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Piedmont nursing student Gracie Martin puts pressure on a gunshot wound during the disaster drill. Nursing students got a firsthand look at what a chaotic scene in the real world could look like. ZACH TAYLOR/Staff

Piedmont nursing student Gracie Martin puts pressure on a gunshot wound during the disaster drill. Nursing students got a firsthand look at what a chaotic scene in the real world could look like. ZACH TAYLOR/Staff

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Training for disaster

News Staff
Friday, March 21, 2025
By Hannah Caudell      Piedmont’s Loudermilk Field was a sight to behold on Wednesday morning as a fleet of police and emergency medical services (EMS) vehicles drove in with sirens blaring.    The scene suggested chaos.
Photo by Scott Rodgerson on Unsplash

Photo by Scott Rodgerson on Unsplash

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Man charged with vehicular homicide

Zach Taylor
Friday, March 21, 2025
   A Clarkesville man was charged with vehicular homicide after allegedly causing a five-car pileup that injured four and killed one in Hall County earlier in the month.    At 2 p.m.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

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Building the workforce

News Staff
Friday, March 21, 2025
By Hannah Caudell      It’s clear that local leadership in Habersham County has a certain goal in mind when it comes to the county’s workforce: employ more county residents within the county’s border.
Habersham Central Band Director Jacob Weinstein waits for the performance evaluators to make their comments before proceeding with the practice performance. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

Habersham Central Band Director Jacob Weinstein waits for the performance evaluators to make their comments before proceeding with the practice performance. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

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Pencils down

News Staff
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
By Hannah Caudell      The Habersham Central Music Program earned superior ratings across the board at this year’s Large Group Performance Evaluation (LGPE) events, including the symphonic band, the wind ensemble, the Habersham Voices, and the Habersham Singers.
Roger Greene is the sole citizen commentator for the public hearing concerning the financing for the animal shelter during Monday night’s county commission meeting. Greene expressed concern about tax allocation toward the project, but commissioners assured him that property taxes would not be used in the financing of the project. SPLOST monies will be allocated toward funding the project instead. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

Roger Greene is the sole citizen commentator for the public hearing concerning the financing for the animal shelter during Monday night’s county commission meeting. Greene expressed concern about tax allocation toward the project, but commissioners assured him that property taxes would not be used in the financing of the project. SPLOST monies will be allocated toward funding the project instead. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

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County awards financing for animal control facility

News Staff
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
By Hannah Caudell      The Habersham Board of County Commissioners have finally approved a financing bid from PNC Bank for the funding of the new animal control facility, while designating Chairman Jimmy Tench to execute any necessary documents related to the financing of the acquisition,...
Photo by Felipe Correia on Unsplash

Photo by Felipe Correia on Unsplash

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Demorest to improve streets

Zach Taylor
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
   Two of three Georgia Department of Transportation - Transportation Alternatives Program grants were awarded to the City of Demorest to improve the city’s streetscapes inside the city limits.
Carswell and Jones. FILE

Carswell and Jones. FILE

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Jones, Carswell named Superior Court judges

News Staff
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
By Megan Horn CNI News Service      Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has officially appointed Rabun County Probate Judge Carlton H. “Hobie” Jones, III and Juvenile Court Judge B. Nichole Carswell to fill two Superior Court Judge vacancies in the Mountain Judicial Circuit.
Lt. General James L. Terry speaks with David Quintal and other scouts from Troop 5 after his keynote address. ZACH TAYLOR/Staff

Lt. General James L. Terry speaks with David Quintal and other scouts from Troop 5 after his keynote address. ZACH TAYLOR/Staff

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Boy Scouts dinner honors Akin, Cantrell, Hayes

Samantha Sinclair
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
   Be Prepared is the motto of Boy Scouts, and Lt. Gen. James L. Terry thinks if we build leaders, we will be prepared.    “If you are prepared, then you don’t have to get ready,” Terry said. “Are we prepared? Are we ready? Are we ready as a nation?
New Superintendent Patrick Franklin fills the superintendent’s seat in the Board of Education meeting room with a new nameplate. Franklin took over former Superintendent Matthew Cooper’s position on Thursday, bringing with him over 20 years of professional experience, all of which has been spent in Habersham County. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

New Superintendent Patrick Franklin fills the superintendent’s seat in the Board of Education meeting room with a new nameplate. Franklin took over former Superintendent Matthew Cooper’s position on Thursday, bringing with him over 20 years of professional experience, all of which has been spent in Habersham County. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

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A servant’s heart

News Staff
Friday, March 14, 2025
By Hannah Caudell      Patrick Franklin’s tenure as superintendent of Habersham County School System began a little sooner than expected as former Superintendent Matthew Cooper said goodbye to faculty and students on Thursday, March 13, a fitting day for a man who has held the superintendent seat...
Alto Councilman Eddie Palmer offers his two cents on the fence issue during Tuesday’s work session. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

Alto Councilman Eddie Palmer offers his two cents on the fence issue during Tuesday’s work session. HANNAH CAUDELL/Staff

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On the fence

News Staff
Friday, March 14, 2025
By Hannah Caudell      Making the city’s playground safer will have to wait another month.    The fence for the playground at 155 S. Grant St. in Alto was discussed during the Alto City Council work session, including new quotes and pricing.