Hayesville, N.C. — The Clay County Republican Party will hold its regular monthly meeting Thursday, Aug. 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the Clay County Community Center, 25 Riverside Drive. Light refreshments, snacks and desserts will be available at 6:30 p.m., with the business meeting beginning at 7 p.m. Attendees are asked to bring a covered-dish snack or dessert to share. The special guest speaker will be Sarah Stevens, a Republican candidate for the North Carolina Supreme Court in

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — Clay County Fire & Rescue crews rescued four kayakers from a local river Tuesday, Aug. 17 after their boats overturned, the department said. The call came in about 4 p.m. for a water rescue involving a group of five people. One kayaker made it safely to shore and flagged down a passing motorist, who dialed 911. The other four remained in the water and could not get out on their own. The four were separated by several hundred yards, which delayed crews in pi

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — Clay County Fire & Rescue crews battled two residential structure fires less than a half-hour apart Monday evening, both sparked by lightning strikes during severe weather. The first call came in about 7:45 p.m. for a house fire on Hogsed Drive in the Elf School Fire District. Arriving firefighters found heavy fire conditions and began a defensive attack aimed at protecting nearby vehicles and structures. The home was destroyed. Investigators determined a l

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga. — The Union County Sheriff’s Office has welcomed four new deputies after they completed required training and certification. Deputies Logan Bryson, Lillian Leird and David Harris graduated April 24 from Basic Law Enforcement Training at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth. The program included more than three months of classroom instruction and practical training. After graduation, the three were assigned to the agency’s Field Training Progra

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — Every student enrolled in Clay County Schools will receive free breakfast and lunch each school day during the upcoming school year under the federal Community Eligibility Provision, district officials announced. The district is continuing its participation in the program, which means no applications, paperwork or fees are required for families. Standard meals are provided at no cost to all students. School Nutrition staff encouraged students to take advant

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release Cherokee County, North Carolina — The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is announcing arrests in connection with an ongoing investigation into the cutting and theft of communication lines from utility poles in the western portion of Cherokee County. On June 12, 2026, and again on June 16, 2026, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received several reports of wire being cut and removed from power poles in the far western end of Che

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the public for their assistance in locating Joseph Whitener, who was wanted on outstanding warrants for Larceny of a Motor Vehicle. On August 15, 2026, the Sheriff’s Office received a citizen tip that Whitener was in Clay County and would soon be returning to Cherokee County. Assistance from Clay County authorities provided additional information, including a description of

Lily Ponitz Guest Writer The summer tradition of free music on the Hiawassee Town Square continues this Saturday, August 22 with Steve Vaclavic taking the stage at 6:30 PM. Deeply rooted in the Americana tradition, Steve Vaclavik has managed to create his own style of music. You take equal parts Americana, Country, Rock, and Folk, mix it all up and you get an eclectic format he likes to call "Twang-Rock." His music has been described as somewhat moody and at times lighthearte

Press Release Sara Posey Davis was hired November of 2025 to lead the Main Street Murphy department at the Town of Murphy, as well as serve as Director for Friends of Downtown Murphy, a 501c3 non-profit organization. The Town of Murphy is a North Carolina Main Street community designated by the N.C. Department of Commerce Main Street & Rural Planning Center. The Town of Murphy program is charged with administering the program at the local level and building public/private

Young Harris, Ga. — A heat advisory is in effect Monday for portions of northeast Georgia and western North Carolina as oppressive heat and humidity push heat index values into the triple digits. The National Weather Service office in Greenville-Spartanburg issued the advisory from noon to 8 p.m. EDT for parts of northeast Georgia, including Stephens, Franklin, Hart and Elbert counties, along with portions of the North Carolina Piedmont and Upstate South Carolina. Heat index

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release In the early morning hours of August 14, 2026, the newly created Special Operations Division was conducting proactive patrols in the Ranger Community when Deputy Tristan Howard initiated a traffic stop on Holiness Church Road. Deputy Howard, who recently joined the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office as one of the newly established uniformed positions within the Special Operations Division, conducted the traffic stop. During the sto

Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release On August 10, 2026, Clay County Investigator Steven Smith received a “CyberTip” from the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force regarding the suspected possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. The CyberTip originated with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after information was submitted by Cash App concerning cryptocurrency transactions associated with a profile identified a

HIAWASSEE, Ga. — The Hiawassee Downtown Development Authority is seeking dedicated volunteers to join its board and help improve the city’s downtown. The authority is looking for owners or managers of downtown businesses, or residents of the city of Hiawassee, who are passionate about building community and ready to work as a team. Board members are expected to attend monthly meetings. “We’re looking for dedicated, passionate individuals who are ready to work as a team to imp

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — Breeze Raxter has been named the recipient of the NCCAT Honored Educator Beulah Padgett Whichard Scholarship. The award was presented by Dr. Karen Sumner, deputy executive director of the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching. It provides Raxter a full scholarship for a week of professional learning at NCCAT, with all expenses paid, along with a classroom grant. The Beulah Padgett Whichard Honored Educator Scholarship is designated for one t

MURPHY, N.C. — Cherokee County Sheriff Chris Wood announced the creation of a Special Operations Division, expanding and restructuring the office’s existing Narcotics Division to focus on proactive enforcement against repeat offenders, illegal drugs and outstanding warrants. The division will add two uniformed positions through reorganization of existing positions and funding: one uniformed deputy and a second deputy assigned a K-9 asset. It will concentrate on five primary m

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Residents of Young Harris are invited to share their ideas for the city’s future at two public meetings tied to the Towns County Comprehensive Plan. The meetings will be held at noon today, Aug. 12, and at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 25 in the Community Room at Young Harris City Hall. Officials are asking the public to attend either session to discuss the long-term direction of the city. A public survey is also available online so residents can submit input before the

Blairsville, Ga. — A long-running 1% Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax has financed major upgrades to Union County’s fire department, Emergency Management Agency and 911 center, according to Union County Fire and Rescue. The department recently addressed questions about the tax, known as SPLOST, and its effects on public safety. Officials said the funding has purchased equipment, built facilities and lowered insurance rates for residents and businesses while improving re

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — The Chris Key Band will close out the Clay County Communities Revitalization Association 2026 Summer Concert Series with a free performance Friday on the downtown square. The four-piece band takes the stage at 7 p.m. Lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Key is joined by Bryan Skelton on drums, Blake Seymore on lead guitar and backup vocals, and Kris Davidson on bass and backup vocals. Organizers describe the group’s sound as a blend of Merle Haggard, Waylon Je

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The 11th District Republican Party Executive Committee selected state Rep. Jennifer Balkom on Monday as its nominee to replace U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, who withdrew from the race last week. The committee met in Asheville and heard from six nominees before voting. Balkom secured more than 50% of the votes on the first ballot, according to the district party. The selection followed procedures set by North Carolina General Statutes and the state Republican Par

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga. — A man in his 70s died by suicide Monday morning at the Union County VA Clinic, authorities confirmed. Union County Dispatch received a call at 10:06 a.m. reporting a person with a single gunshot wound at the clinic. Deputies and EMS responders arrived within minutes and began assessing the situation, according to a sheriff’s office press release. The man, who was visiting the Veterans Affairs office and was not from Union County, was found by an office empl