MORROW, Ga. – Union County High School juniors Kevin Kilpatrick and Paxon Legatt capped dominant seasons by claiming state championships at last weekend’s Class AA Traditional State Tournament at the Clayton County Convocation Center. Legatt, a two-time state champion, finished the season undefeated and did not surrender a single takedown across 51 matches. The only points scored against…
Annual Night to Shine brings joy, dignity and celebration
First United Methodist Church of Union County was transformed into a ballroom of laughter, music and bright smiles on Friday, Feb. 13, as the community hosted its Ninth Annual Night to Shine prom for individuals with special needs. Night to Shine is part of a worldwide initiative sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation and coordinated locally…
Banquet recognizes academic excellence, community impact
By Samantha Laratta Community members gathered Thursday, Feb. 12, for the annual Evening with the STARs Banquet at the Union County Community Center, a night dedicated to celebrating academic excellence and the teachers who help make it possible. The STAR program, that is, Student Teacher Achievement Recognition, is tied to top performance on the SAT and honors outstanding high school seniors and educators who…
Speed limit drops to 40 on GA 515 thru town
Years in the making, the speed limit on the 1-mile stretch of Georgia 515 between the Glenn Gooch Bypass and Murphy Highway in Blairsville has finally been reduced from 45 mph to 40 mph. The change took effect last Thursday with the installation of new signage. The speed reduction is the result of extensive legwork and networking by former Union County Sheriff Mack Mason,…
Lake Trahlyta drained to install new dam gate
For the first time in over 30 years, Lake Trahlyta at Vogel State Park has been drained to accommodate necessary work on the earthen dam that retains the natural waters of Wolf Creek on Blood Mountain. The lake has been dropped about 26 feet to enable construction of a new drain gate to replace the current gate that has become inoperable from age. Remarkably, the old gate is original to the dam, which…
Screening previews selections for Mountain Film Festival
Back by popular demand, the Mountain Film Festival by the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity will return to the Union County Fine Arts Center on Saturday, March 28, as part of the 2025-2026 World Tour. But before that, the final selections must be screened for community reception, as they were earlier this month at the Union County Public Library, with audience responses of the screened films going…
Sheriff reflects on 2025, previews second-year plans
Now in his second year in office, Union County Sheriff Shawn Dyer is excited to look back on a 2025 filled with success while offering a roadmap for the year ahead at the Sheriff’s Office. In recognition of excellence, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety named the Union County Sheriff’s Office the 2025 Agency of the Year for the Appalachian Trail Traffic Enforcement Network, highlighting the agency’s “dedication and efforts…
City of Blairsville achieves ‘Rural Zone’ designation
Blairsville has joined six other cities in being designated as one of Georgia’s newest Rural Zones, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The new designation creates multiple incentives that will benefit city commerce through Dec. 31, 2030. “The Rural Zone program is a collaboration between Georgia’s Department of Community Affairs and Department of Economic Development, incepted in 2017,” according to the public announcement by the Georgia Municipal Association. Read more…
UCSO thanks library for scam class partnership
In honor of the long-term partnership between the Union County Sheriff’s Office and the Union County Public Library, the latter was officially thanked last week for its role in regularly hosting UCSO Sgt. Robert “Bob” Calamari’s scam awareness classes. On behalf of the local library, Assistant Branch Manager Morgan Bilicki traveled to the Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 3 to shake Calamari’s hand and accept the Sheriff’s Office letter of recognition with a smile. Read more…
Event to honor ‘uncommon valor’ at Battle of Iwo Jima
Marine Corps League Unicoi Det. 783 Read more…