A fifty-year-old Chattooga County man was charged with DUI after causing a multi-vehicle accident at the intersection of Highway 114 and Highway 27 in Summerville on Wednesday night.  The Georgia State Patrol told WZQZ News that three vehicles were stopped at the stoplight at the intersection, when a Ford F-150 driven by Stacy Tudor, slammed into the back of another Ford F-150 causing a chain reaction.  The second pickup truck then struck a Toyota Highlander and that vehicle struck a Acura RDX.  Troopers said that Tudor, along with the driver of the other pickup truck and the driver of the Toyota were all transported to the AtriumHealth Floyd Chattooga Emergency Department in Trion with minor injuries.  Tudor was subsequently charged with driving under the influence and other driving offences in connection with the accident.

Last week, a thirty-five-year-old Chattooga County man was arrested for filing a false report of a crime related to a stolen truck. A Chattooga County deputy responded to a call from Jason Eugene Hall on Village Mill Road, claiming his friend Thomas Lynch’s truck was stolen while they were away in Atlanta. Initially, Hall stated they had driven a different vehicle, leaving Lynch’s truck at home. However, as the investigation progressed, sheriff’s deputies found Lynch’s stolen 2014 Ram 1500 with deployed airbags off Silverhill Road in the Gore area. Discrepancies in Hall and his roommate Ben Pirkle’s statements raised suspicion. Ultimately, Pirkle confessed to wrecking the truck the night before, revealing inconsistencies in their stories. Following further inquiries, Hall was arrested and taken to the county jail for falsely reporting the crime.

The Menlo Lions Club will be making their famous Brunswick Stew, which will be available for pickup on November 9th from 7 AM – 10 AM. Location for pick up will be at the Menlo School Cafeteria. The stew is $8 per quart or $30 per gallon. The stew sales helps the Menlo Lions Club give scholarships to Chattooga High School students who are going off to college next fall. The Menlo Lions Club also makes sure students who need glasses in our area receive them. Call  706-862-2857 or 706-844-2349 for more information.

Georgia’s limited Medicaid expansion program, Georgia Pathways, has seen significantly low enrollment numbers due to a complex enrollment process and strict eligibility criteria. Only 4,231 individuals have enrolled, far below the projected 25,000. The program requires at least 80 hours per month of work or other qualifying activities, leading to numerous denials. Some enrollees faced unexpected consequences, such as losing coverage due to fluctuating income. Confusion and paperwork errors have also hindered enrollment. Suggestions to improve the program include simplifying eligibility, eliminating the activities requirement, and expanding coverage. The state’s efforts to raise awareness through a $10. 7 million ad campaign have yet to show significant results.

A former Floyd County School System teacher, Lynn Katherine Allen Mitchell, has been arrested and charged with three counts of felony 1st-degree cruelty to children. The arrest warrants detail disturbing incidents that occurred at Alto Park Elementary School. Mitchell rolled a 4-year-old, special needs, non-verbal child in a blanket and restrained him by stepping on it when he wouldn’t nap. In another instance, she picked up a different child and slammed him onto a mat for the same reason. On a separate occasion, she tightly wrapped a third child in a blanket to keep him from getting up. Mitchell is no longer employed by the school system, and she remains in Floyd County Jail with a $15,000 bond. The children involved were all special needs and between the ages of 4 and 5.

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) through the Georgia Council for the Arts has announced the fiscal year 2025 Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities competitive grant awards for various organizations in the state, including those in rural communities. A total of more than $1. 4 million in funding has been allocated to 69 entities in 51 counties, with funding granted to Chattooga County’s Paradise Garden. The Vibrant Communities Grant supports a range of arts programs such as murals, artist performances, theater productions, and festivals, while the Cultural Facilities Grant is aimed at improving or constructing buildings for arts programming.

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The Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Atrium Health team has secured a $2. 5 million funding award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to enhance antibiotic prescribing for children with acute respiratory tract infections in outpatient settings. The project will be led by Jennifer Sullivan, M. D. , M. P. H. , and co-lead by Lisa Davidson, M. D. , aiming to address the risks associated with inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for pediatric patients. The Atrium Health Children’s Optimal Outpatient Stewardship (AH-CHOOS) program will focus on implementing research findings that narrow-spectrum antibiotics are as effective as broad-spectrum ones, with fewer side effects for treating acute respiratory tract infections in children. The initiative will expand across multiple sites served by Atrium Health and engage over 2,000 healthcare providers in enhancing appropriate antibiotic prescribing practices through education, data reporting, and evidence-based interventions. The ultimate goal is to prevent drug-resistant infections and reduce adverse side effects by empowering providers to use antibiotics judiciously and engage patients and caregivers in their care.

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Thursday, October 31, 2024:

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Firefighters responded to a fire on Saddle Club Road on Wednesday night.  The Trion, Summerville and Hays Correctional Fire Departments found a mobile home with visible flames and thick smoke coming from the residence, with no vehicles present at the location.  Firefighters were able to perform an efficient interior attack, which led to the successful rescue of the homeowner’s dog.  The cause of the fire is not known at this time, and anyone with information is asked to report any suspicious activity in the area that may aid investigators in determining the fire’s origin.

Chattooga County is hosting a variety of Halloween events for families tonight, including a Halloween Walk in Menlo’s Lawrence Park from 5-7 PM and trick-or-treating in Trion starting at 5:30 PM. The Trion Police Department reminds participants to use the crosswalk and follow traffic personnel’s directions, respecting homeowners not taking part. A 9 PM curfew will be enforced for safety. The Trion Boys Basketball Team is offering a Halloween Maze for all ages at the parking lot from 6-10 PM, with a $5 entrance fee benefiting the team. Additionally, the Cloudland Volunteer Fire Department will hold a Trunk or Treat event at the fire hall from 6-7 PM for a safe and fun Halloween experience.