🌱 Dalton Utilities Begins Testing Pilot + County Seeks Food Trucks

Hello, friends! It's Saturday in Dalton and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on all the most important things happening locally.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: Cool with variable cloudiness. High: 52 Low: 28.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny and cold. High: 45 Low: 26.

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Here are the top three stories today in Dalton:

1. Dalton Utilities is set to begin a new pilot program that will test for "forever chemicals" in the area's drinking water. The program will run through October 2026 and will use $1.5 million in federal grant funding to test how effective wastewater treatments are at removing these chemicals from the water. The pilot testing program comes in the midst of a lawsuit against Dalton Utilities and local carpet mills, alleging that the carpet mills are responsible for polluting the local water supply and that Dalton Utilities has violated the Clean Water Act by supplying local communities near Dalton with contaminated water. (WTVC)
2. After Dalton welcomed its first food truck on Mar. 1, Whitfield County is on the search for more food trucks to participate in upcoming events, such as the annual Park Day cleanup of historic battlefields and sites on Apr. 15. The county's public information officer Valeria Molina said of the upcoming event, "This will be the first time we're doing it, and I'll be taking this list (of food vendors) and spreading it out to our department heads and chamber (of commerce). We have big plans for food truck vendors around here." (Subscription: Chattanooga Times Free Press)
3. Fifth graders at Brookwood Elementary School partnered with Temple Baptist Church to raise $2,000 and pack 10,000 meals in support of the Rise Against Hunger organization. The students took on the task as their fifth-grade STEM project, which challenged them to determine a solution to address hunger both locally and globally. (Dalton Public Schools GA via Facebook)

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Today and tomorrow in Dalton:

Saturday, March 18

• Color Me Healed: Rana's 5k For HLH At Raider Stadium At Southeast Whitfield High School (8:30 AM)
• Chattanooga North Georgia Antique Bottles & Advertising Show At Dalton Convention Center (9:00 AM)
• St. Patrick's Day Party At Mountain Creek Harley-Davidson (1:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Bring home a new furry best friend today! Check out this roundup of adorable and adoptable pets waiting for their new families in and around the Dalton area. (Dalton Patch)
• The Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce four new awards for its inaugural Small Business Awards Luncheon: The Whitener Award. If you know of a business person who fits the criteria, fill out an application by Mar. 31 by clicking here. (Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce via Facebook)
• Join the public library for its upcoming Author Fest on Saturday, Apr. 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Click the link to learn about two of the 30 attending authors, Richard Fierce and Deborah Malone. (Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library via Facebook)
• Opioid overdose is a serious issue, but it can be prevented. If you or someone you know is at high risk for an opioid overdose, come attend a free naloxone training workshop on Thursday, Mar. 30 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the North Georgia Health District. (North Georgia Health District via Facebook)

Alrighty, you're all good for today! I'll catch up with you soon with your next update.

— Michelle Paul

About me: Michelle Paul is a Utah-based writer and photographer with a professional background in content management and registered nursing. When not working on projects ranging from photo editing to copywriting, they enjoy traveling, video games, and expanding their skills.