The following press release has been issued by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Murphy, NC— Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced the arrest of four individuals from Ozark, Alabama for the September 23rd, 2015 burglary of a Cherokee County Residence. 

On or about September 23, 2015, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the Ranger Community of Cherokee County to investigate a report of a burglary. Upon arrival, it was learned that the victim had been lured away from the residence by one of the four individuals from Alabama under a false pretense of needing assistance with a disabled motor vehicle.  While the victim was away from the residence, the other three broke into the residence and took a safe with a large amount of cash along with a handgun as well as important papers which were in the safe.

During the ensuing hours, information was discovered that lead to identifying 34 year old Jerri Keene Newsome, 21 year old Olivia Faye Whitmore, 33 year old Roger Coots and 25 year old Michael Ethan Smith as the individuals responsible for the breaking and entering and stealing the safe, handgun and money. Additionally, information was discovered that all four lived in the Ozark community near Dothan, Alabama.

Once the identity of the four was confirmed and a description of the vehicle was discovered, information was sent via the National Criminal Information Center’s information network. Shortly after 1 am on September 24th, 2015, several law enforcement units near Eufaula, Alabama began pursuit of the vehicle which was occupied by the four. After about a 20 minute chase Newsome, Whitmore and Coots were captured. Smith made escape with the money.

Smith evaded capture for several weeks. During that period of time, he bought several items with the stolen money. On October 23rd, 2015 Smith was captured by the Gulf Coast Regional Task Force, a task force comprised of Federal, State and Local law enforcement officers charged with the apprehension of fugitives. Following his capture, Smith provided information as to the items he had purchased with the stolen funds and Alabama authorities seized the items.

Newsome, Whitmore, Coots and Smith are currently being held on charges in Alabama as well as fugitive warrants for charges from Cherokee County. Once finished with charges in Alabama, the four will be brought to Cherokee County to face charges for their crimes here.

Sheriff Palmer stated, “This is a perfect example of how teamwork both here and in Alabama brought a great conclusion to a very serious crime. This was an elder who was exploited by four individuals who have a long history with law enforcement. I want to thank the Marshals, Officers and Investigators in Alabama who have tirelessly worked to bring these four to justice.”

To report crime in Cherokee County, you can call the anonymous tip line at 828-837-1344 or email a tip at crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov or call 911 if you observe a crime in progress.​

The following press release has been issued by Towns County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

On October 21, 2015, Towns County Dispatch received a 911 call at 4:19pm regarding a motor vehicle accident on Hwy. 75 North / Bell Creek Rd. near the Hiawassee Animal Hospital.

The driver of the vehicle at fault was Brent Brandon Hinnant, age 27 of Hayesville, NC. The passenger, his mother, Terri Hinnant, age 60, succumbed as a result of the accident. According to Towns County Sheriff's deputies on scene initially, the vehicle driven by Hinnant appeared to have been traveling south on Hwy. 75 North.

The driver of the second vehicle was David Bradshaw, age 30 of Hiawassee, Ga. It appeared to initial deputies on the scene that Bradshaw was traveling north on Hwy. 75 North.

Brent Hinnant was arrested and booked into the Towns County Detention Center on the following charges:

Homicide by Vehicle 1st Degree;
1 count of Drug Related Objects;
DUI;
Failure to Maintain Lane;
Serious Injury by Vehicle, and 
Driving on an Expired License.

The Georgia State Patrol handled the accident investigation.

The following press release has been issued by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Cherokee County Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced the October 14th , 2015 arrest of 44-year-old Jessica Darlene Russell of Andrews, North Carolina on charges handed down from the October 12th, 2015 session of the Cherokee County Grand Jury.

On or about May 11, 2015 an Officer with the Andrews Police Department responded to a report of a disturbance in the town limits of Andrews.  Deputies of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call to assist if needed. During the investigation of the disturbance, information became known that Russell was in possession of a video which depicted a minor engaged in a sexual act.  

Additional information was discovered and that information was presented to the October Grand Jury which handed additional charges.

The bill of indictment was served on Russell and the North Carolina Magistrate set an additional $200,000 secure bond and set a November 9th, 2015 Superior Court Date.

Russell remains in the Cherokee County Detention Center.

Sheriff Palmer stated, “We continue to aggressively pursue the predators that wage war against our children. No child should fear being exploited and abused and we intend to do our level best to protect our innocents. We are continuing to investigate this matter and feel that we will make additional arrests in the future as we work with agencies on the local, state and federal level.”

Sheriff Palmer encourages any one that has information to report it. To report crime in Cherokee County you can call the anonymous tip line at 828-837-1344 or email a tip at crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov or call 911 if you observe a crime in progress.

The following press release has been issued by Towns County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

​Hiawassee, GA - The Towns County Sheriff’s Office has been full steam ahead with Operation “Clean Sweep” in recent weeks removing theft and drug suspects from the streets of Towns County.  Towns County Sheriff’s Office continues to send the message to drug and theft suspects in the Towns County area that their activity will not be tolerated.

On Thursday, October 15th, Towns County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Matthew Flowers, age 36 of Hiawassee, Georgia. Deputies arrested Flowers in the Young Harris area of Towns County.

Matthew Flowers was arrested and charged with the following offenses:

1 count VGCSA Possession of Heroin with the intent to Distribute
1 count VGCSA Possession of Heroin
1 count Possession of a Knife during the Commission of a Felony
1 count DUI
2 count Possession of Drug Related Objects
3 counts Cruelty to Animals
1 count Carrying a Concealed Weapon 

On October 15th, Towns County Sheriff’s deputies served a search warrant at the residence of Matthew Flowers in Hiawassee, Georgia in relation to his earlier arrest in Young Harris that day. Upon executing the search warrant, deputies found a dead dog in the garage of the residence.  Two more dogs were found within the residence without any food or water leading to the Cruelty to Animal charges.

More arrests and charges will be forthcoming from Operation “Clean Sweep.”

The following press release has been issued by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 
    
Murphy, NC— Cherokee County Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced the October 14th, 2015 arrest of 40-year-old Scott Jennings Cable of Topton, North Carolina for charges resulting from three home invasions. 

On or about October 14th, 2015 the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a report that an adult male had been abducted at gun point from his Marble, North Carolina residence. Additional information became known that the male victim had been forced to drive Cable to a residence in the Caney Creek Community of Cherokee County where Cable broke into the residence while armed and held the residents there against their will for a period of time and threatened the residents while there. Cable then ended his spree by breaking into a residence in the town limits of Murphy while being armed. Units of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Murphy Police Department were able to apprehend Cable and bring him to the Cherokee County Detention Center. 

Cable was charged with First Degree Burglary, Assault and Battery, Assault by Point a gun, Possession of a Firearm by Felon, Resisting Public Officer. Cable is currently being detained under a $65,000.00 bond and is scheduled to appear in Cherokee County District Court on November 17th, 2015.

Sheriff Palmer stated, “I want to commend all the law enforcement officers both from my agency and from Murphy Police Department on their swift handling of this very dangerous situation. This is but another incident which is linked back to the illegal use of controlled substances. We are continuing to investigate this incident and expect additional charges to come out of that investigation.”

To report crime in Cherokee County, call the anonymous tip line at 828-837-1344 or email a tip at crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov or call 911 if you observe a crime in progress.

The following press release has been issued by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
    
Murphy, NC— Cherokee County Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced the October 14th, 2015 arrest of 28-year-old Sarah Ann Freeman and 29-year-old Jonathan Robert Freeman, both of Murphy, North Carolina on true bills of indictment handed down from the October 12th setting of the Cherokee County Grand Jury. 

On or about September 2, 2015 the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a report from the Cherokee County Department of Social Services that a 10-week-old infant was in the hospital with broken bones and other serious life threatening injuries.  During the course of the investigation, information became known that the parents of the child were Sarah and Jonathan Freeman. Additionally, information became known that the injuries, which included broken bones and other life threatening injuries, had been inflicted during the time that the child was in the care and custody of the Freeman couple. 

Both Sarah Ann Freeman and Jonathan Robert Freeman were arrested on October 14th, and brought to the Cherokee County Detention Center where the magistrate set both a $5,000.00 secure bond and a November 12th, 2015 Superior Court date. The Freeman couple are free on bond at the time of this release.

Sheriff Palmer stated, “These cases are very difficult, but the team effort that my office and the Cherokee County Department of Social Services took helped bring these parents to justice. My Office will aggressively pursue anyone who exploits and harms our children.”

To report crime in Cherokee County, call the anonymous tip line at 828-837-1344 or email a tip at crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov or call 911 if you observe a crime in progress.

The following press release has been issued by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Murphy, NC— Cherokee County Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced the October 16th, 2015 arrest of 53-year-old Kenneth James Laney of Murphy on charges aggravated assault charges. 

On or about October 11, 2015, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a female that she had been assaulted by being strangled, held against her will as well as being assaulted with a knife. During the short investigation, the responding deputy sheriff determined that the victim and Laney had been involved in a relationship.  The deputy provided the information to the North Carolina Magistrate who issued warrants for Assault By Strangulation, Kidnapping Second Degree and Assault Inflicting Serious Injuries, all felonies. 

Laney was arrested on October 16th and brought to the Cherokee County Detention Center where the magistrate set a $15,000 secure bond and set a November 17th, 2015 court date. Laney is presently being held in the Cherokee County Detention Center.

To report crime in Cherokee County, call the anonymous tip line at 828-837-1344 or email a tip at crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov or call 911 if you observe a crime in progress.

The following press release has been issued by Towns County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

On October 8, 2015, investigators with the Towns County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a residence in the Upper Hightower Creek community of Towns County.

Sheriff’s investigators recovered a substantial quantity of suspected stolen property.  An investigator with the Clay County, North Carolina Sheriff’s Office assisted with the search warrant.  Investigators worked into the early morning hours documenting and transporting the property to the Towns County Sheriff’s Office.  Investigators were also assisted by Towns County Citizen Law Enforcement Academy volunteers as well.  Some of the property has been identified as property taken in several recently reported burglaries in the Upper Hightower Creek community, as well as other locations within Towns County.

Investigators arrested the following suspects in reference to the recovered stolen property:

Robert Edward Brown, age 51 of Murphy, North Carolina 
Charged with 4 Counts of Theft By Receiving Stolen Property

Krystal Tabitha Millsaps, age 26 of Marble, North Carolina
Charged with 4 Counts of Theft By Receiving Stolen Property

Investigators believe that the suspected stolen property could have been taken from several surrounding counties, as well as within Towns County.  The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests and charges are likely.

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Young Harris College’s O. Wayne Rollins Planetarium will present two frighteningly amazing showings of “Halloween Laser Spooktacular” at 7 and 8 p.m. on the following Friday evenings: Oct. 23 and Oct. 30. Planetarium admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students and free with YHC ID.

​As Halloween approaches, get ready to mash with monsters, family and friends in this spellbinding sing-along featuring classic Halloween hits such as “Monster Mash,” “Ghostbusters,” and “Purple People Eater” along with a sprinkling of crowd-pleasing current pop and rock songs. Floating laser caricatures and animations of legendary Halloween personalities make for a fun time on an epic scale. Halloween has never looked so dazzling—thanks to SkyLase, the full-dome, full-color solid-state laser projections system and our stunning Chronos star projector.

Laser concerts contain loud music, flashing lights, spinning stars and other effects that some may find disruptive. This show is not recommended for those who may have conditions that could be aggravated by this experience.

O. Wayne Rollins Planetarium features a state-of-the-art GOTO Chronos Space Simulator star projector with a full-dome digital projection system, the Sky-Skan Definiti, in a 40-foot dome theater with 5.1 surround sound. With comfortable seating for 104, Rollins Planetarium offers public shows and educational opportunities for school groups throughout the year. Rollins Planetarium is located in the Maxwell Center on the YHC campus.

If skies are clear, the YHC Observatory is open immediately after planetarium shows. The observatory features a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope and is located around 1.5 miles from campus at Brasstown Valley Resort. Maps are available at the planetarium. Observing sessions last up to one hour and include a guided tour of the constellations.

For more information about planetarium and observatory events, call (706) 379-5195 or visit yhc.edu/planetarium.

About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private, baccalaureate degree-granting college located in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires and empowers students through the highest quality liberal arts education. The College currently has more than 1,200 students across five divisions—Education, Fine Arts, Humanities, Mathematics and Science, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The historic campus in Young Harris, Ga., is currently undergoing major campus improvements to accommodate the College’s growth. Recent LEED-certified campus improvements include the 121,000-square-foot Rollins Campus Center, new residence facilities, and a 57,000-square-foot recreation and fitness center. In 2014, the College was granted active membership in NCAA Division II and is a fierce competitor in the prestigious Peach Belt Conference. YHC is among fewer than 300 colleges and universities nationwide named to the 2015-2016 list of Colleges of Distinction. For more information, visit yhc.edu.

​In 2016, Hanging Dog Campground will reopen as an overnight camping facility in the Tusquitee Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest. The campground, which was first opened in 1963, was closed to camping in 2014. However, the day use facilities remained open. Forest Service officials closed the campground due to declining use and rising operating costs. A collaborative effort between the Cherokee County Commissioners and local Forest Service officials is bringing life back to the campground.

 "The Board of Commissioners is greatly appreciative of the efforts by local Forest Service officials to renew discussions on opportunities for outdoor recreation within Forest Service lands.  The Board is looking forward to working with the Forest Service to develop a plan that will initially see the Hanging Dog Campground reopened to overnight camping," said C.B. McKinnon, Chairman of the Cherokee County Commission Board.

"Any decision to close a campground or recreational facility is never easy, and we know it can be tough on the local community," said Angela Gee, U.S. Forest Service District Ranger, Cheoah and Tusquitee Ranger Districts. "With a significant decrease in the yearly operating budget to maintain recreational facilities across the National Forests in North Carolina, we could not reopen this campground without some type of support." 

Currently Cherokee County officials and the U.S. Forest Service are working on the details of an agreement. The agreement will likely include some support for maintenance of the campground along with assistance in getting the campground ready for reopening.

Gary Westmoreland, Cherokee County Commissioner said, "We are pleased with the positive progress that has been made in moving forward with the project for our citizens and visitors." Commissioners McKinnon and Westmoreland expressed that the Board of Commissioners is very interested in additional opportunities to work with the U.S. Forest Service toward future expansion of recreational opportunities on Forest Service lands beyond overnight camping.

The Board of Commissioners of Cherokee County expressed their appreciation to U.S. Senator Richard Burr, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, U.S. Congressman Mark Meadows N.C. Representative Roger West and N.C. Senator Jim Davis, for their support and assistance in moving this effort forward.

Forest Service and local officials have agreed to reopen the campground on a trial basis and will be monitoring the use.  "We are hoping that people who loved camping at Hanging Dog campground will come back, and the reopening will attract new campers," said Gee.  "We are optimistic that the numbers and partnership support will show a need to continue operating this location for overnight camping."