The Town of Trion has started Absentee and Early Voting for the November 3^rd Election. 

Advance voting will be held through October 30, 2015 at Town Hall 1220 Pine Street Trion, Georgia.

If you have any question please call our office Monday thru Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.  The phone number is 706-734-2332.

The Chattanooga News Free Press is reporting that Chattooga County leaders are meeting with members of the Georgia Department of Corrections to discuss the possibility of a new jail site.

The county jail can currently only house around 50 inmates, forcing the county to house a number of inmates in other facilities.

According to that article between October 8th and 14^th on average 23 inmates were housed in Polk County, and 31 in Bartow County – costing Chattooga County roughly $2,200 a day during that time.

Sheriff Mark Schrader and Commissioner Jason Winters recently spoke with Department of Corrections Commissioner Homer Bryson and during that meeting they enquired about the possibility of the state giving the county control of an abandoned crime lab once used by Hays State Prison.

Scharder stated it would be a good location for a new sheriff’s administrative office should the county build a new jail; Commissioner Winters stressed that the conversation with the Department of Corrections doesn’t mean the county is going to construct a new jail, adding that he simply wanted to know if the location would be available should that actually occur somewhere down the road.

Winters went on to say the county is a long way from that, and from a financial standpoint, building a jail is not a good idea; he also stated that (quote) “it’s something that, when we have to do it, we’ll do it; but we want to walk toward this very carefully and make sure it’s the right decision.” (end-quote).

According to the Free Press, Commissioner Winters and Sheriff Schrader have yet to hear anything further from the Department of Corrections since that meeting some two weeks ago.

(Chattanooga Times Free Press)

The Rome/Floyd Metro Task Force arrested two individuals Friday morning charging them with alleged drug possession.

According to Rome police and Floyd County Jail reports – officers walked through a hotel on Chateau Drive, to search for any signs of drug use.  During that walkthrough, an officer with

the Rome Police Department, noticed an odor of marijuana coming from one of the rooms –  at that point, he knocked on the door, which was opened by a man identified as 43 year old David Jermaine Drew; a woman identified as 34 year old Victoria

Beasley, was also found in the room.

Drew reportedly admitted to the officer he had just smoked some marijuana, and said there was nothing else in the room.

Once the Task Force arrived Drew gave written consent for his room to be searched.

Officers found more than 550 grams of marijuana in multiple bags along with a set of digital scales and a large amount of cash.

Drew was charged with possession of more than an ounce of marijuana – with possession of marijuana with intent, and possession of drug related objects.  Beasley was asked if she had a vehicle that could be searched, which she did and gave consent for the search.
 
Reports indicate officers found a tin that could be used for breath mints in her purse.  

Inside was an unknown pill, a smoking device with suspected drug residue and a small plastic bag containing a white powdery substance, identified as suspected cocaine.

In addition to the same charges as Drew Beasley was charged with unlawful possession of a schedule IV controlled substance and possession of cocaine.

Beasley is being held at the Floyd County Jail on bond of $167,000 while Drew is being held without bond.

Daylight Saving Time is coming to an end. Agent Lisa Dallmier of Guffin & Eleam Inc. and the Georgia Arson Control Board would like to remind the citizens of Chattooga County to change their clocks when Daylight Saving Time ends in November; and they can also use the opportunity to change the batteries in their smoke detectors.

Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 1, at 2:00 a.m.  Please make sure you set your clocks back an hour.

“The annual change in time is a good opportunity to make sure your smoke detector has fresh batteries and is functioning properly.”

Dallmier recommends the citizens of Chattooga County change batteries in flash lights, weather radios, and other safety devices. Dallmier also suggests that the time change be used as a reminder to replace all batteries in safety equipment used for house hold emergencies.

The Georgia Arson Control Program, Inc. (GAC) was formed in January of 1979 by property and casualty insurers writing business in Georgia.  GAC, Georgia Department of Insurance and Safety Fire, and state/local law enforcement agencies, established an ARSON HOTLINE 1-800-282-5804. A reward fund was initiated from which monetary rewards are given to individuals who come forward with information that results in the arrest and conviction of arsonists.

The Chattooga County Library is offering an opportunity for adults to come and experience the latest trend in relaxation, adult coloring books!

Studies show that coloring can have a calming effect on the adult mind, because when we focus on a particular activity, we focus on it and not on our worries. Coloring pages from books designed especially for adults as well as coloring pencils will be provided.

Come join us on Thursday October 22 from 6:30-8:00pm.

Please note: This is an adult program only, for ages 18 and up.  The event will be held at the Summerville branch of the Chattooga County Library. 

The Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a case of theft by taking at a Back Berryton Road address in Summerville.

According to the incident report, deputies responded to the location Wednesday afternoon, meeting with the complainant who stated someone had taken medications from the home – although nothing else appeared to be missing.

The medication was reportedly taken sometime between 10:30 Tuesday night and 3:00pm Wednesday.

No additional information is being released at this time and the investigation is on-going.

The Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) Foundation is sponsoring the 17th annual J.D. Powell Memorial Golf Tournament at Stonebridge Golf Club in Rome on Thursday, Oct. 22. Proceeds from the tournament will provide funding and financial aid to GNTC students. 

James Derward Powell served as the president of GNTC from 1987-1994.

Registration is $500 per team with up to four people on a team. The team fee includes boxed lunch, goody bag, golf hat, 18 holes of golf with cart, post tournament pizza and drinks, and entry for door prizes. Registration is limited and is on a first-come first-serve basis.

Prizes will be awarded for first in flight, longest drive, and closest to the pin.

On the day of the tournament, registration and lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m. followed by announcements at 12:15 p.m. Tee Time begin will begin at 12:30 p.m. with a pizza dinner and awards after the tournament is over.

There are four Tournament Sponsors that have donated $500 each. They are Bank of LaFayette; Bobbye F. Harris Foundation, Inc.; Redmond Regional Medical Center; and Shaw Industries Group.

Support also includes four Tournament Textbook Sponsors that provided $250 each to help a GNTC student pay for textbooks. They include Heritage First Bank, Rome News Tribune, Starr-Mathews, and WEBS Radio.

Proceeds raised from the tournament will be used to provide scholarships and financial assistance to GNTC students. The foundation also assists with purchasing equipment for programs, providing training for faculty and staff, and further marketing and public relations efforts. For information about the GNTC Foundation, contact Jason Gamel, director of GNTC’s Office of Institutional Advancement at (706) 764-3810.