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.
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.
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.
A more unsettled weather pattern begins building across Chattooga County and northwest Georgia today, bringing a better chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Bond has been denied for an Anniston, Alabama man following his arrest in a July 4 crash in Polk County that claimed the life of a one-year-old child.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, the wreck happened around 2:50 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 100 and Fields Road south of Cedartown. Troopers say a Ford Mustang was traveling too fast to negotiate a curve, left the right side of the roadway, and struck a concrete culvert head-on.
Investigators said the one-year-old child was in the front seat and was not in a car seat. The child was taken to Floyd Medical Center, where she died from her injuries on Sunday.
The driver, Ezzie Tommy Harrison of Anniston, Alabama, remains in the Polk County Jail. He is facing multiple charges, including felony first-degree vehicular homicide, DUI, endangering a child while DUI, child restraint violation, failure to maintain lane, no insurance, failure to exercise due care, and no registration.
Berry College and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources have been awarded nearly $750,000 to restore thousands of acres of longleaf pine habitat in Northwest Georgia.
The project is supported by a $387,100 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, with matching funds bringing the total investment to nearly $750,000.
The grant was secured by Dr. Adrienne Ernst, director of the Berry College Longleaf Pine Project, along with collaborators Carlee Steppe and Allison Melcher of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.
The funding will be used to restore calcareous flatwoods and montane longleaf pine habitats at Berry College and nearby Georgia DNR Wildlife Management Areas. The project also aims to help recover Mohr’s Barbara’s button, a federally threatened plant species found in the flatwoods.
Officials say more than 3,000 acres will be restored and managed through prescribed burning, invasive species control, and targeted habitat improvements. The team will also develop a 50-year management plan to guide long-term conservation efforts across the landscape.
The Georgia Department of Driver Services is encouraging motorists to take a few minutes to add emergency contact information to their driver’s license or state ID records—a free update that could prove invaluable during an emergency.
A 34-year-old man was arrested following an early morning traffic stop in Chattooga County after a deputy reported finding suspected marijuana inside his vehicle.
According to the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office incident report, Deputy Adam Dawson was parked on Highway 27 at approximately 4:04 a.m. on July 2 when he observed a gray Honda Accord traveling without functioning taillights. After stopping the vehicle, the deputy reported detecting a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside.
The driver was identified as Patrick Lamar Davis, 34. According to the report, deputies searched the vehicle and found a mason jar containing two bags of suspected marijuana beneath the driver’s seat, along with a suspected marijuana grinder and a THC gummy.
Investigators also determined Davis was driving with a suspended license and had an outstanding warrant from Floyd County. He was arrested and charged with driving while license suspended or revoked and possession of marijuana (less than one ounce) before being transported to the Chattooga County Jail.
The City of Summerville is inviting residents and visitors to celebrate the many cultures that make up the community during the Multicultural Festival on Saturday, July 18, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Summerville Train Depot.
The free, family-friendly event will feature a “Taste Around the World” with a variety of international foods, live cultural performances, face painting, craft vendors, educational displays, and exhibits celebrating traditions from around the globe.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to welcome the arrival of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s Antique Steam Engine and see the working Summerville Turntable, making it a unique day of entertainment, history, and community.
Organizers encourage everyone to come out and enjoy a day of food, culture, music, and family fun while celebrating the diversity that helps make Chattooga County a special place to live.