Author: Ethan Jordan

Georgia lawmakers agreed to a budget that fully funds the state’s K-12 education formula and passed a measure that cracks down on distracted driving before the gavel fell on this year’s legislative session early Friday. A number of bills, including a controversial immigration enforcement measure and a proposal to move away from electronic voting machines failed to be taken up […]

The Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce recently held a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Stephens County Hospital’s Lobby Grill. The Lobby Grill was once a central hub throughout the community; however, as the hospital’s financials dropped into the red, the Lobby Grill was closed in August of last year. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Roger Forgey, the Lobby […]

The Georgia Department of Labor released yesterday that the Georgia Mountains Region posted a strong February with critical job measures trending in the right direction. The Georgia Mountains region includes Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union and White counties. Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler noted employed residents and labor force both increased; at the […]

Two arrested after citizen reports seeing a suspicious vehicle in the area of Mize Road. In the afternoon of April 2, deputies with the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the area of Mize Road in reference to a suspicious vehicle. It had been reported to Stephens County E-911, by an anonymous caller, that a Blue Honda was in […]

A student at Liberty Elementary School was recently caught with marijuana, which revealed that the student’s parents were dealing drugs out of their home on New Hope Road. On March 21, school officials discovered the marijuana after the student had reportedly been showing it to other students. While school officials were speaking with the juvenile, the student revealed that the […]

By Mark Berryman, WLHR Hartwell Mayor Brandon Johnson wrung his hands as he spoke to those gathered at City Hall for the April meeting of the mayor and council. As Hartwell’s chief elected official, it fell on him to announce that the city would no longer be able to afford insurance for its employees. According to Johnson, the city had […]

The Stephens County Board of Directors approved several variance requests during last week’s meeting. The first variance request came from James Cantrell, located at 68 Pace Road, Toccoa, his property is currently zoned as residential single family; however, the proposed action was to grant a lot size variance of less than one acre. The second request issued by Wendell and […]

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office continued its efforts on I-85 this week as two suspects with a history of drug offenses have been arrested on multiple charges. Travis Samuels, 30, of Johnson City, Tennessee, and Annishi Moore, 28, of New Port, Tennessee, were both arrested and charged with fleeing and failure to stop for law enforcement, reckless driving, window tint […]