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September 3, 2026

Georgia Fugitive Captured After Jumping Into Weiss Lake

Local News, Local News Items #ALEA, #AttemptingToElude, #CartersvilleGA, #CedarBluffPoliceDepartment, #ChattoogaInfo, #CherokeeCountyAL, #CherokeeCountySheriffsOffice, #floydcountyga, #FloydCountySheriffsOffice, #FugitiveCaptured, #LeesburgPoliceDepartment, #NortheastAlabama, #northwestgeorgia, #WeissLake, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

A Georgia fugitive wanted out of Floyd County was taken into custody in Cherokee County, Alabama, after authorities say he ran from deputies and jumped into Weiss Lake.

According to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies went to a campground in the Wildwood Cove area off County Road 182 Tuesday afternoon to serve a warrant for the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies located 33-year-old Eric Carl Virta of Cartersville, Georgia. Authorities say that when deputies attempted to take Virta into custody, he ran and jumped into the water. Virta reportedly crossed to the other side and entered the Kirk’s Grove/Mud Creek area.

Deputies responded to that area and searched for more than an hour before finding Virta hiding in a swampy area in Mud Creek. He was taken into custody without further incident, and no injuries were reported.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Marine Patrol transported Virta and the deputies back across the water by boat.

Virta was wanted in Floyd County on a probation violation connected to charges involving possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and terroristic threats and acts.

He was also charged in Cherokee County with fugitive from justice and attempting to elude.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office thanked ALEA, the Leesburg Police Department and the Cedar Bluff Police Department for their assistance.

September 3, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Rebecca Thomas To Be Honored For 30 Years Of Service With UGA Extension

Community Calandar, Community Calendar, Local News, Local News Items #agriculture, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaCounty4H, #ChattoogaCountyExtension, #ChattoogaInfo, #CommunityNews, #georgia4H, #RebeccaThomas, #RetirementCelebration, #summervillega, #UGAExtension, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

The University of Georgia Extension in Chattooga County will honor Rebecca Thomas later this month as she retires following 30 years of dedicated service to local youth, families and the community.

A retirement celebration for Thomas will be held Tuesday, September 29, from 1 until 5 PM at the Chattooga County Ag Center, located at 40 Middle School Road in Summerville.

Organizers are inviting friends, former and current 4-H members, families and community members to drop by during the afternoon for refreshments and fellowship while recognizing Thomas’s three decades of service.

During her career with UGA Extension, Thomas has been a familiar face to generations of Chattooga County residents, particularly through her work with Chattooga County 4-H. The retirement celebration will recognize what organizers describe as her extraordinary journey of leadership, compassion and unwavering commitment to the youth, families and communities she has served.

The celebration is open from 1 to 5 PM on September 29, allowing visitors to stop by throughout the afternoon to congratulate Thomas and wish her well in retirement.

September 3, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Inmate Charged With Simple Assault Following Incident At Chattooga County Jail

Local News, Local News Items #arrestreport, #CCSO, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaCountyGA, #ChattoogaCountyJail, #ChattoogaCountySheriffsOffice, #ChattoogaInfo, #CrimeNews, #GeorgiaCrime, #georgianews, #InmateIncident, #JailIncident, #LawEnforcement, #LocalCrime, #northwestgeorgia, #SimpleAssault, #summervillega, #ThomasLaney, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

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A 27-year-old inmate at the Chattooga County Jail was charged with simple assault following an incident involving a jail officer on August 15.

September 3, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Friday Night Football: Chattooga Hosts Model While Trion Travels To Ridgeland

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaFootball, #chattoogahighschool, #ChattoogaIndians, #ChattoogaInfo, #FridayNightFootball, #FridayNightLights, #GeorgiaHighSchoolFootball, #ModelBlueDevils, #ModelFootball, #northwestgeorgia, #RidgelandFootball, #RidgelandPanthers, #RossvilleGA, #trionbulldogs, #TrionFootball, #trionga, #trionhighschool, #WalkerCountyGA, #WZQZ, #WZQZ991FM, #WZQZFootball, #wzqznews, #WZQZSports 0

Friday night will bring another full evening of high school football coverage on WZQZ, with the Chattooga Indians returning to action against Model and the Trion Bulldogs traveling to Walker County to face Ridgeland.

Both games kick off at 7:30 PM Friday, and both games will be available on the WZQZ Facebook Page. The Chattooga-Model game will also be the featured WZQZ Radio broadcast on 99.1 FM.

September 2, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Rome Woman Charged With DUI Following Highway 27 Crash

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaCountySheriffsOffice, #ChattoogaInfo, #dui, #floydcountyga, #GeorgiaStatePatrol, #GSP, #highway27, #northwestgeorgia, #RomeGA, #SloppyFloydLakeRoad, #TrafficAccident, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

A Wednesday afternoon accident on Highway 27 near Sloppy Floyd Lake Road stalled traffic and resulted in one person being taken to the hospital by ambulance.

According to the Georgia State Patrol, a vehicle traveling south on Highway 27 crossed over into the northbound lane and sideswiped another vehicle traveling north.

The GSP has now confirmed that the driver charged with DUI was 48-year-old Tracy Lee of Rome.

Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader told WZQZ News that one person was transported from the scene by ambulance following the crash.

The accident caused traffic delays while law enforcement and emergency crews worked the scene.

WZQZ News will have additional information once the full accident and arrest reports are made available.

September 2, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Heat Advisory In Effect Today As Temperatures Climb Into The Upper 90s

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaCountyGA, #chattoogacountyweather, #ChattoogaInfo, #ExtremeHeat, #GeorgiaHeat, #georgiaweather, #HeatAdvisory, #HeatAlert, #HeatIndex, #HotWeather, #LaborDayWeather, #LaborDayWeekend, #lyerlyga, #MenloGA, #NationalWeatherService, #NorthGeorgia, #northwestgeorgia, #NWSAtlanta, #SummerHeat, #summervillega, #trionga, #TripleDigitHeatIndex, #WeatherAlert, #WeekendWeather, #WZQZ, #wzqznews, #WZQZWeather 0

Another day of dangerous late-summer heat is expected across Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia today, with temperatures climbing well into the 90s and heat index values reaching the triple digits.

September 2, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Arrest Report – Wednesday – September 2, 2026

Local News, Local News Items #arrestreport, #CCSO, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaCountyGA, #ChattoogaCountyJail, #chattoogacountynews, #ChattoogaCountySheriffsOffice, #ChattoogaInfo, #CrimeNews, #GeorgiaArrests, #GeorgiaCrime, #IncidentReport, #InmateIncident, #JailIncident, #JailReport, #LawEnforcement, #LocalArrests, #LocalCrime, #northwestgeorgia, #northwestgeorgianews, #PublicSafety, #September2nd, #September2_2026, #SimpleAssault, #summervillega, #SummervilleNews, #ThomasLaney, #ThomasMartyLaney, #trionga, #WednesdayArrestReport, #WednesdaySeptember2, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Wednesday, September 2, 2026:

September 2, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Old-Fashioned Apple Festival Coming To Summerville This Saturday

Local News, Local News Items #AppleFestival, #ApplePieContest, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaInfo, #DowntownSummerville, #LaborDayWeekend, #MuddyCreekBand, #northwestgeorgia, #OldFashionedAppleFestival, #SteamEngine4501, #SummervilleDepot, #summervillega, #summervillemainstreet, #SummervilleTurntable, #TennesseeValleyRailroadMuseum, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

Summerville Main Street is inviting residents and visitors to step back in time and celebrate apple season during the Old-Fashioned Apple Festival this Saturday, September 5, from 10 AM until 3 PM at the Summerville Depot.

September 2, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

September Declared Childhood Cancer Awareness Month In Georgia

Local News, Local News Items #CancerAwareness, #CancerResearch, #CancerSurvivors, #ChattoogaInfo, #ChildhoodCancer, #ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth, #ChildrensHealthcareOfAtlanta, #FightChildhoodCancer, #GeorgiaCancerPlan, #georgianews, #northwestgeorgia, #PediatricCancer, #RallyFoundation, #WZQZ, #wzqznews, georgia 0

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in Georgia, with doctors, families and cancer survivors using the observance to call attention to the need for additional pediatric cancer research and funding.

September 2, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Woman Arrested After Returning To Summerville Residence Despite Trespass Warning

Local News, Local News Items #arrest, #arrestreport, #CCSO, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaCountyGA, #ChattoogaCountyJail, #ChattoogaCountySheriffsOffice, #ChattoogaInfo, #CrimeNews, #CriminalTrespass, #IncidentReport, #LawEnforcement, #LocalCrime, #northwestgeorgia, #policereport, #PublicSafety, #summervillega, #WZQZ, #wzqznews 0

A 47-year-old woman was arrested after deputies say she returned to a Summerville residence where she had previously been warned not to return.