Category: News

Stephens  County is putting its proposed Land Use Plan out to the public. Tuesday, the Stephens County Land Use Regulation Committee met to review the 58-page proposal once more and set up times for the public to ask questions and make comments. The plan sets up zoning classifications such as agricultural residential, agricultural business, agricultural intensive, single-family residential, multi-family residential, […]

Stephens County officially recognizes this year’s STAR student and star teacher. The Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce and the Stephens County School System held the annual STAR Student and STAR Teacher reception at Stephens County High School on Tuesday. This year’s STAR Student is Connor Roberts.  He is the son of Barry and Lynn Roberts of Toccoa. Roberts said he […]

8th graders at Stephens County Middle School are getting a chance to take in information about their futures. The Middle School 8th graders visited Stephens County High School on Tuesday for a tour and a career fair in the high school’s Currahee Arena. Stephens County Middle School Graduation Coach Renee Herron said that the event went well once again this […]

Testimony in the civil trial in the 2009 shooting death of Lavonia pastor the Rev. Jonathan Ayers is expected to continue today. Tuesday, Chance Oxner took the stand in U.S. District Court in Gainesville. He was one of the agents with the Mountain Judicial Circuit N.C.I.S. Drug Team involved in the September 2009 incident at a Toccoa gas station in […]

Time is running out for eligible vehicle owners to “opt in” to the state’s Title Ad Valorem Tax, or TAVT. Stephens County Tax Commissioner Dene Hicks said those who bought vehicles in 2012 or between January 1 and February 28, 2013 are eligible to opt that vehicle in to the TAVT system and no longer pay the so-called “birthday tax” […]

Two candidates will run in the special election this March to serve out the remainder of the unexpired term of the late Harold Andrews on the Stephens County Commission. Qualifying wrapped up Monday at noon. Michelle Grafton and Ralph Stowe were the only two candidates to qualify for the seat. Grafton, 31, is a real estate agent.  Stowe, 59, is […]

The trial over a civil suit filed in the death of Lavonia pastor the Rev. Jonathan Ayers is underway in Gainesville. Opening statements took place Monday in U.S. District Court in Gainesville before Judge Richard W. Story. The Rev. Ayers was shot at a Toccoa gas station in September 2009 by NCIS Drug Team Officer Billy Shane Harrison and later died […]

Officials from the Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter continue to work with city and county officials on the shelter’s budget for both the rest of this fiscal year and the next. The shelter board met on Monday at ToccoaCity Hall. Last month, the shelter board requested that Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter Director Jeff Roberts put together a revised six-month budget for […]

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia Pets are an important part of many families and a new American Red Cross Pet First Aid App puts lifesaving information right in the hands of dog and cat owners so they can provide emergency care until veterinary assistance is available. Red Cross Northeast Georgia Chapter Executive Director Joni Smith said the 99-cent Pet […]

The Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter is the first in the state of Georgia to join a national transport program through PetSmart Charities. The Shelter has obtained specialized training to participate in the “Rescue Waggin” program. Shelter Director Jeff Roberts said this is a national transport program that moves adoptable dogs and puppies from shelters that have high pet populations to […]