Caseworkers testify at Aguilar rape trial

Caseworkers from the Department of Family and Child Services testified in the trial of a Gainesville man accused of rape Friday.

Head of Prince family investigation is awarded with Boating Officer of the Year

Cpl. Shawn Elmore was at Lake Lanier within a few hours of being assigned as lead investigator of a double fatality accident last summer.

New university welcomes first president

Bonita Jacobs, president of the University of North Georgia, said the gold on the university's historic steeple never shone as brilliantly as it did Friday afternoon.

Gainesville to vote on annexing 'island' properties

Gainesville City Council plans to hold the second vote on annexing 115 "island" properties at a May 21 hearing. Islands are defined as unincorporated areas of the county that are surrounded by city property.

Victims of crimes honored at annual event

For those working in the Hall County court system, some cases really can stick with them, especially those involving young victims.

Lula to get public input on new zoning ordinance

Buoyed by economic prospects, Lula is rolling out a new zoning ordinance - its first major rewrite since 1994 - that City Manager Dennis Bergin believes will "attract better development."

Good News Clinics breaks ground on new expansion

With more than 1,000 patients walking through the doors of Good News Clinics in Gainesville each month, the clinic could use a little extra space.

Accuser testifies in Aguilar trial

The alleged victim testified Thursday in the trial of a Gainesville man accused of rape. Testimony also included therapists and the family of the alleged victim. Jose Luis Aguilar faces four counts of rape, two counts of aggravated child molestation, one count of aggravated sodomy and seven counts each of incest, aggravated sexual battery and child molestation. During testimony in Hall County Superior Court, the now 14-year-old alleged victim often covered her face with her ...

County says Gainesville has until May 10 to apply for bus funds

Richard Mecum, Hall County Board of Commissioners chairman, said the county won't lose the grant funds to operate the Red Rabbit fixed-route bus service if the Georgia Department of Transportation receives an application by May 10.

Commotion caused by bear in North Ga.

Georgia wildlife authorities are looking into reports that a large black bear is menacing at least one resident in the Dawsonville area in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains.

Hall takes prescription meds back this Saturday

Hall County will have three locations for the fifth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday.

Sen. Miller gives legislative overview

Sen. Butch Miller, R-Gainesville, wove jokes and entertaining remarks with serious answers on policy issues at Thursday's Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Students rewarded with a show of strength

Students at Mount Vernon Exploratory School were rewarded Thursday for their efforts to encourage fitness at their school. A group of children did a run and a tennis shoe collection earlier in the school year and more recently the school raised money to buy an Xbox gaming system and games for the physical education department. The children gathered in the school's driveway for their reward - watching Greg Cochran pull a Ford F150 pickup along the pavement.

Deal signs 2nd part of criminal justice legislation

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed the second edition of a criminal justice bill into law Thursday, calling the legislation another step toward making the state "smarter on crime."

Deal updates state immigration law

Gov. Nathan Deal signed a bill Wednesday that aims to fix some unintended consequences of the state's 2011 crackdown on illegal immigration.

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.

Eyes on the Road: Resolution gets lukewarm OK from governor

Gov. Nathan Deal signed Senate Resolution 293 last week despite reservations over the renaming of Ga. 347 east of Interstate 985 in South Hall County, his office said.

Fire destroys Cleveland Highway convenience store

Fires in different parts of Hall County on Sunday kept firefighters busy on Mother's Day afternoon.

Kitchen Inspections for April 12-17

April 12

Mother’s Day has special meaning for women who struggle to conceive

Sometimes Allison Zafft said she thinks about the way her family and her life might have turned out if she'd never had her youngest daughter Aleah.