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Festival fun takes over county Saturday

John Dills
Friday, May 19, 2023
Saturday brings the true start of summer when the 61st Mountain Laurel Festival comes to Clarkesville. The festival kicks off with the annual Mountain Laurel parade at 10 a.m., proceeding down Washington Street from the new courthouse through the square ending at the old courthouse parking lot.
Shown are (front row, from left) Alex Wimberly, IT Specialist II; Tracy Williamson, IT Director; Diana Gallegos, IT Administrator; and Superior Court Judges Rusty Smith, Bill Oliver and Chan Caudell. Back row are (from left) County Manager Alicia Vaughn and Commissioners Bruce Palmer, Bruce Harkness, Ty Akins, Dustin Mealor and Jimmy Tench. Alvin Stinnett, IT Specialist, also was recognized. MATTHEW OSBORNE/Staff

Shown are (front row, from left) Alex Wimberly, IT Specialist II; Tracy Williamson, IT Director; Diana Gallegos, IT Administrator; and Superior Court Judges Rusty Smith, Bill Oliver and Chan Caudell. Back row are (from left) County Manager Alicia Vaughn and Commissioners Bruce Palmer, Bruce Harkness, Ty Akins, Dustin Mealor and Jimmy Tench. Alvin Stinnett, IT Specialist, also was recognized. MATTHEW OSBORNE/Staff

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Judges, county honor IT team

Matthew Osborne
Friday, May 19, 2023
All three Superior Court judges from the Mountain Circuit were gathered at the beginning of Monday’s county commission meeting, noting that something special was in the air.
Downtown Demorest will have a new business soon as Farmhouse Coffee has purchased the Temperance House and the Brew Pub from Lawrence Bridges. MATTHEW OSBORNE/Staff

Downtown Demorest will have a new business soon as Farmhouse Coffee has purchased the Temperance House and the Brew Pub from Lawrence Bridges. MATTHEW OSBORNE/Staff

Farmhouse Coffee coming to Demorest

News Staff
Friday, May 19, 2023
Stephen Martin and his wife Marilyn didn’t plan on celebrating two grand openings this summer, but it looks like they will be. As for Lawrence Bridges, this was all part of his plan.
The remains of Mud Creek Grocery were seen Wednesday near the intersection with Duncan Bridge Road. The building was rotting and falling apart, and the decision was made to tear it down. MATTHEW OSBORNE/Staff

The remains of Mud Creek Grocery were seen Wednesday near the intersection with Duncan Bridge Road. The building was rotting and falling apart, and the decision was made to tear it down. MATTHEW OSBORNE/Staff

Mud Creek Grocery torn down

Matthew Osborne
Friday, May 19, 2023
A century of history was lost this week when the old Mud Creek Grocery store was torn down. Judy Erwin, whose family ran the store for decades, was offered the store building as a keepsake.
Habersham County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kris Hall, right, who is assigned to the agency’s H.E.A.T. (Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic) Unit received both the MADD Georgia Golden Shield 2023 Officer of the Year Honor and the MADD Georgia Golden Shield 2023 Officer DUI Hero Honor for his 204 DUI arrests. Deputy Chase Trammell of the agency’s Special Traffic Enforcement Patrol, left, received a DUI Achievement certificate for 64 DUI arrests. HABERSHAM COUNTY/Submitted

Habersham County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kris Hall, right, who is assigned to the agency’s H.E.A.T. (Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic) Unit received both the MADD Georgia Golden Shield 2023 Officer of the Year Honor and the MADD Georgia Golden Shield 2023 Officer DUI Hero Honor for his 204 DUI arrests. Deputy Chase Trammell of the agency’s Special Traffic Enforcement Patrol, left, received a DUI Achievement certificate for 64 DUI arrests. HABERSHAM COUNTY/Submitted

Hall named MADD Officer of the Year

News Staff
Friday, May 19, 2023
Sgt. Kris Hall of the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office HEAT Unit has been honored with both the MADD Georgia Golden Shield 2023 Officer of the Year Honor and the MADD Georgia Golden Shield 2023 Officer DUI Hero Honor for 204 DUI arrests.
FILE

FILE

Community Calendar

News Staff
Friday, May 19, 2023
Live in the Alley Fenders Alley located in Cornelia’s downtown entertainment district hosts live free community concerts weekly.
Construction crews have been hard at work trying to reach their finish date of July 1 so Sonic can open swiftly after.

Construction crews have been hard at work trying to reach their finish date of July 1 so Sonic can open swiftly after.

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Sonic coming back to Habersham County

Emma Marti
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Habersham residents have an answer to the long-awaited question as to what is being built in the shopping center in front of the newly opened Ross Dress for Less – a Sonic Drive-In.
There were 134 calls to The Orchard for emergencies in 2022 and 56 so far this year. FILE PHOTO

There were 134 calls to The Orchard for emergencies in 2022 and 56 so far this year. FILE PHOTO

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Orchard, Harvest Church stand their ground

Matthew Osborne
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Attendance continues to be strong at county commission meetings, and the public comments seem to surround two main topics – the radio tower at The Orchard and the development on Harvest Church Road.
Habersham overhauled its ethics policy.

Habersham overhauled its ethics policy.

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County disbands citizen ethics panel

Matthew Osborne
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Habersham County’s Board of Commissioners completed its overhaul of their ethics panel Monday night, disbanding the citizen panel and empowering members of the surrounding legal community to deal with complaints against high-level county leaders.
ReveSolutions plans to build across from Bachoco OK Foods on Industrial Boulevard in Baldwin. JOHN DILLS/Staff

ReveSolutions plans to build across from Bachoco OK Foods on Industrial Boulevard in Baldwin. JOHN DILLS/Staff

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Baldwin approves waste plant near business park

John Dills
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
The City of Baldwin, after the second reading of the ordinance, went through with approval for ReveSolutions to take steps to move adjacent the Airport Business Park.