Pickens County Progress

Verner "Vern" Simmons, 84 of Talking Rock, Georgia passed away Thursday, July 16, 2026 at Northside Hospital Cherokee. Vern was born in Talking Rock, GA on January 9, 1942 to Rembert and Faye Griffeth Simmons. Verner lived a life defined by hard work, unwavering dedication to his family, and a quiet strength that inspired everyone who knew him. He attended Talking Rock Grammer School and graduated from Pickens High School. Verner's roots ran deep in the community he loved.

Construction is nearing completion on the roundabout at the intersection of Dragon Drive and Highway 53 at the Pickens High School entrance; the roadway is open to motorists while crews finish final details. With all the groaning from so many residents about this (and every other) roundabout built or being built in our county, we would like to remind people that roundabouts have proven to be much safer than a traffic signal. Roundabouts significantly reduce the number and the severity of crashes.

The Jasper Farmers Market early birds swooped in and carried off the okra first thing. Guess next Saturday shoppers need to swoop in earlier to get a share? Zach Henson offers beautiful red onions along with a multitude of squash. Other veggie vendors have tomatoes in red and yellow, smooth and bumpy. Green beans, lettuce, and peppers are available, too, along with sweet corn.

By Ty Tagami, Bureau Chief Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA - People spent more money on the Georgia Lottery over the past year than the prior one, sending more than $1 billion to public educational programs for the 11th year in a row. The more than $1.5 billion raised during fiscal year 2026, which ended June 30, exceeded the prior fiscal year profit by nearly $70 million, according to Gov. Brian Kemp's office. Since 1993, the Georgia Lottery Corp.

Summer may be over, but your local library continues to provide exciting events and services all year long. From storytimes to craft events, there is so much fun to be had at the library for everyone. With a new school year approaching, we're excited to continue supporting our community with reservable spaces for studying and tutoring, Chromebook laptops available for checkout, and so much more.

By Ty Tagami, Bureau Chief Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA - The battle over voter confidence in Georgia's election machines flared up after the Legislature decided last month to keep them until 2028. Weeks after lawmakers voted to postpone their prior ban on the machines' use of QR codes to tally results, the U.S. Department of Justice planned to surge into Atlanta with 260 FBI analysts.

By Ty Tagami, Bureau Chief Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA - Georgia tax revenues fell in June, driven by a gas tax suspension and helped along by increased income tax refunds. Net tax revenues for the month fell 6.8% compared with June 2025, according to the Georgia Department of Revenue. The bulk of it was driven by a nearly $197 million decline in motor fuel excise tax collections, which Gov.

The highly anticipated 2026 Major League Baseball Draft took place on July 11-12 and the results did not disappoint the many observers who follow the Pickens High School baseball team. In fact, the scorecard proved to be even better than expected as two former Dragons were selected during the second day's activities. The featured attraction for the Dragons was 2026 graduate A.J. Rice, who was selected in the seventh round by the Tampa Bay Rays.

Last week, after several months in the design phase, elements of a new mural on the side of the Hensley Plaza in downtown Jasper began to emerge. The outline of a train and smokestack waited patiently for color. Silhouettes of people relaxing outside against a mountainous backdrop were beginning to be filled in.

News for Pickens County, GA