Georgia’s minimum annual middle class income sits slightly less than the national average, according to a new survey. A recent study determined the minimum annual income needed for a family of four to be considered middle class in each state and Georgia came in at 31st on the list ranked with the highest income needed at the top. Fox5 Atlanta reports Consumer Affairs used a calculator provided by the Pew Research Center and an inflation calculator provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to come up with the numbers. In the Peach state, you would have to make at least $65 thousand 3 hundred and 64 dollars annually to be considered middle class. Hawaii tops the list, followed by D.C. and New York tied for second, New Jersey and New York are tied for third, and Massachusetts ranks 4th. Alabama came in at the bottom.

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Georgia lawmakers passed new election rules, now awaiting the Governor’s signature that will impact this fall. Senate Bill 189 passed the House by a vote of 101 to 73 and the Senate by a vote of 33-22.  If signed in to law, it would allow access to Georgia’s ballots to any political party qualified for the presidential ballot in at least 20 states or territories. It would also outlines what falls into “probable cause” for changes to a voter’s eligibility. Examples include if the person is registered to vote in a different jurisdiction, or is registered at a nonresidential address. The moves following the 2020 Presidential election, where Georgia faced false claims that questioned the state’s votes.

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(From left, front row) Matthew Creighton, Bobby Feagans, Jadyn Norton, Savannah Roberts, Jesse Bond, Cristian Peinado; (back row) Sawyer Sharp, Dakota Maddox, Tyler Chastain, Amadou Diaw, Haden Templeton, Damien Neelley and Joseph Taylor graduated on March 26 from GNTC’s Basic POST Certification class.

Friends, family and the community gathered in the Conference Center at Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s (GNTC) Gordon County Campus in Calhoun on March 26 to honor 13 students graduating from Basic POST Certification Class #BPC1-2024-06.

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The Chattooga County Young Farmers will hold their monthly meeting on Thursday, April 11, 2024.  The event will feature a class on insurance and estate planning and is being sponsored by the Chattooga County Farm Bureau.  A steak dinner will available for $10.  Please RSVP to Lauren Jarrett by Tuesday, April 9th if you plan to attend.

Online enrollment is open now for the 2024-2025 school year at Trion City Schools.  The deadline to enroll is April 12, 2024.  Parents can log on to their online parent portal or create an account to register for the new school year.  The cost for out of district students is $200 per student or $450 for a family of three or more.  Payments can be made online, or sent to the office at Trion City Schools.  In-district students must send a Town of Trion bill as proof of residence. Enrollment forms will not be processed without proof of residence or payment.

Congratulations go out to Pippa Key, a senior at Chattooga High School, who has been accepted to Yale University in New Haven, CT, for the 2024-2025 school year. In addition, she has received funding from the university in the amount of $310,000 over four years. Pippa has completed 48 credits of dual enrollment with a GPA of 4.0 at Georgia Northwestern Technical College and Dalton State College, and will graduate Summa Cum Laude with an Associate’s Degree in General Studies–Art from Dalton State College this May. During high school, Pippa has studied dance, and was invited to participate in the Disney Dreamers Academy and a Broadway Intensive Program in New York City with the cast of Hamilton. She is an original cast member with Chattooga Curtain Call, and has performed in every production. Congratulations to Pippa Key on her success.

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Saturday, March 30, 2024:

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The Summerville Middle School FFA will be hosting their springtime plant sale coming up next month.  They will have several varieties of tomatoes, herbs, peppers and flowering plants for sale.  Also this year, the plant sale will feature plant pots that have been painted by Summerville Middle School FFA students.  The plant sale will be held for the general public April 16-19th, with a special shopping day for Chattooga County School employees on Friday April 12th.

Guardian Insurance Partners Agent Adam Lee and Allen Keen Realty are sponsoring an Easter Egg hunt coming up this morning at the park in Menlo.  Children will have a chance to find 1,000 Easter eggs.  Some of those eggs can be redeemed for prizes.  Children through the fifth grade are welcome to attend the free event.  A photographer will be on had as well as the Easter Bunny.  The event will take place at 11 AM today.