Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Saturday, January 18, 2025:
On Friday, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the USDA confirmed a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), known as bird flu, in a commercial poultry operation in Elbert County. This is the first confirmed case in a commercial poultry setting in Georgia and the fifth case detected in the state.
As a result of this confirmation, all poultry exhibitions, shows, swaps, meets, and sales within the state are immediately suspended until further notice. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper stated that this is a serious threat to Georgia’s poultry industry and the livelihoods of many residents. Efforts are underway to prevent further spread of the disease and to allow normal poultry activities to resume as quickly as possible.
The bird flu has impacted the egg market significantly, with 17. 2 million egg-laying hens dying in November and December alone. This loss represents nearly half of all birds killed by the virus in 2024, leading to fewer eggs, empty store shelves, and rising prices.
The Georgia producer identified signs of Avian Influenza in their flock on Wednesday, and after testing, a positive detection was confirmed. The state’s Emergency Management and State Agricultural Response Teams were deployed for depopulation, cleaning, and disposal operations. Approximately 45,000 broiler breeder chickens were present at the time of detection, and a quarantine has been placed on all commercial poultry operations within a 10-kilometer radius for surveillance testing for at least two weeks. Notifications will be given when poultry activities can resume.
Cold weather is moving from Siberia and will reach the United States this weekend and into next week. Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama will experience the coldest temperatures of the season next week.
The enrollment period for Pre-K programs in Lyerly, Menlo, and Summerville for the 2025-2026 school year is now open. Parents and guardians are invited to register their children on Thursday, February 6, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and Friday, February 7, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Registration will be held at the Chattooga County Education Center, located at 206 East Penn Street, Summerville, GA 30747, in the former Summerville Elementary School building.
To ensure a smooth registration process, parents are required to bring several important documents, including: – Child’s Certified Birth Certificate – Proof of Georgia Residency – Photo ID of Parent/Guardian – Child’s Social Security Card – Child’s Insurance Card or verification of health coverage Additionally, parents should be prepared to provide the Immunization Form 3231 and the Eye, Ear, Dental, & Nutritional Form 3300. It is important to note that children must be 4 years old on or before September 1, 2025, to be eligible for enrollment. For any questions or further information, parents are encouraged to contact the Pre-K office at 706-857-3490.
In the event of inclement weather, please be advised that registration may be canceled and rescheduled for a safer date.
Law enforcement officials have arrested two men from Murray County believed to be involved in a burglary that occurred in Summerville. Clifton Mitchell, 66, and his son, Richard Mitchell, 41, were apprehended by LaFayette Police on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, following a collaborative investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies. Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader said that these are the same two men that local investigators believe were part of a burglary at a Summerville business located in the shopping plaza behind Little Caesar’s Pizza.
Trion High School’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter excelled at the FBLA regional conference on January 15th, with many students winning medals in nine categories, which qualifies them for the state competition. FBLA, founded in 1940 and based in Reston, Virginia, is a major student organization that helps students prepare for the business world. With over 200,000 members, it is the largest student organization in the U. S. Trion High School also placed third in the Region Sweeps, highlighting the overall achievement of its students, whose average scores were the best in the region. This is a historic achievement for Trion High School’s FBLA chapter. The success is attributed to the support of their advisor, Mrs. Laura Bryant, and the school community looks forward to the state competition.
State Senator Colton Moore was arrested in Atlanta after causing a disturbance at the State House of Representatives and is now being supported by the Chattooga County Republican Party. On January 16th, during Governor Brian Kemp’s State of the State Address, Moore was barred from entering and subsequently arrested by Georgia State Troopers. Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns had banned Moore from the House of Representatives after a speech Moore made in March 2024 that criticized the late Speaker David Ralston.
Atrium Health Floyd has given Narcan, a nasal spray for reversing opioid overdoses, to several school partners, including Chattooga County Schools, Darlington School, Floyd County Schools, Rome City Schools, and Trion City Schools. AtriumHealth Floyd’s Dr. Ken Jones emphasized that while they hope it won’t be needed, having Narcan available could save lives, as it is easy to use. Georgia’s new law requires schools to have a supply of lifesaving medications. In 2023, over 107,000 people in the U. S. died of drug overdoses, mostly from opioids. Paula White, School Nurse Director for AtriumHealth Floyd explained that the donation came from Direct Relief, and Atrium Health Floyd provided 108 nasal spray containers to the schools.
Cherokee County Alabama Revenue Commissioner Dustin St. Clair updated the Cherokee County Commission about the tag office and property tax payments. In 2023, the tag office moved to the Revenue Commissioner’s office. During the tax payment period of October 1 to December 31, St. Clair reported that 8,800 people were served in 2023, while in 2024, the number increased to 12,500, an increase of 3,700 taxpayers. Although the transition was challenging, St. Clair praised his employees for adapting to the new service system. He mentioned that the wait time to see a clerk is one minute or less, and the total visit time is about eight minutes, eliminating long lines. St. Clair announced plans to add vessel registration services, enabling watercraft owners to register alongside vehicle tags and property tax payments.
WEIS Radio
Four students from Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) have been chosen as finalists for the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL). The finalists are Sara Gunnels from Rome, Nakesia Thomas from Rome, Robert Branum from Ringgold, and Josue Lopez from Calhoun, each representing different programs and campuses.
GOAL recognizes outstanding academic and leadership achievements among Georgia’s technical college students, with winners selected at each of the 22 colleges. The finalists will undergo a second round of judging by community leaders, where one will be named GNTC’s 2025 GOAL winner.
The winner will be announced at the luncheon on January 28, and will go on to compete at the regional and state levels, where the state winner will serve as an ambassador and receive a new car from Kia Motors.