The Georgia Emergency Communications Authority (GECA) is joining 911 professionals statewide in recognizing April as 911 Education Month, a crucial time to emphasize the vital role of the 911 system and ensure Georgians understand how to effectively use it.
Samantha Hyatte, 37, of Dayton, Tennessee, was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with the first 16 to be served in the Georgia Department of Corrections, after pleading guilty to multiple charges stemming from a violent home invasion in Catoosa County. The sentencing, handed down by Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Melissa Hise, followed Hyatte’s guilty plea on February 25, 2025, to two counts of Home Invasion in the First Degree, two counts of Aggravated Assault, and Attempted Armed Robbery.
Chattooga County Masonic Lodges are raffling off a beef – and a freezer! Proceeds from the raffle will benefit the Chattooga County Department of Family and Children’s Services Foster Children and Foster Families. The drawing will be held on September 25th. See any Chattooga County Mason for more details, or to purchase a raffle ticket.
Georgia drivers are feeling the pinch as gas prices have risen significantly over the past week. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline across the state now sits at $3.04, according to the latest data, a figure that could fluctuate daily. This average represents a 10-cent jump compared to last week, a 12-cent increase from a month ago, although it remains 29 cents lower than the price at this time last year. Filling a 15-gallon tank will now cost Georgians approximately $45.60, still nearly $5.00 less than it would have a year ago. “We were kind of expecting gas prices to rise in April since that’s when refineries do their tune-ups, which typically bump up the cost at the pump,” explained Montrae Waiters, spokeswoman for AAA-The Auto Club Group. “However, there is also an unpredictable atmosphere surrounding tariffs and their impact on the global stage, which may push those prices even higher.” While the refinery maintenance season is a known factor, the potential for further increases due to global economic uncertainties is causing concern among analysts. Locally, gas prices in Chattooga County are averaging $3.06 per gallon, according to AAA.
A Calhoun man is in custody after allegedly stabbing another individual Sunday evening. Gordon County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Millstone Subdivision in Calhoun after receiving a call that a stabbing victim had arrived seeking help. Upon arrival, deputies and EMS personnel provided assistance to the victim, who was then transported by ambulance to a nearby medical facility for treatment of multiple stab wounds. The victim reported that the attack occurred while riding in a vehicle on Boone Ford Road. Following the assault, the victim managed to walk to the Millstone Subdivision to seek assistance. Acting on the victim’s description, deputies quickly located a suspect matching the description walking on Boone Ford Road. The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Daniel Edward Woody of Calhoun, was taken into custody without incident. Investigators interviewed witnesses and collected physical evidence from the scene, including the knife believed to have been used in the assault. Woody has been charged with Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Knife in the Commission of a Crime. He is currently being held at the Gordon County Jail. The Gordon County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that the victim is expected to make a full recovery.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Tuesday, April 8, 2025:
Area residents are waking up to temperatures in the upper 30’s and low 40’s and are bracing for freezing temperatures Wednesday morning, prompting a freeze warning from the National Weather Service. A cold front that swept through the region has opened the door for dry, northern air to flood the area, coinciding with a building high-pressure system originating from the Great Lakes. While lingering cloud cover is expected to dissipate by dawn, cooler air moving in from the northwest will send temperatures plummeting. The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for Northwest Georgia, anticipating temperatures to hover near freezing. Residents are advised to protect sensitive vegetation and take precautions for pets. Despite the early morning chill, high temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday are expected to rebound, reaching the 50s and 60s. However, the brief respite from the cold will be followed by more unsettled weather. High pressure will move offshore by Wednesday night, preventing freezing temperatures on Thursday morning, with lows expected in the 40s. Rain is anticipated on Thursday as another cold front approaches the state, although the risk of severe storms is currently considered limited. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible on Friday before conditions clear up by Friday night. This will pave the way for a cooler and clearer weekend across Georgia.
Jeremy Wade Bruce, 41, has been sentenced to six months confinement, five years probation, and a $259.50 fine for violating his probation as a registered sex offender in Chattooga County. Bruce pleaded guilty to violating sexual offender restrictions during the latest session of Chattooga County Superior Court.
The Chattooga County Historical Society is set to hold its Spring meeting on Sunday, April 13th, at 2 PM at the Summerville Depot. The event is free and open to the public, with a special invitation extended to those who haven’t attended a meeting before.
A recent report shows a serious literacy issue in Chattooga County, Georgia, with 75% of adults reading at or below an 8th-grade level. This information, shared by the Appalachian Learning Initiative (APPLI), indicates that Chattooga County has the third-lowest adult literacy rate among Georgia’s Appalachian counties.
