AdventHealth Georgia has appointed Riley Benter as the new director of heart and vascular services and Julie Smith as the director of neuroscience and orthopedics for the Georgia Market.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Wednesday, January 22, 2025:
Temperatures around Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama are in the teens, with some single digit readings being reported in higher elevations. Temperatures will rise above freezing briefly in the evening before dropping back down after sunset. Drier air and surface high pressure will keep the weather calm during the day. Overnight lows will be back in the teens. In the long term, a shift to warmer weather is expected starting Thursday night as a trough moves through the Southeast. High temperatures will gradually rise into the mid to upper 40s by Saturday and upper 40s to mid 50s by Sunday. Moisture will return late Sunday into Monday, bringing a chance of rain, though it is unlikely to be wintry precipitation as temperatures will be above freezing.
The Georgia General Assembly started its 40-day legislative session last week. Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, was reelected to lead the House with a vote of 153-21, promising to focus on sensible policies related to tax cuts, illegal immigration, and infrastructure. The Senate also saw familiar faces, as John Kennedy, R-Macon, was unanimously reelected president pro tempore, and Rep. Jan Jones, R-Milton, was voted in as House speaker pro tempore with a 158-19 vote. Among the 180 House members, 18 took the oath for the first time, and four new senators joined, suggesting a possible change in the dynamics. Sen. David Lucas, D-Macon, began his 50th legislative session, expressing surprise at his long tenure. Lawmakers prepared for a busy agenda, and a target adjournment date of April 4.
Update:
On Monday, January 20, 2025, the body found on the embankment of Emberson Drive in Ringgold was identified as Jamie Lauren Wiley, age 37, of Ringgold, GA.
The preliminary results indicate that Jamie Wiley was a victim of a homicide. Fingerprints taken from the autopsy were run through the FBI AFIS system which led to the identification.
On January 20, 2025, at about 6:30 p.m., the GBI arrested and charged Joseph Shannon Mays, age 34, of Locust Grove, GA, with one count of Malice Murder. Mays was booked into the Catoosa County Jail. No bond has been set.
The GBI and the Ringgold Police Department would like to thank the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, and FBI Dalton for their help in this investigation. Thank you also to the Catoosa County Coroner’s Office and the Catoosa County Fire Department for keeping everyone safe during the crime scene processing and for the dignified recovery of Ms. Wiley’s body.
Three projects will be getting underway in the coming months after the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) awarded contracts totaling approximately $13.25 million to replace a bridge and resurface two roadways, including I-24. The I-24 project was awarded the largest contract for a resurfacing project across the state at $6.51 million. Talley Construction Company, Inc. will resurface the entirety of I-24 in Georgia, about 4.1 miles as it stretches from the Tennessee state line through Georgia and back to the Tennessee state line. The project is slated to be completed by Oct. 31, 2025.
Authorities in Floyd County arrested a Chattooga County woman late last week on burglary charges. According to reports from the Floyd County Jail, 31-year-old Jessica Danielle Henderson was arrested for burglary after police say she broke two windows of a home on East Hermitage Road in Rome to gain entry into the home. Police say that the incident happened last Friday, just before 10:30 AM.
Last week, the Georgia Department of Agriculture confirmed a case of bird flu at a poultry facility in Elbert County, raising concerns among local residents about the safety of poultry products. In response to the situation, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper has moved to reassure the public that consuming poultry remains safe. “Every Georgian can and should have 100% confidence in the safety and security of poultry products offered for sale in the state of Georgia,” Harper emphasized during a press briefing.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Tuesday, January 21, 2025:
As of this morning (4:30 AM), there is still a lot of uncertainty in the weather forecast concerning how far north winter precipitation will be a factor this afternoon. To illustrate, the weather forecast for Armuchee is calling for a possibility of flurries this afternoon between 1 and 2 PM, while the forecast for Summerville is showing cloudy skies and no mention of winter precipitation. The forecast for Rome says there is a possibility for snow this afternoon. While forecasters are fairly certain areas south of Rome will see significant snowfall today, just how far the precipitation moves to the northwest is uncertain. What forecasters are sure of is that the bitterly cold weather will continue for another 36 hours. Another Cold Weather Advisory has been issued for the area for tonight, into Wednesday morning. Temperatures are expected to make it to around 40 degrees on Thursday.