A tremor rattled Menlo on Tuesday, serving as a stark reminder of the Eastern Tennessee seismic zone, one of the most seismically active areas in the Southeastern United States. The earthquake, felt by residents in Menlo and Cloudland, as well as parts of southwestern Walker County and northwestern Cherokee County, Alabama, underscores the ongoing seismic activity in the region.
Residents of Northwest Georgia will see another sunny day today with highs in the low 70s, lows tonight will be remain in the upper 40s to around 50 degrees. While satellite images show clear skies this morning, a cold front currently stretching from Iowa through northern Missouri and Kansas is expected to reach Northwest Georgia around sunrise on Thursday. However, the front is predicted to weaken significantly as it approaches. Residents of Northwest Georgia are urged to exercise extreme caution today as a High Fire Danger Statement has been issued by the National Weather Service due to extremely dry conditions. Current weather patterns, dominated by a high-pressure system moving southeast, are contributing to low relative humidity levels expected to be 25% or less. Following the passage of the weak cold front by Thursday night, another high-pressure ridge will move in, bringing warmer temperatures with highs in the 70s and lows in the 40s to near 50. Friday promises warmer-than-normal conditions, followed by a dry cold front on Saturday that could bring gusty winds. The warm weather trend will continue into Sunday and Monday, with temperatures expected to be 6-8 degrees above normal. Looking further ahead, a low-pressure system originating from the west coast is being monitored for next week, potentially bringing rain and the possibility of thunderstorms, depending on its eventual path.
Andrew Dilbeck, a student from Lyerly Elementary School, is headed to the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE) State Spelling Bee after a stellar performance at the Georgia Region One Spelling Bee this past weekend. Dilbeck secured an impressive 2nd place at the regional competition, held at Georgia Highlands College in Rome, earning him a spot among the state’s top spellers. The Georgia Association of Educators, proud sponsor of the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the state, is providing this opportunity for Georgia students to showcase their spelling prowess and expand their vocabulary. Dilbeck will now compete against winners from other regional contests at the State Spelling Bee, scheduled for March 21st at the Georgia State University Student Center. The event promises a challenging and exciting competition as students vie for the chance to represent Georgia at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The GAE State Spelling Bee aims to highlight the importance of spelling and vocabulary skills, essential tools for effective communication and academic success. Congratulations to Andrew Dilbeck on his outstanding achievement and best of luck at the state competition!
The Cloudland Volunteer Fire Department is stepping up to serve its community on Lookout Mountain with a series of crucial safety initiatives. Residents in both Chattooga County, Georgia, and Cherokee County, Alabama, in the fire department’s service areas are encouraged to take advantage of these free resources.
Early voting is off to a slow start in advance of the SPLOST election scheduled for next month. Chattooga County voters are being asked to decide the future of a one-cent sales tax that has been in place for several decades and provides revenue for infrastructure projects for the county government, as well as the county’s four municipalities: Summerville, Trion, Lyerly and Menlo. The Chattooga County Registrars Office said on the first day of early voting on Monday, only seven voters turned out to vote at the Registrars Office on Commerce Street in Summerville. Local election officials say that the lack of parking due to court being in session could have contributed to the low voter turnout. Advance voting takes place at the Chattooga County Registrars Office, located at 10017 Commerce Street in Summerville. Voting will commenced on Monday, February 24, 2025, at 8:30 AM, and will conclude on Friday, March 14, 2025, at 5 PM Residents can cast their votes Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, with special Saturday voting sessions scheduled for March 1 and March 8, 2025, from 9 AM to 5 PM.
The City of Summerville is seeking a temporary, part-time employee to assist in the task of maintaining the city’s fire hydrants. The position, outlined in a recently released employment application, focuses on ensuring the proper function and accessibility of these critical pieces of infrastructure.
The Georgia Senate on Monday approved Senate Bill 28, a controversial piece of legislation that would significantly increase the power of state lawmakers to review and potentially overturn regulations enacted by state agencies. The bill, dubbed the “Red Tape Rollback Act,” would require state agencies to conduct extensive cost analyses on any proposed rule projected to cost the public or local governments at least $1 million over five years.
A Centre, Alabama man is behind bars following a narcotics investigation in neighboring Cherokee County that resulted in the seizure of a significant amount of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver announced that investigators and deputies executed a search warrant earlier this week at a residence on Cedar Bluff Road. The search yielded a large quantity of illegal drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine. As a result of the raid, 47-year-old Danny Joe Segers was arrested at the scene. Segers is now facing a string of serious charges, including: Trafficking Fentanyl, Trafficking Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance (two counts) , Unlawful Possession of Marijuana 2nd Degree, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (two counts). Sheriff Shaver underscored the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office’s dedication to combating drug trafficking within the county. “This investigation highlights our commitment to keeping our community safe from the dangers of fentanyl and other harmful substances,” stated Sheriff Shaver. “We will continue working to disrupt the flow of illegal narcotics and hold those responsible accountable.” Segers is currently being held at the Cherokee County Detention Center.
State Rep. Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee) shared his weekly legislative report for the Georgia House of Representatives. The sixth week of the 2025 session began on February 18th, with 25 bills passed, and Crossover Day is on March 6th. House Bill 223 was passed to aid the timber industry after Hurricane Helene, offering tax relief and credits for timber losses. House Resolution 42 ratified tax suspensions by the Governor post-hurricane. House Bill 162 intends to strengthen the First Offender Act by allowing automatic sealing of records. House Bill 283 permits people to refuse to sign traffic citations without arrest. House Bill 192 aims to improve workforce readiness. House Bill 148 updates CPA certification requirements, while House Bill 181 streamlines obtaining a Certificate of Foreign Birth for internationally adopted children. House Bill 177 enhances protections for pets during family violence cases. Read the complete report below:
A single-vehicle crash on the Alabama Highway in Floyd County near the Georgia state line early Monday morning resulted in one fatality. According to the Georgia State Patrol (GSP), the incident occurred around 2:35 a.m. and is currently under investigation. The GSP reports that a Cherokee County, Alabama Sheriff’s Deputy was pursuing a Chevrolet Camaro on Alabama State Route 20, which crossed into Floyd County, Georgia. The deputy reportedly lost sight of the vehicle and, after turning around to head back towards the Alabama line, discovered the Camaro crashed and on fire. Preliminary investigation revealed the Camaro was traveling east when it failed to navigate a curve to the right and exited the roadway to the left. The vehicle subsequently struck a ditch and continued along it before hitting a culvert. The impact with the culvert caused the Camaro to vault over a driveway, striking several fence posts. The force of the collision with the fence posts caused the Camaro to overturn multiple times, ejecting the driver towards the ditch. The vehicle came to rest facing west and became fully engulfed in flames. The driver succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Authorities have not yet released the driver’s identity pending notification of next of kin. The GSP emphasized that there was no contact between the patrol car and the Camaro during the pursuit. The GSP’s Specialized Crash Reconstruction Team was notified and responded to the crash scene to conduct a thorough investigation. The investigation is ongoing.
