Local

Braxton Burrell give a thumbs up after receiving his diploma at the Gilmer High School commencement ceremony held Friday, May 23, at Huff-Mosley Memorial Stadium.

Braxton Burrell give a thumbs up after receiving his diploma at the Gilmer High School commencement ceremony held Friday, May 23, at Huff-Mosley Memorial Stadium.

Thumbs up class of 2025

News Staff
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Times-Courier

Times-Courier

West assumes ‘chief’ title

Andy Ashurst - Publisher
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Gilmer County Fire and Rescue is changing the administrative hierarchy chart. It is a move prompted by the resignation of Daniel Kauffman as fire chief. “Sam [West] is going to be the public safety director/fire chief,” said Gilmer County Chair Charlie Paris.
Highway 52 will be named in honor of late House Speaker David Ralston, who was the longest-serving Republican Speaker in state history. (Courtesy of the Georgia House of Representatives)

Highway 52 will be named in honor of late House Speaker David Ralston, who was the longest-serving Republican Speaker in state history. (Courtesy of the Georgia House of Representatives)

Road dedication to honor late Speaker David Ralston

Lauren Sabia
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Georgia lawmakers are honoring House Speaker David Ralston, who passed away three years ago, by dedicating Hwy. 52 in his memory. State Rep. Rick Jasperse, R-Jasper, and state Sen.
Jack Thomas operating a ham radio in his home in Arlington, Va. (Courtesy of Patti Thomas)

Jack Thomas operating a ham radio in his home in Arlington, Va. (Courtesy of Patti Thomas)

Man born and raised in Gilmer to celebrate his 102nd birthday

Lauren Sabia
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Farmer, World War II Veteran, husband, father, air-traffic controller, hobbyist gardener; these are just some of the titles a Gilmer local has held over the course of more than a century. Now, Jack Thomas is turning 102. Patti Thomas with her parents, Jack and Margaret.
Author Jeff Shaw speaking at an authors forum hosted by Friends of the Gilmer County Library April 24.

Author Jeff Shaw speaking at an authors forum hosted by Friends of the Gilmer County Library April 24.

County crawling with writers, community needed 

Lauren Sabia
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Each and every person has a story to tell. Throughout the north Georgia mountains, countless writers have breathed life into their own tales by putting pen to paper, and one local author is working to bring those like-minded individuals together.
Times-Courier

Times-Courier

East Ellijay council extends moratorium

Lauren Sabia
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
East Ellijay will remain under a moratorium for deannexation and rezoning applications that was supposed to end next month. City council members voted to extend it at a meeting Wednesday, May 21.
Times-Courier

Times-Courier

Chromebook chaos comes to Gilmer

Lauren Sabia
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
School districts across the country are warning students and families about the dangers of a viral TikTok trend, prompting laptops to catch on fire, which has made its way to local schools.
Times-Courier

Times-Courier

Commissioners moves to slow deannexation

Andy Ashurst - Publisher
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Gilmer County commissioners pressed pause on zoning requests for deannexed properties. This means the county will not approve any rezoning requests on deannexed property for a year while they consider an ordinance governing the practice.
Willie Young, left, and Frank Herrera after meeting by chance in a Bakersfield, California restaurant recently. Young is wearing his ‘Mobile Construction Battalions 3 & 8’ T-shirt that drew Herrera’s attention. The two U.S. Navy Seabees who served together in Vietnam hadn’t seen each other in 58 years, although Young has been searching for Herrera since 2010.

Willie Young, left, and Frank Herrera after meeting by chance in a Bakersfield, California restaurant recently. Young is wearing his ‘Mobile Construction Battalions 3 & 8’ T-shirt that drew Herrera’s attention. The two U.S. Navy Seabees who served together in Vietnam hadn’t seen each other in 58 years, although Young has been searching for Herrera since 2010.

War veteran finds fellow soldier after decades

Mark Millican - Special to the Times-Courier
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
After serving four tours in Vietnam and coming home to Ellijay, Willie Young began to think about the men he served with and felt a need to reconnect. “I kept the addresses of most of the guys and got in touch with them, but a lot of them have died,” he said.