County school officials rethink ‘block schedule’

GAINESVILLE - Hall County schools' teachers and administrators are looking at revising the "block schedule," with changes to come possibly as early as next school year. The block schedule initially was put in place "to get kids to more courses, or at least the opportunity to take more courses," said Sally Krisel, the district's assistant director of teaching and learning. However, "we have discovered over the years ...

Annual service honors Confederate Lt. Gen. Longstreet

The life and death of Alta Vista Cemetery's most renowned figure was honored Sunday afternoon with a three-volley rifle salute by Confederate re-enactors.

ITBS scores hold or improve in Hall schools

Early results on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills show that Hall County students in second through eighth grades districtwide improved or stayed at the same level in five of six subject areas.

Search for missing hiker to be scaled back today

The Associated Press The search for a 24-year-old hiker who has been missing for six days will be scaled back today, the same day her accused abductor is scheduled to appear before a judge to face kidnapping charges in her disappearance. Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokesman John Bankhead said on Sunday that the search for Meredith Emerson will not stop, but that only trained search and rescue ...

Forest Service may ban off-road vehicles from trails

Citing environmental concerns, officials with the Chattahoochee National Forest say they want to permanently close an area used by off-road vehicles.

Man dies in wreck after train collision

A Maysville man was killed Friday afternoon when his truck was struck by a train in Commerce.

Modular home builder still battling Gainesville

GAINESVILLE -- Grant Smereczynsky is hoping the third time's the charm in his ongoing battle against the city of Gainesville.

Hall County Teacher of the Year: Joel Aquino

OAKWOOD -- Joel Aquino spent years traveling the world with companies mining in exotic places, including a $13 billion gold and copper find in Laos.

Raising Young Minds: Gainesville, Hall top teachers

Each year, teachers at every school in Gainesville and Hall County pick the best of their peers to be honored for dedication to education. Each teacher was asked to submit information about their jobs, as well as career and educational backgrounds. The following is based on information each one provided and from personal profiles on school Web sites:

Teachers of year cultivate young minds

Each year, teachers at every school in Gainesville and Hall County pick the best of their peers to be honored for dedication to education.

New school board members will be sworn in Monday

GAINESVILLE - A swearing-in ceremony for the Gainesville City School Board of Education's new members is set for Monday. Juvenile Court Judge Cliff Jolliff will swear in Maria Calkins and Sammy Smith at the beginning of the board's monthly work session, which begins at 5 p.m. Calkins will replace Lee Highsmith, who is serving as chairwoman, and Sammy Smith will replace Frank Harben. Highsmith and Harben each ...

More and more shore: Lanier cleanup goes on

It looked more like a dump than a lakeshore. Along the edge of the receded waters of Lake Lanier, countless half-buried cans, bottles and other discarded debris lined the banks in a mud-caked testament to man's capacity to litter. "It's disgraceful, is what it is," said Michael Curtis of Lawrenceville, one of about a dozen volunteers who came to a cove where ...

Gainesville Teacher of the Year: Dawn Barry

GAINESVILLE -- On the first week of school, Dawn Barry takes her kindergartners on a tour of the school with the help of Curious George.

2007 traffic deaths same as last year

The same number of people died on Hall County's public roads in 2007 as the previous year, though it remained a serious reduction from the record number of fatal accidents reached in 2005. According to accident data maintained by the Hall County Sheriff's Office, 20 people died in traffic accidents in the county in the past year, including three fatal accidents in the city of Gainesville. That number does not ...

Shore cleanup gains popularity

Last month, the Lake Lanier Association initiated a "Shore Super Sweep" to deal with all the trash being uncovered by the lake's shrinking water level. Dumpsters were set up at five sites around Lanier so people could pick up litter anytime and drop it off for collection. The association also encouraged volunteers to organize their own small cleanups. Now, people are beginning to step forward and do just ...

Flood damage costs start to emerge

Flowery Branch officials are estimating $1.4 million in expenses related to Sunday's historic rainfall, and so far it appears that most of the financial burden is falling on the beleaguered South Hall city.

Norfolk Southern says heavy rains overwhelmed Flowery Branch culverts

Norfolk Southern officials said Tuesday that culverts in Flowery Branch were overwhelmed Sunday by the heavy rains that fell overnight.

Local efforts gather help for Oklahoma tornado victims

Syfan Logistics is working to do its part to help victims of the tornadoes in Oklahoma.

Flood causes sewer spill into Flowery Branch Creek

Sunday's historic flood in Flowery Branch has produced another problem for the beleaguered South Hall city - a 200,000-gallon sewer spill into Flowery Branch Creek.

Ridgewood Avenue to close at 9 p.m.

Ridgewood Avenue will be closed at 9 tonight until 4 a.m. Wednesday while Georgia Power does work in the area.

The Local Agenda: Germans to come to Hall to study immigration

A group from Germany will be visiting Hall County on Wednesday, looking to learn about American cultural life and political issues but particularly immigration.

Longstreet Clinic moves into expanded office in Oakwood

The staff at The Longstreet Clinic Family Medicine practice in Oakwood hurried to move into its renovated site Monday, hoping to begin working from it today.

Hall County sheriff proposes buying 12-14 patrol cars

To update its aging fleet, the Hall County Sheriff's Office is looking at spending $550,000 to buy 12-14 new patrol cars and refurbish another four or five.

Crews busy fixing roads after floods

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.

Despite road closures, kids get to school

Though severe weather Saturday night washed out roadways in Flowery Branch, most students in the area made it to school Monday morning.

Business owners slogging through flood damage

Outside The Tire Store and Lakeview Automotive Group on Atlanta Highway in Flowery Branch, workers hauled equipment to dry areas and washed sheets of mud off the pavement.

Hall schools board discusses options to balance budget

The Hall County Board of Education grappled with "philosophical issues" as it discussed ways to continue to function with a tight budget next year.

Fair Street students may use tablet computers next fall

Gainesville's technology director gave City Board of Education members a Kuno tablet computer to play with briefly Monday night.

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