News

Duck race back for 12th year

News Staff
Friday, April 14, 2023
The 12th Annual VFL Rubber Duck Race will be held on Saturday, May 20 at Clarkesville’s 61st Annual Mountain Laurel Festival. More than 2,500 yellow rubber ducks will drop into the Soque River at 2 PM sharp from Sutton Bridge on Highway 197 and race to the finish line.
Clarkesville First Baptist Church features a flower-filled cross on the front lawn on Easter Sunday. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

Clarkesville First Baptist Church features a flower-filled cross on the front lawn on Easter Sunday. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

Easter in Habersham

News Staff
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Habersham County 911 dispatcher Belinda Konarski checks out her many computer screens between phone calls. JOHN DILLS/Staff

Habersham County 911 dispatcher Belinda Konarski checks out her many computer screens between phone calls. JOHN DILLS/Staff

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What’s your emergency?

John Dills
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
This week is Public Safety Telecommunications Week in Habersham County, celebrating those from the county’s dispatch team who work 12-hour shifts, sometimes overnight, in a small room with no windows.
Habersham’s Brayden Parham (5) steals third base in a Habersham vs White County 12U baseball game this season. The county has taken over operation of the youth baseball and softball leagues starting in 2023. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

Habersham’s Brayden Parham (5) steals third base in a Habersham vs White County 12U baseball game this season. The county has taken over operation of the youth baseball and softball leagues starting in 2023. ZACH TAYLOR/Special

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Rec department seeks balance in growth, spending

Matthew Osborne
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Habersham County leaders have a lot of difficult budget decisions ahead for the 2023-24 fiscal year, and some of the biggest could be in the recreation department.

Deputy keeps suspect from crowd during Easter service

John Dills
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
For the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, the Easter celebration was anything but normal. Deputy Daniel Spivey was driving along Georgia Highway 365 around 1 p.m. Sunday when he noticed a white Ford F-250 was going more than 80 miles per hour past him in the right lane.
Jace Reeder gets his dish going during one of his shifts at Community Brew & Tap in Cornelia. Reeder also cooks at Fenders Diner. SUBMITTED

Jace Reeder gets his dish going during one of his shifts at Community Brew & Tap in Cornelia. Reeder also cooks at Fenders Diner. SUBMITTED

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Local man gets Masters class in cooking

Matthew Osborne
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Nothing says elite like the annual Masters tournament in Augusta, and a local chef got to be the taste of the town during last week’s premium sporting event.
Shown from left are Malachite Riley, Hayden Bone, Valentino DiGiorgio, Caroline Williams, Jeff Wilbanks, horticulture instructor and advisor; and Rodney Nicholson. Not pictured are Ansley Anglin and Nick Makres. AMY HULSEY/Submitted

Shown from left are Malachite Riley, Hayden Bone, Valentino DiGiorgio, Caroline Williams, Jeff Wilbanks, horticulture instructor and advisor; and Rodney Nicholson. Not pictured are Ansley Anglin and Nick Makres. AMY HULSEY/Submitted

NGTC horticulture students place in national competition

News Staff
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Seven students from North Georgia Technical College (NGTC) recently received honors during the 2023 National Collegiate Landscape Competition (NCLC) at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi. Overall, NGTC placed 27th out of 46 colleges and universities.

County leaders mull landfill plans

Emma Marti
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
The three day budget hearings for Habersham County occurred the last week of March, and among the groups presenting their proposed budgets was the County Landfill Director Laurie Church. Church presented her requests for FY2024’s budget at the budget hearings.
Habersham Central alum Matt Burrell met President George W. Bush after graduating from the Air Force Academy after his football days ended.MATT BURRELL/Submitted

Habersham Central alum Matt Burrell met President George W. Bush after graduating from the Air Force Academy after his football days ended.MATT BURRELL/Submitted

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Burrell rode orange and blue to the blue yonder

Lang Storey
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Matt Burrell has never been one to sit still. At a young age, the Habersham County native dove headfirst into sports. At first it was soccer and that’s only because, at the time, age 9 was the threshold for beginning peewee football.