The North Georgia News is the hometown paper for Blairsville, Suches and the surrounding areas of North Georgia.
Operating as usual
Attention Lake Nottely Boaters and Anglers:
The Canal Lake Boat Ramp, located on Lake Nottely in Union County, is currently closed due to parking lot repaving, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Resources Division. The ramp is expected to re-open to the public on Friday, 9/23/2022.
Roy Perren to perform at Chatuge Ministry & Event Center
“Elvis” Roy Perren will perform at the Chatuge Ministry & Event Center (formerly Mountain Home Music Theater) at 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 17.
Roy has been singing publicly since he was a small child. Along the way he was told his voice had a strong resemblance to that of Elvis Presley. With that encouragement he began performing as “Elvis.”
Roy has brought hours of enjoyment to folks in the North Georgia Mountains. Roy was a regular at Mountain Home Music Theater for eight years. In addition to Elvis, Roy has a love of Classic Country and Southern Gospel music and sings at churches and events whenever he can. Many say that Roy is the best male vocalist they have ever heard.
Half of the show Roy will perform your favorite Elvis hits, with the other half going to performing favorite Classic Country songs. So come out Saturday, Sept. 17, to this Free Show for a high-energy performance with some good music and good times guaranteed. If you have never heard Roy before, you are in for a treat. If you have heard Roy before, you know that he will leave you with smile.
Family friendly and spotlessly clean, Chatuge Ministry & Event Center (formerly Mountain Home Music Theater) is located 2 ½ miles West of Hiawassee at 2468 U.S. 76 West, Hiawassee, GA. Look for the Red Building.
If you are attending and have a request, let Roy know by email at [email protected]. The event is free to all, as Roy is excited to be able to give back to this great community, so come out for a great evening of fun!
YARD SALE: THURS, SEPT 15 THRU SAT, SEPT 17
9:00 TO 3:00 DAILY
DOWNSIZING TO MOVE!
DINING HUTCH, 6 BLUE DINING CHAIRS, 2 END TABLES, 2 TAN RECLINERS, 2 LAMPS, LAWN FURNITURE, UMBRELLAS, GRILL, AUTUMN DÉCOR, CHRISTMAS DÉCOR, HOUSEHOLD ITEMS AND MUCH MORE…
182 NOTLA TRAIL, BLAIRSVILLE,
(OFF OF 325 NEAR NOTTLEY DAM)
SIGNS POSTED.
Due to a printing issue with this weeks North Georgia News, please find below the details for:
MOVING SALE:
Saturday, August 27th 8am to 2pm. Lawnmower, Picnic Table, Rockers, Household Items, Furniture. 559 Nottely Shores, Blairsville.
***BREAKING: Union County Schools to open for staff Aug. 15, for students Aug. 16; alleged shooting suspect terminated from school employment
Union County School District will welcome back students for the first official day of the 2022-23 school year on Tuesday, Aug. 16, with Monday, Aug. 15, to serve as a staff workday.
The decision was announced in a called School Board meeting on Sunday.
Classes were supposed to begin on Friday, Aug. 12, but Superintendent John Hill and his Board Office staff decided to postpone the students' first day back after the Aug. 11 shooting incident at the Primary School.
Making Monday a staff workday will give the schools time to: assess any potential staffing issues regarding employees who may not wish to return after the traumatic incident; put classrooms back in order after furniture was used to barricade doors during Thursday's "hard lockdown"; and provide counseling services to staff members in need before students return Tuesday.
School counselors will also be available this week to meet with new and returning students who are concerned or experiencing anxiety over the situation.
Also in the meeting Sunday, School Board members unanimously voted to end the employment of school maintenance worker Dwight "Tony" Brown, who was arrested Aug. 11 and charged by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation with three counts of aggravated assault in the shooting incident.
Brown has been denied bond and remains behind bars at the Union County Jail.
Thankfully, no one was physically injured or even targeted in the shooting, with a "specific unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot of the school" being shot, and the GBI has said there is no longer a threat to the public following Brown's arrest.
Still, staff members who were present for the lockdown did not know the extent of the incident until after the lockdown was lifted, and people were in real fear for their lives, with some educators even fashioning makeshift weapons as they hid in locked and barricaded classrooms, according to the schools.
Moving forward, Hill said the Union County Schools Police Department and entire school system remain committed to providing a safe and secure environment for students and staff.
After the meeting, Hill announced that extracurricular activities would resume on Monday, Aug. 15.
***BREAKING: BPD, UCSO investigating apparent road rage incident outside Mountain Shelter Thrift Store
The Blairsville Police Department has arrested a Union County man in an apparent road rage incident involving a gun that culminated in the parking lot of the Mountain Shelter Humane Society Thrift Store in Downtown Blairsville this morning.
A call was dispatched at 10:43 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 12, of a man brandishing a firearm outside the thrift store, and officers were on the scene within 30 seconds.
No shots were fired, no one was hurt, and the suspect was taken into custody without incident, with charges pending at this time.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office is assisting on the scene, which remains under investigation.
***UPDATE: School employee charged with aggravated assault in Primary School shooting
Dwight Anthony “Tony” Brown, 64, of Blairsville, was arrested Aug. 11 on three counts of aggravated assault in connection with the active shooter threat at the Union County Primary School on Thursday, and other charges may be pending.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is describing the incident as an “isolated shooting,” in which, thankfully, no one was hurt.
“Someone targeted a specific unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot of the school,” GBI said in a statement Thursday evening. “The suspect, a school employee, is in custody and there is no threat to the public.
“School was not in session; however, there was teacher planning going on. The investigation is active and ongoing. As the investigation progresses, we will provide updates.”
A call of shots fired outside the school was dispatched at 2:16 p.m. on Thursday, and following an extensive off-campus search of the area, Brown was apprehended on the Downtown Blairsville Square at 2:57 p.m. and subsequently booked into the Union County Jail.
And while the shooting took place the day before classes were set to begin on Aug. 12, it appears that a small number of students and parents were on campus for a second day of “Meet Your Teacher” at the Primary School.
When the shooting occurred, Union County Schools immediately went on hard lockdown, including at Woody Gap in Suches, until the alleged shooter was apprehended, and at no time does it appear that students were considered a target in the shooting.
The school system announced Thursday night that the first day of classes for both staff and students would be postponed in light of the shooting, and a school announcement on opening plans is expected soon.
As mentioned above, Brown was reportedly a maintenance worker at the schools, and while an exact motive for the shooting remains unclear at present, the GBI did say it was accurate to describe Brown as a "disgruntled employee."
The Blairsville Police Department released the following statement Friday morning:
“On 8/11/2022, the Blairsville Police Department responded to a shots fired call at the Union County Primary School parking lot. Shortly thereafter a suspect was identified, and a lookout was given for a red Chevrolet truck. A patrolman with our agency located the truck, and a stop was made on the vehicle around the Town Square. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.
“At no time did the suspect enter the school, nor fire a weapon inside any building.
“We would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance: Union County Schools Police, Union County Sheriff's Office, Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Motor Carrier Compliance Division, Tennessee Valley Authority Police, Enotah Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation."
Brown has been charged only and is presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.
***UPDATE: Blairsville Police Department Statement on Aug. 11 shooting at Union County Primary School:
On 8/11/2022, the Blairsville Police Department responded to a shots fired call at the Union County Primary School parking lot. Shortly thereafter a suspect was identified, and a lookout was given for a red Chevrolet truck. A patrolman with our agency located the truck, and a stop was made on the vehicle around the Town Square. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.
At no time did the suspect enter the school, nor fire a weapon inside any building.
We would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance: Union County Schools Police, Union County Sheriff's Office, Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia MCCD. TVA Police, Enotah Judical Circuit District Attorney's Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Statement on Union County Schools Shooting Incident:
The GBI is investigating an isolated shooting incident that happened around 2:15 p.m. today at Union County Primary School. Someone targeted a specific unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot of the school. The suspect, a school employee, is in custody and there is no threat to the public. School was not in session; however, there was teacher planning going on. The investigation is active and ongoing. As the investigation progresses, we will provide updates.
***UPDATE: Alleged school shooter identified as Blairsville man
Dwight Anthony "Tony" Brown of Blairsville was taken into custody shortly before 3 p.m. in connection with this afternoon’s active shooter threat at the Union County Primary School, according to authorities.
Following an extensive off-campus search of the area, he was quickly apprehended on the Downtown Blairsville Square and subsequently booked into the Union County Jail, with charges pending.
No one was hurt in the incident that took place the day before classes are set to begin, according to local law enforcement officials.
Brown was reportedly a maintenance employee of the school system, and any potential motive remains unclear at present.
The active shooter situation was dispatched at 2:16 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 11, and Brown was taken into custody about 40 minutes later at 2:57 p.m. near the parking area of Hole In The Wall Restaurant.
Union County Schools went on lockdown until the alleged shooter was apprehended.
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded, including Union County Schools Police, Union County Sheriff’s Office, Blairsville Police, Georgia State Patrol and Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division.
The investigation has been turned over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Dr. James Butts will address the Union County Historical Society on Saturday, August 13th at 2 p.m. at the Old Courthouse on the square in Blairsville
The Mountain Music & Moonshine Festival this weekend will feature tours of the Grandaddy Mimm’s Distillery in Downtown Blairsville on Friday, July 29, and Saturday, July 30. Tours cost $5 and get underway at the top of every hour.
There will be no distillery tours Sunday, but festival guests can still enjoy live music on the square from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 31.
***BREAKING: Drowned swimmer identified by Union County Sheriff’s Office
The Union County Sheriff’s Office has identified Michael Jason Kolar, 38, of Murphy, North Carolina, as the snorkeler who drowned in Lake Nottely the evening of Wednesday, July 20.
Next of kin have been notified.
Kolar was recovered shortly before 2 p.m. on Friday, July 22, when his body surfaced close to the shoreline in about 15 feet of water at the TVA boat ramp near Nottely Dam.
An autopsy will be performed by medical examiners with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The Sheriff’s Office said it has reason to believe alcohol played a role in the drowning, and no foul play is suspected at this time.
According to local authorities, the last drowning in Lake Nottely occurred about 10 years ago.
Agencies involved in the search for Kolar were the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Union County Fire Department, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division, Forsyth County Fire Department Dive Team, the Union County Emergency Management Agency and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency.
266 Cleveland St
Blairsville, GA
30512
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