Atrium Health Floyd has selected Sarah Husser to lead the FloydSpirit Foundation, the newly rebranded name for Atrium Health Floyd’s former Floyd Healthcare Foundation. The foundation serves as the system’s fundraising and “friend-raising” arm, supporting programs and resources that strengthen care and expand community health initiatives tied to Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center and its affiliates.
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%.
As the new year begins, Atrium Health Floyd is reminding Northwest Georgians that respiratory illnesses like flu, COVID-19, and RSV tend to surge during the winter months—and prevention is still the best defense.
Northwest Georgia will have a major national voice on campus this Martin Luther King Jr. Day as four-time GRAMMY-winning Christian hip-hop artist, author, and actor Lecrae headlines Berry College’s MLK Day celebration on Monday, January 19, 2026, at 10 a.m. in the Krannert Ballroom.
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.
Another felony charge has been filed against a man accused in an armed robbery at the former State Line Tavern near the Alabama state line on Dec. 26.
According to Floyd County Jail records, 23-year-old Jeffrey Lemar Smith of Gadsden is accused of pointing a gun at a man inside the establishment and demanding he empty his pockets. Smith is now charged with criminal attempt to commit armed robbery.
Jail records indicate Smith was already facing multiple charges tied to the incident, including robbery, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
Authorities say Smith was later found hiding in a dumpster in Centre, Alabama, following a pursuit involving Alabama law enforcement. Investigators say two other suspects remain at large.
Rome has a new mayor, and as is customary in the city’s commission-manager form of government, the choice came from within the City Commission rather than through a direct mayoral election.
The Northwest Georgia Area Agency on Aging will hold a Dementia Friends presentation at the Rome-Floyd County Library on Monday, Jan. 12, giving residents an opportunity to learn more about dementia and the resources available for those living with the disease and the caregivers supporting them.
The agency serves 15 counties in Northwest Georgia, including Floyd and Chattooga, as well as nearby counties such as Walker, Gordon, Polk, Whitfield, Catoosa, Dade, and Murray, connecting older adults and families to services and support.
Leah Gentry, the agency’s dementia care specialist, said the program helps link people to senior resources such as in-home care options, home-delivered meals, and community organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association.
The session runs 4 to 5 p.m. and will cover what dementia is, what it can look like day to day, how to better communicate with someone who has it, and the difference between normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Gentry said her goal is to expand awareness while reminding families that help is available.
The Wings Over North Georgia Air Show will return to the skies over Rome this spring, taking place Friday and Saturday, April 3 and 4, at Russell Regional Airport, with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds set to headline the two-day event.
Air show organizers say the Thunderbirds are expected to be in town throughout air show week, and JLC Airshow Management President John Cowman noted he’s especially excited that the team will be able to land at Rome’s airport this time, crediting a recent runway extension for making that possible.
The show will feature aerial performances both days, along with a twilight show and fireworks on Friday night. Organizers also emphasized there will be no show on Sunday, which falls on Easter.
Tickets are on sale now through the event website and must be purchased in advance. Organizers say tickets will not be sold at the air show. For updates leading up to the event, attendees are encouraged to follow Wings Over North Georgia Airshow on Facebook.
Known for decades in Rome as the Claremont House, the historic home at East Second Avenue and East Tenth Street has taken on a new identity for fans of Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things—as the well-known “Creel House.” The location has increasingly become a tourist draw, bringing visitors to Rome from across the country.
