Local

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County Elections Office Poll Workers Hollie Greene, left, Amanda Burrell, Pat Hopper, Ann D’Agostino and Deborah Asbury are ready to check in voters during Advanced Voting for the May 19 General Primary and Nonpartisan General Election. Advance voting ends Friday, May 15.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County Elections Office Poll Workers Hollie Greene, left, Amanda Burrell, Pat Hopper, Ann D’Agostino and Deborah Asbury are ready to check in voters during Advanced Voting for the May 19 General Primary and Nonpartisan General Election. Advance voting ends Friday, May 15.

Advance voting ends Friday

Megan Horn
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Advance voting for the May 19 General Primary and Nonpartisan General Election ends Friday, May 15, as Election Day approaches. Advance voting is held at the Rabun County Elections Office, 184 S. Main Street, Clayton. Early voting hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Gillespie resigns as Clayton city council member

Megan Horn
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Clayton City Council Member Sarah Gillespie resigned her Post 4 position on Tuesday, May 12, “effective immediately.” Gillespie notified The Clayton Tribune and city officials of her resignation via email a couple of hours prior to the 4 p.m. Tuesday meeting.
Submitted. A rendering of the Terrora Day Use Area Beach at Tallulah Gorge State Park after construction to become ADA compliant. The area will include improved ADA parking; existing parking to remain; an improved driver to the kayak dock; a life jacket, rack and kayak rental kiosk; kayak storage racks; An ADA compliant kayak launch and another kayak launch; and ADA access to the picnic area and picnic pad; as well as improved picnic pads and refreshed beach sand.

Submitted. A rendering of the Terrora Day Use Area Beach at Tallulah Gorge State Park after construction to become ADA compliant. The area will include improved ADA parking; existing parking to remain; an improved driver to the kayak dock; a life jacket, rack and kayak rental kiosk; kayak storage racks; An ADA compliant kayak launch and another kayak launch; and ADA access to the picnic area and picnic pad; as well as improved picnic pads and refreshed beach sand.

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Tallulah Gorge beach area closed for construction

Megan Horn
Thursday, May 14, 2026
The summer is prime time for visits to beaches but those who usually frequent the Terrora Day Use Area Beach at Tallulah Gorge State Park will have to wait this year because the beach area is undergoing construction.
Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. The Rotary Club of Clayton’s Roaring 20s Murder Mystery Gala fundraiser was a “roaring success” as the community stepped back in time to support youth services in Rabun County. The event netted $140,000 and featured a buffet of food provided by Food Factory on Main out of Cornelia Ga., a live auction and a $10,000 Grand Prize Reverse Raffle.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. The Rotary Club of Clayton’s Roaring 20s Murder Mystery Gala fundraiser was a “roaring success” as the community stepped back in time to support youth services in Rabun County. The event netted $140,000 and featured a buffet of food provided by Food Factory on Main out of Cornelia Ga., a live auction and a $10,000 Grand Prize Reverse Raffle.

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Rotary Roaring 20s Gala fundraiser nets $140,000 for county’s youth

Megan Horn
Thursday, May 14, 2026
The Rabun County community was taken back in time to the 1920s for a spectacular fundraiser gala organized by the Rotary Club of Clayton on Saturday, April 25 at the Rabun County Civic Center. The fundraiser netted $140,000.
Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Victory Home residents Joseph Coalson, Jeff Pless, Michael Flowers, Anthony Powell, Keelan May, Jeff Smith, Johnathon Cowart, Hunter Blackburn and Bruce Burch worked alongside expert gardeners from Headwaters Master Gardeners Association to prepare for the May 6-May 9 Spring Plant Sale at the Victory Home Greenhouse, located at 157 Victory Home Lane in Tallulah Falls.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Victory Home residents Joseph Coalson, Jeff Pless, Michael Flowers, Anthony Powell, Keelan May, Jeff Smith, Johnathon Cowart, Hunter Blackburn and Bruce Burch worked alongside expert gardeners from Headwaters Master Gardeners Association to prepare for the May 6-May 9 Spring Plant Sale at the Victory Home Greenhouse, located at 157 Victory Home Lane in Tallulah Falls.

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Headwaters Master Gardeners bloom into Spring Plant Sale

Megan Horn
Thursday, May 14, 2026
May flowers are blooming and people have noticed as this year’s Headwaters Master Gardeners Association’s Spring Plant Sale sprouted a large turnout of community support.
Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Merrill Trust and City of Sky Valley officials are working together in discussion to put new leases together that could allow public access to popular tourist areas including the Overlook and Mud Creek Falls for some time during the new lease.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Merrill Trust and City of Sky Valley officials are working together in discussion to put new leases together that could allow public access to popular tourist areas including the Overlook and Mud Creek Falls for some time during the new lease.

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Agreement keeps public access open

Megan Horn
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Public access to areas popular to tourists and locals in the City of Sky Valley could continue thanks to discussions between Merrill Trust, which owns over 500 acres of property in Sky Valley, and city officials.
Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. More than 100 vendors are expected on May 9 at the Rabun County Pavilions in Clayton for Of These Mountains Spring MarketPlace.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. More than 100 vendors are expected on May 9 at the Rabun County Pavilions in Clayton for Of These Mountains Spring MarketPlace.

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Of These Mountains Spring MarketPlace returns

News Staff
Thursday, May 7, 2026
CLAYTON – May 9 will mark the return of the Of These Mountains Spring MarketPlace, now in its fifth year.The event will be held at the Rabun County Pavilions in Downtown Clayton and feature more than 100 vendors from throughout the Southeast.
Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Leading up to the May 19 General Primary and Nonpartisan General Election, residents can vote early at the elections office in Clayton.

Megan Horn/The Clayton Tribune. Leading up to the May 19 General Primary and Nonpartisan General Election, residents can vote early at the elections office in Clayton.

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Early voting continues next week

Megan Horn
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Advance voting continues this week and next to cast ballots for the May 19 General Primary and Nonpartisan General Election, with another weekend opportunity for voting this Saturday, May 9.