Businesses find the green in going green

Earth Day began as a grassroots movement, but these days it's become a marketing opportunity.

Flowery Branch celebrates Georgia Cities Week

Flowery Branch will celebrate Georgia Cities Week next week by offering tours of the City Administration Building, located across from City Hall, from 1-4 p.m. Wednesday.

Authorities report that prescriptions are the drug of choice for teens

The investigator sees it. The paramedic sees it. The coroner sees it. Teen substance abuse, particularly of prescription drugs and alcohol, leads to arrests, overdoses and deaths each year in Hall County. And while alcohol remains the most common substance abused by kids in middle school and high school, pharmaceuticals have overtaken marijuana as the so-called "gateway drug" in today's drug culture, officials say. "For the first time ...

The message gets through: Authorities see fewer drugs on campus

Bo the drug dog sniffed along the lockers of his second home, East Hall High School, but when he came up empty, it was to no one's great surprise. Fewer drug seizures are made in Hall County schools these days, after the county school system and Hall County Sheriff's Office entered into an agreement last year authorizing unannounced drug searches. The drug dogs, two of whom make their ...

Busy week of activities rolls in with Tour de Georgia

More than 160 cyclists will be sweeping through Gainesville on Wednesday for the sixth annual Tour de Georgia, one of the nation's elite cycling events.

St. Michael Catholic Church contingent thrilled by witnessing papal Mass in New York

"I don't think anything of this nature has ever happened in Yankee Stadium," Father Kizito Okeke said as he waited to see the popemobile pass by after the papal Mass held in New York on Sunday afternoon.

Drug court turns a life around

Cruise Dill admits he's an unlikely person to represent the successes of drug court. Dill reluctantly entered Hall County's felony drug court program in early 2006, only after much persuasion by his lawyer and parents. Once he was in, by his own admission, he cheated on drug tests, lied to his counselors, even lied to the judge. He missed other drug screens, was late to group therapy and didn't pay ...

Q&A: Drug court judge says program helps those who want to quit

Superior Court Judge Jason Deal has presided over Hall County drug court since 2006. Deal has served on the Hall County Superior Court bench since 2005. He was previously district attorney and prior to that assistant district attorney in the Northeastern Judicial Circuit. Deal sat down with Times reporter Stephen Gurr to talk about the younger participants in drug court.

Citizenship drive set for today in Gainesville

The American Immigration Lawyers Association is sponsoring a nationwide Citizenship Day today aimed at starting citizenship paperwork for legal immigrants. Gainesville is one of five metro Atlanta areas participating.

Under the influence: One family's ordeal with a teen and substance abuse

In three days, Amy Smith went from relief and hope for her teenage son's future to complete, utter despair over his senseless death.

Chambliss backs McCain's gas tax holiday

SAUTEE - U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., said Friday night that he will support a bill by U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., that would create a holiday on the federal portion of the fuel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Breaking the cycle: Pinwheels depict number of child abuse cases in Hall County

They may add a colorful, springlike appearance to the front lawn of the First Baptist Church on Green Street, but the pinwheels placed there Friday afternoon signify a subject that is far from lighthearted: child abuse. "These pinwheels represent the 630 substantiated cases of abuse and neglect for 2006 here in Hall County," said Dee Dee Mize, executive director of Prevent Child Abuse Gainesville. "What we're trying to do is ...

Area political parties pick delegates

The Democratic and Republican parties will hold district conventions today to select delegates to their respective national conventions.

Counselor's recovery from addiction help him better treat teens

When Mike Nixon counsels teenagers at his residential drug treatment program, he can say he's lived their lives.

Prescription drug abuse is growing among teens

Addiction experts say they're alarmed at the growing number of teens who are abusing prescription drugs.

Probable cause hearing set for slaying suspect

A probable cause hearing is set for later this month after a Gainesville man made his first appearance Tuesday in Hall County Magistrate Court on murder charges.

Motion denied, trial date set in 2012 boating deaths

A Hall County Superior Court judge Tuesday denied a motion to dismiss the case against Paul Bennett, who is charged with eight counts of homicide by vessel in a Lake Lanier accident that killed two Buford boys.

Gainesville City Council faces more opposition to at-large voting at meeting

Gainesville has an ugly history of discrimination and the city's at-large voting system is violating the federal Voting Rights Act, a speaker said at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

Hall County's tax digest drops

Hall County's 2013 final tax digest is down 1.51 percent from last year, according to final numbers from the Tax Commissioner's office, making the county's 2014 proposed budget short by $560,000.

Class Notes: Gainesville City Schools hosting meal program

Deal ‘ready to spend’ state funds to deepen harbor

Gov. Nathan Deal said Tuesday he's willing to use state money to start deepening the Port of Savannah's busy shipping channel without waiting for funding from Washington as long as the federal government promises to pay its share of the $652 million project later.

Blood drive to honor disaster victims

The Hall County Sheriff's Office is teaming up with the North Georgia Detention Center and the American Red Cross to host a blood drive to honor victims of natural disasters both close to home and hundreds of miles away.

Suspect charged with murder in fatal shooting

A man was shot and killed Monday evening in the parking lot outside the Peppers Market off E.E. Butler Parkway in Gainesville.

Flowery Branch named fastest growing city in Hall County

Flowery Branch is Hall County's fastest-growing city, expanding 2.7 percent between July 2011 and July 2012, according to recently released census statistics.

An eXtreme eXperience: Summer camps focus on career offerings

"Do you feel nourished?" That's what rising seventh-grader Christina Antoci asked Adrianna Silva after wiping toner from her face Monday.

The Local Agenda: Gainesville City Council has full agenda

City Council members are scheduled to consider several items at their meeting this evening. On the agenda are raising city water and sewer prices, adopting a West Gainesville-Hall County opportunity zone, setting the 2014 property tax rate for the Gainesville Board of Education and changing the ordinance on annexations initiated by the city.

Taxi driver shot in hand during fight

A Gainesville man was charged with using a gun with a filed-off identification number after a man was shot in the hand outside the J&J Foods on Jesse Jewell Parkway just before midnight Saturday.

Kitchen Inspections for April 12-17

April 12

Hot weather health tips

Here are some tips to help you deal with the summer heat wave.

Winter weather tips

Braving winter weather