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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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PICTURED (FROM LEFT): Former GHC Director of Dental Hygiene Donna Miller and current Director of Dental Hygiene Regina Gupta.

The dental hygiene program at Georgia Highlands College (GHC) is celebrating its 25th anniversary and has grown exponentially from its humble roots to one of the institution’s most popular degree programs. 

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A routine traffic stop turned into a significant drug bust on Monday when officers arrested a Centre, Alabama man for multiple drug charges. According to records from the Floyd County Jail, officers initiated the stop on a vehicle driven by 24-year-old Patrick La’Don Steen Jr. for failing to operate with headlights on North Broad Street near Russell Street. Upon stopping the vehicle, officers conducted a search following a positive indication from a K9 unit. The search resulted in the seizure of illegal substances, including cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms, and marijuana, as well as a 9mm pistol. Steen now faces several charges, including possession of cocaine, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and a violation related to the headlight infraction.

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Tuesday, November 26, 2024:

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Chattooga County Commissioner Blake Elsberry announced on Monday that county governmental offices will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, November 27th, Thanksgiving Day, November 28th and Friday, November 29th in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Chattooga Transit will not operate those days as well.  The Chattooga County Transfer Station will be closed Thanksgiving Day only.  Normal office hours will resume on Monday, December 2, 2024.

A review of the 2024 election results showed that Chattooga County had the biggest increase in support for the Republican presidential nominee over the past 16 years in Northwest Georgia. Donald Trump garnered 82% of the vote.  In 2020, Trump had 80.24% – making him the first Republican candidate to get over 80% of the county’s votes.  In the past 50 years, the only other candidate to get that large of a majority in Chattooga County was Georgia-born Jimmy Carter in 1976.  Carter carried the county again in 1980 with just over 70% of the votes.

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