02.11
Today is another snow day for Walker County, with four or more inches measured in areas around LaFayette. Tomorrow’s forecast calls for more of the same, with a layer of ice expected before noon followed by another three to eight inches of snow.
Unlike the big Tuesday snow of two weeks ago, all local schools were closed for the day and some businesses also kept their doors closed. That means no repeat of kids left on stuck busses or stranded at school, even though more snow fell today than during the late January “snowpocalypse.” Beyond a few minor accident reports, things today have been relatively calm and enjoyable.
Hoping to avoid a repeat of the last snow mess, Gov. Deal prematurely declared a state of emergency for 14 counties midday Monday. By Tuesday morning he had expanded the declaration – twice – to 44 and then 88 of Georgia’s 159 counties. The emergency area includes Walker and every other county from Atlanta north to Tennessee.
Tuesday President Obama signed a resolution opening FEMA funds to the parts of Georgia covered by this emergency declaration, meaning the fed can repay 75% of everything spent clearing roads in the state’s northern half. At this point the state AND county have been out doing a decent job of that, clearing the roads and maybe even laying out treatments so they don’t get too bad tomorrow. LaFayette, meanwhile, borrowed an extra road scraper from Rossville to work on city streets.
Preparing for possible devastating power losses when the ice hits tomorrow, GA Power has called in thousands of extra workers from power companies around the country. As of NOW there are no reported significant power outages for GA Power or NGEMC, but that will probably change by Wednesday lunchtime after several hours of heavy ice.
At this point ALL public schools in the region are closed for Wednesday. Other closings: Walker County government and Walker Transit. First and Second Baptist LaFayette, Rock Spring UMC, Stone Ridge Community Fellowship. NGEMC payment office in Trion. GNTC, Dalton State College. Propex in Ringgold. All local Dept. of Driver Services offices. Shaw LaFayette (plant 67) also closed, no word yet about Synthetic in Chickamauga.
There’s also an unverified report Phillips Bros. Machine will be closed. Roper was closed for both shifts today but has made no declaration yet about tomorrow. For the latest check LU Facebook or Twitter. 
Hutcheson is removing and replacing the “Erlanger at Hutcheson” signs it spent thousands of dollars buying and installing less than three years ago. No word if they kept old signs in storage or if this will require spending more money the hospital doesn’t have.
Replacing the Erlanger signs, just like putting them up to begin with, has absolutely no impact on quality of care, which is the main reason Hutcheson is dying.
(Will replacement signs say “CATOOSA COUNTY’S LARGEST ANTIQUE MALL” where they used to say “Women’s Center”?)
Today at 2 PM, Steve Tarvin was sworn in as Georgia State Representative for House District 2.
Tarvin will get the rest of this week off; as he was being sworn in, the General Assembly decided – due to snow? – it should close down until next Monday. Before that point, they voted to end this year’s legislative session on March 20th – meaning Tarvin will have about five weeks to actually do anything before his term ends.
Senator Jeff Mullis and Gov. Deal both backed Neal Florence in the House District 2 election and applied considerable resources to get him elected. Mullis’ voice was used for robo calls asking people to vote for Florence. That means, at least per Atlanta blog Political Vine, Steve Tarvin’s victory over Florence makes both Mullis and Deal “look like sh*t now” politically.
Earlier this month LPD arrested James Nez and Ashley Arnold for running from police. Officers recognized Nez driving without a license and chased him through Linwood. He and Arnold were eventually found on North Steele St. hiding behind boxes in an attic.
After LaFayette City Council decided to raise rec. department baseball/softball fees by $10 per child, local businesses joined together and contributed “sponsorships” to cover league registration fees. Each sponsor listed gave $85 so kids whose families don’t have the means to pay their fee can still participate in city sports.
All the money is being handled by the rec. department. Those who need assistance will have to apply for a sponsorship at the rec. department – this is NOT supposed to make ball free for every kid, just the ones whose families can’t afford it. Funds remaining at the end of the season will be rolled over for next year.
In this week’s “weekly report” Senator Jeff Mullis defends Gov. Deal’s response to winter weather earlier this month.
Mullis carries much responsibility for GDOT’s handling of the snow, since he passed several laws related to that issue while serving as chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.
In response to financial troubles at Hutcheson and other regionally-controlled hospitals, Senator Mullis has introduced a bill (SB 302) limiting how much debt they can have, requiring independent outside audits, and requiring county commissioners to sit on hospital boards.
Also under the Gold Dome, legislators are considering a bill (HB 838) making it illegal to share nude photos of someone else online without their permission. The law is meant to crack down on “revenge porn” but could come into conflict with the First Amendment.
Rossville library may shut down if the system can’t come up with $10,000 by July. LaFayette library also has a $11,000 deficit because of county and school funding cuts, but closure of the system’s main branch hasn’t been discussed.
Current fundraising push is selling $1 paper hearts.
Alzheimer’s patient Khampheng Xayfravong disappeared from the Buddhist compound in Chickamauga on Saturday. He was found Monday in Flower Mound, TX after being involved in a wreck.
Gov. Deal and members of his staff have been ordered to participate in a whistleblower lawsuit. The case, based on the way GA Ethics Commission handled a complaint about Deal, was scheduled to begin last Friday in Fulton County. So far no reports on what happened in court.
Do you have plans for made-up holiday Valentine’s Day? Vote in the inaugural LU Saturday Survey. Results will be posted on Thursday’s Daily Update.
This August Chattooga County will have a fair for the first time in decades.
Walker County doesn’t have (and apparently never has had) a fair. There’s been discussion and promises of one though – Commissioner Heiskell wants to have one at Money Cove Farms.
During 2013, film and TV production contributed an estimated $3.3 billion to economic activity in Georgia. (Essentially none of that occurred in Walker County.)
Jay Henry, a Shaw director living in Catoosa County, has joined GNTC’s board of directors. The multi-campus technical school has a sixteen member board.
We’re number one!
We’re number one!
For today’s links and any breaking news, follow the Underground on Facebook or Twitter.
