The Georgia Department of Public Safety has released its activity report from the Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Period, detailing arrests, citations, and crashes handled by Georgia State Patrol troopers. According to the report, troopers made 442 DUI arrests and issued 680 citations for distracted driving. Another 847 drivers were cited for not wearing seatbelts. State Patrol worked 498 crash reports during the holiday period. Those crashes resulted in 236 injuries and six traffic fatalities. Troopers say 48 of the crashes involved a driver under the influence, and 24 involved commercial vehicles such as trucks or buses. The department did not specify the exact timeframe for the enforcement period, and it’s not yet known how many of the charges will lead to convictions.
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program is officially open for the winter heating season. The federally funded program helps eligible Georgians pay their heating bills through direct payments made to energy providers. Applications are open for seniors 65 and older and for medically homebound households. All other eligible residents can begin scheduling appointments on January 2nd. Funding is first-come, first-served until all money is gone. Northwest Georgia residents including those in Walker County can apply through North Georgia Community Action. They can be reached at 706-692-5644 or visit NGCAInc.com. To qualify, household income must be at or below 60 percent of Georgia’s median income — that’s $34,549 for one person, and $77,071 for a family of five. Applicants must provide a recent heating bill, Social Security numbers and proof of citizenship for everyone in the home, and proof of income from the last 30 days. You can find the details on this story along with the contact information on our website, just visit DiscoverWalker.com.
About 300 students from across Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s nine-county service area will graduate Thursday night during GNTC’s Fall Commencement Ceremony at the Dalton Convention Center. The ceremony begins at 6 p.m. Graduates will receive associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates across fields including healthcare, business, engineering, aviation and skilled trades.
The LaFayette High School girls basketball team is off to a perfect start, improving to 7-0 after going undefeated at the Gordon Central Thanksgiving Tournament. LaFayette opened with a big win over Woodland, led by Erin Grant and Tamra Yancy with 16 points each. Breezy White added three three-pointers for 9 points, and Ava Kelley scored 8. The Lady Ramblers then beat Cedartown 54–29, with Elliott Rogers scoring 13, Macee Casteel adding 12, Tamra Yancy 10, and Gabi Stinson finishing with 9.