Walker County is set to become a major player in Georgia’s food manufacturing industry. Pilgrim’s, one of the world’s largest food companies, is investing $400 million to build a new prepared foods facility in LaFayette. The multi-phase plant will be located at the Walker County Business Park and is expected to create more than 630 new jobs once fully operational. The new facility will produce a variety of fully cooked chicken products, including nuggets, popcorn chicken, and lightly breaded strips — all under well-known brands like Just Bare, Pilgrim’s, and Gold Kist. Pilgrim’s already employs around 7,500 people across Georgia. This new investment marks a significant expansion of the company’s footprint in the state and is aimed at meeting growing demand in both retail and foodservice markets. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of this year, with hiring to start in 2027 as the first phase wraps up. Local officials say the project is a major win for LaFayette and Walker County, offering not only hundreds of new jobs but long-term economic stability for the region.
June’s unemployment figures for Walker County have been released. The unemployment rate last month was 3.4%. That’s up from May’s 3.2%. Despite the increase the number is still down a tenth of a percent from last year. Statewide, Georgia’s unemployment rate rose four-tenths of a percent in June. Catoosa County saw their unemployment rate rise slightly to 3.2%. Chattooga saw a jump from 3.8% to 4.3%. Those numbers are still better than the 5% unemployment rate from last June. Dade County saw a half a percent jump to 3.5%. Full details on the unemployment numbers are available on our website at DiscoverWalker.com.
Four felony arrests in Walker County on Wednesday. Among those arrested 59-year-old Donna Renee York was booked on charges of possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possession meth. The complete arrest report can be found on our website at DiscoverWalker.com where it is updated every morning.
The LaFayette High School Cross Country team has released their schedule for the upcoming season. The first competition for the Runnin’ Ramblers will be August 23rd at Heritage High School. LaFayette will host the Rambler Cross Country Invitational and the Walker County Championship on September 25th. The GHSA Sectional meet is slated for November 1st. The state meet is in Carrolton this year, on November 8th. You can find the complete schedule on our website at DiscoverWalker.com.