CHEROKEE COUNTY, N.C. —  The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about spam calls targeting local medical providers in which scammers pose as law enforcement officers. According to the sheriff’s office, callers have been falsely claiming to be Chief Deputy Justin Jacobs and telling victims they missed jury duty. The callers then attempt to extort money over the phone. Deputies emphasized that the sheriff’s office will never solicit money from anyone by phone

For generations, Christians have cherished the Bible as the foundation of faith and the source of truth. Yet too often, I see believers get caught up arguing over which version of the Bible is “the right one.” I understand the passion behind those debates — the Word of God deserves reverence — but we must remember something important: if you can’t understand the words on the page, you’ll struggle to understand the God behind them. The goal of reading Scripture is transformati

Union County Fire/Rescue & EMA Press Release Last week’s column provided some information on outdoor burning and reviewed the burning safety standards set by the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC). We encourage everyone to utilize these safety standards when burning leaves and other hand piled yard debris to prevent wildfires. We also encourage everyone to learn more about how to prepare your family, home, and community for wildfires. A good place to start is with Firewise USA

HAYESVILLE, N.C. - The Hayesville Lady Yellow Jackets kept their postseason momentum rolling Tuesday night with a straight-sets win over Smoky Mountain Conference rival Swain County in the second round of the NCHSAA 2A state championship tournament. Hayesville, which earned a first-round bye thanks to an impressive regular season, had to hunker down on their home court to take care of a strong Lady Maroon Devils team. The victory was a repeat performance from just a week ear

HIAWASSEE, Ga. —  The Hiawassee Downtown Development Authority is inviting community members to help prepare the city for the Christmas season through its annual “Light Up Hiawassee” volunteer event. Volunteers can participate on three dates: Nov. 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Mayor’s Park, Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hiawassee Town Square, and Nov. 21 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. The event aims to spread holiday cheer and beautify the city ahead of th

GREENSBORO — The Murphy Lady Bulldogs saw their postseason run come to an end Tuesday in the second round of the NCHSAA 2A state volleyball championship, falling in straight sets to Cornerstone Charter. Murphy entered the matchup fresh off a hard-fought first-round victory but couldn’t keep that momentum alive, dropping the match 25-12, 25-12, 25-15. The loss marked the Lady Bulldogs’ third defeat in their last four outings, closing their season with an 11-12 overall record.

KERNERSVILLE, N.C.  — Hiwassee Dam’s postseason run came to an end Tuesday night as the Eagles fell 3-0 to the Leadership Academy Falcons in the second round of the NCHSAA 1A state volleyball championship tournament. The loss halted a three-match winning streak for Hiwassee Dam, which had swept North Stokes in the opening round and battled back from a midseason slump to reach the second round. After a strong start to the tournament, the Eagles couldn’t find the same rhythm ag

ANDREWS, N.C.  — The Andrews Lady Wildcats bounced back from a recent losing skid in a big way Tuesday, Oct. 21, defeating NCSSM: Morganton 3-1 to advance to round 3 of the 1A NCHSAA tournament. After dropping being eliminated from the Smoky Mountain Conference tournament in round 1, Andrews regrouped on their home court and found their rhythm against the Dragons. The win was a welcome confidence boost as the Wildcats improved their record to 11-12 on the season. Next up, And

HIAWASSEE, Ga.  — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has suspended Towns County Sheriff Kenneth Henderson from office for 60 days following an investigation into allegations of misconduct, following the release of bodycam footage which showed Henderson's interaction a Hiawassee police officer at the scene of a deputy shooting in 2024. In an executive order issued Monday, Kemp said the decision followed a recommendation from a three-member committee appointed on Sept. 19 to review the al

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — With the first real chill of fall settling across western North Carolina and north Georgia, homeowners are being urged to take advantage of the cool, dry days ahead to prepare their homes for winter. Local experts say a few preventive steps now can save money and prevent costly damage once freezing temperatures arrive in the mountains. The transition from mild autumn afternoons to frosty mornings often comes quickly in the southern Appalachians, where ele

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — Hayesville’s struggles continued Monday night as the Yellow Jackets fell 1-0 to Blue Ridge Early College, marking their third consecutive defeat. The Yellow Jackets came close to ending their skid but were unable to find the net against the Bobcats, who avenged a 2-0 loss from earlier in the season. With the defeat, Hayesville dropped to 4-6-1 overall. Blue Ridge Early College improved to 6-6-1 with the win. Hayesville will look to bounce back Wednesday, Oc

ANDREWS, N.C. ( — The Andrews Wildcats broke a nine-game skid against Highlands on Monday, edging the Highlanders 2-1 in a tense home match. The victory marked Andrews’ third straight win at home and their second consecutive one-goal triumph. The Wildcats improved to 4-7-1 on the season. Highlands entered the game on a six-match winning streak but fell to 8-7-1 with the loss. Andrews will look to keep their momentum going when they host Summit Charter at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

MURPHY, N.C. — Murphy continued its dominant season Monday night, blanking Summit Charter 3-0 after a tight first half. The Bulldogs held the Bears scoreless throughout, pulling away after halftime for another comfortable win. The result marked Murphy’s ninth victory this season by more than two goals. With the shutout, Murphy improved to 12-3-1, while Summit Charter fell to 7-4, snapping a four-match winning streak. Murphy will return to the field Monday at 4 p.m. to face B

Hiawassee, Ga. —  Efforts to control an invasive aquatic weed that spread rapidly across Lake Chatuge in recent years have shown promising results, though experts caution that full eradication remains unlikely. Local environmental groups, including MountainTrue and Save Lake Chatuge, coordinated a large-scale treatment campaign targeting parrot feather  ( Myriophyllum aquaticum ), a South American plant known for forming thick mats that choke waterways and block boat traffic.

Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Press Release CHEROKEE COUNTY, NC – Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith announces conclusion to drug trafficking case. On October 16, 2025 Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office concluded a two-month investigation into the distribution of fentanyl into Cherokee County by Ashli Shawnai Roberts of Murphy, NC. The investigation came to an end after law enforcement received information that Roberts was on her way back to Murphy from Atlanta with a lar

Hayesville, N.C. — The ongoing federal government shutdown is beginning to affect daily life and economic activity across Clay and Cherokee counties in far western North Carolina, where tourism, agriculture and federal programs play central roles. Federal services remain open in many cases but are operating with limited staff or reduced support. The Nantahala National Forest, which spans both counties, continues to allow public access, though road maintenance, campground ope

By Steve Esser Guest Writer YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Students representing Young Harris College presented at the 37th University of Virginia-Wise Medieval Renaissance Conference, recently, speaking on a variety of research topics related to medieval and Renaissance periods.  Five students spoke at the academic conference in Wise, VA. Academic conferences are public gatherings of scholars based on disciplines – or fields of study – and often are a ground level for research scholar

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga.  — Two Union County firefighters have completed an advanced Swiftwater Technician Course designed to prepare emergency responders for rescues in fast-moving water conditions. Firefighters Hudson Anderson  and Conner Cook   completed the week-long training, provided by Rescue 3 International , according to Union County Fire and Rescue. The course, which includes both classroom instruction and hands-on exercises, trains participants in techniques such as self-r

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Residents of Western North Carolina and northern Georgia should prepare for a winter that is more likely to be warmer and drier than normal, federal and regional climate forecasters said this month, a pattern driven in part by a return of La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific. The Climate Prediction Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, issued seasonal outlook maps in mid-October that favor above-average temperatures an

MURPHY, N.C. — The Hiwassee Dam Eagles kept their postseason alive with a dominant sweep over North Stokes in the opening round of the NCHSAA 1A state volleyball tournament on Saturday. The Eagles defended home court with a 3-0 win, taking the sets 25-23, 25-19 and 25-23. The victory highlighted Hiwassee Dam’s grit in close sets as they closed out each frame with clutch points. With the win, Hiwassee Dam (8-16) advances to face The Leadership Academy (18-7) of Kernersville o