Local News Items | AM 1180 Radio

March 6, 2026

Gas Prices Rise This Week Due to Global Tension and Seasonal Factors

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #CherokeeCountyAL, #DeKalbCountyAL, #floydcountyga, #FuelCosts, #GasPrices, #GasPricesRising, #GordonCountyGA, #IranTensions, #LocalEconomy, #NortheastAlabama, #northwestgeorgia, #OilPrices, #PumpPrices, #RomeGA, #summervillega, #WalkerCountyGA, #wzqznews 0

Drivers in Chattooga County and surrounding Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama counties are seeing gas prices rise this week as global and seasonal factors push fuel costs higher.

March 6, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

McSears Missing Persons Case Reaches One-Year Mark in Walker County

Local News, Local News Items #ColdCase, #CommunityAlert, #CrimeStoppers, #HelpFindTimothyMcSears, #LaFayetteGA, #LawEnforcement, #McSears, #McSearsDrive, #MissingPerson, #MissingPersonCase, #northwestgeorgia, #PublicHelpNeeded, #RewardOffered, #TimothyMcSears, #UnsolvedCase, #WalkerCountyGA, #WalkerCountySheriffsOffice, #wzqznews 0

March 6, 2026 marks one year since Timothy McSears vanished from his residence on McSears Drive in LaFayette, Georgia, a case that continues to weigh heavily on his family, friends, and investigators. McSears was last seen on March 6, 2025, and was reported missing on March 8, 2025. What began as a routine missing person report quickly grew into a large-scale investigation that remains active today.

March 6, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Canton Man Booked in Floyd County on Theft by Deception, Elder Exploitation Charges

Local News, Local News Items #CantonGA, #CherokeeCountyGA, #crimereport, #ElderExploitation, #ExploitationOfTheElderly, #FinancialFraud, #FloydCounty, #FloydCountyJail, #FraudInvestigation, #ImpersonationScam, #northwestgeorgianews, #PhoneScam, #ProtectSeniors, #RomeGA, #ScamAlert, #SeniorSafety, #TheftByDeception, #wzqznews 0

A Canton man was booked into the Floyd County Jail on Tuesday on charges of theft by deception and exploitation of the elderly.

According to arrest warrants, 35-year-old Quinton Antonio Wood Sr. contacted a Rome man over the age of 65 on January 26 and told him his bank account had been compromised.

Investigators say Wood instructed the victim to withdraw money for “safekeeping,” then later showed up at the victim’s residence, claiming to be acting in an official capacity, and accepted $9,000 in cash.

The victim was later able to identify Wood in a photo lineup, leading to the warrants and arrest.

The case remains under investigation.

March 6, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Rep. Eddie Lumsden Highlights Budget Passage and Education Legislation During Seventh Week of Session

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #EarlyLiteracy, #eddielumsden, #EducationPolicy, #floydcountyga, #GeorgiaBudget, #georgiahouse, #GeorgiaLegislature, #georgiapolitics, #HomelessnessPrevention, #InsuranceReform, #MathEducation, #northwestgeorgianews, #SchoolSafety, #StateCapitol, #wzqznews 0

State Representative Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee), who represents Chattooga County and part of Floyd County, says the Georgia House completed a busy seventh week of the 2026 legislative session as lawmakers approach the important Crossover Day deadline. The week included extensive committee work and the final passage of the Amended Fiscal Year 2026 state budget, which totals about $43.6 billion and includes billions in surplus funding. According to Lumsden, the budget prioritizes taxpayer relief, transportation improvements, expanded mental health services, and investments in the state’s prison system, along with a one-time $2,000 salary supplement for educators and state employees.

March 6, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Georgia DDS Warns of Phishing Scam Using Fake Texts About Tickets and License Suspensions

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #ConsumerAlert, #CyberSecurity, #DontClickLinks, #FloydCounty, #FraudPrevention, #GeorgiaDDS, #GeorgiaDepartmentOfDriverServices, #georgianews, #IdentityTheft, #northwestgeorgianews, #OnlineSafety, #PhishingScam, #ProtectYourInfo, #PublicSafety, #RomeGA, #ScamAlert, #summervillega, #TextScam, #wzqznews 0

The Georgia Department of Driver Services is warning residents about a phishing scam involving fake text messages that claim to be from state agencies. Officials say the messages may demand payment for tickets or threaten driver’s license suspension, but DDS says these texts are not legitimate and are designed to steal personal information. DDS officials stress they will never contact people by text message asking for payment or sensitive details, and residents should avoid clicking any links and instead verify license status directly at the official site: dds.drives.ga.gov.

March 6, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

GNTC Waives Application Fee During March to Help Students Enroll for Summer 2026

Community Calandar, Community Calendar, Local News, Local News Items #AdultEducation, #ApplyNow, #AviationPrograms, #BusinessPrograms, #CareerTraining, #CollegeAdmissions, #ContinuingEducation, #FreeApplicationMonth, #GeorgiaNorthwesternTechnicalCollege, #GeorgiaQuickStart, #GNTC, #HealthPrograms, #IndustrialPrograms, #northwestgeorgia, #PublicServicePrograms, #SummerSemester2026, #TechnicalCollege, #WorkforceEducation, #wzqznews 0

Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) is hosting a Free Application Month throughout March to help prospective students enroll for the 2026 summer semester.

Through March 31, GNTC will waive its $25 application fee for all incoming students. To receive the fee waiver, applicants should enter the code MARCH26 (all capital letters) when applying.

GNTC officials say the admissions deadline for the summer semester is April 27, and classes are scheduled to begin May 18.

Students who need help applying can contact the GNTC call center Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at 866-983-4682. More information is also available on the college’s website at gntc.edu by clicking “Apply Now.” Questions about Free Application Month can also be directed to the Office of Admissions at 866-983-4682 or by email at admissions@gntc.edu.

GNTC provides workforce education across Northwest Georgia, offering associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates in a wide range of career pathways including aviation, business, health, industrial fields, and public service. The college reports that more than 14,000 people benefited from its credit and noncredit programs over the past year, and thousands more were served through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training, and Georgia Quick Start programs.

March 6, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Georgia Highlands College Waives Application Fee in March as Summer and Fall Enrollment Opens

Community Calandar, Community Calendar, Local News, Local News Items #ApplicationFeeWaived, #ApplyNow, #CollegeAdmissions, #criminaljustice, #DigitalMedia, #eCore, #EducationInGeorgia, #eMajor, #EnvironmentalScience, #FallSemester, #financialaid, #floydcountyga, #GeorgiaFilmAcademy, #georgiahighlandscollege, #GHC, #highereducation, #hopescholarship, #HybridClasses, #LogisticsAndSupplyChain, #MarchEnrollment, #northwestgeorgia, #NursingProgram, #OnlineClasses, #RemoteLearning, #RomeGA, #StudentSuccess, #SummerClasses, #WorkforceDevelopment, #wzqznews, #ZellMillerScholarship 0

Georgia Highlands College (GHC) is encouraging prospective students across Northwest Georgia to take advantage of a limited-time offer: the college is waiving its $30 application fee through the month of March.

March 6, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Georgia DNR Urges Clean Bird Feeders as Warm Weather Brings Higher Risk of Backyard Bird Illness

Local News, Local News Items #Aspergillosis, #AvianInfluenza, #AvianPox, #BackyardBirds, #BirdBathCleaning, #BirdDiseasePrevention, #BirdFeederSafety, #BirdFluAwareness, #CatoosaCountyGA, #chattoogacounty, #CleanBirdFeeders, #ConjunctivitisInBirds, #DadeCountyGA, #floydcountyga, #georgiadnr, #georgiawildlife, #GordonCountyGA, #LocalNews, #lyerlyga, #MenloGA, #northwestgeorgia, #RomeGA, #Salmonellosis, #SpringInGeorgia, #summervillega, #trionga, #WalkerCountyGA, #WhitfieldCountyGA, #WildlifeHealth, #wzqznews 0

As spring approaches and temperatures warm across Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources is reminding residents that clean bird feeders and birdbaths can significantly reduce the spread of disease among backyard birds.

March 5, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Arrest Report – Thursday – March 5, 2026

Local News, Local News Items #arrestreport, #ArrestReportThursday, #BookingReport, #CCSO, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaCountyJail, #ChattoogaCountySheriffsOffice, #CloudlandGA, #crimereport, #LawEnforcement, #LocalArrests, #lyerlyga, #March5Arrests, #MenloGA, #Mugshots, #northwestgeorgia, #PublicSafety, #summervillega, #trionga, #wzqznews 0

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Thursday, March 5, 2026:

March 5, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Unseasonably Warm Temperatures and Scattered Storms Expected Across Northwest Georgia

Local News, Local News Items #ArmucheeGA, #CatoosaCountyGA, #chattoogacounty, #chattoogacountyweather, #DadeCountyGA, #DirtTownValley, #floydcountyga, #georgiaweather, #GordonCountyGA, #LocalWeather, #LookoutMountain, #lyerlyga, #MenloGA, #NorthGeorgiaWeather, #northwestgeorgia, #northwestgeorgiaweather, #RomeGA, #SevereWeather, #SpringWeather, #summervillega, #Thunderstorms, #trionga, #WalkerCountyGA, #WarmTemperatures, #WeatherAlert, #WhitfieldCountyGA, #wzqznews 0

Residents in Chattooga County and across Northwest Georgia can expect a stretch of unseasonably warm weather heading into the weekend and early next week, with temperatures running 15 to more than 20 degrees above normal for early March.