Mayor Closes Cohutta Police Department

May 8, 2026, 21:51
USPolitics

Introduction

Mayor Ron Shinnick fired all police officers. He closed the Cohutta Police Department. Now, the County Sheriff's Office helps the town.

Main Body

The Mayor fired ten people, including the Police Chief. The Mayor and his wife, Pam, had problems with the officers. Pam was the town clerk, but she lost her job last year. Some officers said Pam still tried to control the town. Mayor Shinnick says the officers wrote bad things on social media. He says he just wanted a new team. But the officers say the Mayor was angry. They say he fired them because they complained about Pam. The County Sheriff now keeps the town safe. There are 1,000 people in the town. The officers will not give back their equipment yet. They want a legal person to sign the papers first.

Conclusion

The Town Council has a meeting on May 8. They will talk about the police and the Mayor.

Learning

πŸ•’ The "Then vs. Now" Shift

Look at how the story moves from the past to the present. To reach A2, you must be able to switch between what happened and what is happening.

The Past (Finished Actions)

  • Fired β†’\rightarrow happened once.
  • Closed β†’\rightarrow happened once.
  • Lost β†’\rightarrow happened once.

The Present (Current State)

  • Helps β†’\rightarrow the Sheriff is doing it now.
  • Keeps β†’\rightarrow the Sheriff is doing it now.
  • There are β†’\rightarrow the town has 1,000 people right now.

πŸ’‘ Pro Tip: The "S" Rule Notice that when we talk about one person (The Mayor, The Sheriff) in the present, we add an -s to the action:

  • He says
  • He wants
  • Sheriff keeps

Quick Word Map

  • Police Chief β†’\rightarrow The boss of the police.
  • Town Clerk β†’\rightarrow The person who handles town papers.
  • Equipment β†’\rightarrow The tools (cars, guns, radios) they use.

Vocabulary Learning

mayor
the elected leader of a city or town
Example:The mayor announced a new park for the town.
police
people who enforce laws
Example:The police stopped the traffic.
officer
a person who works for the police
Example:An officer helped the injured driver.
town
a small city
Example:The town has a library.
sheriff
the official who keeps law in a county
Example:The sheriff visited the town.
safe
free from danger
Example:The town is safe after the storm.
job
work that you do for money
Example:She lost her job last year.
control
to manage or direct
Example:Pam tried to control the town.
people
many humans living in a place
Example:There are 1,000 people in the town.
equipment
tools and gear needed for work
Example:The officers will not give back their equipment yet.
legal
following the law
Example:They want a legal person to sign the papers.
papers
documents
Example:The legal person will sign the papers.
meeting
a gathering to talk about something
Example:The town council has a meeting on May 8.
talk
to speak about something
Example:They will talk about the police and the mayor.
fire
to remove someone from a job
Example:The mayor fired ten people.
angry
feeling upset
Example:The mayor was angry.
closed
to shut
Example:The mayor closed the police department.
county
a region in a state
Example:The county sheriff helps the town.
chief
the leader of something
Example:The police chief was fired.
team
a group of people working together
Example:The mayor wanted a new team.
complain
to say something is wrong
Example:They complained about Pam.
clerk
a person who keeps records
Example:Pam was the town clerk.
help
to give assistance
Example:The sheriff helps keep the town safe.