The Georgia State Patrol post in Rome is hosting a crucial blood drive in partnership with Blood Assurance today from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at 3386 Martha Berry Highway in Rome, Georgia. This event is an opportunity for the community to save lives. Donors participating from October 1st to 15th have a chance to win a Solo Stove Yukon 2. 0. The winner will be notified by phone before October 21st. Blood supplies are low due to Hurricane Helene, causing disruptions in donation operations. Hospitals are running out of blood for surgeries, cancer treatments, and other urgent needs. Donors are urged to come forward as even a single pint can help. It is important for donors to be well-fed, hydrated, and avoid energy drinks for a safe experience. Signing up online in advance is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome.

The Rome News Tribune reported over the weekend that Rome is solidifying its reputation as a film hub with the return of “Stranger Things” to its famous filming location, the former Claremont House, this month. The Claremont House is located at 906 East 2nd Avenue. The Rome International Film Festival is also set to return at the end of the month, featuring award-winning actor Tim Blake Nelson. The festival’s Executive Director, Leanne Cook, credits Creative Director Seth Ingram for the event’s success. The former Claremont House will be transformed into the Creel House for filming, and the fifth season of “Stranger Things” is set to be released in 2025, according to Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos. The Rome International Film Festival will honor Tim Blake Nelson with the Flannery O’Connor Award for Storytelling. The festival lineup includes a Georgia premiere of Nelson’s newest film “Bang Bang” and a panel highlighting the work of Latin filmmakers. For tickets and the festival schedule, visit the festival’s website.

The Chattooga County Registrars Office has announced that absentee ballots have been mailed out to voters in preparation for the upcoming election. Voters are reminded that advance voting will officially kick off tomorrow, providing an important opportunity for citizens to cast their votes ahead of Election Day.

Read more

Last week, Governor Brian Kemp announced that Georgia’s net tax collections in September approached $3. 21 billion, down by $91. 2 million or 2. 8% from FY 2024. Year-to-date collections totaled $8. 11 billion, up by $29. 5 million or 0. 4% from last year. The decrease in net tax revenue was primarily due to changes in individual income tax, sales and use tax, corporate income tax, motor fuel taxes, and motor vehicle tag and title fees. Individual income tax collections saw an increase of $50. 2 million, with refunds decreasing by $35. 4 million. Sales and use tax collections totaled $1. 55 billion, up by $36 million from FY 2024, but net sales tax decreased by $52. 5 million. Corporate income tax collections decreased by $90 million, with refunds up by $29. 7 million. Motor fuel tax collections increased by $6. 7 million, while motor vehicle tag and title fee collections rose by $0. 2 million. However, title ad valorem tax collections dropped by $2. 6 million from last year. Overall, there were fluctuations in different tax categories, contributing to the changes in Georgia’s net tax revenue collections for September.

More than one-third of adults in 23 states, including Georgia, are obese according to the latest data from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Projections suggest that these numbers may worsen over the next decade. The CDC’s 2023 Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps, based on telephone interview survey data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, was released last week and shows that 34. 7% of adults in the South are obese, with Georgia slightly above this average at 35%. This is a significant increase compared to before 2013 when no state had such high obesity prevalence. The numbers show that the obesity rate in Chattooga County is at 37.6% – even higher than the state average.  The CDC stated that many adults with obesity also have serious chronic diseases such as high blood pressure (58%) and diabetes (23%). Obesity is associated with 40 diseases including stroke and cancer, leading to at least 2. 8 million deaths yearly globally.

Ulta Beauty is planning to open a new location in Calhoun, specifically at the Indian Hills Shopping Center near the former Ingles/Food Depot location on Highway 53. The store is expected to open in the summer of 2025. Ulta, founded in 1990, has numerous locations across the country, including nearby cities like Dalton, Rome, and Cartersville. Additionally, workers at the site mentioned the possibility of a Marshalls department store opening in the same location, but the company has not confirmed this. Marshalls, owned by TXJ Companies, operates over 1,200 stores in the US and Canada. The owner of Indian Hills Shopping Center, Halpern Enterprises, did not provide any comments regarding the potential new stores at this time.

The Calhoun Times

Earlier this year, Chattooga County was the recipient of a 2024 Recycling and Waste Diversion Grant from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), a move that has already begun to yield significant benefits for local taxpayers. The $341,467 grant enabled the county to purchase a state-of-the-art shredder machine capable of grinding a variety of materials, including concrete, rubble, asphalt, bricks, wood, and other waste.

Read more

The Summerville City Council is set to hold a regular called meeting this evening at 5:00 PM at the Summerville City Hall, located on Georgia Avenue, across from Summerville First Baptist Church. The public is encouraged to attend, with a question and answer session scheduled to commence at 4:30 PM, allowing residents to engage directly with council members.

Read more

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Sunday, October 13, 2024:

Read more

Read more