Local News
Woman in alleged cancer scam indicted
Marilyn Young’s emotions are still raw, her wounds still deep, after being allegedly scammed by a Cleveland, Tenn., woman who claimed she had cancer when authorities say she did not.
Young is one of five alleged victims listed in an indictment against Pam Michelle Allen handed down by the Whitfield County grand jury on Thursday. Allen is charged with three counts of felony theft by deception and three counts of misdemeanor theft by deception for allegedly taking money from people after telling them she was dying of cancer.
“It’s the emotional things she put you through that hurts worse than the money,” Young, who lives in Dalton, said Friday.
Young said she believes she is just one of many victims, a claim backed up by Dalton police. After Allen’s arrest in December, police spokesman Chris McDonald said Allen told similar stories of poor health at a church in Chattanooga in 2001.
“Apparently they made her make an apology to the church and no charges were filed,” he said.
McDonald said Allen accepted gifts, groceries, money and repairs to her home.
“I’m just a drop in the bucket,” Young said. “There’s no telling how much money and services that woman has taken over the years.”
Allen, 40, of 715 Red Clay Road, Cleveland, is out of jail on $10,000 bond. If convicted on the felony counts, Allen could be sentenced to from one to 10 years in prison. A cell phone number she had previously used was not working on Friday, but she has said her attorney plans to fight the charges.
Young said watching people help Allen, even though Allen was allegedly faking a disease, had a positive effect on her.
“There sure are a lot of good people in the world,” Young said. “A lot more good than bad.”
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Derby time
Owen Halman, 8, of Dalton, lines up his car “Fire Bullet” before a race during the Boy and Cub Scouts grand championship Pinewood Derby Saturday at First Presbyterian Church.
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Helpin’ and paintin’
With his bracket busted and interest in the men’s college basketball tournament waning, Pierce Montgomery spent Saturday re-painting the Dalton home of a Vietnam veteran who couldn’t do the work himself.
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DSC officials explain possible cuts
Dalton State College officials know the state budget cuts they planned for almost a month ago won’t be as deep as expected. What they don’t know is exactly which of the proposed cuts they’ll have to implement.
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Higher education funding is at center of debate
More than 4,000 students, including several at Dalton State College, have banded together to push back against proposed state cuts to higher education funding.
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Local officials view possible cuts at college with concern
Dalton State College plays a big part in plans by local leaders to grow and diversify the area’s economy, so they are viewing proposed cuts to the college with some concern.
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Young couple awaits Habitat for Humanity home
Luis Sanchez knows how the Gutierrez family feels as they watch their house being built by the Dalton-Whitfield Habitat For Humanity.
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Superintendent decision coming Monday night
The Richland 2 school board in Columbia, S.C., has chosen a superintendent — Whitfield County Schools superintendent Katie Brochu was one of three finalists — but won’t publicly say who it is until Monday, according to The State newspaper.
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Area arrests for March 21
Recent arrests from the Whitfield and Murray County jail reports.
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Marilyn Helms: Companies vary on correcting products, services
In the first half of my column on my Dalton State College quality management systems class quality “problems” project, I discussed the situations that companies did not resolve.
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“Do You Remember?” cast announced
Members of Dalton Dance Company will perform in Dalton Arts Project’s “Do You Remember?” spring concert — a look back at the music they grew up with as well as the music enjoyed by previous generations of teenagers (now parents and grandparents).
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