
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Friday, September 18, 2026:

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Friday, September 18, 2026:

Unseasonably hot weather will continue across Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia through the weekend, with temperatures climbing well into the 90s before a better chance of showers and thunderstorms brings somewhat cooler conditions next week.

Friday night football returns with both Chattooga and Trion in action, and WZQZ will have coverage of both local teams.
The Chattooga Indians travel to Ridgeland to take on the Panthers Friday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM. Chattooga enters the game at 0-3 after a close 14-7 loss at Coosa last week. Ridgeland is also looking for its first win of the season, entering Friday at 0-4.
Chattooga at Ridgeland will be this week’s WZQZ radio game, with coverage on 99.1 FM. The game will also be available on the WZQZ Facebook Page.
Meanwhile, the Trion Bulldogs return home Friday night to host Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe. Kickoff is also scheduled for 7:30 PM.
Trion comes into the game with a 3-1 record and has won two straight, including last Friday’s 42-35 victory at Dade County. LFO enters the contest at 0-3.
The Trion-LFO game will be carried live on the WZQZ Facebook Page, giving local football fans a chance to follow both Chattooga County teams Friday night.
WZQZ’s 2026 broadcast schedule includes selected radio games along with Facebook coverage throughout the season for both the Indians and Bulldogs.

A recent Georgia Supreme Court ruling could have implications for property owners and law enforcement agencies across the state, including here in Northwest Georgia, by rejecting the idea that the state is automatically protected from compensation claims whenever private property is damaged during police activity.

A Chattooga County man was arrested after authorities say he sent threatening text messages to his mother and brother during a domestic dispute earlier this month.

A 32-year-old woman was arrested Monday after she was accused of shoplifting at Walmart in Trion.
According to a Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office incident report, Stefanie Maria Mitchell was arrested on September 14 after Deputy Rob Villagomez was dispatched to the store at approximately 12:23 PM.
The report states that Walmart employees told the deputy that Mitchell went through the self-checkout and allegedly failed to scan several items. According to the report, she scanned some clothing items but allegedly placed other clothing into a bag without scanning them.
The deputy reported reviewing surveillance video of the transaction and said the video appeared to show Mitchell scanning some items while failing to scan others.
According to the report, Mitchell told the deputy that she did not intentionally fail to scan the merchandise and said she was having difficulty using the self-checkout.
Mitchell was charged with theft by shoplifting and taken into custody.

The Georgia Department of Public Health is warning residents to continue protecting themselves against mosquito bites as West Nile virus infections increase across the state.

Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden in Pennville will welcome visitors from across the region this weekend for Finster Fest 2026, a two-day celebration of art, music, food and the legacy of renowned folk artist Howard Finster.

Georgia set new records for both the size of its labor force and the number of people employed during August, while the state’s unemployment rate dropped to its lowest level in two and a half years.

Georgia financial institutions now have additional authority to temporarily stop transactions when they suspect an elderly or disabled customer is being financially exploited.