Local News Links

*The 28th Annual Duck Derby, benefitting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier, is almost here. It’s May 2 at Lake Lanier Olympic Park from 11:00-3:00. Adopt a rubber duck, cheer it on, and you could win $10,000. Adoption packages: Single Duck: $10, Quack Pack (6 ducks): $50; Grand Quacker (25 ducks): $150. *Hall County […]

(GA. NEWS NETWORK) *Georgia’s attorney general is threatening to prosecute businesses that don’t suspend the gas tax. Attorney General Chris Carr said that any gas station that doesn’t deduct the gas tax will be investigated and potentially brought to court. This is in response to legislation signed by Governor Brian Kemp to suspend Georgia’s gas […]

Circle of Hope is inviting the community to come together for a night of entertainment and impact at its upcoming Denim and Diamonds fundraiser. The event is scheduled for May 2 at The Venue at Broken Bridge Farms in Demorest and will serve as a major opportunity to raise support for individuals and families affected […]

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The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce is hosting a job fair Thursday. It will be held 10:00-2:00 at the civic center. More than 60 companies are scheduled to participate, and many will be accepting applications onsite. The chamber also has a list of organizations that are currently hiring. Visit the employer’s website for position openings: […]

Lake Lanier’s water level is currently well below where it usually is this time of year.

The weather service has upgraded the fire danger for today from a Fire Weather Watch to a Red Flag Warning. It’s in effect for most of Georgia, including all of northeast Georgia, until 8:00 tonight. Heere’s what’s needed before a Red Flag Warning is issued: *Ten-hour fuels of 8% or less. Thisparameter describes how much […]

CLEVELAND, Ga. — The White County Trail Rangers, a local program designed to introduce second- through fifth-grade students to mountain biking, hosted their first Bikes-A-Thon last weekend. On March 22, 20 students participated in the event at Yonah Preserve Trails in Cleveland. Riders aimed to log as many miles as possible between 3:15 and 5 […]

CORNELIA, Ga. — Six people safely escaped a house fire Friday night on Copperhead Road, but the family lost two dogs in the blaze, according to fire officials. The fire was reported around 9:30 p.m. on March 27 in the 600 block of Copperhead Road, prompting a multi-agency response from Habersham County, Baldwin, and Cornelia […]

Notre Dame-bound forward reaches one milestone, with an even bigger one in sight, as eighth-ranked Lady Bears win their sixth straight.

Red Elephants senior Cohen Miller had walk-off, run-scoring single in the seventh inning to beat Seckinger.

Vikings will need help to win the Region 8-3A title after the loss to the Warriors, but can still clinch second place with a win next Tuesday at Monroe Area.

Knights are one win away from earning Region 6-3A championship

Milton Martin Honda celebrated its new location in Oakwood Friday with a ribbon cutting.

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Hall County and much of North and Central Georgia on Saturday, signaling critical fire weather conditions.

A car crashed into Taco Madre Wednesday afternoon in Oakwood, but no injuries were reported, authorities said.

A nearly 280,000-square-foot development featuring a large grocery store, restaurants, medical offices and senior housing is proposed off Ga. 365 off Duncan Bridge Road in south Habersham County.

A new kind of workspace is opening its doors in Gainesville at The Times building, and it’s not your typical office.

MT. AIRY, Ga. — Habersham County Schools recognized its top educator and support staff member of the year during a ceremony held Thursday at Habersham Central High School. Eighth-grade Georgia history teacher Jenna Blackwell of Wilbanks Middle School was named the district’s Teacher of the Year, while system school nurse Lindsay Morris was named Support […]

TOCCOA, Ga. — A 19-year-old Toccoa man has been arrested following a shooting at a local youth home that left a teenager seriously injured, according to the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies and investigators responded around 1:13 a.m. Tuesday, March 24, to a report of a gunshot wound at The Village, a youth home on […]

ATHENS, Ga. — Four people have been arrested following an armed robbery Friday afternoon in Athens, according to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. Officers responded at about 2:21 p.m. March 26 to a report of an armed robbery in the 400 block of Minor Street, Lt. Katie Jenkins, the department’s public information officer, said. During […]

Trojans starter Branson Crawford allowed just one hit over six innings for complete-game shutout.

Jurors reached a verdict after deliberating for about 11 hours.

Habersham County homeowners are being reminded that the deadline to apply for a homestead exemption for the current tax year is April 1. Homestead exemptions are designed to reduce the burden of ad valorem property taxes for homeowners who own and occupy their property as their legal residence. While applications may be filed at any […]

(Georgia Recorder) – A group of environmental organizations filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Georgia Public Service Commission, appealing the December approval of a massive expansion of power infrastructure for Georgia Power. The 42-page lawsuit, filed in Fulton County Superior Court, alleges that the commission broke the law by approving nearly 10 gigawatts of new […]

LAVONIA, Ga. — A toddler was safely recovered Wednesday after authorities say a Bowersville man took the child during a domestic dispute in Lavonia, leading to charges in both Franklin and Hart counties. According to the Lavonia Police Department, officers responded at about 2:49 p.m. March 25 after Franklin County 911 received a call about […]

*A bill aimed aimed at strengthening criminal accountability for clergy sexual abuse in Georgia is on its way to the governor’s desk. The bill, introduced in and passed by the state Senate earlier this year as a result of the recent sex scandal at Truett-McConnel College (TMU), has now cleared the House. The law, if […]

To promote parking accessibility and turnover in downtown Gainesville, the city will implement by May 2026 a paid-parking system geared toward drivers occupying surface spaces for longer than two hours. As earlier reported, through ParkGVL, a pay-by-mobile system supported by ParkDNA, drivers will use a ticketless QR code system, recording their license plate, vehicle make/model […]

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Lanier is getting a $190,000 federal grant for use in purchasing two vans. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) facilitated getting the money, bringing Republicans and Democrats together in a bipartisan effort to deliver funding. The clubs will use the vans for transportation to and from their programming so students can receive tutoring, mentoring, and other academic […]

Habersham County is pleased to announce that Melanie Bellinger has been selected as the county’s new Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and 911 Director. Bellinger brings nearly 28 years of experience in emergency communications and public safety management. She began her career in 1998 as a Communications Officer and has advanced through the ranks, serving as […]

On March 23, 2026, at approximately 0930 hours, the Barbour County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit—along with investigators and deputies—executed a search warrant at 1661 South Eufaula Avenue (Eufaula Vape and Tobacco Store) following approximately nine months of undercover investigation. During the investigation, deputies observed juveniles—as young as 14 years old—enter the business, pay for, and […]

Habersham County residents will have an opportunity to weigh in on the future of growth and development during an upcoming community town hall focused on updates to the county’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). The meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 13 at 6:00 p.m. at the Ruby C. Fulbright Aquatic Center. What The Meeting Is […]

The Dawson County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a missing man last seen near Amicalola Falls State Park, according to a Facebook post published Sunday.

HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. — The driver rescued after her SUV plunged down a ravine off Ga. 197 North last week failed to maintain her lane before leaving the roadway, according to a Georgia State Patrol crash report obtained by Now Georgia. The single-vehicle crash happened around 3:59 p.m. March 20 on Ga. 197 North near […]

Red Elephants control their own destiny in Region 7-5A

TOCCOA, Ga. — New details have emerged about a fire that destroyed a shop building at the Toccoa water treatment facility Friday evening, as officials say a worker first detected smoke while ensuring normal plant operations. Responding to Now Georgia’s media inquiry Monday, Toccoa Fire Chief Jeff Haslup said the incident began just before 6 […]

HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. — Habersham County has named Melanie Bellinger as its new Emergency Management Agency and 911 director, officials announced. Bellinger brings nearly three decades of experience in emergency communications and public safety. She started as a communications officer in 1998 and worked her way up through leadership roles, most recently serving as interim […]

After more than 30 years as a cornerstone of downtown Cornelia, Books with Appeal will soon close its doors—marking the end of an era for a business built as much on relationships as it was on books. Originally established in its current form in the early 1990s, the store was the vision of the late […]

On any given morning, a bustling coffee shop in Gainesville is a hum of espresso machines, smell of fresh grounds and a nonstop buzz of conversation.

A 33-year-old man remained in the Hall County Jail early Sunday night on bonds totaling $10,400 following his arrest last week in a theft case Oakwood Police began investigating almost six years ago. OAKWOOD POLICE NEWS RELEASE: “On 11/18/2019 Officers were notified of a financial transaction card case that happened at Wal Mart in Oakwood. […]

A 32-year-old man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office and county jail records. Jalaska Jaimahal Earls was charged at the Hall County Jail Friday about 8:00 p.m. He is also charged with probation violation and as of mid-morning Sunday was being held without bond. Details on this incident […]

Gainesville girls lost to Dawson County

Gainesville continues hot streak with win over Lanier to complete series sweep

Jake Beard was sharp on the mound after rocky start for the Trojans

GAINESVILLE — Motorists traveling along Interstate 85 in Franklin County should expect delays this weekend as the Georgia Department of Transportation conducts maintenance on a key truck monitoring system. GDOT crews will perform scheduled work on the weigh-in-motion (WIM) system along the southbound lanes near mile marker 170 from Friday through Sunday, March 20-22. Work […]

9th Dist. Congressman Andrew Clyde has sent a letter to Acting Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Karen Evans urging the agency to recommend presidential approval for a major disaster declaration for several northeast Georgia counties, including Habersham and White, severely impacted by a January winter storm.  Clyde highlighted the tremendous financial strain that local […]

Authorities have released the identity of the driver taken into custody following a brief vehicle pursuit in Habersham County Thursday afternoon. According to the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, 32-year-old Zachary Magowan of Alto was arrested after deputies pursued his vehicle shortly before 1 p.m. The chase began in Cornelia and moved onto Cannon Bridge Road, […]

A Gainesville police officer, responding to a domestic disturbance call, was shot Thursday night and the shooter was shot and killed during a subsequent standoff that lasted well into Friday morning. GAINESVILE POLICE DEPT (GPD) NEWS RELEASE: “Gainesville Officers responded to the area of Briarwood Drive and Skyline Drive just after 10:30 Thursday night after […]

Habersham County officials are aware of a recent concern involving a volunteer coach within the Recreation Department and want to address the situation with transparency and clarity. First and foremost, every volunteer coach is required to successfully complete a background check conducted through the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office before being allowed to participate in any […]

GAINESVILLE, Ga. — An adult male suspect is dead and three Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officers are recovering after an exchange of gunfire led to a six-hour barricade situation on Briarwood Drive. Incident overview According to GPD’s social media, the incident began Thursday night just after 10:30 p.m. when Gainesville officers responded to a distress […]

A Gainesville police officer narrowly survived a gunshot to the upper chest late Thursday night when a bullet struck his radio microphone and was stopped by his ballistic vest during a six-hour standoff that ended when the barricaded gunman was fatally shot by law enforcement.

The state patrol released details late Thursday of a chain-reaction accident that occurred on Georgia 365 during the evening rush hour Wednesday. It was caused, troopers say, by an Axton, Virginia, motorist who was following too closely. The other drivers were from Clarkesville, Cleveland, and Sautee-Nacoochee. Only the Cleveland resident, a 53-year-old man, was injured […]

Branson Crawford also homered for the Trojans

Lady Knights posted their fifth straight win with the victory over the Lady Dragons.

Two men – one from Gainesville- are in the Forsyth County Jail after a rookie K9 known as “Guinness” had a successful “first track” recently. FORSYTH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE (FCSO) FACEBOOK POST (with some editing for brevity and clarity): “Sgt. Bobby Francis was patrolling when he noticed a man walking down the side of the […]

The Notre Dame signee had three goals in the first half

U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Athens, has asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to recommend presidential approval for a major disaster declaration for Northeast Georgia counties severely affected by Winter Storm Fern.

CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — A vehicle pursuit involving the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office ended Thursday afternoon after deputies used a PIT maneuver to stop the driver, authorities said. According to a post on the sheriff’s office Facebook page, the pursuit began just before 1 p.m. in Cornelia and continued onto Cannon Bridge Road. Deputies brought the […]

CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — North Georgia Technical College’s drive-thru food pantry served more than 100 people Thursday morning in Clarkesville, with organizers hoping to double that number before the event wrapped up. “It’s kind of slowed off right now, so we’re hoping we’ll get more,” said Sherry Seal, who helps coordinate the effort, speaking around 11 […]