Local

Assistant Poll Manager Stephanie Martin and Poll Manager Scott Brown wait for voters to check in at the Habersham County Elections and Voter Registration office in Cornelia. SAMANTHA SINCLAIR/Staff

Assistant Poll Manager Stephanie Martin and Poll Manager Scott Brown wait for voters to check in at the Habersham County Elections and Voter Registration office in Cornelia. SAMANTHA SINCLAIR/Staff

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Voting starts in Special Primary

News Staff
Friday, May 30, 2025
By Samantha Sinclair and Dave Williams      Early voting started Tuesday for the Public Service Commission Special Primary, and one candidate was disqualified Wednesday.    Primary Election Day is June 17, with voters selecting candidates for Public Service Commission Districts 2 and 3.
Baldwin’s public works department had an eventful Memorial Day weekend, when a water leak was detected on Stonepile Street in Baldwin. Baldwin residents were given a boil water advisory while the crews worked to repair the issue, which involved two additional leaks down the line once the initial one was fixed. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

Baldwin’s public works department had an eventful Memorial Day weekend, when a water leak was detected on Stonepile Street in Baldwin. Baldwin residents were given a boil water advisory while the crews worked to repair the issue, which involved two additional leaks down the line once the initial one was fixed. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

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Baldwin City Council approves emergency leak expense

News Staff
Friday, May 30, 2025
By Hannah Caudell      On Memorial Day weekend, Baldwin residents were hit with another boil water advisory when a leak in Baldwin’s mountain water system was detected on Stonepile Street.
Kendall Respress leaps into the air as he throws his graduation cap with other graduates. ZACH TAYLOR/Staff

Kendall Respress leaps into the air as he throws his graduation cap with other graduates. ZACH TAYLOR/Staff

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Off to the next adventure

News Staff
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
By Hannah Caudell      People packed into Raider Stadium like sardines on Friday night for the school year’s grand finale, the graduation of the Class of 2025.    This year was full of firsts for the student body.
VFW Post 7720 is moving forward with plans to build a new home on Smith Loop Road, using renderings created about five years ago. Submitted

VFW Post 7720 is moving forward with plans to build a new home on Smith Loop Road, using renderings created about five years ago. Submitted

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New veterans center plans underway

Samantha Sinclair
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
At the conclusion of the annual Memorial Day ceremony at Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Park, VFW Post Commander Barry Church asked those gathered what they saw as they looked across the valley beyond the cemetery’s grounds.    “We see a dream,” Church said.
Dr. Brian James speaks on success being defined as wisdom at Habersham Central High School’s graduation ceremony. ZACH TAYLOR/Staff

Dr. Brian James speaks on success being defined as wisdom at Habersham Central High School’s graduation ceremony. ZACH TAYLOR/Staff

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James receives Lifetime Achievement Award

News Staff
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
By Hannah Caudell      Friends, family, administrators, and a few Level Grove Baptist Church congregation members laughed together in the Habersham Central High School cafeteria, waiting to celebrate this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Dr. Brian James.
Honor Guard members Roy Albea Jr., Rob Wallace, Bob Trousdale, VFW Auxillary President Steven Hawkins and Dr. Ed Hendricks fire the volleys during the morning ceremony as Danny Stephens waits to play Taps. Samantha Sinclair/Staff

Honor Guard members Roy Albea Jr., Rob Wallace, Bob Trousdale, VFW Auxillary President Steven Hawkins and Dr. Ed Hendricks fire the volleys during the morning ceremony as Danny Stephens waits to play Taps. Samantha Sinclair/Staff

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‘Let the bell toll’

Samantha Sinclair
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
After the U.S. military deaths were read aloud for each war, VFW Post 7720 Chaplain Dana McCloud announced, “Let the bell toll.”    25,000 in the American Revolutionary War. 15,000 in the War of 1812. 13,000 in the Mexican-American War. 620,000-750,000 in the Civil War. 2,446 in the...
Habersham Central High School Senior Jackson Cribbs stands with one of the single engine planes he works with every day as a flight operations assistant at Horizon Dreams Aviation. After today’s graduation, Cribbs, who already holds an FAA private pilot license, will go on to study aviation at West Michigan University to be a professional aviation pilot. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

Habersham Central High School Senior Jackson Cribbs stands with one of the single engine planes he works with every day as a flight operations assistant at Horizon Dreams Aviation. After today’s graduation, Cribbs, who already holds an FAA private pilot license, will go on to study aviation at West Michigan University to be a professional aviation pilot. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

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To new heights

News Staff
Friday, May 23, 2025
By Hannah Caudell      Jackson Cribbs, who will walk the Habersham Central High School graduation stage tonight, is looking to take his future to new heights, both figuratively and literally.
Tom Whitney, a resident of Baldwin, addresses the crowd to say that there needs to be more trust between the Baldwin City Council and the residents that live within the city limits. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

Tom Whitney, a resident of Baldwin, addresses the crowd to say that there needs to be more trust between the Baldwin City Council and the residents that live within the city limits. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

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Budget talks bring out crowd

News Staff
Friday, May 23, 2025
By Hannah Caudell      It was one of the largest town halls the city of Baldwin had ever seen.    Around 70 people showed up to the Baldwin town hall meeting on Tuesday night to discuss their concerns and grievances about Baldwin’s current budget deficit and the potential of a tax increase.
During the Elementary School Walk at Level Grove Elementary on Thursday, Katelynn Lobuono gets a hug from third grader Lincoln Chitwood, one of the kids she knows from working at the Boys and Girls Club. SAMANTHA SINCLAIR/Staff

During the Elementary School Walk at Level Grove Elementary on Thursday, Katelynn Lobuono gets a hug from third grader Lincoln Chitwood, one of the kids she knows from working at the Boys and Girls Club. SAMANTHA SINCLAIR/Staff

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HCHS Class of 2025 ready to graduate

Samantha Sinclair
Friday, May 23, 2025
Habersham Central High School will be celebrating the achievement of over 460 seniors in the Class of 2025 on May 23 at 8 p.m. in Raider Stadium.    The evening will feature speeches by Valedictorian Audrey Hotard and Salutatorian Abigail Hotard.
American Legion Post 84 Commander Jim Morgan rings the bell for the lives lost in wars around the world throughout American history. ZACH TAYLOR/Staff

American Legion Post 84 Commander Jim Morgan rings the bell for the lives lost in wars around the world throughout American history. ZACH TAYLOR/Staff

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Honoring the fallen

Zach Taylor
Friday, May 23, 2025
Next Monday is a time of pause for Habersham County.    Memorial Day is when most people get off work and enjoy hamburgers and hot dogs with their loved ones, but that sort of freedom comes at a cost.