A report released Tuesday by the Summerville Police Department reveals new details about a power outage that forced several residents from their homes earlier this month. The incident happened on November 20, 2025, when a large tree fell onto power lines along Hill Street, pulling electric meters and service equipment away from two homes.
Nearly nine years after a death first ruled a suicide, a Walker County jury has convicted Marshall Payne of malice and felony murder in the 2016 shooting of Donald Edward Fickey Jr. Investigators originally accepted Payne’s account that the shotgun discharged accidentally, but the case was reopened in 2023 after a medical examiner reversed the ruling. New witness statements, evidence of violence, and testimony about tensions between Payne and the victim led prosecutors to pursue charges. After a week-long trial, jurors deliberated less than an hour before returning guilty verdicts. Payne has now been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
The Georgia Department of Public Health has been awarded nearly $2.9 million from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to support programs aimed at reducing traffic injuries and fatalities across the state. The grants, funded through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, will help expand child safety initiatives, improve data reporting systems, and strengthen injury-prevention programs.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Wednesday, November 26, 2025:
Northwest Georgia, including Chattooga County, is heading into a calm and comfortable Thanksgiving after Tuesday’s active weather. Skies will continue clearing through the day, and conditions will turn noticeably cooler and drier.
The City of Summerville offices will close at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, for the Thanksgiving holiday. City offices will reopen on Monday, December 1, 2025, at 8:00 a.m.
If you have an emergency, please call 911.
Chattooga County Offices, including Transit Bus transportation, will be closed Wednesday, November 26, 2025, through Friday, November 29, 2025, for Thanksgiving.
The Transfer Station and remote garbage dumpster sites will be closed only on Thanksgiving Day
AdventHealth Georgia has announced the appointment of Marcy Cent, MBA, as its new director of oncology services. In this role, Cent will oversee the continued development and expansion of comprehensive cancer care programs across the region, ensuring that patients can receive high-quality treatment close to home.
As families across Georgia prepare for Thanksgiving, the University of Georgia Extension is offering helpful tips to make the day before the holiday run smoothly — and safely in the kitchen.
Georgia State Patrol Troopers and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers will be out in force this week as the Thanksgiving travel period begins. The 102-hour travel window starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 26, and runs through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 30. Officials say the goal is to reduce crashes and keep the record number of holiday travelers safe on Georgia’s roads.
Georgia’s Community Action Agencies are preparing to launch this winter’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, beginning December 1st. While agencies across the state are opening their phone lines and appointment systems, federal funding delays mean that some applications may be accepted before benefits can actually be applied to utility bills. Officials say they are asking residents for patience as they work to manage high demand and wait for final program guidance from the state.
