The Trion Council Thursday night voted unanimously to contract with a private probation service to lighten the workload of police department employees, currently doing that work  and to save money.

From this point on Georgia Probation Services, of Trenton, will provide probation services to the 9-10 probationers the town has each month.

 In other business, the council voted to change its employee insurance plan slightly which will actually lower the overall cost of premiums. According to Mayor Pro-Tem Mickey McGraw, the plan was up for renewal and package the town has been receiving is no longer available. The council selected the closest plan they could find to that through the same provider, Blue Cross/Blue Shield.  The town will continue to pay 84.511 percent of the cost, with the employees share at 15.489 percent. In meetings with employees on the changes, McGraw said they all seemed happy with the plan and he heard no negative comments.

The council also voted to keep council and Mayor qualifying fees the same for the election this year, which is 3 percent of the current salary.

They also voted to budget an additional $25,000 for playground equipment in addition to the $40,000 grant recently received from a Tillotson grant. 

The council also voted to hire ETAC to monitoring the demolition of the Park Avenue apartments which began this week, in reference to asbestos and lead at $475 for day. The town is responsible only for !5 percent of that cost. ETAC did the initial asbestos and lead testing and reports on the apartments. The asbestos and lead abatement process is only expected to last 10-15 days of the demolition project, according to town Superintendent Eddy Willingham. 

When the Trion Bulldogs take on the Lafayette Ramblers this fall,  they will be facing the workings of a new head coach.

The man who is credited with turning the program around at Gordon Central has been hired at new head football coach for the Ramblers. Chad Fisher says he'd like to see all of his children graduate at Lafayette High. The 41-year-old coach has three, two in third grade and one in seventh. That means he intends to build the football program at Lafayette "over the long-haul." 

 Fisher spent the last five seasons at Gordon Central in Calhoun, where his teams made the payoffs the past two years. He served as the offensive coordinator at Ringgold High and was an assistant on staff at Wheeler High in Atlanta. He played for and later coached at Mars Hill College in North Carolina. He's also had college coaching experience at Tusculum College in Tennessee. 

Trion Superintendent Eddy Willingham has been appointed to a taslk force that will represent the Georgia State Inspectors Association (GSIA).

The GSIA is a task force appointed by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs  to review the 2012 International Mechanical Code. The task force will make recommendations to the State Codes Advisory Committee. 

Willingham's first meeting will be February 19 in Atlanta/ 

The Town of Trion wants to known with Trion residents feel about a proposed  wine and beer pouring license.

Councilman Lanny Thomas says the town have been approached about the ordinance by people interested in re-opening the Tavern Restaurant. 

Thomas said a wine and beer pouring ordinance could open up possibilities for that restaurant and possibly others.

Town attorney Chris Corbin is writing up a proposed ordinance for the council to consider. In the meantime, the council wants feedback from the community.

Anyone that has an opinion on the matter can call the Trion Town Hall or contact a council member. 

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Listed on the January 25 Arrest Report at the Chattooga County Jail are:

David Morrell Blansit, Cloudland — VGCSA/ Possession of Methamphetamine

Robert Earl Brooks III, Summerville — Rape

Justin Lopaz Foster, Lyerly — Aggravated Sodomy

Alisha Pauline Marks, Summerville — Probation Violation

Michael Pauly Perry, Summerville — Rape

Jeff Craig Rakestraw, Cloudland — VGCSA/ Possession of Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm or Knife during the commission of, or in an attempt to commit a crime

Ray Charles Rakestraw, Adairsville —   VGCSA/ Possession of Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm or Knife during the commission of, or in an attempt to commit a crime; Possession of a Firarm by a Convicted Felon

Samantha Amber Wallace, Unicoi, Tn. — Fugitive From Justice

Shane Ian Wilson, Hays State Prison, Trion — Court Production Order

Christopher Lee Brooks, LaFayette — Driving with Suspended/Revoked License; Windhield/windshield wiper/Windshield Requirement/ Susp. License

Ricardo Beltran Gonzales, Hays State Prison, Trion — Murder/ Felony Murder; Aggravated Assault

Kevin Douglas Henson, Summerville — No Charges Listed

Steven Lee Moiser, Lyerly — Simple Battery/FVA

Leonard Ramos Rodrigues, Hays State Prison, Trion — Aggravated Assault; Felony Murder 

The State Joint Human Trafficking Commission released a statement regarding it's final report on Wednesday.

According to State Rep. Edward Lindsay (R-Atlanta), the report shows that while substantial progress has been made, more work needs to be done. 

The report is the result of a coordinated, statewide effort to raise awareness and put a stop to human trafficking in Georigia.

Lindsey says it is "imperative we act now to address these horrendous crimes taking place all over our state and protect these young victims from future abuse."  

 To read the Commission’s final report go to  http://www.house.ga.gov/Documents/CommitteeDocuments/2013/HumanTraffickingStudy/Jt_Human_Trafficking_FINAL_Report.pdf

A Rome man was arrested after he allegedly doused his girlfriend’s residence with gasoline, according to Floyd County Jail reports. 

According to the report: 

Reggie Clay Barnett, 46, of 6 Wisteria Street, Rome, poured gasoline on the rear wall and one side of the South Rome house on Sunday, with four people inside. 

When police found him a block away from the residence, Barnett admitted to the act but said he was just going to scare the people inside. The report indicated that he did have a cigarette lighter in his pocket. 

Barnett smelled of gasoline and a can was found in the rear of the house. The victim said that Barnett was asked to leave and never come back. 

Barnett was charged with four counts of felony terroristic threats and acts under the Family Violence Act and one count of felony first-degree arson with criminal intent.