State tornado drills put off until Friday

GAINESVILLE - A prediction for bad weather Wednesday morning put off a drill designed to help protect Georgia students from bad weather. Tornado watches and the threat of severe storms canceled the early morning event, which is part of the National Weather Service's annual Georgia Severe Weather Awareness Week. The drill now is scheduled for Friday morning. Residents can see information about topics such as ...

Authorities seek bank robbery suspect

Forsyth County law enforcement officials are searching for a suspect in three Forsyth County bank robberies.

Doctor recounts work on death row

The life of a psychiatrist can be unpredictable simply because he works with patients who may be mentally unstable.

Flowery Branch offices shuffle around downtown

Flowery Branch City Council approved the purchase of two buildings for city use Wednesday.

Hospital restricts visits from children to stop illness

Until further notice, Northeast Georgia Medical Center has banned children ages 15 years and younger from visiting inpatient units on both the main and Lanier Park campuses.

Officials to discuss city’s goals at retreat

Gainesville officials are going down to the valley today.

GMS eighth-grader wins city system spelling bee

BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com GAINESVILLE - Fifth time was the charm for Ryan Griffith. The Gainesville Middle School eighth-grader, who has competed in the city system spelling bee each year since he was in the fourth grade, finally took home the first-place trophy Tuesday morning. "I feel excited to finally win," said Griffith, 14, crowned after spelling "pentathlon" correctly. <font ...

Brenau receives $330,000 for indoor tennis courts

Construction is expected to begin in May on a 14,400-square-foot enclosure for two tennis courts at Brenau University's Smithgall Tennis Complex, thanks to a $333,000 contribution from an anonymous donor.

City’s landscape to change

GAINESVILLE - The Gainesville City Council voted unanimously to approve a zoning request for a $35 million development that promises to kick off the redevelopment of Gainesville's Midtown district.

Hall schools mull transfer students

GAINESVILLE - Students interested in the International Baccalaureate program but attending a Hall County school that's not offering it next year may not be out of luck.

Dahlonega-based soldiers denied bond

A U.S. magistrate judge denied bond late Monday for four Dahlonega-based soldiers charged in a conspiracy to rob cocaine dealers at gunpoint. Carlos Lopez, 30; David Ray White, 28; Randy Spivey, 32; and Stefan Andre Champagne, 28, were denied bond after Judge Alan Baverman heard two days of testimony and arguments in the case, said Patrick Crosby, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office. They remain in the custody of ...

Arrest made in 11-year-old murder

Eleven years and 1,300 miles wasn't enough distance to separate Juan Bayona from the long arm of the law.

Major pot ‘grow house’ busted in North Hall

An overwhelming pungent odor of marijuana emitting from a North Hall home led to the discovery Tuesday of more than 800 pot plants growing inside.

Flowery Branch buys buildings, sets lease

Flowery Branch City Council approved the purchase of two buildings, 5509 and 5511 Main St., for city use at a cost of $300,000 today. The city had been renting the building at 5509 Main for the past two years for use by the city's planning department.

Federal court tosses out Lanier water agreement

A federal appeals court on Tuesday threw out an agreement that Georgia reached with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for water rights to Lake Lanier, handing Alabama and Florida a major victory in the states' water wars. The 2003 agreement with the corps would give Georgia about a quarter of Lake Lanier's capacity over the coming decades and is the foundation of Georgia's long-term plans for supplying drinking water ...

McEver still closed, fire official reports

Under sunny skies and no trace of rain, area governments worked Monday to fix roads that had been damaged, some seriously, by fierce storms overnight Sunday.

Atheists to put books next to Bibles in state parks

Boil water advisories still in effect for some

A boil water advisory is in effect for those served by Flowery Branch along with 18 homes at the end of Trudy Drive served by Gainesville.

Eyes on the Road: More feet added to Ga. 53 fix in Dawson County

An additional 500 feet of Thompson Road will be closed as part of a Georgia Department of Transportation project to rebuild the road's intersection at Ga. 53 in Dawson County.

New law to help vets get into workforce

Retired Hall County military veterans Stephen McGruder and Johnny Varner hope a new Georgia law will aid them in helping vets seamlessly transition into the civilian workforce.

Fellowship to help Gainesville student study law at Mercer

Whit Carmon was stepping off the bus after delivering his final term paper at the University of Georgia when his phone rang.

New state law to protect federal park rangers

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Ranger Ken Weiner is still suffering physically from when he was attacked last year at Burton Mill Park.

South Hall flooding causes county to declare emergency

Early Sunday storms rocked Hall County, leaving heavy flooding, collapsed roads and other damage in its wake.

Ga. water negotiator's role may be seen as conflict

Rock in the Spring concert benefits local school

Concertgoers look over items in a silent auction Saturday night at the Rock in the Spring fundraiser at Brenau University ampitheater. Proceeds benefit the local school Challenged Child and Friends, an early intervention center in Gainesville that provides special needs and typically developing children the opportunity to learn together and from each other. Local musicians Mid Life Crisis played at the event. Local musicians Mid Life Crisis perform Saturday night for the audience at the Brenau ...

Riverside Military Academy opens campus home for president

Riverside Military Academy welcomed a new addition to its campus Saturday, something it hasn't had since 2005: A home for the school president.

Powerball: Did these numbers change your life?

Winning numbers: 22-10-13-14-52

Groups gather at Lake Lanier to promote boating safety

In anticipation of the summertime increase in lake recreation, the Lake Lanier Association held a Boating Safety Awareness Day Saturday at Lake Lanier Islands resort.

Nonprofits, state agencies work to help victims of human trafficking

Jennifer Robson sits in front of her laptop computer and scrolls through a list of ads on an adult website, looking for a local woman to call.

Law agencies focus sharp eyes to spot victims

To spot victims of sex trafficking, it takes the keen eye of an expert - one like Brian Johnston, assistant special agent in charge of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Human Trafficking Unit.