The public is invited to attend a Town Hall hosted by (Ret.) Brigadier General Shawn Harris on Thursday, February 5th in Summerville. Harris is a candidate in the March 10 special election to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by Marjorie Taylor Greene.
In his latest legislative report, State Rep. Eddie Lumsden says the Georgia House returned to full work after Winter Storm Fern prompted a State of Emergency and briefly slowed the start of the 2026 session. Lumsden, a Republican from Armuchee, represents Chattooga County and a portion of Floyd County in the Georgia House of Representatives.
Lumsden says House Appropriations subcommittees resumed meetings to review the AFY 2026 and FY 2027 budget proposals, while the House Rules Committee met for the first time this session and the chamber passed its first legislation of 2026. He also noted lawmakers recognized utility crews, first responders, and agencies for storm response and power restoration efforts across North Georgia.
Among key actions, the House passed HB 443 to create offshore fishing endorsement fees to support Georgia-based fisheries surveys, and unanimously adopted HR 1008 to update the state’s water planning council structure. Lumsden also cited final passage of SB 148, which would update public school policies including hunting safety lessons, outdoor learning, expanded personal leave, and changes to AED program requirements. He added that House Speaker Jon Burns introduced the Georgia HOME Act, a proposal aimed at phasing out homestead property taxes by 2032.
You can read Rep. Lumsden’s complete report below:
Gas prices across Georgia eased over the weekend, supported by strong in-state fuel supplies and softer regional demand, even as the national average moved higher. As of Monday, the statewide average for regular unleaded is $2.66 per gallon, though minor day-to-day fluctuations are still possible.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College has announced its top student and instructor honors for 2026, naming Noelia Sargento, a Business Management student from Rossville, as its Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner, and Trevor Roberts, clinical coordinator of Ultrasound Programs and instructor of Adult Echocardiography, as the college’s Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year.
Young Farmers Director Lauren Jarrett has released a February update for the Chattooga County Young Farmers Association, highlighting upcoming educational programs and certification opportunities for area agricultural producers.
The group’s program on Catching Honeybee Swarms with Brandon Ray, North Region Ag Education Director, originally planned for February 5, has been rescheduled due to a weather-related schedule change for the presenter. The meeting and educational class will now be held on Thursday, February 12th at 7:00 PM at the Chattooga Ag Center, with a meal provided. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP by Tuesday, February 10th to help organizers get an accurate meal count.
Jarrett also announced that a pesticide credit class for Chattooga, Floyd, and Gordon County Young Farmers is scheduled for February 19th.
The Summerville City Council will hold a Special Called Meeting on Monday, February 2, 2026, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is expected to focus heavily on city finances and budget planning as officials review the mid-year status of the current fiscal year.
Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Georgia declined last week compared with the week before, according to numbers released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor. New jobless claims in Georgia dropped to 4,472 for the week ending January 24, down from 6,278 the previous week.
Nationally, weekly unemployment claims also dipped slightly to 209,000, down 1,000 from 210,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis. Among the states, Nebraska reported the largest percentage increase in claims, while Kentucky recorded the biggest percentage decrease.
Federal authorities are warning the public about a scam involving fraudsters impersonating federal law enforcement and prosecutors. According to the Department of Justice, scammers—possibly operating from outside the United States—are contacting Americans by text message, email, or phone call, falsely claiming the victim is a suspect in a fraud investigation in an attempt to pressure them into handing over money or sensitive information.
Officials say the scam often involves multiple contacts before the criminals begin requesting personal details such as credit card numbers, banking information, or other identifying data. FBI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis said scammers rely on fear and intimidation, and warned that the FBI will pursue those involved.
The DOJ says these scammers may use convincing details—such as real-sounding titles, badge numbers, names, and addresses—and can even spoof phone numbers to make it appear calls are coming from legitimate government agencies. Authorities stress that federal agencies do not call and demand money or personal information over the phone, and anyone receiving these messages should not provide information and should report suspected scams.
The Family Resource Agency of North Georgia Head Start/Early Head Start/Pre-K Program is accepting applications for two Early Head Start Teacher positions at the Chattooga Head Start/Early Head Start location. The start date will be determined later, and the positions are full-time at 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, with no weekends, totaling 1,976 annual hours.
For generations of families in Chattooga County, Camp Hamby has been a summertime tradition where children learn, grow, and build friendships in a setting rooted in faith and community. Operated by local United Methodist Churches, the long-running day camp has served as a welcoming place for kids to explore their relationship with Jesus while enjoying a full schedule of classic camp activities.
