Jobless claims in Rome up slightly in September
October 24, 2021–11:10 a.m. GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR First-time claims for unemployment insurance in the Rome area were up slightly in September. According to the Georgia Department of Labor, there were 319 claims filed last month, up from 311 in August. There were 1,895 initial claims in September of 2020. Bartow County’s jobless claims were…
Man charged in fatal wreck
October 20, 2021–10:30 a.m. FLOYD COUNTY JAIL RECORDS Charges have been filed in a fatal wreck that occurred October 7 on Rockmart Highway. 22-year old Kerrion Cornelius Woolfork of Aragon turned himself in at the Floyd County Jail Tuesday on warrants charging him with misdemeanor counts of 2nd-degree vehicular homicide and failure to maintain a…
Georgia gas prices increase….Again
October 18, 2021–11:56 a.m. AAA SOUTH Georgia gas prices increased alongside rising crude oil. Georgia motorists are now paying an average price of $3.15 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline. Monday’s state average is 9 cents more than a week ago, 18 cents more than last month, and $1.15 more than this time last year. According to AAA, the key driver…
Cedartown man killed in Bartow County wreck
October 17, 2021–4:34 p.m. GEORGIA STATE PATROL A Cedartown man was killed in a two-vehicle wreck in the Euharlee area of Bartow County Saturday. According to the Georgia State Patrol, 37-year old Walter Reynoso-Aquilar attempted to turn left from Highway 113 onto Covered Bridge Road in a 2000 Toyota 4Runner. He turned into the path…
11 arrested in Polk County for THC gummies and vapes
October 14, 2021–1:23 p.m. NEWS RELEASE The Polk County Drug Task Force arrested 11 people after an investigation revealed that THC gummy “candy” and THC vapes were being sold at three Cedartown convenience store locations. The investigation and arrests came after school administrators and local parents expressed concern to DTF agents that several students had appeared intoxicated…
Georgia gas prices increase
October 11, 2021–8:38 p.m. AAA SOUTH Georgia gas prices increased alongside rising crude oil. Georgia motorists are now paying an average price of $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline. Monday’s state average is 8 cents more than a week ago, 8 cents more than last month, and $1.07 more than this time last year. High crude prices will likely contribute to…
[VIDEO] Floyd Sheriff’s Office officially dedicates Training Center to Kristen Hearne
October 8th, 2021 – 5:15 PM Ethan Garrett – WRGA Digital News Editor & Video Reporter – On Friday morning a crowd gathered at the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office for a ceremony to officially dedicate their new training center to the late Kristen Hearne: Additionally, the new “Wall of Honor” mural for the Kirsten Hearne…
Polk Police arrest man for aggravated assault, terroristic threats & acts
October 5th, 2021 – 4:25 PM The Polk County Police Department – On October 04, 2021, at 20:35, Polk County Police Officers were dispatched to the Wesley Chapel Community Church on Drummond Road in reference to a subject with a knife call. The reporting party stated that there was a subject on scene stating that…
Electrical worker struck and killed by work truck
September 30, 2021–11:22 a.m. GEORGIA STATE PATROL An electrical contractor worker was struck and killed by a work truck on Highway 27 near the Chattooga-Floyd County Line Wednesday afternoon. According to preliminary information from the Georgia State Patrol, 29-year old Garrett Christian of Rockmart had walked onto the highway to block traffic in the outside…
New rules in effect as North Georgia burn ban is lifted
September 30, 2021–8:51 a.m. GEORGIA FORESTRY COMMISSION Georgia’s annual summer ban on outdoor burning will be lifted on October 1. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division mandates the fire restrictions from May through September in 54 counties, primarily in the northern half of the state, to protect air quality from emissions that may increase ground-level ozone.…
Security guard bridges communication gap for deaf Patient
September 29, 2021–7:30 p.m. NEWS RELEASE Juan was lonely. He had been a patient in the Floyd health system several times over the course of 2020 for evaluations. His family knew something was wrong and desperately wanted help for him, but Juan’s situation was a complicated one. Juan is deaf. He communicates only through American…
Latest DPH data show COVID-19 still effective
September 29, 2021–7:26 p.m. GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH There’s more data that shows that the COVID-19 vaccine has been effective in preventing hospitalizations and death. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, from January 2 through September 28, just over one percent of the 4.9-million vaccinated Georgians have gotten COVID-19. Meanwhile, just over…
COVID-19 status reports for Wednesday
September 29, 2021–7:23 p.m. GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH Floyd County is up to 262 COVID-19 deaths, up from 260 on Tuesday. According to the Wednesday status report from the Georgia Department of Public Health, 28 more Floyd County residents tested positive for a total of 14,906 since February of 2020. Floyd’s two-week average of…
Draft redistricting map unveiled
September 29, 2021–6:05 a.m. STAFF REPORTS The Georgia State Senate has released the first draft of Georgia’s proposed Congressional redistricting map. Very few changes for the 14th Congressional District, which runs from Bremen in the south to the Georgia-Tennessee line in the North. Floyd, Gordon, Polk, Chattooga, and Paulding Counties would remain in the 14th.…
Latest on COVID-19 vaccination rates
September 29, 2021–6:00 a.m. GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH At least 54% of Georgia residents have now had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine with 47% fully vaccinated. In Northwest Georgia, Floyd County continues to lead the way, but we are still below the state average. As of Tuesday, 45% of Floyd County…
Floyd County reports two more COVID-19 deaths
September 27, 2021–8:55 p.m. GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH Two more Floyd County residents have died from COVID-19, according to the Monday status report from the Georgia Department of Public Health. Floyd County is now at 261 deaths since the start of the pandemic. 117 new positive tests were included in the numbers, which also…
Kemp announces bonus for public safety officials & first responders
September 27th, 2021 – 4:00 PM The state of Georgia (Press Release) – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced a $1,000 pay supplement for all eligible sworn law enforcement officials and first responders in Georgia. Local governments and employers of public safety officials and first responders are encouraged to visit the Office of Planning and…
Polk Medical Center earns recognition for heart failure care
September 27, 2021–10:32 a.m. NEWS RELEASE Polk Medical Center’s commitment to helping patients manage heart failure, including diabetes care, has earned the hospital the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus Get With The Guidelines®-Heart Failure Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes Polk Medical Center’s commitment to ensuring heart failure patients receive the most appropriate treatment according…
Gas prices up slightly
September 27, 2021–10:23 a.m. AAA SOUTH Georgia gas prices increased last week alongside rising crude oil and gasoline futures prices. Georgia motorists are now paying an average price of $2.99 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline. Monday’s state average is 2 cents more than a week ago, 4 cents more than last month, and 99 cents more than this time last year. According…
COVID-19 booster shots available for some starting Monday
September 26, 2021–1:19 p.m. GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH All Georgia health departments, including those in Northwest Georgia, will begin offering to eligible people Monday, September 27. The recommendations for COVID vaccine booster shots are: People 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine…