As Thanksgiving approaches, the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) and the Motor Carrier Compliance Division (MCCD) are ramping up their presence on interstates and secondary roads across the state. Their goal is to reduce traffic crashes during the busy holiday travel period, which began at 6 PM yesterday evening, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, December 1, 2024. Last year, during the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday, GSP officers investigated a staggering 610 crashes, resulting in 289 injuries.
In observance of Thanksgiving, city offices will close at 12 p.m. Wednesday, November 27, 2024, and will be closed on Thursday, November 28th, and Friday, November 29th, 2024. We will reopen Monday, December 2nd, 2024, at regular business hours. If you have an emergency during this time, please call 911.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Wednesday, November 27, 2024:
On Sunday, Summerville Police responded to a call about a theft on Summerville Gardens Drive. When police arrived on the scene and spoke with the complainant, they learned that the complainant had left a key fob in their vehicle that had been stolen. According to the complainant, the key fob was in the vehicle on Saturday, but when they went to retrieve the fob on Sunday it was missing. Nothing else was taken from the vehicle, according to the report from the Summerville Police Department.
Dowdy Park will be the heart of a generous Thanksgiving celebration this year as Kevin Godfrey and Godfrey’s Tree Service will be serving food from Williamson Bros BBQ Catering and will be providing free hot meals to the community. On Friday, November 29th, from 12 PM to 2 PM, the team will be serving up 500 plates of delicious food, with offerings including Chopped Pork, Chopped Chicken, BBQ Beans, Macaroni & Cheese, and Chocolate Chip Cookies, along with a drink.
This initiative is a heartfelt gesture aimed at spreading joy and fostering community spirit during the holiday season. Kevin Godfrey and Godfrey’s Tree Service welcome anyone who needs a good hot meal to come by. As meals are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, attendees are encouraged to arrive early to ensure they secure their plate. For those who are unable to attend in person but still wish to enjoy a meal, limited delivery options are available upon request. However, due to demand, deliveries cannot be guaranteed.
For any inquiries or to request a meal delivery, community members can reach out to Lacey Gilreath at (706) 506-8609 or Kevin Godfrey at (706) 766-7156. Donations will be accepted.
In a significant breakthrough in a complicated horse theft case, the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) has successfully aided in the identification and capture of suspects involved in an interstate scheme targeting equines. The announcement was made on Monday by GDA Commissioner Tyler Harper, who emphasized the importance of collaboration among law enforcement agencies.
As Thanksgiving approaches, families in Georgia are struggling with long delays in receiving essential food benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Over the last two years, many families have reported difficulties in accessing their benefits, with a significant backlog now affecting 43,785 overdue applications and 2,574 pending renewals. Some of these cases may involve duplicates or resubmissions, complicating the processing efforts. Federal regulations require that SNAP benefits be issued within 30 days, or within seven days for expedited cases, but delays have been attributed to increased demand, a shortage of workers, and technological issues.
As Thanksgiving approaches, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has released forecasts predicting heavy traffic on the roads, especially today and Sunday. Despite plans to suspend most construction-related lane closures on interstates and major state routes from 5 a.m. today through 10 p.m. on Sunday, traffic levels are still expected to surge as families head out for the holiday.
On Tuesday, Chattooga County Commissioner Blake Elsberry revealed that Animal Control Director Mark Finster has resigned from his position, effective mid-December. Finster’s departure comes on the heels of a controversial incident that occurred earlier this year, which has drawn considerable public scrutiny.
