Arrest Report - Friday - May 10, 2024

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Friday, May 10, 2024:

Early Voting Continues - Saturday Voting Tomorrow

Chattooga County voters will have the opportunity to vote early for the May 21st Primary tomorrow, Saturday, May 11, 2024.  Early voting will continue, next week through Friday, May 17th.  As of yesterday morning, the Chattooga County Registrars Office had issued 110 absentee by mail ballots and received back 64 of those.  One absentee by mail ballot was rejected and one was spoiled.  There were a total of 757 advanced voters at the start of day yesterday.  In addition to the early voting for the Primary Election, voters in Summerville are voting early for a special election to fill the unexpired term of former City Councilman David Ford who passed away earlier this year.  Ninety-six voters had voted early in that election as of Thursday morning and three absentee ballots had been issued.

Rossville Man Arrested In Summerville On Drug Charges

A forty-nine-year-old Rossville, Georgia man was arrested earlier this month by Summerville Police on drug charges. 

According to a report released yesterday by the Summerville Police Department, an officer on patrol shortly after midnight on May 1st on Highland Avenue was nearly sideswiped by an oncoming vehicle.  The officer performed a traffic stop on the vehicle at George’s Kwik Stop at the end of Highland Avenue.  When the officer spoke with the driver, identified as Stephen Peeples, he noticed that the driver showed signs of impairment.

At first Peeples told the officer that he had been around other people smoking marijuana earlier that night. The officer asked Peeples if he would empty his pockets, to which Peeple’s replied “I’d rather not”.  Inside the vehicle, the officer found three marijuana cigarettes, and a glass smoking device with suspected methamphetamine.  When asked what was in the smoking device, Peeples admitted that it was methamphetamine and that he had smoked the meth earlier.

Peeples was charged with possession and use of drug related objects, possession of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana less than one ounce and was booked into the Chattooga County Jail.

Atrium Health Floyd Looks To Expand Services At Chattooga ER

There is no doubt that the Atrium Health Floyd Chattooga Freestanding Emergency Department has far exceeded expectations.  Atrium Health Floyd had anticipated that the new emergency department would see a good bit of business, but business has exceeded expectations.

The facility opened in October of 2023 and by the February of this year, had already seen over 6,000 patients. “Obviously when we decided to build it here, we knew that this area was underserved, but I think I can say the numbers have been eye-opening” said Tifani Kinard, vice president of Rural Health for Atrium Health Floyd. “Before this opened, many people were having to drive for a half an hour or more to receive emergency services. There is no doubt we have saved lives.”

That is fueling plans by Atrium Health Floyd to further expand the services that they offer at Georgia’s only freestanding emergency department in Trion. There are plans to offer outpatient diagnostic services and more radiology services.

Already the facility is employing 50 people and with the expansion of services, that number will increase.

DHS & Local Libraries Providing Self-Serve Benefit Kiosks

The Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) and Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS) are partnering to provide free self-service benefits kiosks at Georgia public libraries.  The Chattooga County Library in Summerville is one of the participating libraries in the new program that allows the public to access the state’s eligibility system – Georgia Gateway.

Users will be able to renew or change benefits from programs like Medicaid, Peach Care for Kids, WIC and SNAP programs.  The self-service kiosks will reduce wait times and provide access at the point of need, helping benefits-eligible Georgians to maintain their own and their family’s coverage.

In addition to multiplying the number of locations where benefits applications and renewals can be completed, DHS and GPLS hope kiosk users will learn about the other many free library services.

Initial funding for this program was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.

Stamp Out Hunger This Saturday

The National Association of Letter Carriers is hosting the 32nd-annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive this Saturday. Known as the largest one-day food drive in the country, this event collects over 90,000 pounds of food on average for local food banks. Those wishing to help can do so in an easy way: simply leave non-perishable, unexpired, unopened food donations near your mailbox on the morning of Saturday, May 11. Food items that are most in need include high protein canned soups, cereal, protein drinks, baking mixes, pop-top cans, snacks, and microwaveable items, according to organizers.

North Georgia Man Pleads Guilty To Producing Child Porn

A north Georgia man has pleaded guilty to producing child pornography. Ian Alicea Prewett, 30, of Cartersville, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and admitted he had sex with girls under the age of 18 and enticed a child under the age of eight to produce sexually explicit images.

According to U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan and other information presented in court, Prewett uploaded sexually explicit images of minors to Instagram between 2020 and 2022.

In May 2023, federal agents identified him as the person who uploaded those images and obtained a search warrant on his home. During the search they found a cell phone associated with the Instagram accounts that Prewett used to distribute child pornography.

At the time agents served the search warrant, Prewett was awaiting trial in Cobb County for statutory rape, child molestation, and child enticement.  Prewett will be sentenced in Federal Court in Rome in September.

Atrium Health Floyd & GNTC Sign Agreement To Boost Enrollment In Medical Fields

Arrest Report - Thursday - May 9, 2024

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Thursday, May 9, 2024:

Stormy Night On Wednesday

NBC Radio News is reporting this (Thursday) morning that two people were killed in Tennessee between Nashville and the Alabama line in a series of strong storms that hit the South last night.  In our area, a likely tornado caused major damage on Sand Mountain at Henegar in DeKalb County and more damage was reported in Jackson County, Alabama.  Also, a likely tornado was in the area of Flarity Road at Cloudland in Walker County near the DeKalb County, Alabama line shortly before midnight last night.  A tornado warning was issued for a portion of northwestern Chattooga County and southern Walker County last night, but no major damage was reported.

Georgia Man & Adult Sons Charged In Connection With Jan. 6 Breach Of The U.S. Capitol

New Canoes & Kayaks Coming To Sloppy Floyd State Park In Summerville

The Fall-Winter edition of Georgia’s Great Places magazine outlined the progress being made with the Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Passport Program.  In 2022 the Passport books became available and have been a huge success.  Their sales generated over $75,000 in donations and purchases.  These funds are going back into state parks throughout the Peach State by way of a Passport Grant program.

The way it works, local Friends of the State Parks can apply for funds toward a specific project.  Some funds are required from the local Friends group based on their ability to contribute. Projects are getting done statewide and the process is pretty simple. Grants can be applied for each quarter as long as the previous project has been completed and a final report filed.

The Friends of Sloppy Floyd State Park in Summerville announced that through the Passport Grant and funding from the Friends of Sloppy Floyd, new canoes and kayaks have recently been purchased for the park. They have now been awarded a second Passport Grant that we will be using to buy new paddle boards.

The Friends of Sloppy Floyd say they will be here just in time for your summer fun on the water at James H. “Sloppy” Floyd State Park.

Hit & Run Reported On Marble Springs Road

On May 1st, Chattooga County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of a hit and run on Marble Springs Road in Summerville.  According to a report released this week, deputies spoke with the complainant who said that an older model, grey car pulled in her driveway to turn around and backed into her black, 2008 Dodge Dakota causing damage to the tailgate.  The complainant approached the driver who refused to give her insurance information but said he would return the next day and pay her for her tailgate. Later that same evening, deputies spotted the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop at the Dollar General on Commerce Street.  A passenger, William Mose Walker admitted that he was the one who had backed into the Dodge earlier.  Deputies noticed an open container of beer and another alcoholic beverage in the seat next to Walker.  Deputies obtained Walker’s insurance information and issued him a citation for open container and leaving the scene of an accident.

Few Openings At Extension Food Preservation Workshop

Chattooga County Extension Agent Rebecca Thomas says that there are still a few spots open for the food preservation fermentation workshop that will be held at noon on Wednesday, May 22nd.  Thomas says that participants will learn how preserving food can be an efficient and enjoyable process.  The hands-on workshop will demonstrate the techniques needed for fermenting vegetables at home.  Those attending will have Reuben sandwiches with homemade sauerkraut.  Also, there will be homemade kimchi and other fermented sides. A few spots are left for the lunch and learn class that will be held at the Chattooga County Extension Office, located at the Chattooga County Ag Building on Middle School Drive, off Highway 100 in Summerville.  Contact Extension Agent Rebecca Thomas at 706-857-0744 to sign up.  The cost of the class is $25 and includes lunch.

Tornado Warning Tuesday Night Raises Questions

Some people were surprised on Tuesday night when strong storms rolled into Chattooga County out of neighboring Alabama.  The storms prompted a Tornado Warning from the National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia.  Some Chattooga County residents got the warning on their phones and others did not.  Chattooga County EMA reached out to the National Weather Service for answers about the warning that was not preceded by a tornado watch.

According to Chattooga 911/EMA:

Two Summerville Residents Earn Nursing Degree At Gadsden State

Two Chattooga County residents were among the 2024 graduates from the Gadsden State University Registered Nursing Program.  Savannah Turner and Brittany Wallin both graduated and participated at the traditional pinning ceremony at Gadsden State.  Additionally, Turner was awarded the Academic Achievement Award for above-average grades and performance.

GHC Semifinalist For Aspen College Excellence Prize

Georgia Highlands College (GHC) has been named an Aspen Prize Semifinalist by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. GHC is one of 20 colleges across the country eligible to compete for a $1 million prize recognizing excellence in equitable outcomes for students in and after college.

GHC was the only institution in the University System of Georgia selected to be eligible to compete for the prize.

The award is considered one of the nation’s signature recognitions of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges. The colleges selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds.

The Aspen Prize spotlights exemplary community colleges in order to elevate the sector, drive attention to colleges doing the best work, and discover and share highly effective student success and equity strategies.

Next steps of the process: 

• The 18-member Aspen Prize selection committee will review all application materials from the 20 semifinalists and meet at the end of May to select 10 finalists.
• The 10 finalists will be announced in early June.
• Teams of experts will conduct multi-day site visits to the 10 finalist colleges in the fall, while Aspen also collects additional data.
• A distinguished, independent Aspen Prize jury will review the data and qualitative summaries from the site visits and meet in early 2025 to select the Aspen Prize winner and colleges for further recognition.
• An awards ceremony for the finalist colleges will be held in Washington, DC, on April 17, 2025, where the winner will be announced.

The Aspen Prize honors colleges with outstanding achievement in six critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, access to the college and its offerings, and equitable outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

By focusing on student success and lifting up models that work, the Aspen Prize aims to celebrate excellence among our nation’s best community colleges, advance a holistic definition of student success, and stimulate replication of highly effective practices and leadership.

For a full list of the top 150 eligible institutions and to read more on the selection process, visit www.highered.aspeninstitute.org/aspen-prize.

Menlo Housing Authority Getting Federal Money For Improvements

Georgia’s U.S. Senators Warnock and Ossoff announced more $80 million in federal funding would be coming to the state to support investments in housing. According to a release from the office of Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock, the funds will be invested in Georgia public housing authorities and will go to 149 localities across the state, including the Menlo Housing Authority here in Chattooga County.

In total, $80.05 million will be given to Georgia housing authorities through Public Housing Capital Fund Formula Grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The funds themselves come from the Public Housing Repair fund, according to the senator’s office. The announcement said the money will be used to modernize or develop public housing for individuals, families and seniors in need.

Public housing authorities will be able to use the funds to build, renovate, modernize or manage improvements of public housing developments across Georgia.

Menlo Housing Authority will be receiving a $58,507 grant, according to numbers released yesterday by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  The Menlo Housing Authority serves 18 low to moderate income families in Chattooga County.