Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Sunday, January 25, 2026:
Much of Georgia is starting this Sunday morning, January 25, 2026, with freezing rain and sleet, but for folks here in Chattooga County and much of Northwest Georgia, the main issue early today has been heavy rain. Temperatures around daybreak were near to slightly above freezing, helping keep most roads wet instead of icy to start the morning. Even so, the steady rainfall can still create hazardous travel, especially with reduced visibility, standing water in low spots, and slick conditions where oil and debris collect on the roadway.
The Chattooga Community Resource Center (CRC) announced it will be closed Monday, January 26, 2026, due to predicted inclement weather, saying the decision is aimed at keeping volunteers and the community safe. CRC is urging residents to avoid travel unless it’s an emergency, especially as winter weather impacts are expected across the area.
CRC also reminded residents that anyone who loses power and needs a warm place to stay should go to the gym at the old North Summerville School, located behind the Community Resource Center. The gym will be open to all residents as a warming location. If someone cannot make it to the gym, CRC says to call 9-1-1, and transportation can be arranged.
The message from CRC is simple: don’t stay home without heat, food, or help—use the resources available. CRC ended its announcement with a reminder of community strength: “We are in this together. We are Chattooga Strong.”
A Summerville man was arrested Friday, January 23, 2026, following a traffic crash that resulted in serious injuries, according to booking and incident records from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office. Records show Billy Joe Dooley, 59, was booked into the Chattooga County Jail at approximately 10:09 p.m. after being arrested earlier that evening by the Georgia State Patrol.
Jail records list the following charges: DUI / Drugs / Less Safe, failure to stop at a stop sign, reckless driving, and serious injury by vehicle. The incident report narrative states the arrest followed a traffic stop connected to a crash investigation, and the case remains under the criminal justice process.
Dooley has been arrested multiple times on charges of open container and DUI, dating back to 2016.
Dooley’s booking record reflects no bond listed at the time of booking.
The Miss University of Georgia Pageant crowned its 2026 winner Friday night in Athens, naming Sailor Ott, a biological sciences major from Toccoa, as Miss UGA. Ott emerged from a field of 19 contestants, earning the title and a $1,250 scholarship.
A new exhibit at the Harbin Clinic Cancer Center in Rome is putting real cancer journeys front and center—through powerful portraits and personal stories from patients receiving care close to home. One of those featured is Miriam Little, an oncology social worker who spent a decade helping cancer patients find resources and support, before learning in 2023 that she had ovarian cancer herself.
State and federal agriculture officials have confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a second commercial poultry flock in Walker County, marking Georgia’s second detection in a commercial operation in 2026 and the fifth detection overall in the state since the nationwide outbreak began in February 2022.
Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Georgia dropped significantly last week compared with the week prior, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. New jobless claims—a key proxy for layoffs—fell to 6,067 for the week ending January 17, down from 11,988 the previous week.
Nationally, U.S. unemployment claims edged up slightly to 200,000, an increase of 1,000 from 199,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis. The Virgin Islands recorded the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, rising 136.4%, while Georgia posted the largest percentage decline, with new claims down 49.4%.
The Georgia Department of Public Health’s Northwest Health District office in Rome and health departments across 11 Northwest Georgia counties will be closed Monday, January 26, due to anticipated hazardous weather.
Counties included in the closure are Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Paulding, Polk, and Walker. Residents needing services are encouraged to plan ahead and monitor official updates for reopening information once conditions improve.