Press Release Cullowhee, N.C. – Longtime play-by-play “Voice of the Catamounts,” Gary Ayers, and former Catamount quarterback and head football coach Kent Briggs will both be presented with the Adams-Ochsenreiter Lifetime Achievement Award by the Mountain Amateur Athletic Club (MAAC) at their annual Hall of Fame event on Sunday, Oct. 4. Briggs will be honored posthumously after succumbing to his battle with cancer back in June. The prestigious event is scheduled for the fir

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release On July 31, 2025, deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office responded to a reported road rage incident that originated from a domestic dispute near the intersection of Notley River Road and Spur 60. Upon arrival, deputies discovered an overturned 2007 Ford Taurus and identified the driver as Shawn Panther, who resides on Dixie Drive off Notley River Road. Following an investigation and interviews with witnesses and those

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release Sheriff Chris Wood announces the arrest of 51-year-old Michael Christopher Graves of Murphy, North Carolina, following a months-long investigation conducted by the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. In February 2026, detectives executed a search warrant at Graves' residence, where numerous electronic devices were seized as part of the investigation. During a forensic examination of one of the electronic devices recovered from Grav

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office has charged a suspect following an investigation into the theft of a side-by-side utility vehicle from the Bear Paw Resort community. On July 18, 2026, a resident of Bear Paw Resort in the Hiawassee Dam community reported that his 2013 Polaris side-by-side had been stolen while he was away from his residence that evening. Detectives with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office immediately began i

The Beal Center will host its August wine tasting on Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. Tickets cost $30 per person and are required. The price includes five wine tastings and five food pairings. Only 80 tickets are available, and 45 have already been sold. Organizers encourage people to buy tickets soon to reserve a spot. Tickets may be purchased through Claudia during office hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. For questions or to buy tick

Press Release LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia – Owen Murphy and four relievers combined on a one-hit shutout Thursday night, leading the Gwinnett Stripers (19-17, 57-53) to a 2-0 victory over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (13-22, 55-54) at Gwinnett Field. The Stripers lead the series 2-1. Decisive Plays: Murphy got the start and cruised through 4.2 innings (1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 SO) before handing it over to the bullpen, who continued to shut down Jacksonville's lineup. In the seventh

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — The Clay County Republican Party will hold its regular monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at the Clay County Community Center, 25 Riverside Drive. Light refreshments, snacks and desserts will be available beginning at 6:30 p.m., with the business meeting scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Attendees are asked to bring a covered dish, snack or dessert to share. Sarah Stevens, the Republican candidate for the North Carolina Supreme Court in the November 2026 gener

Photo by Tony Walsh Press Release ATHENS, Ga. — The Georgia Bulldogs released their non-conference schedule for the upcoming 2026-27 men’s basketball season on Thursday. Georgia will participate in ESPN events in New York and Orlando, will host nine home games at Stegeman Coliseum and will travel for road dates at North Carolina and Georgia Tech this November and December. The ESPN-managed matchups are the ESPN Events Challenge on Nov. 26-27 in Orlando and the Jimmy V Classic

Press Release Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina University Athletics has partnered with long-time sponsor Champion Credit Union to rename the premium seating experience, Catamount Corner, at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field. The five-year agreement includes large in-stadium signage and branding on the gameday tents in the seating area located in the southeast corner of the stadium, rebranded the Champion Credit Union Corner. "Western Carolina University is an impor

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release On July 4, 2026, Deputies Wilson and Blomgren with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office responded to a residence on Carvers View Trail after a homeowner reported discovering suspected illegal narcotics in a guest bedroom occupied by an individual who was visiting from Florida. With the homeowner's consent, deputies searched the room and located suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, suspected controlled substances and drug paraphe

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release On August 1, 2026, Deputy Blomgren with Cherokee County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a stolen 2009 Polaris Ranger from a residence on Olive Branch Way. During the investigation, deputies learned that Joseph Whitener was suspected of taking the vehicle without permission. Messages sent by Whitener to the victim acknowledged he had borrowed the side-by-side and requested that law enforcement not be contacted. Based on

Press Release LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia – The Gwinnett Stripers (18-17, 56-53) took an early 1-0 lead, but two three-run homers propelled the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (13-21, 55-53) to a 6-3 win in six innings on Wednesday night at Gwinnett Field. The series is tied 1-1. Decisive Plays: Jair Camargo drove in the first run of the ballgame on a second-inning RBI single. In the third inning, Andrew Pintar struck for a three-run homer (10) to give Jacksonville a 3-1 lead. In the

Press Release The restoration of the historic Berrong-Oakley House in downtown Hiawassee continues to make steady progress, with crews spending the past several weeks focused on preserving one of the home’s defining architectural features, its original wood siding and architectural details. Workers have been washing, repairing, and preparing the exterior for paint as part of the ongoing restoration. Thanks to careful preservation efforts, roughly 99% of the home’s original s

Press Release LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia – The Gwinnett Stripers (18-16, 56-52) scored four runs in the second inning and held serve the rest of the way to defeat the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (12-21, 54-53) 5-2 on Tuesday night at Gwinnett Field. The Stripers lead the series 1-0. Decisive Plays: Sandy Leon got the scoring started in the second inning with an RBI single to score Carlos Santana and give Gwinnett a 1-0 lead. One batter later, Cal Conley stroked an RBI double int

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., announced early Wednesday that he is withdrawing from his re-election campaign and will complete his current term representing Western North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District. “After much prayer, thoughtful reflection, and many conversations with my family, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw from my re-election campaign,” Edwards said in a statement. “I will complete my current term.” The decision comes two d

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina drivers will no longer receive annual license plate registration stickers or automatic paper vehicle registration cards beginning Oct. 1 as the state Division of Motor Vehicles shifts to an electronic registration system. The change, included in the state budget signed into law earlier this summer, directs the DMV to maintain vehicle registration records electronically. Existing license plates will remain valid, and drivers will still need to re

Towns County Sheriff's Office Press Release In a coordinated effort to combat drug-related crime and to protect the community, the Towns County Sheriff's Office, in partnership with the Hiawassee Police Department and the joint S.C.O.U.T. Task Force, successfully conducted an operation today, July 31, 2026. This operation led to the arrest of two individuals facing serious charges, including: Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute Possession of Marijuana with

(Mountain Buzz photo by Travis Dockery) Front row (from left): Daemien Soto, EJ Hughes, Crow Collins, Carson Finn, Hanna Brett, Payton Cordell, Dustin Lockaby, Ethan Beechum, Lance Coker, Ephraim Jones, Johan Webb, Jaxson Caruso, Elijah Eller. Second row from left: CJ Finn, Jayden Clark, Carolo Decosta, Aaron Wimpey, Wayne Fullmer, Karson Hughes, Brock Garrett, Mason Finn, Cale Cothren, Jake Frentz, Caleb Allen, Cole Wesson. Not pictured: Donivin Soto, Daxon Bruggers, Brady G

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga. — Union County Emergency Management Agency is introducing a new free alert system that will notify residents of emergencies, severe weather and other public safety issues through text messages, phone calls or email. The RAVE Alert System delivers three types of notifications. Emergency alerts cover situations such as evacuations, fires, floods, chemical spills and other life-threatening events. Weather warnings automatically notify residents of severe weather

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — Clay County Emergency Medical Services is urging athletes, parents, coaches and spectators to watch for signs of heat-related illness as high school football practices begin under high temperatures and humidity. Heat emergencies become more likely during preseason workouts, EMS officials said in a public safety announcement. Early recognition of symptoms can prevent more serious medical problems. Warning signs include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, dizzines