Category: News

Georgia is marking Fire Prevention Week this week. State Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens is using this week to make sure that Georgia residents have working smoke alarms in their homes. Georgia law requires a smoke alarm in every home and Commissioner Hudgens said people should install working smoke alarms on every level of the home, as well […]

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia Beginning in January, Franklin County Commissioners will have the option of signing up for county health insurance. Despite ongoing objections from two commissioners, at their regular meeting Monday, Commissioner David Strickland motioned to offer the insurance.  In his motion, Strickland emphasized the coverage was not mandatory. Strickland’s motion was seconded by Commissioner Bob Franklin. […]

North Georgia Technical College unveils a new wing designed for students entering the health care industry in northeast Georgia. The school cut the ribbon and officially unveiled its new health care wing at the Currahee Campus at a ceremony on Tuesday. The 31,000 square foot addition at the campus on Highway 17 between Toccoa and Martin in Stephens County will […]

The Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter continues to deal with overcrowding at its facility. Shelter Director Jeff Roberts updated the shelter board on that during its monthly meeting on Monday. Roberts said that the shelter has continued to see a significant increase in the number of animals coming into the shelter this year. He said that 42 percent more animals have […]

More information is available on Monday’s fatal accident in Stephens County. 31-year-old Casey Neal Smith of Toccoa died as a result of the accident that occurred at about 2:15 p.m. Monday on Georgia Highway 106 in the area of Old Mize Road in Stephens County. The Georgia State Patrol said Smith was driving a Honda Accord southbound on Highway 106 […]

Federal authorities say they are now going to investigate the Habersham County drug raid that injured a young child. U.S. Northern District Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said that federal authorities have been participating in the investigation of this incident and now that a state grand jury has declined to return an indictment, her office will review the matter for possible […]

The Stephens County grand jury is scheduled to continue its inquiry into the Stephens County school system’s financial situation later this month. Court officials said that the grand jury has scheduled a meeting with state auditors for October 29. The grand jury is scheduled to meet with State Auditor Greg Griffin and Education Audit Division Director Claire Arnold. Those two […]

Authorities have released the name of the person killed in a two-vehicle wreck Monday afternoon in Stephens County. Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley identified the person killed in the Monday afternoon wreck as 31-year-old Casey Smith of Toccoa. The accident occurred at about 2:15 p.m. Monday on Georgia Highway 106 near Old Mize road when Smith’s car hit a Georgia […]

The Georgia Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments today in the case of a Toccoa man seeking a new trial on a 2012 felony murder conviction. The Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s office is appealing to the state Supreme Court a Superior Court order granting a new trial to Steve A. Sims, Jr. Sims, Jr. was convicted of […]

A Habersham County grand jury has decided not to charge any of the law enforcement officers involved in a drug raid in Habersham County earlier this year. That’s according to numerous media reports, including one in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The Habersham County grand jury had spent the last six days hearing evidence and testimony related to the raid at […]