Ken Stanford

With hot, dry weather forecast, rangers and others are gearing up for mammoth holiday crowds on Lake Lanier Tuesday - and to emphasize safety, the state has released some year-to-date statistics about water safety.

Instead of a summer of "fun in the sun" before their college careers start, a group of incoming freshmen at North Georgia College & State University are getting an early taste of college life.

Once again this year, the American Legion on Riverside Drive will host a fireworks display over Lake Lanier - and the man who has run the show for many years says it, and the others he's in charge of, are a challenge each year.

The head of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce warns the issue of low water levels in Lake Lanier - aggravated by dry weather and a mistaken release of water-is not going away anytime soon.

Passage of the SPLOST measure and the two liquor-by-the-drink questions that will be on the July 18 ballot in Hall County was encouraged at a meeting in Gainesville Thursday.

Items relating to two huge residential developments in South Hall are on the agenda for the July 6th Hall County Planning Commission meeting.

Despite recent rains, the Upper Oconee Basin Water Authority has voted to declare a "Stage 1" drought for four northeast Georgia counties.

Blairsville-based United Community Banks, Inc. (NASDAQ: UCBI) Tuesday announced an agreement to purchase two branches from First Charter Corporation (NASDAQ: FCTR) in North Carolina.

Two superior court judges in the Gainesville-based Northeastern Judicial Circuit, have qualified for the November General Election.

A California newspaper reports that a Gainesville attorney is representing one of seven Marines and one sailor facing murder charges in the death of an Iraqi civilian April 26.