#DaltonGA | AM 1180 Radio

March 14, 2026

Prison-Based Methamphetamine Ring Members Sentenced

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Thirteen members of a prison-based methamphetamine distribution ring have been convicted and sentenced following a multi-year federal investigation. Authorities say state inmates Edward Kelvin Pope, David Wilson, and Kevin Josue Campos Rivera coordinated drug trafficking operations from Central State Prison in Macon, working with federal inmate Jose Santos Isaola Cisneros at the Federal Correctional Institution in Atlanta to distribute methamphetamine through couriers and distributors across north Georgia. Pope, known as “Paw Paw,” was already serving a life sentence plus 70 years for armed robbery, kidnapping, and other violent crimes at the time of the offenses.

March 5, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

GNTC Grows in 2025 With New Nursing Partnership, Major Honors, and Expanded CDL Training

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Advent Health and GNTC partnership signing

Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) continued to expand its impact across northwest Georgia in 2025 through new partnerships, student achievements, and institutional recognition.

February 27, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Chattooga County Students From Trion and Summerville Earn Spring 2026 Gene Haas Scholarships at GNTC

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(From left) Dr. Heidi Popham, president of GNTC; Bart Jenkins, program director and instructor of Precision Machining and Manufacturing at GNTC; Mayahuel Yaoapoqa, scholarship recipient; and Jon Minyard, Haas sales engineer, pose for a photo in the Precision Machining and Manufacturing lab at GNTC’s Floyd County Campus in Rome.

Two Chattooga County residents—one from Trion and the other from Summerville—are being recognized for academic excellence and career potential in advanced manufacturing.

February 14, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Dry Weekend Start Followed by Widespread Rain Across Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia

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Chattooga County and the rest of Northwest Georgia will enjoy dry and mild conditions through Saturday, with afternoon highs generally reaching the 60s. Higher elevations may remain in the 40s and 50s, but overall temperatures will stay above seasonal averages.

January 31, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Chattooga County Unemployment Drops to 4% as Northwest Georgia Labor Market Remains Strong

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Chattooga County’s unemployment rate fell to 4% in December, continuing a positive trend and reflecting improving labor conditions heading into the new year. According to data released by the Georgia Department of Labor, the county’s rate dropped from 4.7% in November and improved from over 5% in December 2024, signaling steady recovery and job growth locally.

January 25, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Heavy Rain Now, Dangerous Cold Next for Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia

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Much of Georgia is starting this Sunday morning, January 25, 2026, with freezing rain and sleet, but for folks here in Chattooga County and much of Northwest Georgia, the main issue early today has been heavy rain. Temperatures around daybreak were near to slightly above freezing, helping keep most roads wet instead of icy to start the morning. Even so, the steady rainfall can still create hazardous travel, especially with reduced visibility, standing water in low spots, and slick conditions where oil and debris collect on the roadway.

January 16, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Chattooga Unemployment at 4.8% in November; Region Mixed as GDOL Releases Latest Numbers

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The Georgia Department of Labor has released new local unemployment numbers for November 2025, and Chattooga County’s unemployment rate came in at 4.8%.

January 16, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

14th District Office: Interim Services Continue After Greene Resignation; Casework and Requests Still Available

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Residents in Chattooga County and across Northwest Georgia are without representation in the U.S. House for now following the resignation of former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. But the Fourteenth Congressional District of Georgia District Office says some constituent services will continue during the vacancy.

January 15, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Georgia Northwestern Technical College Hiring Across Campuses: Multiple Positions Open in Floyd, Walker, and Whitfield-Murray

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Georgia Northwestern Technical College is looking for career-minded applicants ready to take the next step with one of the largest technical colleges in the state. With more than 600 employees across six campuses, GNTC says it’s seeking talented professionals who want more than a job — they want a long-term career serving students, local industries, and communities across Northwest Georgia.

January 14, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

GNTC Aviation Program Adds Donated Cessna 401A to Expand Hands-On Training Fleet

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Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program has added another aircraft for student training, thanks to a donation of a Cessna 401A from a private individual in Dalton.

Program director Zac Fager says it’s the fourth 400-series Cessna now owned by GNTC and will be used in all areas of hands-on instruction. The aircraft had been stored in a hangar at Dalton Municipal Airport before being moved to GNTC’s Aviation Training Center, where it was reassembled.

GNTC President Dr. Heidi Popham says the gift will help train the skilled professionals the aviation industry needs.

Fager says the timing is critical, because students are constantly disassembling, inspecting, and repairing aircraft components—and having additional aircraft helps ensure graduates gain the Airframe and Powerplant experience needed to be workforce-ready.