Haven’s Helpers wanted for girl with rare disorders

       At the August 18 ground breaking ceremony Commissioner Rob Jones said construction on the Moss fire station #12 will be on the fast track, likely in six to eight weeks. 

The  property is located on Carlan Road, between Roper Road and White Pine Crossover in west Pickens. 

Pickens County Fire Chief Sloan Elrod said that residents in the area should not expect their ISO rating to go down immediately, and that it usually takes about a year before the station runs enough calls to get an ISO inspection. 

Jones said the building will be big enough to house fire trucks and an ambulance. 

Plans are in the works to build tornado shelters on the property with federal grants.

By Will Nelson 

Submitted by Pickens County Extension

Buying this important piece of machinery for the first time can be daunting. If you don’t choose wisely, you risk investing in the wrong tractor.

Luckily, if you do the necessary prep before buying, you’re more likely to find the one you need right away. I’ve broken down some of the most important factors when buying your first tractor. 

Make a list of the tasks you need your tractor to do. 

Before you go to the dealership, make a list of what your tractor should be able to do. After you’ve written down all the tasks, write the corresponding pieces of machinery and implements that your tractor will require (e.g. a front loader, rotary cutter, post hole digger, etc.). These details will dictate a variety of factors, including your hitch capacity and horsepower needed—if you can’t operate your components, the tractor will be useless. 

photo/Angela Reinhardt

Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, right, held a meet and greet at The Carriage House Wednesday, Aug. 16. Cagle is running for governor in the 2018 election. Here he is pictured with state Senator Steve Gooch.  

       Lt. Governor and gubernatorial candidate Casey Cagle dropped by the Carriage House as part of his #CagleCountry tour of north Georgia. 

The meet and greet was attended by citizens and local and state leaders, including state Senator Steve Gooch, who said he would support Cagle “100 percent” in his run for governor. School superintendent Carlton Wilson, school board members Daniel Bell and Sue Finley, commission chair Rob Jones and Jasper Mayor John Weaver were also on hand.  

Learn more about our veterans in a special online data story

Click on the image above to link to the full online infographic. 

     The Veterans Administration recently announced it will open a clinic in Pickens County to provide medical services to veterans here and in surrounding areas. We thought it was worthwhile to take a look at the local veteran population and how it compares to other county, state, and national populations.  

     Using estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2011-2015 American Community Survey, Lisa Schnellinger of NearMedia LLC  developed interactive digital graphics about Pickens County veterans, which can be found at pickensprogressonline.com/vets. These graphics include information about the veteran population size, education, salary, unemployment, disability and period of service.

American Community Survey data is an estimate, but is the most accurate and current information available for counties with small populations. The graphics include only data that is statistically significant when considering the margin of error.