January 16th marked the end of the first week of the session - that's four legislative days already under our belt! There's no doubt that the Capitol is a whirlwind of activity. Governor Brian Kemp gave his State of the State Address. This address is important to legislators for two key reasons. First, Governor Kemp presents a picture of the current state of Georgia, not just our wins but also areas that can still be improved upon. Second, Governor Kemp shares his administration's priorities for the year. This information is given consideration as we craft the annual budget.

Warmth For Winter Project Donates Hundreds of Articles of Warm Clothing and Personal Supplies to Locals in Need. Donations of new or gently used warm articles of clothing or personal care items such as toiletries are accepted year-round. Individuals, Churches, Schools, Civic Organizations, etc. are welcome to contact the project to learn how to get involved and help.

The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office mourns the loss of retired Sheriff Bruce Harris. Sheriff Harris passed away surrounded by his family at Kennestone Hospital on Sunday, January 12, 2020, at approximately 7:40 PM. Sheriff Bruce Harris was a native Paulding Countian and loved his home and the people of Paulding County.

Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative has restored power to all but just a handful of its Members affected by storms that pushed across the service area Saturday evening. Efforts continue Sunday morning to restore electric service to those remaining.

Truth in Nature is now accepting applications for its 2020 calendar year of programs in Dallas, GA, and surrounding communities. Truth in Nature has grown its reach locally in the Dallas, GA community and now offers 2 mentoring programs per month. These chapters are run by local residents Lee Hurley (Dallas 1) and Edward Estes (Dallas 2). Truth in Nature programs offers fatherless young men a mentoring relationship in a Christian environment.

Alternative Baseball is proud to announce Craig Brazell as the first professional player to sign on for a Class B Show: Ole Time Classic II. Brazell, a Montgomery, Alabama native, played parts of 2004 and 2007 for Major League Baseball's New York Mets and Kansas City Royals.

Our most powerful and effective crime-fighting and prevention tool we have in Dallas is the trust and cooperation of our citizens. I am confident that we will continue to work to provide the utmost in professional police services to the City of Dallas to ensure that 2020 will be our safest year yet.

Approximately 3 minutes after dispatch a Paulding County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived on the scene and reported a fully involved 2-story residence. Paulding Fire units arrived 4 minutes later and began suppression efforts. During search & rescue operations the roof collapsed, forcing crews out of the home and into defensive suppression mode. The fire was declared under control at approximately midnight.

New Years' Eve Dec. 31st. 2019- Cool, but clear weather made for a wonderful New Years’ evening in downtown Dallas. In addition to the clear weather, the excellent coordination of Dallas PD, PCFD, EMS, CERT, Dallas Parks, and Rec made a seamless event possible. The evening got started around 6:30 with Gypsy Outfit opening the concert. The sound and lighting were amazing as The Dallas Martin Band picked up the next leg of the live show.

Paulding County Farm Bureau (PCFB) was recognized as one of the top county Farm Bureau programs in the state during the organization’s 82nd annual convention held on Jekyll Island Dec. 8-10. The county chapter was named a finalist for the prestigious McKemie Award - the highest honor that a county Farm Bureau in the state can receive - in recognition of the activities it sponsored during the past year to promote agriculture.