Three of the five Saddle Ridge School students hospitalized after ingesting Kratom gummies remain in stable condition. Walker County Superintendent Damon Raines says the incident happened Wednesday, when three students began showing concerning symptoms at school and were taken to the hospital. A fourth student who went home sick earlier that day was later hospitalized, and a fifth was taken by a parent as a precaution. As of Thursday, one of the students was expected to be released. Raines says school officials have stayed in close contact with parents and guardians throughout the situation. Kratom is a plant-based substance that can act as a stimulant in small amounts and as a sedative in larger doses. The FDA has not approved Kratom for any medical use.
A state review board says Walker County’s handling of hotel-motel tax money tied to the McLemore golf resort shows gaps in transparency and recordkeeping — though investigators found no direct violations of Georgia law. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs released a preliminary report Thursday, saying Walker County and its Chamber of Commerce generally followed state tax rules but failed to provide enough detail to confirm that restricted funds were used only for tourism purposes. Investigators flagged an eighteen-thousand nine-hundred sixty-seven dollar payment to McLemore listed as an “administrative fee,” which wasn’t reported as a tourism or development expense. They also questioned whether the resort’s golf course and amenities are truly open to the public, since access appears limited mainly to guests and members. The report recommends better documentation and independent audits going forward. A final ruling from the state’s Hotel-Motel Tax Performance Review Board is still pending.
The LaFayette Lady Ramblers split their first two games yesterday at the GHSA State Softball Tournament in Columbus. LaFayette opened the day with a big win over North Hall, 8 to 1. The Ramblers scored six runs in the top of the fifth inning, then added a two-run homer from Tamra Yancy in the seventh to seal the victory. In their second game, LaFayette fell to Cherokee Bluff, 10 to 2. The Lady Ramblers will be back on the field today at one o’clock as they continue their chase for a state championship.
Downtown LaFayette will be full of Halloween fun tonight for the annual Scare on the Square celebration. Events get started this afternoon with the pumpkin decorating and carving contest — drop off entries at the Downtown Commons between three-thirty and four-thirty. The costume contest begins at five o’clock, with winners announced right after. Pumpkin contest winners will be named at five-thirty, and that’s also when trick-or-treating gets underway once merchants are ready. Downtown roads will close at five, and Scare on the Square runs until seven o’clock tonight.
Some high school football scores from last night. In the game you heard here on Georgia 93-7, The LaFayette Ramblers fell to Calhoun 35-9. Gordon Lee finished the regular season 9-1 and unbeaten in region play as they beat Fannin County 45-7.