The Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park is encouraging job seekers in Northwest Georgia and the Chattanooga area to explore multiple employment opportunities currently available in the park’s maintenance and resource management divisions. Applicants can view details and apply through USAJobs by visiting the park’s “Work With Us” page and selecting a specific position.
The Chattooga County Community Red Cross Club is inviting residents across Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia to help save lives at an upcoming community blood drive on Monday, February 9, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The drive will be held at the Chattooga County Chamber & Civic Center.
Organizers say every donation can make a difference for patients in need of emergency care, surgeries, cancer treatments, and chronic illness support. Winter months can also bring increased strain on blood supplies due to illness and weather-related disruptions, making local donor turnout especially important.
As an added incentive, all presenting donors will receive a $20 e-gift card as a thank-you for taking the time to donate.
Appointments are encouraged. Donors can schedule a time, get more information, and complete RapidPass paperwork online by visiting RedCrossBlood.org and entering the sponsor code RedCrossClub. The American Red Cross also notes donors can use the Blood Donor App for scheduling and updates.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Wednesday, January 14, 2026:
A fresh blast of arctic air is sliding into Northwest Georgia, and Thursday morning (Jan. 15) is shaping up to be the coldest stretch of the week for Chattooga County and surrounding communities. Forecasters say biting wind chills between 0° and 15°F are expected across north Georgia as breezy northwest winds follow a passing cold front, making it feel far colder than the thermometer suggests.
In Chattooga County and across rural Northwest Georgia, the conversation about life after high school is changing — not because college suddenly got easier, but because more families are weighing the rising cost of a traditional four-year degree against the practical need for training that leads directly to a paycheck.
Chattooga County Coroner Jeremy “Big Mac” McElhaney is reminding residents about a free, simple way to help first responders reach loved ones faster in an emergency: add emergency contact information to your Georgia driver’s license or ID record.
Summerville Police say reports that a recent crash was a hit-and-run were inaccurate, and that the incident was a single-vehicle accident.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program has added another aircraft for student training, thanks to a donation of a Cessna 401A from a private individual in Dalton.
Program director Zac Fager says it’s the fourth 400-series Cessna now owned by GNTC and will be used in all areas of hands-on instruction. The aircraft had been stored in a hangar at Dalton Municipal Airport before being moved to GNTC’s Aviation Training Center, where it was reassembled.
GNTC President Dr. Heidi Popham says the gift will help train the skilled professionals the aviation industry needs.
Fager says the timing is critical, because students are constantly disassembling, inspecting, and repairing aircraft components—and having additional aircraft helps ensure graduates gain the Airframe and Powerplant experience needed to be workforce-ready.
Another felony charge has been filed against a man accused in an armed robbery at the former State Line Tavern near the Alabama state line on Dec. 26.
According to Floyd County Jail records, 23-year-old Jeffrey Lemar Smith of Gadsden is accused of pointing a gun at a man inside the establishment and demanding he empty his pockets. Smith is now charged with criminal attempt to commit armed robbery.
Jail records indicate Smith was already facing multiple charges tied to the incident, including robbery, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
Authorities say Smith was later found hiding in a dumpster in Centre, Alabama, following a pursuit involving Alabama law enforcement. Investigators say two other suspects remain at large.
Rome has a new mayor, and as is customary in the city’s commission-manager form of government, the choice came from within the City Commission rather than through a direct mayoral election.
