A Georgia lawmaker is working to protect the rights of renters, especially those who find themselves in unacceptable living conditions. Without rent control measures in the state, renters can pay steep prices to rent their home and state laws don’t always protect them from a lack of heat, lack of air conditioning, lack of water, or broken appliances. A proposed bill from State Representative Marvin Lim would aim to clarify what qualifies as livable rental housing. Rep. Lim says his bill specifies standard upkeep and repairs that landlords should address as well as acceptable conditions related to things like garbage, plumbing, and water supply. A different bill in the General Assembly would require some landlords to compile data on serious crimes and report that data to tenants and prospective tenants.

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The number of reported COVID-19 cases in Chattooga County dropped from seven to five over the past week, according to numbers released on Wednesday by the Georgia Department of Public Health.  While the number of COVID-19 cases were down in most of Northwest Georgia over the past week, there were two deaths reported – one each in Polk and Floyd Counties.  The Georgia Department of Public Health moved from a daily reporting system to a weekly reporting system last year.

A thirty-nine-year-old LaFayette man was accused of stealing three Klondike ice cream bars from the Family Dollar store in Summerville.  The man reportedly had the three ice creams in his backpack when police found him near Jack’s in Summerville.  The man resisted arrest and was tased by a Summerville Police officer. The clerk at Family Dollar had called 911 after she followed the suspect outside of the store and asked him if he was going to pay for his Klondike bars.  According to the store clerk, the suspect just continued walking like he didn’t hear her.  The store manager then called 911.  Police took Wayne Mack Martin of LaFayette into custody and charged him with shoplifting, terroristic threats and acts, giving false information to a police officer and obstruction of law enforcement officers.

One in 7 patients entering a hospital will need a blood transfusion. At the same time, only about 3% of Americans give blood. The American Red Cross needs more people to make and keep appointments to give blood or platelets in February and has three great reasons to do so:

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In recognition of Black History Month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman and USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Georgia State Executive Director Arthur Tripp co-hosted a roundtable discussion at Fort Valley State University directly engaging with underserved and/or underrepresented agricultural producers to learn about challenges, concerns and opportunities where the EPA and USDA FSA can provide support.

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The Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about a break-in at an apartment on Milton Circle in Summerville last week.  The complainant told the responding deputy that three times that day, someone had entered her apartment and that she was sure that the door was locked each time she left.  On one of the burglar’s visits, they left a package of Marlboro cigarettes.  The complainant said that no one that lives in her apartment smokes.  Nothing was taken from the apartment, but the complainant wanted a report on file with the sheriff’s office.

AdventHealth Redmond is hosting the AngioScreen bus on Monday, Feb. 27 from 7 am to 10:30 am. The AngioScreen bus will be parked in front of main entrance of AdventHealth Redmond. An AngioScreen is a noninvasive, 10-minute vascular screening designed to assess your risk of heart disease and stroke.

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Last week, the Georgia State Senate passed Senate Bill 69. Sponsored by Sen. Ben Watson (R – Savannah), it would provide placement of a monument for the Honorable Clarence Thomas within the capitol building or the capitol grounds.

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An employee at Walmart in Trion reported the theft of cash from her personal vehicle after she discovered someone had stolen $140 from her car parked near Wendy’s.  The incident was reported on Wednesday of last week.  A responding deputy spoke with the employee who said that she was unable to lock her car because she didn’t have a key for the door.  The woman said that she came out during her break and found that the money was missing from a compartment inside the vehicle.  The incident was turned over to an investigator.