Newspaper Page Text
NEVER FORGET
This Sept. 11 marks the 20th
anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
Local businesses and organizations
honor the memory of those lost.
See page 1B
ONE DOLLAR
www.pikecountygeorgia.com
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021
1
COVID-19
in Pike at
record high
Confirmed CO
VID-19 cases in Pike
went above 200 for
a two-week period,
hitting 261 as of Sept.
2 according to the
Georgia Department
of Public Health.
Three more deaths
were added as well,
including a 22, 65 and
82-year-old.
The single-day Pike
record for confirmed
cases was 44 cases on
Aug. 29, with 42 cases
on Aug. 27, 25 cases
on Aug. 28 and 14
cases on Aug. 30.
See COVID-19 page 5A
Molena man
dies in wreck
on motorcycle
A 22-year-old man
from Molena was
killed late Aug. 30 in
a motorcycle wreck
at the intersection of
Highway 16 and Ellis
Road after he report
edly did not stop at a
stop sign.
Morgan Tyler Ard
passed away from
“injuries that were
extensive and not
survivable,” accord
ing to Spalding County
coroner Michael Pryor
who asked for prayers
for the family as well as
the driver of the van.
The initial investiga
tion shows that Ard,
on a Yamaha motor
cycle, was traveling
south on West Ellis
Road and failed to
yield while crossing
Highway 16. A Dodge
Caravan hit the left
side of the motorcycle
as Ard attempted to
cross Highway 16 onto
Crowder Road.
Bobby Wilkerson is Pike's new f i re chief
Bobby Wilkerson
has been a Pike County
resident for more than 20
years and was recently
named as fire chief by
commissioners during
their Aug. 31 meeting.
Wilkerson has vol
unteered with the Pike
County Fire Department
for nearly five years and
was serving as a lieuten
ant at Station 3 when he
was appointed as interim
fire chief in June of this
year.
“When 1 was appointed
as interim chief, it kind of
surprised me. Over the
past three months, I’ve
enjoyed working with all
the volunteers and the
turnout and participation
has picked up and it’s
been great to see,” said
Wilkerson. “I had a lot of
support from our volun
teers and I wanted to ap
ply for fire chief to keep
supporting them and
moving the department
forward. We’ve got to
grow because our county
is growing and we want
the fire department to
get stronger and better
as the county grows.”
Overall, Wilkerson has
more than 37 years of fire
fighting experience and
he served as a Lieutenant
with the Henry County
Fire Department for 32
years.
“You never have two
calls the same and you
never know what you will
find when you arrive,” he
said while at a kitchen
fire at a Meansville home
Sept. 1.
“Over the next several
years, we hope to look at
the possibility of getting
our stations manned with
some paid firefighters, es
pecially during working
hours and the middle of
the day when turnout is
usually lowest,” he said.
PHOTO BY RACHEL McDANIEL / PIKE COUNTY JOURNAL REPORTER
Bobby Wilkerson was named the Pike County fire chief by
commissioners at their Aug. 30 meeting. He has volunteered
for nearly five years in Pike and was serving as a lieutenant
when he was named interim fire chief in June of 2021.
PHOTO BY CHAD MOORE / MOORE PHOTOGRAPHY
There are many ways ordinary citizens can thank nurses and medical workers in their
communities, including thoughtful gifts and services, prayers and discounts at local busi
nesses. Above, Shannon Moore is a nurse who lives in Pike County.
Thank you nurses, medical workers
The Pike County
Journal Reporter appre
ciates our local nurses
and medical workers,
especially in light of the
pandemic and resulting
overcrowding of hospi
tals and doctor’s offices.
Find ways to support
nurses and medical field
employees on the To
Your Health page on 3B.
Shannon Moore
(above) is one of many
healthcare workers who
lives in Pike and she is
in charge of a vaccina
tion clinic to be hosted
by Brightmoor Hospice
in the near future.
“I really do love what I
do,” she said. “Not even
COVID-19 could stop me
from doing this.”
Share your stories
of local medical heroes
you know by emailing
news@pikecountygeor-
gia.com. Include photos
if possible.
PATRIOT DAY
20th anniversary
program on Sept. 11
The Pike American
Legion Family will host
the annual Patriot Day
Observance Program
on the south side of the
Pike County Courthouse
Square in Zebulon on Sat
urday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m.
“This year is a more
than special occasion in
that it is the 20th anni
versary of the Sept. 11
attacks,” said Post 197’s
Bryan Richardson. “As
with many communities
across this nation, Pike
County will be observing
and remembering the
events of Sept. 11, 2001.”
Richardson said the
Patriot Day Observance
Program will honor the
20th anniversary of those
who perished that fateful
morning. Highlights of
the program will include
the multi-organizational
(Meansville Volunteer
Fire Department, Sheriff’s
Office, Emergency Medi
cal Service, Military and
American Legion) Color
Guard posting of the
colors, special music, the
posting of a wreath at an
erected Sept. 11 Memo
rial, Last Call tribute to
the FDNY, NYPD and EMS
by the Meansville Volun
teer Fire Department; and
Taps for the military ser
vice members as well as
all the 2,977 victims who
perished that tragic day.
Guest speaker, veteran
and Legionnaire Stephen
Golias will share his
amazing story relating
his interaction during the
events of Sept. 11, 2001.
“Visit the Sept. 11
Memorial on the Square
which will be set up for
the public to view. Please
join the community as
Pike County honors and
continues to remember
the 2,977 victims of Sept.
11,” said Richardson.
“Bring your youngsters
so they can learn about
what happened that
fateful day and following
9-11. Seating is limited,
so you are encouraged to
bring your lawn chairs.”
PHOTOS BY RACHEL MCDANIEL / PIKE COUNTY JOURNAL REPORTER
A special Patriot Day display by American Legion Post 197
during a previous program. This year’s event will be Sept. 11
at 10 a.m. on the courthouse square
SlowExposures photo show set for Sept. 16-19
The SlowExposures
Juried Main Exhibit is
the centerpiece of each
year’s event. Exhibited in
the historic R. F. Strick
land Building, in “down
town” Concord, Georgia,
some 70-90 images will
be on display for the
public to view.
“Don’t miss the 18th
annual celebration of
photography of the rural
South. Over a dozen
photo shows displayed
in historic Pike County
buildings throughout
the beautiful rolling hills
of the Lower Piedmont
of Georgia,” said Chris
Curry. “We can’t wait to
welcome photographers
and photography lovers
to Pike County and the
SlowExposures experi
ence this year - we’re
calling it “2020 in 2021”
and featuring Jurors
Paula Tognarelli and
Allan Rothschild’s selec
tions made before the
pandemic hit last year.
We’re planning a great
reunion and we look
forward to sharing the
“SlowExposures” experi
ence with you!”
Twelve shows around
the courthouse square
in Zebulon and down the
road a piece will include
fabulous photography,
demonstrations, videos
and presentations by pho
tographers from across
the South and beyond.
“Thanks, all PopUp
artists who have donated
a print for our Print
Raffle. Raffle tickets are
$1 plus 5 free ones if you
make it around to all the
shows,” said Chris.
Those who attend
the Saturday Supper at
Strickland’s will enjoy an
outdoor meal.
“We’ll close the front
street in front of Strick
land’s and enjoy the tra
ditional southern repast
in the open air, weather
permitting,” said Curry.
“Tickets can be purchased
online at slow
exposures.org for $30
each and covers the wine
reception at the main
show, followed by dinner
and dessert will be accom
panied by the announce
ment of the winners of
the Photo Raffle. “You can
admire the work and pur
chase raffle tickets right
up to the announcement,”
said Curry. “And, for that
night only, many of the
photographs in the main
show can be purchased
for a 10% discount.”