PRESS RELEASE – Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced today that Bryan Dwayne Jones, 51, of Dallas, Georgia, has been arrested for murder and arson in connection with a Paulding County fire. Just before 8:30 p.m. on the evening of April 22nd, Paulding County firefighters responded to multiple 911 calls regarding a […]

HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Earlier today, the Towns County Fire Department initiated a planned burn at Young Harris College to demolish old buildings on campus as a part of a live practice for the Fire Department. The fire caused some onlookers to worry that the school was in danger and that the blaze was not an […]

WALKER COUNTY, Ga. – Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced Thursday that a recent Walker County fire has been ruled an act of arson. The fire occurred just after 3 a.m. on the morning of May 3rd at a vacant residence on Jones Street in LaFayette. “The fire completely destroyed an outbuilding […]

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – A traffic stop in Cumming, Georgia ultimately led to the arrest of two individuals after the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office notified Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office and the Cumming Police Department of a ‘theft from a vehicle that occurred at the outlet mall in Dawsonville’. According to the Cumming Police Department, the Dawson County […]

BANKS COUNTY, Ga. – The GBI is investigating an officer involved shooting in Homer, Banks County, GA. The Banks County Sheriff’s Office asked the GBI to conduct an independent investigation on April 14, 2022. One man is shot. No deputies were injured. The preliminary information indicates that a Banks County Sheriff’s Office deputy was driving […]

PRESS RELEASE –  Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced today that Raekwon Lackey, 23, and two juveniles were arrested in connection with a Clarke County fire. Mr. Lackey is being charged with Arson in the 1st Degree, Criminal Damage, Vandalism, and Contributing to Delinquency. The two juveniles are being charged with Arson […]

PRESS RELEASE – On 03/25/2022 at approximately 9:45pm, the Sheriff’s Office responded to Sunoco Gas Station located at 2667 Old Hwy 411 in south Murray County for an armed robbery. A male subject entered the gas station and held both clerks at gun point. The cash register was emptied, and the offender fled the scene […]

DADE COUNTY, Ga. – A Michigan woman who had been missing for 33 years has been identified as Stacey Lyn Chahorski of Norton Shores, Michigan. On Friday, December 16, 1988, at around 2:00 p.m., the Dade County Sheriff’s Office and the GBI responded to the scene of a body located about 5 miles from the Alabama Stateline […]

PRESS RELEASE – Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King today urged insurance companies doing business in the state of Georgia to review their financial holdings and operations to identify and divest from any investments and/or operations in Russia. “Vladimir Putin’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has rightfully led to condemnation from free […]

BLUE RIDGE, Ga.  – Vern Bennett, age 48, of Blue Ridge has been arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault in connection with the death of Jennifer Layman, age 54, of Blue Ridge and the shooting of a second victim also of Blue Ridge. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Fannin County Sheriff’s […]

PRESS RELEASE – As a 20-year resident of Pickens County, I have been blessed by the numerous friends and acquaintances that I have made, both personally and professionally, as well as the countless experiences that have heartenedmy family to call Pickens County “home.” Many of those experiences over the last twenty years havespurred conversations with […]

PRESS RELEASE – Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced today that a Habersham County fire was intentionally set. The fire occurred at approximately 4:33 p.m. on February 18th on Gilstrap Road. The fire totally destroyed the 125-year-old, 1300-square-foot residence. “The structure had been vacant for 16 years and was not connected to […]

PICKENS COUNTY, GA – The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office just released the following after strong storms moved through the area. Deputies have received several reports of trees and power lines down with multiple accidents in the area of Hwy 136 and Hwy 136 connector. Stay off of roadways at this time if at all possible.

STEPHENS COUNTY, Ga. –  The GBI is investigating an officer involved shooting in Stephens County, GA.  The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office asked the GBI to conduct an independent investigation on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022. One man was shot and injured. No deputies were injured. The early investigation indicates that at 1:17 p.m., a Stephens County deputy […]

CALHOUN, Ga. – The City of Calhoun Police Department issued the following scam alert in the wake of numerous citizens reporting the same scamming call to locals. Please be aware of a new banking scam that’s currently taking place. Criminals call and are claiming to be with “YOUR BANK” or “YOUR BANKS FRAUD DEPARTMENT”. The […]

PRESS RELEASE – The Georgia General Assembly resumed our work at the State Capitol on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. This was our fourth week of session, putting us at more than a quarter of the way through the legislative session. The House convened Tuesday through Thursday this week to cast our votes on certain legislation, […]