A 47-year-old man was arrested late on New Year’s by Summerville Police after a drunken episode on Smith Street ended with charges of disturbing the peace. According to police, Chris John Gianoulis was inside the residence yelling and cursing and then began to break items in the home. Smith was placed under arrest and was booked into the Chattooga County Jail. The cirmustances around the incident were no immediately available from police.
U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff announced this week that legislation he championed to cap prescription drug costs has officially taken effect. Seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D will now face a maximum out-of-pocket expense of $2,000 per year for their medications.
Now that we have entered a new year, Northwest Georgia Hunger Ministries seeks new volunteers.
Another lawsuit has been filed to recover costs for cleaning up PFAS chemicals. Murray County is suing several chemical companies and carpet manufacturers for using these “forever chemicals” to make carpets stain resistant. In November, Mohawk Industries, based in Calhoun, sued, claiming chemical companies hid risks about PFAS. In August, a federal court consent decree settled a water pollution case involving the City of Calhoun and environmental groups. The City of Rome also reached a settlement in a similar lawsuit in summer 2023.
The Chattooga Young Farmers will host their annual awards banquet coming next week, on Saturday, January 11th. The event will be held at the Chattooga County Ag Center, located just off Highway 100 on Middle School Road in Summerville. Those planning to attend the annual event should contact Chattooga County Young Farmer Director Lauren Jarrett no later than Thursday, January 9, 2025.
Significant changes to the retirement age for Social Security benefits will begin in 2025, impacting millions of seniors in America.
Over the past fifteen years, Chattooga County has witnessed a notable increase in its senior citizen population, highlighting a trend that is reshaping the dynamics of the community. According to recent U.S. Census data, 18.9% of the county’s residents are now aged 65 or older, a significant rise from 14.7% recorded in 2010.
Georgia Power’s recent decision to implement a 3.5% rate increase, which took effect in January 2025, is set to significantly affect both seniors and other customers across the state. This latest hike adds an average of $5.48 to monthly household bills, marking the sixth rate increase in a span of just three years.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Friday, January 3, 2025:
