Community Calendar

Published 7:00 am Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Today

• The Murray County Extension Office hosts an educational class on “Home Composting.” Call Murray County Extension at (706) 695-3031 or email bljack@uga.edu to register.

• Murray County Sole Commissioner Greg Hogan has a public meeting at 9 a.m. in the hearing room of the county annex. The public is encouraged to attend. The tentative agenda includes the capital purchase of six Ford Explorer police interceptors from Brannen Motor Co. for the sheriff’s office, $266,400 ($44,400 each), to be paid for from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds; the capital purchase of a Ford F-350 from Chatsworth Ford for the fire department, $55,671, to be paid for from Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds; and disposal of surplus inventory. Hogan is available for questions or comments. Hogan has a public meeting at 9:30 a.m. in the same location for bid opening for the 2023 paving contract.

• Anna Shaw Children’s Institute has its next CHAMP (Classes to Help, Advise & Motivate Parents) webinar at noon. Dr. Nancy Carnevale, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician, gives a presentation on “Managing Meltdowns: Helping Your Child Regulate Emotions (part 1).” Visit the event section on Facebook.com/HamiltonCares for livestreaming information. For more information, call (706) 226-8900.

• Hamilton Medical Center hosts a ribbon cutting for its new forensic unit at 1:30 p.m. in the Ambassador Plaza (near the entrance of the Peeples Cancer Institute). In the event of rain, the ceremony will be in the hospital’s main lobby. Participants are encouraged to wear teal in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April).

Wednesday

• The Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce presents an Economic Outlook Breakfast at the Dalton Convention Center at 8:30 a.m. Doors open at 8 and the buffet line begin serving at 8:15. Tickets are $35 for chamber members and $50 for non-members. The keynote speaker is Roger Tutterow, Henssler Financial Endowed Chair, director of the Econometric Center and professor of economics at Kennesaw State University. To purchase tickets, go to daltonchamber.org/events or call (706) 278-7373.

• The Emery Center, an African-American heritage and cultural center, is open for tours at 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. Tours can be booked by appointment on other days of the week. The center is at 110 W. Emery St. Call the Emery Center at (706) 277-7633 or (706) 280-7695 for reservations.

Saturday

• Dunagan Cemetery families and friends are invited to the first work day of the season at 8 a.m. (or whatever time works for you). There will be social time, enjoying biscuits, coffee and juice together when the project is complete. Please help spread the word. Mowing season runs April through October of each year and is always on the second Saturday of each month. “We appreciate so much the willing volunteers and wonderful support we receive each year in maintaining the cemetery grounds. We especially appreciate those ‘unseen workers’ who cannot make it on Saturday but come earlier in the week to do their part and more! Many hands make light work!” Contributions to the cemetery operating fund in memory of or in honor of loved ones are always appreciated and may be sent to Millie Hicks, treasurer, 774 LaFayette Road S.W., Rocky Face, GA, 30740. Contact Kim Pickens at (706) 673-5197 or (706) 270-3301 for more information.

Monday

• The Whitfield County Board of Education has a work session at 5:30 p.m. followed by a meeting at 6:30 at the Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy, 2300 Maddox Chapel Road N.E. The meetings are open to the public.

• The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners meets at 6 p.m. at the Whitfield County Courthouse commissioners meeting room, 205 N. Selvidge St.

April 10-13

• The Spring Plant Sale at Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) is held. The sale begins Monday, April 10, at 8 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. The sale continues Tuesday, April 11, through Thursday, April 13, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or until plants sell out. Purchases may be made with cash or check. The sale is a way for GNTC to contribute to the community while giving horticulture students real-world experience and an opportunity to display their work. All proceeds benefit the horticulture program at GNTC. Prices are all 10-inch hanging baskets $12 each, all 6-inch pots $5 each, Kimberly ferns $10 each, all four packs $5 each and all flats $32 each. The sale is at the greenhouses across from GNTC’s Floyd County Campus, next to the Woodlee Building.

April 11

• Church Women United invite the women of the community to come and help make a difference at a reorganizational meeting at 11 a.m. at the Mack Gaston Community Center. This year’s theme is: “Living a legacy of love: Doing God’s work,” based on Acts 20:35. Please feel free to send a representative or a committee from your group. You may RSVP to RBJackson74@gmail.com or call or text (706) 483-7203. For more information, visit www.churchwomenunited.net.

April 12

• The Emery Center, an African-American heritage and cultural center, is open for tours at 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. Tours can be booked by appointment on other days of the week. The center is at 110 W. Emery St. Call the Emery Center at (706) 277-7633 or (706) 280-7695 for reservations.

• The Creative Arts Guild at 520 W. Waugh St. in Dalton offers a Culinary Arts class titled “For Peeps Sake” from 6 to 9 p.m. Feeling “BAAAD” about Easter cuisine? Learn how to elevate your menu without the “sheep” thrills. You’ll be so stuffed it’s not even “bunny” and you will leave with the confidence to serve “EGGcellent” fare to dye for. The class is for ages 18 and up. The cost is $70 per student. For more information, visit www.creativeartsguild.org or the Guild’s Facebook page or call (706) 278-0168.

April 13

• The City Park School school council meets in the conference room at 11:30 a.m.

• The Salvation Army telethon to raise funds to send children to summer camp is from 7 to 9 p.m on WDNN. Call (706) 278-3966 or visit 1109 N. Thornton Ave. in Dalton to make your donation early. To donate online, visit the Donate to Dalton Youth Camp Campaign (salvationarmygeorgia.org).

April 14

• The historic Blunt House is open for tours every Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request other days. The home is at 506 S. Thornton Ave.

April 15

• Park Day, the American Battlefield Trust’s annual hands-on preservation event, is this day. Several events are planned. At Rocky Face Ridge Park (2209 Crow Valley Road) starting at 11 a.m., the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) hosts a scavenger hunt. Local Boy Scouts spearhead a trail cleanup, with volunteers picking up trash and debris. The event concludes with a mountain bike race. Another cleanup is planned at the Dalton Confederate Cemetery at 9 a.m. Volunteers are asked to meet by the Memorial Wall. Tasks include clearing brush, landscaping and trash removal. Attendees are asked to bring gloves, rakes and other yard tools. The Confederate Cemetery is on the east side of West Hill Cemetery near the chapel. There is a Park Day event at the Prater’s Mill Historic Site near Varnell at 8 a.m. Participants should meet on the mill porch. Planned activities include clearing brush, landscaping, painting, planting, trail maintenance, trash removal and general cleaning of buildings. Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, shovels and rakes. There is a Park Day cleanup at the Resaca Confederate Cemetery on Confederate Cemetery Road starting at 9 a.m.

• The Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library hosts representatives from area colleges from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for outreach and access to career and learning opportunities for high school students considering higher education, as well as adult learners interested in starting or returning to college studies. The colleges are Dalton State College, Georgia Highlands College, Kennesaw State University, the University of North Georgia and the University of West Georgia. Representatives from the Georgia Student Finance Commission, Georgia Department of Human Services and the Financial Planning Association of Georgia will attend to answer questions and provide information on financial planning, financial aid, scholarships and grants. The Financial Planning Association hosts an education session, “Budgeting 101,” at 11 a.m. College Day at the Library is not just for prospective students. It’s a family day, too, and an opportunity to explore the resources public libraries offer. There are tables for attendees to learn more about resources such as GALILEO, Georgia’s virtual library, and the Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. There are games and activities, and the Friends of the Library and volunteers will hand out free hamburgers, hot dogs, refreshments and snacks. All proceeds from sales and donations go to the library.

• The Dalton-Whitfield NAACP holds a Community Awareness Day from noon to 3 p.m at the Mack Gaston Community Center pavilion. The day promotes health, education, voting, volunteering and socialization and features health, education and community resources.

• The free Model Train Expo is at the Chatsworth Depot featuring model trains of various scales and including a couple of ride-on trains. Vendors expected to be on site include those offering train-themed embroidered children’s clothing, railroad artwork and model trains/accessories of all scales. A model train set will be raffled. Tickets are $2 each or three for $5 and can be purchased at the event or in advance from the Crown Archives, the Murray County Clerk of Court office, Pat’s Antiques or from depot committee members. The 1905 L&N Railroad Depot is at 219 N. First Ave. and is open from noon to 5 p.m. The 1960 SCL Caboose behind the depot will also be open during the same hours. The adjacent Wright Hotel will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. to give visitors one last opportunity to view the Tennga exhibit. The Section Foreman’s House, in the corner of the city park, will be open to again showcase its collection of early 20th century furnishings and photographs with local connections. Donations are always appreciated.

April 17

• The Dalton Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Management Authority meets at 4 p.m. at Dalton City Hall (300 W. Waugh St.) in Council Chambers.

• The Dalton City Council meets at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 300 W. Waugh St.

• The Varnell City Council meets at 6 p.m. at Varnell City Hall, 1025 Tunnel Hill Varnell Road. For more information, call (706) 694-8800.

• Murray County High School alumni are invited to the MCHS Alumni Association meeting at the Wright Hotel in Chatsworth at 6:30 p.m. The group will discuss membership and the annual scholarship awards. Membership in the alumni group is still $10 per year. Dues can be sent to the MCHS Alumni Association, P.O. Box 2155, Chatsworth, GA, 30705. For more information, contact President Pete Adams at drpete@windstream.net.

April 19

• The Emery Center, an African-American heritage and cultural center, is open for tours at 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. Tours can be booked by appointment on other days of the week. The center is at 110 W. Emery St. Call the Emery Center at (706) 277-7633 or (706) 280-7695 for reservations.

April 21

• Volunteers are needed to help build a new Dalton State College hiking trail for a workday. The workday begins at 8 a.m. and end at noon. Volunteers meet at the Big Rock Trail kiosk. Gloves and tools are provided. The work is strenuous (but fun!), and volunteers should be capable of hiking 30 minutes up the ridge to the work site. For more information, email John Lugthart at jlugthart@daltonstate.edu.

• The historic Blunt House is open for tours every Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request other days. The home is at 506 S. Thornton Ave.

April 21

• The Creative Arts Guild at 520 W. Waugh St. in Dalton hosts workshops titled “Expressive Painting in Acrylics (Intermediate and Advanced)” led by Bradley Wilson. The cost is $40 per workshop. In this course, students practice the methods of expressive acrylic painting while exploring a variety of subject matter and receiving instructor feedback on their work. This class is especially geared toward those with some acrylic painting experience (sorry, not suitable for beginners). Approaching painting as play is emphasized while focusing on solid technique and other important skills. Students are given monthly challenges for painting projects to work on at home and bring in for critique. Students provide their own materials. The workshops are offered April 21 and May 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. You need to register for each workshop separately. For more information about this free event, visit www.creativeartsguild.org.

or the Guild’s Facebook page or call (706) 278-0168.

April 24

• The NAACP Dalton-Whitfield Chapter meets at 6:30 p.m. at the Mack C. Gaston Community Center. The meetings are open to the public. Community support and ideas are welcomed.

April 25

• Dalton State College honors retiring President Margaret Venable with an event from 4 to 6 p.m. on the patio between the Pope Student Center lower level and Gignilliat Hall. Remarks begin at 5:15. The event moves inside Gignilliat Hall if it’s raining.

April 26

• The Emery Center, an African-American heritage and cultural center, is open for tours at 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. Tours can be booked by appointment on other days of the week. The center is at 110 W. Emery St. Call the Emery Center at (706) 277-7633 or (706) 280-7695 for reservations.

• The Whitfield County Senior Center hosts Bonus Bingo with sponsor Jennifer Dixon at 10:30 a.m. If you need more information, call the senior center at (706) 278-3700.

April 27

• The Brookwood School school council meets at noon.

April 28

• The historic Blunt House is open for tours every Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request other days. The home is at 506 S. Thornton Ave.

April 29

• The 23rd annual Spring Place Ruritan Club Golf Tournament is scheduled for this day at Indian Trace Golf Course. Proceeds support the club’s numerous service projects in Murray County. The shotgun start is at 8:30 a.m. The tournament is a four-man select shot event with space for up to 25 teams. The cost is $60 per person. Prizes will be awarded. The really big award is $10,000 courtesy of Chatsworth Ford for a hole in one on hole 18. Mulligans are $5 each for up to two per golfer. Range balls are extra. Seniors (age 70 and up) play from the red tees and have their own longest drive prize on hole 17. There is a free barbecue lunch with homemade desserts for all participants at the awards ceremony at the end of the tournament. If weather forces the postponement of the tournament, the rain date is May 20. For more information, call Chuck Smith at (706) 264-3968 or Vicki Bramblett at (706) 581-3959. Hole sponsorships are available for $150 each.

• The Creative Arts Guild, at 520 W. Waugh St. in Dalton, holds its annual Spring for the Arts at 11 a.m. The event raises funds needed to support the Guild’s Arts in Education programs and the partnership between the Guild and the O.N. Jonas Foundation. The event will include an outdoor champagne brunch in the Robert T. Webb Sculpture Garden on what is International Sculpture Day. it will include a three-course brunch, docent guided tours of the Sculpture Garden and live music. There will be a raffle with gift and travel packages from local and regional businesses as well as a cork pull. For tickets, visit www.creativeartsguild.org or the Guild’s Facebook page or call (706) 278-0168.

May 1

• The Whitfield County Board of Education has a work session at 5:30 p.m. followed by a meeting at 6:30 at the Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy, 2300 Maddox Chapel Road N.E. The meetings are open to the public.

• The Dalton City Council meets at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 300 W. Waugh St.

May 2

• The Murray County Extension Office hosts an educational class on “Warm Season Grass Lawns” with Clint Waltz, University of Georgia Extension turfgrass specialist. Please register in advance by the Monday, May 1, to ensure there are enough handouts. Call Murray County Extension at (706) 695-3031 or email bljack@uga.edu to register.

May 5

• The Murray County High School Spring Concert and Piano Recital will be in the high school auditorium at 7 p.m. Admission is free, but we do accept donations.

May 10

• The Creative Arts Guild at 520 W. Waugh St. in Dalton hosts a Kids Culinary Arts class titled “Ramen Calm and Roll On” from 5 to 8 p.m. Get your noodle on and come roll with the Guild in this ramen and sushi class. Students will craft a one-of-a-kind bowl of ramen and work on rolling authentic and fun sushi rolls. The class is for ages 9-13. The cost is $60 per student. For more information, visit www.creativeartsguild.org or the Guild’s Facebook page or call (706) 278-0168.

May 11

• Dalton Whitfield Murray Retired Educators Association holds its annual covered dish supper at the Charles Judy Poag Senior Center in Chatsworth. Supper begins at 6 p.m., followed by the program at 6:30. The agenda features scholarship presentations, a remembrance program, member awards, honoring newly retired educators and the election and installation of 2023-2025 officers. Members are asked to bring their favorite salad, vegetable or dessert to share.

May 15

• The Dalton Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Management Authority meets at 4 p.m. at Dalton City Hall (300 W. Waugh St.) in Council Chambers.

• The Dalton City Council meets at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 300 W. Waugh St.

May 18-28

• The North Georgia Fair has its annual Spring Carnival at the North Georgia Fairgrounds. For more information, visit www.northgafair.com.

May 19

• Donna Flood, Murray County clerk of Superior Court, and the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority present free notary training from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Registration is required for this class to be conducted via Zoom. Seating is limited. When you complete the training you will receive a certificate of completion by email. You can go here to register: https://gsccca-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpdemsqDojGdTbtN8DgAEgzRlykZkk_6Ib. If you have questions, contact the Murray County Clerk’s Office at (706) 695-2932.

May 20

• The Dalton Civitan Club has its third annual music festival in the Burr Performing Arts Park. The headline act will be Uprooted, featuring Michael Glabicki of the worldbeat rock band Rusted Root. Also performing will be Chattanooga singer-songwriter Ariel Omarzu; country artist Haley Mae Campbell, who has more than 20 million streams on Spotify and whose 2021 single “Never Been in Love” debuted at No. 1 on both the All Genre and Country iTunes charts; trap/reggaeton artist Kelvin; Southern/indie rock band The Weeks; and Dalton natives Toothpick & Beanpole (J.T. Finley and Michael Moss). Gates open at 4 p.m., and Uprooted is scheduled to perform at 8:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance through https://tinyurl.com/tbd7xn82. Kids under 10 will be admitted free if they are accompanied by an adult with a wristband. Please limit two children per ticketed adult. All proceeds will go to the Dalton Civitan Club’s local charitable efforts.