Lions' Fill-A-Stocking in full swing

      Employees from Universal Concepts in Cumming put the county Christmas tree up on the courthouse lawn last Thursday under cold, cloudy skies. This is the second year the county has used an outside company to install the tree and they will be back to pack it up after the holiday. The company assembles about 20 trees around north Georgia, including one 85-footer with a 15-foot-star in the metro area, visible at the Northside Hospital location on I-285. 

The one in Jasper is a 20 footer and took most of the day to put together in sections.

map / GDOT

The official GDOT detour is nearly 60 miles - local motorists will want to find alternate routes. 

Highway 53 East near the Tate House will close at 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 22 for repairs to a railroad crossing, with work expected to be completed by Tuesday, Nov. 26. 

Per Georgia Department of Transportation policy, GDOT will provide an official detour along state routes, which will be able to accommodate larger tractor trailers – but the state detour is 59 miles. Local traffic will want to find alternative detours on other roads. 

Signs have gone up at the Pickens County VA Clinic, which received its certificate of occupancy from the city of Jasper earlier this month. 

       Last week, a few dozen officials were on site at the Pickens County VA Clinic to perform an acceptance walkthrough, according to the general contractor and landlord who said the project is in the final stages of completion.  

Property owner David Shouse estimated around 30 people visited the East Church Street property for the walkthrough, including representatives from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs out of Washington, D.C., as well as doctors and other medical professionals who have been hired to work there. Technology, HVAC, and other service professionals were also in attendance to check the facility, he said. 

        See full story in this week's print or online editions which includes information about enrollement from the VA. 

Angela Reinhardt / Photo

For the past three years, Speed Burger customers may have noticed a jar at the counter where the restaurant collects tips to support Pickens charities. There is also one at the drive thru.

Charity-efforts usually ramp up around the holidays when people are more inclined to donate to a food drive, volunteer at a soup kitchen, or sit with the elderly at a nursing home - but Speed Burger owners Cindy and Billy Heath have made year-round giving a habit.

For the last several years, customers of the East Church Street restaurant (which not too long ago celebrated its 50th anniversary) may have noticed the tip jars at the drive-thru window and on the inside counter. A piece of paper taped on the jars informs customers which local charity a portion of that month’s tips will support. For October and November, the Heaths always choose to sponsor a foster child for Christmas, but they have also donated to the Pickens Animal Shelter, the Pickens Senior