Staff Report YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — The Towns County Sheriff’s Office is reminding residents that its welfare check program is an established service and has been expanded to reach more people who may need regular check-ins. The office said it has received questions about welfare check services and wants the public to know the program has been available for years. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the service dates to the administration of former Sheriff Rudy Eller and has cont

Staff Report Gov. Brian Kemp suspended Georgia’s motor fuel excise tax for 30 days starting at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, offering immediate savings at the pump for drivers in Towns and Union counties and drawing shoppers from neighboring Clay and Cherokee counties in North Carolina. The order, issued Monday after Kemp declared a state of emergency over global oil-market volatility and petroleum supply disruptions, pauses the state’s 33.3-cents-per-gallon tax on gasoline and 37.3-ce

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Downtown Young Harris will host PorchFest 2026 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, with live music, vendors, food trucks and a new community jam session. The rain-or-shine festival is free and open to the public. It is organized by the city and Main Street Young Harris and coincides with Young Harris College Family Weekend. College organizers billed the gathering as the fifth annual Porchfest. Musical stages will be at Cable’s Gallery, Young Harris Wi

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

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

HIAWASSEE, Ga. — Towns County deputies stopped a vehicle Tuesday on U.S. 76 East at Georgia 75 South during what the Sheriff’s Office described as an active investigation of a possible clandestine lab, briefly slowing traffic at the intersection. The Sheriff’s Office posted that motorists should be patient because traffic would move slowly while deputies and investigators worked the scene. A later update said normal traffic on U.S. 76 East at Georgia 75 South was expected to

HIAWASSEE, Ga. — The Towns County Sheriff’s Office and the Hiawassee Police Department recently conducted an active-intruder drill at Towns County Schools, Sheriff Anthony Coleman said. The exercise was planned with school administrators, faculty and staff. Coleman said it gave participants hands-on training and improved coordination between the schools and local law enforcement. “Training like this is an important part of preparing for emergency situations and ensuring that

By Tyler Osborn Guest Writer This September, the Towns County Historical Society is bringing together local history, literacy, and two women whose legacies share a common thread: a belief in the power of education. Through the “Books, Bricks & Butterflies” campaign, 25% of every donation made during September to the restoration of the historic Berrong-Oakley House will be donated to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, helping provide free, age-appropriate books to children fr

A before and after pic show the progress being made on the Berron-Oakley House project. Press Release The Berrong-Oakley House has undergone a major transformation in recent weeks as work continues to preserve the historic Hiawassee landmark for future generations. Thanks to community donations and fundraising efforts led by the Towns County Historical Society, the home’s exterior restoration is now largely complete. One of the largest portions of the project involved restori

(Photo by City of Hiawassee) Community leaders, partners, and loved ones gather at the Paris Business Center to celebrate owners Ben and Shawna Collins of Grass Guitars and Brianna Moore of Moore Love at their joint ribbon-cutting ceremony. Lily Pontiz Guest Writer Hiawassee, GA – The Paris Business Center (PBC) proudly celebrated a major milestone on Friday, Aug. 28 with a joint ribbon-cutting ceremony for its business incubators, Grass Guitars and Moore Love. The event mark

Lily Ponitz Guest Writer The summer tradition of free music on the Hiawassee Town Square winds down this Saturday, September 5 with the final concert for the season. Band of Steel from the Woody Gap School in Blairsville will take the stage at 6:30 PM. This group of sixth to eleventh grade students performs an exciting and entertaining show of rock, pop, and Caribbean music using steel drums. Their repertoire includes hits from bands like The Who, Pat Benatar, Coldplay, Red H

Prices across extreme northeast Georgia and far-western North Carolina have settled into a narrower squeeze: cheaper they are not, but the pain is now concentrated at the pump and in a few grocery staples. Consumer prices in the South, the Bureau of Labor Statistics region that includes Georgia and North Carolina, rose 3.2 percent in the 12 months ending in July. That is up from 2.3 percent a year earlier and down from a 3.9 percent peak in May. There is no separate index for

HIAWASSEE, Ga. — The Hiawassee Police Department and Towns County Sheriff’s Office will join the Blue Knights for a Law Enforcement Memorial Ride on Saturday, Sept. 12, honoring two Towns County officers killed in the line of duty and raising money for Shop with a Cop programs. The ride will honor Sheriff Jay Vernon Chastain Sr., who was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Hiawassee on Dec. 8, 1974, and Deputy Sheriff James E. Taylor, who was struck and killed by a vehic

TOWNS COUNTY, Ga. — Suspended Towns County Sheriff Kenneth Henderson resigned from office Monday after accepting a negotiated plea deal in Towns County Superior Court that resolved criminal charges linked to a 2024 clash with another law enforcement officer and a separate transaction involving the sale of personal property to the sheriff’s office. Appalachian Judicial Circuit District Attorney Frank Wood said Henderson entered guilty pleas to simple battery against a police o

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Mountain Regional Library and Towns County Public Library are making it easier for residents to explore Georgia’s outdoors by offering state park passes for checkout. The ParkPass is a hanging tag that provides free parking at all of Georgia’s state parks and historic sites. The Historic Site Family Pass allows two free admissions to any of the state’s historic sites. Both passes circulate for seven days and may be renewed once, making them suitable for sh

Lily Ponitz Guest Writer The summer tradition of free music on the Hiawassee Town Square continues this Saturday, August 22 with Steve Vaclavic taking the stage at 6:30 PM. Deeply rooted in the Americana tradition, Steve Vaclavik has managed to create his own style of music. You take equal parts Americana, Country, Rock, and Folk, mix it all up and you get an eclectic format he likes to call "Twang-Rock." His music has been described as somewhat moody and at times lighthearte

Young Harris, Ga. — A heat advisory is in effect Monday for portions of northeast Georgia and western North Carolina as oppressive heat and humidity push heat index values into the triple digits. The National Weather Service office in Greenville-Spartanburg issued the advisory from noon to 8 p.m. EDT for parts of northeast Georgia, including Stephens, Franklin, Hart and Elbert counties, along with portions of the North Carolina Piedmont and Upstate South Carolina. Heat index

HIAWASSEE, Ga. — The Hiawassee Downtown Development Authority is seeking dedicated volunteers to join its board and help improve the city’s downtown. The authority is looking for owners or managers of downtown businesses, or residents of the city of Hiawassee, who are passionate about building community and ready to work as a team. Board members are expected to attend monthly meetings. “We’re looking for dedicated, passionate individuals who are ready to work as a team to imp

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Residents of Young Harris are invited to share their ideas for the city’s future at two public meetings tied to the Towns County Comprehensive Plan. The meetings will be held at noon today, Aug. 12, and at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 25 in the Community Room at Young Harris City Hall. Officials are asking the public to attend either session to discuss the long-term direction of the city. A public survey is also available online so residents can submit input before 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