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

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga.  — Two Union County firefighters have completed an advanced Swiftwater Technician Course designed to prepare emergency responders for rescues in fast-moving water conditions. Firefighters Hudson Anderson  and Conner Cook   completed the week-long training, provided by Rescue 3 International , according to Union County Fire and Rescue. The course, which includes both classroom instruction and hands-on exercises, trains participants in techniques such as self-r

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Residents of Western North Carolina and northern Georgia should prepare for a winter that is more likely to be warmer and drier than normal, federal and regional climate forecasters said this month, a pattern driven in part by a return of La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific. The Climate Prediction Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, issued seasonal outlook maps in mid-October that favor above-average temperatures an

Chief Deputy Justin Jacobs Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Murphy, NC- The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) has completed an extensive organizational assessment through a partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s National Training and Technical Assistance Center (BJA NTTAC). This no-cost initiative was designed to help the Sheriff’s Office strengthen community engagement, modernize operations, and align local law enforcement practices with national best sta

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — The Towns County Sheriff’s Office has opened the application period for its annual Shop With the Sheriff Christmas assistance program, which helps provide holiday gifts for local children in need. Applications are now being accepted for kindergarten through fifth-grade students whose primary residence is in Towns County. The deadline to apply is December 1, 2025, and incomplete or late applications will not be accepted. Only parents or legal guardians may

By: Kim Terrell County Extension Director, Clay County North Carolina Cooperative Extension – Clay County Center is inviting residents to share their thoughts through a community survey designed to help shape future programs and outreach efforts. The survey seeks input on a wide range of topics, including agriculture and horticulture, Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS), 4-H youth development, and the Extension Master Gardener Volunteer (EMGV) program. Responses will help iden

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — The Clay County Chamber of Commerce has released the schedule for the 2025 Punkin Chunkin event, set for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 18–19. Each day will begin with a safety meeting at 9 a.m., followed by the first round of the chunkin competition from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Public visitation is scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and the second round of the competition will take place from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The weekend event will conclude on Sunday,

MURPHY, N.C. — The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department will host a community blood drive on Friday, Oct. 17, from noon to 4 p.m. at 577 Regal Street in Murphy. The event is organized in partnership with Blood Assurance, which encourages residents to donate and help save lives. According to Blood Assurance, a single donation can save up to three lives. Those who donate between Oct. 16 and Oct. 31 will receive a pair of limited-edition “Count Me In” vampire socks as a thank-y