Online Sports Betting Shot Down In Georgia Senate

A handful of Georgia senators that wanted to legalize sports betting in the Peach State had their bill shot down this week in the Georgia Senate as anti-gambling senators joined forces with others who believed an attempt to legalize sports betting without it going before voters was unconstitutional.

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Pedestrian Killed In Calhoun

The Georgia State Patrol says that a fifty-seven-year-old woman was killed after she was struck by a pickup truck in Calhoun on Wednesday of this week.  According to reports, the woman was staying at a motel in Calhoun and attempted to cross Highway 53 near the Curtis Parkway, when she was struck by a Ford F-150 pickup truck.  Helen Louise Fain was taken to Advent Health Gordon for treatment but passed away from her injuries.

Strong Storms Move Through The Area

Storm damage at Berry College

Strong storms moved through Northeast Alabama and Northwest Georgia this (Friday, March 3rd) afternoon.  The National Weather Service issued a Tornado Warning shortly before 3 PM for parts of neighboring Floyd and Gordon Counties and a severe Thunderstorm warning was in place for Walker County.  The severe weather has passed, but there is a lot of cleanup from the storms.  Reports of trees and power lines down were coming in from around the area.  In neighboring DeKalb County, Alabama, officials reported that a tornado was confirmed at Dutton on Sand Mountain.  In Floyd County, there were multiple trees down and damage being reported on the campus of Berry College.  Power outages were also being reported around the area.  The good news is that we are looking for clearing skies tonight and Saturday, Sunday and Monday will be clear, but cooler with plenty of sunshine.

Video Available Of Tuesday Night’s Planning Commission Meeting

A video of Tuesday night’s Chattooga County Planning Commission meeting is now available online.  This morning, WZQZ News reported that the video had not been posted, but there is now a link to that video on our website at Chattooga Info Dot Com.  At that meeting, the planning commission was asked several questions by members of the public.  One person asked why Chattooga County Commissioner Blake Elsberry does not attend the planning commission meetings.  After the question, the chairman of the planning commission Eddy Willingham exclaimed “This meeting is getting out of hand.  This meeting is adjourned”.  Chattooga County Commissioner Blake Elsberry has told WZQZ News several times that he will not participate in any of the decisions of the planning commission and is waiting for them to present him with a final draft to amend the county’s land use ordinance.  The commission has yet to present that draft to the commissioner.  You can watch the meeting HERE  (Audio quality is not the best).

Tornado Watch For Our Area Until 5 PM – Friday March 3, 2023

The National Weather Service has issued a TORNADO WATCH for 18 counties in North Georgia, including Chattooga and surrounding counties until 5 PM this afternoon.  See details below:

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Arrest Report – Friday – March 3, 2023

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Friday, March 3, 2023:

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Planning Commission Meeting Cut Short – Updated With Video Link

A meeting of the Chattooga County Land Use Commission this week was cut short after Chairman Eddy Willingham was asked why the county commissioner doesn’t attend land use commission meetings.

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Spring Market Returns To Dowdy Park Next Month

Summerville Main Street’s Spring Market is coming back again this year and it’s the perfect way to welcome in spring in 2023! Enjoy shopping for arts and crafts, jewelry, baked goods, body & hair care, wooden items, food, live plants, and more! Bring out the lawn chairs for some special musical entertainment! Interested vendors may email slocklear@summervillega.org ONLY to request vendor information and registration. ALL payments will be made to SUMMERVILLE MAINSTREET ONLY! Vendors will never be asked for VEMNO, CASH APP or electronic payments.

GA DOT & Lutzie 43 Foundation Host Fourth Safe Driving Summit

The Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) and the Lutzie 43 Foundation held their fourth Safe Driving Summit on Feb. 28 in Gainesville, Georgia. The Safe Driving Summits are part of an ongoing partnership between Georgia DOT and Lutzie 43 to educate young drivers of the dangers of distracted, impaired and unsafe driving. Held at the Lanier Technical College, the Gainesville Safe Driving Summit provided high school students with an opportunity to hear from responders who are first on the scene of a crash including state and local law enforcement, ER/trauma doctors and nurses, as well as other presenters about the realities of how decisions behind the wheel can potentially impact the driver and other roadway users for the rest of their lives. Previous summits were held at other locations across the state in Carrolton, Statesboro and Columbus, Georgia.

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Wildfire Community Preparedness Day Announced

The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) and State Farm® announce that Wildfire Community Preparedness Day (Preparedness Day) will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2023. The national campaign, which began in 2014, provides an opportunity for groups and individuals who live in wildfire-prone areas to come together on a single day to complete projects that can help make their homes and communities safer from wildfire. This year, the campaign is focused on what residents can do to help their home survive a wildfire.

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