*Prison Fellowship, the nation’s largest outreach to prisoners, former prisoners, and their families, and an advocate for criminal justice reform, presented the 2019 Charles Colson Advocate of Hope Award to Republican Congressman Doug Collins of Gainesville and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) for their work on the FIRST STEP Act and its eventual passage in December of 2018.
*The Gainesville Middle School Drama Department will present Disney's "Frozen Jr." on Thursday, December 19 and Friday, December 20 at the Pam Ware Performing Arts Center at Gainesville High School. Performances will start at 7:00 p.m. with doors opening at 6:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $6 at the door or online at gmsdrama.booktix.com.
*Sautee-Nacoochee Community Association weekly update.
*The winner of this year’s Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District water essay contest is Saanvi Warke, a sixth-grader from South Forsyth Middle School in Cumming. Elena West, a sixth-grader from William Benson Simpson Middle School in Cobb County, was named the district-wide runner-up. Hall County was represented by Hailey VanLandingham, North Hall Middle School. Click here for more details on this story.
*Tammy Caudell has joined Carroll Daniel Construction Company in Gainesville as a Business Development Manager. Caudell’s role at Carroll Daniel will focus on building business opportunities and relationships with companies that relocate or expand into the Southeast. Most recently she served as Senior Project Manager for the Georgia Department of Economic Development in northeast Georgia, where she was responsible for Existing Industry and Regional Recruitment projects in Region 2 of the state.
*The University of North Georgia's College of Education scored Level 4, or exemplary, in the new Preparation Program Effectiveness Measures, developed by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. Fewer than a quarter of the state's teacher education programs earned a 4 in these scores.
*A section of Maple Street in Gainesville next to the library will be closed again this week to accommodate continuing work on expanding and renovating the library. One lane will be closed Monday-Wednesday and both lanes will be closed Thursday and Friday.
