Kevin Godfrey and Lacey Gilreath with Godfrey’s Tree Service have organized a GoFundMe campaign to help a Trion family whose home was heavily damaged during severe storms on July 4, 2026.
The Georgia Department of Economic Development has announced more than $1.3 million in competitive grant funding for arts organizations across the state, with 179 grants awarded in 37 counties during the first round of Georgia Council for the Arts fiscal year 2027 funding. The grants support nonprofit arts organizations, community projects, and arts education programs.
Chattooga County is among the recipients. The Paradise Garden Foundation in Summerville received a $10,000 General Operating Support Grant, which provides funding to help nonprofit arts organizations with day-to-day operating expenses and programming.
State officials say the grants help strengthen communities by supporting festivals, museums, theater productions, educational programs, and other arts initiatives that attract visitors, enhance downtowns, and contribute to local economies.
Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson said the arts play a vital role in communities of all sizes, helping create vibrant downtowns, support small businesses, and provide students with opportunities to develop creativity and problem-solving skills.
The grants are funded through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional Georgia Council for the Arts funding through the Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities grant programs is expected to be announced later this fall.
Georgia’s net tax collections fell in June, but the state still ended Fiscal Year 2026 slightly ahead of the previous year.
According to the Governor’s Office, June net tax revenue totaled nearly $2.95 billion, down $215.1 million, or 6.8 percent, compared to June of last year. However, year-to-date collections through June 30 totaled $33.75 billion, an increase of $129.5 million, or 0.4 percent, over Fiscal Year 2025.
State officials say the monthly comparison was heavily affected by Georgia’s motor fuel excise tax suspension, which began March 20 and remained in effect until June 3. Without the motor fuel tax impact, June revenues were down only 0.6 percent, while full-year collections were up nearly 1.6 percent.
Individual income tax collections were down 6.7 percent in June, while sales tax collections increased 6.8 percent and corporate income tax collections rose 7 percent. Motor fuel tax collections dropped 98.5 percent, reflecting the temporary suspension ordered by Governor Brian Kemp.
Motor vehicle tag and title fees and title ad valorem tax collections were also down compared to June 2025.
As newly licensed teenagers spend more time behind the wheel this summer, AAA is encouraging families to make safety a priority by participating in its “100 Days of Safe Driving” campaign.
One man is in custody and two others remain at large following an alleged shoplifting incident Friday at Walmart in Trion.
According to Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader, three men were stopped while leaving the store after they were believed to have stolen several iPads.
Authorities say the suspects fled the scene before Chattooga County Sheriff’s deputies arrived. Law enforcement was able to apprehend one of the three men, while the other two remained at large as of Friday night.
Sheriff Schrader said investigators believe the three men may also be connected to other shoplifting incidents in Michigan and in Dalton, Georgia.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional information has not yet been released.
WZQZ will continue to follow this developing story and provide updates as more information becomes available.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Friday, July 10, 2026:
After another hot summer morning, weather conditions across Chattooga County and northwest Georgia are expected to become increasingly active this afternoon as a series of disturbances brings a higher chance of showers and thunderstorms through the weekend and into early next week.
Chattooga County residents will have an opportunity today to learn more about and comment on a proposed temporary moratorium affecting certain non-traditional residential developments.
A landmark settlement between John Deere, the Federal Trade Commission, and five state attorneys general is expected to significantly change how farmers repair their equipment, giving owners and independent repair shops access to many of the same tools previously available only to authorized John Deere dealerships.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has announced a major milestone in processing disability claims, with the backlog of veterans waiting for benefits dropping below 70,000 for the first time in more than six years.
According to the VA, the number of disability compensation and pension claims pending longer than 125 days—the department’s definition of a backlog—has fallen below the 70,000 mark for the first time since February 2020. The agency says the backlog has been reduced by more than 74 percent since January 2025.
The VA also reports that it is processing claims faster than at any point in its history. The average time to complete a disability compensation or pension claim is now 77.7 days, a record low. Since the beginning of 2025, the department says it has completed more than one million claims in fewer than 30 days.
VA Secretary Doug Collins said the improvements mean faster decisions, better service, and quicker access to benefits for veterans and their families.
The agency also highlighted several additional accomplishments over the past year, including opening 38 new VA health care facilities, processing more than 3 million disability compensation and pension claims during Fiscal Year 2025, offering veterans more than 3 million appointments outside normal business hours, and permanently housing 51,936 homeless veterans, the highest annual total in seven years.
Veterans who have not yet applied for benefits or health care are encouraged to visit VA.gov or Choose.VA.gov to learn more about available programs and begin the application process.