Category: News

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia The Franklin County School System is one of 15 school systems in Georgia that will receive a Striving Reader grant. The State Board of Education announced the awards last Friday. Franklin County will receive $1.87 million over the next several years. Striving Reader is a comprehensive literacy grant program. It is aimed at raising […]

The search for the next Stephens County Hospital Administrator is getting ready to move into the next phase. Members of the Stephens County Hospital Authority’s Personnel Committee met this week to go over the resumes of the people that applied for the position. Stephens County Hospital Administrator Ed Gambrell said that the Hospital Authority received about 17 resumes prior to […]

The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office releases its annual report for 2014. That report provides statistics in a number of areas for the Sheriff’s Office, as well as listing some of the department’s accomplishments last year and goals for this year. One of the main numbers that stands out in the 2014 report is a 69 percent reduction in the number […]

9th District U.S. Representative Doug Collins is calling Tuesday’s speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a powerful warning to the American people about a potential nuclear deal with Iran. Collins released his statement, after attending Netanyahu’s speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday. In his statement, Collins says America must not give Iran’s radical leaders, making belligerent statements […]

A mobile food pantry will visit Stephens County on Thursday to help families in need. It will be Thursday morning in the parking lot of the First United Methodist Church on East Tugalo Street in Toccoa. Food distribution will start at 10 a.m. Thursday and last until the food is gone. The drive is being organized by Neighbors4Neighbors of Stephens […]

The Toccoa Police Department says it arrested one person last week in connection to a shoplifting report. According to a report on file, police responded to a store on February 27 in reference to someone allegedly taking perfume. Police say they tracked down the suspect, identified as a 31-year-old James H. Wooten, in the parking lot and charged him with […]

The Stephens County Development Authority sets its goals for the year ahead. Development Authority board members and staff gathered last month for a strategic planning session. During that meeting, the Authority identified five specific things it wanted to work on in 2015 that fall under the larger banner of economic development. One of those goals is preparing a new long-range […]

Stephens County is purchasing a grinder for the Stephens County Jail. Last week, county commissioners voted unanimously to purchase the grinder now out of the general fund and then pay back the general fund with SPLOST VI proceeds. Stephens County Administrator Phyllis Ayers said the grinder is needed to help prevent ongoing sewer issues that have taken place regularly at […]

50th District State Senator John Wilkinson sponsors a Senate Resolution recognizing the state’s Future Farmers of America. Wilkinson was the sponsor of Senate Resolution 136, which applauded FFA on its activities and declared February 24, 2015 as FFA Day at the Capitol. The Georgia FFA association is the third largest state FFA association in the country with 37,684 current members. […]

An event later this month will benefit the Swift Multi-purpose Center in Stephens County. The center will host an All-Male Talent Show Competition on Saturday, March 14, starting at 5 p.m. Jeraldine Hayes is one of the organizers. She said they have a lot of different acts lined up to perform. “We are going to have professional judges,” said Hayes. […]