The National Weather Service (NWS) in Peachtree City, Georgia say that quiet weather will continue across Northwest Georgia, with a notable shift anticipated as breezy westerly winds develops. Today, residents can expect stable weather as a weak surface high and westerly upper-level flow settle over the Southeast. Moisture from the Eastern Pacific is expected to bring some high-level cloud cover, which may slightly inhibit daytime temperatures; however, the forecast still predicts afternoon highs to hover around seasonal averages, with temperatures a degree or two warmer than initially anticipated.

As night falls, temperatures are expected to dip into the 20s. Looking ahead to Thursday, a shortwave trough is set to track through the Ohio Valley. Though no precipitation is expected from this weather feature in Georgia, it will likely lead to breezy conditions. The NWS suggests a 50% chance for wind gusts exceeding 30 mph along and north of Interstate 20, while gusts of 20 to 30 mph are anticipated for central Georgia. Due to these forecasts, a Wind Advisory may be issued for parts of northern Georgia.

As the week progresses, high pressure will continue to dominate the region, allowing temperatures to rise to seasonal or slightly above-normal levels, with highs expected to reach the 40s, 50s, and even 60s by week’s end. Residents should be prepared for gusty winds in the 15 to 20 mph range throughout the week. However, this pleasant weather is not expected to last. The NWS says that a system approaching the area will bring rain starting Saturday morning, tapering off by Sunday morning. Rainfall amounts are projected to range from 1 to 2 inches.

Following this system, temperatures will drop significantly, as we enter next week.  Forecasters are keeping a close eye on a system that is expected to bring precipitation to Northwest Georgia and conditions are indicating that it could be favorable for another round of winter weather January 21-22.

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Wednesday, January 15, 2025:

Georgia’s political landscape is once again grappling with the contentious issue of legalized gambling. As Republican leaders openly advocate for family values, they are at the same time, teaming up with a growing alliance of sportsbooks, including industry giants FanDuel and DraftKings, who are making renewed efforts to legalize sports betting in the Peach State. This push comes on the heels of a recent poll indicating widespread public support for the measure, which is already a reality in 39 other states.
The General Assembly has debated the issue of legalized gambling repeatedly over the past few years, yet has failed to pass any legislation. As proponents of sports betting prepare to return to the Capitol, advocates are emphasizing that illegal gambling is prevalent in Georgia, depriving the state of much-needed tax revenue. “Illegal sports betting is happening in the state, but they don’t pay taxes,” stated Scott Ward, a national expert on sports betting and counsel to the alliance. “People are realizing this is here. We need to put guardrails around it, regulate it, and tax it.”

On the other side of the debate, faith-based organizations are gearing up to oppose the legalization of sports betting, voicing concerns over its moral implications and potential economic harm to individuals struggling with gambling addiction. These groups have historically stood firm against gambling expansion, arguing that it undermines the fabric of family life and exacerbates issues faced by vulnerable Georgians.

As discussions around legalized gambling continue to create friction within the General Assembly, the recent surge in Georgia’s budget surplus is expected to shape the conversation in 2025. Lawmakers will need to weigh the economic benefits of legalized gambling against the moral and social concerns raised by opponents.

The outcome of this legislative session may very well determine the future of gambling in the state and its impact on all Georgians.

Jamie Abrams, the head football coach of the Cedartown Bulldogs, is no longer with the team after leading them to significant success over nearly five years. He was informed of his reassignment within the Polk School District and expressed surprise and frustration over the decision. Under Abrams, the Bulldogs achieved a record of 50-12, winning three region championships and becoming state runners-up in 2022. Although disappointed, he looks forward to his new role as a physical education teacher at Youngs Grove Elementary, where he hopes to maintain relationships with the community and youth players. The school is now seeking a new head coach to replace him.

The Chattooga County Board of Education invites community members to participate in three upcoming public hearings to discuss the decision to opt out of House Bill 581 (HB 581), a statewide floating homestead exemption. The hearings will allow residents to share their perspectives on this significant decision, which impacts the future funding of Chattooga County Schools.

The first hearing will be held this Friday, January 17th at the Chattooga County Education Center in Pennville at 7 AM. Residents are reminded that the school’s public meeting policy will be in place for this meeting. Those who would like to speak at the meeting should present the public participation meeting form at least 24-hours in advance of the meeting to the superintendent at the school system’s central office on Middle School Road in Summerville.

House Bill 581, passed in 2024 by the Georgia General Assembly, limits annual increases in taxable home values to the prior year’s inflation rate. While it provides tax relief for homeowners, it also poses challenges for school districts, potentially reducing local tax revenue without offering options to recoup losses through new sales taxes.

A copy of the public participation form can be found HERE

Trion Fire Department’s Fire Chief Justin Lowe has completed the Insurance Services Office (ISO) Fire Suppression Rating Schedule Overview Course at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center.

This training involved a detailed study of the ISO Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS), helping Chief Lowe gain important knowledge and skills for improving fire service operations. The course included classroom instruction and interactive Q&A sessions, enabling participants to understand the different aspects of ISO.

Chief Lowe learned about the Rating Schedule Program and recent updates affecting the fire service industry. This training is essential for fire chiefs and personnel as it enhances the effectiveness of fire response in communities.

His success reflects a commitment to professional development and dedication to improving fire safety in Trion. The community can be proud of Chief Lowe’s efforts to make the department more efficient. Residents are encouraged to stay informed about fire safety practices and support local safety initiatives.

On Tuesday, Rome City Police and Rome City Schools looked into a possible threat on social media, leading to the detention of a Rome Middle School student for further investigation. The safety of students and staff is the top priority.

Police Chief Denise Downer-McKinney emphasized the seriousness of threats to schools, stating there is a no-tolerance policy for violence or harm. People should report any threats by calling 9-1-1, the Anonymous Crime Tip Line, or the Rome Police Department.

Parents are urged to monitor their child’s social media activities for safety.

The spirit of unity and service will be the theme on January 19 as the community comes together to celebrate the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr here in Chattooga County.

An Ecumenical Service will be held at Hemphill A.M.E. Zion Church, located at 56 Lee Street in Summerville. The event will commence at 3 PM, featuring the Rev. Charles Watkins Sr. as the keynote speaker. Prior to the service, attendees are invited to enjoy a complimentary dinner starting at 2 PM. in the church’s fellowship hall, creating an opportunity for fellowship and reflection among community members.

In addition to the service, the local MLK Jr. committee has organized a “Day of Service” on January 21, which will kick off at 11 AM at the Fairway Recreation Center on Senior Drive in Summerville. The Day of Service aims to honor Dr. King’s legacy of community service and social justice, with refreshments provided for all participants.  As part of the Day of Service, volunteers will be assisting the after-school, tutoring program “Felicia’s Kids”.

The event is coordinated by the local MLK Jr. committee, with Rev. Robert Barrett serving as president and Sharon Pollard as the program chair. The public is warmly invited to partake in both the Ecumenical Service and the Day of Service, as the community comes together to honor Dr. King’s enduring impact on society.

On February 22, 2025, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources will host a “Learn & Burn Workshop” aimed at educating local landowners on the benefits and techniques of prescribed fire. From 8 AM to 4 PM, participants will gain valuable hands-on experience while learning from local experts about safely incorporating fire back into their land management practices.

For just $10, which includes lunch, attendees will delve into essential topics such as burn objectives, planning, liability, smoke management, and burn weather. No prior experience is necessary, making this workshop an ideal opportunity for landowners eager to understand the intricacies of prescribed burning.

“Prescribed fire is a vital tool for land management, promoting healthy ecosystems and reducing the risk of uncontrolled wildfires,” said Kim McCollum, the event organizer. “We encourage anyone interested in learning about the benefits of fire on their land to join us for this informative workshop.” Participants will also have the chance to connect with resources and assistance for future burning projects, ask questions, and meet other landowners with similar interests.

Attendees are advised to wear closed-toe boots, long pants and sleeves, and cotton or non-synthetic clothing, as additional protective equipment will be provided. Registration is required and will close on February 15, 2025.

To secure your spot, register online HERE , or contact Kim McCollum at (706) 894-1591 or via email at info.ccrcd@gmail.com. This workshop is brought to you by collaborative efforts from The event is co-sponsored by the Nature Conservancy, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the RC&D Council, the Wildlife Resources Division, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Georgia Forestry Commission. Additional details about the event will be provided as the date approaches.

Don’t miss this chance to enhance your land management skills and embrace the power of prescribed fire!

After an initial delay due to winter weather over the past weekend, the Chattooga County Emergency Management Agency/911 (EMA) will install a tornado siren at the Teloga Volunteer Fire Department on Highway 337 on Thursday, January 16, 2025. This addition is important for improving emergency preparedness in the community. Crews are expected to arrive before 8 a. m. to start the installation, followed by testing of the siren later that afternoon to ensure it works properly. Pamela M. Vaughn, Director of Chattooga County EMA, and Teloga Fire Chief Andy Rowe, highlighted the importance of such systems for timely alerts during severe weather. If bad weather delays the installation, officials will inform the public about rescheduling. Once installed, the siren will be tested monthly on the first Wednesday at noon, and if the weather is not suitable, testing will occur the following Wednesday. Residents are encouraged to watch for updates on the installation and testing schedule. For more information, contact the Chattooga County EMA/E911 office at 706-857-3400 or email chattoogaema@gmail.com.

Chattooga High School invites all rising freshmen, along with their parents and guardians, to the Rising Freshman Night on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 5:30 PM in the cafeteria. This event will provide information about the opportunities and resources available to students as they begin high school. It aims to help students and families prepare for the transition, with details on academic programs, extracurricular activities, and school policies being shared. Parents and guardians can sign up for individual advisement appointments during the event, scheduled for January 21, 22, and 23, from 3:45 PM to 6 PM. These sessions will help create students’ schedules for the upcoming year, ensuring they are placed in suitable courses. Chattooga High School looks forward to supporting each child’s educational journey and encourages participation in this important evening. For more information, visit the school website or contact the school directly.

On Monday, Governor Brian P. Kemp, along with Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, and members of the Georgia General Assembly, announced a legislative plan to improve K-12 education and strengthen classrooms in Georgia. This package includes funding from the AFY’25 and FY’26 budgets, ensuring full funding for K-12 formula earnings, increasing school safety grants, and enhancing mental health support and crisis counseling. It also includes additional funds for technical education and transportation and aims to improve teacher benefits while modernizing school facilities.

Governor Kemp emphasized that this is the highest spending on K-12 education in Georgia’s history, highlighting promises made to prioritize children’s education. He noted significant achievements, such as raising teacher pay and directing funds towards mental health resources in schools. Since 2019, Georgia has committed an additional $3. 7 billion to K-12 education and allocated $294 million for school safety grants.

Lt. Governor Burt Jones praised the focus on school safety and announced support for proposed measures including a $50 million budget allocation for safety. He plans to prioritize “Alyssa’s Law,” aimed at enhancing student security. Speaker Jon Burns echoed the commitment to improving educational opportunities, emphasizing safety, literacy initiatives, and mental health resources.

The governor’s proposals further include $120. 8 million for K-12 education in FY 2025, additional funding for pupil transportation, and grants for technical education labs. For teachers and faculty, there will be increased indemnification benefits and enhancements to health insurance contributions. The plan also allocates $50 million for school safety grants and $212. 4 million for capital improvements, including facility earnings and equipment for vocational education.

Residents of Northwest Georgia can expect a period of dry weather and slightly below average temperatures over the next few days, with highs and lows anticipated to be 2 to 7 degrees below seasonal averages. According to the latest weather forecasts, a surface high pressure system will dominate the region today, providing stable and uneventful weather conditions. A secondary high pressure system is expected to move in from the Plains on Wednesday, reinforcing the calm weather pattern. As a result, west to northwest winds will prevail across the state, with wind speeds ranging from 4 to 12 mph.

Morning wind chills are expected to dip into the teens today, while Wednesday morning may see wind chills in the 20s. Skies will generally remain partly cloudy, with a mixture of mid and high-level clouds overhead. The only exception may occur in the northern Georgia mountains tonight, where a weak frontal boundary could increase low-level cloud cover, bringing with it a slight chance (<10%) of snow flurries on northwest-facing slopes. Looking ahead to the long term, the forecast indicates a pleasant recovery in temperatures later this week, with highs in the 40s, 50s, and even 60s as high pressure settles over the southeastern United States. However, gusty winds are expected to persist, with potential gusts reaching 15 to 20 mph.

As the weekend approaches, a new weather system will begin to affect the region, bringing rain starting Saturday morning and tapering off by Sunday morning. While total rainfall is expected to remain under an inch and a half, the forecast models diverge significantly regarding the potential for a wintry mix next week.

The Global Forecast System (GFS) model suggests the formation of a Gulf low that could lead to wintery conditions across much of Georgia, while the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model predicts a drier scenario. Forecasters caution it is too early to tell if Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama will see another round of winter precipitation next week.

With the potential for weather changes ahead, residents are advised to stay informed and prepared for varying conditions in the coming days.

Georgia gas prices increased at the pumps compared to a week ago. Georgians pay an average price of $2.93 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline (subject to change overnight). Monday’s state average was 3 cents more than a week ago, 1 cent more than a month ago, and 1 cent less than last year. It costs drivers an average price of $43.95 to fill a 15-gallon tank of regular gasoline. Georgians now pay approximately 15 cents less to fill up at the pump than a year ago.

“This month, oil prices increased unexpectedly due to speculation that China’s demand would surge, which likely contributed to an uptick in gas prices across the U.S.,” said Montrae Waiters, AAA-The Auto Club Group spokeswoman. “Unpredictable global moves and threats of extreme weather could cause gas prices to ebb and flow for the coming weeks.”

Nationally:

U.S. Keeps Global Oil Production Crown

Since last Monday, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has held steady at $3.06 (subject to change overnight). According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand rose from 8.16 million barrels a day last week to 8.48. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks soared from 231.4 million barrels to 237.7, while gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 8.9 million barrels daily. The retail price for regular-grade gasoline averaged $3.30 per gallon in 2024, 21 cents less than in 2023.

The EIA also reported that the United States produced more crude oil than any other nation in the six years 2018-2023. Last year’s numbers are still being crunched, but the trend will likely continue. Crude oil production in the United States averaged 12.9 million barrels daily in 2023, breaking the previous U.S. and global record of 12.3 million in 2019. The EIA says the 2023 oil production record is unlikely to be damaged by another country anytime soon.

Electric:

Meanwhile, today’s national average per kilowatt hour of electricity at a public EV charging station remained at 34 cents, the same amount for almost 5 months.

Drivers can find electric charging prices along their route using the AAA TripTik Travel planner.

Regional Prices:

The most expensive Georgia metro markets – are Savannah ($3.02), Athens ($2.97), and Atlanta ($2.96).

The least expensive Georgia metro markets – are Brunswick ($2.87), Augusta-Aiken ($2.85), and Catoosa-Dade-Walker ($2.82).

Area gas price averages – Chattooga ($2.78), Walker ($2.77), Floyd ($2.88), Gordon ($2.86), DeKalb, AL ($2.75), Cherokee, AL ($2.76).

As the Georgia General Assembly convened yesterday, veteran lawmaker, State Representative Eddie Lumsden, a Republican from Armuchee, will once again chair the Georgia House Insurance Committee. Lumsden first took office in January of 2013 after defeating longtime Democratic State Representative Barbara Massey Reece of Menlo. He, along with his wife Theresa, operate a State Farm insurance agency in Floyd County, close to Mount Berry Mall. Lumsden, who served in the United States Air Force is also a retired Georgia State Trooper and a graduate of Armuchee High School. He also attended Floyd College (now Georgia Highlands) and received a bachelor’s degree from Berry College. The 12th District, that Lumsden represents, is comprised of all of Chattooga County and a portion of Floyd County. Committee assignments for the 2025 legislative session will be decided this week.

In recent weeks, several citizens of Chattooga County have voiced their concerns regarding the abrupt disappearance of the county government’s official social media account from Facebook following the departure of the previous commissioner. This has sparked a conversation about transparency and the importance of maintaining accessible public records in the digital age.

According to Georgia law, social media pages created by governmental officials are considered part of the official public record. The Georgia Open Records Act governs the management of such records, mandating that government agencies preserve public documents, including “computer-based or generated information.” This includes various forms of electronic communication, such as emails, text messages, and social media posts. The Open Records Act defines “public record” broadly, encompassing all documents, data, and materials prepared, maintained, or received by an agency. This stipulation extends to social media records, clearly designating them as public records subject to legal oversight. The importance of these records has been underscored by guidelines issued by the State Attorney General of Georgia, which reaffirm that “computer records” fall within the parameters of public records as outlined by the law. This clarity has raised questions among residents about the accountability and accessibility of government communications through social media platforms.

In response to the concerns, current Commissioner Andy Allen has stated his intentions to utilize the county Emergency Management Agency’s social media page alongside local media outlets to disseminate information to the public during emergencies. Allen emphasized the importance of keeping residents informed and engaged, especially in critical situations.  Commissioner Allen stated, “We are going through the process to get the commissioner’s office back on Facebook.  But government pages have a few more hoops to jump through”.  Allen added, “Anything my administration builds belongs to the county and will remain county property after I am gone”. 

As the discussion continues, residents are calling for greater transparency in how the county manages its social media presence and public records. The hope is that moving forward, the county government will take steps to ensure that such essential communication channels remain open and accessible for all citizens of Chattooga County.

The Chattooga High School classes of 1969, 1970, and 1971 are set to have a joint reunion on Saturday, May 3rd, at the Chattooga County Agricultural Center, located on Middle School Drive in Summerville. The event will start at 3 PM. and will include activities for reconnecting and enjoying catered food from Varsity. Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 7 PM. Attendees should wear casual clothes for a relaxed atmosphere. The cost to attend is $25 per person, and early reservations are recommended, with a deadline of March 15 for planning purposes. Checks should be made out to the respective class year and sent to the contact person for each class. For the Class of 1969, contact Phyllis Marks Brown at 706-859-2792 or pbrown5113@yahoo.com. The Class of 1970’s contact is Rosita Chevremont McWhorter at 706-217-5228 or mewhorterrosita@gmail.com. For the Class of 1971, reach out to Wayne Lewis at 706-506-5005 or lewis295@comcast.net. Further details will be sent out soon.

Summerville Police were called to McGinnis Circle on Sunday after two men were observed fighting in the street.  According to police, the incident was caught on video by witnesses.  Police say that 20-year-old Evan Adams came to the residence of 36-year-old Zachery Black and began yelling and cursing and calling Black out to fight.  Black obliged and video evidence shows him striking Adams twice during the physical altercation.  Adams and Black were each charged with disorderly conduct and transported to the Chattooga County Jail.  Police say that there is an ongoing feud between the two men.