2012 will be a busy election year in Chattooga County and Chattooga County Probate Judge Jon Payne – who also serves as the county’s election superintendent – is looking for people who would be willing to work the polls.   

Judge Payne said, "We are looking for retirees to work with elections at various polling sites next year. We need people who would be willing to do the paperwork, work with the ExpressPoll units, or work with the touchscreen voting units. "

To be a poll worker you must be a registered voter at least 16 years of age and a resident of Chattooga County. Election workers will be required to attend a training session before every election. Election day hours usually run from 6:00 a.m. until roughly 9:00 p.m., depending on the particular election.

These hours are not voluntary but paid by the county. Please contact Teresa Pope at the Chattooga County Probate Judges office at 706-857-0709 for more information.

Again like last year the deadline to file was extended due to the fact the April 15th date this year falls on Sunday & Monday is Emancipation Day, a holiday in Washington D.C. that celebrates the freeing of slaves in the district. IRS will begin to accept returns submitted online through the agency’s e-filing system, which is the fastest & most accurate filing option for taxpayers, on January 17. For more Tax Info go to www.irs.gov

The new public entrance to the Emergency Care Center at Floyd Medical Center will open Jan. 9. The new, canopied entry is located between the hospital’s North Entrance and the existing ECC, facing the corner Turner McCall Boulevard and Martha Berry Boulevard. Vehicle access to the entry is available from Second Avenue and Turner McCall Boulevard. Several other new or improved ECC areas will open for the first time on Jan. 9, including an expanded waiting area, additional triage rooms and 12 additional patient rooms. The opening of the new entrance marks the completion of the first two phases of construction. When complete, the ECC will have 18 additional patient beds, bringing the capacity to 50. Other changes include improvements to the registration area, physicians’ lounge, radiology lab and stat lab, and a new pediatric waiting area. The total cost for the ECC construction project is $6,140,846. 

More than 72,000 patients were treated at Floyd Medical Center’s Emergency Care Center in fiscal year 2011. Floyd serves as the region’s safety net hospital and is the service area’s only state-designated Level II Trauma Center.

Lots of Jackets, Coats, Warm Clothing, plus jeans in all sizes – Dry Valley Baptist Church – Wednesday -January 11, 2012 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. If you need a coat come by and pick one up!

On Friday, January 20, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest and the CoTrails Initiative are hosting a meeting at Unicoi State Park Lodge, Masters Hall, 6:00-8:00pm, with social hour to follow.  This meeting is open to anyone interested in supporting and becoming active in CoTrails’ mission to “provide diverse, quality trail experiences that are maintainable and ecologically sustainable” on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests.  George Bain, Forest Supervisor, will be speaking.  This meeting will be followed by a weekend of Trails 101 training for interested volunteers.  The meeting is free and open to the public.  For an agenda and the CoTrails Strategic Plan, visit www.CoTrails.org.

A Alabama state inmate, who had walked away from a work detail in Ragland Thursday has been captured in Cherokee County.

30 year old James Leroy Tyree escaped from the St. Clair Correctional Facility while working on a Department of Transportation road crew picking up trash along Alabama 144.

He disappeared about 2:15 that afternoon and authorities picked up his track in Fairfield the next day; it’s believed that he may’ve had an accomplice who picked him up during the initial escape.

Tyree reportedly had a gun – which he immediately dropped after exiting the vehicle.

He was taken into custody by U.S. Marshal’s, Leesburg Police Officers, and the members of the Cherokee County Major Crimes & Drug Task Force, and was charged with Possession of a Pistol by a Felon, Escape 1st Degree, Attempting to Elude an Officer and Resisting Arrest.

Meanwhile, 23 year old Stephanie Chandler was charged with Hindering Prosecution 1st Degree, Attempting to Elude and Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Tyree is a parole violator from Jefferson County and was serving a 20 year sentence for burglary, theft of property, robbery, and for unlawful breaking and entering.

He served more than 12 years with an expiration of sentence date of August 4th, 2019.

(Information provided in part by St. Clair Times/Daily Home and WEIS Radio)

Nicholas Shea Crabtree, age 36 of Summerville, Charged with Driving with Suspended / Revoked License, Failure to Maintain a Single Lane

Kevin Shane Stoker, age 21 of Trion, Charged with Probation Violation

A Summerville Middle School student is on her way to competing at the state level in the VFW’s "Patriot’s Pen" essay contest.  Lisbeth Osorto is the local and district level Patriot’s Pen Winner. She will now go on to compete in State and has a 1 in 7 chance of winning.

The Patriot’s Pen program is open to students in grades 6-8, who are enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or home study program in the United States and its territories.

The 2011-2012 Patriot’s Pen essay theme is "Are you proud of your country?".  Essays are judged on knowledge of the theme, theme development and clarity of ideas and are 300 to 400 words long.

Administered by Redmond Occupational Health, AngioScreens® are being offered to the general public by appointment on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 from 8am – 6pm at the Chattooga Chamber / Civic Center in Redmond’s Scan Van. The event is being hosted locally by the Chattooga County Chamber of Commerce and the Summerville-Trion Optimist Club.  AngioScreens® are NOT covered by insurance, but Redmond is able to provide the screening at a cost of only $80, a significant savings to you. If these screenings were done separately at a hospital, the cost could run several thousand dollars.  Payments types accepted are cash, check, credit, debit and tax saver/flex spending cards. Tax saver/flex spending receipts will be provided. To schedule your appointment, please call Redmond Occupational Health central scheduling at 855-847-0781.