Photo from NCCAT-The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching Facebook page. The Cherokee County School Board recognized a local educator during its February 5 meeting for earning statewide recognition as an outstanding beginning teacher. Dr. Karen Sumner, Deputy Executive Director of the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, and Caesar Campana, Beginning Teacher Coordinator for Cherokee County Schools, presented Morgan Dudley with a plaque hono

The race for Clay County sheriff is escalating as incumbent Sheriff Mark Buchanan issued a sharp public response to challenger and former sheriff Joe Shook, accusing him of running a negative campaign and misrepresenting both Buchanan’s record and the legacies of past county sheriffs. In a statement released this week, Buchanan criticized a full-page advertisement by Shook published in the Clay County Progress , saying the ad and comments made during a Jan. 29 debate unfairly

The Clay County Republican Party will hold its regular monthly meeting Thursday, Feb. 19, at the Clay County Community Center in Hayesville. The meeting will take place in the second-floor meeting room at 25 Riverside Drive. Light refreshments, snacks and desserts will be served 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. Republican and unaffiliated voters are invited to

The Clay County Board of Education recognized student and teacher achievements during its regular meeting Tuesday, Feb. 10, highlighting both professional excellence in the classroom and career readiness at the high school level. Board members honored six Clay County Schools teachers for earning National Board Certification, one of the highest professional distinctions in education. All six educators earned certification as Early Childhood Generalists. Recognized teachers inc

The John C. Campbell Folk School has launched its first-ever Substack, creating a new digital space to share stories, history and voices from its Brasstown campus as the school celebrates its centennial year. School officials describe the Substack as a “front-porch conversation” delivered to subscribers’ inboxes, featuring reflections from instructors and alumni, behind-the-scenes moments from campus life, and stories highlighting 100 years of the Folk School’s “learning by d

Original music takes center stage later this month as Songwriters Showcase 58 returns to The Peacock on Friday, Feb. 21, 2026. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. and will feature an evening of original songwriting and intimate performances in one of the region’s most beloved listening-room venues. The showcase is hosted and curated by Rob Tiger and is part of an ongoing local series highlighting accomplished songwriters and musical storytellers. Each artist is selected for strong

Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release On 02/05/26 around 4:12 PM, during drug interdiction efforts, Clay County Investigator Brandon Coker stopped a Nissan Pathfinder at the intersection of US Hwy 64 and NC Hwy 175. Laura Surelle Henry, 53 years of age from Hayesville, was found to be driving. Henry told Investigator Coker that she had just left the residence located at 270 Dyer Cove Road in Hayesville. Investigator Coker was familiar with this residence, which had earli

More than 23,000 North Carolina public high school seniors have accepted direct college admission offers through the NC College Connect program. Between August 2025 and January 2026, students accepted over 88,000 offers, representing roughly 21% of the Class of 2026. The program, now in its second year, automatically matches qualifying seniors—those with a 2.8 GPA or higher—to colleges and universities across the state, removing the need for a traditional application. State S

Clay County Fire and Rescue crews responded to 32 calls for service from January 31 through February 7, according to department reports. The majority of incidents were medical emergencies, totaling 24 calls, highlighting the ongoing demand for emergency medical services in the community. Fire and rescue personnel also responded to two motor vehicle collisions and provided assistance to citizens on four occasions. Crews battled one brush fire during the week, and one call was

Gardeners in Zone 7 — which includes Clay and Cherokee counties in North Carolina and Towns and Union counties in Georgia — can take advantage of February to get a jump on the growing season by starting certain seeds indoors. While outdoor planting is still limited this time of year, February is considered an ideal month to begin slow-growing plants from seed. Starting early allows seedlings to develop strong root systems before being transplanted outside once warmer temperat

(Photo by Pam Roman) Wizards make magic: Kneeling: David Cady and David Heslin. Standing: Kay Thomas, Michele Legue, Kathy Wright, Dianne Spelts, and Margaret Jones (not pictured: Janice Minette) By Harrison Keely Guest Writer The Peacock Performing Arts Center’s first play of 2026 may feature just four actors, but Chapter Two is supported by a dedicated behind-the-scenes crew working to make the show run seamlessly. Written by legendary playwright Neil Simon, Chapter Two

The Clay County 4-H program is hosting its annual Fruit Plant Sale, offering residents the opportunity to purchase a wide variety of fruit plants and trees while supporting local youth programs. Orders are being accepted from February 1 through March 15 . Available plants include apples, peaches, cherries, pears and plums, along with strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries. The sale also features elderberries, grapes, muscadines, pawpaws, persimmons and figs.

Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce that Property and Evidence Manager Stephanie Elliott and Lieutenant Bruce Moore have recently earned certification in Property and Evidence Room Management through the North Carolina Justice Academy. This specialized certification reflects advanced training in proper collection, storage, security, and disposition of property and evidence handled by law enforcement agencies. Thei

A 22-year-old from Murphy is heading to the next round of American Idol after a standout performance on the show’s second episode of the season. Braden Rumfelt appeared on the popular singing competition accompanied by his twin brother, Kellen Rumfelt, who played guitar during the audition. The brothers’ performance of "Girl Crush" impressed all three judges — Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie — earning Braden a unanimous vote to advance. Rumfelt’s audition mar

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