Author: MJ Kneiser

Funeral services are scheduled for Tuesday for 18-year old Anna Whitlock, who was killed Friday morning in a fatal crash in Stephens County. Whitlock was a freshman at Piedmont College and was on her way to class when the accident happened. She is the daughter of Joey and Leigh Whitlock.  The Reverend Joey Whitlock is the Pastor of Toccoa Creek […]

The Georgia State Patrol continues to investigate a fatal wreck Friday morning that took the life of an 18-year old Carnesville woman. It happened about 9a Friday morning at the intersection of Georgia Highways 106 and 320 near the Franklin/Stephens County line. GSP, EMS, and Sheriff’s deputies from both counties responded. According to the Georgia State Patrol Toccoa Post, a […]

The extreme heat in the Southeast this past week has resulted in at least two heat-related deaths of people working outside and at least two who were hospitalized. “We’re currently investigating two fatalities that happened in Florida and also two incidents in which workers were hospitalized for heat-related illness,” said William Fulcher, area director for OSHA’s Atlanta Area East office. […]

The Georgia Department of Transportation says the local bridge bundle replacements funded in Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16) are now complete and open to traffic. 24 bridges across the State were replaced over the last three years, including one in Stephens County. Among those is the bridge on Currahee Lane at North Fork Broad River in Stephens County. Georgia DOT Spokesperson […]

Squirrel hunting season kicks off today and it is typically the time when young people get their first experience with hunting game. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division, unlike some big game hunts, the pursuit of squirrels often involves more action for energetic youth, providing a greater level of interaction with the outdoors. The season […]

A new app for smart phones will help people who work outside stay safe during the hot weather. With temperatures hovering in the low to mid-90s for most of the summer, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration said they are seeing a rise in heat-related injuries and illnesses. The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg issued heat […]

Friends of the Ritz Theatre has recently received their tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service. Friends of the Ritz President Keith Kozicki tells WNEG News the tax exempt status has some very important implications for the group. “The IRS designation gives us a tax-free status meaning we are listed as a charity,” Kozicki said. “It also gives people who […]

The Stephens County History Museum will be recognizing an historic elementary school at a special dedication next week. Stephens County History Museum Executive Director Brenda Carlin says a plaque remembering one of the African-American elementary schools, Oak Hill Elementary school, will be dedicated on Thursday, August 15 at the historic train depot. “Back in the ’50’s there were a lot […]

Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley recently returned from the Georgia Sheriff’s Association’s annual Summer Training Conference held at Lake Lanier Islands. Just over a 100 sheriffs from around the state participated in the three-day event. The sheriffs heard from a number of state level speakers including, Governor Brian Kemp, Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, […]

A Franklin County man, convicted of murdering his girlfriend, loses his appeal to the State Supreme Court. Northern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Parks White announced late Tuesday that the Supreme Court of Georgia has affirmed the murder conviction of Brent Shubert, and his sentence of Life without the Possibility of Parole. In December 2015, Shubert was found guilty of malice […]