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While school COVID cases are trending down, the county's COVID cases continue to increase, as seen in data provided by the Georgia Department of Public Health.

While school COVID cases are trending down, the county's COVID cases continue to increase, as seen in data provided by the Georgia Department of Public Health.

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Viral trends

News Staff
Thursday, September 2, 2021
By Samantha Sinclair Staff Writer   CARNESVILLE — Franklin County Schools reported a major reduction Tuesday in the number of students quarantined. Out of 3,630 students, a total of 368 students were quarantined for possible exposure to COVID-19 or for testing positive for the virus.
Paul Crawford will fill a temporary vacancy on the Royston City Council.

Paul Crawford will fill a temporary vacancy on the Royston City Council.

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Crawford picked to fill Royston seat

News Staff
Thursday, September 2, 2021
By Shane Scoggins Publisher   ROYSTON – Paul Crawford will fill a temporary vacancy on the Royston City Council. Crawford, a retired businessman, was appointed Tuesday to the vacant Post 2 seat by vote of the council. “It’s an honor and a privilege,” Crawford said Wednesday of his appointment.
Seats were set aside for the 13 soldiers killed in Kabul on Aug. 26 during Sunday’s service at Lift Worship.

Seats were set aside for the 13 soldiers killed in Kabul on Aug. 26 during Sunday’s service at Lift Worship.

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Carnesville church honors fallen Marines

News Staff
Thursday, September 2, 2021
By Samantha Sinclair Staff Writer   CARNESVILLE — As he read the stories of the 13 soldiers killed during the attack on evacuation operations in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 26, Pastor Bill Thomas felt a connection to one of them. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum of Jackson, Miss.

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Canon man dies in head-on collision

News Staff
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
By Shane Scoggins Publisher   CANON – A head-on collision last week claimed the life of a Canon man. The Georgia State Patrol reports that the accident happened Thursday at 10:20 a.m. on Grady School Road.
George Coker’s dream of building a chapel on his farm has finally come true. It sits on a beloved spot for the family, and the swing is where he proposed to his wife. (Photos by Sinclair)

George Coker’s dream of building a chapel on his farm has finally come true. It sits on a beloved spot for the family, and the swing is where he proposed to his wife. (Photos by Sinclair)

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Cokers’ Mulberry Chapel a realization of 49-year dream

News Staff
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
By Samantha Sinclair Staff Writer   CARNESVILLE — When he purchased the farm 49 years ago, George Coker dreamed of building a chapel on it. After the first of his grandchildren got engaged last year, he and the family decided it was time to fulfill his dream.
Firefighters work to extinguish a fire Tuesday in the former Royce Theatre building in downtown Royston. The building was being used for storage at the time of the fire, which was contained to just that building. For more photos from the fire, see Pages 4-5A. (Photo by Rose Scoggins)

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire Tuesday in the former Royce Theatre building in downtown Royston. The building was being used for storage at the time of the fire, which was contained to just that building. For more photos from the fire, see Pages 4-5A. (Photo by Rose Scoggins)

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Downtown building burns in Royston

News Staff
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
By Shane Scoggins Publisher   ROYSTON – A building with a lot of memories for Royston natives burned Tuesday night. A fire at the former Royce Theatre building, located on Bowers Street, was reported Tuesday about 7:20 p.m.
A sign points the way to the COVID-19 drive-through testing location that opened up at the Franklin County Health Department Wednesday. It is one of two drive-through testing locations in District 2. Those wishing to be tested are encouraged to visit www.phdistrict2.org to register. (Photo by Sinclair)

A sign points the way to the COVID-19 drive-through testing location that opened up at the Franklin County Health Department Wednesday. It is one of two drive-through testing locations in District 2. Those wishing to be tested are encouraged to visit www.phdistrict2.org to register. (Photo by Sinclair)

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Quarantines in quantity: 800+ students out of school due to COVID or exposure

News Staff
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
By Samantha Sinclair Staff Writer   CARNESVILLE – A drive-thru testing site opened Wednesday at the Franklin County Health Department as COVID-19 cases continued to increase in the county, with the schools seeing the highest number of positive cases and quarantines since the pandemic began.
In this photo, first published in the Jan. 6, 2000, issue of The News Leader, David Jordan (second from left) and Keith Turman (second from right) are sworn in as new members of the Royston City Council by then-Mayor Steve Williams (right), along with Paul Crawford (left) and Greg Gurley (center). Turman was the only person to qualify to run for mayor of Royston in November. Current Mayor Jordan decided not to run.

In this photo, first published in the Jan. 6, 2000, issue of The News Leader, David Jordan (second from left) and Keith Turman (second from right) are sworn in as new members of the Royston City Council by then-Mayor Steve Williams (right), along with Paul Crawford (left) and Greg Gurley (center). Turman was the only person to qualify to run for mayor of Royston in November. Current Mayor Jordan decided not to run.

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Turman unopposed for mayor

News Staff
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
By Shane Scoggins Publisher   ROYSTON – Keith Turman will be the next mayor of Royston. Turman was the only person to qualify for mayor last week after current Mayor David Jordan chose not to run for reelection. “It is definitely one of the highlights of my life,” Turman said this week.
(Photo by Scoggins)

(Photo by Scoggins)

Lions ready to take the field

News Staff
Thursday, August 19, 2021
HARTWELL – Chris Goode (No. 2), Keylan “Red” Rutledge (No. 99) and Jontavion “Jo Jo” Hughes (No. 20) lead the Franklin County Lions onto the field Saturday at Herndon Stadium for action in the Lake Hartwell Gridiron Classic football jamboree.
Keith Turman

Keith Turman

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City races on: Turman resigns to run for mayor

News Staff
Thursday, August 19, 2021
By Shane Scoggins Publisher   ROYSTON – Keith Turman has resigned from the Royston City Council in order to run for mayor. Turman announced his decision near the end of Tuesday’s city council meeting. Turman has served on the council for 22 years, 16 of those years a mayor pro tem.