A Flood Watch remains in effect through this evening for Northwest Georgia as a stalled front continues to bring rounds of heavy rain to the area. Expect off-and-on showers and thunderstorms through today and into the weekend. It won’t be a washout, but outdoor plans could see a few interruptions. By Sunday, only isolated showers are expected with highs near 90. Looking ahead, next week turns hot and dry with afternoon highs in the lower 90s.
Walker County’s unemployment rate held steady at 3 percent in the latest report from the Georgia Department of Labor, remaining well below the Northwest Georgia regional average of 3.4 percent. Catoosa and Gordon counties posted the region’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.8 percent, followed by Dade County at 2.9 percent. Whitfield County came in at 3.3 percent, while Chattooga County reported the highest rate at 3.8 percent. The report also shows Northwest Georgia’s labor force reached a record high of more than 460,000 workers, reflecting continued long-term job growth across the region.
Walker County officials say this year’s road resurfacing program is nearing completion, with just four roads remaining after current paving work wraps up. Contractors are now resurfacing Huffman Road, Van Horn Road, County Line Road, and Chapman Road. After that, crews will finish work on Old Chattanooga Valley Road, Delmont Howard Road, Walker Hollow Road, and Powder Springs Circle. County leaders say more than 70 miles of roads are being resurfaced this year, bringing the total improved since 2018 to more than 253 miles through funding from TSPLOST and SPLOST.
A new AARP Georgia poll finds voters age 50 and older could decide this year’s races for governor and the U.S. Senate. The survey found voters over 50 cast nearly 70 percent of ballots in this year’s primary, and 88 percent say they’re highly motivated to vote in November. The poll shows Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms leading Republican Rick Jackson by two points in the governor’s race, while Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff holds a nine-point lead over Republican Congressman Mike Collins. Among voters age 50 and older, affordability remains the top issue, followed by protecting Social Security and Medicare, and lowering health care costs.
The latest Walker County Restaurant Report is available online at DiscoverWalker.com. Holy Smoke BBQ in Chickamauga got a 100. So did LaFayette Nutrition and Wolfe’s Den Coffee Shop in LaFayette.
NASCAR takes over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday with the Brickyard 400. You can hear all the action starting at 2pm on Georgia 93-7. You’re home for Nascar in North Georgia.