CHS Friday Football Notes
Trion Police Dept. / Dr. Phil Williams Drive Dedicated On Monday
Man Attacks Woman With Taser
A thirty-six-year-old Rome man is accused of attacking a woman in violation of a temporary protective order.
According to an arrest warrant:
The victim was leaving a store in the 600 block of Broad Street on Saturday when Johnny Lee Olive Sr. pulled up and chased her back inside.
Olive then tased the woman with a handheld taser, leaving a bruise on her stomach.
He then left when the victim called police.
Olive is charged with aggravated assault and aggravated stalking.
WRGA
Trion Town Council Meeting This Evening
The Trion Town Council will meet this evening for a work session at 6 PM and will have their regular monthly meeting shortly thereafter. The meeting will be held in the council room at Trion Town Hall and the public is invited to attend. You can see an agenda for tonight’s meeting below:
Man Under The Influence Arrested After Shooting Firearms In Neighborhood
Last week, Chattooga County deputies responded to a call in the area of Catawba Drive and Knollwood Circle about a man discharging a firearm.
When deputies arrived on the scene, they spoke with witnesses who said that Ouljawan Sheriff Blair had been shooting guns in the yard “for no apparent reason”. Deputies made contact with the man, who had gone inside before they arrived. Blair was ordered to put the firearms down, and deputies said “at first he was hesitant to do so”. Blair did come out of the house unarmed and was quickly cuffed by sheriff’s deputies. Blair was showing signs of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Deputies said, “The area where the incident occurred is in a residential neighborhood with houses all around. During the course of Mr. Blair’s actions, anyone could have been seriously injured due to the close proximity of neighboring homes”.
Blair was charged with reckless discharge of a gun while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and reckless conduct and was booked into the Chattooga County Jail.
City Of Summerville To Dedicate New Playground Equipment
The City of Summerville will hold a dedication at the new playground equipment at Dowdy Park on Friday at 5:15 PM. At their June meeting, the Summerville City Council approved the purchase of new playground equipment for J.R. “Dick” Dowdy Park. The winning bid for the playground equipment went to Safe Play Solutions out of Canton, Georgia. The city paid $89,875 for the equipment. Installation of the new equipment began on the first week of September.
Arrest Report - Wednesday - September 27, 2023
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Wednesday, September 27, 2023:
Rome Man Charged With Animal Cruelty
A Rome man was arrested Monday at his Judson Drive home on two counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals.
According to Floyd County Jail records:
27-year-old Walker Pate Bearden denied veterinary care for two dogs.
An adult male had open sores on his back for over a month and was malnourished
A puppy also showed signs of malnourishment.
Neither dog had access to food, water, or shelter.
WRGA
Facebook Scam Reported To Summerville Police
Summerville Police say that a scam artist tried to get a local resident to cash a fake check. According to a report released this week, the scammer offered the subject a job with “Xerox” and sent them a $950 check. The scammer told the person to cash the check and then send them $850 of the $950 from the check. When the person attempted to cash the check, they were told that the check was fake.
Fake bank checks are typically used in scams where the scammer tries to get you to cash or deposit the check. Once it is deposited, they ask that you send all or part of the proceeds back to them or to someone else (an accomplice) before the bank where it was deposited tries to clear or process the check for payment and realizes the instrument is fake. The scammer might ask you to return the funds in a number of ways: in cash, by writing a personal check, by loading it onto a pre-paid or gift card, or through some electronic means, such as a wire transfer, automated clearing house (ACH) payment, or a person to person (P2P) transaction.
If it is later determined that the check was counterfeit, you will likely be held responsible for the funds that were provided to the scammer, so it is important that you recognize the signs of a counterfeit check to protect yourself. Remember, fraud artists are constantly coming up with new ways to use fraudulent cashier’s or official bank checks in their scams.
Walker County Health Department Offering Free Breast Exams Next Month
Burglar Found In Summerville Woman's House Wearing Her Jeans
Summerville Police were called to a West Washington Street address on Sunday about a burglary in progress. When police got to the residence and spoke with the complainant, she told police that she came home to find that someone had been inside her house, turned the television on and had used the shower. She told police that she believed the person was still inside the residence. When police entered the house they found the suspect in the woman’s bed, asleep and wearing a pair of the woman’s blue jeans. The suspect would not give a reason to police for being inside the residence other than, “This is my house”. Police arrested twenty-four-year-old Thomas Marty Laney and charged him with burglary, theft by taking and theft of services.
Fifth Annual Charlie Daniels Patriot Award Raises Over $400,000 For Military Veterans
About The Charlie Daniels Journey Home ProjectThe Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project (TCDJHP) is a not-for profit organization that assists other not-for-profits in securing funds to help causes that benefit veterans of the United States Armed Forces. The organization was co-founded in 2014 by the late country music legend Charlie Daniels and his manager, David Corlew. Board members include Corlew, Major General Terry “Max” Haston (retired) and most recently in 2020, Hazel Daniels. Conscious of the need to assist our nation’s veterans, TCDJHP partners with organizations that do the most good, with the least overhead. Working in tandem with these organizations, TCDJHP is making a difference in the lives of American patriots. TCDJHP’s daily operations rely solely on public donations. To donate or for more information, visit thecharliedanielsjourneyhomeproject.org.
Harvest "Super Moon" Thursday Night
You’ll want to keep an eye to the horizon later this week, as September wraps up with the glorious and extra-bright full Harvest Moon, the final “Super Moon” of 2023.
Look for this special full moon rising in the east at sunset on Thursday, September 28. According to the astronomy site EarthSky, the moon will glow highest in the sky near midnight, and then drop low in the west before sunrise on September 29. The exact moment of this moon’s peak illumination is 5:57 a.m. ET on the 29th.
This full moon is the last in a string of four supermoons that began with the full Buck Moon on July 3. A full moon becomes a supermoon when it reaches peak fullness roughly at the same time it approaches its closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit. This can cause the moon to appear noticeably brighter; it can also look quite large if you happen to catch it rising along the horizon.
The Harvest Moon was historically significant for humans. Traditionally the full moon that falls nearest to the autumnal equinox, such as this one, is called the Harvest Moon. According to NASA, the name dates to the pre-electricity era when farmers depended on the moon’s light to harvest their crops late into the night, which was especially important in the fall, when harvests were the largest
For several days this moon will rise around the same time. The Old Farmer’s Almanac says that unlike other full moons, this full moon rises at nearly the same time — around sunset — for several evenings in a row, giving skywatchers plenty of chances to catch its beauty.
There are other names for this moon. Moon names traditionally applied to the moon’s entire 28-day cycle, not just the full moon itself. According to Northern Michigan University’s Center for Native American Studies, this moon cycle for some Anishinaabeg people in the Great Lakes region is known as Wabaabagaa Giizis (Wa-bah-ba-gah Gee-zehs), the Changing Leaves Moon.
Additional names for this moon cycle that come from Native American sources include variations on the name Corn Moon, as this is the season of corn harvest, as well as Autumn Moon (Cree), Falling Leaves Moon (Ojibwe), Moon of Brown Leaves (Lakota) and Yellow Leaf Moon (Assiniboine), according to the Farmers Almanac.
The next full moon will be the Hunter’s Moon, occuring on Saturday, October 28.
Source: MI online.
Summerville Chili & Brunswick Stew Cook-Off Results
Chili Division Judge’s Choice Winner 1st Place – Tony Hughes
The Summerville Steam Special Chili & Brunswick Stew Cook-Off event held at The Summerville Depot on September 16th was a big hit despite rain. Amateur teams competed in a fun filled day of friendly and healthy competition. Attendees sampled different Chili and Brunswick Stew recipes from 10 different teams to vote for their favorites in People’s Choice Taste and Best Team Theme/Spirit. The competitor’s also added fun to the event by dressing up to compete for the most spirited team.
Winners of the competition are as follows: Chili Division Judge’s Choice 1st Place – Tony Hughes Team Casino Nights, 2nd Place – D&S Produce & Mercantile Tin Roof Chili Team, 3rd Place –Reita Cabe Thomas & Billy Cook Breakout Prison Team. Brunswick Stew Division Judges Choice 1st Place – Stan Rosser Chili Ray Cyrus Team, 2nd Place – Reita Cabe Thomas & Billy Cook Breakout Prison Team, 3rd Place – Tony Hughes Casino Nights Team. People’s Choice Best Chili – Tony Hughes Casino Nights Team. People’s Choice Best Brunswick Stew – Tony Hughes Casino Nights Team. People’s Choice Best Team Theme/Spirit – D& S produce & Mercantile Tin Roof Chili Team.
Tony Hughes will move on to compete in the Chili-Fest Cook Off and Festival in Rome on Saturday, November 4.
GNTC Graduate Gets "Life Saver" Award
A Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) Law Enforcement Academy graduate has been recognized for her quick actions that saved a man’s life.
Jennifer Nunez, a rookie officer in the Dalton Police Department, and her field training officer were dispatched on July 16 to help a man who was unresponsive in his yard, Nunez said. Nunez graduated from GNTC’s Basic Law Enforcement program (now named Basic POST certification) on March 27, started working at the Dalton Police Department on May 1 and was in the final phase of the department’s field training program at the time of the incident.
“I was the first responder on the scene,” she said. “The man wasn’t responsive, conscious or breathing, so I started performing CPR and continued it until EMS arrived and were able to revive him.” Nunez said she received CPR training and certification through the GNTC’s Law Enforcement Academy. “When I saw the man in distress, I feared he was dying,” Nunez explained. “I had never seen anyone unconscious before.” “My first thought was to start CPR,” she said. “I was pretty scared, because I was still in the training program.” She said she “felt more relieved than anything else” after EMS revived the man.
Two weeks after the emergency, the man thanked her for saving his life; he told her that he had become overheated while working in his yard.
Last month the Dalton Police Department commended her actions by presenting her with its Life Saving Award only a few weeks after she had been sworn in as an officer. Dalton Police Chief Cliff Cason, in the commendation letter, said her actions “reinforce the values and mission of our department in that we aim every day to provide a safe environment with professional, quality police service.”
Steam Into Summerville Days Schedule
Home to one of only a few operating train turntables in the southeastern United States, Summerville is truly a step back in time for train and history buffs alike. The City of Summerville is currently gearing up for its annual “Steam into Summerville Railroad Days”. The 6 week celebration will usher in fall and visitors of ages, while bringing a wide array of festivities to Summerville’s Dowdy Park and the Summerville Depot.
The Tennessee Valley Railroad’s Summerville Steam Excursion is set to arrive at the historic Summerville Depot each Saturday beginning September 30 through November 5. Steam engine passenger trains are also set to arrive at the depot on 3 Sundays; October 15, 21 and November 5. Train arrivals and the turning of the antique steam engines are a highlight at each scheduled festival. Tickets for these excursions are purchased through the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum at www.tvrail.com . These vintage train rides follow a historic route from Grand Junction Station in Chattanooga to the Historic Summerville Depot. Summerville welcomes the
Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum and its passengers by opening the historic depot to the public and with activities, entertainment, and events planned for each train arrival. Each event hosted is unique to itself.
Celebrating Local Living – September 30
Celebrating Local Living is a laid back event to celebrate the community and culture of Chattooga County’s local living. This event will highlight local attractions, small business, vocal vendors, food, music and more. The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Steam Engine Passenger Train is expected to make its arrival around 1:00 p.m. to be followed by the working of the Summerville Turntable.
Sum -Nelly Arts and Crafts Festival -October 7
The annual Sum- Nelly Arts and Crafts Festival is scheduled for October 7 in J.R. “Dick” Dowdy Park. Event hours are from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and admission is free. Sum Nelly is a celebration that allows artists, quilters, musicians, food vendors, locals, and visitors to gather and enjoy the beautiful fall weather of Chattooga County. This event is coordinated by the Summerville Recreation Department. For more event information you may contact the Summerville Recreation Department at (706) 859-0910.
Summerville Mini Renaissance Festival – October 14
Dress as royalty, fairies, pirates, and peasants while you enjoy shopping, art, games, and a feast fit for a king. The Summerville Renaissance Festival will return with pageantry, arts, music, dancing, artisans, theater, food, and more. Renaissance Performers from Georgia and Tennessee will be on hand to give festival goers a magical experience. Find King Henry the 8th, The Renaissance Festival hours are from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Old Fashioned Sunday Dinner At The Depot – October 15
Step back in time to a slower pace of life and enjoy an “Old Fashioned Sunday Dinner” at the Historic Summerville Depot. Event goers will have the opportunity to enjoy an “Old Fashioned Sunday Dinner” while enjoying live bluegrass and gospel music by Low Down Revival. The meal will be served by a local restaurant at the cost of $7.25 for a meat and 2 vegetables, or $6.45 for a 3 vegetable plate. Drinks and desserts will also be available.
An arrival of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Passenger Train is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and a turning of the Summerville Turntable will also be featured. Other vendors will be on site for those wishing to shop. This event will operate from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and is free for the public to attend.
Sequoyah Quilt Show – October 21-22
Experience fall at its best as artists, craftsman, musicians, and food vendors gather together for a weekend of fun! The Sequoyah Quilt Show will be held at the Summerville Depot October 21-22. Saturday show hours are 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and Sunday hours are 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Admission is free. There will be large quilting exhibits of all kinds, as well as demonstrations inside the depot. Quilts may also be sold at this event. Returning this year will be a “Bed Turning” of quilts narrated by quitters throughout the day. Persons interested in exhibiting or selling quilt products at this show may contact Summerville Main Street at (706)859-0900 Ext. 1337. Food and craft vendors will also be on site and the arrival of the train is expected around 1:00 p.m. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
Pumpkin Palooza and Downtown Halloween Candy Walk – October 28
Everything’s coming up candy and pumpkins in downtown Summerville on Saturday, October 28. Summerville Main Street will team up with the Summerville Trion Optimist Club to present the annual Pumpkin Palooza with Pumpkin Derby and the Halloween Candy Walk! This fall celebration will be held down the East Washington Streetscape to the Summerville Depot. Hours for the Pumpkin Palooza will run from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Vendors will be on hand with a variety of foods, crafts, and retail for the public’s pleasure. Interested vendors should contact Susan Locklear by email at slocklear@summervillega.org for vendor registration information.
Highlights for the day will include a Youth Halloween Costume Contest for ages newborn – 12 at 10:30 a.m. inside of the Open-air Pavilion. Registration for the costume contest will begin at 10:15 a.m. Local Scouts will be participating in a special Pumpkin Derby Race that is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. on East Washington Street near the depot.
Halloween Candy Walk
The Halloween Candy Walk is sponsored by The Summerville Trion Optimist Club and will run from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The candy walk will be located down the East Washington Street Streetscape area. The East Washington Street Streetscape entrances beginning at US 27/Commerce Street and The University Street Intersection will close to traffic beginning Saturday morning at 6:00 a.m. and remain closed until 3:00 p.m. Economy Street entrances to East Washington Street will also be closed during this time.
The participating businesses and organizations always enjoy this fun event and look forward to welcoming all the ghosts, ghouls, goblins and other costumed trick-or-treaters that will make
their appearance at the annual Candy Walk. Businesses, churches, clubs, and civic organizations wishing to participate in handing out candy and treats to all the little spooks should contact Cindy Rivers at (706) 466-9014 for registration and set-up details.
Train fans will also enjoy the 1:00 p.m. Steam Engine arrival of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Passenger Train. Following the arrival, spectators will view the Summerville Turntable in action turning the majestic steam engines.
Trains and Tracks Expo November 4-5
Train enthusiast of all ages will enjoy the Trains and Tracks Expo at the Summerville Depot November 10-11. Expo hours of operation are: Saturday, November 10 from 10:00 am-3:00 pm and Sunday, November11 from 11:00 am -3:00 pm. Sunday’s train arrival will feature a double steam engine arrival. A highlight for the event will be the Chattanooga Modular Modeler Train exhibit. The expo is designed for children of all ages; for modelers, collectors, and enthusiasts; for families in search of good old-fashioned fun; and for the simply curious. It will feature tables of trains, accessories, scale models, and collectible toys. The Tennessee Valley Railroad Steam Engine is scheduled to arrive each day of the event at 1:00 pm with passengers and will be turned on the Summerville Turntable, for the public’s viewing pleasure. There will be railroad memorabilia for sale, food and craft vendors at the depot, and much more.
The Chattanooga Modular Modelers, Inc. and The Museum of Flight are both non-profit corporations. The Chattanooga Modular Modelers use the hobby of model railroading to educate the public about the role the railroads have played in our nation’s history. They teach techniques for construction of portable displays. They also teach electronic principles used in modern devices, and how to display artistic expression through the mastery of the many skills necessary to complete a model railroad or diorama. For more information on events contact The City of Summerville at (706) 859-0900 Ext.1337 or visit www.summervillega.org
Arrest Report - Tuesday - September 26, 2023
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Tuesday, September 26, 2023:
Atrium Health Floyd’s Trauma Program Earns National Recognition / Chattooga Emergency Department To Open In October
Trauma patients from northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama have another reason to expect continued expertise from Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center, the state’s only Level II Trauma Center west of Gainesville and north of Atlanta.
Floyd Medical Center, which became the state’s first designated trauma center in 1981, has now been verified as a Level II Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS).
The ACS is a national scientific and educational association of surgeons dedicated to safeguarding standards of care. Verified trauma centers that meet ACS standards provide optimal care and improved outcomes for injured patients. The designation will be up for verification again in three years.
Elements of Level II Trauma Centers:
· Include 24-hour immediate coverage by general surgeons, as well as coverage by the specialties of orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology and critical care
· Provide trauma prevention and continuing education programs for staff.
· Incorporate a comprehensive quality assessment program.
“Providing excellent trauma care under these rigorous standards requires dedication from our entire team as well as continuous planning and partnerships,” said Kurt Stuenkel, Atrium Health Floyd president. “I am proud of our team, their hard work and the investments we have made to make the ACS verification a reality.”
Floyd’s trauma center serves 16 counties in Georgia and four counties in Alabama. There are no Level I Trauma Centers in the region.
Floyd is also the Region C Coordinating Hospital for Health Care Preparedness. Region C includes the counties of Bartow, Carroll, Chattooga, Coweta, Floyd, Haralson, Heard and Polk.
To ensure it exceeds ACS standards, Floyd Medical Center has added Clarence “Mac” McKemie, M.D., Harbin Clinic general surgeon, as full-time trauma medical director. Harbin Clinic’s James Riley, M.D., and Alan Wilson, M.D., have also joined as trauma surgeons.
Chad Beck, M.D., joined Floyd as an orthopedic traumatologist, becoming the first in northwest Georgia to specialize in the repair of complex fractures that frequently occur with trauma. Those cases previously required transfer to other facilities. Jill Martin, M.D, also provides orthopedic surgery at Floyd Medical Center.
Orthopedics and neurosurgery are also key specialties in trauma care at Atrium Health Floyd. These services are provided with the support of doctors from Harbin Clinic Orthopedics and Rome Orthopedic Center, as well neurosurgeons John A Cowan, Jr., M.D.; Jason Harrison, M.D., PhD; and Alex Whitaker-Lea, M.D.
Floyd constructed a $4 million helipad for air ambulances at the North Second Avenue entrance to the hospital’s Emergency Care Center in 2022.
The trauma center verification is central to a region-wide emphasis on emergency care for Atrium Health Floyd.
A stand-alone emergency department in Chattooga County is scheduled to open in October. The $18.4 million emergency facility will serve residents in Chattooga County and portions of Walker County and northeast Alabama. It will include six treatment rooms, an onsite laboratory and imaging services, including X-ray and a computed tomography (CT) scanner.
The 10,884-square-foot emergency department will also be home to a new mobile mammography unit to ensure more women have convenient access to lifesaving breast cancer screenings. A helipad will be located on-site, providing quick access to a higher level of care.
Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center is recognized by the state as a Level IV Trauma Center. The hospital can provide advanced trauma life support, evaluation, diagnostics and stabilization for injured patients. Patients requiring more complex care for traumatic, life-threatening injuries or illnesses have direct access Floyd Medical Center in Rome.
Atrium Health Floyd’s trauma care is bolstered by its robust Emergency Medical Services network. Floyd EMS is a designated ambulance service provider for Floyd, Chattooga, and Cherokee County (Ala.) residents. Ambulances are stationed in multiple locations to ensure rapid response and quality medical care using a fleet of ambulances equipped with innovative technology and specially trained personnel.
“Our goal is to be ready when needed. This means we have doctors, nurses, operating room staff, imaging experts and supporting staff available 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Dr. Ken Jones, chief medical officer and senior vice president at Atrium Health Floyd. “If you come to us in an emergency, we are ready to treat you.”
Finster Fest Sets New Attendance Record
Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden hosted the annual two-day art festival, Finster Fest, last Saturday and Sunday at historic Paradise Garden. The event featured over 65 folk, craft and fine artists, along with musical performances and special guest presentations. Once again this year, the Chattooga Garden Club supplied their famous pimento-cheese sandwiches, along with other food vendors at the festival. Patrons traveled from all over the South to attend the nationally recognized art festival which was sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and Georgia Council for the Arts. The Paradise Garden Foundation says that this year’s Finster Fest set a record for attendance at 2,431 attendees, which was 300 more than last year.
Youth Night At Chattooga Football Game This Friday
Youth night for the Summerville Recreation Department will be held at Chattooga High School football field this Friday September 29, 2023. Players and coaches will get in free. Football,Volleyball and soccer players must wear their jersey and cheerleaders wear their uniform. All coaches and teams must be there by 6:30 PM. Coaches and players will meet at the gate across from the High School Softball Field. Note: Parents will have to go online to order tickets if they want to attend the game.