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Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune. Nurse Carmen Rodgers administers a COVID-19 test on Ray Pagano at the drive-thru clinic at the Rabun County Health Department on Tuesday.

Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune. Nurse Carmen Rodgers administers a COVID-19 test on Ray Pagano at the drive-thru clinic at the Rabun County Health Department on Tuesday.

Health Department is offering COVID testing at no cost by appointment

Megan Horn
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
CLAYTON--The Rabun County Health Department is offering no cost COVID-19 testing by appointment only.  Testing is Monday-Friday from 8-9 a.m.
Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune. Mandy Hopkins, director of performance improvement and care coordination at Mountain Lakes Medical Center (MLMC), left, and Hope Brown, patient care technician in the MLMC emergency department, review a patient's chart in the emergency department at Mountain Lakes Medical Center.

Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune. Mandy Hopkins, director of performance improvement and care coordination at Mountain Lakes Medical Center (MLMC), left, and Hope Brown, patient care technician in the MLMC emergency department, review a patient's chart in the emergency department at Mountain Lakes Medical Center.

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Not home for the holidays

Megan Horn
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Santa’s not the only one working this Christmas Eve.  While most of us will be gathered around the dinner table, public safety and health care workers will be on the front lines making sure people in the community stay healthy and safe.  “It’s difficult to have to go to work,” said Sgt.
Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County's Tony and Maryjane Phillips have devoted a decade of their lives helping spread Christmas cheer at Christmas.

Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County's Tony and Maryjane Phillips have devoted a decade of their lives helping spread Christmas cheer at Christmas.

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Couple spends holidays spreading Christmas cheer to Georgia children

Megan Horn
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Santa and Mrs. Claus have been busy helping children in Rabun County this holiday season.  The Rabun County couple of Tony and Maryjane Phillips have devoted a decade of their life helping children in need by spreading Christmas cheer as Mr. Santa Claus and Mrs. Hollie Claus.
Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune

Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune

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Cause of Sunday fire remains unknown

Megan Horn
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
CLAYTON-- The cause of a fire at 334 Rainey Mtn. Rd., Clayton on Sunday afternoon is unknown as of press time.  Stations 1, 6 and 12 responded to a report of a structure fire, according to Justin Upchurch, assistant fire chief for Rabun County Fire Services.
Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune

Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune

Sign thieves at work again

News Staff
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office has received numerous reports regarding political yard signs being stolen, according to a statement from the RCSO.  “No matter what your politics are, please be respectful and do not remove any signs without the permission of the owner,” according to the statement.
Photo courtesy Lauren Benfield

Photo courtesy Lauren Benfield

Benfield takes oath

News Staff
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Lauren Benfield is sworn in as tax commissioner by Probate Judge Lillian Garrett on Monday. She begins her term in January. Benfield won the Nov. 3 election for tax commissioner after running without opposition.  She succeeds Sandy Smith who has served as tax commissioner since January 2009.
Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune

Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune

Jones sworn in

News Staff
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Probate Judge Hobie Jones is sworn in by Superior Court Judge Chan Caudell at the Rabun County Courthouse on Tuesday.  “I appreciate Hobie (Jones) inviting me to administer the oath of office,” Caudell said before administering the oath.
Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune

Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune

Food Bank Christmas

News Staff
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Sarah McKissack, left, Brenda Nash and James Brim, manager of the Food Bank Mountain Branch, pass out holiday treat bags at the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia on Monday. Brim said that they wanted to pass out holiday treat bags as a gift to the children.
Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune. Byron Youngblood is the supervisor of customer services at the Clayton Post Office and retires at the end of the year after 34 years of service to the United States Postal Service.

Megan Broome/The Clayton Tribune. Byron Youngblood is the supervisor of customer services at the Clayton Post Office and retires at the end of the year after 34 years of service to the United States Postal Service.

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Youngblood leaving post office after 34 years

Megan Horn
Thursday, December 17, 2020
CLAYTON-- Customer service has always been the top priority for Byron Youngblood during his 34 years at the United States Postal Service.  He began working at the Clayton Post Office on Oct. 11, 1986 and retires at the end of this year.
COVID-19 Local Update

COVID-19 Local Update

Test results show high rate of spread

Wayne Knuckles
Thursday, December 17, 2020
Rabun County continues to have one of the highest rates of positives among those tested for COVID-19, which is a leading indicator of the rate of community spread, health officials say. As of Tuesday, the Georgia Dept. of Public Health reported 197 new cases of COVID-19 in Rabun County.