The Georgia State Patrol is reporting that an accident in Menlo Monday was the result of an Alabama man taking a vehicle without permission and then fleeing in the vehicle while being chased by the owner of the vehicle and subsequently wrecking on Edison Street in Menlo.
The report, released on Wednesday, stated that 27 year old Dustin Andrew Franco of Pisgah, Alabama was driving a 1994 Chevy pickup truck that belonged to Melissa Peek of County Road 836 in Gaylesville, Alabama. The owner of the truck told Georgia State Troopers that Franco did not have permission to leave in the truck, but left anyway.
Peek chased after Franco from Cherokee County into Chattooga County. Franco sped up Jamestown Road and across Highway 48 without stopping at the stop-sign according to Peek. Peek told troopers that she believed Franco was traveling at a speed of 75-80 miles per hour when he shot across Highway 48 onto Edison Street.
Franco lost control of the pickup on Edison Street and struck a tree. Franco had to be removed from the truck with extracation equipment and was transported to Redmond Regional Medical Center by Redmond EMS with head injuries. The accident happened shortly before 9 AM on Monday morning.
The Georgia State Patrol said that the investigation into the accident is ongoing.
A job fair will be held coming up this Friday, January 13th, at the Chattooga County Civic Center in Summerville. The job fair will be held from 10 AM until 3 PM.
Applications will be taken for a variety of jobs including: customer service / receptionist, accounting, shipping clerks, warpers, lift truck operators, maintenance, inspectors and more.
For more information you can call 706-383-8234 (Calhoun), 706-529-8940 (Dalton) or www.2workstff.com for more details.
Mrs. Kathleen Maxey Junkins, age 87, of Trion, GA died Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at Heritage Health Care in LaFayette, GA. Mrs. Junkins was born January 25, 1924, the daughter of the late Victor C. and Bessie Scoggins Maxey. She was a homemaker and member of Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church. Other than her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, George Clifford Junkins; grandson, Christopher Paul Warnock; and a brother, Bobby Maxey. Survivors include her daughters, Judi Payton, LaFayette, GA, and Theresa Chastain, Chattanooga, TN; sisters, Faye Cosgrove, Charlotte, NC, and Betty Maxey, Fayetteville, AR; grandchildren, Brian Payton, Dawn Wright, and Heather Chastain; and 9 Great Grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p. m. Friday, January 13, 2012 at Mason Funeral Home with Rev. Tracy A. Bass and Rev. Robert Ward officiating. Burial will follow in West Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Rob Wright, Jimmy Alexander, Clete Holzer, Justin Warnock, Brian Payton, and Rex Knight. Mrs. Junkins will be in state at Mason Funeral Home and the family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p. m. Thursday, January 12, 2012.
Residents in the Silver Hill area that are customers of the Chattooga County Water District are experiencing low water pressure this evening due to damage to a fire plug. Someone damaged a fire plug located on John Jones Road earlier today causing a major water leak. Chattooga County Water District employees are working to correct the problem and restore water pressure to the area.
UPDATE: 7:33 PM – Wednesday January 11, 2012
Chattooga County Water District Superintendent Lance Stowe told AM 1180 that an 8" water main was damaged when the fire plug was run over. A few customers in the Silver Hill area will experience low or no water pressure for 2 to 3 hours while crews work to repair the problem.
Update: Water line repaired and service restored at 9:27 PM Wednesday evening.
Mrs. Barbara Jean Gronroos, age 76, of Summerville, GA died Wednesday, January
11, 2012 at Oakview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Mrs. Gronroos was born May 13, 1935 in San Jose , CA, the daughter of the late
James and Myrtle Toronto Munoz. She was a retired CNA of Home Health. Mrs.
Gronroos attended Horizon Baptist Fellowship. Other than her parents, she
was preceded in death by her husband, Olavi Gronroos; and a son, Joseph Madden.
Survivors include her children, Dennis, and wife, Sherryl Broom, Kathy and
husband, Johnny Tomlin, and Sheila Broom; 10 Grandchildren; and
13 Great Grandchildren.
There will be a gathering of family and friends from 5:00 until 7:00 p. m. on
Thursday, January 12, 2012 at Mason Funeral Home.
Mason Funeral Home is directing. For guestbook, please go online to
www.masonfuneralhome.com
Chattooga County Public Works Director Lamar Canada told AM 1180 that there is a tree down on power lines in the 7000 block of Dry Creek Road and that public works crews are waiting on NGEMC to kill the power on the power line before they cut the tree. Motorist should avoid the area if at all possible.
Today: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 1pm, then showers likely. High near 62. Southwest wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight: A 20 percent chance of rain before 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 43. West wind between 10 and 15 mph becoming calm. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50. West wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to between 15 and 20 mph. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 24. West wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 43. West wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 20.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 50.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 26.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 50.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 23.
M.L.King Day: Sunny, with a high near 55.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.
State Representative Barbara Massey Reece, a Democrat from Menlo, will be holding a press conference in Atlanta today at 2:00 PM at the state capital regarding Georgia’s State Income Tax Cancer Check Off. Representative Reece has been a long time supporter of Georgia’s quest to be a leader in the research and prevention of cancer. She will be joined at the press conference by representatives from "Finding Cure for Cancer."