Progress Commission Chair Forum October 5

See Part 1 - Remembering the Past, shaping the future

Part 2 - Integration of Schools

See Black History in Pickens County. Multi-Part Series from  2011

By Bill Cagle, Thelma Cagle, Karen Benson, Lynette Bridges, Justin Davis, Andrea Johnson

Rapid population growth, the economy, and over reliance on social media present new challenges for nurturing peaceful race relations in Pickens County. In this final article about race relations, we will explore how population growth, the economy, and social media are influencers in the community. We will cite some examples from the past that can instruct future actions. 

In 1970 Pickens County’s population was 9,620. This was four years after school integration was achieved. A predominantly White county with Appalachian heritage, Pickens County had a Black population as high as 8.2% in 1930. By 2010, that percentage had dropped to 2.3%, with the Hispanic population recorded at 2.8%. In 2017 the county’s population was 30,343, which included the Black population [sum of Black, and Two or More Races (non-Hispanic)] at 815 or 2.68%, according to DataUSA. 

    The Pickens government will resurface over 11 miles on 28 county roads. Officials opened bids for the large paving project on Thursday, Aug. 27. 

There were five bids, ranging from just over $1 million to around $1.3 million. The paving will be funded by the 2014 SPLOST. 

Pickens Commission Chair Rob Jones said the project will wipe out most of the 2014 SPLOST monies earmarked for paving, “but there’s a little left in there for the sheriff and for some water projects” 

        See full story including list of roads in this week's print or online editions. 

By Beau Evans
Staff Writer
Capitol Beat News Service

   Georgians planning to vote by mail in the Nov. 3 general election have a new way to track the status of their absentee ballots after requesting one.
    Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office has launched a new online tracking system called BallotTrax that lets voters sign up for text or email alerts on their ballot status.
    “Creating this new absentee ballot tracking and notification system will provide Georgia voters with greater clarity and increased confidence that their votes are accepted,” Raffensperger said in a statement.
The website to sign up for alerts is here.

photo/Pickens Community Thrift Store website

       The Community Thrift Store will be closed for two weeks due to the possibility that volunteers were exposed to a person infected with COVID-19. 

A member of the Timothy House, a non-profit that assists with much of the manual labor at the thrift store, tested positive. The person who tested positive has never been to the store, but because residents at the Timothy House live together it was decided it was in the best interest of safety to close, according to a statement from founder Don Russell. 

The store will be closed to donors, customers and workers for an estimated 14 days. 

An email sent to volunteers and media on September 19 alerting of the closure said all Timothy House clients will be tested, and recommended volunteers get tested as well.