Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Saturday, November 18, 2023:
The Georgia Department of Labor released preliminary numbers for October’s unemployment for each of Georgia’s 159 counties on Thursday of this week. According to the latest numbers from the Department of Labor, Chattooga County saw a decrease in the number of workers filing for first time unemployment claims last month. In September 220 workers filed for unemployment in Chattooga County, that number dropped to 211 for October. Statewide, initial claims were up 3% in October.
The Internal Revenue Service has announced the Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) in Rome, Georgia is now open at 600 E. First Street. Free parking and public transportation are available at this location.
Chris Arnt, a Superior Court Judge for the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, has recently expressed his concerns at a Walker County Board of Commissioners meeting regarding how the four counties in the judicial district split his salary supplement. The Judicial Circuit includes Walker, Dade, Catoosa, and Chattooga counties. According to Arnt, Walker County has yet to pay him, whereas the other counties pay him as soon as he is sworn in. Arnt wants Walker County to pay him what the other district’s other three Superior Court judges are receiving. Walker County Commission Chair Shannon Whitefield wants to redo the split based on population and he says in a later follow up phone call that Arnt would receive Walker Counties portion of the supplement refigured for the population change.
On Friday, Chattooga County Commissioner Blake Elsberry set the millage rate for Chattooga County property owners. The commissioner posted on social media, “Today for the third year in a row we took a complete roll back and I set the lowest millage rate the county has seen in 13 years. I am not naïve to the fact that being able to do that every year might not be sustainable, but with record high inflation continuing to impact families I felt it was important to do. I will always do my best to help lessen the burden on the taxpayers of Chattooga County when I can”. Commissioner Elsberry has yet to set a budget for the upcoming year. He is facing a $250,000 shortfall in tax dollars compared to 2023 and says that he is not sure what will be cut to make up for the loss in revenue.
Berry college students have received many awards from the College Media Association for its student media outlets. A student website called Berry’s Viking Fusion was among one of the media outlets that received two top honors from the Pinnacle Awards. They received “College Media Group of the Year” and “TV Station of the Year.” The College Media Association also recognized two podcasts from Viking Fusion. A total of nine individual Pinnacle awards, including four first place recognitions, were earned by the student media outlets and the Department of Communications.
Georgia Highlands College had an enrollment growth this year for fall 2023 of 6.7%. The university System of Georgia enrollment had a record high of 344,392 students. When you apply to GHC during the month of November the $30 application fee is waived. According to USG’s Fall semester enrollment report, Enrollment increased at 23 of the 26 public colleges and universities.
According to The Rome News Tribune, the state has issued a permit to Georgia Power for a closure plan for the coal ash pond at Plant Hammond, which critics say violates a federal rule against leaving ash in contact with groundwater. Georgia power plans on retiring its entire fleet of coal burning power plants soon, aside from two plants in Cartersville, Ga. The coal ash contains contaminants that can pollute groundwater, drinking water, and the air. The permit that was issued contained a list of conditions that would follow a 30 year post closure plan, groundwater monitoring, and the effectiveness of the system to correct the effects of the settlement.
FINAL SCORE
Elbert County – 42
Trion – 41
The Trion Bulldogs lost a heartbreaker Friday night at Sam R. McCain Stadium in overtime 42-41 to the visiting Elbert County Blue Devils. The game will certainly go down as one of the best games in Trion football history as the 4th quarter and overtime period was a roller coaster ride of several lead changes and big plays by both teams. Click the story below for an audio recap of the game from WZQZ’s Ben Groce and Jeremy Burke.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Friday, November 17, 2023: