In August, the city announced that they would be pursuing emergency grant funding to make vital repairs to their water and wastewater systems, especially in the aftermath of the U.S. 441 water main break in February and the subsequent leaks that the system has sprung since. (FILE)

Cornelia Elementary School Principal Carrie Trotter, who is on Cornelia’s housing team, explains the difficulty of hiring new teaching talent who wish to relocate to Cornelia, which is also experiencing the myriad effects of the housing crisis. (Hannah Caudell/Staff)

Mike Watts checks out handmade birdhouses that were part of the silent auction for SRWA. (Zach Taylor/Staff)

Clarkesville’s Historic Mauldin House and Gardens is working to preserve the city’s history by gathering information, items and funds. Those sharing historical information will be entered into a drawing to win artwork by Frankie Walters, like the piece above. People may also purchase bricks to support the preservation of the property. (Samantha Sinclair/Staff)

The old visitation room now serves as a classroom, courtroom, legal counsel room, and virtual visitation room due to limited space in the current jail. A rough schematic of the new jail outlines a multi-purpose room dedicated to activities such as GED courses, for which Major Leslie Hendrix is currently being trained to teach. (Zach Taylor/Staff)

Members of the Tim Lee Boys and Girls Club, the organization’s leadership team, and representatives from T-Mobile stand around the giant $50,000 T-Mobile Hometown Grant check, which helped the Boys and Girls Club of Lanier to purchase much-needed electronics for both the Habersham club and their satellite locations in the school system. (Hannah Caudell/Staff)