🌱 Golden Apple Award + Teen Injured By Fentanyl-Laced Vape Pen

Hey, friends. It's me, Michelle Paul, your host of the Dalton Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening locally.

But first, your local weather:

• Thursday: A morning t-storm; cloudy. High: 84 Low: 53.
• Friday: Heavy rain and a thunderstorm. High: 60 Low: 49.

📢 I'm looking for business owners and marketers in Dalton who want to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales.

I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top three stories today in Dalton:

1. April Pangle, a second-grade teacher at Antioch Elementary School here in Dalton, was recently named the winner of this week's Golden Apple Award. Both staff and students at the elementary school praised Pangle for making "learning fun," being nice and patient, and caring about her students as individuals. Pangle expressed how much she enjoys spending time with the kids she teaches and their families, saying that she hopes her students will remember “that I really tried, I always tried my best to be what they needed me to be.” (WDEF)
2. A 13-year-old Dalton boy and his mother spoke about an incident with a fentanyl-laced vape pen that has permanently impacted the boy's life and health. Zachary Corona was given the vape pen by other students at his middle school, and after taking one puff, he suffered serious health problems that put him in a coma for weeks and paralyzed the left side of his body. Corona now goes to therapy and rehab two comes a week and has at least two surgeries scheduled in the coming month to continue treating his health issues. The Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office said that the case is still active in its investigation. (WALB)
3. The Georgia Legislature voted to approve the state's 2023 fiscal year operating budget on Wednesday, which now moves to the governor's desk for final approval and a final signature. Included in the budget is a $66 million decrease in funding for the University System of Georgia which translates into $488,000 less in funding for Dalton State College. Dalton State President Margaret H. Venebale said of the funding cut, "As an already lean organization, a funding cut of this magnitude would be difficult for us to manage." (Subscription: Dalton Daily Citizen)

From our sponsor:

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Today and tomorrow in Dalton:

Thursday, April 6

• Pokémon Club (All Ages) At Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library (4:30 PM)
• Adam Paddock: Spring Fling Showcase At Dalton State College (5:00 PM)

Friday, April 7

• Andy Forrester At The Comedy Catch (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Hunting for a new place to call home can be stressful. To help out on your search, here are some of the newly-listed homes to hit the market in and around the Dalton area, including a four-bedroom, three-bathroom house for $275,000. (Dalton Patch)
• Hey Whitfield County voters! This November, you'll have the opportunity to vote on whether or not to raise homestead exemptions for senior citizens in Dalton and Whitfield County. Raising the exemptions would mean lower property taxes for senior citizens in our community. (Whitfield County, Georgia via Facebook)
• It's a state holiday on Friday, Apr. 7! In observance of the holiday, the North Georgia Health District will be closing all locations, programs, and services in Whitfield County and surrounding counties for the day. (North Georgia Health District via Facebook)

You're all caught up for today. I'll see you back in your inbox soon with a new 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.