HAYESVILLE, N.C. — Two Hayesville High School students are turning lessons from the classroom into real-world compassion. After learning about global refugee crises in their Global Studies class, juniors Callie Long and Layla Parker decided to take action. Using money from their part-time jobs, the students sent a supply box to a child-only refugee center to help with winter needs. The pair has committed to sending a new box each month for the rest of the school year, contin

Pictured are Towns County Sheriff Ken Henderson, left, and Deputy Austin Bradburn. Both men were indicted by a Grand Jury on Monday, Oct. 27 in separate cases. HIAWASSEE, Ga. — The Towns County Sheriff’s Office was rocked Monday as a grand jury indicted suspended Sheriff Ken Henderson on seven criminal counts, including multiple charges of violating his oath of office and false imprisonment. The charges stem from a December 2024 incident in which Henderson placed Hiawassee P

HIAWASSEE, Ga.  — The Towns County Recreation Department has been named the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association (GRPA) District 7 Agency of the Year, recognizing the department’s outstanding service and community impact. The award was presented last week at the GRPA District 7 Banquet, where Recreation Director Stuart Nichols, Assistant Director Will Banister, and Athletic Coordinator Chris Cannon accepted the honor from District 7 Chairman Kirk Franz. “This award is com

ANDREWS, N.C. — The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office will host a “Coffee with a Cop” event on Thursday, Oct. 31, from 8 to 10 a.m. at Morning Fog Coffee & Eats, located at 1219 Main St. in Andrews. The informal gathering invites community members to join their neighbors and local law enforcement officers for coffee and conversation. There is no set agenda or speeches — the event offers residents an opportunity to ask questions, voice concerns and get to know the officers who

CLAY COUNTY, N.C. — With winter’s return and fireplaces being used more frequently, the Clay County Health Department is reminding residents to inspect and maintain their chimneys to prevent heating-related fires linked to poorly maintained fireplaces. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), approximately three of every ten house fires caused by home heating equipment stem from dirty chimneys and poorly maintained fireplaces. EPA+1  The primary culprit

HIAWASSEE, Ga. — Volunteers are encouraged to take part in MountainTrue’s 15th annual Lake Chatuge Shoreline Cleanup on Saturday, Nov. 1. The event will begin at 9 a.m. at the Towns County Swim Beach Pavilion, across from the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. Participants will receive cleanup assignments, bags, gloves, and safety information before heading out to their designated shoreline areas. Coffee and grab-and-go breakfast snacks will be provided, and the first 30 voluntee

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga. — The Union County Sheriff’s Office held its latest Scam and Fraud Awareness Class on Oct. 22, continuing its efforts to educate residents about common fraud schemes targeting the community. The event, supported by local businesses and community partners, aimed to help residents recognize and avoid scams affecting the region. During the class, United Community Bank presented Sheriff Shawn Dyer and Investigator Robert Calamari with the bank’s U-ROCK Award in

MURPHY, N.C. —  The Rotary Club of Murphy will bring back its popular Scholastic Book Fair from Oct. 27 through Nov. 1 at the Cherokee Art Council Building in downtown Murphy. The event will run daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 33 Valley River Ave., Suite C. On Halloween, the fair will stay open until 7 p.m., offering candy to shoppers while they browse. Proceeds from the fair will benefit the Rotary Reads program, which provides books to local children and classrooms. Teacher

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga.  — Union County Fire Department hosted its annual Fire Safety Day last week, teaching roughly 350 pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students important lessons about fire prevention and emergency response. Over two days, firefighters demonstrated how smoke alarms work, explained their importance, and showed children how to safely crawl under smoke to escape a burning home. Students practiced the technique in the department’s “Get Low and Go” simulator — a 10-f

HAYESVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 22, 2025)  — Hayesville’s struggles continued Wednesday as the Yellow Jackets fell 4-2 to Swain County, marking their fourth consecutive defeat. The loss dropped Hayesville to 4-7-1 on the season, while Swain County snapped a five-match skid to improve to 3-11-2. Despite showing flashes of offense, Hayesville couldn’t keep pace with the Maroon Devils, who capitalized on key opportunities to secure the win. Hayesville will look to rebound Monday when it

ANDREWS, N.C. —  The Town of Andrews will host its annual Christmas parade this year with a festive twist. The event, titled A Gingerbread Christmas Parade , is scheduled for Dec. 13, 2025, at 6:15 p.m. Residents and visitors are encouraged to save the date for the holiday celebration, which will feature a gingerbread theme. For more information, contact Ali Huls at ali.huls@andrewsnc.gov  or Ethan McCubbin at ethan.mccubbin@andrewsnc.gov . Additional details are available at

CHEROKEE COUNTY, N.C. —  The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about spam calls targeting local medical providers in which scammers pose as law enforcement officers. According to the sheriff’s office, callers have been falsely claiming to be Chief Deputy Justin Jacobs and telling victims they missed jury duty. The callers then attempt to extort money over the phone. Deputies emphasized that the sheriff’s office will never solicit money from anyone by phone

Union County Fire/Rescue & EMA Press Release Last week’s column provided some information on outdoor burning and reviewed the burning safety standards set by the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC). We encourage everyone to utilize these safety standards when burning leaves and other hand piled yard debris to prevent wildfires. We also encourage everyone to learn more about how to prepare your family, home, and community for wildfires. A good place to start is with Firewise USA

HIAWASSEE, Ga. —  The Hiawassee Downtown Development Authority is inviting community members to help prepare the city for the Christmas season through its annual “Light Up Hiawassee” volunteer event. Volunteers can participate on three dates: Nov. 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Mayor’s Park, Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hiawassee Town Square, and Nov. 21 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. The event aims to spread holiday cheer and beautify the city ahead of th

HIAWASSEE, Ga.  — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has suspended Towns County Sheriff Kenneth Henderson from office for 60 days following an investigation into allegations of misconduct, following the release of bodycam footage which showed Henderson's interaction a Hiawassee police officer at the scene of a deputy shooting in 2024. In an executive order issued Monday, Kemp said the decision followed a recommendation from a three-member committee appointed on Sept. 19 to review the al

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — With the first real chill of fall settling across western North Carolina and north Georgia, homeowners are being urged to take advantage of the cool, dry days ahead to prepare their homes for winter. Local experts say a few preventive steps now can save money and prevent costly damage once freezing temperatures arrive in the mountains. The transition from mild autumn afternoons to frosty mornings often comes quickly in the southern Appalachians, where ele

Hiawassee, Ga. —  Efforts to control an invasive aquatic weed that spread rapidly across Lake Chatuge in recent years have shown promising results, though experts caution that full eradication remains unlikely. Local environmental groups, including MountainTrue and Save Lake Chatuge, coordinated a large-scale treatment campaign targeting parrot feather  ( Myriophyllum aquaticum ), a South American plant known for forming thick mats that choke waterways and block boat traffic.

Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Press Release CHEROKEE COUNTY, NC – Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith announces conclusion to drug trafficking case. On October 16, 2025 Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office concluded a two-month investigation into the distribution of fentanyl into Cherokee County by Ashli Shawnai Roberts of Murphy, NC. The investigation came to an end after law enforcement received information that Roberts was on her way back to Murphy from Atlanta with a lar

Hayesville, N.C. — The ongoing federal government shutdown is beginning to affect daily life and economic activity across Clay and Cherokee counties in far western North Carolina, where tourism, agriculture and federal programs play central roles. Federal services remain open in many cases but are operating with limited staff or reduced support. The Nantahala National Forest, which spans both counties, continues to allow public access, though road maintenance, campground ope

By Steve Esser Guest Writer YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Students representing Young Harris College presented at the 37th University of Virginia-Wise Medieval Renaissance Conference, recently, speaking on a variety of research topics related to medieval and Renaissance periods.  Five students spoke at the academic conference in Wise, VA. Academic conferences are public gatherings of scholars based on disciplines – or fields of study – and often are a ground level for research scholar