The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has called a special meeting for Wednesday, September 23, at 5:30 p.m. to consider a funding request from the Cherokee County Board of Education. The meeting was called at the request of the Board of Education. Commissioners previously discussed the funding request during their September 16 meeting but voted to table the matter. The special meeting will be held in the Commissioners Boardroom, Room 342, at the Cherokee County Courthou

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — “The opposite of addiction isn’t sobriety, it’s connection” was one of the themes members of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Clay County Community Paramedic heard throughout a weeklong Crisis Intervention Training session. The collaborative instruction was provided by Vaya Health and focused on helping individuals in crisis who are struggling with mental illness, substance abuse, and developmental disorders. Throughout the program, participants hea

LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia – The Gwinnett Stripers (38-37, 76-73) rallied from down five runs to tie the game at 6-6 in the seventh inning, but the Indianapolis Indians (44-31, 75-75) scored three in the ninth for a 9-6 victory on Sunday at Gwinnett Field. The Indians won the final series of the season 4-2. Decisive Plays: The Stripers started fast with an RBI single by Jim Jarvis in the first inning for a 1-0 lead. The Indians scored six unanswered runs to seize control at 6-1

(Photo by Travis Dockery) Quarterback Lance Coker and the Yellow Jacket offense line up to try to find an opening in Robbinsville's rock-solid defense. By Travis Dockery Sportswriter HAYESVILLE, N.C. — Friday night under the lights at Frank R. Long Memorial Stadium is supposed to feel like home. On September 18, 2026, the Hayesville Yellow Jackets hosted the Robbinsville Black Knights in Smoky Mountain 1A/2A play and ran into a reminder of just how unforgiving this conference

HIAWASSEE, Ga. — The Towns County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center hosted a baptism service for inmates Thursday, Sept. 17, describing the gathering as a day of faith and new beginnings inside the facility. Officials said they were grateful for the presence of Greg Harrell and Larry Hedden of First Free Will Baptist Church of Hayesville and the church’s Men’s Ministry, who led the service. The sheriff’s office thanked the men for their continued work with inmates, citing

By Travis Dockery Sportswriter HAYESVILLE, N.C. — The Hayesville junior varsity Yellow Jackets did not so much beat Rosman on Thursday, Sept. 17 as they ran through the Tigers like a mountain thunderstorm that decided to stay for all four quarters. Final score from Rosman High School: Hayesville 62, Rosman 26. The conference game kicked off at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, and by the time the lights cooled, Hayesville had piled up another lopsided win on the road and improved to

Press Release Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina dropped the opening match of its nonconference home-and-home series with USC Upstate, falling in four sets Thursday night on Ingles Court in the Ramsey Center. The Spartans claimed the match 25-18, 25-23, 21-25, 27-25. The teams meet again on Friday in Spartanburg at 6 p.m. in WCU's final nonconference match before Southern Conference play. Senior Zoe Zudans led the WCU offense Thursday with a season-best 17 kills while adding

Press Release Indianapolis busts game open with seven-run sixth inning to hand Gwinnett fourth straight defeat LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia – The Gwinnett Stripers (36-36, 74-72) couldn't muster a hit until the seventh inning on Thursday night, by which time the Indianapolis Indians (43-29, 74-73) had scored 15 runs en route to a 15-0 victory at Gwinnett Field. Indianapolis leads the final series of the year 3-0. Decisive Plays: Indianapolis jumped on Stripers' starter Drue Hackenb

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — Local acoustic group Gnarly Fingers returns to the Peacock Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Sept. 19, for a 7:30 p.m. concert at 301 Church St. The four-piece, based in Hayesville and Hiawassee, Georgia, won the Clay County Progress 2025 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Musical Group. Band members are Pat List on rhythm guitar and harmonica, Keith Layton on lead guitar, Tom Edwards on mandolin and banjo, and Brian Kruger on bass, keyboard and slide guitar.

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — Hayesville families will be honored Friday during a National POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony at the town square. The event begins at 11 a.m. Sept. 18 at Hayesville Square. Organizers say the program will recognize prisoners of war, service members still missing in action and Gold Star families from the Hayesville community. National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed each year on the third Friday in September. The day is set aside to honor Americans held

CASHIERS, N.C. — The Hayesville Yellow Jackets varsity boys soccer team needed just one goal Wednesday night, shutting out Blue Ridge Early College 1-0 on the road. The Sept. 16 win was Hayesville’s second in a row and lifted the Yellow Jackets to 4-2 on the season. Blue Ridge Early College, playing at home, has now dropped three of its last four games at home and sits at 2-3-1. Hayesville’s defense held the Bobcats scoreless from start to finish, giving the visitors just eno

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is warning local farmers and equipment buyers about a nationwide impersonation scam the Federal Trade Commission says is targeting people shopping for tractors and other farm machinery. Scammers posing as farm equipment businesses advertise tractors and other equipment online at attractive prices, then collect deposits or full payment and never deliver the machines, according to an FTC consumer alert dated Sept. 15. The sche

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — Three Southern songwriting acts will share the stage Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Peacock Performing Arts Center for Songwriters Showcase 63, the latest edition of the venue’s long-running songwriter series. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at 301 Church St. Local songwriter Rob Tiger hosts the evening, which is billed as an acoustic night of original songs and stories featuring Abe Partridge, Daniel Neihoff and Admiral Radio. The series is presented as a songwri

Cherokee County News MURPHY, N.C. — Cherokee County has received a $61,000 offer to buy the Topton Community Center property and is advertising an upset-bid sale, according to a public notice posted Tuesday on the county website. The property is described as the Topton Community Center in Cherokee County, containing about 2 acres. The notice was published at 11:27 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2026. Anyone who wants to upset the current offer must submit a sealed bid to the County

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — A North Carolina Court of Appeals panel ruled 2-1 Wednesday that lawmakers could keep elections-board appointment authority with State Auditor Dave Boliek, preserving the Republican-majority structure that includes the Clay County Board of Elections. The decision upholds a 2024 law that shifted appointment power from Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, to Boliek, a Republican. Boliek has overseen appointments since May 2025, when the State Board of Elections and a

SWAIN COUNTY, N.C. — Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office deputies took part in a multiagency narcotics operation in Swain County that resulted in three arrests and the seizure of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine, according to the Swain County Sheriff’s Office. The operation was conducted Friday and Saturday by the U.S. Forest Service, Swain County Sheriff’s Office, Macon County Sheriff’s Office and Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies said. Arrested were Jessica Cris

Brett Sears turns in quality start in final outing, but Gwinnett suffers third straight loss

CLEMSON, S.C. — Former Hayesville High School and Clemson women’s basketball standout Laura Cottrell was inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Sept. 12, as part of the 11-member Class of 2026. Clemson Athletics and the Block C Club announced the class April 28. Inductees were honored in conjunction with Clemson’s home football game against Georgia Southern at Memorial Stadium. Clemson won 22-7. The Hall of Fame ceremony is traditionally held on campus t

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga. — Union County first responders used empty school buildings Sept. 4 to practice their response after an active threat is stopped, officials said. Union County Schools held an online learning day that Friday, giving the Sheriff’s Office, Fire Department, Schools Police Department and school system a chance to train together on active-threat procedures. Sheriff’s officials said deputies are trained to enter a school immediately and stop the threat first. The Se

TOWNS COUNTY, GA — What began as a traffic violation during a funeral escort Tuesday quickly developed into a major drug investigation requiring a specialized state response. Because of concerns for public safety and awareness, the Towns County Sheriff's Office is releasing this information to keep our citizens informed. The Towns County Sheriff's Office typically does not release details of open narcotics investigations until the case is closed. This protects operational in