North Georgia News

11/25/2025

***MISSING HIKER UPDATE: Formal search for Charles Hosch suspended

There will be no more operations consisting of searchers going out all day until authorities receive “more definitive evidence or indications to point us into a direction,” according to David Dyer, the Union County Emergency Management Agency Director.

Dyer said searchers will resume activity “if we have new information.”

The Emergency Operations Center at Fire Station No. 1 has returned to a monitoring level after Dyer and a team of rescue professionals commanded the massive effort there for upwards of 18 hours a day since Hosch went missing two weeks ago.

Hosch disappeared from the Byron Herbert Reece Trail area of the Appalachian Trail on Tuesday, Nov. 11, and aside from several witnesses who saw him on the trail that day, searchers have found no indications of where he might be.

On the evening of Monday, Nov. 24, family representatives posted the news to the website of Hosch’s law firm, available at https://www.hoschmorris.com/privacy-plus-news/update-on-search-for-charles-m-hosch.

“Union County has paused its active search operations while awaiting new information or clues,” the post reads. “Today’s search produced no new findings after almost two weeks of exceptional, round-the-clock efforts. This does not mark the end of the search; the case remains active, and search and rescue personnel will continue to pursue any new clues or credible information that arises.

“We are forever indebted to the search and rescue teams who navigated treacherous terrain in challenging conditions with heroism, skill, and tireless dedication. Their commitment to finding Charles has been nothing short of remarkable, and we will be always grateful for their courage and compassion.

“Our own search efforts will continue. We are planning the next phase and will share details as they develop. Please check this website in the days and weeks to come.

“In this moment of uncertainty, we turn to Charles’s favorite verse, John 1:5: ‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ Charles has been that light to so many – his family, his students, his colleagues, his friends, his community. His wisdom, kindness, selflessness, and unwavering integrity have illuminated countless lives, and his light burns in every heart that loves him.

“We carry that light with us as we search. We will not stop. We will bring him home.”

11/21/2025

**Update on Charles Hosch**

Union County EMA is still searching for Charles Hosch. Charles has been missing since November 11th. Ground search teams have been scaled back in favor of specialized K-9 teams. This scale back of ground search teams will aid K-9 teams in tracking clues to assist in locating Charles. Please continue to pray for Charles and the entire Hosch family during this difficult time.

11/15/2025

Hosch & Morris, PLLC is a boutique law firm dedicated to data privacy, information security, the Internet and technology. Go beyond compliance. Open the Future℠.

11/14/2025

***Update on Missing Person - Charles Hosch***

Unfortunately, Charles is still missing at this time. We have several agencies, K-9s, and aviation searching for him and this has been ongoing for a few days now. However, we still need your help. If you were on the Appalachian Trail near Blood Mountain, if you were at the Mountain Crossing Store, or if you were near the Byron Herbert Reece Trailhead parking area on November 11th or since and possibly took any photographs in the area, please call the Emergency Operations Center (706) 439-6091. Please share this to any friends or family members that might have been in the area on that day.

11/13/2025

11/05/2025

***UNION COUNTY FLOST FAILS AT BALLOT BOX***

By Shawn Jarrard
North Georgia News
Editor

Union County voters have spoken – the local sales tax will remain at 7% when 2026 rolls around.

Placed on the ballot by the Union County Commissioner’s Office, the Nov. 4 Floating Local Option Sales Tax Referendum failed by a 688-vote margin.

A total of 5,882 voters showed up to the polls over three weeks of early voting and Election Day, with 2,597 voters supporting property tax relief, and 3,285 voters rejecting the additional 1% sales tax that would have offset property taxes.

That’s 44% of the participating Union County electorate for FLOST and 56% against it.

FLOST would have resulted in an extra 1% sales and use tax in Union County starting Jan. 1, 2026, raising the total sales tax that everyone paid – including visitors – to 8% for every dollar spent on eligible goods and services at places like grocery stores and other retail establishments.

The trade-off to the sales tax would have been a steep reduction specifically in county and city millage rates, which was estimated to bring about a 70% savings to county and city property taxes.

But it was not meant to be.

Union County Elections Board Chair Libby Stevens is proud of the local turnout, in which Union County ranked eighth in Georgia for early voting.

About 28% of the local electorate voted through Nov. 4. How Union will rank in overall turnout once Election Day voting is tabulated across the state will be known in the days ahead.

At the Voting Center Tuesday night, Stevens asked to give a special shout-out to the Pat Colwell Precinct, which featured the most Election Day votes of all 11 Union County Precincts with 391 ballots cast.

Additional 2025 Special General Election and FLOST Referendum coverage will be available in next week’s newspaper.

Looking ahead, the 2026 mid-term elections will put other important matters before Union County voters.

Expected to appear on ballots next year are both SPLOST and ESPLOST, which would not be new sales taxes but continuations, as well as the question of whether residents want a multi-member board of commissioners instead of a sole commissioner style of county government.

11/04/2025

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10/10/2025

***UPDATE: MISSING PERSON FOUND***

Previous post on Emergency Alert: Be on the lookout for an 87-year-old male that is missing from the area of Frank Martin Road.

Last seen wearing a black jacket, red shirt, black sweater, blue pants and green hat. If seen, please call 911.

08/12/2025

Press Release

08/11/2025