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

The Clay County Community Revitalization Association (CCCRA) has announced the lineup for the 2026 Summer Concert Series on the Square  in Hayesville, featuring eight nights of live music throughout the summer. The free concert series will kick off May 1 and continue through Aug. 14, bringing a variety of regional bands to the town square for evenings of food, fellowship and music. According to organizers, food and beverages will be available beginning at 6 p.m., with live mu

CCSO Press Release Dewayne Stillwell, 52 of Chattanooga, TN was arrested on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, by the Polk County, TN Sheriff’s Office. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division began investigating Stillwell at the end of 2025 after receiving information that he was transporting large quantities of methamphetamine from Chattanooga, TN to Cherokee County. This information remained consistent throughout the investigation and after executing a search warrant

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 Carissa Daniels The Union County Panthers used a dominant pitching performance and timely hitting to roll past the Hayesville Yellow Jackets 10–0 on Thursday. Union County’s pitching staff held Hayesville to just three hits while striking out 11 batters in five innings. The Panthers’ airtight pitching proved to be the difference as Hayesville dropped to 0-2 on the season. Union County jumped out early, plating three runs in the first inning and adding anothe

CCSO Press Release The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division, Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division, and Clay County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the residence of Colby Brett Phillips on March 4, 2026. As a result of the search warrant, 250 grams of Methamphetamine was seized. Previously in the day, an agent attempted to stop Phillips. Phillips stopped his vehicle. As the Agent approached Phillips vehicle from the fro

CHEROKEE COUNTY, N.C. — Cherokee County Sheriff Chris Wood announced Wednesday that Sean Myers has been promoted from the Narcotics Division to the rank of Captain, overseeing the Patrol Division. Captain Myers has served with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office for nine years. Prior to joining the sheriff’s office, he served honorably in the United States Marine Corps for seven years. Sheriff Wood said Captain Myers “will continue to be an asset to this office and the citi

HANGING DOG, N.C. — A 50-year-old Louisiana man died Tuesday after suffering a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Cherokee County, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. Deputies responded Tuesday, March 3, to reports of a person with a gunshot wound in the Hanging Dog community. When officers arrived, bystanders had already begun providing aid to the victim. Authorities identified the man as Joseph A. Kieffer, 50, of Louisiana. Investigators determined the gunshot

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

MURPHY, N.C. — Voters in Cherokee County turned out Tuesday, March 3, for the primary election, with all 16 precincts reporting results by the end of the night. In the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, Roy Cooper carried the county with 678 votes, or 84.86 percent. Marcus W. Williams finished second with 35 votes (4.38 percent), followed by Daryl Farrow and Justin E. Dues with 31 votes each (3.88 percent). Robert Colon received 13 votes (1.63 percent) and Orrick Quick had

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — Voters in Clay County turned out Tuesday, March 3, for the primary election, with all nine of nine precincts reporting results by the end of the night. In the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, Roy Cooper carried the county with 506 votes, or 88.62 percent. Justin E. Dues received 26 votes (4.55 percent), followed by Marcus W. Williams with 16 (2.80 percent), Robert Colon with 12 (2.10 percent), Daryl Farrow with 8 (1.40 percent) and Orrick Quick with 3 (

CCSO Press Release ANDREWS, NC – On March 2, 2026, newly appointed Sheriff Chris Wood visited the students of Andrews Elementary School to participate in a community reading initiative. The Sheriff spent the morning engaging with young learners and emphasizing the critical importance of foundational literacy in early childhood development. During his visit, Sheriff Wood selected the timeless Dr. Seuss classic, Green Eggs and Ham, to read aloud to several students. The event

Photo from the AHS Athletics Facebook page. The Lady Wildcats of Andrews High School are headed to the state’s final four after holding off Summit Charter Academy 46-42 in the N.C. 1A girls basketball playoffs. Andrews used a balanced effort and timely defense down the stretch to secure the four-point win, punching its ticket to the semifinal round of the N.C. 1A state championship tournament. The Lady Wildcats withstood a late push from Summit Charter, protecting a narrow le

Spencer Mathis Director of Media & Communications The Mountain Lions run came to an end Monday evening, but not without a fight. The No. 7 seed Young Harris Mountain Lions pushed No. 6 seed Chowan in the second round of the Conference Carolinas Championship before falling 64-58, finishing the season with an impressive 22-8 record and marking back-to-back 22-win seasons for the program under head coach Lindsey Huffman . Young Harris came out sharp, building a 17-9 first-quart

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — The Clay County Sheriff's Office is reminding residents that a medication drop box located outside its front door is intended only for certain types of prescription drugs and controlled substances. According to the sheriff’s office, the drop box is designed to collect controlled substances and prescription pills that could be harmful if they fall into the wrong hands. Officials said the box is not intended for insulin syringes or any type of sharp objects,

Mountain Buzz area high school basketball teams wrapped up postseason play over the weekend, with several North Carolina squads advancing and the final Georgia team seeing its season come to an end. In the NC 2A state tournament, the postseason run ended Saturday, Feb. 28, for both Murphy teams. The Murphy Lady Bulldogs were eliminated with a 59-16 loss to Bishop McGuinness, while the Murphy Bulldogs fell 62-53 to Elkin in boys’ action. There was better news in the NC 1A tour

CLAY COUNTY, N.C. — Deputy Sean Stout and his K-9 partner Freya have earned national certification through the North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA), marking a major milestone for the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Mark Buchanan praised the accomplishment, highlighting the teamwork, dedication, and perseverance that led to the certification. “Sean and Freya have bonded and grown into an absolute dope-finding machine in just over four months,” said Buchan

CHEROKEE COUNTY, N.C. — Deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Feb. 26, 2026, after receiving information that a Culberson family had discovered two explosive devices while cleaning out property belonging to a deceased relative. Deputies and a narcotics agent responded to the scene and identified the devices as a smoke grenade and an MK2 grenade. Both devices appeared to be live but were determined to be in stable condition. The area w

HIWASSEE DAM, N.C.  — Deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a possible deceased individual on the evening of Feb. 25 in the 500 block of in the Hiwassee Dam community. Upon arrival, patrol deputies confirmed a deceased person at the scene. Investigators from the sheriff’s office Criminal Investigations Division were called in and identified the deceased as a 75-year-old woman. A family member had requested a welfare check at approximatel