Category: News

Closing statements are expected to take place this morning in the civil trial in connection to the 2009 shooting death of Lavonia pastor the Rev. Jonathan Ayers. Testimony concluded Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Gainesville in the trial of the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the Rev. Ayers’ widow, Abigail Ayers. Tuesday morning, former Mountain Judicial Circuit N.C.I.S. Drug […]

Progress continues on the search to fill two prominent positions in the Stephens County School System. Updates were provided on both the search for a new School Superintendent and a new Head Football Coach for Stephens County High School on Tuesday. During Tuesday’s Stephens County Board of Education meeting, School Superintendent Sherrie Whiten updated the school board on the football […]

9th District U.S. Representative Doug Collins will host a Veterans Benefits Fair in Toccoa on Thursday. It will take place Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Stephens County National Guard Armory on Savannah Street in Toccoa. Collins will be joined by his constituent services staff and representatives from the Veterans’ Administration. The congressman’s office said the event […]

Toccoa approves a new franchise agreement with the city of Lavonia. City commissioners unanimously voted to adopt the agreement at its meeting on Monday, February 10. Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse said a franchise agreement is something Toccoa has with Lavonia and all of the cities that Toccoa’s natural gas system passes through. He said the city’s current franchise agreement […]

Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens is putting a number on the estimated insured losses in Georgia from last week’s winter storm. Hudgens said that those estimated insured losses in Georgia from last week’s winter storm stand at $25 million. The estimate was based on claims reported by various property and casualty insurance companies. The commissioner said that these claims reports […]

With many Georgians experiencing power outages and other challenges this past week, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division is extending the turkey quota hunt application deadline through 11:59 p.m. tonight. Wildlife Resources Division Game Management Section Chief John Bowers said the Department wants to give sportsmen and women every opportunity to apply for a turkey quota hunt and […]

Today is an important deadline regarding the March 18 special election in Stephens County. “Today is the last day to register to vote for the special election that is coming up on March 18,” said Stephens County Registrar Theresa Kelley.  “If they are not registered by the end of today, they cannot vote in the special election.” People can register […]

Stephens County Hospital continues trying to resolve a dispute over hundreds of thousands of dollars in Medicare funds. Last Fall, the hospital reported that it had around $800,000 in Medicare funds withheld by Medicare over a dispute that stems from Medicare paperwork filed by the hospital back in Fiscal Year 2009. Hospital Administrator Ed Gambrell said the hospital claims Medicare […]

The Better Business Bureau is offering advice for anyone who may have suffered damage from ice or snow as a result of last week’s winter storm. BBB Spokesman Mike Boynton said there are several things people should keep in mind if they have suffered damage from the storm that needs repair. “There are a lot of different individuals and companies […]

Stephens County and the other plaintiffs involved in the civil suit against the Wilbros facility on Rose Lane in Stephens County have filed court papers in support of their call for a court order to shut the Wilbros facility down and hold Wilbros in contempt of court. Those court documents argue that since the last hearing regarding the case back […]