Come November, Union County residents will know if their sole commissioner form of local government will be changing to a five-member commission board. District 8 State Rep. Stan Gunter, who resides in Blairsville, has given official notice of his intent to introduce a bill at the Georgia General Assembly calling for an advisory referendum to appear on local ballots in the Nov. 3, 2026, General Election. Read more…
Public education continues in latest UCSO Scam Class
Union County Sheriff’s Sgt. Robert “Bob” Calamari brought his Scam Awareness Class back to the Union County Public Library on Jan. 14, once again informing residents about the risks that lurk in the digital world, the mail and even innocuous-seeming packages on doorsteps. Also presenting that day were Casey McVay of Tri-State Tech Support and two officials with Georgia Adult Protective Services, Supervisor Emily Shook and Inv. Brandy Warren. Read…
Love earns STAR honors, chooses teacher Conger
Union County High School has officially revealed its STAR Student of 2026, and the honor goes to senior Savannah Love, who chose Dixie Conger as her STAR Teacher. The entire school learned the news with a celebratory announcement on Friday, Jan. 23. To officially recognize Love’s achievement, the Blairsville-Union County Chamber of Commerce attended as the local sponsor organization that coordinates with the…
BOE congratulates band, accepts FY25 audit report
The Union County Board of Education enjoyed a packed work session Jan. 15 while recognizing the award-winning performance of the Union County High School Pride of the Mountains Marching Band at the recent Peach State Marching Competition. On Oct. 25, the Pride of the Mountains earned the highest ratings in every category and took home First Place out of six other bands in Class 2A. Competing against…
Chamber blends celebration, mystery in Masquerade Gala
YOUNG HARRIS – The Blairsville-Union County Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual awards banquet on Friday, Jan. 16, transforming Brasstown Valley Resort into a scene reminiscent of the roaring 1920s for an evening of celebration, recognition and intrigue. The “Mountain Mystery Masquerade”-themed gala welcomed guests adorned in feather boas, sequins and masquerade masks, setting the tone for a night filled with laughter, conversation and old-fashioned glamour….
Public sewer ‘loophole’ prompts county moratorium
In a called meeting on Thursday, Jan. 15, Union County Sole Commissioner Harold Collins adopted a resolution enacting an emergency moratorium “on applications for the development of any property on public sewer for the purpose of ordinance review and revisions.” Effective Jan. 16, the application freeze will remain in place for 90 days “or until repealed by the adoption…
Local man arrested after ‘Predator Poachers’ visit
This month, internet-based content creators who raise awareness about child sex crimes kickstarted a local investigation by the Union County Sheriff’s Office that resulted in the arrest of a Blairsville man for possessing child sexual abuse material, aka “child pornography.” Joshua Bowers, 35, was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 14, and charged with eight counts of sexual exploitation of children related to images discovered on his cellphone, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Read more…
GA 515 project on track for completion in 2027
The corridor of Georgia 515 between Blairsville and Young Harris has seen big changes over the last year, with dramatic alterations to the roadside topography as the highway reconstruction project takes shape. And Georgia Department of Transportation District 1 Communications Officer Nathan Johnston says all three phases of the project to widen the corridor to four lanes are on schedule for completion in 2027. Read more…
Collins corrects salary, will return overpayment
Union County Sole Commissioner Harold Collins announced last week that he was paid too much his first year in office, noting that he has corrected the issue for Fiscal Year 2026 and beyond. The correction lowers his salary by close to $18,000 versus 2025. Collins’ actual salary as calculated using a formula provided by the Association County Commissioners of Georgia is $116,339.82, and not the $134,000 he made…
January Term 2026 Grand Jury Indictments
NO BYLINE The following individuals were indicted during the January Term 2026 of the Union County Grand Jury, which met last week: Read more…