BBB: Avoid Online "Going-Out-Of Business" Scam

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic is driving many retailers out of business. What’s bad for businesses often means sales for shoppers, but before you jump on deals, make sure you aren’t falling for a con. BBB Scam Tracker has gotten many reports about online “going-out-of-business” sales that either don’t exist or don’t live up to the hype.

How the Scam Works

You are scrolling through your Facebook feed or doing a web search when you come across an advertisement for a going-out-of-business sale. The company is closing because of COVID-19 and selling off their inventory at a great discount.

If you click on the ad or type in the promoted URL, it will lead you to a website selling anything from designer goods to electronics to novelty items. From looking at the photos, the products seem like a great deal.

But if you order something, what arrives isn’t what you thought you purchased.  Frustrated shoppers report to BBB Scam Tracker that the products they receive are much worse quality than what was shown online. For example, one victim ordered $250 worth of “designer” clothes from a New York-based store. Instead, they received low quality items shipped from overseas. “What was supposed to be cotton and/or linen was the worst quality polyester,” they told BBB. “The clothes, in general, were nowhere close to the advertised quality on the website images. Definitely NOT the quality I paid for.”

Other times, scammers never intend to send you anything at all. They simply steal your credit card information when you are prompted to pay. These phony sites can also download malware onto your computer and give scammers access to your personal information, passwords, and more.

How to Avoid Fake Sale Scams

• Know where you shop. Be wary of purchasing items from online retailers with whom you are not familiar. Even if you are on the website of a reputable company, double check the web address before you make a purchase to be sure scammers haven’t redirected you to an imitation site.
• Look for a secure connection and a privacy policy. Before you enter your personal information in any website, check for a secure connection. To do this, make sure the URL begins with “https://” and includes a lock icon on the purchase page. HTTPS ensures that a user’s internet experience is secure as they use their computer to browse the web. The lack of a privacy policy is also a red flag.
• Use your credit card. Paying with a credit card gives you the advantage of being able to dispute fraudulent charges. This is the safest payment method for purchasing items online. Be warned, however, that your credit card company may not keep this up indefinitely. If you routinely shop at shady websites, at some point they may refuse to return your money.

For More Information

For ways to protect yourself from scammers when shopping online, read BBB’s Tips for Smart Shopping Online. For more information about going-out-of-business sales and other issues that arise when a business closes, see BBB Tip: What to Do When a Business Closes… for Good.

If you’ve been the victim of an online shopping scam, warn other consumers by reporting the incident to BBB Scam Tracker.

Drug Task Force Commander Asked To Step Down

The multi-jurisdictional drug task force in Northwest Georgia is without a permanent commander after the board of directors decided that they wanted a change in leadership.

Dewayne Brown had been serving at the Commander of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force, but has now resigned from that position after the multi-agency task force said that they weren’t happy with some of the decisions that were being made for the drug task force.

The Drug Task Force is made up of Chattooga, Walker and Dade Counties along with The Town of Trion Police Department and the City of LaFayette Police Department.  Each of the departments have representatives that sit on the board of directors for the drug task force.

Chattooga County’s Caine Railey is still serving as deputy commander of the task force and Trion Police Chief David Gilliland is acting in an unpaid position as “interim overseer.”

Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader, who serves on the board of directors for the task force,  told WZQZ News that there were no improprieties at the Drug Task Force, but that board members wanted to see a change in direction.

Brown has returned to the Walker County Sheriff’s Office where he started working in 1998.

In Reversal - University Of Georgia Will Host Early Voting On Campus

The University of Georgia has reversed itself and now says it wants to host an early voting precinct on campus after receiving widespread push-back.

The change in position came after the university had announced it would not allow voting to take place in the typical location in the student center because of concerns about COVID-19 transmission.

UGA Votes, the group seeking to host an on-campus precinct, said Wednesday that it had proposed using Stegeman Coliseum, but that after initial approval by the athletics department, using the basketball arena as a site was “ultimately deemed infeasible.”

But by Thursday, after a social media outcry, the university said it had offered the arena to local and state officials as an early voting site.

“We look forward to working with state and local election officials to facilitate on-campus voting in this indoor venue, which is large enough to support safe social distancing,” the university said in a statement.

GNN / Compiled Sources

Absentee Ballots Going Out In The Mail

Voting in Georgia for the November 3 General Election is about to begin. Absentee ballots are set to start going out by the end of the week.

More than a million Georgians have already requested an absentee ballot.

You can request an absentee ballot by going to the Georgia Secretary of State’s website at sos.ga.gov. If you are not registered to vote, you have until October 3.

To check your voter registration status at mvp.sos.ga.gov. You can also view a sample ballot on your “My Voter” page.

Remember Parade Traffic Around Noon In Downtown Summerville

Today is National POW/MIA day and Chattooga County will be honoring the only surviving county resident who was a prisoner of war during World War II, Staff Sgt. Leo Lanier. 

Members of the Georgia National Guard’s 108th Cavalry in Calhoun will be at the courthouse at 9:30 am to display a US Army Humvee with a mounted 50 caliber gun. Command Sergeant Major Ballinger and Major Carroll, along with the crew will be on site throughout the morning to answer questions from the public.

The Chattooga High School Band will perform at the courthouse from 11:30 until the parade begins at 12 noon. The Trion High School band will provide patriotic music while leading the parade of marchers and vehicles.

Friends, veterans, businesses, and groups are all encouraged to participate in the parade to show appreciation for Sgt. Lanier’s service. Those planning to walk/march in the parade are asked to meet at 11:30 am at the intersection of First Street and Commerce Street. Parking will be available behind the Brothers Insurance Group building and nearby Willow Springs Park. Those driving vehicles are asked to meet at 11:30 am at 10900 Commerce Street in the north parking lot next to Fit Pit and Purple Tiger. West Washington Street will be blocked from Cox Street to the red light beside the courthouse to provide more space for the public to social distance while viewing the parade.

Local law enforcement is reminding motorist about the parade and to try to avoid downtown if possible during the parade times.

Please follow CDC guidelines of wearing masks and observing social distancing.

Football Friday - Trion & Chattooga Games To Be Streamed On WZQZ

It is Friday and that means another installment of Football Friday tonight on WZQZ!  Both Trion and Chattooga football games will be streamed live on WZQZ’s Facebook page.

The Chattooga Indians evened the record on the year at 1-1 last week with a 28-14 victory at home over Pickens.  The Indians will hit the road tonight travelling to Sonoraville to take on the 1-0 Phoenix who defeated Model two weeks ago 20-14.

Speaking of Model, the Trion Bulldogs will go on the road for the second week in a row to Shannon to take on the 1-1 Model Blue Devils.  The Bulldogs lost their season opener last week in a 4OT thriller at Coosa 51-45.  Model opened the season with a 20-14 loss to Sonoraville but rebounded last week with a 21-20 win on the road at Lafayette.

The Chattooga vs Model game will be the radio game tonight and will be broadcast live on AM 1180 and 99.1 FM.  Both the Trion and Chattooga games will be streamed live on the WZQZ Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Chattooga.County.Radio .  The Trion game will have a live video stream as both WZQZ and Sky21 TV will be working in conjunction for all Trion games this year.

The pregame show will begin at 7pm with kickoff to follow at 7:30pm.

Commissioner Candidate Blake Elsberry Backs Out Of Debate

Earlier this week, the Chattooga County Farm Bureau announced that they would not be holding the forum for candidates this year because one of the candidates for commissioner backed out of the event.

The Young Chattooga County Farm Bureau was putting together the event and had planned to broadcast the forum as a Facebook Live event.  They were planning to bring in an impartial moderator from the Georgia Farm Monitor, one of the nation’s leading agricultural television and radio programs.  WZQZ Radio was going to broadcast audio from the event as the radio station has done in previous election years for over a decade.

Commissioner Candidate Blake Elsberry announced that he would not be participating.  On his campaign Facebook Page, Mr. Elsberry said that the he was not participating because WZQZ Radio was a “host” of the event and he felt that would be a conflict of interest because of Jimmy Holbrook’s affiliation with the radio station.  Chattooga County Farm Bureau members clarified that at no time was WZQZ considered or asked to be a host.  The radio station was simply going to air the audio of the event so that more people could hear from both candidates, as had been done in the past.

Elsberry commented on his Facebook Page, “Unfortunately, there were too many issues and not enough time to iron them out. I look forward to answering all the public’s questions on October 2nd”.  Mr. Elsberry was referring to a debate that will be sponsored by local television station, SKY 21 TV.

Commissioner Candidate Jimmy Holbrook commented, “The forums sponsored by the Chattooga County Farm Bureau have a long history in our county. To insinuate that the forums would not be fair to one candidate or the other seems to call in question the integrity of the most preeminent farmer’s organization in the state. At no time was the radio station asked to be a “host”, or claimed to be a “host” of the event…. If it were up to me, my opponent and I would debate every week from now until the election.”

SKY 21 Televsion is asking for questions to be submitted for the October 2nd debate.  Dan Little with SKY 21 says that the questions can be submitted anonymously.  You can e-mail questions for the commissioner and probate judge candidates to : sky21viewers@gmail.com

Remedium Life Science Donates Tractor-Trailer Load Of Goods To Chattooga County

Earlier this week a Georgia company that provides medical cannabis solutions donated a tractor-trailer load of home-goods, toys, bedding and small appliances, along with other goods to be distributed in Chattooga County.

The goods were unloaded at the Chattooga County Agricultural Building.  Volunteers from the community, along with 4-H and FFA Students from Chattooga and Trion helped unload the items for distribution.

Remedium Life Science is a Statesboro, Georgia – based company that is seeking a license to cultivate and manufacture pharmaceutical low-THC oils for distribution in the state.  The company is working with the Town of Trion, the county government and the Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority to establish the new industry in Chattooga County.

According to the company’s website,  they will be “Utilizing cutting-edge technology and equipment in our state-of-the-art facility, will allow us to produce safe and effective treatments with efficiency while ensuring access to patients statewide. We specialize in researching and developing broad spectrum to indication specific treatments and partner with physicians and patients to deliver unique results.”

The company donated the goods and the Chattooga County Chamber of Commerce is working with Helping Hands Ending Hunger, The Boys & Girls Club and other charity organizations, along with both local school systems to help distribute the goods to those in need in the county.

Lawn Mower Stolen In Oak Hill Community

Earlier this week an Oak Hill Road, Lyerly man reported a theft to the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office.

When a responding deputy arrived on the scene he spoke with the complainant, Mr. Terry Pettyjohn, who said that someone had stolen a riding lawn mower.  Mr. Pettyjohn said that the mower was sitting beside his carport earlier in the morning, and when he went out later it was gone.

The lawn mower was a red, Troy Built mower with no headlights.  Also, a car batter that was sitting on the lawn mower was stolen.

The incident was turned over to an investigator.

Arrest Report - Thursday September 17, 2020

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Thursday September 17, 2020:

Parade To Honor Staff Sgt. Leo Lanier - WWII POW

Leo Lanier, Chattooga County’s last living prisoner of war, will be honored with a community parade on NATIONAL POW/MIA DAY, Friday, September 18, 2020 in Summerville, GA at 12 noon.

Sgt. Lanier served in the US Army Air Corps from 1942-1945 when his plane was shot down near Berlin, and he was transported to a prisoner of war camp. Sgt. Lanier , his family, Brigadier General Richard D. Wilson, Chaplain Major Jon A. Pirtle of the Georgia National Guard, along with local VFW and American Legion Commanders will view the parade from a reserved section on the steps of the Chattooga County Courthouse. Members of the Georgia National Guard’s 108th Cavalry in Calhoun will be at the courthouse at 9:30 am to display a US Army Humvee with a mounted 50 caliber gun. Command Sergeant Major Ballinger and Major Carroll, along with the crew will be on site throughout the morning to answer questions from the public. Humvees were military vehicles used in the Iraq War and Afghanistan.

The Chattooga High School Band will perform at the courthouse from 11:30 until the parade begins at 12 noon. The Trion High School band will provide patriotic music while leading the parade of marchers and vehicles. Friends, veterans, businesses, and groups are all encouraged to participate in the parade to show appreciation for Sgt. Lanier’s service. Those planning to walk/march in the parade are asked to meet at 11:30 am at the intersection of First Street and Commerce Street. Parking will be available behind the Brothers Insurance Group building and nearby Willow Springs Park. Those driving vehicles are asked to meet at 11:30 am at 10900 Commerce Street in the north parking lot next to Fit Pit and Purple Tiger. West Washington Street will be blocked from Cox Street to the red light beside the courthouse to provide more space for the public to social distance while viewing the parade.

Please follow CDC guidelines of wearing masks and observing social distancing. Event Planners have used caution to provide extra care to protect Sgt. Lanier and all participating.

Sgt. Lanier served two tours of duty during WWII. He was a Ball Turrent and Waist Gunner on board B-17 “Flying Fortress” Bombers. During his first tour of duty with the Eighth Air Force 303rd Bomb Group, popularly known as “Hell’s Angels”, he flew 21 missions to Germany, 4 missions to France, and 1 mission to Karbonn, Norway from his base in Molesworth, England. After Sgt. Lanier’s 26 missions, he returned home on furlough and was assigned as a training instructor in July 1944 at Drew Field in Tampa, FL. Before he completed his tour, he and his two buddies decided to reenlist. He boarded the Queen Elizabeth on February 28, 1945 for his second trip across the Atlantic to a war zone. He was assigned to the 486th Bomb Group operating out of a Royal Air Force Base in Sudbury, England. On the 7th mission of his second tour, his plane was heavily damaged by enemy gunfire over Brandenburg, Germany near Berlin. The pilot ordered the crew of 10 to bail out.

Leo and his two buddies were the last to leave the plane, and their parachutes landed them within a half mile of each other. As Sgt. Lanier floated down, three P-51 German Fighters circled around them. German ground troops quickly surrounded them and started a march of several days journey to a prison camp. Sgt. Lanier said “We were glad the military found us because German civilians would have shot us on sight”. Along the way to the prison camp, a group of Nazi SS stormtroopers arrived to track down the Americans and kill them. Their German guards quickly helped them hide in a railroad box car. Sgt. Lanier said “Darkness saved our lives. We could hear the SS officers outside looking for us. “ Finally the group arrived at Stalag 3-A Camp in Luckenwalde, Germany. The prison mostly held Russian soldiers with many dead or starving.

Months later when front line fighting shifted, on April 30, 1945 Russian tanks crashed through barbed wire and liberated the prisoners in Stalag 3. The next day, Sgt. Lanier and his buddies set out to search for American Forces. They were able to get food and spend some nights in Russian military camps. After wandering for days, they were able to find the Elbe River and American Troops. Sgt. Lanier was placed on C-57 aircraft to Rheims, France and stayed at the American camp “Lucky Strike”. He says, “They had good food and milkshakes made with eggs – as many as you could drink.” Leo traveled to Le Havre, France and boarded the USS General Putney for his last voyage across the Atlantic ocean. They docked at Newport News, VA where he had the first steak he’d had in years.

Sgt. Lanier received his final discharge October 10, 1945. Thirty days later, he married the girl of his dreams, Reita Thomas. They will celebrate their 75th anniversary on November 9 of this year. Leo will be 98 years young on January 14, 2021. After the war, he and Reita settled near Trion where Leo was employed at Trion Mills. Later, he was employed by the US Postal Service as a rural mail carrier in Chattooga County and retired after many years of service. For his service, including 33 missions over enemy territory, Sgt. Lanier was awarded: WWII Victory Medal; Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters; European Theatre Ribbon with 3 Bronze Stars; Distinguished Flying Cross; Presidential Unit Citation from President Roosevelt and the POW Medal.

For more information, please contact: Odell Anderson 706-397-2394 706-859-2194 © Barbara Reece 706-862-2657 706-857-8478 © barbarareece11@gmail.com

Search Of Vehicle Yields Drugs

A forty-one-year-old Summerville man was arrested recently after a traffic stop. 

A Summerville Police officer observed a vehicle with no tag lights on Highway 114 near Jim’s Restaurant.  The officer followed the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop.  The driver pulled into the Circle K on the Lyerly Highway.

When the officer began speaking with the driver, identified as John Dallas Ivey, he noticed that the driver was “moving around a lot.”  When the officer asked for Ivey’s license, he told the officer he didn’t have one.

A search of the man’s vehicle turned up two syringes with a brown substance.  When asked by the officer what was in the syringes, Mr. Ivey replied that he didn’t know but he thought it was “just water.”

Officers also found a set of scales, $501 in cash and empty zip-lock bags with suspected methamphetamine residue.

Ivey was arrested and charged with driving without a valid license, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug related objects.

Flash Flood Watch For North Georgia

A Flash Flood Watch has been issued for much of north and central Georgia through Friday. As the remnants of Hurricane Sally move across the Deep South, very heavy rainfall is likely for much of the outlook area, especially within the outer rain-bands. Runoff associated with the heavy rains could produce flash flooding and river flooding.

In addition to heavy rainfall, the outer rain-bands associated with Sally will contain stronger winds gusts capable of producing downed trees and power lines. A couple of brief weak tornadoes cannot be ruled out.

A Wind Advisory may be needed for much of north and central Georgia Outside of the rain-bands, sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph are possible.

Kemp Extends COVID-19 Executive Order

On September 15, 2020, Governor Brian P. Kemp signed Executive Order 09.15.20.01, extending current COVID-19 restrictions and issuing guidance for long-term care facility visitation. The new Executive Order takes effect on September 16 at 12:00 AM and runs through September 30 at 11:59 PM.

Under Executive Order 09.15.20, there are no changes to the mandatory restrictions in place for the operation of businesses, including food establishments, bars, cinemas, bowling alleys, salons, barbers, cosmetologists, amusement parks, live performance and event venues, childcare facilities, etc. The local option for requiring face coverings, subject to specific criteria, remains in place.

Alabama Man Arrested In Lyerly After Traffic Stop

An Alabama man was arrested in Lyerly after a traffic stop by a Chattooga County Sheriff’s Deputy.

According to the report from the sheriff’s office, a deputy was sitting near the intersection of Alpine Avenue and Highway 114 when he saw a pickup truck with a broken windshield pull onto the highway.  The deputy said that the broken windshield was obstructing the driver’s view.

The deputy initiated a traffic stop at the Lyerly Pure Stop.  The deputy recognized that the driver had a warrant for probation.

Twenty-eight-year-old Cody Wayne Aycock of Gaylesville, Alabama was arrested and charged with probation violation for possession of meth, windshield requirement violation, driving without a valid license and expired tag.

Fence Damage Reported To Sheriff's Office

According to a report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office, a property owner in Trion reported damage to an electric fence.  A responding deputy spoke with Frank Bandy of Bandy Dairy Road who said he was out checking his cows when he found the damage to the fence.  The damage was estimated around $300.  The responding deputy said that the damage could have come from an accident that had happened in the area.

Injured Summerville Worker Returns To Work

Summerville Public Works Director Terry Tinnie told WZQZ News that a worker that was injured on the job earlier this week was back to work the next day.

The accident happened on Filter Plant Road where the city is laying water line to supply the city’s filter plant with water from two wells being dug off of Highway 48.  According to Tinnie, the worker was injured when a ditch-bank collapsed and pinned the worker between the dirt and a pipe.

The worker was taken for evaluation, but didn’t have any broken bones or permanent injuries.  Tinnie said that the worker was back on the job the next day and was “sore and bruised up” but otherwise okay.

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park To Commemorate Battle Of Chickamauga Virtually

The Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park invites visitors to join park staff as they commemorate the 157th Anniversary of the Battle of Chickamauga. Due to the continued COVID-19 pandemic, the programs will be hosted online.  They are scheduled to be conducted on the park’s Facebook page and YouTube page from Sept. 18 – 20.

In addition to ranger-led virtual programs scheduled throughout the days, Park Historian Jim Ogden will present more in-depth programs daily at 10 a.m. and at 2 p.m.  These virtual programs, lasting approximately 45 minutes, will focus on the respective day’s actions and will be followed by a live Q&A session after the program concludes. 

Kids are invited to participate with a ranger in hands-on activities presented daily at noon. These activities will be administered through the park’s Facebook and YouTube pages as well.

For more information about programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, contact the Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241.

Arrest Report - Wednesday September 16, 2020

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Wednesday September 16, 2020:

Three COVID-19 Deaths At Oakview

Three residents at  Oakview Health and Rehabilitation nursing home in Summerville have died from COVID-19, and nearly 100 residents have tested positive for the virus.

Of the 98 who were infected, 72 residents have recovered, according to Monday’s long-term-care facility report from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

The first confirmed case of COVID-19 at Oakview was reported on July 18, when an employee tested positive.

More than a month later, 34 residents tested positive on Aug. 25.

As of Monday afternoon, 46 employees had tested positive throughout the pandemic. Some of those employees have recovered and have returned to work.

The state reports that 158 tests have been administered in the facility that now has 106 residents.

Compiled Sources