New Georgia Tags, Dealer Rules Coming in 2026; Chattooga Tax Commissioner Explains What Drivers Should Know

Chattooga County Tax Commissioner Joy Hampton says local drivers are already asking about Georgia’s new specialty license plates and changes tied to temporary tags heading into 2026 — and she wants residents to know how the process will work locally.

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Cold Case: 17 Years Since Flintstone Business Owner Michael Mullens Was Murdered

Last Friday, December 19, marked the 17th anniversary of the unsolved murder of Michael Mullens, a father and local business owner who was shot and killed outside his machine shop in Flintstone, Georgia.

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Hydrant Flushing Scheduled in Southeast Summerville on December 22

The City of Summerville Fire Department has announced a planned fire hydrant flushing operation set for Monday, December 22, 2025, running from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The work will focus on southeast Summerville, including the Highway 27 area, Lake Wanda Reita Road, and the Washington Avenue area.

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Arrest Report – Sunday – December 21, 2025

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Sunday, December 21, 2025:

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Springlike Warmth Builds Across Chattooga County Ahead of Christmas

If it doesn’t feel like late December in Chattooga County and across Northwest Georgia, you’re not imagining it. A warmer-than-normal pattern is taking hold and will only strengthen as we move through the week and into the Christmas holiday.

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Chattooga County Farm Bureau Honored at State Convention for Excellence in Agricultural Advocacy

Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall (left) presents Chattooga County Farm Bureau President Bill Bryan with the Planter Award during the 88th Annual Georgia Farm Bureau Convention on Jekyll Island.

Chattooga County Farm Bureau continues to demonstrate its commitment to agriculture education and community involvement across Northwest Georgia. The organization says it is grateful to be an active part of the local community and values opportunities to interact with residents and students to promote agricultural awareness.

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PSC Approves Georgia Power Data-Center Expansion, Critics Say Georgians Will Pay the Price

The Georgia Public Service Commission voted unanimously this past Friday (Dec. 19) to approve Georgia Power’s request to acquire nearly 10 gigawatts of new energy capacity—a major expansion the utility says it needs to meet projected electricity demand from data centers in coming years. The vote was taken before two new Democratic Public Service Commissioners take office next month, a timing critics say is hard to ignore.

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Lyerly Man Arrested Last Thursday on Aggravated Battery Warrant, Held in Floyd County Jail

A Lyerly man was arrested Thursday of last week and booked into the Floyd County Jail on a felony warrant charging him with aggravated battery.

According to the warrant, 35-year-old Branden Lee Salas is accused of attacking a woman at a location on Blacks Bluff Road in Rome on May 8. The victim reportedly suffered a fracture to her left arm.

In addition to the aggravated battery charge, Salas is being held on a probation violation. Jail records also list him as a fugitive from justice, citing an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Cherokee County, Alabama, on unspecified charges.

GNTC Adult Education Celebrates Fall 2025 Graduates at Ceremony in Calhoun

 

Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Office of Adult Education held its Fall 2025 Graduation Ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 18, honoring students who earned their High School Equivalency (HSE) diplomas.

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Summerville Police Take Report on Vehicle Damage from Hit-and-Run Incident

The Summerville Police Department is investigating a report of vehicle damage stemming from an apparent hit-and-run incident last week.

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