LATEST NEWS

The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office will be hosting a Pill Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Pill Take Back Day will be held from 10am until 2pm as part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The drop-off location remains the Main Office at 56 Boen Creek Rd in Tiger, and a staff member will be present to help with the collection. The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office will accept old or no longer needed prescription medication, in pill or liquid form, plus over-the-counter medicines and vitamins so those medications can be disposed of properly. Properly collecting and disposing of this medication will prevent damage to the environment from being disposed of in the wrong place and also prevent the medicines from reaching the hands of children or other individuals to protect them from harm. The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office asks that all medications be placed inside a sealed, see-through zip lock bag before delivery. The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office would also like to remind citizens that a Drug Collection Unit is located outside the Main Office. Citizens can bring their unused prescriptions and over-the-counter medications and place the contents into this Unit 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Complete with high-tech amenities and panoramic views of the North Georgia mountains, this yurt-inspired three-bedroom home is now on the market.

In the first quarter of 2024, Rabun County Detention Center’s ‘Pathway to Achieve’ Learning Management system has recorded its highest level of ‘Engagement Rate’, 95%, which is more than any previous quarter since launching the program. Through Pay Tel’s intele TABLET, Rabun County detainees are provided a wide variety of educational and re-entry resources specifically designed to provide a path towards successful reintegration into society. The tablet and contents are provided at no cost to the detainees or the Sheriff’s Office through an agreement with Pay Tel Communications. The core of the tablet program is a holistic approach to empowerment, improvement, and stronger communities. RCDC detainees begin their journey by completing a comprehensive Risk/Needs assessment that will guide them to meaningful courses in categories such as Addiction Recovery, Anger Management and Parenting/Family Social Relationships. These three courses alone made up almost 300 assignments between January and March 2024. The program utilizes an incentive-based model so that detainees who successfully complete courses and knowledge tests are rewarded with credits that can be used for entertainment such as music, movies and games. There are over 1000 courses currently available to detainees with new coursework added continuously. Once completed, detainees can share their certificates and transcripts with family and friends as well as their attorney for presentation as part of their case. Other notable statistics during the first quarter include:

The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office reports that on April 14, 2024, at 3am, the driver of a 2002 Ford Ranger swerved to miss a deer on Plum Orchard Road, hit the curb then skidded across the road down an embankment until it collided with a tree. The driver refused medical treatment.

It will be easier to find a parking space at the polls on May 21st, says Rabun County Elections Director Tammy Whitmire. “The Elections Office will be providing a free shuttle service on May 21st for the Primary Election from the Clayton Baptist Church parking lot, located at 120 South Church Street in Clayton to the Elections Office front door and back to the parking lot. If you have any questions, please call the office at 706-782-1878, option 4.” Election Day for the Primary is May 21st with polls open from 7am to 7pm.

Tallulah Falls School (TFS) Athletics reports its track and field teams are competing in the Region 8-A DI Championships on April 22 and 24 at Rabun County High School. Sam Ketch (shot put and discus) and Julianne Shirley (high jump) won individual region titles. Throughout the meets, the top-4 in...

Rabun County Schools is pleased to announce its participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) meal program following approval by the Rabun County Board of Education. This initiative aims to enhance student access to nutritious school meals at no cost to families. With this program, all students will now receive free lunch, in addition to the existing free breakfast and after-school meal services. This program runs on a 4-year cycle beginning in the 2024-2025 school year and will be reevaluated in 2028. While Rabun County Schools are excited to offer this valuable service, it’s important to clarify that certain “extras” typically purchased during lunch will not be covered by the free meal program. Rabun County Schools encourage families to be aware of this distinction. Rabun County Schools believe this program will positively impact students by ensuring they have access to healthy meals throughout the school day, contributing to their overall well-being and academic success. Rabun County Schools are committed to supporting the community and are delighted to implement this program for the benefit of students and families.

The May 21st Primary is right around the corner and those wishing to vote early can cast their ballots on April 29th, says Derik Pendrey, Elections Assistant with the Rabun County Elections Office. “Early Voting begins April 29th and runs through May 17th. We will be open two Saturdays for Early Voting, they will be on May 4th and May 11th. Hours of Early Voting are 9am to 5pm at the Elections Office, located at 184 South Main Street, Suite 102, in Clayton. Please have your photo ID ready and cell phone turned off. You can check your Voter Registration on your My Voter Page at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov.” Election Day for the Primary is May 21st with polls open from 7am to 7pm.

Summer in Northeast Georgia is a great time for camping, attending a fun festival or planning a day trip for hiking or biking. If you have a photograph that represents this beautiful time of year, it could be featured on the cover of The Mountain Traveler’s summer 2024 edition.

Sid Weber Memorial Cancer Fund invites the community to the Currahee Brewing Company – Clayton, GA on May 2, 2024, for non-profit night. An anonymous donor has agreed to match the tips/donations the Sid Weber Memorial Cancer Fund receives up to $4,000. If you aren’t able to attend, consider donating online at https://www.betterunite.com/SidWeberMemorialCancerFund. All funds go towards helping Rabun County cancer patients. So far, the fund has helped almost 700 Rabun County cancer patients and has distributed more than $800,000 since 2005. If you need assistance, don’t wait, call 706-746-3350.

It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Rabun County had no problem doing just that on Wednesday. They walked away with a 3-1 win over the Oglethorpe County Patriots. The score was all tied up 1-1 at the break, but Rabun County was the better team in the second half.

Rabun County Schools report that during the April meeting of the Rabun County Board of Education, the board accepted the resignation of board member Molly Lima, who will be relocating with her family to Colorado at the end of the current school year. Rabun County Schools extends its sincere appreciation for Mrs. Lima’s eight years of dedicated service to the Rabun County School System. In light of this vacancy, Mr. Rick Story has been appointed to fulfill the remainder of Mrs. Lima’s term on the board. Rabun County Schools welcome Mr. Story and look forward to his contributions in serving the school community. Rabun County Schools are confident that his experience and commitment will benefit the district during this transitional period.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger came to Clayton on Thursday, April 18, 2024, to present Rabun County Elections Director Tammy Whitmire with the Georgia Election Administration Golden Leader in Excellence (EAGLE) Award for her outstanding service in ensuring secure and fair elections. During the presentation, Raffensberger commented on the continued efficiency of Rabun County’s Board of Elections, noting that the office both exemplifies and showcases itself as a statewide model. The EAGLE Award honors the innovations, achievements, and best practices of county election offices to ensure safe, secure, accessible, and accurate elections provided transparently to Georgia’s voters.

Rabun County Schools is proud to announce that Kylie Jarrard, a student at RCES, is the 3rd Grade Young Georgia Author winner for the Pioneer RESA district which includes 15 school districts in the northeast Georgia area. The purpose of the Young Georgia Authors (YGA) writing competition is to encourage students to develop enthusiasm for and expertise in their writing, to provide a context to celebrate their writing successes, and to recognize student achievement in arts and academics. Rabun County Schools wish Kylie good luck as her writing will now move to the state competition.