Local Government and Infrastructure Updates
Property tax bills are heading out to local property owners over the next few days following the final adoption of the 2026 millage rates. While both local school systems took full rollbacks—with Calhoun City Schools setting their rate at 10.888 mills and Gordon County Schools adopting their full rollback rate of 14.529 mills—the city and county governments did not. The City of Calhoun adopted a rate of 2.25 mills, and the Gordon County Board of Commissioners approved a rate of 7.7 mills. Despite the city and county rates sitting above their calculated rollback figures, homestead properties should see an overall tax decrease, while a majority of commercial properties will face an increase.
In utilities action, the Calhoun City Council denied a request to extend sewer service to a 155-unit residential development proposed by Darrin Harden. The council opted to strictly uphold their 2024 policy, which requires a development to have at least 300 units and sit within a mile of the city limits, even though the developer offered to fund the lift station. The council did, however, greenlight several major infrastructure contracts. These include awarding a $3.9 million contract to SmithBuilt Construction Group for a new water storage tank on Fire Tower Road, approving EXP Engineering for Curtis Parkway improvements, and awarding a $322,374 paving contract to Northwest Georgia Paving.
In local zoning, a variance request for smaller apartment footprints at 400 Harlan Street was denied over Fire Department access concerns, while a 2.07-acre de-annexation on Doubletree Drive was approved. Council members also approved alcohol licenses for Casa Brasa Peruvian Restaurant and Samarthya Business LLC.
If you experienced water issues yesterday, the water main breaks across the Calhoun utilities system are now fully repaired. Kyle Ellis reported that after a morning phone outage from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM, crews spent all day repairing major breaks across the Red Bud, Mason Road and Sonoraville, and Rock Creek areas. Water has been restored to the majority of the system, though Mason Road service may still see brief interruptions while crews wrap up their final work.
Law Enforcement, Economy, and Elections
In local law enforcement, the latest jail media report includes several recent arrests:
Lewis Eugene Avery, 35, Kingston, CPD, Criminal Trespass, Possession of Tools for Commission of a Crime, Theft by Shoplifting.
James Richard Owenby, 60, Chatsworth, GCSO, Drugs in Original Container, Failure to Stop at Stop Signs, Marijuana-Possess Less Than 1 oz., Poss of Sched II Controlled Substance (Oxycodone), Suspended Registration.
Dayton Leiva, 23, Calhoun, CPD, Failure to Use Turn Signal, No Insurance, Reckless Driving, Speeding.
Following a challenging month for the national economy, September’s inflation numbers came in worse than expected at 3.7 percent, driven heavily by a 9.1 percent spike in gas prices. This persistent inflation continues to squeeze the middle class, eroding purchasing power as the cost of everyday essentials outpaces wage growth.
For voter resources and election information, please use the Georgia Secretary of State My Voter Page or the Gordon County Board of Elections portal to find your polling center or check your voter registration status. In local campaign news, President Donald Trump will hold a rally at the Dalton Municipal Airport this Friday, October 16th to support candidate Mike Collins.
Community Events, Recreation, and Schools
We were joined on air by Craig Sparks, Gordon County Parks and Recreation Director, and Keith King, Gordon County Assistant Administrator, to discuss our local parks and signups for winter basketball. You can find all the registration details and forms by visiting Gordoncountyga.gov.
Don’t forget this weekend’s big cleanup opportunity: Keep Calhoun Gordon Beautiful is hosting their Fall Community Recycling Day this Saturday, October 17th, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Rock Bridge Community Church.
Accepted items include car and household batteries, up to 10 tires per household, hard and soft plastics, eyeglasses, paint, and hazardous materials.
They will also be collecting pet supplies, scrap metals, household appliances, and IT equipment like computers and phones.
Secure on-site paper shredding is available with a 5-box limit, but please note that TVs and CRT monitors will not be accepted.
Looking ahead to local city events, Rocktober Fest has been officially rescheduled for Saturday, October 24th from noon to 8:00 PM due to high wind forecasts. For Halloween, the Downtown Trick or Treat is set for Friday, October 30th from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The city’s official Halloween observance for children 12 and under will be Saturday, October 31st from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Additionally, students from Gordon County and Calhoun City Schools are currently enjoying Fall Break, with classes resuming next Monday, October 19th.
Finding the right primary care physician isn’t always easy. We all want someone who looks past the computer screen and actually takes the time to get to know us. A little while ago, I had the privilege of sitting down with Dr. Ted Bowers from Hamilton Health – Calhoun right here on the show. We had a fantastic conversation, and the thing that really stood out to me was his absolute dedication to building a true foundation of trust and personal care with every single person who walks through his doors. As a board-certified family physician, he treats folks of all ages right here in our community on Curtis Parkway. Don’t wait until you’re feeling under the weather to find a doctor you can rely on. Give his office a call at 762-268-4904 or head over to VitruvianHealth.com/Calhoun to get set up. Hamilton Health – Calhoun. Part of Vitruvian Health.