Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic are making an additional investment in their local workforce, announcing an increase in the minimum starting wage for eligible teammates in Northwest Georgia to $18.85 per hour, beginning with Jan. 30 paychecks. Leaders say the change is meant to strengthen long-term workforce stability and support the employees who provide care across the region.
Chattooga County Schools have canceled all extracurricular activities scheduled for tonight, Friday, January 30, 2026, as well as events planned for this weekend, due to the forecast for snow beginning tonight and continuing into Saturday. School officials said information on rescheduled dates and times will be shared once details are confirmed.
The announcement was issued by Jeremy Heathcock with Chattooga County Schools, who encouraged families to stay warm and safe as winter weather moves into the area.
A winter storm moving across parts of Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas will be the main weather story over the next 24 to 48 hours, with widespread snowfall expected across portions of the region. Forecasters say confidence is high in the overall setup: an unusually strong upper-level low dropping out of Canada will drive a surge of Arctic air into the Southeast, while a surface low strengthens rapidly off the Georgia and South Carolina coast. As that coastal system intensifies, moisture will wrap back into Georgia, combining with lift from the upper-level low to produce snow—though where the western edge of the snow sets up remains one of the biggest uncertainties.
Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Friday, January 30, 2026:
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY 7 PM Friday – 7 PM Saturday
EXTREME COLD WATCH 7 PM Saturday – 1 PM Sunday
An approaching winter storm is expected to bring heavy snow to portions of the South and northeast Georgia over the next 48 hours. Much like last weekend, Chattooga, Floyd, and Walker Counties will be on the western edge of the expected winter precipitation. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for our area, with snow expected Saturday, generally ranging from a dusting to around one inch.
The Family Resource Agency of North Georgia Head Start/Early Head Start/Pre-K Program is accepting applications for two Early Head Start Teacher positions at the Chattooga Head Start/Early Head Start location. The start date will be determined later, and the positions are full-time at 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, with no weekends, totaling 1,976 annual hours.
For generations of families in Chattooga County, Camp Hamby has been a summertime tradition where children learn, grow, and build friendships in a setting rooted in faith and community. Operated by local United Methodist Churches, the long-running day camp has served as a welcoming place for kids to explore their relationship with Jesus while enjoying a full schedule of classic camp activities.
A Chattooga County man has been arrested following an investigation into multiple fires reported at a vacant property on 228 Weems Road.
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Photo Credit: Education Week
Georgia lawmakers are considering extending a statewide ban on student personal devices to high schools, meaning today’s sophomores could face phone-free school days by their senior year. A ban covering kindergarten through middle school is already set to take effect next fall after passage last year, and the bill’s sponsor now wants to expand that policy to older students beginning in fall 2027.
The Georgia Department of Labor released new employment numbers Thursday showing continued improvement in Northwest Georgia’s job market. Georgia Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes said December saw more Georgians working and unemployment declining across every region of the state, adding that the focus in 2026 will remain on connecting workers to in-demand careers and helping businesses find the talent they need.
In Northwest Georgia, the unemployment rate fell eight-tenths of a percent over the month to 3.1 percent, down from 3.6 percent one year ago. The labor force increased by 885 over the month and by 3,180 over the year, reaching an all-time high of 459,957. Employment also reached a record high, rising by 4,207 over the month and 5,363 over the year to 445,548. Initial unemployment claims increased to 7,613, up 5,227 from the previous month and 568 higher than one year ago.
