Forecasters say scattered showers and strong to severe thunderstorms could develop across north and central Georgia this afternoon and continue into the early evening hours.
A LaFayette man was killed Saturday evening following a motorcycle crash on Shinbone Valley Road in Menlo, according to Chattooga County Coroner Jeremy A. McElhaney.
Authorities said the Chattooga County E-911 Center notified the coroner’s office at approximately 6:18 PM on Saturday, May 16, 2026, regarding a fatal motor vehicle accident.
Upon arrival at the scene, Coroner McElhaney pronounced 39-year-old James Cody Penland dead at the scene.
Preliminary information indicates Penland was the sole operator of a motorcycle that left the roadway and struck a tree. The crash was reportedly discovered and called in by a passer-by. Investigators do not believe anyone else was involved.
The Georgia State Patrol is continuing to investigate the cause of the accident.
Responding agencies included the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office, Atrium Floyd EMS, and the Menlo Fire Department.
May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about mental health, reduce stigma, and encourage people to seek support when they need it.
As swarm season approaches across Northwest Georgia, local beekeepers are preparing by setting out honeybee swarm traps designed to safely capture and relocate swarming colonies.
The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) is now accepting applications for the 2026–2027 Georgia Pre-K Teachers of the Year program.
A free food distribution is scheduled for Saturday, February 21, at Beersheba Presbyterian Church in the Teloga community.
The event will take place from 10 a.m. until noon and will be first come, first served. Organizers say the distribution is open to those in need while supplies last.
The food distribution is being offered by Helping Hands End Hunger in partnership with the Atrium Health Floyd–Polk Foundation. Additional support is being provided by the Teloga Community, Teloga Fire Department, Teloga Springs Farm, and Beersheba Presbyterian Church.
The event will be held at Beersheba Presbyterian Church, 9977 Highway 337, Summerville, Georgia 30747. For more information, organizers ask the public to contact Mandy Hale at Teloga Springs Farm.
An Armuchee man has been arrested on a felony warrant charging him with financial transaction card fraud.
According to the warrant, 45-year-old James Richard Guice is accused of authorizing another person to withdraw money from an ATM and then later reporting to the financial institution that the person did not have permission to make the withdrawal.
Investigators say the credit union credited $600 to Guice’s account based on that report, which the warrant alleges was false.
The case remains under investigation.
Police are investigating a case of criminal trespass and property damage after a vehicle was vandalized at a Summerville residence.
A Summerville man was arrested following a domestic disturbance at a residence on Orchard Road, according to an incident report from local law enforcement
A 22-year-old Rossville man has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to Malice Murder in the killing of a fellow inmate inside the Catoosa County Jail.