Chattooga Riverfest Coming

Chattooga Riverfest is now just a little more than a month away.  The annual event rotates between Lyerly, Trion and Summerville.  This year, the event will be held in Summerville.  There will be a Kayak raffle and live music, along with a vendor market and festival food.  A Jeep Cruise-In and Ducky Derby will also be featured at this year’s event. Chattooga Riverfest will take place on June 8th from 10 AM until 3 PM at Dowdy Park in downtown Summerville and features free admission and free parking.  Visit www.chattoogarivergroup.org or call 706-857-4033 for more information.

Advance Voting In Summerville Special Election Starts Monday

Advance voting for the City of Summerville Municipal Special Election on May 21, 2024, will begin tomorrow, Monday, April 29, 2024 and continue through May 17, 2024.

Advance voting will also be available on Saturday, May 4, 2024, and Saturday, May 11, 2024.

Voting for the City of Summerville Special Election will occur at Summerville City Hall, at 120 Georgia Ave., between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

The last day to request an Absentee Ballot is Friday, May 10, 2024.

Six candidates are running for the unexpired term of former Summerville City Councilman David Ford who passed away earlier this year.

Positive Athlete Names Regional Award Winners - Including Trion Athlete

For the tenth consecutive year, the Positive Athlete organization has named their Regional Award Winners for the Northwest GA Region. Positive Athlete’s Northwest GA Region consists of schools located in the following counties: Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Pickens, Polk, Walker and Whitfield.

In total, 23 different public and private high schools were represented amongst the winners for this year’s awards cycle. This year, over 6,800 nominations from coaches, principals, athletic directors, teachers, and parents were submitted for the Positive Athlete program state-wide, representing over 420 public and private high schools.

Former Forest Park High School, University of Georgia and Pittsburgh Steelers star, Hines Ward, and local businessman Scott Pederson created Positive Athlete as a movement for more positivity in youth sports. In addition to excellence on the field, each nominated Positive Athlete was required to show characteristics such as an optimistic attitude, teammate encouragement, servant leadership, heart for others, ability to admit imperfections, giving 100 percent all the time, and realizing the team as more important than the individual.

Here is a list of the 2023-2024 Northwest GA Regional Award Winners:

ABBY GUARDADO -GORDON CENTRAL -GIRLS TENNIS
AVAH MORRISON -HERITAGE (RINGGOLD) -GIRLS TRACK & FIELD
BOWEN ESTES – HARALSON – COUNTY BOYS GOLF
BRAXTON VINEYARD -MURRAY COUNTY- BOYS BASKETBALL
BRAYLON JAMES -ROCKMART -BOYS SOCCER
BRAYLON PRITCHETT -RIDGELAND- BOYS ALTERNATIVE SPORT
CHETTA DODGE -ROME -VOLLEYBALL
CHRISTINA GASS- LAKEVIEW-FT. OGLETHORPE -GIRLS BASKETBALL
COLE DINGLER- CEDARTOWN -BASEBALL
EMERY BRYANT- PICKENS -GIRLS GOLF
EMMA SCOTT -ROCKMART -GIRLS MULTI-SPORT
ETHAN ELLISON -MODEL- BOYS TENNIS
EVAN MAY -GILMER GIRLS -SWIMMING & DIVING
GARRETT MAHAN -TRION- FOOTBALL
KAREN AJANEL CETO -COAHULLA CREEK- GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
KATIE HENNON- PEPPERELL GIRLS -ALTERNATIVE SPORT
KILEIGH BARCOMB- ARMUCHEE -CHEER & GYMNASTICS
LEXI LYON- NORTHWEST WHITFIELD- GIRLS SOCCER
MADDY LEE -RINGGOLD -SOFTBALL
NICOLE HARRIS -LAFAYETTE -GIRLS COACH
PRESTON POAG -NORTH MURRAY- BOYS COACH
SYDENY KRUGER -LAFAYETTE -FLAG FOOTBALL
TANNER MILLER- DADE COUNTY- BOYS TRACK & FIELD
THOMAS YOUNG- SONORAVILLE -WRESTLING
TUCKER HENDERSON -LAFAYETTE -BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
TYLER HEWITT -ROME -BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING
WAYLON CARTER -COOSA BOYS- MULTI-SPORT

In addition to recognizing the athletes and coaches, Rome High School in Rome was honored as the Most Positive High School in the region after an impressive number of quality nominations.

All of these award winners will be recognized on campus at their local high schools, and now have a chance to win a state-wide award in their sport category, which will be announced in early May. The 2024 Georgia Positive Athlete Awards will be held in early June, and will be a night in which all scholarship winners and statewide award winners are recognized.

Positive Athlete, INC. is an organization based in Georgia that seeks to promote the benefits of positivity to young athletes around the country through awards, scholarships and special opportunities. Positive Athlete Georgia has awarded regional winners of Positive Athlete awards around the State of GA for the past 10 years, in which over $350,000 in scholarships have been awarded. Positive Athlete also has an awards program in Western Pennsylvania.

New Georgia Law Expands Paid Parental Leave For Government Workers

Parents working in state government and public schools will be able to take up to six weeks of paid parental leave under a new Georgia law.

Beginning July 1, eligible government employees will have the opportunity to take up to 240 hours of paid parental leave within a year of the birth of their child, or within a year after adoption or taking in a minor through foster care.

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 1010 Wednesday, which doubles the length of paid leave from three to six weeks that is available to state government and public school employees.

Nonprofit organizations 9to5 Georgia and the GA Coalition for Paid Leave applauded Republican House Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones and Sen. Brian Strickland, a McDonough Republican, for championing legislation that expands a 2021 law that gave state employees up to three weeks off to care for their new child.

The nonprofit advocates for parental leave stressed on Wednesday that they remain committed to expanding paid private sector family leave that is unavailable to 78% of Georgians. Under the Family and Medical Leave Act, two-thirds of Georgia residents are prevented from taking unpaid leave due to eligibility restrictions and financial constraints.

GPB

GBI: New Evidence In 9-Year-Old Death Investigation

Investigators have new evidence in a case involving the January 2015 deaths of two Cobb County residents, Bud and June Runion.

On April 14, 2024, a citizen found a .22 caliber rifle while magnet fishing in Horse Creek on Old Prison Camp Road, McRae-Helena, Telfair County, Georgia. The same person continued to magnet fish in the area, and on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, found a bag containing drivers’ licenses and credit cards belonging to the Runions, and a cell phone believed to belong to the Runions.

GBI agents and the Telfair County Sheriff’s Office subsequently executed a search warrant on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at a home located in the 400 block of Webb Cemetery Road, McRae-Helena, Telfair County, Georgia. The GBI executed an additional search warrant at the same home on Friday, April 19, 2024.  Investigators recovered evidence from both search warrants. The evidence will be submitted to the crime lab for further analysis.

In January 2015, police arrested Ronnie Jay Towns for the Runion’s deaths and armed robbery. Towns was later indicted.

The case is tentatively scheduled for trial in August 2024.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Eastman at 478-374-6988. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

Arrest Report - Saturday - April 27, 2024

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Saturday, April 27, 2024:

Cancer Navigators Walk Set For Tomorrow

Cancer Navigators’ annual 1-Mile Walk and Daisy Drop will take place this year tomorrow, on Sunday, April 28th.

Participants can help local cancer patients in their fight against cancer by signing up for the walk, which will begin at Historic Barron Stadium at 2 p.m. Registration costs $20 and includes an event T-shirt.

To register and for more information: visitbit.ly/43wj26u, call 706-509-5040, or visit the Cancer Navigators office located on the 3rd floor of the Harbin Clinic Tony E. Warren Cancer Center, 321 W. Fifth St., Rome.

The public’s support will help Cancer Navigators provide the following free services: social support, counseling, nutrition assistance, transportation assistance, medical supplies, wigs, hats and scarves, stress management and caregiver support.

The Daisy Drop is a free event for the community. Cancer Navigators’ staff will be set up near the Courtyard by Marriott distributing complimentary daisies to drop in the Oostanaula River in honor or in memory of loved ones affected by cancer.

The drop will begin at 3 p.m. at the Chief John Ross Memorial Bridge, which crosses the Oostanaula River to link the Town Green with the Courtyard by Marriott.

Parking for both events will be available at and around Historic Barron Stadium.

Cancer Navigators was established in 2006 to serve as a complement to the medical expertise of cancer care providers by guiding those in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama affected by cancer toward a better understanding of diagnosis and care while connecting them with needed resources.

For more information contact Cancer Navigators at 706-509-5040.

Sixty-Year-Old Man Arrested On Multiple Drug Charges

A sixty-year-old Chattooga County man was arrested on a litany of drug charges this week after investigators uncovered a drug selling operation.  According to information received by WZQZ News, deputies and investigators with the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office arrested Don Warren after they discovered drug activity at an address located on Highway 48 just outside of Summerville.  Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader released the following statement: On Thursday evening, Narcotics Agents with the  Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office and the LMJC Drug Task Force, along with deputies and with the assistance the Georgia State Patrol executed a search warrant at 4883 Highway 48. The search warrant was the result of an investigation involving the sale of methamphetamine. The home owner, Don Warren, age 60 was arrested on numerous felony drug charges. He is currently being held in the Chattooga County Jail

GNTC Boasts Strong Partnership With Chattooga County

(From left) Chattooga County Commissioner Blake Elsberry, GNTC Vice President of Adult Education Lisa Shaw and GNTC Adult Education Instructional Coordinator Derrick McDaniel

Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) maintains a strong presence in Chattooga County—providing Adult Education, Driver’s Education and Dual Enrollment classes to serve area residents.

“Our partnership with GNTC has grown and continues to grow,” said Blake Elsberry, sole commissioner of Chattooga County. “Whether it be in the field of healthcare or in one of the many other career fields that GNTC provides training for, Chattooga County and GNTC continue to build on our strong partnership.”

“We are always looking at ways to do more in the counties GNTC serves in the areas of adult education, economic development and technical education,” said Dr. Heidi Popham, GNTC president. “Chattooga County has been a great partner and understands the value of education. Within each division of the college, I have asked how we might grow our partnerships. In some instances, it is simply communicating what we are currently offering and exploring ways to become more visible within a community.”

Adult Learning Center

The Chattooga Adult Education Center offers GED® (General Educational Development) and HiSet® (High School Equivalency Test) classes Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The facility is located at 152 Senior Drive, Summerville.

“The center helps with basic skills and knowledge to help individuals qualify for jobs requiring a high school equivalency,” said Lisa Shaw, vice president of Adult Education at GNTC. We also offer Training on the Go, which allows students to obtain an industry-recognized credential. These opportunities are aligned with local workforce development plans and with input from industry partners to best serve the workforce needs of the community.”

The center also works with the local Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop program in cases of plant closings, layoffs or other situations when residents need support services to get back in the workforce, she said.

“Chattooga’s Adult Learning Center has been here for a number of years and has helped countless individuals obtain their GED® diploma,” Shaw said. “Many of our students have been laid off from jobs or are just looking for a brighter educational future. We are always working towards increasing our enrollment. We will also continue to provide quality instruction and workforce preparation training to help our community the best we can.”

Derrick McDaniel, instructional coordinator for Adult Education at GNTC, supervises the Chattooga Adult Learning Center. Jacob (Blake) Edgeman is the student service assistant, and Ginger Nelms is the Adult Education Student Success coach.

“We are always welcoming new students,” Edgeman said. “Our goal is to help as many students as possible.”

“We also offer online learning programs and flexible hours for students who are currently in the workforce or have other responsibilities,” Shaw said.

The biggest challenge the program faces is public awareness of the location and class offerings, Shaw said.

“Our program is also supported by the Chattooga Literacy Council, which has provided supplies, student testing fees and recognition events for our students over the years,” Shaw said.

Dual Enrollment

Georgia’s Dual Enrollment program allows qualified high school students in GNTC’s nine-county service area to maximize their education and career training by taking courses that earn college and high school credit at the same time for free. Degree-level core classes will transfer to any institution in the University System of Georgia (USG) or the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). Degree-level core courses also count toward HOPE Scholarship rigor requirements.

Chattooga High School and Trion High School have been offering general education classes through GNTC’s Dual Enrollment program to their students for several years, said Kristi Hart, director of High School Initiatives at GNTC. Approximately 230 high school students took Dual Enrollment courses between the two high schools during the current academic year.

Students can participate as early as grade 10 for Career Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) courses, and students in grades 11 and 12 can take any college course that is included in the state-approved course directory, Hart said. Highly-motivated students who are willing to take more than 12 credit hours per semester and to attend classes in fall, spring and summer terms until they graduate from high school can earn an associate degree or diploma from GNTC while pursuing their high school diploma.

“Dual Enrollment in Chattooga County has been a great benefit to many of our students at both (Trion City and Chattooga County) school systems for many years, Elsberry said.

Hart said GNTC plans to discuss further how the college can grow the partnership with Chattooga officials and educators to increase students’ opportunities and provide in-demand skills instruction and training.

Economic Development

Over the years, GNTC’s Office of Economic Development has provided education opportunities in Chattooga County covering many topics including computer skills, leadership and Driver’s Education, said Patty Hart, director of Economic Development at GNTC.

The most in-demand class is Driver’s Education, which is available to anyone who is at least 15 years of age and has a valid Learner’s Permit. Joshua’s Law requires all 16- and 17-year-olds applying for a Class D driver’s license to complete an approved driver education course, Patty Hart explained. Driver’s Education is offered at the Chattooga High School Academic Enrichment Center (AEC).

GNTC began offering Driver’s Education in 2016, said Angela Berch, vice president of Economic Development of GNTC. The class meets at the AEC, and driving appointments are scheduled for pick-up and drop-off at Chattooga High School.

“Some high schools offer the Driver’s Education class, but not all do,” Hart said. “GNTC offers classes at several of our campuses for students who did not take it at their school or whose high schools did not offer it.”

In Fiscal Year 2023, 168 students completed the Driver’s Education program at GNTC, Hart said.

GNTC has also partnered in the past with local industry, Berch said. She is touring Chattooga County industry on May 9 as a guest of Cindy Rivers McGraw, Chattooga County Chamber of Commerce executive director.

Customer Service classes are ongoing at the Adult Learning Center, Berch said.

Future Growth

Elsberry said plans are underway to potentially offer more healthcare programs in Chattooga County.

Over the past two years, Elsberry has spoken with the Chattooga County and Trion City school systems, the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center at Mercer University, GNTC and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) about possibly bringing more healthcare programs of study to Chattooga County, he said.

“That expansion will increase the career opportunities for the youth of our county,” Elsberry said.

“In Chattooga County, we are looking at ways to increase GNTC’s technical education programs, specifically in the area of healthcare,” Popham said. “Additionally, we have incredible partnerships with Chattooga and Trion high schools in the area of dual enrollment and are always open to expanding the program, especially in the high-demand careers areas.”

Employee Injured At International Paper In Coosa

A Rome man was seriously injured in an accident at International Paper in Coosa in neighboring Floyd County this week.

A number of social media posts have gone up over the last 24 hours, asking the community to pray for Timmy Obenlander.

Kelly Trumbo, communications manager with International Paper, confirmed there was an incident on-site Wednesday evening where a team member was injured and transported to a local hospital.

They are in the investigative process to determine exactly what happened, adding that safety is a priority.

“We want to make sure that we are taking care of our team members,” she said.

Trumbo added that she did not have any more specifics at this time, but will release more information once it is known.

According to Roger Haggard, Battalion Chief with the Rome Fire Department, Obenlander had already been freed from the machine and was receiving medical treatment when firefighters arrived on the scene.

WRGA

Chattooga County Gets "A" For Air Quality From American Lung Association

The American Lung Association has released its 2024 “State of the Air” report, which covers air quality and pollution levels across the United States.

“In the 25 years that the American Lung Association has been doing our ‘State of the Air’ report, we have seen incredible improvement in the nation’s air quality. Unfortunately, more than 131 million people still live in places with unhealthy levels of air pollution, and Metro Atlanta still has work to do,” Danna Thompson, Advocacy Director for the American Lung Association in Georgia, said in a statement. “Climate change is making air pollution more likely to form and more difficult to clean up. There are actions we can and must take to improve air quality, such as calling on EPA to set long-overdue stronger national limits on ozone pollution.”

Chattooga County ranked high on the list, getting an “A” on the State of the Air report.

Chattooga Extension Food Preservation Class

The Chattooga County Extension Office will be hosting a Food Preservation Fermentation Workshop coming up in May.  The class is limited to 25 participants and will be held at the Extension Office / Chattooga County Ag Building on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 from noon until 2 PM.  The cost of the class is $25.  Participants will take part in a hands-on workshop where they can acquire the knowledge of safe techniques for fermenting vegetables at home.  For more information, or to register for the class, contact the Chattooga County Extension Office at 706-857-0744.

Former NW Georgia Youth Pastor Pleads Guilty To Child Molestation Charges

Despite the fact that a former Cartersville youth pastor pleaded guilty to molesting two young boys who attended his church, prosecutors said there were many more victims who may never see justice.  Christopher Matthew Codding, 44, pleaded guilty to two counts of felony child molestation and one count of sodomy on Thursday.

As part of that plea, Codding will be sentenced to 60 years on probation and serve a sentence in prison of up to 19 years. The amount of serve time will be determined by a judge during a sentencing hearing on May 16.  The case involves the sexual abuse of two boys, both approximately 10-years-old at the time, who attended the church where Codding was a youth pastor between 2012 and 2017.

Despite the timeline of the charges in this case, prosecutors said there is evidence of prior incidents as well.

At the time of his arrest in 2022, Codding was employed as a radiologic technician, often working in Baltimore, Maryland, and an instructor at Georgia Northwestern Technical College. He volunteered as a youth pastor at Cassville Baptist Church in Cartersville. To add insult to injury, Codding taught child abuse prevention and youth protection classes at the church, Johnson said.

The case began when one of the victims learned that Codding was attempting to adopt two young boys, and stepped forward, Johnson said. Once the floodgates were opened, more and more victims came forward.

Codding, who has been out on $30,000 bond since 2022 on an ankle monitor, will be sentenced on May 16 at 9 a.m.

Advent Health Redmond: Strike Out Stroke

On Tuesday, May 7, AdventHealth Redmond is hosting Strike Out Stroke Night to support stroke awareness and prevention.

Throughout the game, courageous stroke survivors and some of AdventHealth Redmond’s medical experts will be featured. Each AdventHealth Redmond team member receives two free tickets; proof of badge is required at the box office. Free t-shirts will also be given to every game attendee.

Strokes are the primary leading cause of long-term disability and death. BE FAST educational materials will be available during the game. BE FAST is the popular acronym to help individuals remember the signs of a stroke, and it outlines a difference in balance, eyes, face drooping, arm, speech and time.

AdventHealth Redmond is proud to partner with AdventHealth Stadium to bring awareness and provide education in hopes to combat this prominent health care issue.

For more information on neurology care at AdventHealth Redmond, please visit https://www.adventhealth.com/hospital/adventhealth-redmond/neurology-care

Arrest Report - Friday - April 26, 2024

Here is the latest arrest report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office for Friday, April 26, 2024:

Northwest Georgia Unemployment Numbers Up Slightly

Yesterday, the Georgia Department of Labor released unemployment numbers for Northwest Georgia.  Despite a slight increase in unemployment numbers, Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson remains optimistic about Georgia’s job market.

“Georgia’s job market is red hot with opportunity,” said Commissioner Bruce Thompson. “This continuous growth is a strong indicator that our economic momentum is not slowing down any time soon. Once again, Georgia continues to shatter records in growing businesses statewide and creating jobs for hardworking Georgians.”

Northwest Georgia

• The unemployment rate was up two-tenths to 3.1 percent over-the-month, the rate was 3.2 percent one year ago.
• The labor force was up 3,423 over-the-month and up 8,047 over-the-year, to 448,089, an all-time high.
• The number of employed was up 2,476 over-the-month and up 7,954 over-the-year, to 434,073, an all-time high.
• Initial claims were down 355 (-16%) over-the-month and down 1,164 (-39%) over-the-year, to 1,817.

Armuchee Man Leads Police On High-Speed Chase

James William Bishop, 61 of Armuchee, is facing felony dug charges after leading police on a high-speed motorcycle chase.

Authorities stated that they clocked Bishop driving at speeds of over 15 mph above the posted limit when he refused to pull over.

After driving to and arriving at his home on Haywood Valley, Bishop is accused of running on foot.  When he was captured, he was found to have been driving while drunk.

Deputies went to say that after arriving at the jail he was found with suspected methamphetamine on him.

Bishop is charged with possession of meth, obstruction, unlawful possession of drugs by an inmate, DUI, speeding and violation of driving class.

Coosa Valley News

Calhoun HERD Field Day - May 3, 2024