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September 21, 2026

Veteran Law Enforcement Officer Steve Kish Named Calhoun Police Chief

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The City of Calhoun has selected a veteran Georgia law enforcement officer with more than three decades of experience to lead the Calhoun Police Department.

September 20, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Congressman Clay Fuller Joins EPA Officials In Chickamauga For $6 Million Brownfields Announcement

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Congressman Clay Fuller, who represents Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, joined federal, state and local officials in Chickamauga Friday to highlight $6 million in federal funding aimed at cleaning up and redeveloping contaminated or underused properties across Northwest Georgia.

September 16, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

$2 Million In CDBG Grants Awarded For Chattooga County Water And Summerville Sewer Projects

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Two major infrastructure projects in Chattooga County are receiving a combined $2 million in Community Development Block Grant funding, with money going toward water line upgrades in the Welcome Hill area and continued sewer improvements in Summerville.

September 16, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Northwest Georgia Regional Commission Receives $1.5 Million EPA Brownfields Grant

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The Northwest Georgia Regional Commission has been awarded a $1.5 million federal Brownfields grant to help identify, assess and prepare properties across the region for potential redevelopment.

September 15, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Bid Deadline Approaching For First Phase Of Tooga Theatre Renovation

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Chattooga County is preparing to take another step toward renovation of the historic Tooga Theatre in downtown Summerville, with contractors facing a deadline later this week to submit bids for the first phase of the project.

September 15, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Deadline Approaching For Bids On Trion Natural Gas Project

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Contractors interested in a natural gas system project in Trion have only a couple more days to submit bids to the town.

September 15, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Chattooga County Board Of Education Meeting Set For Thursday

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The Chattooga County Board of Education will hold its regular September meeting later this week.

The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 17, from 6 until 8 PM at the Chattooga County Education Center, 206 Penn Street in Summerville.

Under the school system’s 2026-2027 meeting schedule, the Board of Education normally meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6 PM, with exceptions during October, February and April.

The September meeting comes as the school system moves further into the 2026-2027 academic year.

The school board is currently chaired by Lori Brady, with Tiffany Lawrence serving as vice-chair. Other members are Chad Dodd, Bonnie Fletcher and Derrick Eckroat. Dr. Michelle Helie serves as superintendent of Chattooga County Schools.

Thursday’s meeting is open to the public. The school system also provides a formal process for members of the public who wish to participate in board meetings.

The Chattooga County Board of Education September meeting begins at 6 PM Thursday at the Chattooga County Education Center on Penn Street in Summerville.

September 14, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Summerville Council Faces Packed Agenda This Evening

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The Summerville City Council will have a lengthy agenda in front of it this evening, with matters ranging from road resurfacing and recreation improvements to a proposed data center moratorium, the sale of kratom and the possible renaming of one of the city’s best-known historic landmarks.

September 13, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Summerville Council Faces Packed Monday Agenda With Road Work, Recreation Project, Data Centers And Kratom

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The Summerville City Council has a busy agenda waiting when members meet Monday evening.

The regular called meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 14, at 5 PM at the Summerville Depot.

Among the major items, council members are expected to award bids for city road resurfacing and the Summerville Recreation restroom renovation project. The council will also consider a contract for cloud-based storage of body-worn camera footage.

Another significant item involves data centers. The council is scheduled to discuss a possible moratorium and consider a resolution regarding data centers. Members will also discuss the sale of kratom within the city limits.

The council will consider renaming the Summerville Turntable in memory of former Mayor Joe Robert Norton and officially naming the drive serving the new soccer complex “Harry Harvey Dr.”

WZQZ News will have more on the individual agenda items ahead of Monday evening’s meeting.

September 12, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Walker County Approves $39.9 Million Budget With No Tax Increase

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Walker County commissioners have approved a $39.9 million budget for fiscal year 2027 without increasing the county’s tax rate, following several months of discussion over rising expenses and how to balance the spending plan.

The Walker County Board of Commissioners approved the budget during its September 3 meeting. The new fiscal year begins October 1 and runs through September 30, 2027.

The final budget includes funding for three additional firefighters and does not add any other new county positions. County employees will receive a 3% cost-of-living adjustment.

Getting to the final spending plan took several months. When the budget process began this summer, county departments had submitted requests totaling more than $50 million. Chairwoman Angie Teems and county staff worked with department heads to reduce those requests by more than $10 million.

As recently as August, commissioners were still facing a projected $1.9 million gap between revenues and expenses, prompting the board to delay a budget vote while members considered additional changes. Among the pressures on the budget were inflation, state-mandated expenses, a new ambulance service contract, firefighter staffing and employee compensation.

The final $39.9 million spending plan was adopted without a tax increase.

For comparison, Walker County’s FY2026 General Fund budget was approximately $37.25 million.