Gainesville State celebrates an early Mardi Gras

OAKWOOD -- Gainesville State College kicked off Black History Month with a bang Friday night as nearly 100 students and staff gathered for a Mardi Gras Masquerade. The social mixer included a brief history of the origination of Mardi Gras and Carnival, samba music provided by Jazz Baptiste Productions, Caribbean food and drinks, a crowning of Mardi Gras King and Queen, and a Capoeira performance, which ...

Nurses, nursing students take concerns to state Capitol

dgilbert@gainesvilletimes.com ATLANTA - Hundreds of nurses and nursing students descended upon Georgia's Capitol Thursday to share their professional concerns with legislators. Dahlonega resident and registered nurse Cindy Balkstra, who is currently president of the 2,400-member Georgia Nurses Association, said the students attended seminars in the morning to learn about the legislative process, and the nurses met one-on-one with lawmakers in the afternoon. "We have ...

Jackson County teen pleads guilty in school bomb scare

JEFFERSON ­-- The teenager accused of bringing a homemade bomb to Jackson County Comprehensive High faces sentencing Feb. 14 after he pleaded guilty Friday morning.

GMS principal resigns to take Gilmer post

GAINESVILLE - Lisa Smith, principal of the Classical Studies Academy at Gainesville Middle School, is headed to Gilmer County in North Georgia as systemwide math specialist.

Lowndes County arrests may be linked to Gainesville Jewelry heist

Four burglars stole more than $200,000 in merchandise from Gainesville Jewelry on Jesse Jewell Parkway early Thursday morning and Gainesville police are investigating a possible connection with three men caught with an estimated $250,000 worth of jewelry Lowndes County.

Plea deal key to quick resolution in Hilton case

In a judicial system where murder cases routinely can take years to resolve, the speed with which Gary Michael Hilton's case was closed out left court observers and law enforcement officials in awe. "Wow," said Forsyth County Sheriff Ted Paxton, when told Thursday that a guilty plea was imminent. "That's almost unprecedented." "That's lightning-fast," said University of Georgia School of Law Professor Ron Carlson. Hilton, a ...

Parents hope wider road eases traffic at Centennial Arts Academy

Parents soon may not spend as much time sitting in their cars in the student pickup and drop-off lines at Centennial Arts Academy.

Driver sentenced to 12 years in prison after wreck that severely injured two

A Gainesville man was sentenced to 12 years in prison this week after being convicted of severely injuring two people when he caused a wreck while under the influence of methamphetamine.

Army says updating water plan for Lake Lanier will take three years

The secretary of the Army has told U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., that updating the water control plans and manuals for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basin will be a three-year process.

Director: Give golf course a chance

GAINESVILLE - The director of golf for Gainesville's municipal golf course assured City Council members the money they are investing in the Chattahoochee Golf Course is not going down the hole.

Girl helped by local Marine leaves hospital

NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Two-year-old Amenah, an Iraqi girl with a complex heart defect, left the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt Friday. She will spend the next 10 days with a host family in suburban Nashville before returning for open heart surgery. The young girl's plight was brought to light by Maj. Kevin Jarrard of Gainesville, who is serving his third tour in Iraq. Jarrard and others arranged for the girl to get the badly needed surgery at Vanderbilt.

Home invasion spurs three-hour chase

OAKWOOD - The plan was foiled by an 11-year-old boy's quick thinking. Police said they believe Wayne Adam Shaw, 18, and Jose Luis Bautista-Osorio, 26, both of Gainesville, had targeted the house in the 2000 block of Leland Road in South Hall for a gang-related burglary. The child, home alone sick at the time, hid in a closet when they arrived at about 9 a.m. ...

Challenged Child says design us a T-shirt, and you might win $100

Challenged Child and Friends is holding an art contest to determine the T-shirt design for its 16th Annual 5K and One Mile Fun Run/Walk.

Drug sting nets fifth soldier affiliated with Dahlonega camp

A fifth Army soldier who was stationed at Dahlonega's Camp Frank D. Merrill was arrested Wednesday in connection with a federal drug conspiracy investigation.

Fair Street gets money for garden

Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation has awarded a Toolbox for Education grant to Fair Street International Baccalaureate World School for the development of a "Reading Garden" outside the media center.

Gala honors business leaders

In order to develop and strengthen the local economy, businesses and the community work together for the benefit of each other.

Officials warn motorcyclists to be wary as weather warms

As part of efforts to keep drivers and motorcyclists safe, law enforcement officials and highway safety advocates gathered Thursday in Buford to promote motorcycle safety awareness.

Rabies clinic set for 9 a.m. on Saturday

The Humane Society of Northeast Georgia is putting on a rabies clinic Saturday at the Gainesville Walmart.

Enota named family-friendly school

Enota Multiple Intelligences Academy has been named a winner of the state Department of Education's Family-Friendly School Partnership School Award.

The Times raises $2,158 for Relay for Life

The Times held a fundraising event Thursday in Gainesville where community members were welcomed to bring documents to shred, with all proceeds benefiting Relay for Life. The "Team Times" Relay for Life Committee collected $2,158 Thursday for the fight against cancer. In addition to people bringing documents to shred, hamburgers and hot dogs were on sale to benefit the cause.

Kids learn lake safety tips before summer ‘trauma season’ begins

Four children sat in a boat on their school's gym floor Thursday as Department of Natural Resources officers shook it and a crowd of their classmates loudly counted down.

4 Gainesville schools went on lockdown Thursday afternoon

Four Gainesville City schools were temporarily locked down Thursday afternoon.

2 Forsyth men charged in $1.6 million theft of 91-year-old

Hot weather health tips

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Winter weather tips

Braving winter weather