Last Week Of Advanced Voting For May Primary

There have been 115 absentee by mail ballots issued and 70 of those have been accepted back by the registrars office.  In addition, 2 ballots were cancelled and there was 1 spoiled ballot.  No ballots have been rejected and there have not been any provisional ballots.  Voters may vote each day this week, until Friday, from 8:30 AM until 5 PM.  All advanced voting takes place at the Chattooga County Registrars Office located on Commerce Street in Summerville, just south of the Chattooga County Courthouse.

Election Day will be next Tuesday, May 21st and polls will be open from 7 AM until 7 PM.  All voting on Election Day will take place at local precincts.  Below, you will see a daily report on early voting so far in Chattooga County:

Summerville City Council Meeting This Evening

The Summerville City Council will hold their regular monthly meeting this evening at Summerville City Hall.  Mayor Harry Harvey and the Summerville City Council will present Chattooga High School Valedictorian Pippa Key with a proclamation for her academic accomplishments.  Also, Summerville resident Felicia Foster will be providing information about her after school tutoring program “Felisha’s Kids”.  The program meets at Summerville’s Fairway Recreation Center.  Also, Republican candidate for State Senate Angela Pence will addressing the meeting.  Pence will  be introducing herself and sharing her vision for the 53rd District.  Pence is challenging incumbent State Senator Colton Moore.  The city council meeting gets underway at 5 PM and the public is invited to attend.  You can see a complete agenda for this evening’s meeting below:

Good Outlook For Georgia's Peach Crop This Year

After a devastating year in 2023, Georgia’s peach farmers are hopeful about the 2024 peach season.  Most of Georgia’s commercial peach orchards are located in the middle part of the state and growers say that weather conditions have been optimal this year, which bodes well for Georgia peach lovers.

Many farmers last year lost almost their entire crop due to two March deep-freezes. The weather this year was favorably warm for the crop, and will be providing a bountiful harvest in a few weeks.  After a relatively cool winter and a warmer spring than average, peaches will be in abundance this season.

That’s good news for Chattooga County’s 4-H program’s Georgia Peach Fundraiser.  Each year, the local 4-H program sells peaches from Dickey’s Farms in Musella, Georgia.  The peach sale is one of the largest fundraisers for the 4-H program, and last year there were no peaches available.

Peach lovers should start seeing Georgia’s state fruit hit the shelves within the next few weeks.

GNN contributed to this story

Chattooga County Low-Cost Rabies Clinic This Saturday

A low-cost rabies vaccination clinic will be held coming up this Saturday, May 18th at Chattooga High School.  It’s the law in Georgia that all dogs and cats have their annual rabies vaccine. Dogs, cats, and ferrets must get rabies vaccination when they are twelve weeks of age or older. Rabies vaccinations are only recognized in Georgia when performed by a licensed veterinarian.  Cominut up on Saturday, the Summerville Veterinary Clinic, the Chattooga County Health Department and the Chattooga County Extension Office will host a rabies clinic from 9 AM until 5 PM.  The cost for each shot is $10.  Those bringing their pets to the vaccination clinic should access Chattooga High School by the Highway 100 school entrance.

Georgia Senator Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Bill To Protect Children

A bipartisan bill to protect children from online exploitation has been signed into law. The bill law, which was sponsored by Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), will toughen penalties on websites and social media companies that fail to report crimes against children.

The REPORT Act will, for the first time, require websites and social media platforms to report crimes involving federal trafficking and enticement of children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The law will increase fines for companies that knowingly and willfully fail to report child sex abuse material on their site.

It also requires that evidence is preserved for a longer period of time, giving law enforcement more time to investigate and prosecute crimes.

“My bipartisan law with Senator Blackburn will ensure tech companies are held accountable to report and remove child sex abuse material and to strengthen protection for kids online,” said Sen. Ossoff. “At a time of such division in Congress, we successfully brought Republicans and Democrats together to protect kids on the internet, and now our bill is law.”

Early Voting Continues In Summerville Special Election

Early voting continues this week in the special election that is being held in the City of Summerville.  Six candidates are running to fill the unexpired term of former City Councilman David Ford who passed away earlier this year.

The City of Summerville has had 110 ballots cast during Advance Voting and has issued 5 Absentee by Mail ballots. One Absentee by Mail ballot has been accepted.

All voting for the City of Summerville special election takes place at Summerville City Hall, located on Georgia Avenue across from Summerville First Baptist Church.  Voters may cast their ballots early through Friday of this week between 9 AM and 5 PM.  On Election Day next Tuesday, voters will need to come to Summerville City Hall to vote in the special election.

Below, you may see a report on early voting in the Summerville Special Election:

Arrest Report - Sunday - May 12, 2024

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Sunday, May 12, 2024:

General Sherman's Sword To Be Auctioned Off

Bidders will fight with their dollars next week at an Ohio auction house for the sword of the Civil War Union general who led a scorched-earth campaign across Georgia and coined the phrase “War is hell.”

General William Tecumseh Sherman’s wartime sword, likely used between 1861 and 1863, are among the items that will be open to bidders Tuesday at Fleischer’s Auctions in Columbus.

Other items that will be auctioned off include Sherman’s uniform’s rank insignia worn during the Civil War, a family Bible and his personal, annotated copy of Ulysses S. Grant’s memoirs.

An experts say that General Sherman’s sword will bring a “conservative” estimated sales price between $40,000-$60,000 and an estimated sale of the entirety of Sherman’s collection could sell as high as $300,000.

General Sherman took Atlanta in September of 1864 and helped President Lincoln to win reelection.  Sherman and his troops came through Chattooga County and he made his headquarters in Gaylesville, Alabama in October of 1864 before beginning his march to the sea.

Georgia DNR: Avoid Wildlife Confrontations

While most Georgians treasure seeing backyard wildlife like songbirds and squirrels, the sentiment might fade if you find wildlife digging through your trash can or tearing open bags of pet food on your carport. Let’s look for ways to avoid the conflict. In most cases, wildlife invades our space because of access to a food source and that is something we can easily prevent, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.

“Most wildlife species will take advantage of easy-to-get food source opportunities, but that is not what is best for wildlife,” says Kaitlin Goode, Urban Wildlife Program Manager for the Wildlife Resources Division. “When we make efforts around our home to ensure that we are keeping unnatural foods inaccessible, we are protecting our safety, our homes and our pets, and also protecting wildlife.”

Following are some basic tips:

• Keep items such as grills and pet food off-limits. Clean and store grills when not in use, keep pet food indoors and feed pets indoors.
• Refill bird feeders less frequently and in small amounts.
• Make trash cans inaccessible. Keep lids securely fastened or store trash cans in a secured location until the morning of trash pick-up.

Resources for resolving human-wildlife conflicts, including fact sheets, tips on managing land for wildlife, a list of professional nuisance trappers, wildlife rehabilitator information, and much more can be found at GeorgiaWildlife.com/preventing-wildlife-conflicts.

Summerville City Council Meeting Tomorrow Evening

The Summerville City Council will be having their meeting for the month of May coming up tomorrow evening at 5 PM at Summerville City Hall. City Council members are expected to approve payments for public works projects and annual payments for Summerville firefighters.  Also, they will be asked to approve a request from Connect City Church to close East Washington Street on Saturday, September 7, 2024 for an event.  The council will also have a first reading of the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget.  The public is invited to attend.

Deep South Gets A Taste Of The Northern Lights

Photo Credit: Larry Simpson – Silver Hill Road area in the Gore Community

Residents of Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama have been treated to a rare sight the past two nights – the Aurora Borealis – or “Northern Lights”.  It’s not every day that residents in the Deep South see the displays that are normally relegated to areas closer to the North or South Poles. 

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Aurora Borealis are the result of electrons colliding with the upper reaches of Earth’s atmosphere. The phenomenon is primarily seen in the polar regions.

However, during major geomagnetic storms, these ovals expand away from the poles such that aurora can be seen over most of the United States.

When space weather activity increases and more frequent and larger storms and substorms occur, the aurora extends equatorward. During large events, the aurora can be observed as far south as the US, Europe, and Asia.

Photo Credit: Belle Jennings Templeton – Telgoa Community

GHC Names Nursing Award in Honor of Sheila Bennett

You might find Sheila Bennett up late Friday night grading papers or teaching online in the Bachelor of Health Science program at Georgia Highlands College. The senior vice president and chief of patient services at Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center is, at heart, both a nurse and a teacher of nurses.

Dr. Lisa Jellum, dean of the Atrium Health Floyd School of Health Sciences at GHC, said Bennett’s passion for nursing is why the Dr. Sheila Bennett Excellence in Nursing Education Award was created.

The award was announced Thursday during the college’s nurse graduation ceremony.

Bennett “has dedicated herself as a visionary leader whose impact on nursing education transcends time,” Jellum said in announcing the award. “Her unwavering commitment to the advancement of nursing education has left an indelible mark on countless students, colleagues and healthcare institutions around the world.”

Bennett has even created curriculum for the patient safety course at Georgia Highlands.

“I am humbled and so appreciative of the recognition,” she said. “I feel I am at a point in my career that investing in future nurses or other clinical disciplines is very important to me. The ability to help prepare future healthcare workers is an honor and worth giving up my off time and weekends to do so.”

Jellum said Bennett will occasionally call her about students who are excelling.

“I can’t even fathom that she has the time to do that,” Jellum added. “She really is a friend to the college. Her compassionate spirit, unwavering integrity and tireless dedication to the well-being of others has served as a guiding light for all who have had the privilege of crossing paths with her.”

Trion Mayor Explains Siren Warning System

Trion Mayor Lanny Thomas told WZQZ News this past week that several people had been questioning how the town’s tornado warning siren works.  Mayor Thomas explained, “With the recent storms and tornado warnings, I have had several people reach out to me asking how the siren system works and who decides to set off the alarms. The Mayor nor anyone working with the Town of Trion is responsible for setting off the alarm. The tornado siren works in a polygon format that is sent out from the National Weather Service, Peachtree City, Atlanta, GA. If the system were to be down and the polygons cannot be defined 911 is alerted and they will manually set off all sirens throughout the county. I hope this explains how the alarm system in Trion works. Hopefully, we will be hearing less of it. Please, if you do hear the siren, find safe shelter immediately.”

Arrest Report - Saturday - May 11, 2024

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Saturday, May 11, 2024:

Rep. Lumsden Backs DDS Office In Chattooga County

State Rep. Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee) is supporting the idea of a Department of Drivers Services (DDS) Office being built in Chattooga County.  Lumsden sent a letter to the Department of Drivers Services outlining reasons why a new facility should be built in Chattooga County.  Chattooga County Sole Commissioner Blake Elsberry is also backing the idea.  Elsberry says that the county would be willing to donate property for the new facility off Stockade Road.  Rep. Lumsden urged the Department of Drivers Services to, “prioritize and support the funding needed to realize this initiative”.  The closest DDS offices are currently in Rock Spring and at the Georgia State Patrol Post in the Armuchee Community.

Northwest Georgia Man Found Guilty Of Statutory Rape

A Northwest Georgia man has been convicted of statutory rape in Dade County.  James Clay Mayo was found guilty of having a sexual relationship with a thirteen-year-old female child in 2021.  Mayo was arrested by Dade County deputies after they found him in a car, parked in a dark area with the child.  Mayo at first denied being in a relationship with the child, but later admitted that he had met the child on social media and was in a sexual relationship with the girl and had furnished alcohol to the minor.  The Lookout Mountain District Attorney’s Office released a statement about Mayo’s conviction by a Dade County Jury yesterday. (Read below).  Mayo is facing up to twenty years in prison.

James Clay Mayo, 25, was convicted of statutory rape, child molestation, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor in Dade County Superior Court on April 16, 2024.

In Late 2021, Mayo, who was 23 years old at the time, began a sexual relationship with a 13 year old minor child whom he met over social media. In February 2022, Dade County 911 received a call of a suspicious vehicle backed into a dark area of someone’s property at night. As Dade County deputies arrived in the area the vehicle was observed committing a traffic violation and was stopped. Deputy Sledge approached the vehicle and, while speaking with the driver James Clay Mayo, he noticed the minor female in the passenger seat and could smell alcohol coming from the vehicle. Deputies also noticed that Mayo had a picture of the minor child on his instrument cluster.

Eventually, Mayo would admit that he purchased the alcohol for the minor child; however he denied being in a relationship with the minor child. Mayo was subsequently arrested for providing alcohol to a minor. The next day, Mayo was interviewed by Detective Misty McConathy of the Dade County Sheriff’s office. At first, Mayo denied being in a relationship with the child, giving varying accounts about how he met the child and why she was with him in his vehicle the night before. Eventually, Mayo admitted that he was in a relationship with the child and that he had sex with the child on multiple occasions.

On April 15, 2024, James Clay Mayo’s trial was held before a Dade County jury. Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit (LMJC) Assistant District Attorney David Wolfe presented the case to the jury over the course of the two-day trial presided over by Superior Court Judge Brian House. At trial, digital evidence recovered from Mayo’s phone was presented to the jury. This evidence included text messages between Mayo and some of his friends where Mayo was told by multiple people that the minor child was only 13 years old. In other text messages, Mayo admits that the child’s mother and other family members told him of the child’s age and also advised him not to come around her. In addition to the text messages, pictures and videos showing Mayo and the minor child in various states of undress in bed were presented to the jury. Upon the completion of the two-day trial, the jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes before finding Mayo guilty of statutory rape, child molestation, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Assistant District Attorney Wolfe was assisted both before and during the trial by Victim Witness Advocate Ashley Nicholson and District Attorney’s Office Investigator Christy Smith, both of whom played an in invaluable role in the meeting and organizing of all the witnesses as well as the organizing, collating, production of the over 250 pictures, videos, and text messages recovered from Mayo’s phone.

Mayo remains in the Dade County Jail awaiting sentencing. He is facing up to 20 years in prison.

Paradise Garden 7th Outsider Art Trail Tour Next Saturday

Paradise Garden Foundation presents the 7th Outsider Art Trail Tour on Saturday, May 18, 2024, offering a road trip that will take visitors to different places in Chattooga County and the to Rome.  You can see this year’s stops below:         * Trade Day, a giant flea market, or “picker’s paradise,” located
just outside downtown Summerville. It’s been a beloved Chattooga
County staple since 1976. Get an early start at 7 am and find your own
Trade Day score! (7 am – 12 pm weather permitting)

* Howard Finster’s historic 4-acre art environment Paradise Garden in
Summerville (10 am – 5 pm) celebrates with an opening art reception
for the next art exhibit, _Magic and Miracles, the Art of Will Linn,
_12pm – 2pm)

* A top southern folk art gallery in the U.S., Folk America Gallery in
Summerville, is a must-see for folk art collectors. The art gallery has
an array of art from artists such as  Howard Finster, Michael Banks,
Purvis Young, Mose Tolliver, Lonnie Holley, and many more. (10 am – 5
pm)

* Take a break and enjoy lunch in Summerville with many options from
authentic Mexican dishes, wood-fired pizza, BBQ, and refreshing
smoothies and desserts.

* Head a half an hour down the road to Rome, GA, for an afternoon of
folk art and antiques starting with Yellow Door Antiques and Art in the
River Arts District.  (11am-6pm)

* Celebrate the new art gallery location opening an art reception for
the James Schroeder art exhibit at the Kingfisher Art Co. from 5pm –
6pm. The Kingfisher Art Co. is located inside Yellow Door Antiques and
Art.

* Conclude the Outsider Art Trail at Cecil T’s Mercantile in the
Cotton Block downtown Rome for art oddities, antiques, whimsical local
arts and crafts, and tasty pies. (11 am – 8 pm).

The Outsider Art Trail Tour is a self-guided event designed to be a relaxing day of discovery. The tour is included in Paradise Garden admission (Chattooga residents pay no admission).  Earn stamps on your Outsider Art Trail Tour “Passport” for each stop. Complete your passport and qualify for a drawing for an overnight stay in one of Paradise Garden’s Airbnbs.

Download your map and tour guide on Paradise Garden’s website
https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.paradisegardenfoundation.org%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Ca4d44ac5ec1d419c93ae08dc71284b1b%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638509665095312528%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=WW1vdUm7GfyxnIDxJzsuZOxXJc%2BeN4uOlj2tetyfRag%3D&reserved=0  You may also pick up a passport and tour guide at Paradise Garden on the day of the Tour.

For questions, please call Paradise Garden (706-808-0800) or email info@paradisegardenfoundation.org.

Georgia Highlands College Celebrates Nurse Graduates

More than 150 nursing students were celebrated during a graduation ceremony held Thursday at Georgia Highlands College.

“I couldn’t be more energized and delighted about what we are doing together,” said Kurt Stuenkel, president of Atrium Health Floyd, who addressed the crowd.

“Of course, we have a partnership, but I think of it as a completion of a circle. What was then Floyd Medical Center turned over its nursing school over to Floyd College more than 50 years ago.

“Now once again, decades later, Atrium Health Floyd is again investing in this nursing program. We were proud to partner with Floyd College over 50 years ago and once again we are very proud to advance education and healthcare in our region,” Stuenkel added.

Atrium Health Floyd and Georgia Highlands College announced a partnership in 2023 that created the Atrium Health Floyd School of Health Sciences and Atrium Health Floyd Department of Nursing. Atrium Health Floyd offers scholarships and financial assistance to make nursing school more affordable for students in northwest Georgia

Stuenkel told the graduates he was also a student at the college at one time, taking accounting and economics classes on the way to receiving a master’s degree in business. Stuenkel also served as a part-time teacher at the college.

He offered advice both from the standpoint of his personal approach to mindfulness and integrity and as an experienced health system leader.

“Every patient encounter is important,” Stuenkel said. “We must never forget that each patient has unique needs. We need to be responsive and present for that patient.”

He also related advice Dr. Dee Russell would often give to new medical residents at Floyd Medical Center.

Russell served as executive vice president and chief medical officer for Floyd prior to his retirement. He began his career at Floyd as director of Floyd’s Family Medicine Residency program. Dr. Russell is a member of Floyd Healthcare Resources Inc. and the Hospital Authority of Floyd County.

“Dr. Russell would tell the new residents ‘Don’t screw up.’ Then he would add to that ‘Don’t screw up alone,’” Stuenkel said.

The point is that usually in medical settings there is always someone nearby who can help.

“You need to strive to be a good teammate. Always be willing to pitch in, always be helpful, friendly and supportive of others. A great team can do great things and it makes the work fun,” Stuenkel said.

Last Chance For Saturday Voting Today For May Primary

Today is the last Saturday that voters will be able to cast their ballots in advanced voting for the May 21st Primary Election.  All early voting for the Primary Elections takes place at the Chattooga County Registrars Office, located on Commerce Street in Summerville, just past the courthouse.  Voters can vote today from 9 AM until 5 PM.  Early voting will continue next week from 8:30 AM to 5 PM, Monday-Friday at the Registrars Office.  The election will be held on Tuesday, May 21st.  On Election Day, all voting will take place in voters’ local precincts.   Summerville residents who wish to cast an advanced ballot in the special election for City Council Seat One can vote today at Summerville City Hall from 9 AM until 5 PM.  The only voting at Summerville City Hall is for the special election for the city council seat.