🌱 SPLOST Tax Coming Back To Whitfield + City Taking Over Park's Care

Hello all. It's me, Michelle Paul, your host of the Patch newsletter. Here's all the community news you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: Times of clouds and sun. High: 89 Low: 58.
• Sunday: A t-storm around in the p.m.. High: 90 Low: 66.

From our sponsor:

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Here are the top three stories today in Dalton:

1. In Whitfield County, there are plans to put a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum on the May primary ballot next year, as well as forming a citizen advisory committee that will determine how long the SPLOST will last and what projects it will focus on. In the past, a SPLOST has been used to work on familiar projects like Dalton's John Davis Recreation Center and Riverbend Park; SPLOST is a one percent sales tax on most goods in the county that is used to pay for these types of projects. The first citizen advisory committee meeting will be in August, with three or four additional meetings before the end of the year; anyone interested in serving must contact County Administrator Robert Sivick before Jul. 4. (Yahoo! News)
2. Nearby in Murray County, a school official pled guilty to sexual relations with a minor as well as supplying alcohol to minors during a party. Rachelle Terry hosted a Halloween party for her underaged children at her home in Chatsworth, where video evidence showed her buying alcohol for the party that was provided for five minors. After further investigation from Dalton Police Detective Aaron Simpson and other officials, it was found that there was a sexual relationship between Terry and one of the 15-year-olds. After entering a plea deal earlier this week, she was sentenced to 15 total years three in the Georgia Department of Corrections and 12 on probation; Terry will also be registered as a sex offender. (The Chattanoogan)
3. Now that the Burr Performing Arts Park's maintenance is being handled by the City of Dalton's Public Works Department, the park is seeing a significant change in care and visible green. It has only been a couple of weeks since the change was made, but if you take a look at the picture of the formerly run-down field and how it looks today, it looks like a different place. The department is putting in as much work as they can so the field is ready for more crowds to come in and enjoy the outdoors, especially the "Off the Rails" concert series that will continue to take place. (City of Dalton, GA City Hall via Facebook)

Today and tomorrow in and around Dalton:

Saturday, June 17

• Southeastern Hot Rod Show At North Georgia Fairgrounds (8:00 AM)
• Community Luncheon Outreach At Dalton's Greater Works (12:00 PM)

Sunday, June 18

• The Return Of Beppe Gambetta At Barking Legs Theater, Chattanooga, TN (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Chattanooga Times Free Press Best of Preps named Dalton High School Catamounts Boy's Soccer Coach Matt Cheaves the Boys' Soccer Coach of the Year! Coach Cheaves led the team to its seventh title in program history and the third team in history nationally ranked. (Dalton Public Schools GA via Facebook)
• As you're driving, you may acknowledge all the traffic signs and road markings that assist in keeping you and other motorists and pedestrians safe — but you may not know the time and effort it takes to keep these things up-to-date. The city of Dalton would like you to meet the Traffic Safety and Signal Division, who work day and night to ensure safety on the roads of Dalton. (City of Dalton, GA - City Hall via Facebook)
• A friendly reminder that on Monday, Jun. 19, Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library will be closed in observance of Juneteenth. Digital content and the book drops as always will be available, the library will be back open as usual on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. (Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library via Facebook)

Thanks for following along and staying informed! See you soon for 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.