Category: News

The Stephens County school system receives a recommendation for system-level accreditation. A team from AdvancED, the parent agency of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, presented a brief accreditation report Wednesday to conclude its visit to Stephens County. At the end of that report, the team said it would recommend Stephens County for a five-year system-level accreditation that would […]

Toccoa will receive grant money to help with improvements at Henderson Falls Park. City Manager Billy Morse said that the city has received $100,000 in grant funds from the National Park Service through the state’s Department of Natural Resources for work at Henderson Falls Park. The city will match the $100,000 in grant funds with SPLOST money. Morse said the […]

The city of Toccoa goes ahead with the purchase of a service truck for the city’s Natural Gas Expansion Construction Crew. Tuesday, the city commission opened bids on the service truck. While the city says multiple local dealers were contacted, only one bid came in. That was from Mike Jones Ford Lincoln of Toccoa, who quoted the city a price […]

Toccoa tables a proposed ordinance that would put regulations on hotels and motels in the city that consider themselves extended stay facilities. At their meeting Tuesday, Toccoa City Commissioners held a public hearing on the proposed extended stay hotel-motel ordinance. The proposed ordinance includes rules that spell out how many people can stay in a room and how much space […]

Toccoa city staff continues to gather information about how to move forward on the city-owned golf course. City Manager Billy Morse said a representative from the United States Golf Association came to look at the nine-hole course off of Black Mountain Road last week. The course has been closed since last month, when the former operating group informed the city […]

A Rabun County man is under arrest, charged with Possession of Child Pornography. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it and the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office arrested 47-year-old Clark Bowen of Jiles Drive in Clayton on Monday. Bowen was charged with one count of Sexual Exploitation of Children. The GBI said the arrest is the result of a two-month investigation […]

A local doctor receives a prominent appointment. Dr. Kimberly M. Stroud of the Toccoa Clinic was recently elected to the board of directors of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The election is for a three-year term. Stroud said it is an honor to be elected to the board. She called the American Academy of Pediatrics a great advocate for children’s […]

50th District State Senator John Wilkinson brings awareness to a neurological movement disorder at the State Capitol. Wilkinson honored Dystonia Awareness Day at the State Capitol last Wednesday. Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions that affects an estimated 300,000 people in North America. It often results in painful and debilitating body positions for those who […]

The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents to be on the lookout for a new type of miniature methamphetamine lab making an appearance on the side of the road. Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley said that his office has recently responded to several reports regarding suspicious bottles found thrown out along roadways. Shirley said these bottles had been […]

The city of Toccoa will purchase a new bucket truck. At their February 24 meeting, Toccoa City Commissioners unanimously approved the purchase of the truck from Altec Industries of Elizabethtown, Kentucky at a cost of $88,778. Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse said that the new truck will take the place of one that is old and in need of repair. […]