TVA Press Release The Tennessee Valley Authority recently announced that it is extending the public comment period for proposed transmission system improvements to continue to serve growing electrical load and increase power reliability in the Clay County area of North Carolina. Blue Ridge Mountain EMC is planning to build a substation on Burnt Schoolhouse Road in Clay County. TVA has proposed to build about 7.7 to 9.5 miles of single-circuit transmission line to serve the ne

Even though February’s cold grip still holds much of North Georgia and Western North Carolina — with snow on the ground in many areas — local gardeners are finding practical ways to prepare for the upcoming growing season. Winter’s chill may delay outdoor planting, but seasonal experts and extension services say there’s plenty that can be done now to lay the groundwork for a successful spring and summer garden. “February isn’t a time to put your tools away,” said a gardening

A powerful winter storm is set to impact north Georgia and nearby mountain areas this weekend, bringing snow, strong winds and dangerously cold temperatures to Towns, Union, Clay and Cherokee counties. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Union and Towns counties from 7 p.m. Friday until 1 a.m. Sunday. Forecasters say the system is expected to produce 2 to 4 inches of snow, with locally higher amounts possible, especially in higher elevations. Wi

Clay County Fire and Rescue responded to 20 calls for service between Jan. 19 and Jan. 23, according to the department. Medical emergencies accounted for the majority of responses, with 13 calls during the five-day period. Fire and rescue crews also responded to three motor vehicle collisions. The remaining calls included one residential fire, one brush fire, and one fire alarm that was determined to be a false alarm. One additional call resulted in units being dispatched but

Angry Orange has recalled about 1.5 million units of its Enzyme Stain Removers after tests showed the products may contain harmful bacteria, federal safety officials announced. The recalled products can contain Pseudomonas aeruginosa , a bacterium commonly found in soil and water. While people with healthy immune systems are usually not affected, exposure can pose a serious infection risk for individuals with weakened immune systems, underlying lung conditions, or external me

While parts of Clay, Cherokee, Towns and Union counties saw impacts from the weekend winter storm, the region largely avoided the worst of the system. Light snow and ice were reported in some higher elevations, along with slick road conditions late Saturday and early Sunday. However, accumulations were minimal for most communities, sparing the area from the heavier snowfall and widespread power outages seen elsewhere across the Southeast. Despite the limited storm impact, dan

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Another surge of Arctic air could bring some of the coldest temperatures of the winter to North Georgia and Western North Carolina early next week, according to Mountain Buzz’s official meteorologist, Greg Majewski. Majewski said the American GFS weather model continues to indicate the potential for sub-zero temperatures in parts of the region on Tuesday, Jan. 27, following a storm system expected to move through over the weekend. “The American GFS continues to push out sub-z

Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release On 01/15/26 at 10:20 PM Clay County Lt. Tyler Faggard and Officer Sean Stout conducted a traffic stop of a Toyota truck at the intersection of McDonald Road and NC Highway 69 in Hayesville. Steven Douglas Anderson, 28 years of age from Hayesville, was found to be the driver of the truck. Haley Cheyenne Goode, 27 years of age from Hayesville, was a passenger in the truck. Anderson was known to the Officers to have been on probation fo

Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release Back on 08/02/25 Kimberly Curtis Allison, 42 years of age from Hayesville, and James Brandon Taylor, 30 years of age from Hayesville, were arrested in Towns County, GA for a very large quantity of methamphetamine. Based on information from these arrests and additional historical information, Clay County Lt. Tyler Faggard, Investigator Brandon Coker, Officer Sean Stout, and Cherokee County Investigator Sean Myers executed a search war

A major winter storm is forecast to hit portions of North Georgia and Western North Carolina as soon as Friday night, with significant impacts possible through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service and regional meteorologists. Forecasters are warning of a complex system capable of producing snow, sleet, freezing rain and dangerous ice accumulations as Arctic air clashes with Gulf moisture.  Storm System Overview Meteorologists describe the approaching system

Clay County Fire and Rescue responded to a total of 18 calls for service during the week of January 12 through January 18, with the majority of those calls related to medical emergencies. According to the department, 12 of the 18 calls were for medical emergencies, continuing a trend that places emergency medical responses as the largest portion of overall call volume. Fire-related incidents during the week included two false fire alarms, one residential structure fire, and o

Photo credit: Valleytown Fire and Rescue Valleytown Fire and Rescue responded to a large commercial structure fire Friday night at the Andrews Valley Poultry Farm, resulting in an estimated $5 million in property damage. According to a press release from Valleytown Fire and Rescue, crews were dispatched at 9:18 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, to a fire at 417 Taylors Creek Road, the location of Dutt and Wagner Inc. and the Andrews Valley Poultry Farm. Firefighters arrived to find one l

Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release On the morning of 12/22/25 a breaking, entering, and larceny was reported at Anthony Garrett Construction (AGC) located at 603 Jonquil Lane in Hayesville. Clay County Investigator Brandon Coker responded to this location. Garrett reported that he went into his shop this morning and found items from his work truck scattered on the ground. Numerous tool related items were found to have been stolen.  A surveillance camera captured image

Wildlife officials in Tennessee are investigating what could be described as a serial burglary after a bear broke into a Gatlinburg candy store for the fourth time. Glades Homemade Candies said in a social media post that a bear broke into the shop Thursday night, ransacking the store and causing significant damage to both the building and its products. The owners said the latest break-in marks the fourth time a bear has entered the business. “We have nurtured our arts and cr

Clay County Fire and Rescue responded to 35 calls for service between Jan. 5 and Jan. 11, according to weekly activity statistics released by the department. Medical emergencies accounted for the majority of responses, with 25 calls during the seven-day period. Crews also responded to two motor vehicle collisions. Other incidents included one fire alarm activation, one gas leak, one report of a power line down and one public assistance call. In one case, responders found no e

The following information was provided to the Clay County Republican Party and then sent to media outlets as a press release. MARK BUCHANAN Mark is 60 years of age and was born and raised in Sylva, NC. Mark attended Western Carolina University and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement in 1983. Mark worked for the Jackson County, NC Sheriff’s Office as a Patrol Officer and Detective for 6- 1/2 years. Mark then began employment with the N

North Carolina voters who requested absentee-by-mail ballots for the 2026 primary election will soon begin receiving them, as county boards of elections start mailing ballots Monday, Jan. 12. The mailing of absentee ballots marks the official start of voting for the state’s March 3 primary election. Election officials say voters who have already submitted a request should expect their ballots to arrive in the coming days. In North Carolina, any eligible voter may request, rec

The Clay County Board of Commissioners have voted unanimously to prohibit commercial data centers from establishing, constructing, expanding or operating in the county, adopting an ordinance that takes effect immediately. The ordinance, approved Jan. 8, 2026, bars commercial data centers with a peak power demand of 2 megawatts or greater from all zoning districts in Clay County’s unincorporated areas. County officials said municipalities within Clay County may choose to adopt

Clay County GOP Press Release The Clay County GOP will host two candidate debates for the Republican Candidates for the Primary Elections for local offices in January. The GOP County Commissioner Primary Candidates will debate on January 22, 2026, at 6:00 PM, in the Beal Center in Hayesville. Also, on January 29, 2026, at 6:00 PM, in the Beal Center in Hayesville, the Clay County GOP will host a debate forum featuring the two declared GOP Primary Candidates for Clay County Sh