A refreshing change in the weather is settling into Northwest Georgia as a cold front pushes south, bringing lower humidity and several days of dry conditions before another storm system arrives this weekend.
Chattooga County residents will have another opportunity this evening to weigh in on a proposed temporary moratorium involving certain nontraditional residential and mixed-use developments.
Summerville Main Street is now accepting vendor applications for the 2026 Summerville Santa Special Mistletoe Market, a holiday shopping event that coincides with the popular Santa Special train excursions later this year.
The market will feature five train excursions on Saturdays and four excursions on Sundays, providing vendors with an opportunity to reach thousands of holiday shoppers visiting downtown Summerville. Indoor booth spaces are limited and will be filled through a juried application process.
Interested vendors must submit an application by September 25. There is no application fee to be considered. Indoor booth spaces are 10-by-8 feet for $85 per weekend, while outdoor spaces are 12-by-12 feet for $70 per weekend or $35 per day.
Indoor vendors are required to commit to the full two-day weekend. Outdoor vendors may apply for individual event days if space is available.
Applications and additional information are available by emailing slocklear@summervillega.org.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division has released the 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations and Seasons Guide, giving hunters and anglers an updated resource ahead of the upcoming outdoor seasons.
The Chattooga County Animal Shelter is asking the community for help by donating cat litter to care for the many cats and kittens currently at the shelter.
Shelter staff say their feline residents go through a large amount of litter every day, and donations help keep the animals comfortable, healthy, and happy while they wait to find their forever homes.
Anyone wishing to help can drop off cat litter donations at the Chattooga County Animal Shelter, located at 464 Red Oak Drive in Summerville. The shelter is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., with Wednesday visits available by appointment.
For more information, contact the shelter at 706-857-0679. Shelter officials say every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference in the lives of local animals awaiting adoption.
Chattooga County Extension is encouraging livestock producers to have their hay and other stored forage tested while this year’s hay crop is being harvested.
Forage testing provides information about the nutritional value and overall quality of hay, helping producers make better decisions when developing feeding programs for times when fresh grass is unavailable. Hay quality can significantly affect livestock health, growth, performance and the amount of supplemental feed needed during the winter.
University of Georgia Extension specialists say appearance alone cannot reliably determine the nutritional value of a particular supply of hay. A laboratory analysis can measure factors such as crude protein, fiber, digestibility and total digestible nutrients, allowing producers to build a feeding plan around the actual needs of their animals.
A representative sample is important for accurate results. UGA recommends using a clean forage probe and collecting samples from multiple randomly selected bales rather than simply pulling hay from the outside of a bale.
With hay now being cut and stored across the area, Chattooga County Extension says this is a good time for producers to test their forage and begin planning for the upcoming winter feeding season.
The Walker County Board of Commissioners will hold a special called budget work session on Thursday, July 30, to discuss the county’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget.
The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the conference room of Courthouse Annex I, located at 101 South Duke Street in LaFayette. According to the published agenda, commissioners will call the meeting to order, take attendance, conduct the Fiscal Year 2026 budget work session, and then adjourn.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Walker County Board of Commissioners is set for Thursday, August 6, at 6:30 p.m.
The Chattooga County Tax Commissioner’s Office is reminding anyone interested in purchasing property at an upcoming tax sale to understand the process and respect private property rights.
Residents and visitors are invited to downtown Summerville on Saturday, August 1, for the Celebrate Living Local Market, held in conjunction with the arrival of a Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum excursion train.
The market will feature local businesses, artists, craftspeople, and food vendors. Participants will include Sabo’s Golden Nectar with an educational observation beehive and locally produced honey, artist Billy Smith, Willow Flowers at Teloga Springs Farm, Acolyte Realty, and additional community vendors.
Food and refreshments will be available from Twisted Treatz Bakery, Eneya’s Lemonade & Sipsations, Granny Hon’s Great Food, Rosita’s, and Small Town BBQ.
Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Steam Engine 4501 is expected to arrive at the Summerville Depot at approximately 12:45 p.m. with passengers aboard. During the train’s roughly 90-minute layover, visitors will be able to watch the locomotive being turned on the historic Summerville Turntable before it continues its journey.
The event offers an opportunity to shop with local vendors, enjoy food and refreshments, and see one of the South’s best-known steam locomotives in action.
The Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division is reminding Georgians to stay alert for common warning signs that often indicate a scam. Officials say scammers constantly adapt their tactics, but many fraud attempts share the same red flags.
Among the biggest warning signs are requests to pay money in order to claim a prize or get a job, pressure to act immediately, threats of arrest or claims that a loved one is in danger, and demands to pay with gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or other difficult-to-trace payment methods. Consumers should also be suspicious of unexpected requests for passwords, PINs, Social Security numbers, bank account information, or other personal financial details. Offers that sound too good to be true usually are.
If you receive a suspicious phone call, email, or text message, officials recommend hanging up or deleting the message without responding or clicking any links. Instead, contact the business or organization directly using a phone number or website you know is legitimate to verify whether the communication is real.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted by a scam can file a complaint with the Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division online or by calling 404-651-8600 or 800-869-1123.