An impaired Blairsville driver proved difficult to stop last week, but the combined efforts of the Union County Sheriff’s Office and the Blairsville Police Department resulted in an arrest with no injuries to the public, the driver, deputies or police officers. Shortly before lunchtime on Wednesday, Jan. 28, E-911 received a call about a truck driving all over the road in the Bunker…
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Two Atlanta residents charged with meth, fentanyl trafficking
On Wednesday, Jan. 28, a deputy with the Union County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a white Ford Focus after a random license plate check revealed the vehicle had no insurance, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The traffic stop occurred on Blue Ridge Highway at the intersection of Airport Drive as the vehicle was traveling toward Blairsville city limits, UCSO Narcotics Capt. Tyler Miller said. Read more…
No major incidents amid fluffy downpour
Mother Nature delivered over the weekend, dropping about 5 inches of pretty, fluffy snow across the region, with greater amounts in the higher elevations. Snow began overnight Friday and fell into late Saturday afternoon, transforming Union County into a winter wonderland. In terms of preparation by state and local officials, it was déjà vu after Winter Storm Fern swept through the Southeast the previous weekend. Thankfully, Union escaped most major impacts from both storms, though Suches received significant ice accumulations on Jan. 24. Read more…
Roof, bridge projects move ahead in county meeting
Union County Sole Commissioner Harold Collins approved a pair of large capital project expenses in his January regular meeting, including a contract award notice for $475,000 to replace the aging roof on the Union County Courthouse. Nine bids came back on the project – none of them local to Union County – with Dusty Greer Commercial Roofing being awarded the contract. The Winder-based company submitted one of the lower bids and scored highest…
First local baby of 2026 recovering well at home
Waylon William Dillard entered the world on Friday, Jan. 2, earning him the title of Union General Hospital’s 2026 New Year Baby. Though he had a difficult start to life, little Waylon is now home safe, and his parents are hopeful for a bright future for their little fighter. Alexus Godbold – soon to be Alexus Dillard…
Hope House keeps hope alive for residents in need
It is impossible for Hope House Director Pam Alexander to give a numerical estimate on how many homeless people are in Union County, but she does know that there are “many, many” of them. With winter in full swing and temperatures regularly plummeting, now is a dire time to be out of a stable housing situation. Nevertheless,…
SWCD aiming to control region’s feral hog problem
Centuries ago, Spanish ships off the East Coast released pigs as a readily available food source. Later, European settlers adopted free-roaming farming methods, keeping swine for their hardy nature. Hogs thrived in the temperate forests of the New World, and inevitably, some escaped domesticity. Now, generations later, feral hogs have established a reputation across the state and nation as pests. For agriculturists, they pose…