Hall considers increasing landfill fees, landscaping interstate exits

County commissioners discussed funding the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce's Centennial Gateway Initiative and the possibility of increasing county landfill rates from $34.50 per ton to $40 per ton at Monday's work session. Vice Commissioner Steve Gailey said the proposed hike comes after an eight-year period in which landfill rates remained constant, and the rate increase is needed to bring Hall County landfill rates up to market standards in surrounding ...

Toccoa Falls dorm set for August completion

Toccoa Falls College is building a $500,000 dormitory that is set to finished by August. Donations from two alumni paid for the two-story dormitory, which will house 24 students. The building will replace two mobile units and add additional beds. The project will complete a dorm expansion project consisting of four two-story and three one-story buildings housing 132 students. It also marks ...

Rotary Club honors man, woman of the year

A woman who was instrumental in the additional use of Hall County's Olympic Rowing venue and a longtime business and civic leader were honored Monday night as the Rotary Club of Gainesville's Man and Woman of the Year. Connie Hagler, who stepped down as executive director of the Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club in October after working with the club for more than 10 years, was honored as Woman of ...

Authorities seek escaped diversion center inmate

GAINESVILLE -An inmate escaped from the Gainesville Diversion Center this morning after kicking out the window of his room. An escape warrant has been issued for James Dale Amos, 37, who was serving time in the minimum-security facility for charges of aggravated assault, first-degree criminal damage and possession of Xanax and methamphetamines in Cherokee County, according to Susan Phillips, director of public affairs for the state's Department of Corrections. ...

Gainesville Marine's open heart gives Iraqi girl chance at a future

Pink fingers, toes and lips.

Take 14 teens, and what do you get? A new house for Habitat for Humanity

Most afternoons, a group of 14 Hall County high school students will not be found in the classroom. But they are still nailing their grades.

Newton County educator will be North Hall High's new principal

North Hall High School has a new principal, Newton County High School principal Joe Gheesling.

Helen fire chief's arrest puts him at odds with White County sheriff

The White County sheriff and Helen's fire chief remain locked in a bizarre standoff after the sheriff ordered the fire chief arrested two weeks ago. Each official points to the same Georgia law to claim he is right.

Oakwood increases stream buffer

Oakwood City Council approved an amendment to a stream buffer protection ordinance Monday evening that enacts a 50-foot buffer off stream banks with an additional 25-foot non-negotiable impervious buffer. Before Monday evening, the Oakwood stream buffer ordinance allowed for some design manipulation in the 25-foot impervious buffer, according to Oakwood City Manager Stan Brown.

International Baccalaureate info meeting set at Johnson

An informational meeting has been set concerning the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme planned for next school year at Johnson High School. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday in the school's media center.

Repeat offender accused of performing lewd acts

Hall County Sheriff's deputies on Friday arrested a 40-year-old man accused of performing lewd acts while looking through an elderly person's window. Terry Grant of Browns Bridge Road in Gainesville was arrested Friday after Hall County Sheriff's deputies caught him looking through the windows of a home on the 2000 block of Henderson Street. Deputies, who had been watching the area after receiving complaints of a "Peeping Tom" ...

DOT continues work on Ga. 53, U.S. 129

The Georgia Department of Transportation plans to close one lane of Mundy Mill Road today and Wednesday for paving and striping. Construction crews plan to work on the eastbound lanes today and the westbound lanes on Wednesday. Lanes will alternately be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. around Frontage Road.

So you think you can fight fires? Take county fire services’ new classes

Always wanted to hold a high-pressure fire hose, ride in a fire engine or try a rescue in a smoke-filled building? The Hall County Fire Services' new Citizens Fire Academy might just be your thing.

Beulah Rucker museum, foundation moving forward

A forum Tuesday at the Northeast Georgia History Center will feature an update on the Beulah Rucker Museum and Foundation, and its executive director said the museum plans are going very well.

Caring voices needed: Rape Response volunteers give survivors support

GAINESVILLE - Deidra Randolph is a former licensed practical nurse. About eight years ago, she saw an advertisement for volunteer advocate training at Rape Response Inc. in Gainesville. "I was no longer in the medical profession at the time ... and I just saw it as an opportunity to ... be that voice again for caring," Randolph said. Since then, she has taken calls two nights a ...

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

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Winter weather tips

Braving winter weather