July 2026

SPLOST, ‘gaga ball’ make county meeting

SPLOST, ‘gaga ball’ make county meeting

Union County Sole Commissioner Harold Collins debuted the new county meeting venue and time on Thursday, July 16, hosting his monthly business at the Sports Center instead of the courthouse, and at 9:30 a.m. instead of 6 p.m.

H&G Shows ready to fill needs this weekend

Downtown road construction coming next month

Heads up, Union County motorists: next month, the City of Blairsville will begin a major road project that will temporarily disrupt traffic downtown, as Blue Ridge Street is being resurfaced between the square and Earnest Street. The Blue Ridge Street Improvement Project is actually several…

School Board goes over policy changes, GMPs

School Board goes over policy changes, GMPs

The Union County Board of Education held a called meeting July 14 for the sake of organizing staff positions before the start of the next school year, but the bulk of discussions centered on Guaranteed Maximum Price project proposals and school policy changes. Changes to eight policies were brought…

Downtown road construction coming next month

H&G Shows ready to fill needs this weekend

For the past five years, the Northeast Georgia and Western North Carolina Home & Garden Show has come to the Union County Sports Center. And 2026 will be no different, with the popular showcase event returning this Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26.

Butternut Creek Festival celebrates art, community

Butternut Creek Festival celebrates art, community

The Butternut Creek Arts & Crafts Festival returned to Meeks Park over the weekend, welcoming crowds of people from near and far to celebrate art for art’s sake July 18 & 19. More than 80 crafters, two demonstrators and three nonprofit organizations set up booths along the scenic, eponymous…

Chatuge spillway repair timeline gets minor update

Chatuge spillway repair timeline gets minor update

Last week, the Tennessee Valley Authority provided the North Georgia News with a minor update to the lake drawdown start schedule to undertake necessary spillway repairs at the neighboring Chatuge Dam. In September 2025, TVA said that work at the spillway would not begin before late 2027, with…

Drought conditions persist, but outlook is improving

Drought conditions persist, but outlook is improving

Thanks to regular rain this summer, drought conditions in North Georgia have improved from an extended “extreme drought” classification this spring to a lower level of “severe drought” as of June 24, per the National Integrated Drought Information System. But even though the skies have been opening…

Alcohol Board proposes alcohol ordinance changes

Alcohol Board proposes alcohol ordinance changes

The Union County Alcohol Board met at the Community Center over about four hours on Tuesday, June 23, to review the county’s alcohol ordinance for the first time since 2024. During the meeting, the board came up with several ordinance updates to recommend to Sole Commissioner Harold Collins,…

Correction:

The North Georgia News recently reported that the America 250 Parade on July 4, 2026, was the first-ever Independence Day parade through Downtown Blairsville. A lifelong resident of Union County called the newspaper last week to say that Blairsville actually held a Fourth of July parade 50 years…

Duck Derby tix on sale now to benefit local kids

Duck Derby tix on sale now to benefit local kids

“It’s duck season,” warned Blairsville Police Chief Michael “Bear” Baxter ahead of the yellow swarm that will soon overtake Butternut Creek at the Union County Farmers Market. This year marks the Eighth Annual Duck Derby, and hopes are high that the community will follow up last year’s outstanding…

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