail.com.] Consumer Cellular' NO HIDDEN FEES. NO HIDDEN ANYTHING. Plans start at just $20/month. 844-287-6530 1) MODEL #103 WACO $22,780 BALANCE OWED $14,500 2) MODEL #202 TOPEKA $34,050 BALANCE OWED $16,000 3) MODEL #403 AUGUSTA $42,450 BALANCE OWED $16,500 4) MODEL #502 SANTE FE $44,950 BALANCE OWED $20,500 BEFORE CALLING: VIEW at www.americanloghomesandcabins.com Click on House Plan NEW - HOMES HAVE NOT BEEN MANUFACTURED • Make any plan design changes you desire! • Comes with Complete Building Blueprints & Construction Manual • Windows, Doors, and Roofing not included • NO TIME LIMIT FOR DELIVERY! 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