The following information was provided to the Clay County Republican Party and then sent to media outlets as a press release. MARK BUCHANAN Mark is 60 years of age and was born and raised in Sylva, NC. Mark attended Western Carolina University and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement in 1983. Mark worked for the Jackson County, NC Sheriff’s Office as a Patrol Officer and Detective for 6- 1/2 years. Mark then began employment with the N

Murphy High School’s basketball teams dominated both ends of the court Thursday night, handing Blue Ridge Early College (Cashiers, N.C.) decisive losses in non-conference matchups at BREC’s home gym. The Murphy girls used a strong first quarter to set the tone, taking a 26-6 lead over the BREC Blue Ridge Early College squad. Despite a more competitive second quarter, the visitors maintained control and went on to defeat BREC 70-38. Scoring was steady across the game for Murph

The Blairsville Police Department is warning residents about a phone scam in which callers falsely claim to be police officers and demand immediate payment for supposed outstanding warrants. According to the department, scammers have been contacting individuals while posing as Blairsville police officers, telling them they have active warrants and must pay right away to avoid arrest. Police say the callers may pressure victims to act quickly and request personal or financial

North Carolina voters who requested absentee-by-mail ballots for the 2026 primary election will soon begin receiving them, as county boards of elections start mailing ballots Monday, Jan. 12. The mailing of absentee ballots marks the official start of voting for the state’s March 3 primary election. Election officials say voters who have already submitted a request should expect their ballots to arrive in the coming days. In North Carolina, any eligible voter may request, rec

Photo from left to right: Council Members Jonathan Wilson, Jeff Scott, Nancy Noblet, Andrea Bell, and Scott Benton, and Mayor Jay Chastain The City of Hiawassee swore in two new members of its City Council this week, welcoming Andrea Bell and Jeff Scott to the governing body. Bell and Scott officially joined the council during a recent ceremony, marking the start of their service to the city. City officials thanked both for stepping forward to serve the Hiawassee community. T

The Clay County Board of Commissioners have voted unanimously to prohibit commercial data centers from establishing, constructing, expanding or operating in the county, adopting an ordinance that takes effect immediately. The ordinance, approved Jan. 8, 2026, bars commercial data centers with a peak power demand of 2 megawatts or greater from all zoning districts in Clay County’s unincorporated areas. County officials said municipalities within Clay County may choose to adopt

As the calendar turns and a new year begins, Union County Fire and Rescue is reflecting on 2025 as a year marked by significant growth, meaningful progress, and sobering challenges. Department leaders say the past year will be remembered as a period of expansion and strengthened operations. The volunteer ranks grew by 12 firefighters, bolstering staffing at volunteer stations across the county. At the same time, the career staff increased by six firefighters—two per shift—who

Union County Schools is celebrating strong attendance numbers districtwide, highlighting the commitment of students and families to showing up and staying engaged during the 2025–2026 school year. According to district data, Union County Schools currently boasts an average daily attendance (ADA) rate of 95 percent, a key indicator of student engagement and academic consistency. District leaders say the numbers reflect a collective effort to combat chronic absenteeism and keep

Clay County GOP Press Release The Clay County GOP will host two candidate debates for the Republican Candidates for the Primary Elections for local offices in January. The GOP County Commissioner Primary Candidates will debate on January 22, 2026, at 6:00 PM, in the Beal Center in Hayesville. Also, on January 29, 2026, at 6:00 PM, in the Beal Center in Hayesville, the Clay County GOP will host a debate forum featuring the two declared GOP Primary Candidates for Clay County Sh

Spencer Mathis Director of Media & Communications The Young Harris College Mountain Lions picked up their fifth Conference Carolinas win of the season, defeating Erskine College 78–70 on Wednesday afternoon (Jan. 7) at Belk Arena.  Player of the Game honors go to Carl Cleveland , who delivered a dominant performance with 25 points and 11 rebounds on 9-of-13 shooting, while adding six free throws in 39 minutes of action.  With the victory, Young Harris improves to 9–5 overall

Spencer Mathis Director of Media & Communications The Young Harris College Mountain Lions extended their winning streak to five games with a dominant 84–59 road victory over Erskine College on Wednesday afternoon (Jan. 7) at Belk Arena.  Player of the Game honors go to Rhiannon Saller , who powered the Mountain Lions with a game-high 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including two three-pointers, while grabbing nine rebounds in 27 minutes of action.  With the win, Young Harris im

Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release On 12/07/25 the burglary of a vacant residence located at 4459 Tusquittee Road in Hayesville was reported. This residence was vacant due to its owners being deceased.  The residence had been ransacked and numerous items of jewelry, wristwatches, power tools, I-Pads, a laptop computer, etc. were reported to have been stolen. Clay County Investigators Steven Smith and Brandon Coker as well as Officers Corey Scroggs and Donovan Burke r

Every year, the turn of the calendar comes with a flood of social media posts promising a “new year, new you.” As a young mom of two, I’ll admit: I’ve felt the pressure. Lose ten pounds. Read twenty books. Organize your house. Start that side hustle. And somehow, do it all in the first few weeks of January. The message is loud: if you haven’t started, you’re behind. But here’s the truth I’ve had to remind myself of over and over: God gives us a year , not a few frantic weeks.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office has temporarily shut down its online inmate roster after discovering it was being used by scammers to target local families. According to the sheriff’s office, the inmate roster website was inactivated on Dec. 24, 2025, following multiple reports of citizens being defrauded. The roster previously allowed the public to view recent arrests at the Union County Jail. Officials said scammers were accessing the online roster to identify recently ar

Clay County officials are preparing for a mandatory countywide property revaluation that will take effect Jan. 1, 2026, marking the first full reappraisal since 2018. The process is required by North Carolina law and is intended to update real property values to reflect current market conditions and ensure an equitable distribution of the property tax burden. Commission Chairman Rob Peck emphasized that the revaluation is not designed to increase overall tax revenue. Instead,

A busy Tuesday night on the hardwood brought a mix of dominant performances and close finishes for area teams, with Andrews, Hayesville, Murphy, Hiwassee Dam and Union County all taking center stage. Andrews sweeps Blue Ridge Early College Andrews made a clean sweep on the road at Blue Ridge Early College, earning wins in both the girls and boys non-conference matchups. The Andrews girls set the tone early and cruised to a 56–25 victory, holding Blue Ridge to single-digit sco

A new "Hikewassee" van was purchased on Dec. 31, 2025. Runners of all experience levels are invited to lace up their shoes for the upcoming Hiawassee Half Marathon & 5K, set in the heart of North Georgia’s scenic mountain region on Saturday, March 14th. The event will start and finish in the charming Hiawassee Town Square, located at 19 S. Main St. in downtown Hiawassee, and offers participants a picturesque road race highlighting the area’s mountain-lake beauty. Both the hal

The GBI has arrested and charged Towns County Sheriff’s Office Major John McCoy with Theft by Deception, Violation of Oath of Office, and three counts of False Statements and Writings.  In July of 2025, the GBI was requested by Enotah Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Joy Parks to investigate a theft allegation within the accountability court program. McCoy, a sworn law enforcement officer, was hired as a surveillance officer for the accountability court program. Part of

By: Spencer Mathis Director of Media & Communications Young Harris College Athletics is excited to announce four new inductees into our Athletic Hall of Fame: Randy Dunn (Athletic Director),  Mikie Rowe (Men's Soccer), Kendra Parenteau (Women's Lacrosse), and Darby Stanford (Softball). Our four newest members of the YHC Athletics Hall of Fame will be inducted on Saturday, February 7, 2026. To register for the Hall of Fame Luncheon for our inductees, visit the links at the

Cherokee County Schools has announced the appointment of Emily Sneed as the new principal of Hiwassee Dam Middle School, marking what district leaders say is an exciting new chapter for the school. Superintendent Dr. Keevin Woody and the Cherokee County Board of Education expressed their enthusiasm in welcoming Sneed to the leadership role, citing her experience within the district and her strong ties to the local community. Sneed began her career with Cherokee County Schools