BLUE RIDGE, Ga – In a quick meeting, the board of commissioners reviewed the financial report through September 2020 and held the first lodging ordinance public hearing. Fannin’s currently 75 percent into the 2020 budget with some departments showing overages. The Fire Department is over $33,590 due to lease payments. The number will continue to […]
Read More »Fannin declares state of emergency after Zeta
FANNIN COUNTY, Ga – Fannin County Commission Chairman issued a local state of emergency declaration following tropical storm Zeta. The declaration cites Zeta as an event of critical significance that occurred on Thursday, October 29, 2020. The emergency requires “extraordinary and immediate corrective acts for the protection of the health and safety of the citizens.” […]
Read More »Fannin County Schools close ahead of Hurricane Zeta
BLUE RIDGE, Ga – Fannin County Schools cancelled all classes for Thursday, October 29 because of the heavy rainfall and winds expected when Hurricane Zeta’s remnants reach the area. In a statement the school said: “Weather forecasts indicate that our community will face severe weather from the remnants of Hurricane Zeta tomorrow morning. Heavy rainfall, […]
Read More »Think twice before stealing any political signs
BLUE RIDGE, Ga – As we all take to the polls this election season, let’s remember to be respectful of our neighbors’ viewpoints and property. Defacing or stealing political signs creates more animosity toward the other party and raises distrust in local communities. In Georgia, no one can place within the right-of-way, so in most […]
Read More »Fannin and Gilmer arts organizations awarded vibrant communities grants
ATLANTA – Speaker David Ralston and the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Georgia Council for the Arts announced that arts organizations in Fannin and Gilmer counties received Vibrant Communities grant awards to support arts programming for fiscal year 2021. In Fannin County, the Blue Ridge Community Theater received a $5,000 grant to support its […]
Read More »Commissioner proceed with increasing hotel/motel tax
BLUE RIDGE, Ga – Commissioners decided to move forward with raising the hotel/motel tax to six percent during the October meeting. The hotel/motel tax is split 50/50 with the Chamber of Commerce and the county funds would go toward public safety. The change would go into effect on January 1, 2021. 50 percent of the […]
Read More »DPH Urges All Georgians to Get a Flu Shot
Atlanta – The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has a message for Georgians: Everyone needs a flu shot. Yes, you! That’s the focus of a new campaign urging all Georgians over the age of six months to get a flu shot this year. “Now more than ever, influenza vaccination is critical not only to […]
Read More »Blue Ridge fire ruled as arson by state investigators
ATLANTA – The Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced today that a fire in Blue Ridge has been ruled an act of arson. The fire occurred at 3427 Sugar Creek Road at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, October 12. Upon arriving at the scene, state investigators discovered minor fire damage to […]
Read More »October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
NORTH GEORGIA – The North Georgia Health District urges women ages 40 years and older to talk with their county health department or their doctor during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October about screening for breast cancer. Women who cannot afford mammograms may be eligible for free screening. Breast cancer screenings are critical for […]
Read More »Commission moves ahead with disaster planning
BLUE RIDGE, Ga – In the September 22, 2020, Fannin County Commission meeting, the commissioners approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Fannin County School Board for disaster planning. “We’ve been working on a debris removal plan for the county in case of disaster. We’ve done one or two steps previously and this is just another […]
Read More »Scholarships provide further support for students in UNG Blue Ridge
A trio of new scholarships will help students fund their education at the UNG Blue Ridge Campus. The Claude William and Virginia Quintrell Merritt Endowed Scholarship Fund was established in August 2020 by Sandra Webb. The fund honors Webb’s parents by financially assisting students at UNG, particularly on the Blue Ridge Campus, with one scholarship […]
Read More »Grand juries resume in the Appalachian Judicial Circuit
Appalachian Judicial Circuit will resume convening grand juries for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. Our communities have been hit hard by the global pandemic. As the COVID19 outbreak in Georgia continues, the Appalachian Judicial Circuit is continually working to balance legitimate public health considerations with the necessity to maintain fair and […]
Read More »UNG Blue Ridge Campus is officially open after ribbon-cutting ceremony
BLUE RIDGE, Ga – Pleasant fall weather welcomed the crowd at the University of North Georgia (UNG) Blue Ridge Campus ribbon cutting on Wednesday, September 16, 2020. Since UNG Blue Ridge first opened in 2015 on Dunbarton Road, it’s grown from 18 students to 232. The new facility has over 3.500 square feet of classroom […]
Read More »City takes precautions against COVID-19 as police chief fights the virus
BLUE RIDGE, Ga – City continues to take preventative measures against COVID-19 as Police Chief and Post One Commissioner Candidate Johnny Scearce battles the virus from the hospital. According to Mayor Donna Whitener, they have increased cleaning protocols and continue to be vigilant against COVID-19 with temperature checks, masks, and rotating office schedules. Sources are […]
Read More »COVID-19 hazard pay tabled for frontline workers
BLUE RIDGE, Ga – Commissioners decided to indefinitely table CARES Act hazard pay until receiving more information from the state. With several unanswered questions about eligibility and everchanging guidelines from the state, the board decided to hold on accepting COVID-19 hazard pay. The item can be brought up again by the new administration in January […]
Read More »September 17 to 23 Constitution Week in Fannin County
BLUE RIDGE, Ga – Fannin Commissioners proclaimed September 17 through 23 as Constitution Week in Fannin with Constitution Day falling on September 17. The Old Unicoi Trail Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution presented the resolution to the board of commissioners during the September 8 meeting. The document brought attention to the principles […]
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