As holiday celebrations continue into December, the American Red Cross encourages donors to keep the blood supply top of mind by giving blood or platelets this month. Type O negative blood donors and those giving platelets are especially urged to give now to help ensure patients can continue to receive the care they need in the coming weeks.
A Thanksgiving gathering ended in arrest for a Chattooga County man last Wednesday. Jacob Riley Smith, 33, was arrested for multiple offenses, including obstruction of law enforcement and disorderly conduct. The situation began around 7:50 PM when Chattooga County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to 606 Sloppy Floyd Lake Road after reports of a domestic dispute. The complainant stated that Smith, who had been invited to the celebration, arrived drunk around 3 PM and behaved aggressively towards other guests throughout the afternoon. Although Smith was not at the house when officers arrived, they searched for him and eventually found him hiding in brush near the residence. Smith refused to follow commands from law enforcement and resisted when deputies tried to help him out of the bushes. Deputies then restrained Smith, who continued to struggle while being transported to jail. Upon arrival at the Chattooga County Jail, he was placed in a restraint chair due to his ongoing combative behavior.
Children of all ages are invited to enjoy holiday cheer at The City of Summerville’s annual Christmas In The Park event in Dowdy Park. Christmas In The Park will take place on Thursday, December 5 from 6:00 p. m. to 8:00 p. m. Santa will arrive at the park at 6:00 p. m. to meet children and offer free photos. There will be a Best Dressed Elf Contest, an Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest, live musical entertainment, and many fun activities planned for the evening. This year’s event will also feature vendors selling various crafts, food, baked goods, and other merchandise.
Summerville Police arrested a 26-year-old man on Tuesday night after he was accused of disturbing the peace. Police were called to a Hunt Street address in Summerville, where Raymond Jordan Laney was reportedly being “loud and boisterous and belligerent”. Police say that Laney was yelling curse words and disturbing neighbors in the area. He was arrested around 10 PM and was taken to the Chattooga County Jail on disorderly conduct charges.
The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) corrected its list of low-performing schools eligible for the Georgia Promise scholarship voucher program on Tuesday. Five schools were removed from the original list – including LaFayette High School. Other schools removed from the list were Lee County High School, Fannin County High School, Richmond Hill Elementary School, and Jones Elementary School. Laine Reichert from GOSA explained that some schools had missing scores affecting calculations, requiring adjustments. Critics of the voucher program say that this incident underscores concerns about the plan that diverts public funds to private schools. Concerns have been raised about the program’s transparency and impact on local school systems.. State Sen. Jason Estevez, who opposed the program, highlighted these issues and emphasized that no parent or teacher wants their school on the list. The Georgia Promise Scholarship will accept applications starting in early 2025.
The state Public Service Commission approved Georgia Power’s plan to build battery energy storage systems at four locations, including Floyd County. This plan will add 500 megawatts of generating capacity, enough to power 750 homes with one megawatt. One system in Floyd County will be on the site of decommissioned Plant Hammond. The Tesla Megapack 2 Xl installed there is expected to provide 57. 5 megawatts. These battery systems store energy generated from solar sources and will provide power during high demand. Georgia Power will also build facilities near Robins and Moody Air Force Bases and submit quarterly reports on progress.
An accident in Gore on Wednesday morning sent one person to the hospital with minor injuries. According to a preliminary report from the Georgia State Patrol Public Information Office, a SUV was pulling out of the parking lot at Dirt Town Deli and attempting to make a left-hand turn. As the SUV left the parking lot, it pulled into the path of a vehicle traveling southbound on Highway 27. The second vehicle struck the SUV in the left side. The driver of the SUV was transported to AtriumHealth-Floyd with minor injures. The accident is still under investigation by the Georgia State Patrol Post in Rome. More details will be released when the accident report is complete.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Wednesday, December 4, 2024:
Chattooga County Commissioner-Elect Andy Allen says that he will be making several key appointments for positions in county government, but not until he takes office. Allen told WZQZ News on Tuesday that several administrative positions will need to be filled, but he won’t be making those decisions until after January 1, 2025. Allen said that he has someone to fill the position of county clerk, but that announcement won’t be made until after the first of the year due to contractual commitments in that person’s current employment. Allen said that he wants to make decisions about leadership positions in county government in a deliberate manner and wants to do so “in the best interest of the county”. Allen is attending required training this week in Athens as he prepares to take over the office of sole commissioner. The “Newly Elected Commissioners Conference” is being held at UGA’s Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel. Attendance and participation at the conference are mandatory and required by state law for all newly elected county commissioners.
Calhoun-based Mohawk Industries has sued several companies, including 3M and DuPont, claiming they were not informed about the risks of PFAS in carpet stain-resistant products. The lawsuit, filed in Whitfield County Superior Court, accuses these companies of fraud and negligent misrepresentation by hiding the dangers of PFAS and providing false safety assurances. PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, don’t break down readily in the environment or the human body. The chemicals have been linked to a number of health-related effects including some types of cancers. Mohawk seeks reimbursement for past and future costs related to settlements and PFAS remediation. They have also faced lawsuits over PFAS contamination in drinking water. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency set new water quality standards for PFAS, expected to be enforced by 2029, as these chemicals are linked to serious health issues.
