There were no arrests reported according to the docket records from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Department for January 10, 2012.
A former volunteer firefighter who was arrested in December 2010 for a slew of arsons in LaFayette, Ga., was indicted today on eight counts of arson.
The Walker County grand jury indicted 34-year-old Melvin Chase in connection with a series of fires from 2005 to 2010, said LaFayette Police Sgt. Stacey Meeks.
Chase, who was hired as a LaFayette volunteer firefighter in 2005, was arrested after admitting he had started several fires in abandoned buildings across town, Meeks said at the time.
Chase was charged with one count of arson at the time, but authorities said they would be able to prove he was responsible for 20 arsons. But police were only able to bring enough evidence against Chase to ask the grand jury to indict him on eight counts.
WRCB / Chattanooga Times-Free Press
MAJOR CUT-BACKS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. AG SECRETARY TOM VILSACK SAID MONDAY THAT HIS "BLUEPRINT FOR STRONGER SERVICE" PLAN WILL CLOSE 131 COUNTY FARM SERVICE AGENCY OFFICES AROUND THE COUNTRY. ANOTHER 131 COUNTY OFFICES WILL BE CONSOLIDATED.
THE GOOD NEWS IS: WALKER COUNTY DODGED THE BULLET. THE FARM SERVICE AGENCY OFFICE, LOCATED ON NORTH DUKE STREET IN LAFAYETTE… IS NOT AMONG THE OFFICES TO BE CLOSED. IT IS THE CLOSEST FARM SERVICE AGENCY OFFICE FOR MANY CHATTOOGA COUNTY FARMERS.
VILSACK SAID THE CUTS ARE PART OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION’S CAMPAIGN TO CUT WASTE. THE USDA CUTS ARE EXPECTED TO SAVE 150-MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY.
A Grand Jury has indicted, Marcus Alan McReynolds, 27 of Calhoun, on two counts of false statements, violation of oath of office, and sexual battery.
McReynolds, also a former probation officer with the Rome Police Department, was one of the officers involved in last summers tasing incident that left a Summerville man paralyzed. Reports said that the indictment does not come from the July incident, but rather a separate matter.
Marcus McReynolds was fired from the Rome Police Department on Sept. 20 for unsatisfactorily completion of his probation period according to a memo obtained by the department. McReynolds joined the department in November 2010.
In the tasing incident, McReynolds had seen Trey Walters, 20, stumbling in the street on Martha Berry Boulevard and after trying to call family members to come and get him, was attempting to arrest him for public drunkenness.
Details are still sketchy regarding an accident on Highway 157 at Cloudland on Tuesday afternoon. The accident happened near The Otting Tract Wildlife Management Area. Eye witnesses told AM 1180 that the accident happened as a log truck was pulling out of the Wildlife Management Area and was struck in the fuel tanks by an oncoming vehicle. Dense fog on the mountain Tuesday was a factor in the accident according to eye wittnesses. Dangerous driving conditions persisted throughout the day on Tuesday and into the night. AM 1180 will have more information on the accident when the report is released by the Georgia State Patrol. The Georgia State Patrol normally releases accident reports on Wednesday of each week.
The Summerville City Council voted to approve the alcohol license for two convenience stores in the city at Monday night’s city council meeting, but the vote to approve the licenses came after the council initially voted against the approval.
The alcohol license approval was on the agenda and Summerville Mayor Harry Harvey asked for a vote to approve the licenses for Yash Food Mark and Smoke Shop in Summerville. The measure received a motion from Councilman Dale Housch and Councilman Zach Martin. However, when the initiall vote was taken Councilmen Ford, Windle and Money opposed the motion and it was defeated.
Summerville City Attorney Albert Palmour told the mayor and councilmen that if they were not going to approve the license they needed to state a reason.
Mayor Harvey then brought the license up individually and the council voted in favor of granting the license to Yash Food Mark pending the approval of verification of immigration status for the store owner. The City of Summerville had attempted to gain the verification from Federal Immigration authorities but had a problem with the password for the online verification system. The city has since received a new password, but approval takes about a week. Mayor Harvey said that he did not expect any problem with the immigration verification. The vote was then unanimous to approve the alcohol license for Yash Food Mark.
The license for Smoke Shop was also approved with Councilmen Ford, Housch, Money and Martin voting in favor and Councilman Ford voting against the granting of the license.
The Chattooga County Water District Board met in its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday evening at the water district office in Trion. Board members went through a rather lengthy review of the water district budget for 2012. The board will vote on the budget in the February meeting. The board also approved the purchase of a new pickup truck for the water district to replace a truck with over 230,000 miles. In February the board will also vote on the chairmanship for the water district.
Jimmy Holbrook serves on the Chattooga County Water District Board for the Cloudland area.
The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest is waiving fees at most of its day-use recreation sites January 14-16 for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend. The fee waiver – the first of four scheduled this year – is offered in cooperation with other federal agencies under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.
"We’re encouraging people to get outdoors and enjoy the forest," said Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Supervisor George Bain. "Dyar Pasture on Lake Oconee and the Dry Creek Trail System in northwest Georgia are just two of the special places where folks can take advantage of the Forest Service’s fee waivers this sunny three-day weekend. I invite people to visit these or other areas and take a hike, look for wildlife, go paddling, fishing or bird-watching, and explore their national forests," Bain stated.
Most day-use recreation areas in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest that are open for the season and operated by the Forest Service will waive their normal day-use fees. Other sites operated by concessionaires may or may not participate in the waiver. All sites with fee-free days in effect will post notice at the fee stations. Forest visitors may check with their local Forest Service office to find out in advance if fee-free days will exist at specific sites:
· Blue Ridge District Office, Blairsville, GA – 706-745-6928
- Chattooga River District Office, Lakemont, GA – 706 754-6221
- Conasauga District Office, Chatsworth, GA – 706 695-6736
- Oconee District Office, Eatonton, GA – 706 485-7110
Additional information about the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, including which sites are open during the winter season, is available on the web at www.fs.usda.gov/conf.
The Forest Service will waive fees three additional times in 2012: National Get Outdoors Day – June 9; National Public Lands Day – Sept. 29; and Veterans Day Weekend – Nov. 10-12. The fee waiver days support the goals of President Obama’s "America’s Great Outdoors" initiative, as well as First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move Outside” program. For more information on the Forest Service’s recreation fee program and how these funds are used, please visit http://www.fs.fed.us/passespermits/about-rec-fees.shtml.
The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. Encompassing around 867,000 acres across 26 counties, the Chattahoochee and Oconee National Forests provide the finest outdoor recreation opportunities and natural resources in Georgia. Featuring nearly 118,000 acres of designated Wilderness, more than 800 miles of recreation trails, and dozens of campgrounds, picnic areas, and other recreation activity opportunities, these lands are rich in natural scenery, history and culture. The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests is part of the Southern Region, with the Forest Supervisor’s office in Gainesville, Georgia, managing four District units in Blairsville (Blue Ridge District), Lakemont (Chattooga River District), Chatsworth (Conasauga District), and Eatonton (Oconee District).
At Monday night’s city council meeting Summerville Fire Chief Greg Echols reported that the Summerville Fire Department had responded to 82 calls in December:
9 gas leaks
2 electrical fires
10 EMS calls
21 car wrecks
8 structure fires
1 rubbish fire.
Last year the department responded to 890 calls and worked 4,261 man hours.