Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Friday, March 13, 2026:
Sunny and calm weather will continue across north and central Georgia through Saturday, with temperatures quickly warming after a cool, frosty start Friday morning. High pressure will keep skies mostly clear while winds turn southerly, helping afternoon temperatures climb back into the 70s and even low 80s by Saturday — well above normal for mid-March.
Mr. John Maurice “Fargo” Collette, age 80 of Trion, Georgia passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at his residence.
Fargo was born in Tallahassee, Florida on March 12, 1945, son of the late Joseph Wesley “Joe” Collette, Sr. and Zalula Ruth Chamlee Collette. He was a member of the SonRise Community Church and was retired from the train yard at GE in Rome. Fargo enjoyed meeting and talking with people and was was well known in the community. He was a HAMM radio operator and member of the CARC (Chattooga Amateur Radio Club) and was very active on the CERT Team. He was the unofficial Wal-Mart Greeter and was an avid cat lover.
In addition to his parents, Fargo was preceded in death by a son, John Maurice Collette, Jr. and a grandson, Jordan Reynolds.
Fargo is survived by his children and their spouses, Eisa Collette, Tina Collette, Brian and Savannah Collette and Wess and Wendy Collette; brothers and sisters-in-law, Jimmy and Teresa Collette, Joe and Jackie Collette and Jody Collette; sister and brother-in-law, Marsha and Steve Smithson; grandchildren, Braxton Sanford, Lilly Keith, Tabitha and Kyle Lutz and Emilie Collette; great grandson, Dex Cargle; a very special friend, Sierra Woods; and a number of nieces, nephews and extended family members.
Memorial Services for Fargo will be held Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 4:00 P.M. in the SonRise Community Church, 1717 Hwy 100, Summerville, GA wih Rev. Kevin Woods officiating.
The family will receive friends from 3:00 P.M. until the service hour at the church.
The family respectfully asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the Jordan Reynolds Scholarship Fund at the United Community Bank, or to a charity of your choice.
Coffman Funeral Home and Crematory is honored to be serving the family of Mr. John Maurice “Fargo” Collette, Sr.
Mr. William Daniel Luallen, age 47 of Summerville, Georgia passed away Wednesday, March 11, 2026 in a Rome hospital.
Daniel was born in Rome, Georgia on May 19, 1978, son of Robert Lee Luallen, Sr, and Mary Carolyn Brown Luallen. He was a member of the Berryton Bible Mission and prior to ill health, was employed with Mt. Vernon Mills. Daniel enjoyed being with his friends, playing pool and looking after his neighborhood cats.
Daniel was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Lee “Bobby” Luallen, Jr. and grandparents, Ethel and Bill Luallen and DC Brown and Cledie Riley.
Daniel is survived by his father, Robert Lee Luallen, Sr., mother, Mary Luallen, sister, Paige Luallen; niece, Brooklyn Smith and a nephew, Bobby Smith.
Funeral services for Daniel will be held Saturday, March 14, 2026 at 2:00 P.M. in the chapel of the Coffman Funeral Home with Rev. Larry Reynolds officiating. Interment will follow in the Summerville Cemetery.
Pallbearers will include his cousins and Austin Price and Wayne Holden. Honorary Pallbearers will be Jeff Strickland, Karen Pullen and Terry Bryant.
Daniel’s family will receive friends at the Coffman Funeral Home Saturday from 12:00 Noon until the funeral hour.
Coffman Funeral Home and Crematory is honored to be serving the family of Mr. William Daniel Luallen.
A Chattooga County man was arrested following an early morning incident along Highway 48 near Fish Hatchery Road on March 4, according to the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office.
A Summerville man is facing a felony charge after authorities say he used fraudulent information while applying for a Georgia driver’s license in Rome.
According to Floyd County Jail records, 55-year-old Mark Williams went to the Georgia Department of Driver Services on Martha Berry Highway in Rome on February 9, 2024, and completed an application for a driver’s license using a different name and date of birth.
Investigators said Williams then signed the application, certifying that the information he provided was correct.
Williams is charged with one felony count of false statements and writings.
State Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome, says rising housing costs are one of the biggest threats facing Georgia families and argues that lawmakers must act to protect homeownership opportunities across the state.
The Trion Recreation Department is reminding residents that new requirements are now in place for those wishing to use Brinley’s Dog Park in Trion.
The City of Summerville is now accepting applications for food vendors for the 2026 Celebrate Independence Festival and Fireworks.
The annual event will be held Thursday, July 2, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Chattooga County Agricultural Center.
City officials say the food vendor application is now available online through the Summerville Parks and Recreation website and will remain open through April 10.
Vendors selected to participate will be notified on April 17. The cost for a 15-by-15 vendor space is $75, and the fee must be paid by June 1.
The Celebrate Independence Festival is one of the community’s biggest summer events, featuring food vendors, family activities, and fireworks.
More information and vendor applications are available at www.summervillerec.org.
As fuel prices continue to rise amid fighting in Iran, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp says he is not ready to suspend the state gas tax just yet.
Kemp told reporters Tuesday that previous gas tax suspensions were “targeted and strategic,” and he does not want to overreact to what could end up being a short-term spike in prices.
The latest jump in fuel costs follows military strikes in Iran on February 28 involving U.S. and Israeli forces, which pushed oil prices sharply higher.
Kemp noted that oil briefly climbed to around $115 a barrel before falling back to about $90 a barrel. He also said the United States is producing record levels of oil and gas, which he believes provides strong long-term energy security even while prices remain vulnerable to global events.
The governor said he plans to keep watching the markets for several more days before making any decision on whether to suspend the gas tax.
Kemp has taken that step three times before. In 2022, he suspended the gas tax as prices climbed during the war in Ukraine. In 2023, he again suspended the tax as inflation hit a 40-year high. In 2024, Kemp suspended the gas tax in response to Hurricane Helene.
For now, Georgia drivers will have to wait and see whether the recent rise in gas prices becomes severe enough to prompt another temporary tax break.