Local

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Ben McKissack, a youth member from Head of Tennessee Baptist Church, reads the Christmas story during the Dec. 3 Christmas tree lighting event in Dillard. The focus of his message was the birth of Jesus.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Ben McKissack, a youth member from Head of Tennessee Baptist Church, reads the Christmas story during the Dec. 3 Christmas tree lighting event in Dillard. The focus of his message was the birth of Jesus.

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Dillard kicks off holiday season with annual tree lighting

Megan Horn
Thursday, December 11, 2025
The City of Dillard was bustling with holiday cheer on Wednesday, Dec. 3, as community members enjoyed the annual family-friendly Christmas event at its city hall. Community members enjoyed yule-time cheer and a countdown to the lighting of the Christmas tree. “This has become a great event.
Keith Barlow/CNI News Service. Holding his MVP trophy with his teammates and head coach Kirby Smart on the stage with him, Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton answers questions from Laura Rutledge after the Bulldogs’ 28-7 win.

Keith Barlow/CNI News Service. Holding his MVP trophy with his teammates and head coach Kirby Smart on the stage with him, Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton answers questions from Laura Rutledge after the Bulldogs’ 28-7 win.

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Stockton MVP in SEC Championship domination of ‘Bama

Wesley Branch
Thursday, December 11, 2025
After an all-around supremacy over No. 10 Alabama on Saturday in the SEC Championship, former Rabun County and current starting quarterback for No. 3-ranked Georgia, Gunner Stockton, is now a two-time SEC champion.
Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Lyla Messer, 6; and Gentry Messer, 4, happily visit Santa “On the Farm” and tell him what they want for Christmas, during the Dec. 4 event hosted by the RCHS and RCMS FFA chapters.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Lyla Messer, 6; and Gentry Messer, 4, happily visit Santa “On the Farm” and tell him what they want for Christmas, during the Dec. 4 event hosted by the RCHS and RCMS FFA chapters.

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Community visits Santa ‘On The Farm’

Megan Horn
Thursday, December 11, 2025
Santa spends most of the year in his workshop at the North Pole, but during December he can be seen having a jolly good time around Rabun County. On Thursday, Dec.
File/The Clayton Tribune. Santa Claus is expected in this year's Christmas Parade in Clayton. This year's theme is "Christmas Movies."

File/The Clayton Tribune. Santa Claus is expected in this year's Christmas Parade in Clayton. This year's theme is "Christmas Movies."

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Flicks the pick for Christmas Saturday parade

Enoch Autry - Publisher
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Netflix, Prime, Hulu, HBO Max and many other streaming services and television networks certainly give a Santa’s sleigh-worth of holiday movie options in December. And some of those Christmas classics will come to life on Clayton’s Main Street Saturday, Dec. 6, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
File/Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Community members are invited to experience Christmas in Appalachia at “A Foxfire Christmas” on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 98 Foxfire Lane, Mountain City. Donations are appreciated.

File/Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Community members are invited to experience Christmas in Appalachia at “A Foxfire Christmas” on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 98 Foxfire Lane, Mountain City. Donations are appreciated.

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Explore Appalachia with an Old-Time Foxfire Christmas

Megan Horn
Thursday, December 4, 2025
‘Tis the season for winter holidays where families enjoy spending time together and making memories. Foxfire is committed to honoring those cherished traditions that have been passed down for generations.
Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. On Black Friday and Saturday, Nov. 29, crowds of people made their way to the Rabun County Civic Center for the 2025 Rabun Festival of Trees and Holiday Extravaganza. A total of $13,695 was raised for the Teaching Kitchen of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia and many vendors made plans to return in 2026.

Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. On Black Friday and Saturday, Nov. 29, crowds of people made their way to the Rabun County Civic Center for the 2025 Rabun Festival of Trees and Holiday Extravaganza. A total of $13,695 was raised for the Teaching Kitchen of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia and many vendors made plans to return in 2026.

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Trees please hundreds of festival goers

Enoch Autry - Publisher
Thursday, December 4, 2025
For two days crowds flowed through the Rabun County Civic Center to awe at this year’s Rabun Festival of Trees and Holiday Extravaganza and the event did not disappoint. While putting the hundreds who attended in even more of a Christmas mood, the vendors were very successful on Nov. 28 and Nov.

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Help F.A.I.T.H. halt abuse by giving back this holiday season

Megan Horn
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Local nonprofit Fight Abuse In The Home (F.A.I.T.H.) advocates, empowers, prevents, and protects the victims of abuse and violence in Northeast Georgia. Its staff works tirelessly to protect society’s most vulnerable and offer trauma-informed services to all victims of abuse.
Submitted photo. The Rotary Impact Club of Clayton recently organized a food and fund drive for the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia where 4,836 pounds of food and $1,724 in donations were raised. Pictured are Kyle Shook; James Brim, Food Bank of Northeast Georgia Mountain Branch director; Sonya Shook; Amy Hulett; and Jon Tuck, president of the Rotary Impact Club of Clayton.

Submitted photo. The Rotary Impact Club of Clayton recently organized a food and fund drive for the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia where 4,836 pounds of food and $1,724 in donations were raised. Pictured are Kyle Shook; James Brim, Food Bank of Northeast Georgia Mountain Branch director; Sonya Shook; Amy Hulett; and Jon Tuck, president of the Rotary Impact Club of Clayton.

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Rotary Impact Club collects more than 2 tons of food and over $1,700 in cash for food bank

Megan Horn
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Rotarians prioritize service above self and that’s just what the Rotary Impact Club of Clayton did when it recently organized a food drive for the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. The food and fund drive was held at Walmart in Clayton on Saturday, Nov. 8.
Photo courtesy of Rabun County 4-H. Rabun County 4-H wins second place at the Georgia 4-H Elite Northeast District Trivia Contest on Nov. 24. Pictured are Molly Church, Karsen Pendrey, Hadleigh Pileski, Liam Puma, Peyton Hicks, Landon Bland and Addison Patton.

Photo courtesy of Rabun County 4-H. Rabun County 4-H wins second place at the Georgia 4-H Elite Northeast District Trivia Contest on Nov. 24. Pictured are Molly Church, Karsen Pendrey, Hadleigh Pileski, Liam Puma, Peyton Hicks, Landon Bland and Addison Patton.

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Rabun 4-Hers answer the call in Elite Northeast District Trivia Contest

News Staff
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Seven Rabun County 4-H’ers competed in the Georgia 4-H Elite Northeast District Trivia Contest in one of the newer 4-H District competitions in Athens, Ga., on Monday, Nov. 24.