Press Release Monday, November 3rd, the Hayesville Middle School Men’s Basketball team traveled to Robbinsville to kick off their 2025-2026 season. Facing off verse an experienced Black Knight team returning most of their roster from the previous season, the Jackets quickly set the tone with their tenacious defense. After the Jackets jumped out to a 12-3 lead, the Black Knights quickly burned their first time out hoping to slow the pace and establish some momentum on offense.

Press Release On October 10, 2025, Clay County entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management to facilitate expedited assistance with debris removal resulting from Tropical Storm Helene. Tropical Storm Helene caused unprecedented damage and debris in Western North Carolina. Accumulated debris in our waterways creates emergencies and urgent conditions that require timely removal to protect health and safety and avert additional

Press Release Dr. Brian Mitchell, a beloved physician whose decades of service helped shape the landscape of healthcare in Western North Carolina, is the subject of a newly-released mini-documentary by local filmmaker Harrison Keely. Titled “Brian Mitchell – The small-town doctor who changed everything,” the film follows Mitchell’s journey from his childhood in Boston to his pivotal era at Murphy Medical Center, now known as Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital. “Dr. Mitchell’s

Voters in the Town of Hayesville made their choices Tuesday, November 4, in a local election that decided the mayor’s office and seats on the town council. Benita C. England won the race for mayor with a commanding 71.74% of the vote, earning 66 ballots in her favor. Michael R. Castellano received 26 votes, or 28.26%. No write-in votes were recorded in the contest. In the race for Hayesville Town Council, where voters could select up to three candidates, Vanessa Lauren Tiger

I used to think I could handle everything on my own. I’m a mom of two little boys — loud, lovable, and full of energy — and I figured that with enough coffee and determination, I could do it all. But motherhood has a way of teaching you that strength isn’t found in isolation. It’s found in community. Somewhere between diaper changes, sleepless nights, and the endless cycle of “Mom, watch this!” I realized I was running on fumes. I was giving everything I had but never getting

Newly re-elected Mayor James Reid shared this photo on social media of his celebration with his family. ANDREWS, N.C. –  Voters in the Town of Andrews made their choices Tuesday night, electing mayor and two members to the Board of Aldermen in a pair of tightly contested races. James D. Reid kept the mayor’s seat with 51.75% of the vote, narrowly defeating Brandi Smith, who received 47.66%. Two write-in votes accounted for 0.58% of the total. In the Board of Aldermen race, wh

Voter support for a proposed new penny sales tax in Union County came up short in Tuesday’s election. The controversial Floating Local Option Sales Tax (FLOST) was voted down by a margin of roughly 700 votes, with 55.85% voting “no” and 44.15% voting “yes” out of approximately 5,900 total ballots cast. Supporters of FLOST promoted the measure as a way to lower property taxes by shifting some of the revenue burden to a higher consumer sales tax. The county’s sales tax rate cur

MURPHY, N.C. — Voters in the Town of Murphy went to the polls Tuesday and overwhelmingly re-elected Tim Radford as mayor. Radford secured another term with 93.92% of the vote, receiving 139 votes compared to 9 write-ins. In the race for Murphy Town Council, voters selected six candidates from a crowded field. Cindy Chastain led the pack with 138 votes (16.77%), followed closely by Charlene Smith with 136 votes (16.52%) and Jonathan D. Dickey with 133 votes (16.16%). Barry McC

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — The Hayesville Yellow Jackets opened the NCHSAA state championship tournament on a high note Tuesday night, defeating Eno River Academy 2-1 at home. The win improves Hayesville’s record to 6-8-1 and propels the Yellow Jackets into the second round, where they’ll look to keep their postseason momentum rolling. Hayesville wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, striking twice in the first half to take a 2-1 lead into the break. From there, the Yellow Jacke

CHEROKEE COUNTY, NC – Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith announces the arrest of a Murphy man after a domestic dispute and attempted arson of an occupied dwelling. On October 29, 2025, Deputies and Detectives with Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office responded to 1224 Old Ranger Road in the Murphy community of Cherokee County in reference to reports of a domestic dispute. While responding, additional information was obtained that Asif Munshi was attempting to ignite the reside

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release A Cherokee County man was arrested following a vehicle pursuit and collision with law enforcement on Friday, October 31, 2025. A Narcotics Agent with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop after discovering that the vehicle driven by Kobe Carter of Murphy had an expired registration. Carter failed to stop and attempted to flee from law enforcement, prompting a pursuit. During the chase, the Agent attempted

The Union County Panthers delivered a commanding performance on their home course at Meeks Park on Saturday, capturing first place in the GHSA 2A Sectional 2 meet and earning a trip to the state championship. Senior Holden Payne  led the charge, taking the individual win with an impressive time of 17:46.70  on the challenging 5K course. He was backed by a strong pack of teammates who filled out the top 15, helping Union County finish with a team score of just 36 points , well

I’ve spent nearly four decades in the pulpit and more than six inside the walls of Protestant churches. In that time, I’ve seen a troubling trend deepen—a kind of spiritual tribalism among believers. Denominational lines have become fences, and in some places, barbed wire. We’ve forgotten that we are not opposing teams. We are not Methodists versus Baptists, Presbyterians versus Pentecostals, or Lutherans versus the non-denominational crowd down the street. We are the Church—

A Hayesville man was arrested Tuesday afternoon after repeatedly trespassing on the property of Carolina Christian Academy and First Free Will Baptist Church during school hours while carrying a chainsaw. Authorities say 47-year-old Eric Roberson had previously been warned not to return to the property. Despite the warning, he reportedly came back twice earlier in the day before being seen again around noon. At that time, children were outside for recess. School staff quickly

Union County officials have announced a temporary detour as part of the ongoing widening project along Highway 515 between Blairsville and Young Harris. According to information shared by the Union County Government, construction crews will be implementing a detour near the Trackrock Gap area beginning December 1, 2025. The detour is expected to remain in place for about 30 days while workers adjust side roads to match the new roadway elevation. For motorists traveling from B

The Hayesville Yellow Jackets traveled to Murphy on Saturday, Nov. 1, hoping to turn the tables on the Bulldogs after a tough loss earlier this season. Unfortunately, history repeated itself, and Hayesville fell 2-0 to Murphy. The Yellow Jackets struggled to find the back of the net, and a yellow card for standout player Hayden Hunt seemed to limit the team’s aggressiveness at key moments. Despite their efforts, Hayesville was unable to break through the Bulldogs’ defense. Th

As the holiday season approaches, Union County Family Connection is reminding parents and caregivers that Christmas assistance is available for children in need. Families who have not yet been contacted about this program are encouraged to reach out to the office at 706-835-4351 . To qualify for assistance, at least one child must be enrolled in and actively attending a Union County school, including Headstart and MECHS programs. Once this requirement is met, any other childr

The Murphy Bulldogs closed out their regular season in championship fashion, blanking rival Hayesville 2-0 on Saturday to claim the 2025 Smoky Mountain Conference title. The win marked Murphy’s third straight victory and their second shutout of the Yellow Jackets this season. The Bulldogs took control early and never let up, displaying the same discipline and teamwork that has carried them all year. With the victory, Murphy improved to 14-3-1 on the season and solidified thei

Photo by Coach Zach Moss The Hayesville Yellow Jacket boys cross country team wrapped up their 2025 season with an impressive showing at the NCHSAA 2A State Championship, held October 31–November 1 at the Ivey Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville. Competing against the best small-school runners in North Carolina, the Jackets finished 8th overall out of 18 qualifying teams — a strong result for a program that continues to build its reputation among the state’s elite. Leading

Photo by Matt Mustin The Andrews High School boys cross country team proved once again that hard work and small-town grit can hang with anyone in the state. At the NCHSAA 1A State Cross Country Championships held at the Ivey Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville, the Wildcats turned in an impressive performance, finishing as the state runner-up  behind only NC Leadership Academy. Led by freshman phenom Levi Clark , who crossed the line in 17:00.05  to take fifth place overall