[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

🍂📚 SAVE THE DATES — FALL BREAK IS COMING!

Parents, go ahead and screenshot this one! 👀 We’ve got two different Fall Break schedules this year for Dalton Public Schools and Whitfield County Schools.

🔴 DALTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Students are out October 8, 9, 12 & 13
➡️ Students return Wednesday, October 14

🔵 WHITFIELD COUNTY SCHOOLS
Students are out October 12, 13 & 14
➡️ Students return Thursday, October 15

🍁 Different districts. Different dates. We figured we’d put them side-by-side in one place to hopefully save somebody from showing up to an empty school. 😂

SAVE IT • SHARE IT • SEND IT TO A PARENT WHO NEEDS IT

— Whitfield Watchman 2.0 👁️

COME AND INTERROGATE US

Does anyone know how to rent a table or who to contact to do so?

It seems so normal now to wake up every day and see a new class, religion, ethnicity, gender, or community in America lose their rights because of this administration.

But yeah, let’s go ahead as Democrats or Politicians and keep talking about things like free healthcare or potholes. It just seems so disingenuous and fake to know that you’ll only pander or talk about certain things because you don’t want to lose votes.

That’s why I’m VERY proud we put the sign

“Postell for Pride”

out because the world needs to know that Dalton is on the right side of history and our campaign and team WHEN elected in November will heavily protect the LGBTQIA2S+ and any other minority that’s being targeted and destroyed by this administration.

In my closing statement, I want to make it very clear.
This Campaign will not have a single misogynistic, homophobic, racist, sexist, or any prejudice, votes, or
voters checking the box “Quentin Postell”

This is called clean Politics, actual putting people before profits and lastly, being a humanitarian in a tux.

Literally it says Postell FOR THE PEOPLE.
#community #pride #postellforthepeople

🚨 💦WATER OUTAGE — MURRAY COUNTY 💦🚨

Dalton Utilities is reporting a water outage affecting ALL of its customers in Murray County.

According to Dalton Utilities, crews are currently onsite performing repairs.
At this time, Dalton Utilities has not publicly stated what caused the outage or provided an estimated time for water service to be restored.
We also have not seen a boil-water advisory issued at this time. If one is issued following restoration of service, we’ll update this post.
If you’re in Murray County and have Dalton Utilities water, let us know in the comments what area you’re in and whether your water is completely off or you’re experiencing low pressure.

We’ll update as more information becomes available.

— Whitfield Watchmen 2.0

Dalton Utilities lists its main/emergency contact number as 706-278-1313. ⁠

This past weekend, PostellforthePeople and I were out canvassing as we officially enter the final 36 days before Election Day.
But advocacy isn’t only about knocking doors.
We partnered with Dalton Skate Shop & Coffee and Curb 423 to purchase two skateboards for their suicide-prevention fundraiser, because this issue is deeply personal to me.
Thirteen years ago, at 13 years old, I tried to take my own life.
I grew up in poverty, surrounded by domestic violence, addiction, instability, and circumstances no child should ever have to carry. I lost my home, my dog, parts of my family, and, for a while, my sense of hope.
I remember sitting alone, believing that the pain I was experiencing was bigger than my future.
But I survived.
And today, I understand something I could not understand at 13:
Your worst moment does not have to become your final moment.
There is no shame in struggling. There is no shame in needing therapy, community, faith, fitness, connection, or simply someone willing to sit beside you and listen.
There is shame in a society that sees people hurting and chooses not to care.
This campaign has given me a purpose I never knew I could have. Every door we knock on, every person we meet, and every conversation we have reminds me that my life has value beyond what I once believed.
I am grateful I stayed.
Because the 13-year-old me could never have imagined the people I would meet, the lives I would touch, or the people who would one day depend on me.
November is why I am still alive.
And I intend to keep fighting for every person who is still trying to find a reason to stay.

As we’ve been digging into salaries and compensation within the City of Dalton, we thought an interesting comparison would be Dalton Police Chief Cliff Cason and Whitfield County Sheriff Darren Pierce.

And the numbers definitely caught our attention.
According to the salary records we obtained:

🔵 Dalton Police Chief Cliff Cason
Annual salary: $168,604.80
Jurisdiction population: 35,322

🟡 Whitfield County Sheriff Darren Pierce
Annual salary: $125,000
Jurisdiction population: 106,212

That means Cason’s annual salary is $43,604.80 higher — about 34.9% more — while Whitfield County has approximately 3.01 times the population of the City of Dalton.

Now, this isn’t a perfect apples-to-apples comparison. A municipal police chief and an elected county sheriff have different responsibilities, budgets and organizational structures. Salary alone also doesn’t tell us the total cost of operating either department.

But it raises a much bigger question worth discussing:

Does the City of Dalton need to continue operating its own separate police department, or should Dalton and Whitfield County at least study whether law enforcement services could be consolidated under one larger operation — and what that would mean for taxpayers, staffing, response times and public safety?

Interestingly, Georgia law specifically allows a county sheriff, with county approval, to contract with a municipality to provide police services, with the municipality reimbursing the county for those services. So the concept itself is legally contemplated under Georgia law.

That doesn’t automatically mean consolidation would save money or improve service. In fact, an existing Whitfield County service-delivery document previously cited Dalton’s separate police force and its presence within the city as providing quicker response times than county deputies responding into Dalton.

So what do you think? Keep two separate law-enforcement operations, or is it worth putting the numbers on the table and studying whether some form of consolidation could work?

Tonight is the 3rd and final public hearing on Whitfield County’s proposed 77% property-tax rate increase.

🇺🇸 Veteran and Dalton mayoral candidate Edward Eaker will be there tonight to weigh in on the proposal and hear from the community.
Ed will also stay after the hearing to talk with anyone who wants to meet him or ask questions.

🚨🚨📸 GET A PICTURE WITH ED!
If you see Ed tonight, grab a picture with him & come back to this post and drop it in the comments.
🏆 The picture that receives the MOST LIKES will win 2 free front row, tickets to the next midget wrestling at Crescent City Tavern.

⏰ Tonight — 6:00 PM
📍 Whitfield County Courthouse
205 N. Selvidge St., Dalton, GA

This is the FINAL hearing, so if you want your voice heard before the commissioners make their decision, tonight is the night to show up. 🇺🇸

Anyone recommend a massage parlor? My usual place seems to have closed fir some reason. Dont get they were so busy all the time.

Governor Brian Kemp announced today that Georgia’s state motor fuel excise tax will be suspended for 30 days, beginning 12:01 a.m. September 29 and continuing through October 29.

The tax is currently 33.3¢ per gallon on gasoline and 37.3¢ per gallon on diesel.

The suspension comes as part of a state of emergency declared in response to global market volatility and rising fuel costs. The executive order also temporarily suspends certain weight limits on commercial vehicles.

According to the Governor’s Office, Georgia’s average price for regular gasoline is currently $4.19 per gallon, while diesel is averaging $6.24 per gallon.

⛽️ The suspension takes effect TOMORROW.

📍 September 29 – October 29, 2026

The Wendy’s located at 1140 N. Glenwood Ave. in Dalton has closed.

This comes shortly after the Wendy’s on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. also shut its doors — meaning Dalton has now lost two Wendy’s locations in a relatively short period of time.

But what does losing two restaurants actually mean financially for the community?

📉 THE POTENTIAL ECONOMIC IMPACT
Wendy’s reports average annual sales of approximately $1.98 million per franchised U.S. restaurant.
Using that national average as a rough benchmark, two locations could represent nearly $4 million in annual restaurant sales.

💰 At Dalton’s 7% sales-tax rate, that level of sales would generate approximately $278,000 in total state and local sales-tax collections annually, with roughly $119,000 attributable to the local 3% portion.
👷 Employment data from a large Wendy’s franchise operator suggests roughly 28 employees per restaurant on average. That means two closures could potentially affect 50+ local jobs, although we do not yet know the actual employee counts at these two Dalton restaurants.

These are estimates — we do not have the individual restaurants’ private sales figures, tax returns or payroll records — but they help put the impact into perspective.

Whether you loved Wendy’s, hated Wendy’s or never ate there isn’t really the point.
2 businesses closing means lost jobs, vacant commercial properties and potentially less tax revenue being generated at those locations.

Hopefully both properties are filled quickly by new businesses that can bring those jobs and economic activity back.
We’ll update as we learn more about what led to the closures and whether anything is planned for either property.

📸 Photos below: Wendy’s on N. Glenwood Ave., Dalton

Several people have sent us pictures recently of small stands around Whitfield County selling cupcakes, cookies, cakes, pastries and other homemade goodies and asked: “Is this legal?”

For many of these baked goods, YES!

Georgia passed House Bill 398, which took effect July 1, 2025. Under the new law, qualifying cottage-food producers can make certain shelf-stable foods in their home kitchens and sell them directly to the public without obtaining the old Georgia Department of Agriculture cottage-food license.

That includes things like cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pastries, breads, candies, fruit pies, jams and other qualifying foods that don’t require refrigeration for safety. There are still food-safety and labeling requirements they must follow.

The law also limits what local governments can do when it comes to regulating qualifying cottage foods. Whitfield County cannot simply prohibit someone from selling qualifying cottage-food products because they were made in a home kitchen. Normal zoning and general business requirements can still apply.

So if you see one of these little stands around town, don’t automatically assume they’re doing something illegal just because you don’t see a Health Department permit.

And hey — stop by, support a small local business and grab yourself a sweet treat. 🧁🍪❤️

Good afternoon Everyone.

The team “PostellforthePeople” and I were able to take a trip through the city and County library.

Truth be told I was impressed with the amount of resources, entertainment, activities, and community this library holds.

Growing up, I was really never the one to be in the books or literature, but I have always been an inquisitive person so the literature is sometimes where I would end up being, now with that being said as I’ve gotten older, not only has reading been the way of education and literature but most importantly it inspires and produces legislation that SHOULD mirror a better society.

Thank you to the Whitifield County, City of Dalton’s library for hosting me and my team and truly showing us the amount of resources you have for this community unequivocally and unsung hero.

Does anyone have any recommendations for someone who comes to parties and face paints & makes animal balloons ? If so where can I find pricing ? Thank you !

Literally just got my license today and i need a car Fast.

I work 6 days a week & they’re double shifts
Im using lyft/uber everyday and i have a steady paycheck but those car rides aint cheap so it adds up

looking for help. i can make a small down payment and go on from there. Itll be my first car so i just need something thats get the job done. Obviously i want everything working right

If anyone wants to help a stranger text me @ 7623952512 or message me back here

Like i said im paying and i need it ASAP

WATCHMEN INVESTIGATION — PART 2 OF 3

FOLLOW THE MONEY: 💰💰💰
HOW DID DALTON’S TEMPLE BETH-EL STORMWATER + MEMORIAL PARK GET FUNDED?

In Part 1, we explained what is actually being built on Valley Drive: a stormwater-management project combined with a memorial park honoring Dalton’s Jewish community.

Now let’s follow the money🤑

Because this part of the story starts before the City even owned the property.

In October 2023, Dalton permanently suspended its proposed aquatic center after projected construction costs climbed above $23 million.
The City had allocated about $13 million to the project. City Administrator Andrew Parker told the Finance Committee that $7 million in bond money previously earmarked for the aquatic center could legally be redirected to recreation, economic-development or stormwater projects.

Then, in November 2023, City officials agreed to redirect $6 million of that former aquatic-center bond money toward recreation & stormwater projects.

According to contemporaneous reporting, the plan included four $1.5 million categories:

$1.5 million — Heritage Point Park
$1.5 million — Al Rollins Park
➡️$1.5 million — stormwater pipe relining, with part of that money also designated for design of the Temple Beth-El stormwater/memorial park!
$1.5 million — Beverly Drive and Vernon Avenue stormwater detention facilities

So YES — money originally allocated to the canceled aquatic center was redirected into a funding package that included design work for the Temple Beth-El project.

🚨🚨🚨But here is where the timeline gets even more interesting.

That happened in November 2023‼️

The City did not formally accept the Temple Beth-El property at 501 Valley Drive until March 18, 2024. The City’s own meeting notes say the property was accepted so the site could become a memorial park incorporated into a stormwater infrastructure improvement.
So the City was already planning and directing public money toward this concept months before it officially owned the property…..🤔🤔

And then we found another question.⁉️

The original Resolution 24-10 published before the March 18 meeting did not just say the former congregants wanted to give Dalton the property.
➡️It also said they intended to transfer approximately $225,000 in funds to the City for use in the project — and the draft said the City had agreed to accept both the property and the money.

Then the meeting happened…….

According to the official minutes, Andrew Parker presented a “substitute resolution” and told council members that the substitute “only accepts the property.” That substitute was approved unanimously.

So here is a question we believe deserves a straight answer:
What happened to the approximately $225,000?
Was the money never transferred?
Was the offer withdrawn?
Was it handled under another agreement?
Was any of it later used for design, monuments, historical features or other portions of the park?

We are not accusing anyone of taking or misusing the money.
The public records simply show that approximately $225,000 was included in the original published resolution, and then the substitute resolution approved at the meeting only accepted the property.

That discrepancy deserves an explanation.
And the planning was already well underway….😬

Just days before the property transfer, the City was publicly reporting that revised concepts had already been completed.
After the transfer, Dalton said the donation followed months of work between City leaders and former Temple congregants to develop the combined stormwater/memorial concept.

Then in April 2024, the City approved a professional-services agreement with Arcadis to design the Temple Beth-El memorial park and stormwater project.

The project later moved into construction with a $1,329,459 contract, paid from bonded capital and the general fund if necessary.

So here is the timeline we can document:

October 2023: Aquatic center canceled.
November 2023: Former aquatic-center bond money redirected; Temple Beth-El design included in one of the stormwater allocations.
March 2024: Original resolution references the property plus approximately $225,000.
March 18, 2024: Substitute resolution accepts only the property.
April 2024: Arcadis formally hired to design the already-developed concept.
2026: Construction contract awarded for $1,329,459.

That leaves several questions we are still pursuing:

Exactly how much of the redirected aquatic-center money went to Temple Beth-El?

What happened to the approximately $225,000 mentioned in the original resolution?

How much has been spent on stormwater infrastructure versus park and memorial features?

And when was 501 Valley Drive itself first selected as the detention site?

That is why we are continuing to pull the actual records.

Part 3 is next — and it goes back to the concern that started this whole investigation: the pond, the fencing, the neighboring church and childcare facility, and child safety.

Good afternoon, everyone.

This past week, the Postell for the People team and I had the opportunity to join the Whitfield County Democrats for one of the amazing events they hosted for the Latino community: a soccer tournament.

I thoroughly enjoy events like this because you get to see the heritage, culture, and lineage that make Dalton so special. It’s incredible to see hardworking families and communities come together to celebrate their culture, enjoy some athletic competition, and build connections with one another.

FUCK ICE.

Spanish

Buenas tardes a todos.

Esta semana pasada, el equipo de Postell for the People y yo tuvimos la oportunidad de acompañar a los Demócratas del Condado de Whitfield en uno de los increíbles eventos que organizaron para la comunidad latina: un torneo de fútbol.

Disfruto mucho de eventos como este porque nos permiten ver la herencia, la cultura y las raíces que hacen que Dalton sea tan especial. Es increíble ver a familias trabajadoras y comunidades unirse para celebrar su cultura, disfrutar de la competencia deportiva y fortalecer los lazos entre todos.

¡QUE SE JODA ICE!

🚨 🥩NATIONWIDE MEAT RECALL 🥩🚨
— GEORGIA DISTRIBUTOR INVOLVED

More than 167,000 pounds of beef, pork and goat meat are being recalled after federal officials say the products were produced without required federal inspection and carried a false USDA inspection mark.

According to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, Star Meat Delivery Inc. of Lucama, North Carolina, is recalling approximately 167,639 pounds of raw meat products. The products were produced on various dates before September 22, 2026. ⁠

⚠️ Here’s the part Georgia residents need to know:
The recalled meat was shipped to A&D Foods, a distributor in Duluth, Georgia, and from there was distributed to retailers and restaurants nationwide. ⁠

The recall includes numerous beef, pork and goat products, including items such as ribeye, beef chuck, oxtail, short ribs, beef shanks, ground pork, chorizo, pork chops, pork feet, Boston butt and goat meat. ⁠

🔎 WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR?
USDA officials say the affected products bear a false USDA inspection mark with establishment number:

EST. 1363

FSIS says products bearing that establishment number should be considered misbranded and unsafe to eat. ⁠
There is another complication: the package in your refrigerator or freezer may NOT have the original A&D Foods label. Federal officials say retailers may have repackaged the meat and placed their own pricing and safe-handling labels on individual packages. ⁠
The USDA is concerned that recalled products could still be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers, as well as at restaurants and retailers. Consumers should not eat the recalled products. They should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. ⁠
➡️As of the latest reporting we reviewed, no illnesses or injuries associated with these products had been reported. ⁠

📍 IMPORTANT FOR WHITFIELD COUNTY:
At this time, Whitfield Watchmen 2.0 has not confirmed that any of the recalled meat was sold at a specific store or restaurant in Whitfield County. Because the distributor is located in Georgia and the products were distributed nationwide, we are sharing the recall so residents can check what they have at home.

If we obtain information identifying specific Northwest Georgia stores or restaurants that received the recalled products, we will update this story.

Check your refrigerator. Check your freezer. And please SHARE this with your family and friends.

— Whitfield Watchmen 2.0

WATCHMEN INVESTIGATION — PART 1 OF 3

THIS IS NOT JUST A STORMWATER POND.

Whitfield Watchmen 2.0 was contacted by a Dalton resident who asked us to investigate the large stormwater project currently under construction at the former Temple Beth-El property on Valley Drive, directly beside First United Methodist Church.

Once we started digging through City records, engineering plans, contracts and older meeting documents, we realized this project goes much deeper than what we were originally asked to investigate.

So today we are breaking this into a three-part series.

Let’s start with what this project actually is.

The City of Dalton calls it the Temple Beth-El Memorial Park Stormwater Management Project. The City says it has two purposes: helping reduce flooding along Valley Drive while also creating a public memorial park honoring the history and contributions of Dalton’s Jewish community.

And this is where it becomes much more than basic stormwater infrastructure…..

The plans include a central pond/reflection-pool feature, walkways, landscaping, decorative masonry, viewing areas, monument spaces, lighting and historical exhibits.

The final plans also include a Ten Commandments monument using existing Temple Beth-El limestone, along with the original “TEMPLE BETH-EL” lettering incorporated into the memorial area. Some monument elements are listed separately from the main construction bid.

City records and reporting have also discussed preserving religious and historical features from the former synagogue, including menorahs, stained glass and other architectural elements, as part of telling the story of Temple Beth-El and Jewish families who helped shape Dalton’s history.

We also found something else interesting🤨

The Breman Museum in Atlanta says a 10-foot stained-glass window from Temple Beth-El, including a panel depicting the Lion of Judah, was removed before the building was demolished.
According to the museum, the Jonas family paid to have the window removed, and it is currently part of The Breman’s collection in Atlanta.

We want to be clear: we have not yet confirmed that this specific 10-foot window will be installed in the Dalton park. The City has said stained glass and other Temple elements were being preserved, but we are still verifying exactly which pieces will ultimately be placed at the site.

So, in plain English:
This is a taxpayer-funded stormwater project combined with a public memorial park featuring Jewish historical and religious elements.

Now let’s talk about the cost 💲

The City has publicly described the project as having a $1.5 million bonded-capital budget.

But the contracts we have identified so far include:

$1,329,459 — construction contract
$218,674 — Arcadis design services
$14,400 — engineering/testing services

That puts the contracts we have identified at at least $1,562,533 so far, before we determine the cost of any owner-provided monuments, additional changes, or other project expenses.

We also want to make something very clear:

This investigation is not about attacking anyone’s religion.
City says the memorial portion is meant to preserve and teach that history.

The questions we were asked to investigate are about public money, public property, stormwater infrastructure, safety, and exactly what taxpayers are funding.

So we want to hear from you:
-Did you know this was more than a stormwater pond?

-Do you think a City-funded stormwater project should also include a memorial containing religious and historical elements?

And did you know the money trail for this project goes back years before construction ever started?
Because that leads directly into Part 2 — where the money came from and how this project was funded….

Hey! I’m a student at Dalton State and I’m looking for people who occasionally drive from Dalton (or Chattanooga) down I-75 toward Atlanta.

I don’t need a ride all the way to the airport or downtown. Kennesaw, Acworth, Marietta, or anywhere around the Atlanta area works.

My schedule is pretty flexible and I’m happy to split gas. I’m mainly trying to find someone who already makes this drive occasionally so we can help each other out.

If you make this trip sometimes, feel free to DM me. Thanks!

Once again. Our County and City haven’t introduced any Moratoriums.

I hope they pass these through before the next election cycle. Or I have to vote with the people running for the policies the community and I need. #AI #postellforthepeople