As the Georgia General Assembly approaches the half-way point of the 2023 legislative session, State Rep. Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee) has released his legislative report for the fifth week of the session.  Lumsden said that there was broad bipartisan support for a bill that will give the Georgia Port Authority the ability to investigate criminal offenses and issue traffic citations within one mile of port owned properties.  Also, the Georgia House passed measures that would update existing transportation and infrastructure laws.  You can read Rep. Lumsden’s complete report below:

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Here are the latest health inspection scores from the Chattooga County Environmental Health Department for the first half of February, 2023:

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According to a report released by the Summerville Police Department this week, a Gadsden, Alabama man was recently arrested and charged with DUI, but was released from the Chattooga County Jail due to his medical condition.

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State Senator Colton Moore crossed party lines and voted with Democrats this week on an anti-gang measure that has the backing of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.  Moore said that the bill, which would require judges to impose prison sentences of at least five years on those convicted of recruiting gang members, would have the unintended consequences of increasing the number of plea bargains between prosecutors and criminals.  Moore said, “Plea bargains allow the innocent to get improper justice and the guilty to get less than deserved. This is not the way to solve street gang crimes”.  Most Democrats opposed the bill because it would lead to harsher sentencing for low-level gang members, instead of powerful gang leaders.  The bill passed the Senate and now moves to the Georgia House for a vote.

Compiled Reports

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Thursday, February 16, 2023:

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The theft of a catalytic converter off a church van was reported to the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday of last week.  A church member from Berryton Baptist Church on Racoon Creek Road called the sheriff’s office after he went by to make sure the van was ready for Sunday and noticed that the van sounded much louder than normal.  On further inspection, it was determined that a thief had stolen the catalytic converter off the church van.  A responding deputy advised that the church turn the incident in to their insurance company so that the van could be repaired.

Released by Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader:

Trion Police Chief David Gilleland and I, Sheriff Mark Schrader, would like to thank our local media and residents for sharing our posts and information concerning this past weekends crime spree of vehicles being broken into or entered for the purpose of theft.

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A motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene following a three-vehicle wreck at the intersection of Turner McCall Boulevard and Riverside Parkway Tuesday evening.

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Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Wednesday, February 15, 2023:

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A former Georgia police officer was arrested and charged with concealing the death of a 16-year-old girl who went missing more than six months ago, according to officials.

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