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04/04/2025

Hall County Schools Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Kevin Bales announced his retirement, effective May 30, 2025.

https://accesswdun.com/article/2025/4/1290108/hall-county-schools-deputy-superintendent-announces-retirement

04/04/2025

The Cherokee Bluff High School Head Boys Basketball Coach was arrested for driving under the influence and speeding near Flowery Branch on March 24.

https://accesswdun.com/article/2025/4/1290104/head-cherokee-bluff-boys-basketball-coach-charged-with-dui

04/03/2025

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will distribute oral rabies vaccine baits for wildlife in parts of north Georgia during the month of April.

The USDA reports that they will work in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Health to set the baits that will attract wild animals to eat the baits and then become vaccinated against rabies.

During the program, roughly 1.7-million baits will be distributed to areas in north Georgia, east Tennessee, western North Carolina, and southwest Virginia.

The process generally takes place in the fall, but impacts from Hurricane Helene delayed rabies management efforts.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will distribute oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits for wildlife in parts of north Georgia during the month of April

04/03/2025

The alleged Apalachee High School shooter is following his father's suit and requesting a change of location for his upcoming criminal trial.

C**t Gray's attorney filed in Barrow County Superior Court on Wednesday, asking to have the trial moved to another county, saying heavy attention and media coverage of the case means he can't have a fair trial in Barrow.

Gray is accused of shooting and killing four people and injuring nine others in the attack last September. His father, Colin Gray, is also facing charges for allegedly allowing C**t access to the gun, and he filed last month to also change his trial's location.

The teenage boy accused of shooting and killing four people and injuring nine others at Apalachee High School in Barrow County nearly seven months ago is now requesting to change the location of his trial.

04/03/2025

A man has been extradited from Texas to the Hall County Jail on charges of r**e and child molestation.

The Gainesville Police Department reports that 31-year-old Eduard Steven Quinones was arrested after two girls reported to Texas officials that they had been molested by their stepfather.

The two girls, ages 12 and 15, allege they were touched inappropriately in Gainesville and Fort Stockton, Texas, where they currently reside.

The alleged abuse in Gainesville occurred roughly three years ago at a family residence in Georgia.

Quinones remains in the Hall County Jail without bond, and the case remains active.

A man has been extradited from Texas to the Hall County Jail on charges of r**e and child molestation

04/03/2025

The Big Ridge wildfire that's been burning for nearly three weeks in Rabun County is now nearly 90 percent contained.

A report Thursday morning from the U.S. Forest Service said the only area of the fire that remains uncontained in the far southeastern portion near Big Mountain.

Rain and humidity have helped crews fight the blaze, with officials saying the fire is not expected to spread Thursday.

The fire has been burning for nearly three weeks in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests northeast of Clayton.

04/03/2025

Some good news and not-so-good news from the Georgia Department of Labor, regarding the monthly job employment rates in Gainesville.

Thursday's release from the GDOL shows an unemployment rate of 3.1-percent in February, a three-tenths percent increase over the previous month. A year ago, the rate was 2.8-percent.

The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced today that Gainesville recorded an unemployment rate of 3.1 percent in February, a three-tenths increase over-the-previous month. A year ago, the rate was 2.8 percent. With that said, GDOL officials also saw job growth continuing for the Gainesville...

04/03/2025

Georgia State Patrol says one person has died and three others - including two young children - were injured in a Hart County Crash Wednesday afternoon.

Troopers arrived to the Lankford Road accident scene at around 3:50 p.m. to find a 2001 Dodge Dakota driven by Dustin Owen of Lavonia had left the roadway and struck a tree.

Owen and two infant passengers, ages 1 and 2, were injured while the front seat passenger, identified as 22-year old Brittany Lewis of Lavonia, was pronounced dead at the scene.

While no charges have currently been filed, the cause for the crash remains under investigation.

Georgia State Patrol (GSP) says one person has died and three others-including two young children-were injured in a Hart County Crash Wednesday afternoon.

04/03/2025

A Gainesville man who was first arrested on child po*******hy charges in October of 2024 is now facing more than 100 new charges after more videos and images were discovered.

The Hall County Sheriff's Office announced Thursday morning that Martin Pedro, age 20, had also produced four of the videos himself, depicting illicit acts by a female victim who was under the age of 16 at a home in Hall County.

A Gainesville man who was first arrested on child po*******hy charges in October of 2024 is now facing more than 100 new charges after more videos and images were discovered.

04/03/2025

The Mountain Judicial Circuit has two new Superior Court judges after Governor Brian Kemp’s appointments.

Judge Carlton H. Jones, III and Judge B. Nichole Carswell were selected by Kemp on March 27 and will stay in office until December 31, 2026.

Jones will replace Russell William “Rusty” Smith and Carswell will replace B. Chan Caudell.

The Mountain Judicial Circuit consists of Habersham, Rabun, Banks, and Stephens Counties.

The Mountain Judicial Circuit has two new Superior Court judges after Governor Brian Kemp’s appointments

04/02/2025

As the 2025 Georgia legislative session wraps up Thursday, it also signals the end of the first legislative session for Hall County's newest representative.

District 49 State Senator Drew Echols (R-Gainesville) won election to the seat previously held by his wife, Shelly Echols in November. He spoke on WDUN's "The Drive at 5" with Caleb Hutchins Wednesday about some of the more high-profile pieces of legislation that have been moving through the general assembly in his first year.

As the 2025 Georgia legislative session wraps up Thursday, it also signals the end of the first legislative session for Hall County's newest representative.

04/02/2025

Improvements are coming for Dawsonville Highway after a $4.2-million construction contract has just been awarded by the Georgia DOT.

The improvements to State Route 53/Dawsonville Highway and SR 53 Connector will cover roughly 1 mile of widening and reconstruction from Ahaluna Drive to Shallowford Road.

The estimated completion date is May 31st, 2027.

That is 10 years after preliminary engineering took place in 2017 which cost roughly $1.4-million. A right of way was also implemented in 2021 costing nearly $700,000.

In total, that brings the cost up to roughly $6.3-million upon completion.

Improvements are coming for Dawsonville Highway after a $4.2-million construction contract has just been awarded by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT)

04/02/2025

The U.S. Forest Service says the Big Ridge wildfire in eastern Rabun County is at 39-percent containment as of Wednesday.

That number has nearly doubled compared to the 20-percent containment crews reported on Tuesday.

The latest update on the departments social media says that the fire has consumed 3,274 acres, up from the 3,000 acres reported Tuesday, but the increase is due to more accurate mapping, not fire growth.

Still, the fire has not caused any evacuations as of last report.

04/02/2025

UPDATE: Lanier Technical College Police now say that the threat report that caused a law enforcement response on Ga. 365 in Cornelia Wednesday morning did not originate from the campus.

They added that the threat came from "an internet search that returned results from an incident from several years ago, which was mistakenly thought to be current."

Multiple law enforcement agencies in Hall and Habersham counties have investigated, with all determining that the threat was not credible.

Authorities from multiple jurisdictions have said they have found no credible evidence of a threat after a caller reported a shooter along Ga. 365 Wednesday morning.

04/02/2025

A Gainesville resident was arrested on aggravated assault charges after an incident Friday night according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO).

https://accesswdun.com/article/2025/4/1290042/gainesville-man-arrested-after-verbal-confrontation-alleged-machete-threat

04/02/2025

A Hiawassee man will spend 25 years-to-life behind bars following this week’s conviction on several sexual violence charges.

https://accesswdun.com/article/2025/4/1290058/hiawassee-man-pleads-guilty-to-sexual-violence-crimes-in-towns-and-white-counties

04/02/2025

Authorities from multiple jurisdictions have said they have found no credible evidence of a threat after a caller reported a shooter along Ga. 365 Wednesday morning.

https://accesswdun.com/article/2025/4/1290064/authorities-no-threat-found-after-alleged-shooter-on-ga-365

04/02/2025

Where have all the jingle writers gone?

https://accesswdun.com/article/2025/4/1290030/jingle-all-the-way