#WalkerCountyGA | AM 1180 Radio

July 5, 2026

Walker County Animal Shelter Reopens After Month-Long Quarantine Following Canine Distemper Case

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The Walker County Animal Shelter has reopened after completing a 30-day quarantine that began when a litter of surrendered puppies tested positive for canine distemper virus, or CDV.

Shelter officials announced that the facility resumed normal operations on June 24 after all cleaning and quarantine protocols were completed. Sadly, all eight puppies in the affected litter died from the highly contagious virus. Officials said no other animals at the shelter became ill during the quarantine period.

Canine distemper is an airborne virus that spreads easily among dogs. Because the Walker County Animal Shelter has an open-concept design and does not have adequate facilities to fully isolate exposed animals, officials determined that a complete shutdown of the shelter was necessary to prevent the virus from spreading.

During the month-long closure, shelter staff conducted an extensive deep cleaning of the facility, disinfecting equipment as well as all entry and exit points.

The shelter currently has more than 60 dogs and cats available for adoption. Staff members have also been working through a backlog of stray animals and owner surrenders that accumulated during the quarantine.

The Walker County Animal Shelter is located at 5488 North Marble Top Road near Chickamauga and is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

July 3, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Walker County Explains New Spay And Neuter Law And Exemptions

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Walker County officials are clarifying the county’s new spay and neuter ordinance and explaining which pet owners may qualify for exemptions.

The ordinance requires most dogs and cats six months of age or older to be spayed or neutered unless the animal qualifies for an exemption or the owner purchases an annual unaltered animal license. County leaders say the goal is to reduce pet overpopulation and ease pressure on the Walker County Animal Shelter.

Exemptions include animals owned by licensed commercial breeders or pet dealers, animals with a veterinarian-certified medical exemption, and working animals used for farming, herding, hunting, service work, law enforcement, or show purposes. Owners must have proper documentation.

Pet owners who do not qualify for an exemption may purchase an annual license through the Walker County Animal Shelter. The fee is $100 per year for dogs and $50 per year for cats, with proceeds going toward the county’s spay and neuter voucher program.

County officials say the ordinance will be reviewed later this year to evaluate how well it is working.

June 30, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

AAA: Gas Prices Continue To Fall Ahead Of Independence Day Travel

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Georgia motorists are getting another break at the pump just as one of the busiest travel weeks of the year gets underway.

June 26, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Walker County Deputies Assist In Chattooga County Shoplifting Arrest

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A Chattooga County woman was arrested on a charge of theft by shoplifting after investigators say she was identified through store surveillance video and later located by Walker County deputies.

According to an incident report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Alan Garmany responded on June 19 to a report of a shoplifting at a local business. Store employees told the deputy they observed 32-year-old Crissy Leigh Ingram on surveillance video remove a pair of purple aviator-style sunglasses from a display, conceal them in her pocketbook and leave the store without paying.

Store personnel provided investigators with surveillance footage and a vehicle tag number, which was relayed through Chattooga County 911 to surrounding law enforcement agencies. Walker County Sheriff’s deputies soon located a vehicle matching the description and detained a woman matching the suspect shown in the surveillance footage.

Deputy Garmany met Walker County deputies at the Walker County line near the Highway 27 and Highway 151 intersection, where custody of Ingram was transferred. She was then transported to the Chattooga County Jail without incident on the shoplifting charge. The incident was recorded on the deputy’s body-worn camera.

June 16, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Gas Prices Continue To Fall

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Georgia gas prices have continued to decline in recent weeks, giving drivers some relief at the pump even as overall costs remain a concern.

June 14, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Twenty-Nine Students Earn HSE Diplomas Through GNTC Youth Success Academy

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Twenty-nine students received their High School Equivalency diplomas this week through the Youth Success Academy at Georgia Northwestern Technical College.

June 9, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Gas Prices Level Off as Summer Travel Season Begins

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Georgia gas prices are beginning to level off after recent declines slowed over the past week. According to AAA, the state average is now just one cent lower than last week, but still 25 cents higher than last month and 97 cents higher than this time last year.

June 7, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Chattooga County Among Highest Poverty Rates in Northwest Georgia, New Data Shows

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Nearly one out of every five residents in Chattooga County lives below the federal poverty line, giving the county one of the highest poverty rates in Northwest Georgia, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and regional economic reports.

June 7, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

City of LaFayette Hiring Downtown Development Coordinator/Main Street Manager

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The City of LaFayette is seeking applicants for its Downtown Development Coordinator/Main Street Manager position, a role focused on downtown revitalization, community engagement, economic development, and event planning.

June 6, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Walker County Enacts New Spay And Neuter Ordinance

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Walker County pet owners are now required to have their dogs and cats spayed or neutered under a newly approved county ordinance.