LATEST NEWS

Instruction: People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Motorists should slow down and be prepared for possible loss of control due to hydroplaning.

Instruction: People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Motorists should slow down and be prepared for possible loss of control due to hydroplaning.

Fast and reliable fiber network connections now available to all addresses. TDS Telecom’s fiber network expansion in Nelson, Marble Hill, and Ball Ground, Ga. is now complete. The private investment project means more than 2,800 addresses across these communities now have access to a fiber-to-the-premises connection. Residential customers can...

The happiest group in Pickens County will celebrate 50 years of sharing joys and struggles when the Burnt Mountain Center hosts an open house on Friday, June 2. The event is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at their building located at 515 Pioneer Road, Jasper. For those who have...

Representatives of Family Connection chapters in Gilmer, Pickens and Fannin County convened at a recent first-time conference to discuss future priorities for the three community outreach nonprofits…

Carl and Tammy Bledsoe, Pickens County horse trainers, recently participated in two notable horse expos as featured clinicians. They attended Horseworld Expo in Pennsylvania, an Equine Affaire Expo in Ohio, and are planning to attend another Equine Affaire based in Massachusetts this November. Carl Bledsoe has a background in show...

The 8th Regiment is “a living museum of 19th century emotions”. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy a unique musical performance of Civil War era music at the historic Old Jail on N. Main Street Sunday May 28th beginning at 3 p.m. The Eighth Regiment Brass Band is celebrating...

 Harmony Elementary School media specialist Joe Morgan was named the 2023 Pickens County Schools Teacher of the Year at a ceremony on Monday night. Morgan, a 20 year teaching veteran, told the Progress on Tuesday morning that he was very humbled by the honor. “It is a very...

A K-9 with the Greenville County Sheriff's Office was shot and killed, and a deputy was injured during a non-training activity at the deputy's home, according to Lt. Ryan Flood. It happened Sunday evening in Pickens County, according to Flood. Flood said the deputy, an experienced K-9 handler, was unexpectedly...

The North Georgia Health District was recently honored with the 2023 Walt Orenstein Immunization Champions Award at the Immunize Georgia Conference hosted by the Georgia Department of Public Health in Atlanta. The award recognizes outstanding leadership and impact in immunizing Georgians, and this marks the fifth time the North Georgia Health District received this prestigious honor. Based in Dalton, the North Georgia Health District oversees public health in Cherokee, Fannin,...

Pickens American Legion Post 149 is pleased to announce Eleina Bryant and Jack Resetar have been selected to attend the American Legion’s nationally recognized leadership action program for students June 11-17, 2023. The program is a highly regarded comprehensive one-week course in state and local government and is a program of the American Legion Department of Georgia.

We’re a little over two weeks into the annual summer burn ban, which prohibits burning yard and land-clearing debris in 52 Georgia counties including Pickens. We spoke to Jasper’s fire chief to get more insight into the annal restriction that’s now been in effect nearly 20 years.

May 17: Bear Society is hosting Big Canoe’s Trails Committee at a Happy Hour in the Black Bear Pub, 5:00-7:00. May 18: Pickens Board of Commissioners meeting, 1266 Church Street, 4:30-6:30. May 19: Artwalk Jasper, downtown Jasper, music by Caleb Wilkie and the Privateers 6:00-9:00. May 20: Big Canoe...

Recently, Big Canoe Chapel awarded $116,500 in scholarships to 52 graduating seniors from Dawson and Pickens counties. According to information provided by Big Canoe Chapel’s Judy Bellenger, this year marked the 41st consecutive year that Big Canoe Chapel has awarded scholarships to graduating seniors. Over these years, the organization has awarded over 2.8 million dollars and 2,100 or more scholarships.

The faith-based mission of the Community Thrift Store is to “serve members of our community who find themselves in need of essential goods and basic life-enhancing services.” The Community Thrift Store started in 2000 and, as of August 2021, had delivered nearly $10 million dollars to community organizations through generous donations and volunteering by people like you.

The senior class of 2023 represents the 41st consecutive year that Big Canoe Chapel has awarded scholarships to deserving seniors living in Pickens and Dawson counties. Over $2.8 million and 2,100-plus scholarships have had a tremendous impact on many lives. In addition to the chapel scholarships, the iPhone Club extends...

On April 14, Leadership Big Canoe (LBC) welcomed four community leaders from Dawson and Pickens counties for Session 7. Each representative delivered a message of growth married to the challenges of successful growth management. As with Big Canoe, both Dawson and Pickens counties are experiencing the stretches and strains of what success brings. Thankfully, the thinking of “Don’t build it and they won’t come” was not evident from either county’s leadership representatives.