Clay County News

By Harrison Keely Guest Writer Have family or friends coming to town for Thanksgiving and looking for a fun group activity that doesn't involve screens? The Elf School of the Arts at 982 Elf School Rd in Hayesville is hosting a community dance for all ages Tuesday, November 24, from 7-9 p.m. You’ll learn to do-si-do, allemande, and promenade with friends new and old to live music from local band The Wildflower Pickers. An instructor teaches all the moves before each song begi

Congressman-elect Jamie Ager has named Clay County Sheriff Mark Buchanan and Clay County farmer Bass Hyatt to his 23-member bipartisan transition committee, announced Monday. The committee includes Republicans and Democrats and community leaders from all 16 counties in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District, plus the Qualla Boundary. Murphy Mayor Tim Radford represents Cherokee County on the committee. Swain County farmer Afton Darnell and Eastern Band of Cherokee India

Clay County Schools staff will hold a yard sale on Saturday, November 21, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Hayesville Primary School parking lot. Organizers have announced a new date for the event and are asking shoppers to respect the start time: no early birds, please. The sale features a wide variety of household items, clothing, furniture, books, and more from school staff. It’s a great chance to find bargains while supporting local educators. Hayesville Primary School is lo

The WNC Festival of Trees returns to The Beal Center in Hayesville this weekend, filling the downtown venue with 75 to 80 sponsored, decorated Christmas trees from Friday, Nov. 13, through Sunday, Nov. 15. The festival runs 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at The Beal Center, 25 Herbert Street. Admission is $5 at the door, cash or cards accepted, and children under 12 are admitted free. Every paid admission includes two raffle tickets for the

Press Release Governor Josh Stein, the Department of Administration, and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources celebrated American Indian Heritage Month at the North Carolina Executive Mansion. “American Indian North Carolinians enrich our state’s culture and economy, and in the face of adversity, they have led with resilience to preserve tradition from generation to generation,” said Governor Josh Stein. “This month and all year round, we recognize American Ind

Shannon Bullock Press Release The North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is proud to announce the successful completion of its latest reaccreditation review through the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). The review resulted in the renewal of accreditation for existing certification programs and the addition of new accredited levels, bringing North Carolina's total to 71 internationally accredited fire and rescue certification levels. This a

Clay County Schools recognized outstanding leadership, teaching, and student creativity during recent Board of Education meetings, highlighting achievements that reflect the district’s commitment to excellence in rural education. Dr. Tiffany Clapsaddle and Mr. Stacey Overlin were both nominated to represent North Carolina in the National Rural Education Association’s 2026–2027 Principal Fellowship. Clapsaddle accepted the invitation and has begun the 12-month program, which b

The running track at Frank R. Long Memorial Stadium will close in December and stay closed into February while crews replace the field's artificial turf, a project that will shut down a popular walking and jogging spot for much of the winter. Clay County Schools Superintendent Melissa Godfrey said the project's notice to proceed is set for Nov. 16, and the first work at the stadium will likely be removal of the concrete curb around the field while the new turf is being manufa

Roy Cooper becomes the first Democrat senator to represent North Carolina since, 2008. Staff Report Voters in Clay and Cherokee counties backed Republican candidates up and down the ballot Tuesday, even as Democrats captured North Carolina's biggest prizes — flipping a U.S. Senate seat and the mountains' own congressional district and sweeping the statewide judicial races. In the U.S. Senate race, former Gov. Roy Cooper defeated former Republican National Committee chairman M

Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release On 10/30/26 around 5:00 PM Clay County Officer Donovan Burke responded to the Ingles parking lot in Hayesville after a report of a man passed out behind the steering wheel of a grey Ford F-150 pickup truck. Officer Burke located the truck and found Jessie Ray Guffey, 55 years of age from Hayesville, in the driver’s seat. While looking inside of the truck, Officer Burke noticed a long gun in the front passenger seat and an empty holst

Staff Report Families are invited to Trick or Treat on the Square on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 5 to 9 p.m. in downtown Hayesville. The free, family-friendly Halloween event is presented in memory of Sonja Silvers and is brought by Sonja Silvers Realty Group and ML Resell Co. It features costume contests for all ages, a table decorating contest and a flash mob. Organizers describe the evening as fun for all, with participants encouraged to dress in costume while collecting treat

Hayesville Primary School announced this week that it exceeded expected academic growth during the 2025-26 school year, meaning students collectively made more progress than state projections anticipated. Exceeding growth indicates that pupils advanced beyond the gains predicted based on prior performance and other factors. School officials credited the result to the hard work and teamwork of staff, support from families, and a shared focus on helping every child succeed. “We

Office of North Carolina Governor Press Release On Monday, Oct. 26 Governor Josh Stein addressed the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina Annual Gathering, recognizing the leadership of faith-based organizations in the state and sharing his commitment to lowering costs for families. “It was a pleasure to be with faith leaders from across our state who are dedicated to serving their fellow North Carolinians,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Together, we can build a s

Staff Report A Veterans Day Celebration will begin with a veteran’s breakfast at 8:30 a.m. at Hayesville Primary School. A program follows at 9:30 a.m. at the Hayesville High School football stadium. The event is open to all who have served. Veterans are asked to RSVP by calling 828-389-8513. Organizers request that attendees not arrive before 8 a.m. because of heavy car and bus traffic. Parking for veterans will be available at Hayesville Primary School for the breakfast and

Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release Georgia Probation Officer Sarah Bowers contacted Clay County Sheriff’s Office Sex Offender Coordinator Jessica Watkins about a registered sex offender she was supervising. The sex offender was Edward Lee Chandler, 65 years of age from Blairsville, Georgia. Officer Bowers informed Watkins that Chandler had been working at 219 Byers Road in Hayesville since 09/21/26 and inquired if he had notified her of his presence in Clay County. Wa

(Photo: Infrogmation / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0) The Mountain Buzz Staff Report With a week left before Election Day, mountain voters are casting early ballots at rates that are outrunning the state around them — and shattering midterm records on both sides of the state line. In Towns County, 4,024 people — 35 percent of the county's registered voters — had already voted by this weekend, among the highest turnout rates in Georgia, according to state elections data. Nex

(Photo from the Clay County Fire & Rescue Facebook Page) CLAY COUNTY, N.C. — Clay County Fire & Rescue is conducting its annual pump and ground ladder testing, a process officials say illustrates why specialized firefighting equipment costs far more than comparable tools sold at hardware stores. The department completed its annual fire hose testing several weeks earlier. These evaluations are rigorous inspections designed to confirm that equipment will perform safely under th

Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release On 10/19/26 around 4:00 PM Clay County Sheriff Mark Buchanan and Chief Deputy Tyler Faggard noted a white Dodge pickup truck pulling a car hauler trailer that was loaded with another vehicle. This truck was traveling east on Old Hwy 64 in Brasstown. Chief Deputy Faggard noted the driver to be Samuel Jason Murrin, 46 years of age from Murphy. Chief Deputy Faggard was aware that Murrin had a suspended driver’s license. The truck driven

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Young Harris College will open its campus to the public Thursday, Oct. 29, for Fall Fest, an evening of costumes, haunted attractions, food trucks, local vendors, face painting, dancing, candy, treats and games. The free event runs from 5 to 7 p.m. on the Young Harris College campus. Organizers encourage attendees to bring friends and family and wear costumes. Fall Fest returns as a community celebration of the season in the North Georgia mountains.

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — The Clay County Recreation Department began accepting sign-ups Wednesday for its youth basketball program, with registration open through Oct. 30. The program is open to children ages 5-12. Fees are $25 for a wristband for ages 5-7. For ages 8-12, the cost is $60 for the first child and $55 for a second child. Registration is available during regular work hours at the Clay County Recreation Center, 333 Ball Park Drive. The center’s published hours are 6 a.m