Details released this week in an incident report indicate a dispute that started with bickering inside Walmart and escalated into an argument over recording on a cellphone led to a physical fight at the Trion Walmart earlier this month.
The Chattooga County Community Red Cross Club is inviting residents across Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia to help save lives at an upcoming community blood drive on Monday, February 9, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The drive will be held at the Chattooga County Chamber & Civic Center.
Organizers say every donation can make a difference for patients in need of emergency care, surgeries, cancer treatments, and chronic illness support. Winter months can also bring increased strain on blood supplies due to illness and weather-related disruptions, making local donor turnout especially important.
As an added incentive, all presenting donors will receive a $20 e-gift card as a thank-you for taking the time to donate.
Appointments are encouraged. Donors can schedule a time, get more information, and complete RapidPass paperwork online by visiting RedCrossBlood.org and entering the sponsor code RedCrossClub. The American Red Cross also notes donors can use the Blood Donor App for scheduling and updates.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture says Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed at a commercial poultry operation in Walker County, marking Georgia’s first confirmed HPAI case of 2026 and the fourth case in a commercial poultry operation in the state since the nationwide outbreak began in February 2022.
State officials say the producer noticed increased mortality on Sunday, January 11, and contacted the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network. Samples were collected and tested Monday, with the positive result confirmed by the state lab Monday evening and later confirmed by USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory on Tuesday, January 13.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Management Team deployed to the site to begin depopulation, disposal, cleaning, and disinfection. The affected premises housed approximately 71,264 broiler breeders, and response operations are expected to continue through the week.
A 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) quarantine zone has been established around the operation. Officials say all commercial poultry operations within that radius are under quarantine and will undergo surveillance testing for at least two weeks, and the affected premises has been secured so that only authorized personnel may enter.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Wednesday, January 14, 2026:
A fresh blast of arctic air is sliding into Northwest Georgia, and Thursday morning (Jan. 15) is shaping up to be the coldest stretch of the week for Chattooga County and surrounding communities. Forecasters say biting wind chills between 0° and 15°F are expected across north Georgia as breezy northwest winds follow a passing cold front, making it feel far colder than the thermometer suggests.
A Summerville hit-and-run investigation has led to the arrest of Charm Hedgecoth, 31, in connection with a crash that injured Ray Blount at the intersection of Commerce Street and East First Avenue.
In Chattooga County and across rural Northwest Georgia, the conversation about life after high school is changing — not because college suddenly got easier, but because more families are weighing the rising cost of a traditional four-year degree against the practical need for training that leads directly to a paycheck.
Chattooga County Coroner Jeremy “Big Mac” McElhaney is reminding residents about a free, simple way to help first responders reach loved ones faster in an emergency: add emergency contact information to your Georgia driver’s license or ID record.
Summerville Police say reports that a recent crash was a hit-and-run were inaccurate, and that the incident was a single-vehicle accident.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program has added another aircraft for student training, thanks to a donation of a Cessna 401A from a private individual in Dalton.
Program director Zac Fager says it’s the fourth 400-series Cessna now owned by GNTC and will be used in all areas of hands-on instruction. The aircraft had been stored in a hangar at Dalton Municipal Airport before being moved to GNTC’s Aviation Training Center, where it was reassembled.
GNTC President Dr. Heidi Popham says the gift will help train the skilled professionals the aviation industry needs.
Fager says the timing is critical, because students are constantly disassembling, inspecting, and repairing aircraft components—and having additional aircraft helps ensure graduates gain the Airframe and Powerplant experience needed to be workforce-ready.