Habersham County

Here’s why Chase Road in Cornelia will be closed next week

CORNELIA -- Habersham County will be placing a road detour for Chase Road located in Cornelia. This detour will be in place from September 20, at 8 a.m. until September 24 at 5 p.m., weather permitting. This detour is needed to replace two failing cross-drain pipes. The area of Chase Road not highlighted in yellow will only be accessible to local traffic. Points of turnaround for others will need to be at Locke Road and Sellers Loop, both located on the map. School buses are to use Chase Woods Drive/Bent Twig Drive and McAllister Road as turnaround points.

If you use Habersham County Transit, you are required to wear a mask

Habersham County Transit will require all passengers and staff to wear masks beginning immediately. Masks must be worn on all Habersham County buses as to follow the latest Center for Disease Control order. On Friday, January 29, 2021, the Center for Disease Control issued an order mandating the wearing of masks while on aircraft, trains, road vehicles such as buses, taxis, or rideshare, but not private passenger vehicles for personal use, or other means of transport such as ferries or subways. The order also applies while within transportation hubs such as airports, railway stations, bus terminals, ports, and marinas. The…

Georgia woman arrested and charged with sexual exploitation of children

A 45-year-old Habersham County woman has been arrested and charged with sexual exploitation of children. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Kristina Townsend was charged with the Sexual Exploitation of Children (Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material) on Friday. The GBI Unit began an investigation into Townsends’s online activity after receiving a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and later associated that single cybertip with other multiple cybertips. The information received was related to the upload of suspected child pornography by Townsend using popular email applications. A search of Townsend’s residence and electronic devices produced…

Coronavirus exposure shuts down Habersham County senior center’s meal program

Confirmed exposure to COVID-19 has shut down the Habersham County senior center's congregate meal program until Nov. 30. All other operations will continue as usual. As directed by local health officials, the Congregate Meal Program the Habersham County Senior Center will remain closed until November 30, 2020. This allows enough time for cleaning and sanitation. The Meals on Wheels and Wellness Programs will continue without interruption. Staff will work to maintain administrative tasks and will package hot meals for normal in-house clients. The Senior Center will reopen November 30, 2020. Returning clients will be monitored closely for any signs of…

Missing 12-year-old Georgia girl found with 20-year-old man in Florida

A missing 12-year-old girl from Cornelia was located and is safe in Palm Beach County, Florida with local authorities. The child’s family told authorities they believed she had run a routine errand Tuesday morning, but she never returned home. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, agents and investigators learned that the missing child likely left her home to meet a man authorities say she met online. The man, later identified as Martin Francisco-Tomas, is believed to be about 20 years old. Authorities say he allegedly traveled to Cornelia and took the child with him to Palm Beach County, Florida. …