On Wednesday, the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement unveiled a list of schools across Georgia designated as “underperforming,” a classification that now grants parents of students in these schools the opportunity to apply for financial assistance for private education. Among the schools highlighted in the report, LeRoy Massey Elementary School and Summerville Middle School in Chattooga County were identified as underperforming.
An Armuchee man, Robert Keith Tincher III, pleaded guilty to killing his 82-year-old grandmother, Doris Cumming, and storing her body in a freezer for months. Tincher, 31, forced his grandmother into plastic bags, dragged her through their home, and placed her in a large freezer, causing multiple broken bones.
An accident in Gore on Wednesday morning sent one person to the hospital with minor injuries. According to a preliminary report from the Georgia State Patrol Public Information Office, a SUV was pulling out of the parking lot at Dirt Town Deli and attempting to make a left-hand turn. As the SUV left the parking lot, it pulled into the path of a vehicle traveling southbound on Highway 27. The second vehicle struck the SUV in the left side. The driver of the SUV was transported to AtriumHealth-Floyd with minor injures. The accident is still under investigation by the Georgia State Patrol Post in Rome. More details will be released when the accident report is complete.
Chattooga County Commissioner-Elect Andy Allen says that he will be making several key appointments for positions in county government, but not until he takes office. Allen told WZQZ News on Tuesday that several administrative positions will need to be filled, but he won’t be making those decisions until after January 1, 2025. Allen said that he has someone to fill the position of county clerk, but that announcement won’t be made until after the first of the year due to contractual commitments in that person’s current employment. Allen said that he wants to make decisions about leadership positions in county government in a deliberate manner and wants to do so “in the best interest of the county”. Allen is attending required training this week in Athens as he prepares to take over the office of sole commissioner. The “Newly Elected Commissioners Conference” is being held at UGA’s Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel. Attendance and participation at the conference are mandatory and required by state law for all newly elected county commissioners.
Calhoun-based Mohawk Industries has sued several companies, including 3M and DuPont, claiming they were not informed about the risks of PFAS in carpet stain-resistant products. The lawsuit, filed in Whitfield County Superior Court, accuses these companies of fraud and negligent misrepresentation by hiding the dangers of PFAS and providing false safety assurances. PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, don’t break down readily in the environment or the human body. The chemicals have been linked to a number of health-related effects including some types of cancers. Mohawk seeks reimbursement for past and future costs related to settlements and PFAS remediation. They have also faced lawsuits over PFAS contamination in drinking water. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency set new water quality standards for PFAS, expected to be enforced by 2029, as these chemicals are linked to serious health issues.
Chattooga High School is celebrating its standout athletes from the 2024 football season. The announcement of the All-Region players for Region 7A Division 1 came on Tuesday and recognizes the hard work of the Chattooga High School athletes. Leading the charge is Zayden Cook, named the Region 7A Division 1 Player of the Year. Cook had 2,935 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns this season. Named to the First Team are: Luke Reece on the Offensive Line, Matthew Bryant, a Defensive Back, and Kadin Fife on the Defensive Line. The Second Team includes: Quarry Gibson, who earned the Iron Man Award, Luke Busby on the Offensive Line, and Brayden Howard, a Linebacker. Honorable mentions go to: Koi Dodd, Stanton Peppers, and Corde Hill. Congratulations to all these Chattooga High School Athletes.
A 31-year-old man was arrested last Wednesday, following a traffic stop that revealed multiple drug-related offenses, including DUI and possession of marijuana. Trevor Alexander Cole Roady, a resident of Henager, Alabama, was pulled over by a Chattooga County Sheriff’s Deputy after the deputy observed his black SUV drifting across double yellow lines on Highway 27 near Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Road.
Children of all ages are invited to enjoy holiday cheer at The City of Summerville’s annual Christmas In The Park event in Dowdy Park. Christmas In The Park will be presented to the public on Thursday, December 5 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Santa will arrive at the park at 6:00 p.m. to visit and offer free photos with children. There will be a Best Dressed Elf Contest, Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest, Live Musical Entertainment and lots of fun scheduled for the evening. This year’s event will also highlight vendors on site with a wide variety of crafts, food, baked items, and merchandise for shopping.
A 68-year-old Armuchee man was arrested on Monday of this week after authorities in Floyd County say he locked a 3-year-old child out of a residence on Hatfield Road for around 45 minutes in sub-freezing temperatures. Details of the incident were not immediately available, but Brian Lester Conway was charged with second-degree child cruelty in connection with the incident. Hatfield Road is located near the intersection of Old Summerville Road and Warren Road in the Armuchee Community.
In an incident that unfolded last Wednesday night, a local resident, Rebecca Sue Walcott, 48, was arrested on charges of obstruction of officers following after attempting to serve a warrant for shoplifting. Deputies were performing a routine warrant check at 324 North Ridge Estates when they encountered resistance while trying to locate Walcott.
