Author: Charlie Bauder

A planned residential subdivision in the Lake Hartwell area can continue moving forward after getting the go-ahead from Stephens County Commissioners. On Tuesday, commissioners considered rezoning and variance requests from developer Bradley Church for property on Ridgemore Drive in Stephens County. Ridgemore Drive is located off of Holly Springs Road. According to Church, he and a fellow developer are planning […]

Skies are calmer this morning after severe weather pounded Stephens County and northeast Georgia Tuesday. The first storm moved through during the 1 p.m. hour on Tuesday. No major damage was reported during that storm. Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley said that there were some trees down, but nothing more than that during the afternoon. The second storm moved through […]

The city of Toccoa is undertaking a sidewalk extension project. Monday, the Toccoa City Commission unanimously approved a bid to extend the city’s current sidewalk on Big A Road farther south. Commissioners approved the only bid that was received. That came from Martin Construction and Grading of Toccoa in the amount of $315,014. Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse said that […]

Stephens County Commissioners ratify the millage rates for the county government and the school system. Tuesday, commissioners voted 3 to 1 to approve both the county government’s millage rate of 13.41 mills and the school system’s millage rate of 19.75 mills. Commissioner Michelle Ivester voted “no,” while Commissioner Dean Scarborough was not at the meeting. Ivester says she supported the […]

The former WNEG-TV is back on the air, but with new owners and new call letters. Recently, WGTA-TV returned to the airwaves, over the air on Channel 32. Currently, the station is airing three networks associated with Weigel Broadcasting, Heroes and Icons, Decades, and Movies!. Its operations are based out of Toccoa. Earlier this year, the University of Georgia announced […]

The Stephens County Board of Education will lower its millage rate and is moving to put back some of its calendar reduction days. Monday, the Board of Education voted 5-2 to approve a millage rate of 19.75 mills, down from this past year’s 20 mills. Also, the Board voted 5-2 to approve a tentative budget for Fiscal Year 2016 that […]

The city of Toccoa renames its city-owned golf course as it prepares to open the course in the coming months. Monday, Toccoa City Commissioners unanimously approved re-naming the course “The Links at Lake Toccoa.” Previously, the course had been known, among other things, as the Pines and Black Mountain Golf. Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse said re-naming the course gives […]

The Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter continues to care for about 20 dogs seized from a Stephens County home last week. Authorities seized the dogs from a home on East Silver Shoals Road and charged the owner with multiple counts of animal cruelty. Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter Executive Director Jeff Roberts said that those dogs remain in the care of the […]

Stephens County Commissioners are meeting this morning for a regularly scheduled meeting. That meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the second-floor courtroom of the historic Stephens County Courthouse in downtown Toccoa. Starting at 8:30 a.m., county commissioners will hold public hearings on amending the alcohol ordinance, as well as a public hearing on planning commission related issues. After the […]