A site in Chattooga County is reportedly on the interest list of natural gas drillers exploring the Northwest Georgia area trying to tap the energy fuel from the Conasauga Shale Field

An Oklahoma based company is drilling just outside Dalton, and a Texas company will be drilling at Cave Spring, near Rome. There's no word on exactly where that Chattooga County site is.  

The companies reportedly are gambling on predictions that the Northwest Georgia area could yield trillions of cubic feet of natural gas, creating an entirely new industry in the state.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that  it's been 30 years since Georgia was actively searched for natural gas, but rising demand for the fuel has wildcatters and other speculators interested in this particular area in the Northwestern section of the state. Experts say they "know" the area holds natural gas deposits. 

Listed on the March 9 through 11 Arrest Report at the Chattooga County Jail are:

James Lee Tyler Chamblee, Trion — Probation Violation

Kevin Seth Edwards, Lyerly — Theft by Taking

John Shane Moore, Summerville — VGCSA/ Possession of methamphetamine; Possession/ use of drug related objects; possession of less than one ounce of marijuana

Susan Marlene Shaw, Summerville — Theft by Taking; Possession of less than one ounce of marijuana

Douglas Steven Turner, Trion — Serve 21 days 

Christopher Thomas Warren, Summerville — Theft by shoplifting

Jeremy Dale Jones, Cedar Bluff, Al — Hold for Rome PD

Dominique Cortrel Miles, Lafayette — DUI/Alcohol; Failure to maintain single lane

Christina Wilson Ramos, Trion — Driving with suspended. revoked license

Jason Scott Rogers, Summerville — DUI/Alsochol; Suspended/revoked registration

Amy Carlene Simpson, Lafayette — Failure to maintain a single lane; DUI/multiple substances 

Jeremy Codaro Nixon, Lyerly — DUI/Alcohol; No Insurance/No proof of insurance; Driving without a valid. expired license 

The Georgia Department of Labor is holding job recruitment for guards at Hayes State Prison this week, in Summerville and Lafayette.

The first one is Tuesday, March 12, at the Chattooga County Civic Center in Summerville, from 2-6 p.m. On Wednesday, March 12, the recruitment will be held at the Lafayette Housing Authority building on Oak Street, in Lafayette, from 12:30-4:30.

Applicants for the correctional officer positions must be at least 18 and have a high school diploma or GED. You must bring a drivers license, social security card, and other I.D. information. Starting pay is $26,754, with a bonus for those with military service.

For complete details on what to bring, contact Cathy Toles at the Lafayette Career Center at 706-638-5525. 

Mohawk Carpet in Calhoun will be hiring experienced twisting operators Today (Monday). The Georgia Department of Labor is helping with the job recruitment at the Dalton and Rome Career Centers.

At least six months of manufacturing or tufting machine experience is required. Applicants need to bring copies of their resume and be prepared to be interviewed. Hours ate 8 a.m. to noon today. Call the Dalton Career Center for more information at 706-272-2301. 

Employees of Georgia Northwestern Technical College face a furlough day each month in the upcoming fiscal year, if the currently proposed state budget goes into effect this July, the college’s president said.

The Technical College System of Georgia faces cuts across the board in its fiscal year 2013-2014 budget, said President Craig McDaniel. 

Some $27.4 million in cuts are projected in the state system. That translates to about $1.6 million for GNTC, which is a 10-percent cut for the college.

Furloughing employees a day each month — meaning the college would shut one day a month — would save about $780,000 a year. 

GNTC has about 380 full-time employees and about the same number of part-time employees. All would be affected by the furloughs, which would begin in July, McDaniel said.

Employees won’t get a definite answer for at least another month, McDaniel added. 

Based in Rome, GNTC also has campuses in Polk, Gordon, Walker and Whit­field counties. 

More than 32,000 students matriculated at one of the 25 colleges within the Tech­nical College System of Georgia last year. 

The Georgia General Assembly must pass the state budget before it adjourns. The House and Senate start the 31st day of their 40-day session on today (Monday). 

ARAGON — City officials are dealing with a 2013 financial shortfall following the $65,627 tax lien placed by the Internal Revenue Service last year.

The lien was later released, but Aragon Mayor Ken Suffridge said it will not relieve the city of the debt. He said Aragon must now make tough decisions because of financial issues which include a $55,000 IRS payment plan for back taxes; $28,000 less in revenue from local option sales tax; $22,000 in unpaid 2012 property taxes; a $5,000 increase in Workers’ Compensation Insurance; a $5,000 increase in cost of fuel; a $5,000 estimated increase in goods and services and a $3,000 debt to the State Department of Revenue for back taxes.

“Being conservative, I’m assuming our revenues will be $150,000 to $160,000 short going into the last half of the fiscal year,” Suffridge said. “This is a very serious situation and should not be taken lightly.”

He has met with city staff and asked each department to implement cost-saving measures. They have been instructed to identify any non-essential equipment and vehicles that can be declared surplus and sold to provide money to the city’s general fund for operating expenses.

Suffridge said he has asked the City Council to make cost-cutting recommendations prior to March 15, which is the beginning of the budget process.

A Summerville man was arrested in Floyd County Saturday and booked into the Floyd County Jail.

According to the jail docket, 36-year-old Jeremy Ladale Jones, was picked up on a probation warrant issued by Floyd County authorities. He was arrested by the Rome Police Department.

Jones address is listed as homeless. 

Polk County residents are just a little more than a year away from a new medical center opening its doors, officials announced Friday.

The state’s Department of Community Health has issued a Certificate of Need for a hospital that will replace the existing Polk Medical Center. 

The issuance of a CON is a necessary step under state law before the construction of a new hospital can occur, authorities said. Construction of the new facility would cost slightly less than $40 million. He could not pinpoint Friday exactly where the funds will come from. 

The new 73,000-square-foot hospital will sit on U.S. 278, east of its intersection with Kelly Road in Cedartown, according to a press release.

The next steps in the construction include completing a design for the facility, which should be done by mid-summer. Construction should take a year to 18 months.

The existing Polk Medical Center was built in 1944 and has had two modifications since then: the addition of the west wing in the ’80s and the emergency department in the ’90s. 

FMC took over management of Polk Medical in April 2012.

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