Category: News

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia While 2015 is off to a fairly wet start, a look back at 2014 shows it was a dry year for Lake Hartwell. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, observed rainfall in the upper basin recorded deficits in 2014 for all three sub-basins, but Lake Hartwell’s deficit was the biggest. Lake Hartwell […]

The city of Toccoa receives a generally positive report on its Fiscal Year 2014 audit. Auditors from Mauldin and Jenkins, the city’s auditing firm, met with city commissioners on Monday at a work session to review the audit for the fiscal year that wrapped up last June 30. Joel Black with Mauldin and Jenkins said overall, the city received a […]

A Stephens County grand jury indicts a man on charges of attempting to commit extortion against a local business. The grand jury handed down a true bill of indictment against Robert Pietrowicz on Tuesday for three counts of Criminal Attempt to Commit a Felony. Pietrowicz, who is from Clayton, was arrested on the charges by the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office […]

Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley says authorities have completed an investigation in to an incident involving a dog recently in the county. WNEG received concerns that were also posted on social media regarding someone who had allegedly castrated a dog on their own. The sheriff says after meeting with Magistrate Judge Don Tabor, authorities have determined that there is not […]

A project designed to try to solve sewer overflows at the Ward Creek Lift Station is on hold temporarily while issues are resolved. City commissioners received an update on the project Monday. Plans are to install a secondary sewer line to help with the flow of wastewater from the Ward Creek Lift Station to help prevent sewer overflows that happen […]

The city of Toccoa signs off on a jail inmate housing agreement with Stephens County. City commissioners unanimously voted to approve the agreement Monday night that covers the housing of city inmates at the Stephens County Jail. According to Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse, city and county officials agreed at a joint meeting last year that such an agreement needed […]

The city of Toccoa sets its budget for the rest of the fiscal year for the golf department. Monday, Toccoa City Commissioners voted on a budget amendment to create a budget for the municipal golf fund for the rest of the current fiscal year, which runs through June 30. During a work session prior to Monday’s meeting, city commissioners discussed […]

Stephens County Commissioners select their chair and vice-chair for the year ahead. Tuesday, county commissioners met and unanimously elected Dennis Bell to serve as Chairman of the Stephens County Commission in 2015. Bell served as Vice-Chair in 2014 and says he looks forward to serving as chairman in the year ahead. He said he has four main goals that he […]

Stephens County Commissioners make a change to the door to door peddlers and solicitors ordinance. Commissioners approved the changes Tuesday. Stephens County Administrator Phyllis Ayers said the changes were designed to help with the implementation of the ordinance. According to Ayers, the changes were suggested by the sheriff and probate judge. The vote on the changes was 4 to 0, […]

A White County resident is hurt in a one-vehicle accident Monday in Stephens County. According to the Toccoa post of the Georgia State Patrol, the accident occurred on Monday just before 4:30 p.m. on Highway 17 Alternate, or Falls Road/Talmadge Drive. The Georgia State Patrol says that a dump truck driven by 42-year-old Darryl Dwayne Turner of Cleveland traveled onto […]