HAYESVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 28, 2025)  — Hayesville High School’s junior varsity and varsity volleyball teams presented a donation Tuesday to local resident Teresa Moss Lockaby, showing their support in her fight against breast cancer. The funds were raised during the teams’ recent Pink Out Night  game against Robbinsville, an annual event that promotes breast cancer awareness. Players, coaches and fans wore pink and contributed through donations and other activities during the ma

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Press Release On October 25, 2025, at approximately 12:30 a.m., the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for equipment violations and failure to maintain lane in the Murphy area of Cherokee County, North Carolina. During the course of the stop, the driver, identified as Darren Ray Carter, denied consent for a search of the vehicle. A K-9 unit responded to the traffic stop and K-9 “Epic,” was dep

HIAWASSEE, Ga. — Towns County residents are left with immediate uncertainty over local law enforcement and longer-term questions about oversight and public trust after Sheriff Kenneth “Ken” Henderson was suspended by the governor, indicted by a grand jury and booked on multiple charges stemming from a December 2024 confrontation at a shooting scene. Gov. Brian Kemp ordered a 60-day suspension of Henderson earlier this month while state authorities investigated the episode. Th

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga.  — The Union County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded a $55,917 High Visibility Enforcement grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to support efforts aimed at reducing crashes, injuries and fatalities on Georgia roads. The funding, provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, will be used for equipment purchases and to offset the cost of salaries for deputies assigned to the program. The grant will run through September 2026. Ac

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