The City of Summerville is announcing al spring clean-up of the Summerville Cemetery, scheduled to begin on March 11, 2025. In preparation for the clean-up, the city is requesting that all families and individuals with loved ones interred at the cemetery remove any outdated or prohibited decorations from gravesites before the deadline. Specifically, the city is asking residents to remove the following items:

* Faded flowers, both real and plastic

* Holiday and seasonal items and decorations

* Glass items

Any decorations remaining at gravesites after March 11, 2025, will be removed and disposed of by City of Summerville workers.

Legislation to stop Georgia Power from charging residential and small business customers for electricity costs related to data centers passed a state Senate committee on Tuesday. The bill is being championed in the Senate by Senator Chuck Hufstetler, a Republican from Rome.

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A Rome woman is facing multiple charges, including felony counts, following a Monday morning traffic accident on Highway 27 North at Dixie Park Road in the Armuchee area. Shannon Marie Hampton, 40, of Rome, was arrested and booked into the Floyd County Jail after an investigation into the crash. According to jail records, Hampton was allegedly under the influence at the time of the incident, which resulted in one individual sustaining a broken left leg. Following the accident, authorities conducted an inventory search of Hampton’s vehicle. During the search, officers discovered a clear plastic bag containing methamphetamine inside Hampton’s purse. In addition, a burnt marijuana cigarette was located inside a cigarette box in the back seat of the vehicle. Hampton is charged with felony counts of serious injury by vehicle and possession of methamphetamine. She also faces misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence (DUI), failure to yield while turning left, no seat belt violation, suspended registration, and failure to yield while turning.

A downtown Summerville business will be closing its doors on March 1st, 2025, after serving the community for six years.  Thatcher’s BBQ said earlier this week that they will be closing this weekend. In a statement released Tuesday, the restaurant cited economic challenges as the reason for the closure. “It is with a heavy heart that we share that our last day open in Summerville will be March 1st 2025,” the statement read. “The last 6 years getting to serve your community has been incredible! However, due to economic challenges we have been forced to consolidate our operations. We would love to serve you at one of our other locations in Trenton, Ringgold or Calhoun, Ga!” The statement expressed gratitude for the community’s support over the years. “It has been a wonderful journey. Thank you for your patronage and support over the last 6 years.”

Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs has announced his resignation from the Supreme Court of Georgia, effective March 31, 2025, which is the last day of the current term. He plans to return to private practice in South Georgia. In his resignation letter to Gov. Brian Kemp, he highlighted his 25 years of service in elective office, including over 21 years as a judge. Chief Justice Boggs expressed that he aimed to serve the public trust and found it rewarding to improve the state’s judicial system.

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Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Wednesday, February 26, 2025:

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A tremor rattled Menlo on Tuesday, serving as a stark reminder of the Eastern Tennessee seismic zone, one of the most seismically active areas in the Southeastern United States. The earthquake, felt by residents in Menlo and Cloudland, as well as parts of southwestern Walker County and northwestern Cherokee County, Alabama, underscores the ongoing seismic activity in the region.

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