PRESS RELEASE – Monday evening, around 6:39 PM, Pickens Fire was dispatched to a reported residential fire in the Bent Tree Community. First arriving units from Bent Tree Fire Rescue reported smoke showing from a two-story residence. Initial assessment indicated the fire may be in the basement and possibly extended up into the main living […]

PRESS RELEASE – The Dawson County Sheriff’s Office Crime Against Persons Unit (CAP Unit) conducts investigations involving the sexual exploitation of children and other violent crimes. CAP Unit Investigators are affiliates of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Investigators recently arrested and charged Joshua West with Sexual Exploitation of […]

PRESS RELEASE – The GBI and the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office are conducting a murder investigation.  Keegan Cleve Phillips, age 23, of Otto, North Carolina, has been charged with murder. Robert Lee Peppers, age 62, of Lula, Georgia has been charged with concealing a death and unlawful disposal of a body. On Sunday, August 6, […]

PRESS RELEASE – The GBI is investigating an officer involved shooting in Clayton, Rabun County, Georgia. The Clayton Police Department requested the GBI conduct an independent investigation. No one was injured in this incident. The preliminary information indicates that on August 5, 2023, at around 11:15 p.m., Clayton Police Department officers and Rabun County Sheriff’s […]

PRESS RELEASE – Squirrel for dinner? Yes, please. Whether fried with gravy, barbeque style, slow cooker, in a casserole, or any other delicious way, squirrel is a healthy, sustainable source of protein. Squirrel hunting season opens August 15 so let’s get ready to head to the woods, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ […]

PRESS RELEASE – State Representative Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville), chairman of the House Health Committee, was recently honored by the Georgia Gerontology Society (GGS) with the 2023 David Levine Legislative Award. Rep. Hawkins accepted the award via a virtual ceremony on Tuesday, July 25. “I was honored to receive the 2023 Georgia Gerontology Society David Levine […]

PRESS RELEASE – On July 30, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit and S.W.A.T. team served an arrest and search warrant at a residence on Kelly Drive in North Forsyth County. The warrants stemmed from a domestic dispute which occurred in the early hours of July 30, 2023, where the male suspect is […]

PRESS RELEASE – The Hiawassee Downtown Development Authority (DDA) announced that it has recently raised $117,000 to benefit the Paris Business Center (PBC).   On July 15, at the Ridges Resort on Lake Chatuge, the DDA hosted more than 700 people for a night of music and a silent auction that included baskets, gift certificates and […]

PRESS RELEASE – Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced today that Farmers Insurance has rescinded tens of thousands of nonrenewal notices to Georgia consumers initially scheduled to go into effect in August. “It was brought to our attention this week that Farmers Insurance had alerted their customers that they would be non-renewing […]

PRESS RELEASE – On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes (CEACC) Unit arrested and charged Dawson Denmark, age 21, of Towns County, Georgia, with nine counts of Sexual Expolotaion of Children. The GBI CEACC Unit began an investigation into Denmark’s online activity after receiving a Cyber Tipline Report […]

PRESS RELEASE – Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced today that a Stephens County residential fire is under investigation. “On July 19th, investigators from the State Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene of a camper fire on Charles Hayes Road in Toccoa,” said Commissioner King. “The blaze began at approximately 11:06 […]

LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. – Two Lumpkin County High School (LCHS) teachers have tragically lost their youngest daughter, three-year-old Rocky Rae Barron, in a singular vehicle accident that took place Thursday evening, July 13. Jay Dee and Cadie Barron have served as teachers within the Lumpkin County School System for years and together they share three […]

HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. – A fiery crash that took place on Ga Hwy. 365 on Sunday, July 16, left five people dead, three of which were the wife and two children of Hall County Deputy Patrick Neil Holtzclaw. According to a release from Georgia Law Enforcement, the driver of a Corvette, now identified as Mitchell Boggs, […]

PRESS RELEASE – This past Saturday, July 15, 2023 at around the noon hour, Pickens County Fire Rescue was dispatched to a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Henderson Mountain Rd and Jerusalem Church Road. First arriving units discovered a two-car accident at the intersection. The incident resulted in one transport of a minor […]

PRESS RELEASE – On Sunday, July 16, 2023, at around 5:00 PM, Deputy Jon Henderson was dispatched to 2257 Shedd Road in reference to a suspicious vehicle backed up to a house. When Deputy Henderson and his back-up, Deputy Jarrett Chandler arrived on scene, they observed a Silver Toyota Camry backed up to the trailer […]

PRESS RELEASE – Banks County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Pressley and K9 Becka responded to a call to assist Franklin County in locating a female suspect who had fled the passenger seat of a vehicle that was involved in a chase. After arriving on the scene, Dep. Pressley collected a scent article from clothes that the suspect […]