Arrest Report - Saturday - May 18, 2024

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Saturday, May 18, 2024:

NW GA Area Agency On Aging Quarterly Meeting

The Northwest Georgia Area Agency on Aging will hold its quarterly meeting at 10 AM Tuesday, May 21, in the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission headquarters, 1 Jackson Hill Drive in Rome. The meeting is public. Designated by the Georgia Department of Human Resources, the Area Agency on Aging coordinates programs and services designed to assist older Georgians in their desire to live in the community instead of a long-term facility.  The agency serves fifteen counties in Northwest Georgia including Chattooga and neighboring counties.

Chattooga Chamber May Meeting

Chattooga County Chamber of Commerce

The Chattooga Chamber of Commerce will hold their monthly meeting for May on the last Tuesday of the month – May 28th.   The monthly luncheon’s theme is mental health awareness in recognition of May being Mental Awareness Month.  Heather Rosener from BridgeHealth (formerly Lookout Mountain Community Services) will be one of the guest speakers.

Also, Kathy Thornton from Lookout CARES will be addressing those in attendance as well.

The public is invited to attend the catered lunch at the Chattooga County Civic Center, located on Highway 48 in Summerville across from TruistBank.  The cost is $12 for Chamber members and $17 for non-members.

Register Here

Trion Fire Department Fourth Annual Community Day Today

The Trion Fire Department is inviting everyone out for their Fourth Annual Trion Fire Department Community Day today at the Trion Veterans Memorial Park.  The event gets underway this morning at 10 AM and lasts until 3 PM.  There will be inflatables, games, vendors, fire and safety demonstrations, free smoke alarms and food.  Also, local first responders will be participating in a live vehicle accident reenactment.  LifeForce will be on hand for the event today.  There will also be live music with Chip Rowland.  The Trion Fire Department will be selling Boston Butt plates for $10 each.  Everyone is encouraged to attend the Trion Fire Department Community Day happening today at the Pavilion Area of Trion Veterans Park on Simmons Street in Trion.

AdventHealth Redmond Earns "A" Rating

AdventHealth Redmond earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog that sets standards for excellence in patient care. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to hospitals across the country based on more than 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

“Our team members consistently offer the best patient care possible, which puts our hospital at the top for patient safety,” said Isaac Sendros, president and CEO of AdventHealth Redmond. “We will continue to remain focused on providing the highest quality of care and are grateful patients have a choice of health care in our community.”

“Earning an ‘A’ Grade means AdventHealth Redmond made a true commitment to put patients first,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We congratulate the leadership, Board, clinicians, staff and volunteers that all had a role to play in this achievement.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program exclusively based on hospital prevention of medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day nationally. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

To see AdventHealth Redmond’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.

Kaitlin Goode Promoted To New Chief Position

Photo Credit: WABE

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) announces the promotion of Kaitlin Goode to Chief of Communication, Education and Outreach.

“We are thrilled to announce Kaitlin Goode for this Chief position,” said Wildlife Resources Division Director Ted Will. “Kaitlin’s career has provided opportunity for her to build great relationships and work closely with multiple other sections in the Division. She provides consistent and sound messaging to the public about wildlife and solid advice and commentary to the landscape of professional wildlife management. We look forward to seeing what she can do in the future.”

The newly created position will oversee division communications, education, and outreach. These efforts will include educational programming, further development of adaptive hunting and fishing initiatives, oversight for Charlie Elliott Wildlife Education Center operations, delivery of strategic recruitment, retention and reactivation marketing initiatives and other projects.

Goode started her career in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as the Bear Management Program’s Stakeholder Coordinator eventually moving into the Hunting and Game Management Division as a Regional Public Hunting Areas Biologist writing hunting regulations.

Goode joined the Georgia DNR in 2019 to lead the department’s new Urban Wildlife Program. Under her leadership, the program includes the Atlanta and Savannah areas and will expand to Augusta in the coming months.

Goode holds a Master of Science degree in Wildlife Sciences from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Florida State University.

Helie Sole Finalist For Chattooga School Supt. Job

At the Thursday meeting of the Chattooga Board Michelle Helie, who currently serves as Assistant School Superintendent, was name the sole finalist for the job of Superintendent of the Chattooga County School System.

Current School Superintendent Jared Hosmer announced his retirement earlier this year which prompted the search for a new superintendent for the county school system.  Hosmer’s last day with the school system is June 28th.

The vote was 3-2 in favor of offering the job to Helie with Eddie Eslberry, BJ Montgomery and Bonnie Fletcher voting in favor.  Before that vote, board members Tiffany Lawrence and Lori Bradi had put forth a motion to hire former School Supt. Jimmy Lenderman as interim school superintendent.  The vote on that motion failed 3-2.

Being name “sole finalist” for the position means that the board will still have to vote to hire Helie at a later date.  Helie will continue to serve as assistant superintendent in the meantime and will then be interviewed by the board of education in a called executive session.  Terms of her employment would be discussed at that meeting and vote will then be held to hire Heile for the job effective July 1st.

American Red Cross Supporting Military Families

The American Red Cross provides support to our U.S. military community at every step of their career — from the time a service member takes their oath to navigating life as a veteran and each event in between. You can find Red Cross support of military communities across the globe at military hospitals, on installations locally and overseas and through local chapter offices in every state.

This month, the Red Cross is inviting people around the country to turn their appreciation into action. For those with a military background or just a heart for military and veteran communities, opportunities to volunteer and support are available throughout Georgia.

“The Red Cross serves our nation’s military personnel and their families, including active duty, National Guard and Reserve, as well as our veterans,” said Tiera Patterson, Manager of Service to the Armed Forces, International Services, Georgia Region. “Red Cross volunteers are at the heart of all this work. Thousands of volunteers help deliver services at Red Cross offices across the country and in more than one hundred military installations around the world.”

ANSWER EMERGENCY CALLS WITH THE HERO CARE NETWORK. The Red Cross Hero Care Network is a free 24/7 support system for military and veteran families when they are facing life-changing events like the birth of a child, the death of a loved one, a medical emergency or even a financial crisis. The Red Cross is the only organization to provide this emergency messaging service to separated and active-duty military families.

  • Volunteers help serve members each day by answering calls, delivering messages and opening cases to support connections to additional resources.
  • Over the last year, the Red Cross is proud to have assisted over 87,000 families with emergency situations, and nearly 136,000 families received critical community services.
  • In fiscal year 2023, the Red Cross of Georgia provided nearly 19,900 services to military members, veterans and their families statewide.

VOLUNTEER TODAY. Turn your appreciation into action by volunteering with the Red Cross today. To learn more, visit redcross.org/volunteer or contact your local Red Cross chapter to learn about open positions.

Visit www.redcross.org/saf for full information about programs that support military communities.

The American Red Cross of Northwest Georgia participated in the We Care Vets Fair on Thursday at the Forum River Center in Rome.

City Of Menlo Boil Water Notice

The City of Menlo has issued a boil water advisory until further notice.  WZQZ will give updates as they become available.

Update 12:15 PM: City Water officials say that a trace of E.coli has been found in the Alpine Well.

Arrest Report - Friday - May 17, 2024

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Friday, May 17, 2024:

Six Candidates Running For City Council Seat

Today is the final day of advanced voting in the special election for Summerville City Council Seat One.  Six candidates are running for the seat that came open when former Summerville City Councilman David Ford passed away earlier this year.  Those running are: Simone Adams, Pam Albert, Craig Holt, Michael Mack, Gary Morgan and Bobby Patterson.

Residents of Summerville will need to go to Summerville City Hall today between 9 AM and 5 PM to cast their ballots.  If you don’t vote early, you will need to vote at Summerville City Hall on Election Day next Tuesday.  Summerville City Hall is located on Georgia Avenue across from Summerville First Baptist Church.

At the end of early voting on Thursday, the City of Summerville had 121 ballots cast during Advance Voting and has issued 5 Absentee by Mail ballots. Two Absentee by Mail ballots have been accepted.

Georgia's First Lady Talks Suicide Prevention At The Carter Center

Georgia’s First Lady Marty Kemp attended a symposium at the Rosalyn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum held at the Carter Center in Atlanta this week. 

The First Lady is drawing attention to the 988 suicide prevention hotline in Georgia.  According to state officials, only about 16% of people have knowledge of the hotline and that’s something First Lady Kemp wants to change. “We’ve got to make sure that we get the word out,” Marty Kemp said. “Especially with everything the state and individuals have been through. It’s very tough with a pandemic that we never even knew we were going to have. People are struggling, and we recognize that, and we want to help them.” The 988 number was launched nearly two years ago and offers a help line for those struggling with mental health issues.

The mental health forum at the Carter Center was started by former First Lady of Georgia, and of the United States, Rosalyn Carter who dedicated much of her life to raising awareness about mental health issues.

Health Inspection Scores - First Half Of May 2024

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Here are the latest health inspection scores from the Chattooga County Environmental Health Department for the first half of May, 2024:

  • SUBWAY 33504

  • 13427 HWY 27 SUMMERVILLE, GA 30747
  • Phone Number:
  • Permit Type: Food Service
  • Permit Number: 027-017
  • Last Inspection Score: 99
  • Last Inspection Date: 05-14-2024
  • For More Information Call: (706) 857-3377
  • LYERLY SCHOOL

  • 150 OAK HILL RD LYERLY, GA 30730
  • Phone Number:
  • Permit Type: Food Service
  • Permit Number: 027-028
  • Last Inspection Score: 100
  • Last Inspection Date: 05-14-2024
  • For More Information Call: (706) 857-3377
  • MENLO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

  • 2430 HIGHWAY 337 MENLO, GA 30731
  • Phone Number: (706) 859-3054
  • Permit Type: Food Service
  • Permit Number: FSP-027-000104
  • Last Inspection Score: 100
  • Last Inspection Date: 05-10-2024
  • For More Information Call: (706) 857-3377
  • SUMMERVILLE MOTEL

  • 4515 HIGHWAY 27 SUMMERVILLE, GA 30747
  • Phone Number: (404) 955-5983
  • Permit Type: Tourist Accommodation
  • Permit Number: TAP-027-000006
  • Last Inspection Score: 92
  • Last Inspection Date: 05-09-2024
  • For More Information Call: (706) 857-3377
  • SUMMERVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL

  • 33 MIDDLE SCHOOL RD SUMMERVILLE, GA 30747
  • Phone Number:
  • Permit Type: Food Service
  • Permit Number: 027-053
  • Last Inspection Score: 100
  • Last Inspection Date: 05-07-2024
  • For More Information Call: (706) 857-3377
  • SEQUOYAH MOTEL

  • 12384 HWY 27 SUMMERVILLE, GA 30747
  • Phone Number: (706) 857-2497
  • Permit Type: Tourist Accommodation
  • Permit Number: 0270004
  • Last Inspection Score: 85
  • Last Inspection Date: 05-07-2024
  • For More Information Call: (706) 857-3377
  • THE CRUSHED TOMATO

  • 205 MONTGOMERY ST SUMMERVILLE, GA 30747
  • Phone Number:
  • Permit Type: Food Service
  • Permit Number: FSP-027-000010
  • Last Inspection Score: 95
  • Last Inspection Date: 05-02-2024
  • For More Information Call: (706) 857-3377
  • CHATTOOGA HIGH SCHOOL

  • 989 HIGHWAY 114 SUMMERVILLE, GA 30747
  • Phone Number:
  • Permit Type: Food Service
  • Permit Number: FSP-027-000043
  • Last Inspection Score: 100
  • Last Inspection Date: 05-02-2024
  • For More Information Call: (706) 857-3377

For more information on these scores click HERE

Should you ever have any complaint with any food service or tourist accommodation that operates in Chattooga County, you may register that complaint by calling the Chattooga County Environmental Health Department at 706-857-3377.

4L Rodeo Returns This Weekend

Charlie and Wanda Lowry and the 4L Rodeo Company will present another fast-paced, fun-filled rodeo in the covered arena located off Farmersville Road in the Gore Community this evening and tomorrow evening. Cowboys and Cowgirls from the Southeastern PRCA Circuit will be competing on both nights.

The 4L Rodeo Company is one of the most outstanding rodeo stock contracting companies in the southeastern United States.  Founded in 1985 by champion calf roper and steer wrestler Charlie Lowry, the company has grown from five small productions its first year to producing 25 events a year. 4L Rodeo host PRCA, IPRA, NIRA and high school rodeos and rough stock schools.

Advance tickets are available at United Community Bank in Summerville, Dirt Town Deli in Gore and Southern Living Farm & Garden in Trion.  Cash only at the gate and gates open at 6 PM each evening.

The 2024 Lowry’s 4L Rodeo is brought to you by Harvey’s South End Auto.

GHC Expands "GHC@Night" Degrees

This fall, working adults will have greater flexibility and more options for earning an associate degree from Georgia Highlands College (GHC) thanks to the growing GHC@Night program. 

The program, geared toward busy and working adults who would like to advance in their careers or start a new career, allows students a unique opportunity to earn an associate degree in two years requiring only one night a week on campus, along with one or two online classes per 8-week term.

With GHC@Night, students can earn an associate degree in in business administration, communication, psychology, education, sport management, English, criminal justice, film studies, political science, sociology, history, journalism, FinTech, general studies, recreation administration and Spanish.

The in-person class for each program will meet on Tuesday nights from 6PM to 8:45PM and has the same low-cost tuition rate as all other GHC programs.

“GHC@Night is an expression of our commitment to providing access to quality education,” Executive Director of Strategic Communication Meredith Bruno said. “The program represents a key avenue through which we provide a path to a college degree that fits into the lives of busy working adults. Students joining our next cohort will have all the support they need to fulfill their dream of earning a college degree.”

After earning an associate degree through GHC@Night, graduates are then ready to complete a bachelor’s degree at in as little as two years,

While the class will meet in the evening, nearly all student support services are available to students after hours in-person or through the GHC Student Services Virtual Hub. For example, students can get tutoring in the evening by appointment, and the Writing Center can provide assistance via email or by appointment.

Following the success of the launch of GHC@Night’s Associate of Science in Business Administration this past fall, the program has been expanded to help meet the workforce needs of the region, with highly qualified and engaged faculty providing an educational experience that focuses on unique skills to help graduates grow professionally.

The new GHC@Night program option was made possible through submitting and obtaining an Adult Learner Small Grant, Propelling Data-Informed Marketing, Communication, and Credit for Prior Learning. Funding was provided by the University System of Georgia.

As a multi-campus, state college member of the University System of Georgia (USG), Georgia Highlands College offers over 40 areas of study, including 9 career-focused bachelor’s degrees designed to meet the workforce needs of Northwest Georgia.

To learn more about GHC@Night and start classes this fall, visit night.highlands.edu and complete the interest form here.

Last Day To Vote Early For Primary Election

Today is the final day of advanced voting for the Primary Election that will be held next Tuesday, May 21st.  Voters can go to the Chattooga County Registrars Office today between 8:30 AM and 5 PM and cast their ballots.  If you don’t vote today, you will need to vote in your local precinct on Tuesday of next week.

At the end of the day on Thursday, the Chattooga County Registrars Office had issued 116 Absentee by Mail ballots. They have received and accepted 91 Absentee by Mail ballots, cancelled 2 ballots, and spoiled 2 ballots. No Absentee by Mail ballots have been rejected. They have had a total of 1415 Advance Voters. They have not had any provisional ballots or rejected ballots.

Chattooga County voters have two, local contested races on the ballot.  Voters will be deciding on the county commissioner’s race and the coroners race.  Additionally, voters in Chattooga County will be voting along with voters in Walker, Dade, Catoosa and a portion of Floyd Counties on the state senate race for the 53rd District.  Voters in the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, which includes Chattooga, Walker, Dade and Catoosa Counties, will also be voting on a superior court judge race.  Be sure to bring a picture ID when you come to vote.

Friday Night Live In Summerville

Summerville Main Street’s monthly Friday Night Live is coming up this evening in downtown Summerville.  It’s bike night and there will be vendors on site on East Washington Street with the concert getting underway at 7 PM.  In case of rain, the live music will be moved to the historic Summerville Depot on East Washington Street.  The event is free.

Georgia's Unemployment Rate Unchanged

Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson announced today that Georgia’s April unemployment rate was 3.1, unchanged for the fourth consecutive month. The unemployment rate was eight-tenths lower than the national unemployment rate.

“Jobs for Georgians is something we take seriously in the Peach State,” said Commissioner Bruce Thompson. “With nearly 70,000 jobs added to the economy over the last year, including a whopping 15,000 this past month alone, there are now more opportunities than ever to launch Georgians into high-demand careers that meet industry needs head-on. While the future remains unclear, all signs are pointing toward Georgia as a perennial leader in growing jobs and creating economic opportunity for all.”

Jobs were up by 15,500 (0.3%) over the month and up by 69,900 (1.4%) over the year to 4,967,400, an all-time high.

The sectors with the most over-the-month job gains included Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, 4,300; Durable Goods Manufacturing, 3,500; Health Care and Social Assistance, 3,100; Wholesale Trade, 2,900; and Finance and Insurance, 2,400.

Jobs were down in Local Government, -1,800; Retail Trade, -1,200; and Transportation and Warehousing, -500.

Jobs were at an all-time high in Private Education and Health Services, 679,200; Leisure and Hospitality, 526,900; and Financial Activities, 287,200.

The sectors with the most over-the-year job gains included Health Care and Social Assistance, 25,100; Local Government, 13,500; Accommodation and Food Services, 11,400; Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, 11,100; and Durable Goods Manufacturing, 8,500.

Jobs were down in Information, which includes Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries, -13,700; Administrative and Support Services, -11,500; and Transportation and Warehousing, -11,300.

The labor force was up by 13,655 to 5,357,124, an all-time high, and was up by 66,599 over the past 12 months. The labor force participation rate was up from 61.4 percent to 61.5 percent.

The number of employed was up by 11,620 to 5,191,605, an all-time high, and was up by 69,062 over the past 12 months. The employment-to-population ratio was up from 59.5 percent to 59.6 percent.

The number of unemployed was up by 2,035 to 165,519, and was down by 2,463 over the past 12 months.

Initial claims were up by 3,705 (21%) over the month to 21,552 in April.  Initial claims were down by 3,855 (-15%) over the year.

For personalized assistance, employers can reach Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) staff at https://dol.georgia.gov/employeremail. For more information on unemployment benefits, claimants should call 877.709.8185 or visit their MyUI Claimant Portal. GDOL’s Career Centers also provide in-person unemployment insurance benefit services for customers statewide.

For more information on jobs and current labor force data, visit Georgia LaborMarket Explorer to view a comprehensive report.

Trion Dominates Dalton In First Half of Spring Scrimmage 28-0

The Trion Bulldogs ended their spring practices with a scrimmage Thursday night on the road against the Dalton Catamounts.  It was all Dawgs in the first half as Trion built a 28-0 lead during the varsity portion of the scrimmage.  Click the audio below for a recap of the game from WZQZ’s Ben Groce and Jeremy Burke.

Arrest Report - Thursday - May 16, 2024

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Thursday, May 16, 2024: