Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release On 12/02/25 around 8:00 PM Clay County Lt. Tyler Faggard, Investigator Steven Smith, Investigator Brandon Coker, and Officer Sean Stout stopped a blue Ford Edge near the intersection of NC Hwy 175 and Jack Rabbit Road in Hayesville. This vehicle was known to be driven by Richard Frederick Willis, 38 years of age from Hayesville, who had a suspended driver’s license. The vehicle was also found to have an expired registration plate. Wi

Clay County Schools is delighted to announce that six dedicated educators  from Hayesville Elementary and Hayesville Primary Schools have successfully achieved the rigorous National Board Certification  in Early Childhood Generalist . This advanced certification is a testament to their mastery of teaching practice and their profound commitment to student success. The newly certified teachers are: Mrs. Katie Danner , 3rd Grade Teacher at Hayesville Elementary School, a 10-year

Lily Ponitz Guest Writer Young Harris College and the City of Hiawassee announced a collaboration designed to provide YHC students and area entrepreneurs new opportunities and resources via the Paris Business Center.   The Paris Business Center, located in Downtown Hiawassee, offers a hub for small business entrepreneurs in North Georgia, Western North Carolina, and Southeastern Tennessee. The PBC provides business development programs such as coaching, workshops, and network

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release On December 1, 2025 Deputies with Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office assisted by Officers from Andrews Police Department responded to 115 LJ Moss Ln in the Marble community. Deputies were attempting to serve a warrant for Felony Larceny on Levi Charles Moss. Upon arrival, deputies made multiple attempts to get Moss to exit the residence and a standoff ensued when Moss refused those requests. Deputies were then able to contact Moss

Lily Ponitz Guest Writer Chabad of Rural Georgia will light a 12-foot public Hanukkah menorah at the Hiawassee Town Square, on Tuesday, December 16th, the 3rd night of the eight-day Festival of Lights, at 5:30pm. The community will be joined by elected officials and dignitaries. The event will feature hot latkes, donuts, festive vibes and more! Complimentary Hanukkah menorahs and candles will be distributed as well for participants to light at home. Rabbi Chaim Markovits, who

(Photo from the TCSO Facebook page.) Acting Sheriff Anthony Coleman awards an award to Casey Mulkey of Mulkey's Wrecker Service at the annual Christmas Parade. Towns County Sheriff's Office Press Release Over the past two weeks, the Towns County Sheriff's Office has remained hard at work as we continue the assumption

The Clay County Board of Commissioners passed a Resolution Opposing the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corporation (BRMEMC) Proposed Transmission Line Project  in Clay County, North Carolina. The resolution was APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE AND ADOPTED this 4th day of December 2025 . Key Reasons for Opposition The resolution outlines several "WHEREAS" clauses detailing the reasons for the board's strong opposition: Inconsistency wit

Mountain Buzz Staff Report Santa Claus is coming to town this weekend as the annual Candy Cane Lane Christmas Parade returns to downtown Clay County on Saturday, Dec. 13. The parade will step off at 6 p.m., with Santa serving as the grand finale. Before the parade, Santa will take part in his traditional meet-and-greet beginning at 4:45 p.m., giving families an opportunity for early holiday photos and visits. Parade participants are asked to line up at the Clay County Courtho

Mountain Buzz Staff Report The Union County Board of Education has achieved a prestigious honor, being recognized as an Exemplary Board by the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) at its 2025 winter conference! This significant distinction is a testament to the Board’s commitment to effective governance practices and its unwavering focus on supporting student success throughout Union County Schools. The community and school district also wish to recognize the combined ser

Travis Dockery Mountain Buzz Residents and passersby along Highway 64 east in Hayesville had been scratching their heads for days over a large Atlas Van Lines moving truck parked beside scenic Lake Chatuge. With no visible activity and the truck sitting idle through the Thanksgiving holiday, concerned citizens flooded the Clay County Sheriff’s Office with calls and messages. On Thursday, Dec. 4, the Sheriff’s Office put the speculation to rest with a lighthearted social media

The Union County Sheriff’s Office will host its next Scam & Fraud Awareness Class on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the Blairsville Public Library, located at 303 Hunt Martin Street. The free class is open to the public and will feature important information presented by the Union County Sheriff’s Office and Tri-State Tech Support. Topics will include current scam trends, how to recognize common fraud schemes, and steps to protect personal and financial informa

Mountain Buzz Staff Report According to Jeff Batten from WJRB/WJUL in Young Harris, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has issued an executive order directing the same three-person panel (two sheriffs and Attorney General Chris Carr) that previously recommended the suspension of Towns County Sheriff Ken Henderson to review him again, this time specifically because of his October 27, 2025 indictment on felony and misdemeanor charges. Key points: Henderson was already suspended with p

Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release On 11/26/25 around 9:00 AM Clay County Investigator Brandon Coker stopped a Ford Escape on NC Hwy 69 near the Tri County Office Supply in Hayesville. The Escort was stopped because Investigator Coker learned from Clay County Dispatch that it had an insurance stop and the assigned license plate that was revoked. Investigator Coker was also familiar with the registered owner of the Escort, Thomas Walter Stewart, 58 years of age from Ha

Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release On 12/01/25 Krystal Dawn Ledford, 39 years of age from Hayesville, pleaded guilty in Clay County Superior Court to two counts of felony Embezzlement. On each count, Ledford was sentenced from 6 months to 17 months in the N.C. Department of Adult Corrections. The second count was to run consecutively to the first count. These sentences were suspended. Ledford was placed on Supervised Probation for 60 months under regular terms and con

The Union County Sheriff's Office received top honors at the recent QUAD Network Meeting, which brings together law enforcement leaders from 35 counties in North Georgia and more than 100 agencies. The Sheriff's Office was selected as Agency of the Year by the Appalachian Trail Traffic Enforcement Network (ATTEN) for its ongoing commitment to keeping roadways safe along the Appalachian Trail corridor and throughout the region. Lieutenant Leon James earned individual recogniti

Towns County Deputy Andrew Brinson has officially completed his Georgia P.O.S.T. Mandate Academy requirements, marking a major milestone in his law enforcement career, according to an announcement from the Towns County Sheriff’s Office on Nov. 28. Brinson began his service with the department at the Towns County Detention Center, where he worked as a jailer. Officials said his strong work ethic and determination were evident from the beginning, making him a natural candidate

The Murphy Power Board began replacing power meters on Monday, Dec.1, and residents may notice additional utility workers moving through local neighborhoods as the project gets underway. According to information shared from the town, crews will be operating from two white trucks — a Dodge Ram and a Ford F-150 — clearly marked as Murphy Power Board contractors. The vehicles will not have local tags, and workers will be wearing high-visibility safety vests while performing mete

Photo from the UCSO Facebook page. Mountain Buzz Staff Report The Union County Sheriff’s Office has added two new deputies to its ranks following their completion of a 20-week Basic Law Enforcement Academy at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth. Deputy Morgan Gay and Deputy Paul Leird finished more than 800 hours of instruction covering core areas of law enforcement. Both have worked with the agency as detention officers since 2023 and now move into the next

Mountain Buzz Staff Report As temperatures drop and residents turn to wood stoves, fireplaces, propane heaters and oil furnaces, safety officials are reminding homeowners about the invisible danger of carbon monoxide — a gas that can be deadly without warning. Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced when fuels such as wood, coal, propane, oil or natural gas burn incompletely. Because the gas has no color, smell or taste, people often do not realize it is present until they begin exp

Mountain Buzz Staff Report With the holiday season in full swing, the Town of Murphy is preparing for two beloved traditions: the annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday evening and the Christmas Parade on Saturday evening. Despite forecasts calling for possible wintry weather later this week, Mayor Tim Radford says both events are currently planned to go ahead as scheduled. “We’re keeping a close eye on the weather forecasts for this Friday’s Christmas Tree Lighting and Sat