Walker County commissioners are moving closer to approving the county’s fiscal year 2027 budget following a public work session yesterday. Commissioners are considering two options to close the remaining budget gap. One would provide county employees with a three-percent cost-of-living raise and require about 900-thousand dollars from the county’s fund balance. The second option would provide each employee with a one-time 15-hundred-dollar payment. That plan would use about 650-thousand dollars from the fund balance. Commission Chairwoman Angie Teems says she favors the option requiring less money from reserves. County spokesperson Joe Legge says neither option would result in a property tax increase or a change to the public safety fee. The county also plans to fully roll back the millage rate. Plans for additional staffing have also been reduced. The county now plans to add three firefighters, instead of the nine previously considered. Teems says the finance team has reduced expenses as much as possible. Commissioners are expected to vote on the fiscal year 2027 budget September third.
If your traveling through the Battlefield today, be aware of a road closure. Today between 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm ET, McFarland Gap Road, from Park City Road to White Road, will be temporarily closed in Chickamauga Battlefield while crews replace a guardrail damaged during a recent storm. If you plan to travel this route, please allow extra time and consider an alternate way around the closure.
There were two felony arrests in Walker County on Monday. 41-year-old Christopher Brian Riner was charged with first degree cruelty to children. 24-year-old Alyssa Jade Leger was arrested on a false report of a crime. You can find the most recent arrest report on our website, where it’s updated daily. DiscoverWalker.com.
A new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety finds speeding has become so common that many drivers consider going 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit acceptable. The study found nearly half of drivers believe keeping up with traffic is safer than obeying the speed limit, while three in ten say, “No one actually drives the speed limit.” AAA says speeding was a factor in nearly 30 percent of traffic deaths in 2024. The most common reasons drivers say they speed are to get around slower drivers, reach their destination faster and avoid holding up traffic. AAA recommends drivers follow the posted speed limit, adjust for road and weather conditions, and maintain extra following distance. If traffic is moving faster than the speed limit, drivers should stay in the right lane when possible and maintain a steady, predictable speed.