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More and more listeners are catching on to Crime to Burn, a true crime podcast hosted by Dahlonega residents Leland Brand and April Musser.

More and more listeners are catching on to Crime to Burn, a true crime podcast hosted by Dahlonega residents Leland Brand and April Musser.

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Crime to Burn podcast catches on for local couple

Matt Aiken
Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and where there’s a particularly suspicious fire, there’s usually Dahlonega residents April Musser and Leland Brand. But don’t worry, they’re just looking for clues. As an experienced fire protection engineer, that’s just what Musser does.
Blue 42 Market and Blue 42 Organics co-owner Henry Ostaszewski inspects a cannabis bud outside his business on South Chestatee Street. The facility is licensed for growing and storage under current state law, and he hopes to obtain a processing license in the future.

Blue 42 Market and Blue 42 Organics co-owner Henry Ostaszewski inspects a cannabis bud outside his business on South Chestatee Street. The facility is licensed for growing and storage under current state law, and he hopes to obtain a processing license in the future.

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Hemp ban could hit local businesses

News Staff
Tuesday, November 25, 2025
By Keith Murden & Ty Tagami / The Nugget & Capitol Beat  -----------  A year from now, some hemp industry experts predict explosive growth in the black market for marijuana and illicit hemp consumables, that is when beverages, gummies and other consumable products containing hemp-derived THC are...
The team of Well Made Dahlonega affiliated "elves" making the Children of All Ages Tree possible include, from left, Thomas Scanlin, Tommye Scanlin, Diana Robles, Lily Vander Veen, Megan Noble, Leah Basso, Lucy Basso, Levi Hansard, Charlotte Sessions and Baymax Sessions.

The team of Well Made Dahlonega affiliated "elves" making the Children of All Ages Tree possible include, from left, Thomas Scanlin, Tommye Scanlin, Diana Robles, Lily Vander Veen, Megan Noble, Leah Basso, Lucy Basso, Levi Hansard, Charlotte Sessions and Baymax Sessions.

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Crafty tree decorating making a comeback on Square

Matt Aiken
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
All that glitters in downtown Dahlonega on November 28 is not gold, it’s probably just actual glitter, in fact, you could say a full-on Glitter Alert is in effect for the north side of the square between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m. that evening.
It was standing-room only in City Hall on Monday as local residents expressed their concerns about a proposed townhome development off Highway 60.

It was standing-room only in City Hall on Monday as local residents expressed their concerns about a proposed townhome development off Highway 60.

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Townhome development draws mixed City reaction

News Staff
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
By Keith Murden & Matt Aiken / The Nugget  -----------  It was a tale of two public hearings for a newly proposed townhome development that may be headed to Highway 60 next to the River Knoll Community and St. Peter Lutheran Church.
LCHS Spanish Teacher Adam Rambin was able to take 36 students to the Plaza Fiesta Latin American Mall on Buford Highway at the end of October thanks to a grant award from the Lumpkin County Education Foundation.

LCHS Spanish Teacher Adam Rambin was able to take 36 students to the Plaza Fiesta Latin American Mall on Buford Highway at the end of October thanks to a grant award from the Lumpkin County Education Foundation.

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LC Education Foundation readying for fundraiser

Keith Murden
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Next month, residents who register for the Lumpkin County Education Foundation’s fifth annual reverse raffle fundraiser will have a chance to “strike it rich,” all while helping to expand learning opportunities for local students.
Local voters cast their ballots last week for the Dahlonega City Council race and state-wide special election for the Public Service Commission.

Local voters cast their ballots last week for the Dahlonega City Council race and state-wide special election for the Public Service Commission.

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ELECTION 2025: Owens elected to City Council, Democrats carry state race

Matt Aiken
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
The ballots are in and Tony Owens has emerged as the clear Post 1 victor in the lone contested race for Dahlonega City Council, the local business owner managed to garner 434 votes (68 percent) while fellow businessman Tom Gordineer notched a total of 204 ballots (32 percent) last Tuesday night.
The murder of Herman Wilder was front page news in the May 30, 2001 edition of The Dahlonega Nugget.

The murder of Herman Wilder was front page news in the May 30, 2001 edition of The Dahlonega Nugget.

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Cold case cleared with DNA evidence

Matt Aiken
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
After 24 years, a baffling local cold case has been closed and cleared, it was a case that began on the evening of May 25, 2001, with the awful murder of Dahlonega resident Herman Wilder just outside Golden Hills Apartments.
Lumpkin County High School’s football team will face some new opponents in the 2026/2027 school year after GHSA reclassification.

Lumpkin County High School’s football team will face some new opponents in the 2026/2027 school year after GHSA reclassification.

High school athletics experiences classification shake-up

Keith Murden
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
A major shake-up of Lumpkin County High School athletics is on the horizon for the next school year, every two years the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) restructures athletics in the state according to school enrollment, dividing schools into seven classes, small to large (A through AAAAAAA)...
Pictured at the local Student Outreach Center are (from left) Coordinator Makenzy Horne, LBES Family Advocate Patricia Jarvis, CES & LCMS Family Advocate Taylor Anderson, Lumpkin County Family Connections Director Brigette Barker and Backpack Buddies Attendant Jennifer Trotter.

Pictured at the local Student Outreach Center are (from left) Coordinator Makenzy Horne, LBES Family Advocate Patricia Jarvis, CES & LCMS Family Advocate Taylor Anderson, Lumpkin County Family Connections Director Brigette Barker and Backpack Buddies Attendant Jennifer Trotter.

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Federal food funding crisis looms for families

Keith Murden
Thursday, November 6, 2025
By Keith Murden & Ty Tagami / The Nugget & Capitol Beat News Service  -------------  Local food banks like Community Helping Place were already seeing an uptick in demand, even before a pause on federal food assistant programs kicked in at the start of the month due to the prolonged government...
Second grade teacher Samantha Cochenour has been named Teacher of the Year for Cottrell Elementary School.

Second grade teacher Samantha Cochenour has been named Teacher of the Year for Cottrell Elementary School.

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Cochenour named Cottrell Elementary Teacher of the Year

Keith Murden
Thursday, November 6, 2025
It was Halloween, and Samantha Cochenour’s second grade classroom was a whirlwind of activity, with small groups of costumed students zooming around five different activity tables; she was peppered with a seemingly endless stream of questions from the groups of inquisitive students.