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.

GHC Begins Multimillion Dollar Expansion On Healthcare Center

Photo Credit: Rome News Tribune – State Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (from left), Atrium Health Floyd President Kurt Stuenkel, state Rep. Katie Dempsey, Georgia Highlands College President Mike Hobbs, University System of Georgia Board of Regents Member Cade Joiner and Chattooga County Sole Commissioner Blake Elsberry.

This week, Georgia Highlands College announced the beginning of expansion of the Lakeview Building on the college campus.  The building is being renovated to accommodate an expanded healthcare degree program that will focus on nursing and other degrees in healthcare.  The Georgia General Assembly has allocated $900,00 to get the project started.  In all, the expansion is expected to cost $12 million.   Atrium Health Floyd is on board with the plans at Georgia Highlands College with a commitment to the Atrium Pathway Scholarship.  Already, more than forty students have gone through the pathway, sponsored by Atrium Health Floyd, and will graduate with the promise of positions at Atrium Health Floyd.  Local officials along with Atrium Health Floyd President Kurt Stuenkel were on hand on Thursday of this week to celebrate the expansion.  Elected officials present included State Senator Chuck Hufstetler, State Representative Katie Dempsey and Chattooga County Commissioner Blake Elsberry.

GBI Makes Arrest In Decades Old Cold Case

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), along with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD), announces the arrest of an Athens man in the murder investigation of Tara Louise Baker. After 23 years, GBI agents have charged Edrick Lamont Faust, age 48, with murder, two counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, concealing the death of another, arson, possession of a knife during the commission of a felony, tampering with evidence, and one count of aggravated sodomy in connection with Baker’s death.  Baker was the granddaughter of Robert “Bob” Baker, who wrote the book, “Chattooga: The Story of a County and It’s People” – considered to be the definitive history of Chattooga County.  You can read more about the GBI’s arrest of Faust and the murder of Tara Baker below:
In September of 2023, the GBI Cold Case Unit partnered with ACCPD to conduct an in-depth review and analysis of the ongoing investigation into Baker’s death.

On January 19, 2001, around 11:20 a.m., Athens-Clarke County firefighters found Tara Louise Baker’s body responding to a fire at her Athens apartment. The investigation determined that the fire was intentionally set, and investigators spent over two decades seeking answers in the case.

At the time, Tara was 23 and a first-year law school student at the University of Georgia. She graduated from Lovejoy High School in 1995 and enrolled at Georgia College in Milledgeville.

“Tara Louise Baker was a hardworking student with a bright future ahead of her,” says GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Tara’s life was stolen from her in a horrific act of violence. While this arrest does not bring her back to us, I pray that it helps bring closure to the Baker family as they continue their healing journey. I am proud of the work of the GBI Cold Case Unit and the GBI agents and scientists that devoted their efforts over the last 23 years to find justice for Tara. I also want to express my gratitude to Athens Clarke-County investigators and members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Georgia State Patrol who have partnered with us in this case. While this arrest is the first step in finding justice for Tara, there is still more work to be done. The GBI and our partners will never stop fighting for justice for victims and their families.”

“For many years, I have hoped the Baker family would find justice for the loss of Tara,” says Jerry Saulters, now Chief of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, who was an officer at the crime scene on January 19th, 2001. “This is a case that has lived with me throughout my career at ACCPD. I remember being there during that horrific time. Seeing this case now full circle, I appreciate the hard work of the detectives, from then and now. Knowing that the evidence collected at that time contributed to the arrest today gives me tremendous pride in all the officers who worked this case over the years.”

The following agencies & work units assisted the GBI Cold Case Unit and ACCPD:

• FBI Gainesville RA
• FBI Athens RA
• FBI Athens Safe Streets Task Force
• GBI Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO)
• GBI – Division of Forensic Sciences
• Georgia State Patrol

Faust was booked into the Athens-Clarke County Jail.

Anyone with information about this investigation is encouraged to submit a tip. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

Mullis Backs Moore's Challenger In GOP Primary

Former State Senator Jeff Mullis is backing Angela Pence in the GOP Primary for the seat he once held.  Pence is a Republican challenger to outspoken and sometimes controversial State Senator Colton Moore of Dade County.

Moore represents the 53rd District that takes in Dade, Walker, Catoosa, Chattooga and a portion of Floyd Counties.

Moore has angered fellow Republican at the state capitol. He was ousted from the Senate Republican Caucus and the Georgia House of Representatives has taken the extraordinary step of banning Moore from ever coming on House property after he made what were considered insensitive remarks about former House Speaker David Ralston who passed away.

Mullis is one of Ms. Pence’s major campaign contributors, according to campaign disclosure financial reports.

The winner of the GOP Primary will go on to face Chattooga County resident Bart Bryant in November.  Bryant, who lives at Cloudland, is running unopposed in the Democratic Primary.

Georgia Water Coalition Releases "Dirty Dozen" List For 2024

Georgia’s leading water advocacy organizations on Thursday released their “Dirty Dozen” for 2024 in a 27-page report highlighting 12 of the worst offenses to Georgia’s waters.  One river in Northwest Georgia made the list – the Coosa River in Floyd County.  The main cause of the Coosa River making the list are the plans for coal ash cleanup at Plant Hammond near Coosa. The Georgia EPD issued a permit in November of 2023 that allows Georgia Power to put a cap on a coal ash pond at Plant Hammond, but otherwise leave the ash in place in the ground.  The permit also requires monitoring groundwater for contamination for at least 30 years.  You can read more about the Georgia Water Coalition’s “Dirty Dozen” report below:

Rather than identifying the “most polluted places” in Georgia, the Georgia Water Coalition’s (GWC) Dirty Dozen report instead highlights the politics, policies and issues that threaten the health of Georgia’s water and the well being of more than 11 million Georgians.

The list includes the following:

• Abercorn Creek (Effingham/Chatham counties): Growth spurred by Port of Savannah threatens region’s water supplies

• Altamaha River (Wayne County): State allows pulp mill to continue polluting Georgia’s “Little Amazon.”

• Conasauga River (Whitfield County): Forever chemicals continue to poison drinking water sources.

• Coosa River (Floyd County): Plan for coal ash cleanup pollutes groundwater

• Flint River (Decatur County): Monkey breeding facility exposes “monkey business” potential of local development authorities.

• Floridan Aquifer (South Georgia): Growth in coastal counties stresses fragile water supply.

• Georgia’s Rivers, Streams, and Water Resources (Statewide):

• Data centers sap energy gird, stress water supplies.
• Lax enforcement of state laws allows dirt from development sites to soil creeks.
• State makes slow progress on limiting algae-causing pollution
• Push to privatize public resources raises red flags.

• Ogeechee River: Toxic “forever chemicals” taint fish, threaten human health.

• Okefenokee Swamp: State leaders’ inaction leaves natural wonder at risk. Proudly, Georgia touts itself as the No. 1 state to do business, but that success in economic development is not without its consequences. Failure to plan for growth; to enforce existing laws to protect our water resources; and to provide adequate funding for the state agency charged with protecting the state’s environment has inevitably led to impacts to resources upon which we all depend.

The deepening of the Savannah Harbor, completed in 2022, has ushered in a new era of megaships at the nation’s third busiest port and spurred growth in surrounding coastal communities. This growth is threatening the region’s surface and groundwater supplies on Abercorn Creek and in the Floridan Aquifer. With saltwater intrusion limiting withdrawals from the Floridan on the coast, communities are scrambling to find new water sources to meet the needs of developments like the massive Hyundai electric vehicle plant in Bryan County. Coordinated and enforceable water planning is sorely needed for the region.

Similarly, economic incentives adopted by the state to lure data centers to Georgia have led to unintended consequences for Georgia’s Rivers. These massive facilities that enable our online lives and keep our digital data use tremendous amounts of energy and water. This year, Georgia Power Company successfully petitioned the Public Service Commission to tap fossil-fuel power sources to meet the unexpected energy demands of all the state’s new data centers. State leaders need to rethink tax incentives for data centers, taking into consideration the state’s available water and power resources.

In Southwest Georgia along the Flint River, the drive to lure new business to Georgia backfired on leaders in Decatur County and Bainbridge and highlighted the dangers of the blind pursuit of economic development at any costs by quasi-governmental development authorities. Without the public’s knowledge, the local development authority lured a massive monkey breeding facility to the community. When residents found out, the backlash was immediate. The “No Monkey Farm” signs cropping up around town shine a spotlight on the “monkey business” potential of unaccountable development authorities.

Economic growth means growing state revenues, and in recent years, state budget writers have been blessed with record budget surpluses. But, those surpluses have not made it to the principle state agency whose job it is to ensure that development does not dirty our state’s natural resources.

Adjusted for inflation, the budget for Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has been slashed by 30 percent from 2013 to 2024. Over the past two decades as the state’s population has grown by some three million and state revenues have more than doubled, EPD’s staff has shrunk by about 150 employees. The agency has about 12 employees responsible for inspecting sites and enforcing erosion and sedimentation laws statewide in some 380 jurisdictions. Predictably, at both the state and local level, the result is anemic enforcement of laws designed to prevent dirt from development sites from soiling Georgia’s Streams and adjacent property.

Similarly, a more than decade-long effort by the agency to development nutrient standards for the state’s rivers and streams has still not been completed, in part because of lack of funding and staff. High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in Georgia’s Water has led to dangerous algal blooms at numerous popular water recreation destinations around the state. State leaders must give EPD the resources it needs to do its job.

This year’s Dirty Dozen also highlights emerging pollutants. PFAS, a group of man-made chemicals that persist in the environment, were once thought of as modern miracles because of their ability to make fabric stain resistant and fire retardant (among other things), but over the last two decades, we’ve discovered these chemicals are hazardous to our health. Today, they are found everywhere, but especially in the Conasauga River and Ogeechee River where they were used by carpet and textile manufacturers. Though use of many PFAS has been phased out, they are still being used and they are still polluting our rivers and contaminating our fish. Georgia must act to force users of PFAS to prevent them from reaching our rivers and begin testing fish so subsistence anglers can be warned of any potential dangers of eating these wild-caught fish.

Three pollution problems make return appearances on this year’s Dirty Dozen. On the Altamaha River, discharges from a Jesup pulp mill still sully the river, impacting the use and enjoyment of Georgia’s “Little Amazon” by boaters and anglers. On the Coosa River, a closed coal ash pond at Georgia Power Company’s shuttered Plant Hammond still pollutes groundwater, and on the outskirts of the Okefenokee Swamp in Charlton County, mining remains a threat because of the General Assembly’s failure to take action to protect Georgia’s global natural wonder.

Finally, the report notes a troubling trend in Georgia water policy: the move to privatize Georgia’s Water Resources. During this year’s legislative session, a measure was introduced that would have made it easier for private entities to claim ownership of the state’s marshlands, virtually all of which have been held in the “public trust” by the state for generations. Other measures that were introduced and passed included a bill allowing privately-owned water companies to circumvent local water plans along the Georgia coast and a bill that could lead to some waterfront property owners asserting their ownership of the streambed and prohibiting individuals from stopping to fish in front of their property.

Addressing the issues highlighted in this report through stronger funding and enforcement for clean water laws, legislative action, sound permitting and policy decisions by state and federal agencies and critical water resource planning at the regional level will ultimately lead to cleaner, healthier streams, rivers, lakes and estuaries. Of course, responsible actions by individuals, businesses, industries and local governments are also critical to solving these pollution problems.

The Georgia Water Coalition is a consortium of more than 260 conservation and environmental organizations, hunting and fishing groups, businesses and faith-based organizations that have been working to protect Georgia’s water since 2002. Collectively, these organizations represent thousands of Georgians.

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: