The National Weather Service says there is a high fire danger today. Outdoor burning is discouraged. This is for all of Northwest Georgia. If you’re seeing smoke in the area yesterday and today as you travel around, there are two prescribed burns taking place. Georgia Forestry is conducting a large burn off Pocket Loop near Rock Town on Pigeon Mountain. The other burn is in Catoosa County on Taylors Ridge.
Seven felony arrests in Walker County on Wednesday. Three people were arrested for possession of meth with the intent to distribute. 42-year-old James Lebron Holden, 35-year-old Christopher Shane Barrett and 44-year-old Daniel Lee Sigmon were all booked into the Walker County Detention Center. 47-year-old Ronald Lee Fulton was arrested on child pornography charges.
The Georgia Department of Labor said the state’s February unemployment rate was 3.6%, that’s unchanged from January. Local unemployment numbers for Walker County will be available next week.
Georgia’s Brian Kemp could tie New York’s governor for the highest-paid state governor under a proposal made yesterday. State senators agreed to amend House Bill 86 to give big pay raises to most of Georgia’s statewide elected officials. The bill would also raise pay for judges on the state Supreme Court and other statewide courts. The measure would raise Kemp’s pay from the $182,000 to $250,000. According to figures compiled by New York state government, that would tie the governor of New York for the most any governor is paid. In case you’re wondering the governor of Maine makes the least, at $70,000 a year.
