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May 30, 2026

Chattooga County Expands Redevelopment Area To Help Secure Funding For New Apartment Project Near Trion

Local News, Local News Items #ApartmentProject, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaCountyCommission, #ChattoogaInfo, #CommunityGrowth, #EconomicDevelopment, #HousingDevelopment, #LocalGovernment, #northwestgeorgia, #NWGA, #trionga, #UrbanRedevelopment, #WorkforceHousing, #wzqznews 0

Chattooga County Commissioner Andy Allen has approved an expansion of the county’s Urban Redevelopment Area in an effort to help unlock federal funding opportunities for a proposed apartment development near Trion.

May 27, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Floyd County Expands Fight Against PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Contamination

Local News, Local News Items #CarpetIndustry, #DrinkingWater, #EnvironmentalNews, #EnvironmentalProtection, #FloydCounty, #ForeverChemicals, #georgianews, #northwestgeorgia, #NWGA, #OostanaulaRiver, #PFAS, #PublicHealth, #RomeGA, #TuesdayMay262026, #WaterContamination, #wzqznews 0

Tuesday evening, the Floyd County Commission approved Arnold & Itkin LLP as lead counsel to represent the county in pursuing legal claims connected to PFAS contamination affecting local landfills, drinking water wells, parks, and other public properties.

May 27, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

National Foster Care Month Highlights Need For Foster Families In Chattooga County

Local News, Local News Items #Adoption, #chattoogacounty, #ChildAdvocacy, #CommunitySupport, #DFCS, #FosterCare, #FosterParents, #GeorgiaDFCS, #GeorgiaFosterCare, #May2026, #NationalFosterCareMonth, #northwestgeorgia, #NWGA, #summervillega, #TuesdayMay262026, #wzqznews 0

May is National Foster Care Month, and local officials are encouraging families in Chattooga County and across Northwest Georgia to consider opening their homes to children in need.

According to Georgia foster care data, more than 10,800 children are currently in foster care statewide, with hundreds of children still waiting for permanent homes and supportive families.

The Georgia Division of Family and Children Services says foster parents play a critical role in providing safe, stable, and caring environments for children who have been removed from unsafe situations because of abuse, neglect, or other family crises.

Officials say there continues to be a need for additional foster families in rural communities like Chattooga County, especially for sibling groups, teenagers, and children with special needs.

People interested in becoming foster parents must complete training, background checks, and home evaluations before children can be placed in their care. State officials say foster families receive support services and guidance throughout the process.

The Chattooga County DFCS office is located at 102 Highway 48 in Summerville, and residents can call 706-857-0817 for more information about fostering or adopting children.

Additional statewide foster care information is also available by calling 1-877-210-KIDS.

May 27, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Shorter University Announces New Dual-Degree Engineering Partnership With Kennesaw State

Local News, Local News Items #CareerPathways, #CollegeNews, #DualDegree, #EngineeringDegree, #floydcountyga, #GeorgiaEducation, #highereducation, #KennesawStateUniversity, #KSU, #MathematicsDegree, #northwestgeorgia, #NWGA, #RomeGA, #ShorterUniversity, #SouthernPolytechnic, #StudentSuccess, #TuesdayMay262026, #wzqznews 0

Shorter University has announced a new partnership with Kennesaw State University that will give students the opportunity to earn two bachelor’s degrees at the same time.

Through the program, students can graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Shorter University and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from KSU’s Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology.

Students will complete 45 credit hours at Shorter before transferring to Kennesaw State. The coursework has been aligned so credits transfer smoothly and students remain on track toward graduation.

Shorter Provost Dr. John Reams said the partnership gives students a strong pathway toward careers in engineering and mathematics while expanding academic opportunities.

Students who complete the requirements for the Shorter mathematics degree will receive that degree through reverse transfer while finishing their engineering degree at KSU.

For more information, visit shorter.edu/admissions or call 706-233-7319.

May 27, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Power Warns Customers About Active Utility Scams

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #ConsumerAlert, #DoorToDoorScam, #FraudPrevention, #georgianews, #georgiapower, #northwestgeorgia, #NWGA, #OnlineScam, #PhoneScam, #PublicSafety, #ScamAlert, #summervillega, #TuesdayMay262026, #UtilityScam, #wzqznews 0

Georgia Power customers are being warned about active scams involving people pretending to represent the utility company.

Scammers may contact customers by phone, text message, fake websites, or even door-to-door visits, claiming a bill is overdue and threatening immediate disconnection unless payment is made right away.

Georgia Power says customers should be especially cautious if someone demands payment through prepaid debit cards, gift cards, Cash App, Venmo, Bitcoin, or similar methods. The company says it does not collect payments door-to-door and does not demand those types of payments.

Customers should also watch for fake caller ID information and lookalike websites designed to steal personal or payment information.

Anyone who receives a suspicious call or visit should hang up, avoid giving out personal information, and verify the request by calling Georgia Power directly at 888-660-5890 or visiting GeorgiaPower.com.

Customers approached at home by someone suspicious should also contact local law enforcement.

May 26, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Arrest Report – Tuesday – May 26, 2026

Local News, Local News Items #arrestreport, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaCountySheriffsOffice, #CloudlandGA, #crimereport, #JailBookings, #LawEnforcement, #LocalNews, #LookoutMountainGA, #lyerlyga, #May2026, #MenloGA, #northwestgeorgia, #NWGA, #PublicSafety, #summervillega, #trionga, #Tuesday, #TuesdayMay262026, #wzqznews 0

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Tuesday, May 26, 2026:

April 20, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Arrest Report – Monday – April 20, 2026

Local News, Local News Items #arrestreport, #BookingReport, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaCountyGA, #ChattoogaCountySheriffsOffice, #ChattoogaSheriff, #CommunitySafety, #CrimeNews, #crimereport, #DailyArrestReport, #InmateIntake, #JailBookings, #LawEnforcement, #LocalCrime, #LocalLawEnforcement, #LocalNews, #Mugshots, #northwestgeorgia, #NWGA, #PoliceBlotter, #PublicRecord, #SheriffsOffice, #StayInformed, #wzqznews 0

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Monday, April 20, 2026:

April 12, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Summerville City Council To Consider Recreation Projects, Pavilion Bid, And Dog Park Discussion

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #CityCouncilMeeting, #CivicEngagement, #CommunityNews, #DogPark, #EconomicDevelopment, #FairwayProject, #georgianews, #LocalBusiness, #LocalGovernment, #northwestgeorgia, #NWGA, #PublicSafety, #RecreationProjects, #summervillecitycouncil, #summervillega, #WillowSprings, #wzqznews 0

The Summerville City Council is set to meet Monday, April 13 at 5:00 PM, with several key items on the agenda impacting the community.

April 11, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Woman Arrested For Criminal Trespass At Menlo Handy Mart

Local News, Local News Items #arrestreport, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaSheriff, #CommunitySafety, #ConvenienceStore, #CrimeNews, #CriminalTrespass, #GeorgiaCrime, #LawEnforcement, #LocalCrime, #LocalNews, #MenloGA, #MenloHandyMart, #northwestgeorgia, #NWGA, #PublicSafety, #SheriffsOffice, #wzqznews 0

A Chattooga County woman was arrested following a trespassing incident at the Menlo Handy Mart on Highway 48.

According to the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the convenience store on April 3 after reports of a female subject on the property who had previously been warned not to return.

The suspect was identified as Kimberly Joyce Basham. Authorities say Basham had been trespassed from the business in the past but returned again, prompting the call to law enforcement.

Deputies made contact with Basham at the scene and took her into custody without incident. She was transported to the Chattooga County Jail and charged with criminal trespass.

April 10, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Chattooga County Sees Higher Share Of Workers Filing Unemployment Claims As Jobless Rate Holds Near 4%

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #CommunityUpdate, #EconomicUpdate, #EmploymentNews, #floydcountyga, #GeorgiaDOL, #JobMarket, #JobsReport, #LaborForce, #LocalEconomy, #lyerlyga, #MenloGA, #northwestgeorgia, #NWGA, #RomeGA, #summervillega, #trionga, #UnemploymentClaims, #UnemploymentRate, #WalkerCountyGA, #Workforce, #wzqznews 0

New labor data released on Thursday by the Georgia Department of Labor shows Chattooga County continues to see a higher share of workers filing unemployment claims compared to neighboring counties, as overall unemployment remains steady heading into the spring.