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 ...

Head Start programs meet federal compliance

The Head Start and Early Head Start programs in 20 North Georgia counties have met full compliance from the federal Office of Head Start in Washington.

Technology fair set for Saturday at Lakeview Academy

About 100 students from five area schools are set to compete Saturday in the Lanier Regional Technology Fair at Lakeview Academy.

Residents say no to proposed retail center in South Hall

A developer's rezoning request for a nearly 10-acre shopping center proposed on Old Winder Highway in South Hall ignited tensions between Hall County residents and developers at a Hall County Planning Commission meeting Monday evening. The applicant, Dunhill Developers LLC, asked the Hall County Planning Commission to consider rezoning 9.9 acres of property adjacent to Mulberry River at the intersection of Old Winder Highway and Howington Road from agriculture and ...

Pieces of peace: Flag display sparks ‘season of nonviolence’

As presidential candidates debate the politics of the war in Iraq, local schools, churches and senior communities have contributed to a display of peace at Lakeshore Mall that is part of a national project called The Peace Quilt. More than 50 people ranging in age from preschoolers to senior citizens helped to create more than 100 squares that were sewn together to make roughly 40 flags declaring a statement for ...

Expert: Flu pandemic looks likely

The likelihood of an influenza pandemic within the next five to 10 years is "very high," according to an expert with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We have already seen cases of human-to-human transmission (of avian flu). We're one step from a pandemic," Dr. Sureyya Hornston told the Gainesville Rotary Club Monday. "I hate to sound pessimistic, but I have to tell you the truth." Hornston ...

Remains of missing hiker found in N.C.

BREVARD, N.C. - A body found in western North Carolina is a missing hiker believed to be a victim of a man who pleaded guilty to murdering a hiker in Georgia, authorities said Monday. The skeletal remains found Saturday by a hunter in Macon County were identified as belonging to John Bryant, who disappeared in October with his wife, Irene, while they were hiking in the Pisgah National Forest, ...

District may wait to build sixth elementary school

GAINESVILLE - A "shaky economy" and ownership issues has Gainesville city schools looking at putting off construction of its sixth elementary school, Mundy Mill Academy. The district had considered opening the school in the fall of 2009, with construction to start this year.

Miami, Mableton men charged in jewelry theft

Police have charged two Miami men and a Mableton man in the Thursday burglary of Gainesville Jewelry that resulted in the theft of more than $200,000 in merchandise.

Men arrested in meth bust in Buford

BUFORD - Three Mableton men face drug trafficking charges after they were arrested while delivering 11 ounces of methamphetamine to a parking lot in an undercover buy-bust operation Monday, authorities said.

Cancer center offers patients free art therapy

Treating cancer patients requires addressing the needs of body, mind and soul. As part of a more holistic approach, the Cancer Center at the Longstreet Clinic is offering free art therapy sessions to cancer patients and survivors on Thursday and again on Feb. 21.

Sheriff's officers complete immigration enforcement training

Nine Hall County Sheriff's officers were among 38 local law enforcement officers from around the nation now authorized to enforce federal immigration laws.

Vietnamese community wishes for blessing, success, life in new year

More than 150 people gathered at the Georgia Mountains Center arena Sunday afternoon to ring in the Vietnamese New Year with firecrackers, dragon dances and live music. The Vietnamese New Year, known as Tet Nguyen Dan, marks the beginning of a new year on the lunar calendar and the beginning of spring.

Violent crime down in Gainesville

The city of Gainesville's crime statistics stayed about the same in 2007 as the previous year, with a low overall violent crime rate and a rise in business burglaries the only significant spike.

3 students suspected in Gainesville High graffiti incident

Gainesville school officials said Tuesday that three students are responsible for overnight vandalism at Gainesville High School.

11-year-old hurt in four-wheeler accident identified

The Georgia State Patrol has identified the 11-year-old boy who was injured Sunday afternoon in a four-wheeler accident in West Hall as Lanny Charles Dunagan.

Historic Clermont library renovation on track

Volunteers at the Historic Clermont DIP Library opened its one-room library in the town's gym last year, but soon there will be more room to spread out.

Olympic venue group gets update

The Gainesville/Hall '96 Foundation's next life was started Monday, 17 years after playing a large role in creating the 1996 Lake Lanier Olympic Center and maintaining the site's legacy.

Corps hopes to keep dock permit process going

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hopes to forge ahead this spring and summer with issuing dock permits, and not resort to moving employees assigned to that task to covering parks, as it had to do last year.

The Local Agenda: Gainesville to hold focus group meeting on Wednesday

A 10-member focus group giving input to Gainesville's transportation master plan is set to meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Fair Street Neighborhood Center, 715 Fair St.

Barn destroyed, horse killed at Coker Road fire

A horse barn was destroyed and one horse killed in a fire Monday afternoon in East Hall County.

Hall school board discusses maintaining morale with tight budget

The Hall County Board of Education discussed ways to maintain employee morale while working within next year's tight budget.

Oakwood looking at sewer project at apartments

Oakwood City Council voted Monday night to apply for a grant to help pay for a sewer system that would serve an apartment complex where a septic drain field has been failing for years.

Ga. 369 closed in Forsyth after striping truck overturns

Organizations looking for volunteers to make sandwiches

Making a sandwich is easy: two slices of bread, some meat and cheese, and voila.

Hall native studying oyster population

A Hall County native is at the forefront of research into oyster populations, a touchy subject for some Lake Lanier advocates who fret over water releases to protect endangered species in the Gulf of Mexico.

Glades funding application places project cost at $130M

Hall County expects to learn the results of its application to the Governor's Water Supply Program for funding the Glades Reservoir later this year.

Mann settling into role as sheriff’s community service officer

Since taking the helm of the Hall County Sheriff's Office, Gerald Couch has instituted changes both structurally and cosmetically, from streamlined command staff to refurbished patrol cars.

Tri-state water feud plays out in Congress

ATLANTA - The water dispute between Alabama, Florida and Georgia is provoking hardball politics in Congress, where Georgia lawmakers derailed a proposal that could restrict metro Atlanta's water supply.