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TARS! Pike County baseball All Star teams earn top finishes. See page 3A PIKE COUNTY JOURNAL REPOBSEB ONE DOLLAR www.pikecountygeorgia.com : . ^ . PIKE'S PEEK Molena fire was an arson Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced July 12 that a Pike County residential fire was intentionally set. The fire occurred at ap proximately 10:33 a.m. on July 11 on Garland Street in Molena and significantly dam aged the 113-year-old, 1210-square-foot house. “Investigators with the State Fire Mar shal’s Office deter mined that the fire was intentionally set and originated on the right side of the structure in a rear laundry room,” said commissioner King. See FIRE page 2A COVID-19 cases in Pike remain low There have been seven confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pike County over the past two weeks, up slightly from five in the previ ous two-week period. Since the pandemic began, there have been 28 deaths in Pike, 15 probable deaths, 85 hospitalizations and 1,110 confirmed cases as of July 12. There are 4,492 fully vaccinated Pike County citizens with 25% of the county’s population fully vaccinated and 27% having at least one dose of the vaccine. Children 12 and older are approved for the COVID-19 vaccine. Callista Clark makes People magazine BY RACHEL McDANIEL news@pikecountygeorgia.com The everyday Pike County life of Callista Clark and her future mu sical dreams and aspira tions were highlighted in a People magazine story released in July. While some life changing events have happened over the past several months for Callista - including the re lease of her first five-song EP Real to Me, her first single It’s Cause I Am and the filming of her first music video - she feels like nothing has changed for her in her hometown. “Everyone’s been really sweet and support ive,” she said. “When I’m home, I kind of forget I’m an artist sometimes.” Her debut album is on the cusp of becoming a Top 30 album and her songs are being played on country radio and streamed across the na tion and globe. Although she has dreamed of a career as a musician, she told People magazine she didn’t expect the notori ety to come so soon. “I want to reach as many people as I can with my music, and I want to do as much as I can, which seems very vague, but for me, I just love music,” she said. “I love every side of it. So if that’s writing a song for another artist, I want to do it. If that’s having a number one for myself - oh my gosh! -1 want to do it. I think my future is music and I’m ready to see it.” See CALLISTA page 2A PHOTO BY CHELSEA THOMPSON Pike County musician Callista Clark’s rocketing musical career was recently spotlighted in People magazine. The 17-year-old has been performing in Pike and through viral videos since she was a young girl. Earlier this year she released her first album, Real to Me. SPECIAL PHOTOS Bobby Berry was finally able to visit with his children again after months in the hospital and in rehabilitation as he battled COVID-19. He is still battling to recover from nerve damage due to the illness but is now home with family. A long journey home: Family battles COVID-19 for months Bobby Berry and Stacy Berry were both diagnosed with COVID-19 on April 13 and she shared their quarantine and sickness experiences through social media. The couple was dis tancing from their two daughters in their home and coping well until Bobby started to have serious complications and had to be admitted to the hospital in Upson on April 20. From there, the family’s lives were turned upside down as he struggled to breathe and ended up being intu bated and placed on the vent then transferred to Emory in Atlanta on May 4 to be put on ECMO, a last resort life support. The family was covered daily in prayers from fam ily and friends and they credit his recovery and return home on July 1 to God’s grace and mercy. “Bobby is a miracle. However, he has many months ahead of rehabili tation from COVID-19. All prayers and donations are so appreciated by the family Please keep pray ing for continual heal ing,” said Christine Leigh who set up a GoFundMe account called Bobby Berrys Covid Battle to help with expenses ac crued over the months of hospitalization. See COVID-19 page 3A At left, Bobby Berry works on occupational therapy during his time at the Warm Springs Rehabilitation Center. He is still recover ing use of his limbs due to nerve dam age from COVID-19. He tested positive for the virus on April 13. Share your favorite summer snapshots with us Summer is a great time to send the Pike County Journal Reporter your favor ite snapshots of the season. Email your favor ite photos to news@ pikecountygeorgia. com and be sure to include the names of everyone in the photo from left to right (front row and then back row for larger groups). Share your loved ones’ accomplish ments and adventures this summer. Include with photo submissions an ex planation of what is happening or what led up to the photo being taken. The Pike County Journal Reporter wishes you a happy and safe summertime! SUBMITTED PHOTO At right, local kids enjoy spending some time together this summer, including (l-r) Corbin Mad dox, Grayson Parrott and Rose Maddox.