Listen to the commissioners meeting. Clay County citizens are searching for an economic savior, and Mary Wiegold believes she has the answer. Wiegold, a member of the Clay County Citizens’ Action Committee, told commissioners that high-speed Internet is key to recovery from the recession. “We...

Listen to Carter talk about the plan. Residents have spoken. And their comments have been condensed into a graphic-heavy 52-page input summary divided into nine topic areas by Clay County’s Comprehensive Planning Committee. Kristy Carter, the coordinator of the entire package, shared the feedback...

Listen to Ingraham talk to commissioners. Smoky Mountain Center needs more time to transfer regional mental health services to a new provider, CEO Brian Ingraham told Clay County commissioners Thursday. Ingraham called the privatization of SMC’s services the most significant change to sweep the...

It only happens every ten years. And getting an accurate head count is critically important. So said Andrea Robel, a regional director for the 2010 Census count. This month questionnaires will be sent out to every know household with a mailable address. The forms are short, a mere 20 questions, which...

This cloud won’t bring any precipitation, but it may just be the first building block in solving our local high-speed internet problem.  The Andrews Valley Initiative has proposed a wireless “cloud” or mesh to go over the town of Andrews.  I recently had the chance to sit down with Leon Tatham...

Ashton Owens was the only speaker to receive a standing ovation after his address to the Clay County Republican Party. While most candidates were allotted five minutes to rally the crowd, he got fifteen. And he’s not even running for office. Ashton, 14, is an eighth grade student at Hayesville...

Listen to the Feb. 22 School Board meeting. Superintendent Scott Penland wants to start school early next year to leave room for making up snow days. But he can’t. He presented the school board with two calendars for the 2010-2011 year. Plan A starts school August 16. Plan B starts August 25. “I...

Listen to the school board discuss options for the new school. Renderings of a new primary school on the land currently occupied by the high school baseball field were discussed by school board members Tuesday. Clay County Schools Superintendent Scott Penland said he recently mentioned the idea to a...

Listen to the solar pitch at the Clay County School Board meeting. If it sounds too good to be true, it’s solar power. The Clay County School Board is considering the installation of solar panels on school property after a proposal from Sunrise Energy Ventures at the Feb. 22 school board meeting. Dean...

See a gallery of photos from the fire. A home located at The Ridges golf course community in Hayesville was lost Saturday to a fire that had likely been smoldering more than 20 hours in the basement. The investigation into a cause is continuing. Clay County Fire & Rescue reported that a neighbor...