Rockmart kicking off summer with Friday block party
The l atest block party i n Rockmart is coming up this Friday as local retailers get ready to regroup this month after being rained out in early May.
This month’s theme is centered around the beginning of summer, and local retailers who are organizing the event are encouraging people to come out and have some “Summertime Fun.”
Jeri Purdy, who helps put together the event, said that there will be plenty of family-friendly opportunities to enjoy at this month’s event, with the weather at press time promising to cooperate with only slight chances for showers and mostly cloudy skies called for in the forecast.
Retailers along South Marble Street in Rockmart will also be open later for the event as the street gets closed off, Purdy said. But finding a dining choice and shopping opportunities are just part of the event.
Local youth will have a chance to show off their artistic skills with a paint party featuring watermelons instead of Jack-o-Lanterns being organized by Rachel Bullock, and music this month is being provided by Them Nixon Boys, Purdy said.
The kickoff block party set for May 5 was called off due to unsea- sonably cool and wet weather and had been planned as a Cinco de Mayo-style celebration.
With summer right around the corner, this month’s theme is meant to help local residents get into the spirit of warmer weather and time off to spend with family and friends.
Purdy said those interested in taking part in future block parties can get in touch by finding her on Facebook, or leaving a message through this month’s event listing.
Decision in shooting death
coming this summer
The shooting of an Aragon man in March by a Georgia State Patrolman during a traffic stop remains in the hands of the Tallapoosa Circuit District Attorney, who said he expects to make a decision early this summer.
District Attorney Jack Browning said he was waiting to get some more information from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and have a full case file on his desk before he made any decisions about the case.
Now that he has that information, he said that decision will be coming soon.
However, he pointed out the case has also taken time to work out due to his busy schedule in court and traveling between Haralson and Polk counties as well as waiting for information to come back from the GBI.
Browning s aid he had no comment on whether the case would be heading to a grand jury.
The GB I was brought into investigate the shooting death of Jason Dennis Watkins, 36, of Aragon by a Georgia State Patrol officer who had stopped Watkins on Fish Creek Road after a chase.
According to information provided by the GBI at the time of the shooting, Watkins is alleged to have tried to accelerate forward, and during the incident Trooper Johnathan Mason shot Watkins.
Watkins was pronounced dead at 12:55 a.m. on March 18.
GSP troopers had been working in Polk County and conducting a DUI patrol in the county following a Governor’s Office of Highway Safety road block with local law enforcement agencies the previous night that brought in several arrests.
Watkins is alleged to have fled from officers when they first tried to stop him, and when he did stop he later tried to flee again after an unidentified passenger got out of the vehicle at the corner of Collard Valley Road and Old Collard Valley Road.