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The Habersham County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing during its meeting at 6 p.m. on March 3.

The Habersham County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing during its meeting at 6 p.m. on March 3.

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Land use code ready for review

News Staff
Friday, February 27, 2026
By Zach TaylorHow do you want the county to look in 10 years?Next week, the fate of the county’s land will be discussed.The Habersham County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing during its meeting at 6 p.m. on March 3 as county officials attempt to finalize a unified development ordinance.

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Fire consolidation may add tax

News Staff
Friday, February 27, 2026
By Zach TaylorThe numbers are in, and new taxes could come out.After one year of crunching numbers, the results from the fire consolidation study from SouthEastern Fire Consulting Company (SEFCCO) were shared in the Habersham County Board of Commissioners’ planning retreat on Tuesday.SEFCCO...
Buford and Doris Lewis look at the future of their garden in preparation for spring. Below, school photos show Buford and Doris around the time they were married. (Zach Taylor/Staff)

Buford and Doris Lewis look at the future of their garden in preparation for spring. Below, school photos show Buford and Doris around the time they were married. (Zach Taylor/Staff)

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Trust, love, tomatoes

News Staff
Friday, February 27, 2026
By Zach TaylorIn 1956, gas was 23 cents per gallon.One Habersham County couple made every penny of their gas money count as they drove around the area, building the foundations of a marriage that has lasted 70 years while eating Yates Apples and parched peanuts from farmers’ markets.Buford and...
Emily Zaragoza signs the word ‘why.’ The HCHS student has been teaching sign language to local students through weekly ‘A Sign a Day’ videos. (Callie Cueva/Staff)

Emily Zaragoza signs the word ‘why.’ The HCHS student has been teaching sign language to local students through weekly ‘A Sign a Day’ videos. (Callie Cueva/Staff)

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Students build connections through sign language

News Staff
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
by Callie CuevaTwo deaf students are eager to teach their peers how they communicate: through videos teaching American Sign Language (ASL).Emily Zaragoza and Ruby Skinner send out weekly videos to Habersham County Schools with the common mission to teach sign language and build connections with...
(Kristen Adkinson/Staff)

(Kristen Adkinson/Staff)

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Cornelia considers vacation rental law

News Staff
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
By Hannah CaudellEvery year, Cornelia gets a few hundred dollars of revenue from short-term rentals for the city’s hotel-motel tax, often in the form of a check from a vacation rental platform.
Election 2026

Election 2026

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Candidate sign-up starts next week

News Staff
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
By Samantha SinclairAnyone wishing to sign up to run for a position on the county commission or school board must do so next week.Qualifying for the May General Primary Election and the Commission District 3 Special Election starts Monday at 9 a.m. and ends Friday, March 6 at noon.Local seats up...
Kitchen volunteers Kim Finley, Claudia Jessup and Tina Hatcher prepare meals for the guests at the warming center Monday night. (Samantha Sinclair/Staff)

Kitchen volunteers Kim Finley, Claudia Jessup and Tina Hatcher prepare meals for the guests at the warming center Monday night. (Samantha Sinclair/Staff)

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Providing warmth

News Staff
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
By Samantha SinclairA warming center that’s been in the works for several months quietly opened in Cornelia this month for those seeking shelter on cold nights.However, to make sure there is a bed available, those needing a place to stay need to make arrangements with a social worker prior to...
Development continues to happen in Cornelia while city commissioners adjust the city’s annexation process and adopting a new zoning ordinance. (Hannah Caudell/Staff)

Development continues to happen in Cornelia while city commissioners adjust the city’s annexation process and adopting a new zoning ordinance. (Hannah Caudell/Staff)

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City looks at annexation, zoning changes

News Staff
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
By Hannah CaudellWhen Cook Construction came to town a few months back, what resulted in Cornelia was an uproar from residents, city and county alike, and an eventual moratorium on annexation applications until the city could reconfigure their annexation and rezoning process for better, more...
Cody Morrison

Cody Morrison

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Morrison achieves highest Scout rank

News Staff
Friday, February 20, 2026
By Samantha SinclairCody Morrison begged his mom to join Cub Scouts when he was in third grade.“My friend had loops on his belt, and I thought that was cool,” Morrison said.After he joined as a Bear, his mom encouraged him to become an Eagle Scout — his grandfather had been involved in Scouting and...
McTech Group Vice President Seth McDonald stands at a console. McTech Group is looking for a permanent home in Habersham County while it temporarily leases a building from Habersham Metal. (Zach Taylor/Staff)

McTech Group Vice President Seth McDonald stands at a console. McTech Group is looking for a permanent home in Habersham County while it temporarily leases a building from Habersham Metal. (Zach Taylor/Staff)

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Industries find new home in Habersham

News Staff
Friday, February 20, 2026
By Zach TaylorGrowth in Habersham County has come up frequently in recent public meetings. From Airport Business Park developments to Cook Construction to Tax Allocation Districts, growth has been discussed ad nauseam.