Jasper, GA News

12/14/2025

Thank you to the City of Ballground incoming mayor Dennis Nelson, Chabad Rural Georgia and Chaim Markovits for hosting the menorah lighting on this first night of Hanukkah!

Given the extreme cold and concerns for safety, it was a great little turnout for our small, rural area. Jasper and Ball Ground were both represented.

Happy Hanukkah!

12/14/2025

Happy First Night of Hanukkah!

12/14/2025

📉A strong cold front brings breezy & much colder conditions Sunday.
🥶 The coldest temperatures/wind chills will be Sunday night - Monday morning.
⚠️A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect Sun evening - Mon AM when wind chills will be as cold as the teens to single digits.

12/11/2025

The New York Times Obituary from October 12, 1938

COLONEL SAM TATE; Georgia Manufacturer, Banker, Postmaster and Philanthropist

Tate, Sam

12/10/2025

𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐁𝐃𝐂 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦

Today’s Pickens County SBDC Small Business and Entrepreneur Forum was one of the most productive gatherings we’ve attended. It truly felt like a who’s who of Pickens County, the Jasper City Mayor, a City Council Member, representatives from the Pickens County Chamber of Commerce, UGA Extension, Pickens Progress, Know Pickens, three dozen business owners, local investors, and engaged residents all sitting at the same tables, discussing the future of our community.

Much of the conversation stemmed from topics we’ve covered here at Jasper, GA News, particularly the polls and community feedback shared in our Jasper, GA News Group. Mayor Raffield presented the official City of Jasper poll results, which closely mirrored our own community findings.

The meeting centered around four major themes: Housing, Quality Jobs, Small Business, and Tourism. Each table spent time digging deeply into their assigned topic, identifying the biggest challenges and offering thoughtful, realistic solutions. Jasper, GA News will cover these topics in more detail in upcoming posts.

One example came from the “Housing” table, led by Dr. Keller. The discussion highlighted a key contradiction: many residents say they want affordable housing, yet also oppose the construction of townhomes or apartments. As Mayor Raffield noted, a 3,000 sq ft home on two acres is not affordable housing anymore, and this disconnect makes the issue extraordinarily complex.

Dr. Keller’s table proposed a balanced approach: allow the development of needed housing, but require developers to meet higher standards that protect the natural beauty and character of our community. It may not be the solution, but it is a solution. One that acknowledges both the demand for growth and the desire to preserve what makes Pickens County special.

More insights from this meeting will be shared as soon as we continue to explore these important issues with our community.

12/09/2025

𝐔𝐒𝐏𝐒 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚, 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥!

Every year, children and families across America write letters to Santa. Many of these letters come from households facing hard times, asking for not just toys, but for coats, shoes, blankets, or simple necessities.

USPS Operation Santa is the a 111-year-old program run by the U.S. Postal Service. Operation Santa gives the chance for you and I to step in and make those wishes come true.

Here’s how it works:

• Individuals and families send letters addressed to Santa Claus, 123 Eld Road, North Pole 88888, (like regular mail, make sure you include postage).

• Letters are then collected at Santa’s Satellite Work Shop through the USPS.

• Those letters are then made available (anonymously) for volunteers to adopt.

• Anyone, individuals, families, businesses, churches, or civic groups,can “adopt” a letter and help fulfill the request.

This is a wonderful opportunity to come together, spread kindness, and help families who could use extra support this Christmas. Churches, classrooms, small businesses, youth groups, and community organizations can all participate.

If your family, business, or organization wants to adopt a letter, you can do so at:

https://www.uspsoperationsanta.com/letters

12/09/2025

FYI

📅 December Town Council Meeting
Thursday, Dec 11th at 6:30pm

12/07/2025

𝐃𝐨 𝐍𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐦 - Dr. E.L. Whitworth

Today we face the challenge of a reliability and trustworthiness deficit in humanity whereby everyone is habitually doing what is right in their own sight apart from the Father’s will and way and where going their own way has become the standard modus operandi (mode of operation). When our personal space and surrounding world become unstable and chaotic, where or what do we turn to? The good new is that we have options and there is hope. For the next several weeks we will be considering The Creator’s Testimony (the Scriptures) as a reliable and trustworthy source of hope, strength, direction, and problem-solving.

Personally, I fully agree with and acknowledge the fact that I would have perished in the midst of life’s numer-ous and hardship challenges had Yahweh’s instructions not been my delight and my main go-to-source for wisdom, guidance, comfort, and healing (see Psalm 119 verses 92 and 24). You see, I tried psychology and even took numerous psychology courses to gain an understanding of myself and other humanoids (😊) and find solutions to problems. However, I discovered that psychology’s answers to problems did well in answering the symptoms but really did not always cure the problem. This looped scenario and cycle of failure is also played out in Big Pharma’s legion of medications prescribed by drug pushers that give temporary relief from or mask symptoms without really curing anything and then goes the extra mile in facilitating side effects that damage or destroy other parts of the human body. This is the result of ‘going our own way and only doing what is right in our own sight’ that results in the abuser’s literally “practicing” medicine and using patients as lab rats while robbing them blind. (Note: I am not referring to members of the medical profession who are dedicated to truly addressing and possibly curing the root problem God’s way and naturally and who conscientiously walk out the standard of “DO NO HARM”.)

Therefore, to start our journey toward the true and Primary Source of life’s reliability and trustworthiness, this week’s treasure hunt is to meditate on Psalm 119 and rediscover the wonderful and awesome benefits of Scripture reading, studying, meditating on, and walking out God’s will and way in our lives. Next week we will dive into Part 1s’ facts surrounding the reliability and trustworthiness of The Creator’s Testimony.

Note: Please email [email protected] if you are interested in acquiring a copy of The Creator’s Testimony: Someone Real and Trustworthy to Believe In. This book will be available soon, about the end of November, 2025.

12/06/2025

Nice!

12/05/2025

Thank you Riddle Family Dog Ranch for subscribing to the Jasper, Ga Business Directory. We look forward to helping your business to grow! Follow on Facebook.

12/04/2025

Thank you The Vintage Rose Tattoo for subscribing to the Jasper, Ga Business Directory. We look forward to helping your business to grow! Follow on Facebook and Instagram.

www.jaspergabusiness.com

12/04/2025

FYI

𝙏𝙝𝙚 Jasper Merchants Association 𝘼𝙣𝙣𝙪𝙖𝙡 “𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙇𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨” 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚!

This Sunday, December 7th, bundle up those kids, grab your friends and head on down to Main Street in Downtown Jasper GA! There will be lights! There will be singing! There will be FREE activities for kids starting at 3PM!

𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙛𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬:

🚧 Roads start closing down at 12noon - the blocks of N Main Street between W Church and the 3 way stop at Mark Whitfield and N Main Streets, PLUS the block of S Main Street between W Church and Spring Streets. *Pretty please, have all vehicles off of Main Street by 12 noon on Sunday*

🚜 If you are a parade participant - line up is on Stegall Drive between Mary Street and Mark Whitfield Street and starts at 3:00pm. PLEASE access Stegall Drive by turning onto Mary Street from N Main Street; not from SR 53/W Church Street. Line up is first come first served - there are no assigned numbers, and if you want your float to be judged, you must have your name/organization’s name marked very clearly on the Driver’s side of the vehicle. ALL PARADE PARTICIPANTS MUST BE ON STEGALL DRIVE NO LATER THAN 5:00pm, and once you are on Stegall Drive, there is no exiting - kind of like Hotel California.

🚶‍♀️- If you are a Walker/Band Member - please meet on DB Carrol Street, west of Mark Whitfield Street - you need to be there no later than 5:30pm because Mark Whitfield Street will close down just before the parade starts. **Remember - W Church Street closes down just before 6pm!**

🍔 - If you are a Vendor - you should have received an email from JMA today with information on how to access Main Street to set up your wares. Just like Downtown Live this year, you will enter from behind the Courthouse (east of Main Street) using Court Street - there will be folks there to check you in starting at 12noon. ALL VENDORS MUST BE CHECKED IN AND SET UP BY 1:30pm because we will start setting up the parade route at 2:00pm.

We can’t wait to see you! Dress warmly and pack some patience!