A 27-year-old man has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies after allegedly using counterfeit currency at Rome-area McDonald’s restaurants. Malik Rayon Morris Baker faces two felony counts of 1st-degree forgery and one misdemeanor count of theft by deception. The charges stem from incidents that took place on November 17, when Baker reportedly used counterfeit $50 bills at McDonald’s locations on Martha Berry Highway and Turner McCall Boulevard. According to arrest warrants and records from the Floyd County Jail, Baker’s actions raised suspicions among restaurant staff, leading to an investigation by local authorities.

The holiday spirit is alive and well at Chattooga Family Connection, as the organization gears up once again to create Christmas stockings for children in the area. Director Maisha Ludy is reaching out to the community, announcing that there are still stockings available for donations, and inviting everyone to get involved in this heartwarming initiative.

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Only a few spots are available for the 2024 Chattooga Young Farmers annual Holiday Wreath Class.  The event will take place this coming Thursday, December 5th at the Chattooga County Ag Center, located on Middle School Drive in Summerville.  The cost is $40 for non-members and $20 for Young Farmer members.  The cost of the class includes all the supplies for your holiday wreath and a light supper.  For more information, contact Chattooga Young Farmer Director Lauren Jarrett.

The Chattooga Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce a special event honoring the 2024 graduating class of Leadership Chattooga. Join the Chamber for a catered luncheon that will celebrate the achievements of these remarkable individuals who have shown exceptional commitment and dedication to improving our community. The event will feature Angie Hutchins, Executive Director of the Community Resource Center (CRC), as the Special Guest Speaker. The public is invited to this celebration, which will provide a fantastic opportunity to network and engage with community leaders. Reservations are required to ensure your spot at this event. The cost for Chamber members is $12, while non-members can attend for $17.  The meeting will be held on December 17th at Noon at the Chattooga County Civic Center on Highway 48 in Summerville.  Click HERE to reserve your seat.

Former Georgia Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Joe D. Tanner passed away last Sunday, according to the agency. He served as commissioner from 1972 to 1984 and again from 1990 to 1995. During his 26 years in state government, Tanner merged 38 state agencies into the DNR and initiated over 400 legislative efforts, notably creating the Safe Dams Act after the 1977 Toccoa Falls dam failure. He also simplified the permitting process with a single-point environmental system. Tanner was instrumental in forming the Department of Natural Resources by combining dozens of state agencies into what the DNR is today.  The consolidation was part of then-Governor Jimmy Carter’s reforms in state government that reduced redundancy in state governmental agencies and streamlined state agencies and services.  This week, current Governor Brian Kemp expressed condolences and highlighted Tanner’s significant contributions to protecting Georgia’s natural resources. Services for Tanner are planned for next Wednesday.

The U. S. Food and Drug Administration has announced a recall of nearly 11,000 units of organic eggs due to possible salmonella contamination. This recall was made public on Wednesday by Handsome Brook Farms, which voluntarily recalled their 24-count eggs sold under the Kirkland Signature brand in several states.

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A Georgia man died in a crash during a high-speed chase with the Georgia State Patrol on Tuesday night. At around 8:12 p. m. , a trooper was monitoring speeds on Interstate 75 near Catoosa County. The trooper spotted a black 2015 Infiniti Q50 going 114 miles per hour and attempted to pull the driver, 22-year-old Hugo Urbano Chavez, over. Chavez did not stop, leading to a high-speed chase. As he approached exit 348, he lost control of his car, which flipped and stopped between the northbound lanes and the exit ramp. The trooper’s vehicle did not collide with Chavez’s car. Chavez was declared dead at the scene, while his passenger, 30-year-old Angel Aleman, was seriously injured and taken to a medical center. The crash is still under investigation.

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Thursday, November 28, 2024:

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The Georgia State Patrol released a report about a Monday evening accident in Summerville involving a Walker County Sheriff’s patrol car and another vehicle.  According to the Georgia State Patrol Public Information Office, around 4:45 PM, a 2004 GMC Yukon, driving by 78-year-old Jimmy Pinion of Summerville was in the middle turn lane and attempted to make a left turn into the parking lot near Little Caesar’s Pizza and struck a Walker County Sheriff’s patrol car driven by 34-year-old Jarod Williamson of LaFayette.  The GMC Yukon struck the 2019 Dodge Charger patrol car in the driver’s-side front causing extensive damage.  The Yukon then rotated counterclockwise and came to rest facing north in the right-hand lane of Highway 27.  Pinion was cited for failure to yield.