Author: Jessica Waters

As reported yesterday, The Boys and Girls Club of Toccoa/Stephens County is holding a work party today, May 7, at 6 p.m, at the facility at 71 W. Whitman Street in Toccoa. WNEG News contacted organization leadership yesterday to talk with them about the challenges the organization is facing, but they were unable to meet with us due to preparing […]

Eligible households can now begin scheduling appointments for cooling help through the Ninth District Opportunity. The application period for Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Cooling Assistance, administered by the Georgia Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Division of Family & Children Services opened on April 1 to Georgians aged 65 years of age and older or those who are medically […]

Last Thursday, members of the community gathered at Veterans Park in Downtown Toccoa to observe the 2024 National Day of Prayer. This year marked the 73rd National Day of Prayer, and this year’s theme was LIFT UP THE WORD/LIGHT UP THE WORLD, based on Scripture from Samuel 22: 29-31. At all of the services on the National Day of Prayer, […]

The Stephens County Development Authority and the Stephens County High School WBL Program recently recognized April’s Work-based Learning Student of the Month, Ella Batson.  Batson is a Junior at SCHS and an employee at Bulldog Car Wash, and company owner Chuck Wrigh says, “Ella is an exceptional worker, consistently showing up with a positive attitude and a smile on her […]

UPDATE: At approximately 12:45 p.m. this afternoon, Westminster Fire Chief Michael Smith advised WNEG News that the detour on Toccoa Highway was still active, and did not have an updated time of clearance. He said that a small fuel leak in the overturned truck had been resolved, and that the Fire units were no longer on scene, but the cleanup […]

A Georgia Department of Corrections lieutenant assigned to Lee Arrendale State Prison in Alto was arrested Wednesday, May 1, charged with sexual assault on a person in custody and violation of oath by a public officer. Warrants secured by the Georgia Department of Corrections charge Russell Edwin Clark of Alto with improperly touching and kissing a female inmate over whom […]

UPDATE: According to the Dispatch sheet, the call regarding the incident came in at 9:40 p.m. yesterday, May 2, and the incident occurred on the Hwy. 17 Bypass and Liberty Hill Road, between a black bear and a Toyota Tundra. According to the report, there was minimal damage to the vehicle, and no injuries were reported. A large black bear […]

Last night, May 2, at the Second Annual Student Success Expo, seven individuals were inducted into the Stephens County Hall of Fame.  The last time new inductees were announced was in 2021, when Stan Elrod inducted, bringing the number of honored individuals to 74. At last night’s event, inductees Ron Barker, Grady Lee Beaty, Elliot Caudell, Gail Fry, Leon Gathany, […]

UPDATE: Late this morning (May 3), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation issued the following statement regarding the charges and investigation: The GBI has arrested two in connection to an elder abuse investigation in Toccoa, GA. Agents arrested Daniel Bennett, age 58, of Toccoa, in February of 2024 and arrested Jeffrey Roberts, age 74, of Toccoa this month (May 2024). They […]