New Public Hunting Area Opens In Dade Opens In Dade
By REBECCA HAZEN
News Editor
Dade County has a new public hunting area, made possible by a partnership between the Department of Natural Resources and the Southeastern Cave Conservancy International.
“This is a big deal, especially in Dade County because the closest one we have is in Walker County. If you enjoy hunting and getting out, check that out,” Dade County Executive Ted Rumley said during the weekly county update on Thursday, Oct. 28.
According to gadnr.org, the property, called the Charles B. Henson Voluntary Public Access (VPA) area, is 786 acres near Trenton, that opened to hunters on Nov. 1.
The property consists primarily of mature mixed hardwood pine forest. The area will be open to hunting on the following 2021-2022 season schedule: deer and bear archery: Nov. 1-30, deer and bear firearms (quota hunt): Dec. 3-5, and turkey (quota hunt): April 2-10, and April 16-24.
“The property was originally purchased by Southeastern Cave Conservancy International for the protection of the many caves found on the property. This successful partnership provides both an opportunity for hunting and further protection to manage the habitat and wildlife,” a gadnr.org press release said.
To access the property, from Trenton, take Highway 136 east about eight miles to South Moore Road. Turn right (south) and go 0.7 miles to the four-way intersection. Continue straight on Newsome Gap Road, and then go three miles to the kiosk.
For more information on the Charles B. Henson Voluntary Public Access, call (706) 295-6041.
In other news, there will be a joint meeting between the Dade County Water and Sewer Authority and the Dade County Commissioners, to discuss the backing out of the water reservoir project, on Monday, Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend. The meeting will be live streamed to Dade County, Georgia’s Facebook page and YouTube Channel.
There are multiple upcoming events happening in the county. The Dade EXPO – Jolly Holidays, Light Up Trenton, and All I Want for Christmas Parade events are on Saturday, Dec. 4. The Dade County Sheriff’s Office Hope for the Holidays applications must be turned in by Nov. 24. Applications can be picked up at the Sheriff’s Office during business hours. Information about the Trenton Police Department’s Silver Bells program is expected to be announced this week.
The Salvation Army is looking for bell ringers. To volunteer, please contact Carey Anderson at (423) 290-6655 or canderson@dadecounty-ga.gov, or Sharon Finley at (423) 802-2140 or sfinley@tvn.net. To volunteer, all you have to do is ring a bell next to a red Salvation Army donation kettle. Feel free to bring a friend or a family member with you, bring a portable speaker to play Christmas music, or dress up. Volunteer shifts are two hours each at either Ingles or Food City, on Fridays and Saturdays between Nov. 12 and Dec. 11, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Last year, the Dade County Salvation Army bell ringers raised over $3,000 for families in need, making Dade County the first place team in the Chattanooga area. The team will receive an award on Nov. 5 at the Salvation Army Chattanooga office.
The Dade County Emergency Services E911 Division is accepting applications for an E911 dispatching position. The applicant will be responsible for answering emergency calls and dispatching all emergency service departments of Dade County. The position is for the night shift, from 7:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. An online application can be found at dadecounty-ga.gov
Dade County has seen 34 cases in the past two weeks, for a total of 1,806 COVID-19 cases. The number of cases can be found at https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report.
The weekly county update is every Thursday at 3 p.m.