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Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Sky Valley City Hall was packed Jan. 6 with community members who were eager to see the new administration officially govern. Prior to the start of the meeting, the mayor and council members were sworn in.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Sky Valley City Hall was packed Jan. 6 with community members who were eager to see the new administration officially govern. Prior to the start of the meeting, the mayor and council members were sworn in.

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Sky Valley gives opportunities for 2026 evening meetings

Megan Horn
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Sky Valley city council members switched up the times when council members will meet in 2026. In addition to usual 10 a.m. meetings, there will be opportunities to attend quarterly evening meetings. Council members voted on 2026 regular council meeting dates during Tuesday’s Jan.

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Wilson remembered as dedicated, hard worker

Megan Horn
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Former Tiger Town Council Member Danny Wilson is remembered by fellow public servants as a hard worker who was dedicated to the Town of Tiger. Robert “Danny” Daniel Wilson, of Tiger, passed away on Dec. 24, 2025, at the age of 70.
Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Sky Valley Mayor Benita Cotton-Orr speaks to a room full of community members at Sky Valley City Hall Tuesday, Jan. 6, after being sworn-in. She spoke of many goals for the year and pledged to foster transparency and government efficiency during her time as mayor.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Sky Valley Mayor Benita Cotton-Orr speaks to a room full of community members at Sky Valley City Hall Tuesday, Jan. 6, after being sworn-in. She spoke of many goals for the year and pledged to foster transparency and government efficiency during her time as mayor.

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Cotton-Orr committed to ‘preserving Sky Valley’s heart and future’

Megan Horn
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Tuesday, Jan. 6, was a big day in Sky Valley as the city’s new mayor and council members were sworn-in at the beginning of the organizational and special called council meeting.
Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. The Women of Worth (WOW) Recovery women’s residence is on track to open at the end of February. The ‘WOW! What A Deal’ Thrift Store is now open Monday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Pictured in front of the women’s residence building are recovery residence full-time employee Nicole Borth, left; WOW Recovery Director Ashley York; and full-time thrift store volunteers Andy Owens and Diane Clackum.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. The Women of Worth (WOW) Recovery women’s residence is on track to open at the end of February. The ‘WOW! What A Deal’ Thrift Store is now open Monday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Pictured in front of the women’s residence building are recovery residence full-time employee Nicole Borth, left; WOW Recovery Director Ashley York; and full-time thrift store volunteers Andy Owens and Diane Clackum.

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‘WOW! That’s Recovery’

Megan Horn
Thursday, January 8, 2026
The Women of Worth (WOW) Recovery women’s residence is closer to opening its doors so it can help those in need become sober and navigate that sobriety. The first women’s residential substance-abuse recovery center in Rabun County is on track to open at the end of February.
Submitted photo. Carpe Diem Rotary Impact Club members were often seen serving food in the band concession stands at the Rabun County Wildcats football games this season.

Submitted photo. Carpe Diem Rotary Impact Club members were often seen serving food in the band concession stands at the Rabun County Wildcats football games this season.

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Rabun County’s Newest Superstars: Meet the Carpe Diem Rotary Impact Club

News Staff
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Move over, caped crusaders – there’s a new kind of hero in town and they’re wearing Rotary pins instead of masks. In just 15 weeks since their very first meeting, the brand-new Carpe Diem Rotary Impact Club has burst onto the scene as Rabun County’s very first Rotary Impact Club.

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Rabun BOE approves bid for campus security gates

Megan Horn
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Rabun County Board of Education (BOE) members made decisions about security during the Dec. 15 meeting held at 963 Tiger Connector, Tiger. Board members awarded the bid for new security gates on Boggs Mountain Road to Georgia Entry Solutions for the amount of $56,676.20.
File/Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Josh Bleckley, Rabun County Fire Services Station 2 Captain, operates Ladder 1 for a brush fire on Clayburne Street in Clayton on March 25. This happened around the same time as United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service crews battled a fire burning in the Warwoman Wildlife Management Area between Sarah’s Creek and Walnut Fork, north of Warwoman Creek in Rabun County.

File/Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Josh Bleckley, Rabun County Fire Services Station 2 Captain, operates Ladder 1 for a brush fire on Clayburne Street in Clayton on March 25. This happened around the same time as United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service crews battled a fire burning in the Warwoman Wildlife Management Area between Sarah’s Creek and Walnut Fork, north of Warwoman Creek in Rabun County.

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2025 shaped by inaugural events

Megan Horn
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
The year 2025 proved to be a record year for many people and organizations. It was also met with leadership changes and new developments.
Rabun Youth Educational Support, Inc., (RabunYES), donated over $10,000 to the Summer Project Foxfire youth program. Tom Buckridge, RabunYES treasurer, had the chance to speak to program students and present the check to Foxfire Executive Director Todd Faircloth. The donation was made in honor of Buckridge’s late wife, Jean, whose passion was to help young people. Pictured are Jaden Shurtliff, left, Caden Watt, Sean Flaherty, Faircloth, Buckridge, Wyatt Arbitter, Tara Shyrock, Abby Streetman and Sunny Lin.

Rabun Youth Educational Support, Inc., (RabunYES), donated over $10,000 to the Summer Project Foxfire youth program. Tom Buckridge, RabunYES treasurer, had the chance to speak to program students and present the check to Foxfire Executive Director Todd Faircloth. The donation was made in honor of Buckridge’s late wife, Jean, whose passion was to help young people. Pictured are Jaden Shurtliff, left, Caden Watt, Sean Flaherty, Faircloth, Buckridge, Wyatt Arbitter, Tara Shyrock, Abby Streetman and Sunny Lin.

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Over $10,000 raised for Foxfire’s youth in memory of Jean Buckridge

Megan Horn
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
Foxfire is dedicated to preserving the stories and skills of Appalachia. Teaching heritage skills to youth is key in keeping those traditions alive for future generations. Rabun Youth Educational Support, Inc.
Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Event-goers to a “Mountain City Christmas” on Thursday, Dec. 18, got the opportunity to hear caroling by First Christian Church of Mountain City.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Event-goers to a “Mountain City Christmas” on Thursday, Dec. 18, got the opportunity to hear caroling by First Christian Church of Mountain City.

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Mountain City gets into the holiday spirit

Megan Horn
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
It was truly a Mountain City Christmas on Thursday, Dec. 18, as several community businesses and members gathered together to celebrate the holiday just in time for Santa’s arrival.