The race is on to replace Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District. So far, 19 candidates have qualified for the March 10 special election, including 16 Republicans, two Democrats, and one independent. The qualifying deadline is today at 1 p.m. Several local officials have resigned to run, as required by Georgia law. Dalton City Council member Nicky Lama stepped down January 7, with a special election set for his seat to coincide with the congressional vote. Colton Moore resigned as state senator for District 53, and Clay Fuller resigned as district attorney for the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit. Under state law, interim officials will fill the vacated posts until special elections or appointments occur. Candidates will continue to campaign ahead of the March 10 election.
Chickamauga Mayor James C. Deck the Third may be removed from office. In a meeting that lasted less than three minutes Tuesday night, Mayor Pro Tem Evitte Parrish and the City Council unanimously voted to schedule a public hearing to determine whether grounds exist for the mayor’s removal. No explanation was given for the potential action. During the meeting at the Chickamauga Civic Center, Parrish read a section of the city charter outlining the process for removing a public official. She said the hearing will give Mayor Deck an opportunity to be heard. Council members were advised they did not need to immediately set a date for the hearing, and the meeting was adjourned shortly after the vote. No timeline has been announced, and city officials have not released additional details.
A Chickamauga man is in custody after a police chase ended in a serious crash on Battlefield Parkway Friday night. According to the Georgia State Patrol, deputies with the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office were pursuing a Chevrolet Cruze and requested assistance from GSP. While traveling westbound on Battlefield Parkway, the driver rear-ended a Nissan Armada near the Sentry Station strip center. Troopers say two passengers in the suspect’s vehicle were seriously to moderately injured. A two-year-old child riding in the second vehicle, which was not involved in the pursuit, also suffered serious to moderate injuries. All injured victims were taken for medical treatment. The driver of the Chevrolet Cruze, 44-year-old Thomas Lewis of Chickamauga, was arrested at the scene. Authorities say Lewis was driving under the influence and on a revoked driver’s license.
Rock City is facing criticism from some Walker County residents over a request to rezone property it already owns on Lookout Mountain. The 14-acre parcel is currently zoned residential, and Rock City is asking the Walker County Planning Commission to rezone it for commercial use. That request will be reviewed Thursday. At the same time, the Lookout Mountain, Georgia City Council will consider a related zoning ordinance Tuesday night. Rock City says the property is in unincorporated Walker County and not within city limits, and that the county commission is the only body considering the rezoning. The company says the land’s steep terrain makes it unsuitable for residential use and that future plans could include a gondola system, new parking access, and added jobs. Both zoning actions are part of a long-range expansion plan that began in 2022.