Jobless claims down in Rome
June 17, 2021–2:20 p.m. GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR First-time claims for unemployment insurance fell in the Rome area last month. According to the Georgia Department of Labor, there were 799 initial claims filed in May, down from 1,218 in April. There were a whopping 7,309 in May of last year. Rome has also gained 2,600…
Chattooga Lane Closures Continue on Taylor Ridge Next Week
June 12th, 2021 Georgia Department of Transportation – Weather permitting, crews will continue to repair the roadway at Taylor Ridge on Highway 27. The work next week will require occasional lane closures with traffic being led by a pilot car. WHEN: Monday, June 14 through Friday, June 18, from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. each day as needed. WHERE: The…
Murder Investigation At Hays State Prison
June 11th, 2021 – 10:40 AM WZQZ Radio – (Via WZQZ Radio) An inmate at Hays State Prison in Chattooga County, Georgia – who had been serving a sentence for molesting a 13-year-old girl – was stabbed to death earlier this week. According to reports County Coroner Earle Rainwater confirmed that Jorge Renberto Ventura was…
Georgia Reinstates Pre-Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Requirements
June 10th, 2021 – 5:15 PM Georgia Department of Labor – In accordance with the plan for reemployment and the announcement to no longer participate in the federal unemployment insurance (UI) programs enacted through the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan Act, the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) will reinstate many of the eligibility…
Trion Fire Department rescues lost hikers
June 10th, 2021 – 5:00 PM Trion Fire Department – The Trion Fire Department rescued 3 lost hikers in the Narrows area early Thursday morning – they posted the following press release on the incident: “At approximately 12:28 am lost hikers were reported somewhere on the Narrows “D.W. Mountain” as the locals call it, unknown…
[VIDEO] Dr. Voccio updates NWGA on Pandemic and Immunization
June 10th, 2021 – 4:45 PM Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District – Voccio Viewpoint 6/10/21: Dr. Gary Voccio, health director for the ten-county Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District, updates us on the coronavirus pandemic and our immunization progress in Northwest Georgia.
New immunization requirement for rising 11th grade students
June 9th, 2021 – 3:40 PM Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District – Under a new state rule, effective July 1, all students entering the 11th grade require proof of a booster dose of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) unless they received their first dose on or after their 16th birthday. “Incoming high school…
Davis announces run for Congress
June 7, 2021–4:52 p.m. NEWS RELEASE Rome City Commissioner Wendy Davis today announced she has entered the race for Congress in northwest Georgia’s 14th District. “We need a true Northwest Georgia voice for our communities,” said Davis. “I’ll focus on getting results for our families, not chasing national attention with embarrassing, erratic conspiracy theories.” While…
GNTC announces President’s and Dean’s Lists for spring 2021
June 7th, 2021 – 2:25 PM Georgia Northwestern Technical College – Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) is proud to announce the students on the President’s and Dean’s Lists for the 2021 spring semester. To be eligible for the President’s List, the student must maintain a GPA of 3.8 or higher during the semester with a…
Georgia pump prices hold steady at $2.91 per gallon
June 7, 2021–11:35 a.m. AAA SOUTH Georgia gas prices held steady at the pump compared to a week ago. Georgia motorists are paying an average price of $2.91 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline. Monday’s state average is the same from a week ago, 18 cents more than last month and $1.13 more than this time last year.…
AAA: “100 deadliest days” for teen drivers have begun
June 3, 2021–5:33 p.m. AAA SOUTH Memorial Day weekend marked the unofficial start of summer and unfortunately a dangerous time of year for young drivers. Nationwide, more than 30 percent of deaths involving teen drivers occur during what’s called the “100 Deadliest Days” – a period that runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. “Now…
GA Tourism Recovery, $2 Million in Marketing Grants & Co-op Funding
June 3rd, 2021 – 3:50 PM Georgia Department of Economic Development – Governor Brian P. Kemp in partnership with Explore Georgia, the state tourism office within the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced the recipients of a special round of Tourism Recovery Marketing Grants. The Explore Georgia Tourism Recovery Marketing Grant program supports marketing…
COVID-19 cases are down, but vaccine rates have slowed
June 2, 2021–5:47 p.m. STAFF REPORTS As we enter the summer months, we are continuing to see a decline in COVID-19 cases in Northwest Georgia. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, Floyd County has reported 60 positive test results in the last two weeks. Compare that to December 10 when there were 132…
Blood donations needed as cancer patients resume care
June 2, 2021–5:39 p.m. NEWS RELEASE The American Red Cross and the American Cancer Society have teamed up this June to encourage people across the country to Give Blood to Give Time and help ensure loved ones have the strength and support they need as they undergo cancer treatment. According to the American Cancer Society,…
Chattooga Water District asks customers to conserve water for next few days
June 2nd, 2021 – 5:20 PM WZQZ Radio – (Via WZQZ Radio) The Chattooga County Water District is asking customers to conserve water for the next few days due to a pump going out at one of the county water system’s wells. The district says that it could take up to two weeks to get…
Georgia gas prices down two-cents
May 31, 2021–7:25 p.m. AAA SOUTH Georgia gas prices decreased at the pump compared to a week ago. Georgia motorists are now paying an average price of $2.91 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline. Monday’s state average is 2 cents less than a week ago, 22 cents more than last month, and $1.16 more than this time last year. Local averages…
Law enforcement: Buckle up this weekend
May 27, 2021–2:58 p.m. NEWS RELEASE State troopers and local law enforcement are asking everyone to make the summer travel season a safe one this year by remembering to click their seat belt or risk being handed a ticket. Preliminary data from the Georgia Department of Transportation shows the number of people killed in traffic…
Construction-related lane closures suspended during holiday weekend
May 26TH, 2021 – 12:10 pm Georgia Department of Transportation – To ease potential Memorial Day weekend traffic congestion, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) will suspend construction-related lane closures on interstates and major state routes starting at noon on Friday, May 28, and continuing to 5 a.m. on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Motorists should be aware…
Expect higher gas prices this holiday weekend
May 26, 2021–6:09 a.m. AAA SOUTH Motorists hitting the road this week to celebrate the unofficial kick-off to summer will be greeted with the most expensive Memorial Day weekend gas prices since 2014. Georgia gas prices are down 3-cents a gallon from last week as the supply has stabilized somewhat since the Colonial Pipeline cyber-attack. However,…
More than 357,000 vaccinations given at GEMA mass vaccination sites
May 24th, 2021 – 5:10 PM Georgia Emergency Management – The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency closed out operations at the eight mass vaccination sites across Georgia on May 21, after administering 357,668 total doses of Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccine. “Our goals were to address the vaccination needs of underserved populations…