Blairsville, GA – The Union County Recreation Department is gearing up for the summer season with the highly anticipated reopening of Meek's Park Pool on Monday, June 1, 2026. Pool hours will run daily from 12:00 PM to 5:30 PM, offering families and residents plenty of time to enjoy the refreshing waters. General admission is set at $6 per person, with children 4 years old and under entering free of charge. Pool parties and season passes will be available for purchase starti

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga. — Community members are being invited to take part in a spring clean-up effort at Lake Nottely later this month. The Lake Nottely Improvement Association will host the volunteer event on Saturday, April 18, beginning at 9 a.m. Participants are asked to meet at 843 Lakeside Drive in Blairsville. Organizers say the goal is to remove trash from coves around the lake and help preserve its natural beauty. Volunteers will be transported by pontoon boats to designa

Press Release The John C. Campbell Folk School is offering a discount for local residents on select summer classes for sign-ups from April 13-May 31. The Summer Local Discount (50%) applies to the following areas/counties listed on our website: North Carolina: Cherokee, Clay, Macon, Swain, Jackson, and Graham. Georgia: Fannin, Towns, Union, Gilmer and Rabun. Tennessee: Polk. Those looking to receive a local benefit are required to present one of the following, sho

The U.S. Postal Service is proposing a postage rate increase while taking steps to cut costs, including temporarily suspending certain retirement contributions, as it works to stabilize its finances. The agency announced it is seeking approval to raise the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp by 4 cents, from 78 cents to 82 cents. If approved, the increase would take effect July 12. At the same time, USPS has suspended its employer contributions to a federal pension prog

Photo from the UCSO Facebook page. Blairsville, GA — Two instructors from the Union County Sheriff's Office recently returned from the 2026 International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA) Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, where they enhanced their skills to better serve and protect the community. Last month, Lt. Walker and Sgt. Pilote traveled to the conference, held March 16-21 at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel. The event drew more than 600 att

Photo from the Union County Fire and Rescue Facebook page . Firefighters with Union County Fire and Rescue have completed advanced training focused on responding to aviation emergencies, according to a recent department announcement. Members of the department participated in the Basic Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting course at the Atlanta Fire Training Center. The program included 40 hours of online instruction followed by an additional 40 hours of hands-on training at Hartsf

Families and visitors are invited to take part in a festive Easter-themed event in downtown Blairsville next weekend. The Downtown Blairsville Easter Egg Stroll is set for Saturday, April 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering a casual and family-friendly way to celebrate the holiday while supporting local businesses. Organizers say participants can stroll through the downtown square and participating merchants in search of hidden Easter eggs. The eggs will be scattered througho

Photo from the Union County Fire & Rescue Facebook page . The Union County Fire Department recognized the service and achievements of its firefighters during its annual awards banquet held March 21. Firefighters, both career and volunteer, gathered to celebrate another year of service while enjoying a meal and fellowship. The event highlighted the department’s accomplishments and honored individuals for their dedication to protecting the community. Awards presented during the

Firefighters with Union County Fire & Rescue spent two days sharpening life-saving skills during a specialized auto extrication training held March 14–15. The department partnered with the North American Vehicle Rescue Association (NAVRA) to deliver the hands-on course, which focused on both foundational techniques and newer methods used in emergency vehicle rescues. During the training, firefighters reviewed core extrication principles while also learning updated strategies

Press Release Free Bird Southern Spring Water will make its official NASCAR Cup Series debut as the primary sponsor of Chase Briscoe's No. 19 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing at Darlington Raceway on March 22, marking a major milestone for the fast-rising Southern beverage brand. The Darlington race marks the first time Free Bird will appear as the primary partner on Briscoe's car, launching a three-race primary sponsorship schedule during the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series seas

As spring arrives, Union County Fire and Rescue is reminding residents about the importance of safe outdoor burning practices to prevent wildfires. Each year, officials share guidance as more residents begin burning leaves and yard debris. While many of these fires are small and contained on private property, they can still raise concerns due to visible smoke. Fire officials say most are controlled burns and not cause for alarm, but proper precautions remain critical. Under G

Blue Ridge Mountain EMC is warning members about a phone scam reported by multiple customers involving fraudulent claims of unpaid balances. According to the utility, several members reported receiving calls from individuals claiming they owed money on their accounts. The callers allegedly instructed victims to visit a Dollar General store and purchase a specific form of payment. BRMEMC officials emphasized that the company does not conduct business in that manner and will ne

The Union County Sheriff’s Office is alerting residents that they may soon receive letters in the mail from the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association asking for support through a $25 membership. In a Facebook post, the sheriff’s office said the mailing is legitimate and supports programs that benefit all 159 sheriff’s offices across the state. According to the agency, money collected through memberships goes directly to the association to help fund training, education and other initi

Motorists traveling through Hiawassee should expect traffic changes Saturday morning as portions of U.S. Route 76 and Georgia State Route 288 will have lane closures for the Hiawassee Half Marathon and 5K. According to event organizers, one lane of SR 288 and US 76 will be closed during the race. Traffic cone placement will begin at 6 a.m., with official lane closures starting at 7 a.m. Roads will reopen on a rolling basis as runners clear the course, with all lanes expected

Photo from the UCFR Facebook page. Work continues on a new facility that will soon house the Union County 911 Dispatch Center, with officials reporting significant construction progress since the project began last year. According to a recent update from Union County Fire and Rescue, groundbreaking for the new building began in May 2025. In the months since, the structure has taken shape with the building now framed, exterior walls completed and the roof finished. Crews are c

The Towns Union Master Gardener Association is inviting the community to participate in a special observance honoring children lost in the Holocaust and supporting children affected by humanitarian crises today. The event, Remember the Children Observance Day, will take place Tuesday, March 10, at 3:30 p.m. at Lloyd’s Landing Park, 458 Azalia Drive. Attendees will gather at the Daffodil Project Garden, where a short program will include a brief history of the Daffodil Project

School officials say all students are safe after a Union County Schools bus was involved in a crash Monday morning on Murphy Highway. In a statement posted to social media, the school system said the bus was involved in an accident during the morning commute. Emergency medical services responded to the scene and evaluated the students as a precaution. According to the district, all students were checked by EMS at the scene and were later evaluated again by school nurses and c

Press Release Governor Brian P. Kemp today joined the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) in announcing the state has again made history by surpassing $60.2 billion in exports in calendar year 2025. This is a year-over-year increase of 12.7%, outperforming the national average of 5.6%. With goods going to 213 unique countries and territories, Georgia also ranked No. 7 for dollar value of total trade and No. 9 in the country for dollar value of exports. Georgia

If you’ve ever bought a large household appliance in North Carolina, you may have noticed a small $3 charge on your receipt—but not everyone knows what it’s for. The charge is called the White Goods Disposal Tax , a $3 fee applied to the purchase of certain major appliances from any North Carolina business. It doesn’t just apply to state residents—anyone buying an appliance from a retailer in North Carolina is required to pay it. The fee covers so-called “white goods,” a cate

Photo courtesy of the Union County Fire and Rescue Facebook page. UNION COUNTY, GA — Firefighters Trey Wall and Conner Cook of the Union County Fire Department have successfully completed a 16-hour Interior Search and Rescue (ISAR) course, a rigorous training program designed to enhance skills in locating and rescuing victims from burning or smoke-filled structures. The course provided hands-on experience in search techniques, victim removal methods, fireground survival, tea