Today is election day in Walker County. The polls will be open until 7pm today. All 11 precincts in the county are open to vote. This special election will determine who replaces Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress and who will replace Colton Moore as the State Representative in Atlanta. We’ll have updates on the election tonight on here on Georgia 93-7. We’ll also have updates on our Facebook page at DiscoverWalker.com.
Some families at Lafayette High School are questioning whether cheer coach Nicole Harris will remain in her position after learning she is hosting tryouts for the upcoming cheer season. The development comes after community members protested a move to remove Harris during a Walker County School Board meeting last month. Walker County Superintendent Damon Raines says no final decision has been made about Harris’s future. In a statement to WRCB-TV Raines says Harris has agreed to facilitate next season’s tryouts to ensure the opportunity is available for returning and rising students, and that no other decisions have been made at this time. The Walker County Board of Education will hold a called meeting today at 5 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Walker County Board of Education Advancing Education Center on Osburn Road in Chickamauga. According to officials, the purpose of the called meeting is personnel. The meeting is open to the public.
The Chickamauga City Council will meet Thursday, at 6 p.m. at Chickamauga City Hall. Council members are expected to consider an engineering agreement for a PFAS reduction pilot study at Well Number Two, along with street resurfacing projects, board appointments and a proposed annexation request on Grand Center Road. The council will also discuss a citywide cleanup event set for April 12th and review a proposed duplex project at the Peak Steel property. An executive session is planned for personnel matters.
Walker County residents may notice low-flying aircraft in the area this week as the U.S. Department of Agriculture distributes oral rabies vaccine baits to protect wildlife. More than 500-thousand baits will be dropped across northwest Georgia beginning today through the 15th to vaccinate raccoons and help prevent the spread of rabies. Officials say the fish-scented baits are not harmful to pets, but residents should avoid touching them and allow wildlife to find them. If a bait must be moved, wear gloves and toss it into nearby woods, then wash your hands and contact the local health department if you come in contact with the vaccine.
Eligible Walker County residents can now apply for cooling assistance through Georgia’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The federally funded program helps low-income households, seniors, and people with disabilities pay cooling costs by sending payments directly to energy providers. Applications opened April first for residents age 65 and older and those who are medically homebound. All other eligible residents may apply beginning May first. Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis until they run out. Residents are encouraged to contact their local Community Action Agency and apply early to secure assistance. More details on this story are available at DiscoverWalker.com.