Hall, Gainesville school boards set for retreats

GAINESVILLE - The Gainesville City and Hall County boards of education plan to meet separately Saturday for annual retreats, a time when board members typically focus on big-picture issues. The Gainesville board will talk about its "mission, visions and beliefs," and Hall County will conduct Georgia School Boards Association training. Both also will have hot- button issues to discuss. The Gainesville school board plans to ...

Officials: Hilton was in Gainesville on night Emerson abducted

Gary Michael Hilton was at a Gainesville ATM trying to use a bank card belonging to Meredith Emerson the night she was abducted, officials said. Hilton is believed to have spent about 20 minutes at a Bank of America ATM in Gainesville around 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 1, Forsyth County Sheriff Ted Paxton said this week, citing information provided to him by agents with the Georgia ...

Cold to move in, rain to move out

Don't expect a return of balmy temperatures any time soon. The rain and fog that hovered over Hall County is going to be followed this weekend by cold weather, according to the National Weather Service. "(Say) goodbye to the spring-type temperatures," said Shirley Lamback, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Peachtree City. Expect today's high only to hit the lower 50s, with Saturday's warm and sunny ...

'You can’t pledge to a flag when you don’t have a flag'

GAINESVILLE - All East Hall High School students now have a flag to salute when they say the Pledge of Allegiance in the morning. "When I taught here, everybody had a flag in their room. But, for whatever reason through time, the (flags) kind of dwindled away," said principal Jeff Cooper. He and school resource officer Earl Roach went class to class Thursday morning, pushing a metal ...

Hall County to lift burn ban

The longest outdoor burning ban in recent Hall County history will be lifted today, though it may be back in effect again soon, officials said. Hall County Fire Marshal Scott Cagle said beginning today, residential burning of small tree limbs and leaves and land clearing burns of natural debris will be allowed with a permit. It will be the first time since March 31 that the outdoor burns have been ...

Lights on! Switch for Communiversity sign flipped

County and city officials joined educators amidst a cloud of fog Thursday morning for a ceremonial lighting of the sign at Featherbone Communiversity.

Quadruple murder defendants plead not guilty

Two of the three defendants charged in a March 2006 massacre at a Forsyth County farmhouse entered formal not guilty pleas in a Thursday court appearance. The arraignment of Jason McGhee, 27, and Marcin Sosniak, 23, was held in front of Bell-Forsyth Superior Court Judge David Dickinson. The two men did not speak. Their pleas were entered by their attorneys, Josh Moore of the Georgia Office of the Capital Defender ...

COMING SUNDAY: The Best of 2007

During 2007, our reporters and photographers produced great stories and pictures about the people and events of Northeast Georgia. Sunday, The Times will reprint a few of our favorite stories in a special keepsake edition called "The Best of 2007."

Florida officials preparing to charge Hilton with murder

A Florida prosecutor says he has enough evidence to charge Meredith Emerson's accused killer with a murder in that state.

Man stabbed to death

Karaoke night turned deadly at a Helen bar early Thursday morning, where a man was stabbed to death in the town's first murder in years.

City discusses mutual aid agreement with county

GAINESVILLE - The Gainesville City Council met with the city's fire chief Thursday to discuss the parameters of an expanded agreement that would mean city and county fire departments would share each others' burdens. Hall County Fire Services and the Gainesville Fire Department have been hammering out changes to a 10-year-old mutual aid agreement. Though local fire officials have discussed expanding the agreement over the years, it has not ...

Shuler reappointed as Hall administrator

A Hall County commissioner tried unsuccessfully Thursday to seek a separate vote on the reappointment of Hall County Administrator Jim Shuler.

Emerson memorial: 'Meredith's love shines down on you today'

ATHENS -- The church pews couldn't hold everyone who came to pay respects to Meredith Emerson on Friday.

Clouds keep Gov. Perdue from Gainesville visit

Gov. Sonny Perdue hinted Thursday that Georgia, Florida and Alabama may face a challenge in trying to reach a tri-state water agreement by Feb. 15. "That's optimistic," said Perdue in a telephone interview with The Times.

Residential developments dominate Hall County’s agenda

More residential development is on the agenda for the Hall County Commission meeting today. In December, the Hall County Planning Commission unanimously recommended for approval the roughly 1,507-acre Hagen Creek development plan that calls for 2,736 residential units, a school site and 1,000,000 square feet of commercial and office space in Lula. The county commission will consider the request by the land owner, an Austrian family, to rezone ...

Gainesville parole office not among those closing in state

Georgia is pioneering a new strategy to eliminate parole offices, an effort officials say allows the officers to spend more time working with people in the community and also saves money.

Gateway Domestic Violence Center inches closer to new apartments

More women and children fleeing domestic violence will be able to find refuge in the coming months thanks to several community organizations.

Convicted child abuser sentenced to life in prison

A Gainesville man received two life in prison sentences Friday afternoon in Hall County Superior Court after he was found guilty by a jury in April on all but one of more than 20 counts in a child sexual abuse trial.

Farms growing bigger profits

Entrepreneurs in agriculture are finding new ways to grow their businesses and profit, said Earl Gohl, federal co-chairman of the Appalachian Regional Commission, a regional economic development agency of federal, state and local government partners.

First Friday gets downtown swinging

The First Friday events in downtown Gainesville have started up again and are expected to bring more vistors to the shops and restaurants around the square.

Robbery suspect turns himself in after Thursday search

A robbery suspect turned himself in Thursday night after four Gainesville schools were locked down that afternoon when police tried to serve a warrant for his arrest.

Dial-A-Ride bus system serves county residents

Gainesville resident Gloria Carruth depends on the Dial-A-Ride bus service since she nearly severed her ankle three years ago.

Gala honors business leaders

In order to develop and strengthen the local economy, businesses and the community work together for the benefit of each other.

Officials warn motorcyclists to be wary as weather warms

As part of efforts to keep drivers and motorcyclists safe, law enforcement officials and highway safety advocates gathered Thursday in Buford to promote motorcycle safety awareness.

Rabies clinic set for 9 a.m. on Saturday

The Humane Society of Northeast Georgia is putting on a rabies clinic Saturday at the Gainesville Walmart.

Enota named family-friendly school

Enota Multiple Intelligences Academy has been named a winner of the state Department of Education's Family-Friendly School Partnership School Award.

The Times raises $2,158 for Relay for Life

The Times held a fundraising event Thursday in Gainesville where community members were welcomed to bring documents to shred, with all proceeds benefiting Relay for Life. The "Team Times" Relay for Life Committee collected $2,158 Thursday for the fight against cancer. In addition to people bringing documents to shred, hamburgers and hot dogs were on sale to benefit the cause.

Kids learn lake safety tips before summer ‘trauma season’ begins

Four children sat in a boat on their school's gym floor Thursday as Department of Natural Resources officers shook it and a crowd of their classmates loudly counted down.

4 Gainesville schools went on lockdown Thursday afternoon

Four Gainesville City schools were temporarily locked down Thursday afternoon.

2 Forsyth men charged in $1.6 million theft of 91-year-old