BLAIRSVILLE, Ga – Blairsville City Council officially proclaimed the city a Purple Heart City at the July 2021 meeting. “City of Blairsville has a highly decorated veteran population including Purple Heart recipients, and Blairsville appreciates the sacrifice of the Purple Heart recipients made in defending our freedoms and believe it is important and we acknowledge […]
Read More »Building and planning ordinance amendment unanimously approved
HIAWASSEE, Ga – The second reading of the amended building and planning ordinance and later unanimously approved by Hiawassee City Council. “In an effort to maintain proper density within the city the following shall apply, parcels of land shall be limited to six living spaces with no more than four structures per acre. No parcel […]
Read More »Blairsville City Council approves agreement with county to receive TSPLOST funds
BLAIRSVILLE, Ga – Blairsville City Council approved the intergovernmental agreement with Union County for the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) referendum during the July 2021 meeting. The approval is one in a series of steps necessary for TSPLOST to appear on a special election ballot in November 2021. The intergovernmental agreement allows […]
Read More »Mayor Whitener offers response to zoning ordinance veto
BLUE RIDGE, Ga – Blue Ridge Mayor Donna Whitener releases a response concerning her recommendation to veto of ordinance amendment BR2021-06. The ordinance would lower building height requirements in the central business district to 35 feet. Whitener’s letter stated that the zoning ordinance has been amended 10 times in 23 years. She added that during […]
Read More »Planning and development ordinance language adjusts to six units per acre
Hiawassee, Ga – The planning and development ordinance language will change to six units per acre. The units per acre would increase by two since the existing ordinance lists four units per acre. Celtic Management proposed a new road next to Ross Lloyd Road so residents could make a left turn out of the property. […]
Read More »Special alcohol permit moratorium repealed, new requirements in place
BLUE RIDGE, Ga – The existing Fannin County alcohol ordinance doesn’t address special events, and the county’s in the process of rewriting it. In the meantime, the board of commissioners enacted special requirements for those seeking a special event alcohol beverage permit. At an earlier meeting, a special event alcohol permit moratorium was put into […]
Read More »Deputy Director Darrell Payne retires after 38 years
BLUE RIDGE, Ga – Deputy Director Darrell Payne stated it’s been an honor to serve the people of Fannin as part of emergency services. Payne’s seen EMS goes through several changes over the years and commended EMS employees and volunteers for their efforts. He added that Fannin has one of the best EMS departments in […]
Read More »Union County’s Youth Sports Complex progressing
BLAIRSVILLE, Ga – The SPLOST funded Youth Sports Complex will be located behind the farmers market and Sole Commissioner Lamar Paris hopes to have it completed by next season. The Youth Sports Complex will feature four ballfields catering toward the younger age ranges from T-ball to coaches’ pitch, and eight and under leagues. Paris explained […]
Read More »Largest meth bust in Towns County history
TOWNS COUNTY, Ga – Towns County Deputies executed the largest methamphetamine bust in the county with the arrest of suspect Alex Robinson of Monroe, Ga. Following a four-month investigation and the three-day round-the-clock operation, a team consisting of the Towns County drug agents, deputies, and Sheriff Ken Henderson converged on a heavily-armed Robinson and arrested […]
Read More »Georgia State Patrol investigating pedestrian fatality at Sand Bar
HIAWASSEE, Ga – A pedestrian was killed in front of the Sand Bar on US Hwy 76 overnight on Saturday, June 12. Georgia State Patrol and Towns County Sheriff’s Office are in the midst of an active investigation. FYN has put a request into the GSP for more information about the tragic incident. Towns County […]
Read More »Suspect drowns in Tallulah River
RABUN COUNTY, Ga – A suspect who ran from law enforcement was confirmed deceased after Rabun County Search and Rescue located the body. On June 7, Rabun County Sheriff’s Office was requested to assist in a traffic stop in Tallulah Falls by the Georgia State Patrol. While en route, one of the suspects fled and […]
Read More »North Carolina woman arrested on trafficking methamphetamine charges
The Towns County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia State Patrol makes a vital bust confiscating about a pound of methamphetamine. Sunday, June 6, 2021, the Georgia State Patrol initiated a traffics stop resulting in the arrest of Jennifer Lynn Williams 31 of Crumpler, NC. The Towns County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit in conjunction with the […]
Read More »Union County Farmer’s Market opens June 5
BLAIRSVILLE, Ga – The Farmer’s Market will open this Saturday, June 5 at 7 a.m. The market’s purpose is to encourage the “development of local agriculture” and serves as a gathering place for vendors and customers to meet. Local artisans are also encouraged to open a booth at the seasonal event. It will be open […]
Read More »One arrested following a domestic-related shooting
HIAWASSEE, Ga – Towns County Sheriff’s Office took Joshua Clarke Nelson into custody on June 1 for his suspected involvement in a May 9 domestic shooting. The incident occurred in the Hall Creek Community around 5 a.m. on Sunday, May 9. Nelson who was shot suffered from critical injuries following the altercation. He allegedly busted […]
Read More »Pickens County Man Arrested for the Sexual Exploitation of Children
Ball Ground, GA (June 2, 2021) – On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, Frederick Austin Homonek, age 33, was arrested and charged with four counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children (Possession of Child Pornography) by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) Unit. The GBI CEACC Unit began an investigation into Homonek’s online […]
Read More »30-day moratorium on special use permit for alcohol license
BLUE RIDGE, Ga – Fannin County Commissioners opted for a 30-day moratorium on special use permits for alcohol licenses while they gather more information and the ordinance is rewritten. When Fannin County added the alcohol permit ordinance to its official code, commissioners did not include a special use provision, but the application for a special […]
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