Dawson County names new director of planning department

The Dawson County Board of Commissioners has named Holland J. Leger the county's new planning director.

Officials say fake names triggered forgery arrests

Four people caught with fraudulent work IDs were arrested during a traffic stop Wednesday morning, authorities said Thursday.

Fire department: Get smoke alarms

As the spring time change approaches, local fire officials saw another reason this week to remind homeowners of the importance of having working smoke alarms.

North Georgia Screamin’ Eagles wheelchair soccer team is ready for showdown

David Beckham may be one of the best and most well-known soccer players in the world, but how well would he play if he couldn't use his legs?

Hall County Sheriff’s Office adds more patrol districts

The boundary lines have been redrawn for the deputies who patrol Hall County's 1,300 miles of roads.

Flowery Branch City Council to keep meetings in mornings

An ordinance maintaining a 9:30 a.m. city council meeting time divided the Flowery Branch City Council on Wednesday.

Hall outperforms state on writing test

The Hall County school system outperformed the state in eighth-grade writing scores, Superintendent Will Schofield said Thursday.

Gainesville home invasion shows need for prevention measures

A home invasion robbery this week in which two women were forced into a closet at gunpoint isn't a common occurrence in Gainesville, but it illustrates the need for common-sense safety measures, police say.

Obesity tests could weigh down schools

Last week, the Georgia Senate passed a bill that would require elementary school students to be screened for obesity. School nurses say it would promote better health, but concerns have been raised about privacy and about how the mandate would be implemented.

Former DA pleads guilty, sentenced to 6 years in prison

HOMER - As district attorney of Northeast Georgia's Piedmont Judicial Circuit for 24 years, Tim Madison spent many hours prosecuting cases in the wood-paneled second-floor courtroom of the Banks County courthouse. On Tuesday, Madison was the one being prosecuted, as the disgraced former DA for Banks, Jackson and Barrow counties pleaded guilty to stealing taxpayer money and was sentenced to six years in prison.

Dahlonega robbery suspect pleads guilty

The second of two suspects in an armed robbery and assault at a Dahlonega convenience store pleaded guilty this week, officials said. Robert Jacob Mallard, 28, pleaded guilty to armed robbery in Lumpkin County Superior Court and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, Lumpkin County Sheriff's Capt. Jason Stover said.

Southern Catholic names new board member

DAWSONVILLE - Southern Catholic College's Board of Trustees has a new member.

UGA honors one of its own, ‘Whispering Bill’ Anderson

A half century ago, a country singer wannabe went into an unfinished recording studio at the University of Georgia, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Gainesville Fire Chief Jon Canada sworn in

GAINESVILLE - New Gainesville Fire Chief Jon Canada swore to serve the residents of Gainesville with compassion, courage and integrity to the best of his ability Tuesday.

Wanna fish? Don’t count on buying a license at local bait shops

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is getting out of the business of issuing hunting and fishing licenses and boat registrations. That job is being outsourced to a private, out-of-state company, and many people aren't happy about it.

Motion denied, trial date set in 2012 boating deaths

A Hall County Superior Court judge Tuesday denied a motion to dismiss the case against Paul Bennett, who is charged with eight counts of homicide by vessel in a Lake Lanier accident that killed two Buford boys.

Gainesville City Council faces more opposition to at-large voting at meeting

Gainesville has an ugly history of discrimination and the city's at-large voting system is violating the federal Voting Rights Act, a speaker said at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

Hall County's tax digest drops

Hall County's 2013 final tax digest is down 1.51 percent from last year, according to final numbers from the Tax Commissioner's office, making the county's 2014 proposed budget short by $560,000.

Class Notes: Gainesville City Schools hosting meal program

Deal ‘ready to spend’ state funds to deepen harbor

Gov. Nathan Deal said Tuesday he's willing to use state money to start deepening the Port of Savannah's busy shipping channel without waiting for funding from Washington as long as the federal government promises to pay its share of the $652 million project later.

Blood drive to honor disaster victims

The Hall County Sheriff's Office is teaming up with the North Georgia Detention Center and the American Red Cross to host a blood drive to honor victims of natural disasters both close to home and hundreds of miles away.

Suspect charged with murder in fatal shooting

A man was shot and killed Monday evening in the parking lot outside the Peppers Market off E.E. Butler Parkway in Gainesville.

Flowery Branch named fastest growing city in Hall County

Flowery Branch is Hall County's fastest-growing city, expanding 2.7 percent between July 2011 and July 2012, according to recently released census statistics.

An eXtreme eXperience: Summer camps focus on career offerings

"Do you feel nourished?" That's what rising seventh-grader Christina Antoci asked Adrianna Silva after wiping toner from her face Monday.

The Local Agenda: Gainesville City Council has full agenda

City Council members are scheduled to consider several items at their meeting this evening. On the agenda are raising city water and sewer prices, adopting a West Gainesville-Hall County opportunity zone, setting the 2014 property tax rate for the Gainesville Board of Education and changing the ordinance on annexations initiated by the city.

Taxi driver shot in hand during fight

A Gainesville man was charged with using a gun with a filed-off identification number after a man was shot in the hand outside the J&J Foods on Jesse Jewell Parkway just before midnight Saturday.

Gainesville City Schools adopts tentative budget

The Gainesville City Schools Board of Education tentatively adopted its fiscal year 2014 budget at its Monday night work session.

Tax hike part of Hall schools budget approval

The Hall County Board of Education voted Monday night to OK a tentative $200 million budget for fiscal 2013-14, which begins July 1.

Kitchen Inspections for April 12-17

April 12

Hot weather health tips

Here are some tips to help you deal with the summer heat wave.