Chattooga County Commissioner Andy Allen released a statement Wednesday evening outlining the county’s progress, financial challenges and plans for the future in what he described as a “2026 State of Chattooga County” update to residents.
Mr. Thomas Eugene “Tommy” Miller, age 70 of Chickamauga passed away Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at his residence.
Tommy was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on August 31, 1955, son of the late Ernest “Jimmy” Miller, Sr. and Bernice Ally Edmondson Miller. He was a member of the Revival Baptist Church and was retired from Bankston Tire and Oil. He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed fishing and hunting, but his favorite activity was spending time with his family.
In addition to his parents, Tommy was preceded in death by a son, Tommy “Shane” Miller, Jr.; sisters, Bernice Miller, Bertha Miller and Betty Ward; and brothers, Clarence Miller and Ernest “Bo” Miller, Jr.
Tommy is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Chad and Erica Miller; daughters and sons-in-law, Shellie and Trey Dixon and Natasha and Ricky Dover; sisters and brother-in-law, Joy and Wesley Akins, Judy Burrows and Lila Knight; grandchildren, Lexie Dover-Gann and her husband, Noah, Bentley Dover, Connor Dixon and Cooper Miller; and a number of nieces, nephews and extended family members.
Funeral Services for Tommy will be held Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 12:00 Noon in the Chapel of the Coffman Funeral Home with Rev. Jason Boyd officiating. Interment will follow in the Moseley Cemetery.
Pallbearers will include Chad Miller, Ricky Dover, Bentley Dover, Trey Dixon, and Sean Miller. Honorary Pallbearers will be his grandchildren, Lexie Dover-Gann, Bentley Dover, Connor Dixon, Cooper Miller and Brother-in-law, Wesley Akins.
The family will receive friends Thursday morning from 11:00 A.M. until the funeral hour.
The family wishes to thank Tapestry Hospice for the excellent care and compassion given to them. They also ask that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org.
Coffman Funeral Home and Crematory is honored to be serving the family of Mr. Thomas Eugene “Tommy” Miller.
A Chattooga County man has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted by a jury on multiple felony charges involving a minor family member.
Mr. Alexander Leroy “Al” James, Jr., age 69, of Chattanooga, TN, passed away Monday, March 2, 2026, at his residence.
Mr. James was born February 26, 1957, in Trion, GA, son of the late Alexander Leroy James, Sr. and Linnie Lipham James. He was of the Baptist faith and was a devoted husband, father, and pawpaw. Mr. James was also a veteran of the United States Air Force where he served from 1976 – 1980. Prior to his retirement, he was employed in the maintenance department of Mount Vernon Mills.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Becky James and Mary Ann Henderson; a brother, Randy James; and a granddaughter, Arabella Poster.
Survivors include his wife, Tina James; daughters, Ashley (Michael) Poster, Alexandria (Kendall) Turnbull; sisters, Alexa (Curtis) Stoner, Kim Piper; grandchildren, Benjamin, Zoe, and Lillian “Varmit”; sisters-in-law, Mona Beal, Patti Karr; special niece, Brittany Watson; several nieces, nephews, and cousins; and his beloved dog, General.
Funeral services will be held at 3:00 P.M. Thursday, March 5, 2026, from the Mason Funeral Home Chapel with Mr. Kendall Turnbull officiating.
Mr. James will be in state at Mason Funeral Home and the family will receive friends from 1:00 P.M. until the hour of service on Thursday.
A bipartisan measure moving through the Georgia General Assembly would eliminate the state’s 4% sales tax on diapers, baby formula, and menstrual products, classifying them as essential goods rather than taxable items. Supporters say the change would ease financial pressure on families, noting that while groceries and prescription drugs are already exempt in Georgia, diaper and feminine hygiene products are not.
Advocates point to long-term costs, with estimates showing the average woman spends about $18,000 on period products over her lifetime — plus roughly $1,000 in taxes. Government assistance programs like SNAP and WIC do not cover diapers, and the Georgia Diaper Bank Coalition estimates ending the diaper tax could save families about $80 per child. Diaper banks statewide distribute more than 1.4 million diapers each year to families in need.
The effort is being led this session by Republican State Sen. Randy Robertson, who says the issue is about prioritizing families despite the potential loss of millions in state revenue. The bill must pass committee before heading to the Senate floor ahead of Crossover Day, and supporters say it has bipartisan backing. If approved, Georgia would join a growing number of states that have eliminated sales taxes on menstrual and baby care products.
New unemployment benefit filings in Georgia declined last week, a sign layoffs may be easing slightly statewide even as national claims moved higher. The U.S. Department of Labor reports Georgia initial claims fell to 3,979 for the week ending February 21, down from 4,293 the week before (a drop of 314).
Nationally, seasonally adjusted initial claims rose to 212,000, up 4,000 from the prior week, according to the same weekly report.
In the week’s state-by-state movement, Rhode Island posted the largest percentage jump (from 1,154 to 2,677, about +132%) while Michigan saw the biggest percentage drop (from 7,315 to 3,667, about -49.9%).
The Ben and Ollie Brady School of Nursing at Shorter University has received a $200,000 grant from the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation, providing a major boost for program operations and continued training of future nurses across Northwest Georgia and beyond.
Georgia Highlands College (GHC) and Kennesaw State University (KSU) are expanding their LINK partnership, a collaborative initiative to create seamless transfer pathways and expand academic opportunities for students.
