Author: Ethan Jordan

2020 is coming to a close, which means it is once again time to look back at the top stories in Stephens County over the last 12 months. One topic that has remained in the news throughout the year has been the coronavirus. On March 24, the Georgia Department of Public Health reported the first two cases of COVID-19 in […]

The City of Toccoa has released its holiday schedule for New Years. Toccoa City Hall will be closed on Friday, January 1, 2021 in observance of the holiday. Routes for garbage and recyclables scheduled to be picked up on Friday, January 1 will now be picked up on Monday, January 4. Commercial garbage that is scheduled for Friday, January 1, […]

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Hartwell Lake Project Office is again accepting natural Christmas Trees for recycling. Trees can be donated anytime between now and January 26, 2021. In our area trees can be dropped off at Big Oaks Recreation Center in Hartwell and at the Poplar Springs boat ramp in Gumlog. In South Carolina, you can drop off […]

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is coordinating a government effort to combat illegal voting in Georgia. The Office of the Secretary of State has already launched over 250 investigations into credible election concerns this year and begun a signature audit in Cobb County. Raffensperger says quote, “I am committed to marshalling all resources available to ensure qualified Georgians and […]

The Stephens County Registrar’s Office and Board of Elections will process absentee ballots early for the January 5th Runoff Election. According to Stephens County Registrar Eureka Gober, the Board of Elections began early processing on Monday, December 28, and will continue processing absentee ballots on December 30, 2020 and January 4, 2021. Early processing will be completed at the Stephens […]

Stephens County Hospital has received its first shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines to distribute to its employees. Stephens County Hospital Chief Executive Officer Mike Hester says the hospital is exceedingly fortunate that they have received a shipment large enough to ensure all their employees have access to receive the vaccine should they choose to do so. He says this is […]

Stephens County in partnership with the Georgia Department of Revenue will upgrade its Georgia Drives Motor Vehicle System. According to Stephens County Tax Commissioner Dene Hicks, this upgrade will keep the county up to date with the latest technology advances and will ensure they have access to the most recent enhancements and features of the software. She says implementation of […]

The Georgia Department of Public Health is still reporting 48 COVID-related deaths in Stephens County with 2,085 residents testing positive for the virus, since the beginning of the global pandemic. The latest report was released Sunday afternoon. The latest report has Habersham County with 86 deaths and now 3,371 positive cases of the virus. In other neighboring counties, Franklin County […]

In Habersham County, a family renting a house through Air BnB had to look for another place to stay over Christmas after a fire destroyed their original Air BnB. It happened just after midnight on Tuesday, December 22, on Turkey Crest Drive near the Habersham/Rabun County line. According to Chad Black, Habersham County Emergency Services Director, Habersham 911 received a […]

Early voting resumes today after being closed for the Christmas Holiday. That’s according to Stephens County Registrar Eureka Gober. The advance voting period began on Monday, December 14, and Gober says all advance voting is done at the Stephens County Registrar’s Office inside the Historic Stephens County Courthouse. Gober says early voting will run today, Monday, December 28, through Thursday, […]