Union County Sole Commissioner Harold Collins held a very special tribute in his April 16 monthly meeting at the courthouse, recognizing the upcoming 100th Birthday of a longtime resident by proclaiming April 25, 2026, as “Marion Durkee Day” in Union County. Durkee attended in person to witness the proclamation and accept the honor from Commissioner…
Shawn Jarrard
E-911 Dispatchers receive heartfelt thanks for their work
At this time every year, Union County E-911 Dispatch receives special recognition for National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, during which time the community shares in the love the dispatchers have developed among themselves as members of a tight-knit public safety family. In 2026, the corresponding appreciation dinner fell on Monday, April 13. It was a…
School Board candidate forum turns contentious
The Union County GOP hosted a School Board Candidate Forum on Tuesday, April 14, which lasted about two hours and turned contentious at times inside the Haralson Memorial Civic Center. Three of the four Republican candidates for the only contested seat on the Union County Board of Education attended: Incumbent Tony Hunter, Naveela Philbeck and…
In-person early voting ready to go on Monday
In-person early voting begins next week for the General Primary Election and Nonpartisan General Election set for May 19. There will be three weeks of in-person early voting running weekdays between Monday, April 27, and Friday, May 15. Early voting will also include two weekend voting opportunities: Saturday, May 2, and Saturday, May 9. The…
Asst. Chief Walker finishes Chief Executive Training
Blairsville Assistant Police Chief Russell “Rusty” Walker has completed the Chief Executive Training Program conducted by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. He spent two weeks in Gwinnett County last month, culminating in graduation March 12. The intensive, 60-hour course is designed to expose newly appointed chiefs and command staff like Walker to the…
Young Blairsville man dies after Blood Mountain crash
Nolan Geiger, a 17-year-old Blairsville youth, lost his life Saturday after a crash on Blood Mountain, the Georgia State Patrol confirmed over the weekend. Shortly before 4 p.m. on April 11, a state trooper responded to a two-vehicle collision on Gainesville Highway near Blood Mountain Cove Road in Union County, just south of the Walasi-Yi Center. Read more…
Residents advised to avoid burning during drought
By press time, much of the North Georgia Mountains had been spared an outbreak of wildfires despite increased risk amid ongoing drought, windy conditions, higher temperatures and lower relative humidity, especially during the day. The region is experiencing its worst drought perhaps since Fall 2016, when tens of thousands of wildland acres burned as North…
PEACH Tax Credit a big success for local students
Since making the PEACH Education Tax Credit available to the public last August, the Union County College & Career Academy has already experienced tremendous success, collecting roughly half of its two-year participation cap in the program’s first few months. That’s because individuals and businesses in the community have been eager to benefit the children of…
New Surgery Center a ‘crown jewel’ for hospital
On Wednesday, April 1, Union General Hospital welcomed the public to an Open House showcasing its new and renovated Operating Room Suites. The occasion was one of true celebration, complete with heartfelt comments by grateful Surgical Team members and Health System leadership, community tours of the expanded Surgery Center, and refreshments for attendees. Read more…
Grant helps UCSO combat speeding, distracted driving
The Union County Sheriff’s Office is always looking for opportunities to make the community safer, and one of the most effective ways to do that is traffic enforcement. Speeding and distracted driving have more in common than simply being against the law; both also maim and kill, and Sheriff Shawn Dyer is serious about ensuring…