JeepFest set to roll in 2021 for 10th year

Former Supt. Rick Townsend

        Just like a romantic break-up, it appears that the relationship between the Pickens school board and former Superintendent Rick Townsend is finally over, for good, but leaving behind a trail of bitterness and speculation.

The board officially called it quits with Townsend in a very brief meeting last Tuesday, Feb. 23rd, after they had been “negotiating” for the past several weeks. However, the school board waited until Friday to disclose the final payout, where they agreed to give the departing superintendent $406,014 in remaining salary, plus spending another $13,329 in a FICA payment and an additional workers compensation expense of $2,354.

       See full story in this week's print or online editions. 

Thousands gathered outside the State Capitol on June 19, 2020. (Photo by Beau Evans)

By Beau Evans
Staff Writer
Capitol Beat News Service

   Wide-ranging legislation aimed at cracking down on rioting protesters in Georgia that criminal-justice advocates say could trample on free-speech rights faced debate in the General Assembly Tuesday.

   The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Randy Robertson, R-Cataula, contains several proposals to punish vandalism and violence during protests such as those seen last summer in response to high-profile fatal shootings by police.

   It seeks to “look at and redefine what peaceful assemblies were,” Robertson said, by making it a felony with fines and prison time to commit violent acts in gatherings of seven people or more, block a highway or road and deface public structures like monuments and cemeteries.

By Beau Evans
Staff Writer
Capitol Beat News Service

   Teachers, school staff and certain other vulnerable groups in Georgia will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting on March 8, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday.
   Vaccines will be available for pre-K and K-12 school teachers and staff, Kemp said. Georgia adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as the parents of children who have complex medical conditions, will also be eligible on March 8.
   Kemp traced his decision to expand vaccines to teachers on encouraging signs of increasing vaccine production from the Biden administration and the new Johnson & Johnson-brand vaccine that won high safety marks from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week.
   “Today, we will be taking another step to protect the most vulnerable and get Georgia back to normal,” Kemp said at a news conference Thursday.

Nettes lost in the final seconds 51-49. Great season for the PHS team comes to a close.

Earlier story.

The Nettes celebrate an earlier win. Tonight they face a tough test on the road in Cairo, Ga.

There has been no bigger and more exciting week in Nettes basketball in recent history than this past week.   After securing the first region title since the 1999-2000 season, the Nettes hosted the Stephenson Lady Jaguars in the first round of the state tournament on Tuesday, February 23rd. Stephenson only came in with a handful of wins, but eight of their 13 losses came against state ranked teams and they had plenty of talent. The Lady Jaguars were all business during warm-ups as the Jasper crowd began to filter in.