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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018 | $1.00 | GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com
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Honestly Local
Gainesville to use land for business park
BY MEGAN REED
mreed@gainesvilletimes.com
The city of Gainesville hopes to
build a 1,300-acre business park
on Allen Creek Road near U.S. 129
using land the city has owned since
1990.
On Tuesday, Nov. 6, the city coun
cil will vote to start the application
process for permits with the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers.
The city plans to work with the
Greater Hall Chamber of Com
merce to recruit tenants for the
business park, which according to
current plans has been divided into
20 lots.
The property will be 1.6 miles
from Interstate 985 and about 13
miles from Interstate 85.
The first tenant has already
signed on — the city of Gainesville
plans to use one of the lots for a new
maintenance facility for the water
resources and public works depart
ments. That site will be used for
equipment storage and fleet vehicle
maintenance.
City Manager Bryan Lackey said
there are five business parks within
city limits that are starting to get
full.
“It’s great to have all this activ
ity in Gainesville with companies
wanting to expand and companies
coming in.... We don’t want to turn
away people that are wanting to be
in our community,” Lackey said.
Lackey said the project also will
drive sewer expansion on the U.S.
129 corridor, where several large
properties are undeveloped due to
a lack of sewer access.
No timeline for the project has
been determined, and the first steps
are permitting and design, Lackey
said. Construction will be done in
phases, with lots being developed
as businesses agree to move in.
The city purchased the land in
1990, when state and federal regu
lations required municipalities to
use spray irrigation for sewer treat
ment plants. The land, which is next
to the Allen Creek Soccer Complex,
has been sitting empty, Lackey
said.
■ Please see BUSINESS, 8A
Hall woman found guilty in
dog death case, gets five years
JIM DEAN I Forsyth County News
Defense attorney Rate Banks questions his client, dog groomer Michelle Root, on Wednesday in Forsyth County.
Former groomer arrested in 2017 after two pets die under her care
BY ALEXANDER POPP
apopp@forsythnews.com
A former Forsyth County dog
groomer has been convicted of aggra
vated cruelty to animals and sentenced
to five years in prison for kicking and
choking a dog to death in October 2017.
On Thursday morning, a jury con
victed Michelle Louise Root, 44, of Hall
County, for killing a dog named Meko.
Root was acquitted of a second charge
of aggravated animal cruelty for the
death of another dog.
Root’s five-year sentence includes
three years in prison and two years of
probation. Root also faces fines, com
munity service hours and restitution.
Root is also prohibited from ever car
ing for or grooming any animal not
owned by her.
■ Please see DOG, 8A
Lisa Riles,
a former
employee of
Paw’sh Paws,
cries while
testifying this
week during
the animal
cruelty trial
for Hall
County
woman
Michelle
Root.
BEN HENDREN
For the Forsyth
County News
CVS employee
stabbed in head
during robbery
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com
A CVS employee was seriously injured when a
masked man lodged a knife in the worker’s head dur
ing a robbery early Thursday, Nov. 1, at the Gaines
ville store.
Brandon Shane Dudley, 33,
entered the store at 103 Jesse Jew
ell Parkway demanding money and
“immediately struck the employee in
the head with a knife, lodging it into
his head,” according to Gainesville
Police.
Sgt. Kevin Holbrook did not have
any information on the mask or knife
used in the case.
“The victim was actually able to give officers a good
deal of information that actually helped us,” he said,
giving police information on the suspect’s description.
Officers responded at about 1 a.m. to the reported
robbery, and the male employee was transported in
■ Please see CVS, 8A
Teen injured in
pumpkin chuckin’
event at church
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com
A 16-year-old was taken to Northeast Georgia Medi
cal Center in critical condition after being injured at
a “pumpkin chuckin’’ event Wednesday, according to
police.
Oakwood police officers responded on Halloween
night along with Hall County Fire Services to a report
of a traumatic injury at Cornerstone Assembly of God
church on Atlanta Highway.
“Upon arrival, officers discovered a 16-year-old
male had been seriously injured during a ‘pumpkin
chuckin’ event,” investigator Todd Templeton wrote
in an email.
The church was hosting a Trunks of Treats event
that advertised games, inflatables, candy and a pump
kin launcher.
Paramedics transported the teenager to the hospital.
Officers said the teenager was firing a pumpkin
launcher similar to a large slingshot with two posts in
the ground and rubber in the middle.
“While firing the pumpkin, the teen was injured by
■ Please see PUMPKIN, 8A
INSIDE
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Calendar 2A
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Opinion 6A
Our Region 8A
Sports 1B
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WEATHER 2A
A High Low
Wf 61 42
Lake Lanier level: 1,069.34 feet
Full pool 1,071. Down 0.04 feet in 24 hours
DEATHS 9A
Lena Mae Abernathy, 78
Barbara Blanton Allen, 75
John Cotton, 91
Guy Samuel Medlock, 65
Charles Ebb Scott, 68
Barbara Odom Smith
Willie Jay Bradford, 78
Cheryl Ann Balogh Carter, 74
Billie Dean, 64
Roland H. Force, 71
Sharon Kay Hudson, 55
Jerry Jenkins, 64
Robert Woodrow Jett Jr.
Kendra Louise Koch, 72
Nancy W. Marlowe, 76
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our entire district.”
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