Local

(Lorrie Ross • Clay County Progress) Pastor Bryan Wilson was ordained into the WNC Conference of the United Methodist Church in June 2021 at Lake Junaluska, N.C. After the ceremony, he posed with Hayesville First UMC Pastor Kirk Hatherly, center, who mentored Wilson and Pastor Nikki Baten, whom Wilson helped mentor as she attended seminary.

(Lorrie Ross • Clay County Progress) Pastor Bryan Wilson was ordained into the WNC Conference of the United Methodist Church in June 2021 at Lake Junaluska, N.C. After the ceremony, he posed with Hayesville First UMC Pastor Kirk Hatherly, center, who mentored Wilson and Pastor Nikki Baten, whom Wilson helped mentor as she attended seminary.

From a clerical robe to combat boots

News Staff
Thursday, March 24, 2022
Fort Hood, Texas may seem like a long way from Clay County. Yet Rev. Bryan Wilson and his family will soon be leaving Hickory Stand and Oak Forest United Methodist Churches to call the Texas town home.  Wilson has moved farther.
HMS Chorus students who were selected as a participant and/or alternate this year are, first row, from left, seventh grader Raeann Thompson, sixth grader Tucker Dockery and seventh Grader Madison Sullivan. Second row, eighth grader Ruby Kuykendall and eigth Grader Savannah May. Third row, eighth grader Jackson Sellers, sixth grader Micah Moss and seventh grader Mason Buckner

HMS Chorus students who were selected as a participant and/or alternate this year are, first row, from left, seventh grader Raeann Thompson, sixth grader Tucker Dockery and seventh Grader Madison Sullivan. Second row, eighth grader Ruby Kuykendall and eigth Grader Savannah May. Third row, eighth grader Jackson Sellers, sixth grader Micah Moss and seventh grader Mason Buckner

Chorus students perform at All-State

News Staff
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Congratulations is in order to each of theHayesville Middle School Chorus students who were selected to participate in the 2022 North Carolina Middle School All-State Festival held at Gardner-Webb University on Saturday, March 5.
Coggins Clinic is this Saturday

Coggins Clinic is this Saturday

Coggins Clinic is this Saturday

News Staff
Friday, March 18, 2022
Have you been on our client waiting list? Now’s your chance. Whiskey River is opening the client list for those who attend the Coggins Clinic. The Coggins Clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 19 at the Shooting Creek Arena located at 1717 Old Hwy 64, Hayesville.
(Kelli Graves • Clay County Progress) The Yellow Jackets swarm the William Neal Reynolds Coliseum court to celebrate their 1A state championship win over Chatum Charter. After being down by as many as 11 points, Hayesville rallied to force overtime. The extra period saw the Jackets pull away to win 54-43.

(Kelli Graves • Clay County Progress) The Yellow Jackets swarm the William Neal Reynolds Coliseum court to celebrate their 1A state championship win over Chatum Charter. After being down by as many as 11 points, Hayesville rallied to force overtime. The extra period saw the Jackets pull away to win 54-43.

Perfection!

News Staff
Thursday, March 17, 2022
A swarm invaded the campus of N.C. State Saturday, March 12, as hundreds of Hayesville Yellow Jacket fans descended on Raleigh to cheer on their undefeated basketball team in the 1A championship game.
(Photo by Kelli Graves) The Hayesville Yellow Jackets celebrate their 1A state championship as the clock hits all zeros.

(Photo by Kelli Graves) The Hayesville Yellow Jackets celebrate their 1A state championship as the clock hits all zeros.

And then there was one

News Staff
Sunday, March 13, 2022
For the first time since 2004, the Hayesville Yellow Jackets are state champions. Hayesville completed their perfect 28-0 season with a 54-43 victory of Chatham Charter Saturday, March 12 at N.C. State in Raleigh.
(Lorraine Bennett • Clay County Progress Mayor) Joe Slaton, in his office, is finding every day on the job is different.

(Lorraine Bennett • Clay County Progress Mayor) Joe Slaton, in his office, is finding every day on the job is different.

New mayor likes the challenge

News Staff
Thursday, March 10, 2022
Hayesville’s Mayor Joe Slaton, just two months into the job, was spending a recent Monday morning wrestling with how to bring a new EV station into town and how to keep crypto mining out.
Accountant Shawn Powell Long explains findings from an audit of the county detention center in which nearly $7,000 in “deficiencies,” were reported.

Accountant Shawn Powell Long explains findings from an audit of the county detention center in which nearly $7,000 in “deficiencies,” were reported.

Audit leads to SBI probe

News Staff
Thursday, March 10, 2022
publisher@claycountyprogress.com   According to local officials, the State Bureau of Investigation is looking into at least two funding discrepancies found during an audit of the Clay County Detention Center.
(Photo by Kelli Graves) Yellow Jackets Seth Hedden, Cade Denton, Ethan Hooper, Jake McTaggart, Asher Brown, Kyle Lunsford, Landon Hughes, Jacob McClure, Taylor McClure, Kolbe Ashe, Logan Caldwell and Isaac Chandler are headed to Raleigh to compete for the state championship on Saturday.

(Photo by Kelli Graves) Yellow Jackets Seth Hedden, Cade Denton, Ethan Hooper, Jake McTaggart, Asher Brown, Kyle Lunsford, Landon Hughes, Jacob McClure, Taylor McClure, Kolbe Ashe, Logan Caldwell and Isaac Chandler are headed to Raleigh to compete for the state championship on Saturday.

Yellow Jackets to play for state championship

News Staff
Thursday, March 10, 2022
The Hayesville High School varsity boys basketball team is headed to the state championship game. The Yellow Jackets punched their ticket to the finals by grabbing an 81-62 Elite Eight victory over the Thomasville Bulldogs Tuesday, March, 1. In the Western Regional Championship, held at A.C.
Seccond graders Caden Bradshaw, Truett Rogers and Merritt Penland pose for a picture between games.

Seccond graders Caden Bradshaw, Truett Rogers and Merritt Penland pose for a picture between games.

Read Across America Week at Hayesville Primary School

News Staff
Monday, March 7, 2022
The students at Hayesville Primary School enjoyed a fun-filled, circus-themed week, full of fun and learning during Read Across America Week. The week is nationally recognized around the birthday of the iconic Dr. Seuss, which lands on March 2nd.